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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

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Northern Lights

Chapter 4

Almost there… just a little more and-.

Weiss gave a startled squeak, her focus shattered by a sharp flick between her furrowed brows. She instinctively recoiled a half-step and her eyes snapped open to find Winter staring down at her disapprovingly; the ghostly torso of the arma gigas she was summoning and shards of the glyph it had been emerging from evaporated quickly into wispy tendrils before vanishing entirely, leaving no trace of their existence.

"What was that for?" Weiss asked indignantly, lifting a hand to rub at her forehead. "It was working, I could feel it!"

"Not like that. Is this how you've been practising?"

"Yeah, and I-."

"Stop, immediately." Winter sighed in obvious frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Report back here after dinner this evening."

Weiss blinked. "What? But why?"

"Because," Winter's hand came away from her face, "you seem to have developed some bad habits." She turned her head just a touch and narrowed her eyes at the sight of Pyrrha approaching from where she'd been practising controlling multiple objects with her Polarity. "Dangerously bad habits that shouldn't have come this far."

Pyrrha shot Winter a scathing look — which was returned with icy poise — as she reached Weiss' side.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Weiss brushed off Pyrrha's fussing — her forehead still stung a little, but that wasn't what was bothering her — and looked back to Winter. "What do you mean 'bad habits'? What are you talking about?"

Winter's eyes slid from Pyrrha to Weiss, losing their sharpness if not their sternness in the process. "You stand completely still, close your eyes, and slowly gesture while striking a pose." She scoffed and gave a slow shake of her head. "This isn't a game; you aren't putting on a show. If you teach yourself to summon like that, and you do it reflexively in a serious fight, you're going to get yourself killed."

Weiss wilted a bit. "But this is the only way I can make it work… I can't do it like you do, Win; it's not easy for me like it is for you."

"No excuses; do it right. This is no different than sword drills — you need speed and efficiency, not theatrics with broken structure."

"They aren't theatrics, they're tools to help her concentrate." Pyrrha gestured for emphasis, stepping partway between the Schnee sisters. "Once she's accustomed to it, she can-."

"Do you want her to die the next time you're helpless and she insists on protecting you, Nikos?"

Weiss gasped softly, her eyes widening a little at the biting remark though not so much as Pyrrha's, whose mouth snapped closed with an audible click of her teeth.

"Because that's exactly what will happen if she faces Cinder Fall again and tries to summon like that."

Pyrrha looked away, ashamed by the reminder of her failure.

"It's not like I want to leave myself open like that, but nothing else works; I've been trying all year at Beacon and you saw how far that got me. Besides, she won't be helpless like that again." Weiss' tone was a little reproachful, and she reached out to lay a reassuring hand on Pyrrha's arm.

"You can't just assume you'll never be caught in that situation, Weiss!" Though Winter's voice rose, Weiss could tell easily that concern rather than anger fuelled it. "And even if she's not helpless, you'll be outnumbered in the field. Nikos may be a capable fighter," she briefly glanced to Pyrrha at the grudging admission, "but you can't leave yourself defenceless and expect her to protect you."

Pyrrha's face came back up, a defiant look given to Winter. "I will," her voice was certain, softening a bit as she turned to Weiss. "I'll always protect you."

Weiss couldn't help but smile. I know you will, and I'll protect you too Pyr.

Winter arched a brow. "Is that so?"

Although she replied to the elder Schnee, Pyrrha's eyes stayed fixed on Weiss'. "With my life."

"Then you'll lose it, and so will she."

Weiss' smile faltered, and she and Pyrrha looked to Winter nearly as one.

"I won't let that happen." There was steel in Pyrrha's voice, and in her eyes that bored into Winter's as though she could destroy the very idea of it by will and gaze alone. "Not to Weiss. Not ever."

Winter leaned in a little closer and narrowed her eyes, somehow seeming to look down on Pyrrha despite being the shorter of them; Weiss had learnt it from her sister, but seeing her doing it again like this was a stark reminder of who the real master was.

"Do you think you're actually invincible now that you have the power of the Maiden? You're not."

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let her get hurt!"

"You're awfully confident for someone whose field experience consists entirely of a few student skirmishes and cleanup at Beacon after the battle was already decided."

Pyrrha flinched almost as though she'd been slapped.

Weiss stepped up beside her with a frown. "That's not fair, Win." She turned her attention to Pyrrha, her expression softening. "You know she would've fought if she could."

"I know that in the biggest battle since the Faunus War she needed you to protect her." Winter scoffed and shot Pyrrha a disdainful look.

Weiss' jaw dropped. She knew Winter didn't particularly like Pyrrha — even a mole rat could see that much — but to blatantly attack her like this when she was well aware of the circumstances was outrageous! "How can you say that!? She protected me from you and Harriet, doesn't that count?"

"After I practically begged her to! Do you think she would've managed if you hadn't been defending yourself at all? If there'd been another attacker? If I'd been doing more than keeping her away from you?"

"Why not!? She-!"

"You're right." Although much quieter than Weiss' increasingly-impassioned defence on her behalf, Pyrrha's words nevertheless stunned the younger Schnee to instant silence and drew her attention.

Pyrrha's eyes rose to meet Winter's gaze once more, glistening with gathering tears yet unwavering. "I haven't proven anything, and when my friends needed me — when Weiss needed me — I failed. I thought I had to-," her voice broke and she shook her head slowly, taking a breath before continuing. "I believed this would keep her safe, keep them all safe. That with this power I could save them, and instead she…" Pyrrha squeezed her eyes shut briefly; when she opened them she looked to Weiss, lingering momentarily before returning her attention to Winter. "I was a fool, I know that, and maybe I still am, but now I have the power."

"Power you don't know how to use and can't control." Winter shook her head disapprovingly. "You're a child waving around a gun and thinking it makes you a hero."

"Can't control yet. That's why I'm here; to learn how to use my power — new and old alike — so I can fight back against the people who attacked us and make sure it never happens again." Pyrrha shook her head, slow but resolute. "And I barely stopped Captain Bree in time, you're right about that too. But no matter how… angry I might've been at you for it, I'm grateful for the lesson. I'll never let my sense of honour stop me from protecting Weiss again; she's more important than anything else, by far."

Winter held her gaze briefly, cold and hard as ever. "We'll see. You understand that at least, so maybe there is some hope for you."

Pyrrha thrust her hand out forcefully in a palm strike.

Nothing. She clenched her teeth, but continued with the form, her brow knitting tighter with each punch, each kick against her unseen opponent.

Nothing, nothing, nothing! Why!? Why wouldn't it work!?

She finished with a quick flurry, electricity building on her hands before arcing over to one arm to deliver a final power punch that blasted the charge a step or so past her fist.

"You see?" She gestured generally around herself and let the Maidenfire fade from her eye. "I don't understand what I'm doing wrong."

"It didn't look to me like you did anything wrong. I wouldn't want to get hit with that lightning."

Pyrrha's expression darkened, though her ire was obviously turned inward. "Thank you General, but it shouldn't have only been lightning. There were supposed to be fire, wind, and ice as well; at least that's what I was trying to do, but I can't seem to manifest them."

Pyrrha had asked General Ironwood to one of the smaller training rooms to help work on her Maiden powers, as the one who knew the most about them. Of course, she'd been practising on her own since she arrived in Atlas, but although she'd become quite good at harnessing the power of lightning she'd as yet been unable to so much as glimpse anything else. That would've been frustrating enough on its own; the reason she was practising now was that Winter had summoned Weiss away from their planned evening together to work on her summoning technique, which made things all the worse.

It should've been a near ideal condition to channel fire at least; she certainly felt like she was smouldering, and the first time the lightning had come had been when she was furious. So why? Why did they all elude her still?

"I see. And you've never been able to before either?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "No. I try to visualise the other elements the way I do with the lightning, but I can't even feel them, much less bring them out." She held out her hand, picturing a flame igniting in her upturned palm and concentrating intently for the space of a few heartbeats before letting her arm fall to her side with a heavy sigh. "There's just… nothing. Are you sure I can even use other elements?"

Ironwood considered the question, rubbing his chin in thought. "I can't be sure, no. Your situation is unprecedented; there's never been a half-Maiden before, so it's honestly impossible to know what to expect. That said, you aren't the first Maiden to have this kind of trouble, half or not."

"I'm not?" Pyrrha blinked up to him, tilting her head incredulously. Though she assumed it could be honed and strengthened like any skill, she had assumed Maidens had an instinctual ability to use their powers. Then again she knew precious little about them, and none of it from a Maiden herself.

"No. Cella — that's the Spring Maiden — had a similar problem when she inherited her powers. She didn't describe it quite the same way, but she could only use ice."

"How did she solve it?"

It was the general's turn to sigh. "I wish I could tell you. I only met her once, a few months after she was found, and at the time she hadn't figured it out. According to Oz, it was probably because her Semblance lets her transform into water. He said that when a Maiden's Semblance is linked to an element like that, it's more difficult for her to use the others. That may be what's going on with you, too."

Pyrrha frowned. "But… my Semblance isn't linked to lightning."

"Not directly, no, but electricity and magnetism are two sides of the same coin. Maybe that's close enough."

"I suppose…" She nodded, looking aside thoughtfully. What the general said made sense, but it didn't get her any closer to overcoming the hurdle in her path. Stumbling around in the dark as she had been wasn't working, and even if she eventually did work it out it didn't seem likely to be any time soon. She couldn't afford that weakness, not with war on the horizon — more importantly, Weiss couldn't afford it when she was counting on her — so if General Ironwood didn't know how to help her then there was only one thing to do.

"I need to ask a favour, General."

Ironwood arched a brow. "After what I helped put you through, how can I refuse?"

"Will you arrange for me to meet with Cella?"

Ironwood stiffened and glanced away. "That… won't be possible."

Pyrrha's frown returned. "Over the scroll then?"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

Pyrrha's hands clenched at her sides briefly. How was she supposed to be the Maiden as she'd been asked without anyone to teach her? "Sir, I need to know how she-."

Ironwood lifted a hand to forestall her objection. "It's not that I won't, Pyrrha, it's that I can't."

Although he cut her off, his paternal tone and familiar address eased the ire that had begun to rise within her. He seemed genuine, a trait she'd come to expect from him and one she rather appreciated, especially after her experience at Beacon. Indeed, unless she was very mistaken and despite the political power he wielded, General Ironwood hated to lie and was quite bad at it, preferring to simply omit details when necessary. The look she gave him made it perfectly clear that regardless of her esteem for him, she wasn't going to let him omit them now.

