Back at the dorm, I'm half-convinced we're either about to start a fire or that Maroon is setting up a low-key meth lab. She's focused, pouring all her engineering expertise into constructing what looks like a personal distillery.

"Eeeeeeeeelden Lean~" she sings as she works.

A tangled maze of tubes, glass apparatus, and steaming contraptions crawls across the room like the limbs of a mechanical beast. The setup pulses with a strange vitality, the rhythmic gurgling of chemicals being boiled, mixed, and funneled into each other. It's an alchemist's dream—except I'm pretty sure this isn't alchemy. I follow the process as best I can, but it's too intricate for me to keep up. Finally, the concoction drips into a barrel-like tankard, the air around it heavy with the scent of something heady and dangerous.

Tonight's the last night at Beacon for a lot of people, and since I hinted at some kind of celebration, Maroon's taken it upon herself to ensure no one leaves sober.

I watch her go, slightly fascinated, slightly concerned. She takes sips from time to time, keeping herself in this bizarre sweet spot of blind drunkenness. Like an anime version of Rick Sanchez riding a sugar rush. Normally, I'd feel the need to step in—check her sugar levels, make sure she's still functioning within human parameters—but something about the way she's so completely in the moment gives me pause. There's a freedom to it, and I have to admit... she's kind of hot when she's not looking at the ground and just does whatever she wants instead.

It's then that Rain steps out of her room, and I blink in surprise. She looks... different. Gone is her usual armor, replaced by a short set of winter pelts that cling to her frame. And for the first time, I see her tiger-like stripes adorned with additional ink that curls around her abdomen, drawing the eye to the muscles beneath. It's subtle but deliberate—like she's daring someone to notice.

"Heeey, look at that. Did you get a date or something?"

Rain looks down at me with a slight tilt of her head. "Mhmmm… Just Weiss, hanging. Why? Feel lonely? Could keep company or something, if you need."

I mean... considering that Maroon will be too wrapped up to pay attention to anything else once the party starts, I was hoping for some quality catgirl time—maybe even show off a little in front of the poor souls heading home in the morning.

But when she says it like that...

"Nah, I just wanted to make sure you had someone to keep an eye on you if things get wild tonight," I reply, shrugging off the idea. "Guess it'll just be Pyrrha and me on the dancefloor again."

Rain tilts her head a bit more, her confusion deepening. "Pyrrha? No. She… indisposed. Sleeping early," she says, her tone dropping as if trying to be sensitive. "Woman stuff. Very bad, bleeding everywhere. Can smell it." She taps her nose. "Very metallic. Healthy. Some would—"

"Okay, okay! I get it! I'll just help Scary Spice finish her setup!" I cut her off, trying to erase the mental image she's planting.

"Gee. Humans—so sensitive, so emotional," Rain mutters, shaking her head as she turns to leave.

The room falls quiet for a second, then Maroon comes back, rolling through the carpet. "Fium! Fium, fium~"

"Maroon? Since when do you have rollers?!"

"Ehehe~"

We end up spending another half-hour not just filling the tankard to the brim with whatever this drink is supposed to be, but also making sure her invention doesn't end up blowing us all to kingdom come once some of the ingredients inevitably start eating through the metal. It's part alchemy, part engineering, part pretending we know what we're doing.

Hanging out with Maroon is a lot better when she's not scared to throw some sass back at me. It's a side of her I don't get to see often, but when she's relaxed like this, the banter flows naturally. Hell, sometimes she's even the one doing the teasing, and I've gotta admit, I'm here for it.

"Wachu gonna do now, Babyboy?" she asks, her voice dripping with mischief as she closes the container with a clink. Then, she rolls herself into my chest, her face inches from mine. "Somebody waiting for all that, or should I go ahead and take a bite?"

I laugh, brushing it off. "Nah… I think I might as well just head to bed. Haven't had a good sleep in—"

But as I start to pull away, my legs freeze by her pull. There's a shift in the air, a change in the mood so sudden it catches me off guard. Maroon's eyes are wide and dark now, locking onto mine. It's like her entire attention is zeroed in my soul.