After an uncomfortable silence, Ironwood sighed and continued, Pyrrha's unspoken message received. "She's unreachable. We've looked for her for years but haven't been able to find her; it's like she vanished off the face of Remnant, but there haven't been any signs of her powers being inherited either."

Pyrrha blinked, taken aback by the admission. "She just disappeared? I got the impression that you keep a close eye on the Maidens."

"We don't all take the same approach. Cella was very young — younger than you even — and had no formal combat training. Even so, she was eager the way children are, so Leah — sorry, Professor Lionheart — let her into Haven as a provisional student."

The general shook his head and murmured to himself — Pyrrha only caught part of it, something about 'soft-hearted' — before continuing. "That's when I met her. She seemed to be doing fine, but you never really know how someone's going to react to combat until they're in it, and Cella reacted badly. Very badly."

"…What happened?" Pyrrha's voice was softer than before now. How old was Cella? Ruby's age? Younger still? Either way, she'd been found, which meant she hadn't been chosen; this was a child who hadn't even attended combat school, who'd simply found herself one day possessed of magical powers with no explanation until complete strangers whisked her away to a world of fairy tales and shadow wars. Her heart broke for the poor girl.

"As I heard it, the first time she came across Grimm in the field, she panicked. She froze up, left her partner to protect her from a pack of beowolves by himself, and when she snapped out of it she froze everything — the Grimm, the forest, and the boy."

Pyrrha's eyes widened a bit and she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. "Oh no… Did he-?"

"He made it, but just barely. That was the end of his huntsman career, though. A few days later, Cella didn't show up to her counselling session, and when someone went to check on her she was gone. We've been looking for her ever since, but it's been…," Ironwood thought for a moment, then sighed. "Gods, almost ten years now. She's out there somewhere — or if she's not, the new Spring Maiden is lying very low — but wherever she is, she doesn't want to be found."

"I see…" Pyrrha sighed and nodded gently. She could hardly blame Cella after all that. But perhaps… "You said you don't all take the same approach."

Ironwood's brow furrowed a little. "I did."

"And Professor Lionheart watched over Cella?"

"That's right, but none of us know where she is now."

"Yes, I understand. But if Professor Lionheart watched over Cella, and Professor Ozpin over Amber, does that mean that you also watch over a Maiden besides me?"

General Ironwood glanced away. "I… Yes, but she won't be of any help."

His answer drew a frown from Pyrrha. "How can you be so sure? We could at least ask her."

"Because I know how she is. 'Difficult' doesn't even begin to describe her."

"General, I need someone to teach me. Someone that knows how to use this gift."

Ironwood turned back to face her. "That's the thing — she can't. On her best days, she might be able to manage a short conversation about something simple, but beyond that…" A melancholy look came over him. "She's been the Winter Maiden for decades, and I've never seen her use it. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even remember that she is."

The general's revelation caused Pyrrha to visibly deflate. Neither the Spring nor Winter Maiden could teach her… that left only the Summer. Did he even know her? She was presumably under Headmistress Theodora's care, and Shade's relationship with the other academies had never been particularly close. Her gaze fell away from him. No... he knew she was seeking the other Maidens' guidance, so if the Summer was an option he would say something. That he wasn't surely meant she too would be of no help. Pyrrha was on her own. "How can I be your Maiden when I can only use a fraction of my power?"

"I have faith in you, Pyrrha. You'll figure it out, and when you do you'll be the best Maiden the world has ever seen." He stepped closer and leaned in, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder and holding her gaze all the while. "You're already twice the Maiden she's ever been. You'd be the one teaching her."

Pyrrha felt her cheeks warm at the praise and glanced down and away momentarily. "Thank you for your confidence, but I'm not sure I deserve it."

Ironwood chuckled softly. "Tell that to Winter."

His words caused Pyrrha to wilt a little. "I'm quite certain she would say that I don't. Lieutenant Colonel Schnee has made her contempt for me very clear."

"She may not like you, though I'm hoping to change that, but she recognises your talent. Trust me, I read her reports on your progress."

"Well I suppose that's something, but there isn't much to report when I haven't made any progress."

The general gave her a look both sympathetic and understanding. "I know it feels like that, and maybe you haven't made the kind of progress you'd like, but you have made progress. You'll get there, I know you will — we all do. Everyone here believes in you. Are you going to be the only one to give up on yourself?" He cocked his head a little and arched a brow questioningly, almost challengingly.

Pyrrha blinked. "No, sir. I wouldn't think of it."

"Good." Ironwood smiled and nodded approvingly. "Another go, then?" He gestured out to the room past her.

Pyrrha followed the motion with her gaze, then turned her attention back to the general and nodded, Maidenfire igniting around her eye. "As many as it takes."

Filtered sunlight streaming in through the curtains drew a soft groan from Weiss as its trek down the bedroom wall reached her face. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter and wordlessly murmured her distaste, rolling over to escape the foul morning herald. Burying her face into her pillow, she found it already warm and so, clumsily, reached to turn it over.

Her pillow would not turn over — it was far heavier than she remembered — but it did giggle softly. Wait… it giggled? Since when did pillows giggle? Or slowly rise and fall like this one was doing?

Weiss lifted her head up just a touch, her eyes opening only enough to see Pyrrha smiling back at her.

"Good morning," Pyrrha cooed, her voice soft and airy. Her smile grew the slightest bit as with her free hand — her other arm was pinned beneath her lover — she reached to brush a few errant strands of hair from Weiss' face.

Weiss couldn't help but smile. Her thoughts were still clouded with sleep, but it was coming back to her; after another long evening of summoning practice, she'd been snuggling with Pyrrha, trying to make the most of the little time they had. The sound of Pyrrha's heartbeat must've lulled her to sleep, but…

Weiss twisted a little to look more fully up to Pyrrha. "Sorry, I didn't mean," she covered a yawn against her girlfriend's body, "to lay on you all night like that."

Pyrrha laughed gently, cupping her jaw and caressing her cheek with her thumb. "That's a shame, it was nice."

Weiss felt her face beginning to grow warm, but tilted her head slightly into the touch and smiled a little wider. "It was, huh?"

"Oh yes." Pyrrha's hand drifted up and back a little, over Weiss' ear and into her hair. "Very nice. You're welcome to lay on me any time you like."

"Any time?" Weiss laughed and turned a playful look to Pyrrha, who grinned and nodded.

"Mmhmm."

"So I can just…," she eased herself fully atop Pyrrha, "make myself comfortable, then?"

Pyrrha laughed brightly and leaned her head up to plant a soft kiss on Weiss' lips. "Of course, although I'm not sure I make as comfortable a bed as I do a pillow."

"Nonsense! You're easily the best bed I've ever laid on." Weiss grinned down to Pyrrha and gave her another kiss in kind.

"Is that so?"

"Definitely." Another little kiss. "And believe me, I know my beds. In fact, I think I might just go back to sleep right now." She shifted a little as though settling in to do just that and lay her head back on Pyrrha's chest, drawing a fuller laugh from her girlfriend as she wrapped her arms around Weiss.

"Gods, I love you…"

"Love you too, comfy bed," Weiss theatrically slurred to a round of giggles from Pyrrha. Her scroll buzzed on the nightstand; she ignored it in favour of snuggling into her 'bed'.

Pyrrha on the other hand glanced over to the device. "It looks like you have a message."

"It can wait." There were more important things on Weiss' mind.

Pyrrha offered no argument, instead tilting her head down to kiss Weiss' brow and idly caressing her back. Why would she? They had time — her alarm hadn't gone off yet, after all — and they'd had precious little of it to just be, of late.

Weiss' hand drifted up a bit to trace the lines of her lover's collarbones with her fingertips. "You're right, you know, " she glanced up to meet Pyrrha's gaze. "This is nice."

"Very nice," Pyrrha corrected with a soft chuckle.

Weiss laughed and nodded. "Yes, it's very nice." She lightly kissed Pyrrha's chest just above the neckline of her pyjama top, then lay her cheek down beside. "I could stay here all day…"

"That would be wonderful." Pyrrha gave a soft sigh and began to gently stroke Weiss' hair. "But I doubt that your sister would allow it." Her scroll chimed; she glanced at it but it was out of reach and she made no move to get out from under Weiss so she could get it.

Weiss groaned and pressed herself tighter to Pyrrha's body. "Don't remind me… Winter's taking all our time now."

"I'm sorry."

Weiss pouted. "It's not fair."

"I know it's not…"

She huffed a little and pushed herself up a bit to straddle Pyrrha's middle and look down to her eyes. "Just because she doesn't have anyone special waiting for her doesn't mean I don't. She shouldn't get to take that away from me like-."

Pyrrha lifted a hand to touch a fingertip to Weiss' lips. "I know, moonbeam. I'm on your side, always, but if these fleeting moments are all we get for the time being wouldn't you rather cherish them than let her have them too?" She slipped her hand back to cup Weiss' cheek as she spoke, smiling lovingly up to her, and when she saw her smile reflected on her dearest's face she drew her in for a sweetly lingering kiss.

Weiss' scroll buzzed again, but she didn't care. She deepened the kiss, closing her eyes and letting the taste of Pyrrha's lips, the scent of her skin and warmth of her body consume her.

It was only long moments later that Weiss realised her scroll was still buzzing — a call this time, not a message, and whoever it was was persistent; they must've called several times by now. She did not need that kind of annoyance this morning. She opened her eyes and reached over to the nightstand, fumbling for her scroll in her peripheral vision — she wasn't about to turn her head and take her focus off Pyrrha. With the device in hand, she swiped her thumb over the screen to ignore the call and flicked it aside, returning her hand to Pyrrha's body where it belonged and receiving an appreciative sigh in response, followed by a crack from the side. It must've been the scroll… oh well, she could get a new one, and at least she wouldn't have to worry about-.

Someone coughed, someone that wasn't Pyrrha or herself. They both froze mid-kiss.

"Weiss. Nikos." Even if she didn't recognise her sister's voice, the venom put on Pyrrha's name could only have come from Winter.

Weiss slowly pushed herself back to sitting and half-turned to face the projection now hovering above the dresser. Damnit! She must've had the scroll upside-down, so instead of rejecting the call she'd answered it and, even worse, cast it to the multi-projector when she'd flicked the scroll away! "H-hi Win, we were just-."

"I saw." Winter's voice was as frigid as she'd ever heard it. Her eyes were hard and glaring at Pyrrha as though she were trying to freeze her solid — or burn her to ash — with pure spite. She held a coffee mug so tightly her hand shook and a few droplets ran down the sides where they'd sloshed out. So tightly, in fact, that the handle was now little more than jagged fragments clenched in her fingers. Only the barest lip of it remained attached to the body of the mug, and that now spiderwebbed with cracks beneath her thumb.

Behind her, the Ace-Ops were gathered in what looked like a briefing room. Clover was turned toward the others in an attempt to conceal barely-suppressed snickering from his superior, while Harriet wasn't even attempting to suppress hers, and Tortuga had lifted a hand to rub at her temples. Elm looked supremely uncomfortable at the situation; Vine simply raised an eyebrow but was calm as ever.

Pyrrha's face went crimson as she glanced over to the projection and propped herself up on her elbows, the best she could manage without pushing Weiss off her. She opened her mouth to speak a few times, but she must've thought better of it given Winter's expression because no words actually came out. Instead, she just looked back to Weiss, who was herself at something of a loss for words and met her gaze before Winter spoke up and drew both their attention back to her.

"The Ace-Ops are needed for an urgent matter, so your lessons for today have been cancelled. That said," she narrowed her eyes, "it does not mean you have the day off."

The surge of elation that had erupted within Weiss was stamped out as quickly as it had been born, and from the look in her lover's eyes as they exchanged a quick glance, Pyrrha felt the same.

"But… if we don't have lessons, what're we supposed to do?"

"You are to report to Lab 14 at 0930. And bring your combat gear with you."

Weiss blinked at that, her brow furrowing as she looked questioningly to Pyrrha and found no answer in her eyes.

Pyrrha finally ventured to speak. "Should we expect some sort of combat training, or is this-?"

"You should expect to follow orders, Nikos," Winter all but hissed in reply.

Weiss felt Pyrrha tense beneath her. "Understood, ma'am."

"Is that all…?" Weiss had had just about enough of Winter's derision for Pyrrha. If she didn't like her, fine — Weiss had hoped she would, but it seemed impossible at this point — but who did she think she was to treat her this way when she knew how Weiss felt about her? Weiss wasn't a child anymore, Winter had no right to intervene in her love life!

"For now," the elder Schnee replied somewhat bitterly, her attention turning to Weiss.

"Good, then if you'll excuse us we're in the middle of something important," she drew Pyrrha up a little higher and leaned in over her to claim her lips once more, her hand slid back to tangle in Pyrrha's hair and pull her more deeply.

She heard but didn't see the rest of Winter's mug handle break, followed by the mug itself shattering on the floor. Further back, her voice small and distant-sounding, Harriet cheered. "Aw yeah girl, get y-!" Her words of encouragement were abruptly cut off by the call ending.

After a few heartbeats, both Weiss and Pyrrha pulled back slightly and broke the kiss, staring at one another in near-shock. Pyrrha spoke first. "I… I can't believe you did that!!"

"I can't believe I did that!!"

Shock turned to smiles, then both girls broke out giggling, which became melodic laughter as they fell back to the bed, Weiss twisting to land next to Pyrrha.

"You're amazing…" Pyrrha affectionately caressed along Weiss' cheek and jaw with the back of her fingers. "You know that, don't you?"

Weiss turned her head to nuzzle into the touch, preening a little for show at her beloved's words. "Of course I do, I'm not blind."

That drew another round of gentle laughter from the pair. When it subsided, Pyrrha closed the slight distance between them for another, tender kiss. "I'm serious. What you did just now… thank you, Weiss."

Weiss was all too happy to accept the kiss, but Pyrrha's words confused her. "'What I did'? You're welcome Pyr, but I didn't do anything."

Pyrrha's smile grew a little, and her eyes shone a bit more than normal. "You did, moonbeam. You stood up to Winter — your sister, our commander — for me. For us." She tilted her head forward until her forehead touched Weiss'. "I know that wasn't easy… but you still did it, and I won't forget it."

Weiss blushed, but beamed nonetheless at Pyrrha's praise. She hadn't really thought about it like that, she just… did it. "We're probably going to pay for that, huh?"

"Most likely." Pyrrha arched a brow. "Does that make you regret it?"

Weiss shook her head. "Not a chance."

"Good." Pyrrha grinned, a playful glint in her eye. "If we aren't due to meet the general until nine-thirty, that means we have some free time. What do you think we should do with it?"

Weiss returned her look in kind. "Oh, I might have a few ideas…"

Startled engineers and lab assistants leapt out of the way, most pressing themselves against the walls of the hallway and no few of them cursing as they fumbled with the instruments or scrolls they were holding.

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha winced as, glancing back over her shoulder, she saw the researchers she and Weiss had just rushed past drop a delicate-looking device — some sort of laser, she thought — that made a sound when it hit the floor she very much suspected it wasn't supposed to make.

She had a feeling this was not going to be a pleasant meeting.

They darted through the still-opening door a heartbeat before the clock on the opposite wall switched to read 0931. General Ironwood looked to the girls with an arched brow. "Cutting it awfully close, ladies. Don't tell me you got lost."

Pyrrha blushed and looked away sheepishly. "No sir, we were… preoccupied, and lost track of the time."

He tilted his head forward a little. "'Preoccupied'?"

Weiss, lightly panting after having run the entire way to the laboratory, nodded. "It's my fault, Uncle Ja-, I mean, General." She set down the case she held in one hand and took a moment to smooth out her uniform as she spoke; Pyrrha followed suit, though her case was big enough to have been slung over her shoulder. "I've been wanting to try Carmina Bistro since they opened, but they don't serve dinner and they're closed Sundays so this was the first time we had a chance to go."

A small, knowing smile came over him. "Well, I hope you enjoyed your morning."

Weiss glanced to Pyrrha and grinned, unconsciously turning a bit toward her. "We did, very much."

Pyrrha coughed softly and bit her lip, but even as her face reddened further she couldn't help but smile. Still, she and Weiss weren't here to talk about their personal life. "I don't mean to be rude, General, but… why are we here?"

Ironwood seemed a little surprised. "Winter didn't tell you?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "I tried to ask, but…"

"She just got upset and told us to come here with our combat gear." Weiss was obviously annoyed.

"I see." Ironwood sighed sharply and lifted a hand to rub at his brow. "I've had Pietro looking into the virus that was used on our units at Beacon and making sure the upgraded systems won't be vulnerable to that kind of attack. He was supposed to have the results for me this morning. This is the lab he's been working out of, but it seems his computer malfunctioned last night and everything was lost." He gave a sidelong glance to the deactivated workstation in the corner.

"That seems awfully inconvenient to just be coincidence."

He nodded at Pyrrha's observation. "I don't want to think that any of my people would betray us — especially on something as important as this — but I can't ignore the possibility. Fortunately, he made a copy the night before last to keep working on it at home. Ordinarily that would be a major security breach, but in this case it means we won't have to start over from square one. I sent a team of specialists with him to pick it up, just in case this was sabotage and whoever was behind it tries to stop him from coming back with the data."

"That's good." Weiss smiled. "But what do we have to do with it?" She looked to Pyrrha, who shared her uncertainty. "Do you want us to guard him or something?"

The general chuckled softly and shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary. If we couldn't protect him here, in the middle of HQ, we'd have a lot bigger problems on our hands than possible sabotage and frankly I'd have no business asking either of you to fight with me." He smiled a little wider. "No, I asked you here because now that this little project is finished — or will be again tomorrow, presumably — the good doctor is going to need something new to work on on the side, and since the ASP officially starts next week I thought it was a good time to think about upgrading your equipment." He gestured toward the cases they'd set down.

Weiss blinked, following his gesture to the case at her feet briefly before meeting his gaze again incredulously. "'On the side'? You mean this Dr. Pietro guy does high-level security analysis and mechashift weapons engineering… as hobbies?"

Ironwood laughed under his breath. "When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

Pyrrha was inclined to agree.

"That's right, you wouldn't know about him given the classified nature of his work. Pietro — or should I say, Dr. Polendina — is one of the brightest minds in Atlas, and although his work is primarily focussed on robotics, it does deal with system security and advanced weaponry as well."

Pyrrha's eyes widened a little and her mouth went dry. Could it be…?

"It's not so much a hobby, though. Well, it might be, but not in this case; it's just that his current project apparently requires frequent pauses to run tests and simulations and so on, and during that time he needs something to do, so he asked if I had anything for him and I thought of you."

"Doctor… Polendina?" Pyrrha shifted her weight nervously. How many roboticists with that name could there be in Atlas? "General, I… I'm the one who… after what happened at Beacon, should I really be here??"

"No, you shouldn't." She didn't recognise the man's voice, but the anger and grief were plain enough.

Pyrrha's heart had been pounding so loudly in her ears that she hadn't heard the door slide open. She quickly turned to find herself faced with Dr. Polendina, who was not at all the severe scientist she'd been picturing but rather seemed as though he should be sitting in an overstuffed chair surrounded by grandchildren. Instead, he sat upon an ambulatory chair borne by four robotic legs, which presently carried him deeper into the laboratory.

Ironwood gave him a mildly reproachful look. "These are the students I mentioned, Pietro. Allow me to introduce-."

"I know who they are, James. You didn't tell me you were bringing her." Dr. Polendina shot Pyrrha a glare.

"Is that a problem?"

"A problem? She killed my daughter!" Tears came to Dr. Polendina's eyes and the anguish in his voice rose as he spoke. "I had to watch her tear my little girl to pieces on live TV!"

Pyrrha hung her head and squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers clenching around her skirt to keep her hands from shaking. Images of Penny's blades multiplying before her flashed through her mind, of those same blades flying away on a magnetic pulse, of the poor girl's wires tangling around her and… and…

"That's not fair!" Weiss stepped forward, placing herself defensively partway between Pyrrha and Dr. Polendina.

"Was what she did to Penny fair?" Dr. Polendina turned his attention from Weiss to Pyrrha. "She just wanted to participate in the tournament. She was so excited to meet you, to show you what she could do, and you murdered her."

"Pietro…"

"I'm sorry…" Pyrrha's voice was small, drowned out by the others'. Dr. Polendina's accusations pierced her heart like arrows; she shrunk from them, unable to bring herself to look upon the doctor. How could she, after what she'd done?

"Pyrrha didn't mean for that to happen; she would never do anything like that on purpose! You shouldn't blame her, blame the person that tricked her!"

"Whether she meant it or not, she should've known better. My daughter is gone because of her!"

He's right, I should've. I should've felt that she was metal, and known not to do that. I should've practised with my Semblance before the way I do now, so that I could've caught her swords instead of panicking.

"I'm so sorry…" Tears fell from her cheeks, glittering in the fluorescent light of the lab on their way to spatter the ground at her feet.