"I wasn't jokin', handsome," she whispers, her lips brushing my ear, her breath warm and intimate. "There's something I've been meaning to do for a bit now."

Her presence surrounds me, making it hard to think clearly or focus on anything else as the room shrinks until there's barely enough space to breathe. It takes everything I have just to feel my hands again, and eventually, I manage to close my fingers around her hips, grounding myself in the moment.

"Oh, yeah?" I press back. "You could've crossed the hallway anytime, you know where my room is."

Her lips trace down the line of my cheek. "Sometimes a girl be shy," she purrs, barely brushing my mouth with hers. "But not tonight, Babyboy. No, not tonight."

Before I can think, instinct takes over. My hand slaps down onto her thigh as I push her back against the table we'd been working on, our lips crashing together in a heated kiss. She hooks one leg around my hips, her arms pulling me closer, and I—

A door opens.

We break apart instantly, the tension between us shattering as Pyrrha steps into the room, her entrance awkward and tentative.

"Hey, guys…" she murmurs. "Sorry for staying out of the party. I'm just... not in the right mood today."

I stand there, trying to shift gears in my head and remember how I normally act. Before I can find the words, Maroon steps in. With a grin, she gives me a playful slap on the ass, pulling me right back to reality.

"C'mon! Help a girl in need, would ya?" she teases, carefree.

"But what about—?"

"Yeah, yeah," she interrupts, waving me off. "I can take everything down by myself." Then, for just a brief moment, she locks eyes with me again. "I'll be fine. You just do what you do."

And just like that, she grabs her cauldron, her footsteps light as she leaves the room.

"So…" I turn toward Pyrrha, trying to relax. "Looking for anything? I can cook, but I don't think anyone's gone shopping yet."

"Oh! I sent Rain to the city yesterday. She offered!" Pyrrha says brightly.

"Oh, god…"

We end up just boiling some water, and I get the sense that Pyrrha wasn't looking for anything specific when she came, probably just bored and a little lonely after spending too much time in her room. Chamomile tea should do the trick.

The silence between us feels comfortable, the kind that doesn't need to be filled with words. But after a while, Pyrrha suddenly sets her cup down, her expression shifting into something more serious.

"Hey, Vesper," she starts. "There's something I've been meaning to… inquire about."

I raise an eyebrow, already bracing myself. "If you tell me you're thinking about leaving the team again, I might actually lose it."

"No! It's not that," she says quickly, shaking her head. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she continues, "It's just… Well, I don't feel like I'm doing enough."

"Phyrra…"

She presses on, her voice filled with conviction. "I'm just… Is it really fine? I could do more! I feel like I could've taken care of the Crawling Horror if you'd asked me to."

She's probably right, but the last time she learned to handle big trouble on her own she got turned into an ashtray, so…

"Look," I say, choosing my words carefully, "I get where you're coming from, but I don't think we made any mistakes we need to worry about. Sure, in hindsight, maybe it would've been better if you chased Port and I stayed behind with Ozpin. But in that moment? I thought chasing Port was a pretty stupid move, so I took it on myself. I'm the mobile one, after all. If things went south, I could've jumped out of the tower through a crack in the wall."

She frowns, not entirely convinced. "You could've asked me to come with you…"

"And what if there wasn't just one Crawling Horror?" I counter gently. "As long as you're with Ozpin, I know the mission will be completed. I know it's not the most exciting spot, but I'd rather take the risks knowing that if I need to retreat, you'll be holding things together at the center."

Her gaze drops to the floor, her fingers tracing circles on the table. "It's just… I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have brough this up, but… I'm used to doing things myself. I like being in control, knowing that if I work harder, push myself more, things will just go my way. That's what I've always done."

"Well," I say with a light grin, trying to ease the tension, "maybe someone needs to learn how to give up control every once in a while."

Her eyes narrow slightly, lips curving into a hesitant smile as she looks up at me. "Do you… have something in mind?"

I can feel the shift in her tone, the slightest trace of curiosity creeping in, and I leap at it.

Now or never.

Standing up, I give Pyrrha a single glance before picking her up from her chair.

"What—"

"Trust practice, mandatory."