Ironwood's gaze flicked to her briefly and his expression turned more severe. "That's enough, Pietro." His voice was calm but possessed a hard edge that hadn't been there before, the sort of tone that brooked no argument. "You're not the only one who lost someone at Beacon, but you are the only one who gets their someone back. Be thankful for that."

"Thankful? James-."

"Yes, thankful. No one else's daughters or sons can be rebuilt, at any cost. Now, whether or not you like Miss Nikos, she's one of the finest students this academy has ever seen, and she'll be fighting alongside Penny once you've rebuilt her, so if you want to minimise the chance of losing your daughter again you'll make sure she has the best equipment possible when she's watching Penny's back in the field."

Pyrrha was left speechless — by both the dressing-down and the casual revelation that Penny was being rebuilt — and by the look of her Weiss was too. She followed her dearest's questioning gaze to Ironwood, but his attention remained fixed on Dr. Polendina.

The doctor in turn gave the general a sour look, seeming to chew distasteful words for a moment before replying. "Fine. But I'm not doing it for her, I'm doing it for Penny and the others who'll be out there with her." He turned that look to Pyrrha. "Leave your things," and to Weiss, "both of you. I'll see what I can do." Then back to Ironwood. "But first I need to redo this security analysis, so if you don't mind?"

Ironwood sighed and nodded, giving him a tight smile. "Of course. Thank you, Pietro." He turned to Pyrrha and Weiss and swept his arm toward the door. "After you, ladies."

"I'm sorry about Pietro; he's normally a kind and gentle man. I thought by now he'd have understood and let it be, but…" General Ironwood looked back down the hall to the door they'd exited and sighed. They were far enough now to not be overheard even should Dr. Polendina suddenly emerge, but nevertheless, he didn't stop walking.

"We'll have to take your word for it," Weiss muttered with a backward glance of her own.

"How could he, after I…" Pyrrha's gaze fell. "To see me must be torture for him…"

"I meant what I said in there — it wasn't your fault." Weiss took her hand and gave it a squeeze, looking up to her face despite her attempt to turn away. "You were tricked, and whoever it was that tricked you, they're the one to blame."

Pyrrha shook her head. "I should've known. I-I should've been more careful. If I had, then-."

"Stop it, Pyr." Weiss stepped in front of her, her brows knitted with concern, and reached up to cup Pyrrha's cheek and force her to meet her gaze. "Stop blaming yourself. You were under so much pressure with the tournament and the Maiden stuff, barely sleeping or eating, it's incredible you were even there, much less realising Penny was something you didn't know was possible."

Ironwood stopped with them and turned as well to nod his agreement. "Weiss is right, you aren't to blame for what happened to Penny; that responsibility rests with the illusionist and myself."

Pyrrha and Weiss both turned confused looks to him.

"You, Uncle James? How is it your fault?"

The general sighed and glanced away sadly. "It was my decision to conceal Penny's nature until the end of the Vytal tournament. I believed that revealing an android with a soul to the world beforehand would cause unrest and put civilians in danger. I had hoped that she would endear herself to the people during the tournament, so that when her nature was revealed they would think well of her, and eventually more like her in the future." He lifted his eyes to Pyrrha. "If I had been more frank with you — if I had trusted you the way I asked you to trust me — you would've known."

"You… you didn't know what would happen, General… it may have been the right decision at the time."

"No I didn't, and the same could be said for you, Pyrrha; you didn't know what would happen when you stepped into that arena. You had no way to know you were being set up like that. You didn't know that Penny couldn't do what you saw her do — that could've been her Semblance, and your reaction the right decision to protect yourself."

Pyrrha frowned. What he said made sense, but it came as little comfort. "Thank you for saying that, but I still killed her so-."

"No, you didn't."

Pyrrha was taken aback by the general's claim — as was Weiss, judging by her expression — and found herself fumbling for words. "But I… how do you…?"

"If someone were to anger me, and I drew my weapon and shot them dead, would you say I had killed them or that my gun had?"

Pyrrha's frown returned to mingle with her puzzlement. "You; that's the same-."

"And if I ordered an artillery strike that I knew was going to land on someone, would the gunner have killed them or would I have?"

"I…" Pyrrha blinked. "The gunner would've fired the shot, so I suppose…"

"All the gunner would know is coordinates to fire on. I would've killed them."

"That wasn't the case for me though, sir. I killed Penny with my own Semblance. I watched her die in front of me."

"Did you know it would hurt her? Did you think it even could?"

Pyrrha looked down and slowly shook her head.

"Like I said, you didn't kill her, any more than the gun or the gunner. You were just the weapon Cinder and her illusionist used to do it."

"Is she really even dead?"

It only took a heartbeat of Pyrrha and Ironwood's incredulous looks before Weiss was lifting her hands defensively, her eyes widening a little and ponytail bobbing lightly as she shook her head.

"That came out wrong! What I mean is, you said Dr. Polendina can get her back right? He's rebuilding her? Well if that's the case, then she's not really dead, right? Not the way a human or a faunus would be, anyway; for her, it's more like… like a coma or something?"

Ironwood considered a moment. "I suppose you could look at it that way. Penny is dead, but her memory core was intact, so yes, Pietro is rebuilding her."

"Her memory core?"

"It's… well, I don't understand all the science of it, but I guess you could say it's like a part of her brain."

"Where her memories are kept."

He nodded.

"Her memories? Part of her brain?" Pyrrha shook her head slowly. "Her aura was gone — not depleted, completely gone. That's not survival, not even in a coma. Her soul is what defined her, what gave her life. Can that be rebuilt, too?"

The general sighed. "She should have all of her memories and personality just like before, but even Pietro isn't completely sure what to expect about her aura. She'll likely need a new donation."

Weiss tilted her head. "Donation? I've never heard of donating aura before."

"You wouldn't have — it's top secret — but you've seen it."

Weiss' brow furrowed — as did Pyrrha's — but only momentarily before she gasped. "The machine!"

Ironwood nodded. "That's right. It was originally designed for the Penny Project; we never intended to use it to forcibly move Maiden powers, but when Amber was attacked, we repurposed the aura transfer machine in the hopes that the power would transfer along with her aura."

So that's why they created such a thing. Of course — it made much more sense for Atlas to have built it as part of Penny's construction than to have researched aura and developed such a foul device on the off chance they might need to transfer a Maiden's soul, when only a half-dozen or so people in the world even knew about Maidens at the time. But then… when Amber's aura had been transferred to her, it had killed the former Maiden. Pyrrha bit her lip.

"Was Penny… human, once?"

He shook his head. "No, Penny was fully constructed as an android. Her aura was donated by Pietro — that's part of why he thinks of her as his daughter."

"Transferring his aura like that didn't kill him?"

"He didn't donate all of it, although it did take a sizable portion that's never recovered since. To be honest, I'm not sure he'll be able to manage it again."

"He won't have to. I'll do it."

"You'll what!?" Weiss spun to face Pyrrha quickly enough that her ponytail whipped around and stung the latter's arm. She paid it no mind.

"It's the least I can do, after-."

"No." Ironwood had recovered from his own shock at Pyrrha's statement, and his voice was hard as his namesake.

"General, I-."

"Absolutely not. Even if it were your fault — which it wasn't — you're the Fall Maiden now. That must take precedence, regardless of any misplaced guilt you feel."

"But sir-."

"Nikos, enough. You will not donate your aura for any reason, now or ever. That's an order. Do I make myself clear?"

Pyrrha had never seen him so serious before. Even at Beacon when he'd taken command of the defence he'd been softer, the headmaster for frightened students as much as the hardened military commander, but in that moment there was only the general. It was no wonder that Atlas had chosen him to lead their forces despite his relative youth.

"Yes, sir."

Weiss exhaled — Pyrrha hadn't realised she'd been holding her breath — and visibly relaxed. She reached up to Pyrrha's face and met her gaze with a frazzled, pleading look. "You'll give me a heart attack if you keep doing this stuff, Pyr."

Pyrrha gave her lover an apologetic look and slipped her arms around her waist. "I'm sorry…"

"Just… promise me you'll think about what you're saying, what you're doing, and what that means. If not for yourself then for me, okay? Please?"

She blushed a little and looked down. The very last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt Weiss, even by proxy… "I'll try, I promise."

Weiss nodded gently, tilting her head forward to rest against Pyrrha's chest. "Thank you…"

Ironwood coughed softly. "I'm sorry again that this didn't go the way I'd intended, but I have another meeting to get to, so if there's anything else I'm afraid you'll have come by my office later." He nodded to them and began to turn, but was halted by Weiss' voice.

"Uncle James, wait." She twisted enough to look at him from the corner of her eye. "What are we supposed to do now? All our teachers are busy."

He arched a brow. "Winter didn't tell you?"

She shook her head. "She just said to meet you here and that we didn't have the day off."

"Right." The general took a long breath, lifting his hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "What she apparently neglected to tell you is that you have the rest of the day and tomorrow off, since she and the Aces will be busy assessing ASP prospects and I'll be bringing the new instructors up to speed. Enjoy it while you can, because starting Monday the real program begins."

#my writing #fanfic #pyrrha nikos #pyrrha x weiss #rwby au #rwby pyrrha #rwby weiss #schneekos #weiss schnee #rwby

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

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I would adore it! I hardly get any comments, so any interaction is more than welcome 💕

I just wanna take a vote, how many fanfic authors would actually enjoy someone live blogging their fics?

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

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Just an update for those watching. I haven't stopped writing this or anything, but I have a lot of health problems and so does my SO, and the change of season has been really rough on both of us. It's cut my writing output down to almost nothing, but it should ease up before too long; once I'm feeling better, I should be able to write faster again (not that I wrote fast before, but faster than now lol).

So yeah, I'm sorry it's taking so long but please hang in there! Oh, and some artwork will be coming soon too, so keep an eye out for that.

#update

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

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Northern Lights

Chapter 3

The soft sound of rainfall fit the mood, Pyrrha thought as her eyes turned up past the slowly falling drops and even slower snow above where Atlas' heating grid melted it, to the low-hanging clouds — at least from the perspective of the flying city — that concealed the tops of many of the taller buildings and most of the Academy. She was thankful for it; a sunny day simply wouldn't have felt right. Practically every night since confronting Weiss she'd been haunted by nightmares of losing herself, of hurting her dearest. Weiss seemed to be faring similarly, having more often than not been clinging to Pyrrha in the midst of her own troubled, fitful sleep when she woke.