Her lips press together nervously, but she doesn't resist as I carry her to her room.

Pyrrha's space is exactly what you'd expect—neatly organized and way cozier than mine. She brought a lot more from home than I did, including her own bed sheets. I lower her gently onto the bed and sit beside her, placing my hands on her shoulders, thumbs pressing lightly into the muscles of her back.

"Oh…" she gasps, her body twitching in surprise, clearly relieved. "Sorry, I thought—"

"Got your hopes up?" I tease, smiling down at her. "Relax. Just… let go. You need it."

"Fine," she grumbles. "But stay… you know…"

"Do I?"

Despite everything, Pyrrha remains as tense as a charged landmine, and I can't blame her. The playful back-and-forth we've had over the past week has been harmless, but this—this is a bit different.

I let my hands glide slowly down her back, feeling the rise and fall of her breath as I work. It's a strange sensation—part familiarity, part new territory. Her muscles shift beneath my fingers, tensing and relaxing. Pyrrha's back is lean, defined through years of painful work. And I doubt anyone else has had the chance to appreciate it like this, firsthand. She's like a machine, finely tuned for combat.
Most of the students at Beacon aren't built like professional athletes; they don't need to be. An unlocked aura puts them far beyond normal physical limits. But Pyrrha? She's gone beyond that, training as if she had no aura at all.

It's not as showy as Rain, who wears her sculpted, almost Roman-statue-like physique for everyone to see. But if I had to bet? Even on a regular world, she'd probably be an Olympic athlete.

As her tension begins to fade away, my confidence grows. I let my hands drift lower, tracing down her sides. She glances over her shoulder at me, her lips curling into a smirk, as if to say, "Watch yourself." Then she settles back down into the pillow.

"You… really know what you're doing, huh?" Pyrrha murmurs softly.

"And you haven't see what I can do without clothes on the way," I joke.

There's silence. Then, without a word, Pyrrha pushes herself up slightly, lifting just enough to peel her shirt off and toss it aside. She keeps her chest pressed to the bed, holding her underwear in place. "T-That's it, okay?" she says, trying to sound firm.

Sometimes life can—Indeed—be a dream.

"Agh! I keep telling you! You need to have your scroll on you, not leave it in your room!" Weiss shrieks, rushing up the stairs. "What if I send you something important?"

Rain trails behind her, moving at a snail's pace, her expression as lazy as her steps. "But… I can read later."

Weiss spins around, her hands thrown up in exasperation. "That's not the point! What if I want to say something about someone? We can't just talk with all these people around!"

"But you said you wanted to sit with your team."

"Yes, and that's exactly why I need you to have your scroll! So we can talk about how awful it is without anyone else overhearing! I live with these people! Have you ever tried sharing a bathroom? I've never seen so much hair! One of these harlots is going bald!"

They both enter the apartment unbothered, until they freeze mid-step at the sound of low voices.

"Mhm… God, that feels great…" Pyrrha gasps. "Can you go a little… harder? I'd like to… really feel it."

"For you? I'll see what I can do~"

Weiss's eyes widen, her jaw practically hitting the floor. "Are they…?"

Rain just nods, her posture growing tense, the faintest hint of embarrassment on her face. "Team bonding," she mutters, avoiding Weiss's eyes. "Very natural… Me thinks."

Weiss goes down on one knee, pressing her ear against the door.

"Pyrrha…" Vesper whispers, his voice tentative. "You mind if I just… Get on top?"

"D-Don't try anything funny!" Pyrrha's tone wavers.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm already having enough fun."

The soft creak of the bed adds to the rhythm of their conversation, each faint groan of wood sending Weiss's thoughts spiraling. Her breath catches, and she backs away from the door, panic in her eyes.

Weiss pulls Rain into her room, backing into the shared wall. "They're going at it!" she hisses.

Rain, in contrast, picks up her scroll silently, clearly hoping to make her exit as quick as possible.

"Are you kidding?!" Weiss leans forward, barely managing to stay quiet. "I almost joined this team! That could've been my room, my bed! He's basically—basically doing it with me!"