After a rather late start the pair had finally left the Academy and made their way into the city for lunch and some shopping that they'd put off for too long, having lost the opportunity on their last day off — they'd both been so emotionally drained by the previous night's talk that it was all either could go to even make it to the mess, much less outside the Academy. Even a week later neither of them really felt like a day out on the town, but they'd been in Atlas for the better part of a month now and there were things they needed to buy, and perhaps more importantly they needed to be seen; for those as high profile as Pyrrha and especially Weiss, having gone without making some sort of appearance was already unheard-of, and the rumour mill was busy churning out all sorts of outlandish tales. In fact, Pyrrha had caught a bit of the morning show whilst Weiss was in the shower and there was talk on the street that the reason Weiss hadn't been seen was that she died at Beacon; another interviewee supposed that the two of them were simply very… busy… indoors with one another, as young lovers are wont to be. Pyrrha felt her cheeks warming at the thought of the latter suggestion.

If only…

Well, perhaps a bit less scandalous than that woman seemed to be insinuating.

A gentle tug at her arm brought her out of her thoughts, and she realised the sound of rain had been joined by that of the crossing signal. Weiss looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"You okay, Pyr?"

"I'm sorry." Pyrrha offered a small smile in return and stepped closer, and the umbrella they shared — a hardlight dome projected by a small robot about the size of a hockey puck floating a little higher than her head — fully covered Weiss once more. "I was just… thinking."

"About something that made you blush?" Weiss raised a brow.

"Only a little!" Weiss seemed less than convinced, which surely had nothing at all to do with Pyrrha's face now being nearly as red as her hair.

"Uh huh." Weiss was gracious enough not to press the issue, only smirking a bit as they crossed the street, and once again Pyrrha was thankful for the weather; the chill helped to cool her embarrassment.

Once they were on the other side Pyrrha spoke up again. "Mostly, I was thinking how wonderful it would be to be here with you without all the… complications. Without having to worry about…" She sighed softly.

Weiss gave a slow nod. "Yeah…" She looked away momentarily. "Listen, I'm… really sorry, about what I said. I… I didn't mean to-."

"It's alright." Pyrrha took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "You were right; any of those things could be happening and I would never know. You didn't do anything wrong."

Weiss frowned and stepped in front of Pyrrha, icy eyes locking onto their emerald counterparts, and forced her to halt to avoid running her over. "I did though. Even if I was right, I did the last thing I ever wanted to do: I hurt you." Her head dipped with a low sigh, her voice as deflated as her body when she continued. "I'm still hurting you…"

"Weiss, you aren't-."

"No, Pyr, don't tell me I'm not doing it — we both know that's not true. You've been second-guessing yourself all week, and I'm not the only one that's noticed. Why do you think Winter was so upset with you during combat training?"

Pyrrha glanced away. "She was angry with me for holding back again."

"That wasn't all. And Vine? He said you were doing so well and then suddenly you can't focus enough to project your Aura even between your fingers, even though your Semblance control has improved quite a bit."

"Major Zeki's techniques put new kinds of strain on our Aura… what if that triggers something within me? What if it causes me to… falter, or even fall entirely?"

"See, this is what I mean; I caused this. Just because I have valid concerns doesn't mean I should've treated you any different, or put that weight on you, and now that I have you're suffering because of it. You're even more worried than I am, the instructors are adding to the pressure since your performance has dropped, and you don't have anyone to turn to except me — who created this problem for you — or them — who are making it worse."

"What if your worries have merit and I truly am no longer myself? Would it have been better to worry alone? Being more conscious of my own behaviour may keep me from hurting you , and that's far worse than some extra pressure and a scolding from your sister… I could never forgive myself for that."

"And you think I can? This hesitation and uncertainty is exposing you to danger too, you know. We're in training now, but accidents still happen and field exercises are still uncontrollable, and that's not even mentioning what it'll be like once we've graduated."

Weiss turned the hand holding her shopping bags to let them slide down over her wrist so that she could clasp both hands over Pyrrha's.

"If our positions were reversed, and you saw me affected like this by something you did or said, you'd feel terrible and want to do anything you could to help, wouldn't you?"

"Well, yes, but-."

"Then don't you think it's only right that I should want to, too? I don't want you to burn out…"

Pyrrha realised that the street was quiet, only the distant sounds of the city, the rain, and their own voices reaching her ears, as though they were strangely alone on the block. Her eyes flicked away from Weiss' briefly and she tensed; when they returned they were a bit wider, and her voice was more urgent and quieter, almost a whisper.

"Weiss-."

"I need you, Pyr."

"Weiss."

Weiss' brow furrowed at the sudden shift in demeanour, and Pyrrha gave another flick of her eyes and the slightest tilt of her head to the building they stood before. As it so happened, Weiss had stopped them in front of a busy café whose front was almost entirely made up of a large window, beyond which the couple held the rapt attention of practically the entire occupancy and no few scrolls. Both up and down the street crowds had begun to gather as well, some watching and quietly whispering to one another, some taking pictures or video, and some posting about the encounter on social media… which of course would only draw in more onlookers from the area.

Both girls froze, looking to one another for answers neither had to give. Dealing with the media was one thing, even dealing with paparazzi they were normally prepared for, but of all the days to be confronted by a sudden mob of fans — at least Pyrrha hoped they were fans — they could scarcely have picked a worse day than today.

The girls' silence dragged on uncomfortably long, but finally Pyrrha lifted her free hand to timidly wave to the crowd behind Weiss. "Hello."

As though that simple act had opened the floodgates, she and Weiss —mostly Weiss, but that was to be expected here in Atlas — were immediately assailed by questions and comments from all sides as the crowds pressed closer. They looked so adorable, and Weiss could do better, and what did her parents think? Was this a fling? Were they serious? When was the wedding going to be? What was the fight about? Who had cheated, and with whom, and where were the photos? Were they staying in Atlas? Of course they were, Schnees wouldn't live anywhere else! But Jacques wouldn't stand for his daughter dating a common thug, even if she was a talented and famous one! And on, and on, and Pyrrha couldn't even make out many of them for how they blended together.

She couldn't get a word in edgewise, and Weiss fared little better even if she were inclined to answer the questioners. Weiss tried to make a way through the mass for them, but the crowd wasn't having it; Pyrrha stepped in to shield her from reaching hands, eyes urgently flicking to and fro.

This is bad… we need to get out of here, before…

Before what? No one here could hurt either of them, even unarmed and in civilian garb as they were. Even alone Weiss could easily dispatch the entire crowd with ease, and Pyrrha all the more so. They could jump away, or push through, and no one could stop them… but to do so here, in the middle of Atlas surrounded by these people and recorded by so many scrolls, would be to make pariahs of themselves. That sort of thing was simply not done save in an emergency, and for all the girls' discomfort this didn't qualify. And yet as Pyrrha held Weiss there, tense in her arms, as those speculations pricked her, she could feel the urge rising — fight or flee, she would soon have to act regardless of social convention.

Pyrrha's eyes turned down and met Weiss'; she saw the plea for help, and in that moment she knew what she must do. Just as she was about to clear a path by force if light nudges wouldn't suffice, the chatter of the crowd was silenced by the sudden sound of Mistrali pixie-pop splitting the air. Pyrrha's head whipped around fast enough in search of the source that it sent her ponytail out like a streamer. The music was coming from a pair of speakers that resembled cat ears perched atop the head of a faunus girl with coral pink hair pulled up into a pair of high, splayed twin tails and cyan streaks in her fringe, a feline tail of the same coral pink extending from her skirt. She was loudly slurping up the last of a bubble tea as she drew near upon trick skates, a shimmery rainbow left in her wake.

" There you are!" The girl was practically yelling, though whether to be heard over the former din of the crowd or because the headphones to which her cat-ear speakers were attached nearly deafened her was hard to say. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Some of those in the crowd turned to the obnoxious newcomer, as did Weiss although unlike Pyrrha the diminutive Schnee couldn't see her just yet. Nevertheless her brow furrowed and she turned her gaze aside in thought.

The faunus girl skated closer, hopping just enough for her wheels to retract when she reached the edge of the crowd and lowering the volume from her speakers, though she kept the music on. She didn't seem to care about what was or wasn't acceptable, pushing a path open without regard for resistance.

"'Scuse me, comin' through, look out, make way." And like that, she was within the circle, grinning to Pyrrha and Weiss.

Recognition flashed across Weiss' face. "Neon??"

"Weisscream!!" Weiss' eyes went wide as Neon Katt darted in to drape an arm over her shoulders, looking up to Pyrrha as well then. "Real sneaky of you hiding her in the crowd like that! Lucky for me," she pulled out her scroll, "people have been Schneeting about it." She snorted, then broke out into brief laughter. "Schneeting… your dad really didn't think that through when he named it Schneeter. Like at all. Not even a little. Aaanyway, come on, we're already late!" She began to pull Weiss toward the edge of the crowd whence she came.

Pyrrha looked down to Weiss, then to Neon and back, not releasing her hold but moving a little as Weiss didn't seem to object; if nothing else Neon was getting them out of the crowd. "Late?"

Neon glanced back. "Yeah, late. The opposite of early. That thing that happens when the time you were supposed to meet me comes and goes and you're not there so I hafta come find you."

Pyrrha frowned. "I know what it means, but… were we supposed to meet you?"

Neon's eyes widened incredulously and her jaw nearly dropped, and too late Pyrrha realised her mistake. "Uh, yeah! 'Were we supposed to…'" Neon rolled her eyes — so much that it was practically audible — and turned her gaze to Weiss. "You sure this is your girl Weisscream? If you liked the dumb ones you coulda just stuck with that blonde."

Pyrrha chafed and Weiss' eyes narrowed a little. "I'm sure Neon, and Pyrrha's not dumb , I just didn't tell her. I wanted it to be a surprise and I lost track of time."

"Ooooooh, okay, okay. Well anyway come on , we gotta go!! Everyone else is already waiting!!" Again Neon pulled at Weiss, and this time both she and Pyrrha followed closely, letting her open whatever path she liked. Now they had an excuse, and they weren't about to waste it.

A few minutes and more than a few apologies later, Neon had dragged them through the now-upset crowd and into an air taxi, and the trio were lifting away from the Atlas streets.

The taxi took them out beyond the rim of the floating island of Atlas and past lower, darker clouds kept at bay by its weather control systems to the lights of Mantle below. Neither Pyrrha nor Weiss had ever been to the lower city, and both looked out over its rain-slick streets as they descended toward an outlying area.

"Thanks for that back there, but," Weiss turned from the window to look to Neon, "where are we going?"

Neon grinned mischievously. "You'll see!"

"… Should I be worried?"

Pyrrha turned from the window at that, looking from Weiss to Neon and back with questioning eyes.

"Aww, come on Weisscream, don't you trust me?"