"That's… That's not…"

"But why him?" Weiss mutters, pacing in the cramped space. "There has to be a reason! Pyrrha wouldn't just… with the first guy who came along, right? She's not like that!"

Rain shifts awkwardly, her expression calm as always but her hand gripping her arm tightly. "Don't know… Vesper's... nice. For a human."

Weiss recoils, nearly choking. "What?!"

Rain glances down, avoiding eye contact. "He says stuff. I listen. We win. It's... nice. He... calls me 'Whiskers' sometimes. Like... pretty kitty."

Weiss presses a hand to her forehead in disbelief. "Girl, I know you're, like, part pet, but you can't seriously think like that! Vesper's such a showoff, he's—ugh!" The girl keeps going for a moment, before her face lights up. "You should go knock on that door, I want to see if Pyrrha's okay."

Rain shakes her head, looking away. "Don't wanna…"

"Whyyyyy?!" Weiss groans dramatically. "Fine, fine! But... can you at least call him? Please? For your bestie?"

Reluctantly, Rain pulls out her scroll, staring at the screen for a long moment before pressing the call button.

The scroll rings once, and Vesper's voice comes through, sounding slightly concerned. "Rain? You never call. Is everything okay?"

"Yes," she replies, a knot in her throat. Rain hesitates, glancing at Weiss, panic starting to build between them. Weiss gestures wildly, mouthing, Ask him!

"You like... sex?"

"What…?"

Rain's quickly coughs. "Sorry, I meant... You... mating now?"

"What?!"

The Faunus ends the call and immediately throws the scroll onto her bed, her face burning with embarrassment.

Weiss rushes toward her. "What was that?!"

"Panicked."

"Vesper? Is everything alright?" Pyrrha asks, turning around.

I shrug, rubbing the back of my neck. "I... don't know. I think Rain's drunk. She was with Weiss... Maybe it's nothing, but I should probably go check on them."

Pyrrha looks down, just for a moment. "S-Sure... Thank you, though. For staying with me. And... for not trying anything. I've never really—"

Before she finishes, I lean in to kiss her on the cheek. We both collapse back onto the bed, sinking into its warmth, letting it make us lazy.

"Awww… Don't tell me you already miss me." She pulls me closer, pressing a kiss into my temple. "Normally, I'd offer to go check on them, but…" Pyrrha looks at me, eyes soft and creamy. "I think I'll just stay here, just in case you need to retreat."

I've been fighting with everything I have to keep my eyes on her face. But at this point? Fuck it. I let my gaze wander, tracing the curves of her body, burning her shape on my memory, everything from her waist up.

She pinches my cheek.

"What?" I ask, all innocence. "You're the one saying I can come back here if I get in trouble..."

The moment stretches between us like a warm blanket. The soft sound of the sheets brushing against each other fills the silence as we smile, neither of us quite ready to pull away. Pyrrha places a hand on my chest, resting it there as if she's feeling the rhythm of my heartbeat.

Then suddenly, she clenches her teeth in pain, her whole body twisting in a cramp.

I'm thrown out of the bed, landing hard against her dresser as the entire room erupts into chaos. Every single piece of metal—lamps, chairs, even the bed frame—goes backward with invisible force.

"You know..." I mutter, wincing as I try to sit up, my back aching against the blunt edge. "Somehow... I never thought about this part of having powers."

Pyrrha looks genuinely mortified, red like a tomato, her face behind her hands. "I'm sorry!"

Sorry for the short break. The story was catching up to what I had written, so I had to pause and get ahead again.

I've got to admit, this intro has been massive. I originally planned for this chapter and the next one to be a single chapter, but… yeah, that's not happening.

On another note, I figured it was about time to give Vesper some wins. Don't get me wrong—nobody enjoys seeing the MC suffer more than I do, but we've had our fun.

Anyway, I spent all day writing, and now I'm too tired to come up with anything clever to say here. I'm not gonna analyze the chapter in depth or anything, ask questions, I like questions.

I'm thinking of opening an oran page in the future, so if there's anything you'd like to see included, now's the time to let me know. I don't really know what people value the most there.

I'm pretty open to whatever pays for my limbus/rivals battlepass.