Weiss just stared at Neon for a moment. "Uh, no; I barely know you."

Pyrrha's brow furrowed. "You mean the two of you aren't close?"

Neon answered first, and her reply took Weiss aback. "Sure we are!" The faunus girl bounced over to their side of the taxi and draped an arm around Weiss' shoulders; Weiss didn't miss the sudden tightening at the corners of Pyrrha's eyes. "We go waaaaay back."

Weiss twisted and pushed Neon away a little, gently but insistently. "I met you at the Vytal Tournament — this is only the second time I've even seen you!"

"Like I said, way back!"

"We appreciate your help, but-."

Neon cut Pyrrha off with a bright smile. "Awesome! Then you can come with me and have some fun." Her smile turned to that mischievous, appropriately-catlike one she seemed to have perfected — Weiss wondered if she practised it or if it just came naturally to her. As soon as Pyrrha began to reply — her expression looking less than completely acquiescent — Neon again spoke to preempt any argument. "I mean, you do owe me for saving you and all, Berries; it'd be kinda rude to just use me and bounce."

Weiss sighed; she'd better step in before Pyrrha overcommitted them to avoid such a perception. "I suppose we do. Okay, we'll come with you for a little while, as long as wherever it is isn't too crazy."

"Perfect! You won't regret it."

Weiss gave Neon a quizzical look. "Why 'Berries'? I mean, I get 'Weisscream' but that doesn't have anything to do with her name."

"Oh, that's easy. First, the hair, " Neon leaned over to Pyrrha and pointed to her scarlet ponytail. "Second," another finger joined the first, no longer pointing but counting, and her grin turned positively impish, "I'm betting she tastes really sweet, like a berry."

Pyrrha blushed crimson and spluttered, her eyes going wide at Neon's comment as the faunus girl quickly slipped back beside Weiss, who was herself feeling more than a little heat in her cheeks.

"I'm right aren't I? Yep, I knew it!" She giggled, and Weiss gave her a glare.

Shut up! Only I get to know that!!

"Aaaaand third," Neon raised a third finger, "just look at her!" She gestured to Pyrrha, awkwardly fidgeting at being singled out in such a way but no less red for it. "She looks just like a berry! You can't tell me you don't see it."

"Neon, enough." Still blushing, Weiss nevertheless put ice in her voice, softening only a little once she saw Neon understood she wasn't playing. "Be nice, or we leave immediately."

"Aw, can't a girl have some fun?" Neon pouted and huffed. "Besides, Berries and Weisscream just naturally go together."

That brought a little smile to Weiss' face which she saw reflected on Pyrrha's upon looking to her lover. She reached over to take Pyrrha's hand in her own and gave it a light squeeze. "I couldn't agree more."

She should've known it would be something like this. Neon made no effort to hide her interests, and yet as she'd dragged them through darkened streets and dingy alleys Weiss had begun to grow suspicious as to just what kind of 'fun' she had in mind for them. She'd almost called it off entirely when the faunus girl had taken them to an unmarked, run-down building on the outskirts of Mantle, until the cringe-inducing screech that issued when Neon shoved the door open faded and in its place could be heard the muted thumping of club music. Winding through the derelict building to its basement had revealed the actual destination to be far less decrepit, if still hardly the chic affair they might've found topside.

"Why did you bring us here?" Weiss almost had to yell to be heard over the music, even leaning in closer to Neon.

"I told you, to have some fun!" Neon giggled, seeming unperturbed by the noise and dancing her way toward the bar, forcing Weiss and Pyrrha to follow.

"Yeah, but why here? There are clubs in Atlas, or even central Mantle, that the driver could've taken us directly to. Does this place even have a name?"

"Becaaaause," Neon rolled her eyes as she reached the bar and turned to Weiss, "my stipend lasts for more than three drinks here, and I doubt you want to explain to daddy why you were using his money to go clubbing. Especially with me. "

Weiss blushed a little, and Neon turned to motion to the bartender — a young man with olive skin and bright green hair gathered into a ponytail, out of which emerged a pair of butterfly antennae — for drinks.

"Besides, those are places you two would get noticed. You looked like you needed an escape from the crowds — actually, more than just the crowds, and the only way you can get that kind of escape topside is with the sort of dust I can't picture either of you using."

Weiss bristled at that last. "I have no idea what you're talking about; I'm the heiress to the SDC, I use every kind of dust."

Neon snickered. "Eeeeexactly."

Pyrrha stepped in and laid a hand on Weiss' shoulder before she could say anything further, speaking up herself instead. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Neon, but what do you mean we looked like we needed an escape from more than just the crowds?"

The bartender came back with a trio of brightly-coloured drinks that Neon passed around. "Later. For now, we drink and dance!"

Weiss eyed the glass warily before she took it. "Okay… but only one."

"One!? You can't stop at one! "

Watch me — I am not my mother.

Weiss shot Neon a look. "You drink what you want, I'm stopping at one." Her tone brooked no argument.

Neon held her gaze curiously for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay, okay, jeez."

And so they drank, and as promised Weiss stopped with one of the artificially-sweet concoctions, though even that was enough to leave her feeling tipsy. And they danced — quite differently than they had at Beacon, of course — and Weiss soon found herself enjoying the evening after all. Yes the crowd was too close and the room too warm — okay, part of that might be the drink and part was almost certainly the way she was pressed against Pyrrha moving to the music. And yes, the style wasn't her favourite and was far too loud with the bass mixed too high — although she must admit it did have a nice rhythm, and with the volume like that it was almost as though they were in their own little world despite everyone around them, their own world where every beat reverberated through their bodies like a primordial heartbeat — but none of that mattered, because for a little while, she could just relax and enjoy a night out with her girlfriend.

After awhile the couple drifted to a table off to the side to take a break and enjoy one another's company. They were soon after joined by Neon bearing another trio of drinks, to whom Pyrrha turned a gently-reproachful look.

"I'll be glad to join you for another, but you mustn't try to coax Weiss into another round when she's made her wishes known."

Neon tilted her head. "Who's coaxing? This is one for you, two for me." She laughed as she slid into a seat, setting one of the drinks in front of Pyrrha.

"Oh." Pyrrha blushed, looking down to the slightly-flushed Weiss who nestled against her. "You didn't bring anything for her?"

"Don't know what she drinks." Neon shrugged and took a long draw from one of her glasses.

Pyrrha nudged Weiss just a touch. "Sparkling water with a lemon twist?"

Weiss twisted a bit to meet her gaze, her contented smile growing a touch. "You know me so well." She nuzzled against Pyrrha, then sighed softly as she watched her lover rise and disappear into the crowd.

"You've got it baaaad." Neon's teasing — and slurping, as she finished her first drink rather loudly — pulled Weiss' attention back to the table and the smirking girl across from her.

She huffed and sat up straighter. "I do not; I have it very good in fact."

Neon snorted. "Oh I know you do, believe me . That's not what I meant though and you know it, Weisscream."

Weiss felt her cheeks grow warmer than they already were. Of course she knew what Neon meant — and now as well, furthermore — and she couldn't very well deny either, now could she? She was the Schnee heiress, and to the world that meant she lived in the lap of luxury, troubled by nothing. She could argue that, but Neon wouldn't understand. However, she couldn't even begin to claim she didn't love Pyrrha, and if she somehow managed it her lie would be torn to shreds in an instant.

"Well if you could see that, you could've at least brought me a normal water or something so Pyrrha didn't feel like she had to go get me a drink."

"And carry four glasses back through the crowd? Do you want me to stick my fingers in your girlfriend's drink? Rude!"

Weiss scoffed. "As if you really needed two drinks! How can you handle that much anyway, is that like a faunus thing?" Seriously, she's barely bigger than me!

Neon was silent momentarily, just blinking slowly in shock. "Wooow… that is super racist." It was Neon's turn to scoff, her tail flicking in disgust as she stood sharply. "Daddy would be so proud ."

The colour drained from Weiss' face and her eyes widened as Neon's words sobered her like a slap to the face. "Oh gods, no, I… I didn't mean…" She half-rose from her seat and reached for Neon, but the other girl pulled back, glaring at her hand. "I… Neon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like-."

"Yeah? How did you mean it then, huh Weiss? "

"I just…," Weiss sighed and shrunk in on herself as she sank back into her seat, "I thought that since you move so fast, maybe… you know… you burnt it off fast or something too."

Neon just stared at her doubtfully. "Uh huh."

"I swear I didn't mean it insultingly… please, sit down? I'm so sorry…"

Neon eyed her warily, long enough that Weiss was sure she was going to walk away, but finally she sat back down across the table though her gaze remained venomous and her tail twitched with her ire.

Weiss took a deeper breath before speaking. "I… know I have some bad habits that I've picked up from my father, but that doesn't mean I'm him. I'm trying to be better, I'm trying to… to grow past my upbringing. I had a friend back at Beacon who would call me out when I slipped, who was helping me to see other perspectives, not just the ones my father approved of. I guess with everything that's happened, and everything I've been so worried about, I've reverted back to some of my old ways… " She offered Neon a tight smile. "That isn't an excuse — I don't have or deserve one — I just… want you to know I'm not what everyone thinks I am. I know faunus are mostly good people just like humans are, but people like… like my father — like my family — have exploited them horribly. I'm sure you and your family have suffered from the things that have given mine the wealth and privilege we have, and I truly am sorry for that."

Weiss' face fell; she couldn't bring herself to meet Neon's gaze just then, to even look at her, instead turning her eyes to the table and the drinks before the girl, one empty, one untouched. "I'm not my father… I don't have the power or influence he does, but one day I will." Her eyes rose to Neon's, and there was fire in them once more. "I don't have the cruelty he does either, or the heartlessness, or the complete lack of empathy. I want to change things for the better. I want to make the Schnee name one I and my siblings can be proud of, not because of our money but because of the difference we make in the world for humans and faunus alike. I know I have a long way to go and a lot of learning to do, and Blake isn't here to help me anymore. I can't change overnight, but I promise I will change, and… if you still want to be friends, I'd like that."

Neon let Weiss say her piece, just watching quietly and flicking her tail, then finally sighed. "I guess I can't expect someone raised by that to not have some problems… okay Weisscream, we can still be friends." She grabbed her drink and slipped around closer to Weiss.

"I seem to have missed something." A slightly uneasy chuckle rose in Pyrrha's throat upon seeing them there, Neon looking a little more subdued and Weiss as though she'd barely dodged a charging megoliath.

Weiss' tension released in a soft, slow breath, but it was Neon who spoke. "Nah, she just made a giant ass of herself but we're all good now. On oooooooone condition…" That mischievous grin of hers returned.

Oh no…

Pyrrha set Weiss' sparkling water in front of her and slid in beside her. "What condition?" she asked, her brow furrowing and gaze turning from Neon to Weiss and back.

The corner of Neon's mouth rose just a bit more. "This stuff you've been worrying about so much you started slipping, I'm betting it's the same stuff you needed an escape from earlier, yeah?" She leaned in closer to Weiss and tapped her forefinger to the tabletop. "Dish."

Weiss looked to Pyrrha, back to Neon, back to Pyrrha, anywhere for an exit. How could she tell her about… all that!? Her heart pounded in her chest, and not in the good way it had earlier. "I… well, I mean… it's just…"

Neon frowned, and Pyrrha leaned closer, setting her hand on Weiss' arm. "Is this about…?"

Weiss nodded, and Pyrrha returned it slowly then looked to Neon. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. I… did something terribly foolish, and now I…"

Weiss took the opportunity to quench her suddenly-pressing thirst. Thank you Pyr…

Pyrrha paused and shook her head with a sigh. "Something has changed, and neither of us are sure just how much. To be honest, we don't entirely know what's happening and… and we're frightened." She turned her attention fully to Weiss, whose glass now held only ice and lemon peel, though her words were clearly still meant for Neon. "I don't know what happened while I was away, but Weiss has been worried because… she fears she may be losing me." Her hand slid down Weiss' arm to take its counterpart and give a tender squeeze.

Weiss' eyes grew misty and she felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. She returned Pyrrha's squeeze and leaned closer to lay her head against her girlfriend's shoulder, sniffling softly. I can't lose you… I just can't. No matter what it takes, we have to find a way to-

"That's it?" Neon sounded disappointed, and when Weiss and Pyrrha turned incredulous looks to her — apparently confirmation enough — she groaned and took her glass up once more to take a long drink, leaning back dramatically in her seat before sliding back over to the other side of the table.

"I… beg your pardon?"

Neon brought her head back up to meet Pyrrha's gaze. "I thought it was gonna be like a big, juicy thing, but that's just so…. blah. No offence."

No offence!? Seriously!?!?

It was a good thing Pyrrha spoke up before Weiss could snap at Neon. "Sorry to disappoint you, I suppose."

"That's not… oh hey, I did it too!" Neon laughed a little. "Look, I can fix this whole thing for you okay?"

Weiss was about to say something, but Neon's words took her aback. She blinked and looked to Pyrrha, finding her lover gazing down at her; as one they turned to the faunus girl. "Just like that?"

Neon nodded. "Just like that."

"How?"

"Easy. See, you don't actually have a problem at all."

Weiss gave her a sceptical look.

"Just… hear me out. What you have is a maybe problem. Maybe this thing you did was really bad," she gestured and looked to Pyrrha, " maybe you're gonna lose her," likewise to Weiss, "but maybe not, maybe it's nothing at all. See? Maybe problem."

Pyrrha glanced to Weiss, then back to Neon. "Well yes, we know that."

"Do you? Do you understand it? You know you're training to be huntresses, right? Every day you might lose her, and you might lose her , and that's gonna stick with you for the rest of your lives. I mean, it's been true all along, you just didn't know it, but it's really true now."

"I… yeah, we know…" Weiss looked to Pyrrha once again, but her voice was much less indignant than before.

Okay, yeah, I didn't really think that much about it… I mean she's Pyrrha Nikos, and she's a Maiden…

"Uh huh." Neon's expression would've made clear she was unconvinced even if her tone hadn't, which it most certainly did.

"Even so, how does that help?" Pyrrha shifted a little closer to Weiss almost protectively; Weiss unconsciously leaned closer in kind, moulding herself naturally to her lover's side for comfort. "We could leave the Academy today and still this problem would haunt us. I cannot undo what I've done."

"Relax, Berries, that's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" Weiss looked across to Neon with pleading eyes, clinging now to Pyrrha. Schnee she may be, but if Neon really did have the solution as she claimed, Weiss wasn't too proud to beg her for it. "Please, Neon…"

Neon rolled her eyes. "I'm saying …," she leaned forward and gestured for emphasis, "that worrying about something you can't do anything about doesn't do any good so stop worrying . If the maybe does start to happen, you deal with it then, but until then just live your lives. Otherwise you'll have wasted the time you had if the maybe does happen."

Weiss scoffed and opened her mouth to give a frustrated reply, but she had none, and after a few seconds she found the frustration fading. Strangely enough, Neon made sense in a way, though it wasn't exactly a solution… "Just… stop worrying? That's your fix?"

"Yep."

"It isn't that easy…" Pyrrha's eyes drifted down to Weiss.

"Hey, I never said it was easy, but you've still gotta do it. Gotta live in the now; worrying about maybes just distracts you from what you could and should be doing instead. How are you ever gonna do what feels right if you're too busy worrying about what might go wrong, y'know?"

You have a point…

"I think I might have another round after all…"

Night had fallen by the time the girls emerged from the rundown building whose basement housed the club, and the streets were thoroughly drenched with the rain that still fell. Stepping outside sent a momentary shiver through Pyrrha as the warmth from inside — even in the unoccupied building above the club — gave way to the much cooler air outdoors.

"Are you cold?"

Pyrrha glanced down at Weiss to find icy eyes gazing up at her with enough warmth to banish the chill from the whole city. She must've noticed that shiver… or perhaps she was cold?

"Only a little," she replied before stepping through the door and activating the umbrella, the little robot zipping up above and emitting its dome to shield them from the rain. She half-turned back to offer Weiss her hand with a gentle smile.

Weiss returned it in kind as she took the offered hand and stepped out next to Pyrrha, wrapping an arm around hers. "Well then I better keep you warm," she declared with a soft laugh, drawing a small one from Pyrrha as well.

"Ugh, you two are sickeningly sweet, you know that?" Neon stepped out past them, pulling up the hood of her cat-eared jacket as she went. She withdrew her scroll from her pocket and rapidly tapped out a message, moving a little bit to a song only she could hear.

"Better than being sour like some people," Weiss retorted mock-defensively.

Neon looked askance at her. "Are you calling me a sourpuss? Is that another racist comment!?" Her voice rose, and incensed, she stepped toward the couple with her gaze fixed on Weiss. Pyrrha instinctively curled around her a bit to put herself somewhat between them.

Oh no… I'm certain that wasn't what she meant at all; you must know that, Neon…

Weiss paled and quickly shook her head, her eyes widening and free hand rising between them as though to ward off the misunderstanding. "N-no, that's not what I was saying at all!! I was just-."

Neon burst out laughing. "Relax Weisscream, I'm just messing with you." She clutched at her sides and nearly doubled over shaking with laughter, leaving Pyrrha and Weiss to exchange confused looks and slowly relax.

"You're… not mad at me?"

"Nah, I just had to get you back for before. You should've seen your face!" Neon's laughter slowly faded off.

Pyrrha frowned. "That wasn't funny, Neon."

"It kinda was." Neon sniggered a little more, lifting her hand and pinching her fingers almost together. "A little bit." She struggled — and failed — to hold back more, ending up snorting a bit before finally falling quiet with a sigh.

"What if-?"

Neon cut Pyrrha off, gesturing for emphasis. "There you go again with the maybes! Live in the moment, remember?"

Pyrrha blinked; she considered even a situation like this a 'maybe'?

"But this…"

Neon sighed dramatically. "Look, it's easy. 'What if' what… I hurt her feelings? Well, then we're even, but I apologise and we move on. What if I make her self-conscious about what she says? Good, she should be." Neon's eyes flicked down to Weiss'. "That's what you wanted, right? That's what that Blake girl did for you before?"

Weiss hesitated briefly, then nodded just a touch. "Well, yeah, but-."

"See? Or maybe what if it ruins our friendship?" Neon spread her arms. "This is me, I like to mess with people. She's seen it before and she knows I don't mean any harm by it. I like who I am, so if that means we can't be friends then that sucks but I'm not gonna stop being me. So we good, or is this maybe problem an actual problem to deal with?"

Weiss squeezed Pyrrha's arm before responding; whether seeking comfort or reassurance or simply to relieve some tension so it wouldn't show in her voice, Pyrrha wasn't sure, but she gave a gentle one of her own in return. "No… we're good, it's fine."

"Awesome!" Neon smiled — genuinely it seemed — then looked back up to Pyrrha. "See? No problem, no reason to have worried. Live in the moment!" Her scroll chimed and she pulled it from her pocket only to groan. "Hey, you guys think you can get back on your own? My mom's going mental over the rain."

Pyrrha looked down to Weiss and, seeing no objection in her eyes, nodded. "Yes, that shouldn't be a problem. Is your mother alright?"

"Great, thanks. Yeah, she's-." Neon's scroll chimed again, and her eyes widened when she looked at it. "Crap, I gotta go. Laters!"

"Uh, sure? See you later." Weiss looked as confused as Pyrrha felt, until Neon quickly made a call whilst extending her skate wheels, one side of which they could partially hear as she sped away.

"Just use the bucket! … I told you we can't do that tonight. … Because you can't while it's raining! … No. … No, I-. … Do not go up there!! … Don't you do it! Don't you-!!"

The girls watched the rainbow trail vanish into the night, staring after Neon momentarily before Pyrrha spoke up. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

"She'll be fine. I don't really know her that well but she strikes me as the kind of person who can take care of herself." Weiss turned to look up to Pyrrha. "Were you watching the way we came in?"

"A little, but I was watching for danger more than paying attention to the route…" Pyrrha blushed a little at the admission.

"Yeah, me either… I guess we should just head that way until we hit a street where we can get an air taxi?" Weiss gestured in the direction of the floating Atlas.

"We could…"

Weiss' eyes turned to Pyrrha once more, her head tilting a bit. "But?"

Pyrrha glanced away as a pang of guilt struck her. "Just… I suppose I didn't realise how much I needed to get out of the Academy, and now that we're here…" She turned her face to meet Weiss' gaze — mostly. "Would you… walk with me awhile, before we go back?"

Weiss blinked, then smiled and laid her head on Pyrrha's chest for a moment. "Of course I will… I'll go anywhere you want."

Pyrrha smiled and kissed her brow, holding her briefly before they set off at a leisurely pace, accompanied by the sounds and smells of the rain-soaked city. They walked in silence for a time, arm in arm, simply enjoying one another's presence and warmth and taking in the sights of the lower city that neither was familiar with. Through the alleys and backstreets they walked until they found themselves on what seemed a significant enough avenue — decently lit by the standards of outer Mantle and with signs of life — and there they turned to walk along its side, and by the time they'd gone a few blocks Pyrrha began to notice glares coming from an upper window here, a passing car there.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea…

She frowned a little and was about to say something about it when Weiss broke the silence herself.

"Do you think she could be right? Neon, I mean."

Pyrrha blinked, turning her gaze from the corner diner they were passing — rather, from the bitter-looking old man behind the bar — to Weiss.

"About the 'maybe problems'?"

Weiss nodded. "Yeah."

Pyrrha considered. "Well… it's certainly a very different way to do things. I understand the appeal, but… I fear it may simply be forcing the burden of responsibility onto another. What if General Ironwood had thought that way of Beacon? We would all be dead and the whole kingdom lost."

Weiss glanced away slightly. "True… but Uncle James had credible intel, all we have is my fear. And I… I think she might have a point."

Pyrrha stopped for a moment and turned to face Weiss fully, the motion all but forcing Weiss to do likewise and briefly adding the crinkling of shopping bags to the sound of rain. "You believe we ought to simply stop worrying and do as we will, come what may?"

"I… I don't know, Pyr. Maybe? But she's right about us being huntresses; I've been so worried about losing you to this that I forgot I could lose you to Grimm, or Cinder, o-or Salem!"

Pyrrha winced — there were more people looking, more people glaring… were they paying attention to what was being said?

"Weiss, I-."

"I know you're strong… you're Pyrrha Nikos , and now you're even stronger, but… but no one's invincible, not even you."

Pyrrha pressed closer to wrap her other arm around Weiss and pull her in tight, kissing the top of her head and burying her face in Weiss' damp hair. "I know… I know I'm not. I hate that name…" She just held Weiss for the space of a few slow breaths before speaking again, softer than before. "You're right, tomorrow is never guaranteed, especially in the life we've chosen, but what would you have me do? If I could stand by and let evil flourish while I do nothing, I wouldn't be your Pyrrha… even if I could walk away from the path of the huntress, sooner or later I will be hunted down and killed if I'm not prepared."

Weiss pressed in as well, shaking her head a little at the question. "I don't know, but I know we can't keep going the way we have. You're wearing down, and so am I. Maybe Neon isn't totally right, but… she makes some sense, doesn't she?"

Pyrrha pulled back just a bit to look down to her lover's face. "I can't agree with the way she does whatever she pleases… she may have a good heart, but that is nevertheless reckless."

"That wasn't the part I meant…" Weiss shook her head. "I mean the 'maybe problems'. She takes it too far, but… she's also kind of right. We've been worried sick about something we have no control over."

"Your fears may prove right; I may be changing without even knowing… I could hurt you, even-." She couldn't bring herself to say it, her words catching in her throat… she would stop herself by any means before that.

"That's what I mean, Pyr; that's the kind of thing you shouldn't have to worry so much about. I'm a big girl, you don't have to protect me like a porcelain doll, least of all from yourself."

Pyrrha sighed. "I don't know if I can do that, you're too important to me…"

"Just think about it, okay? When I first started out at Beacon I thought I had to be perfect, so that's what I tried to be, with everything. It was stressful, and I failed… badly." Weiss blushed. "You remember."

Pyrrha felt her smile more than she really showed it, her mood lifted by the memories — not of Weiss' dreadful first weeks, but rather their early interactions and the context she now understood them in. "Somewhat, yes."

Weiss gave her a look at once scolding for the lie — and the suggestion she'd forgotten some of their shared memories — and thankful for sparing her pride. "It took me awhile to learn that I didn't have to be perfect; I didn't have to carry all the weight and do it all myself to prove my worth. I think… the motivation is different, but I think maybe that's what we've been doing, and maybe we don't have to. Maybe you don't have to. So just… think about it."

Pyrrha nodded softly. "That's something I can do." She leaned down to plant a tender kiss on Weiss' lips.

Live in the moment.

She lingered for the space of a breath, then another, then scooped Weiss up, lifting her girlfriend to her tiptoes and turning the kiss positively torrid; she received a surprised squeak in reply. After the momentary shock wore off, Pyrrha felt Weiss mould herself to her as a tremor shook the smaller girl. She held her there until her lungs ached for air, until she was sure the heat she felt within her and against her must be steaming in the cold, wet air and the thunderous drumming of her heartbeat drowned out the storm and must be shaking the ground for blocks in every direction.

When Pyrrha finally eased her back down, Weiss swayed unsteadily on her feet and Pyrrha felt the need to hold her upright for fear she might fall otherwise, or perhaps she only told herself that to excuse keeping her close a few moments longer. Nevertheless, she was certainly woozy, left flushed and breathless.

"Wh… what was… that…?"

"What felt right in the moment." Pyrrha smiled down to her, touching her brow to Weiss'. "She does make some sense." She placed another, much lighter kiss on still-parted lips, then pulled back and looked aside to the diner window, where now it seemed every eye within stared out at them, one or two sets with the same sort of fawning interest those in the city above had, but the rest more resentful. Her smile faded a bit. "We should probably go before we need to be saved from another crowd," she commented softly, her eyes only returning to Weiss' after she'd finished speaking.

Or the crowd needs to be saved from us …

It took Weiss a few seconds to process what she was saying, a few seconds of smiling that hidden smile of hers before she blinked several times and looked to the window to notice the audience they'd gathered. "Yeah… I guess we should…"

Pyrrha tilted her head a little, her gaze remaining on her girlfriend. Weiss sounded disappointed… did she really want to just… stay there like that, even with everyone watching? Even knowing those glares were likely meant for her? Pyrrha's smile returned in full — it had been some time since they'd been able to relax and just… be , to truly enjoy one another's company like they used to without everything else hanging over them.

Pyrrha turned and Weiss followed suit, and together the girls continued down the street arm in arm once more. For awhile neither said a word, and neither needed to; simply being there was enough.

Do what feels right…

Pyrrha looked over to Weiss, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. When what felt right was kissing her it was the easiest thing in the world, but it wasn't always so easy. She'd been doing what felt right at Beacon too, and look how that turned out.

You're ignoring the other part.

Pyrrha's gaze dropped a little. It was true, she knew. What she'd done at Beacon only felt right because of the fear of what might happen if she didn't that Professor Ozpin and the others had put in her; in the moment, all she wanted to do was stay with Weiss and her friends, fight by their sides and keep them safe.

I can't just go about with no plan, heedless of the future and its pitfalls… that's far too reckless, far too dangerous, especially for Weiss.

But then… that wasn't really the point, was it? Perhaps Neon took things to that extreme — Pyrrha honestly couldn't say, thought she wouldn't be terribly surprised — but her point had been not to worry about things beyond one's control.

So don't worry about what might happen tomorrow — deal with that tomorrow if it does happen, but for today, do what feels right now .

"What feels right…," Pyrrha murmured under her breath.

Weiss must have come out of her own reverie — or been drawn out by Pyrrha's voice — for she looked up to her lover. "Hmm?"

"Oh, just thinking." She smiled fondly to Weiss and gave her arm a light squeeze.

As her eyes swept ahead of them once more, they passed over a young woman across the street heading quickly in the opposite direction. She was tall — almost as tall as Pyrrha herself, she thought, though it was difficult to tell exactly with the way she was hunched over and hugging herself for warmth — and wore an oft-patched jacket over ill-fitting trousers, both soaked through and so threadbare Pyrrha was amazed they hadn't simply fallen apart already; she assumed that whatever was beneath the jacket must be in the same sorry state.

Do what feels right.

Weiss took a half-step past Pyrrha as she slowed to a stop — all their linked arms would allow — then turned to look up to her with inquiring eyes. "Something wrong?"

Pyrrha met her gaze, slipping her arm free — that earned her a frown — and giving her a small, apologetic smile. "Just a moment. I'll… be right back." Leaving the umbrella floating above Weiss, she turned and darted across the street to intercept the woman she saw, clutching her shopping bag close to her front and leaning forward a little to shield it from the rain with her body.

The woman clearly hadn't been paying much attention, for she gave a start when she found her path suddenly blocked and nearly ran headlong into Pyrrha. She was saved from what promised to be a rather nasty fall only by Pyrrha's quick reflexes allowing for a hand to reach her in time, but even so was left obviously distressed.

"What's wrong with you!? Why would you jump out in front of me like that!?," the woman huffed, reaching to brace herself against the building nearby — thankfully one with an awning — to calm herself.

"I'm sorry, it's just I saw you from across the street and-."

The woman blinked a few times, recognition dawning now that she'd actually taken the opportunity to look at who she was talking to. "You're that girl from the tournament! Th-the one that tore that robot girl apart!!"

Pyrrha's countenance fell, and she looked away. "Yes…" Her voice was barely above a whisper, barely even audible over the rain.

The woman's eyes went wide and her face paled. "P-please don't hurt me!! You can take whatever you want!!"

Pyrrha's eyes snapped back up, now wide as well. "What? You think…" Her hand rose to cover her mouth momentarily, then she took a step back and lifted both hands palm forward. "N-no, I would never! I actually came over here to give you something…"

The woman flinched as Pyrrha's hands rose, but when no attack came she relaxed a little and gave Pyrrha a confused look. "To… give me something?"

Pyrrha nodded. "That's right." She let her arms fall back down and reached into the bag, rummaging around a few moments before pulling out a sweater and a long, warm skirt. "Here, I thought you might like these."

The woman's eyes widened again, but in a far different way this time, and she tentatively reached for the clothing, turning it over in her hands. "Is this…?"

Pyrrha smiled softly, though it didn't fully reach her eyes — the woman's earlier comments stung. "Pashmina, yes."

Her breath caught. "I-I was going to say 'natural'!" Her eyes narrowed a bit suspiciously. "Why do you want to give me this?"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed slightly at the woman's expression. "You look to be about my size, and need it far more than I. Is that not enough?"

The woman gave a bitter laugh under her breath. "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch, I just want to help."

"Uppers never help without a catch."

"Uppers? Oh." Pyrrha smiled and shook her head. "Well, I'm not an 'Upper', I'm Mistrali, so I won't tell if you won't."

The woman laughed again, less bitterly. "You think I don't know you eloped with Weiss Schnee? It was all over the papers! You may be from Mistral, but you're an Upper now. But okay Miss Tournament, I guess you're alright."

The woman's words hit Pyrrha like a charging boarbatusk between the eyes. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide, and she blushed so brightly it was a wonder she didn't start to glow. She tried to respond but her brain wouldn't form words and even if it did, her breath was caught in her throat and it was all but a given that they would've come out as gibberish anyway.

The woman looked at Pyrrha, just standing there and staring like a rabbit in headlights, and quirked a brow at her. "Uh… thanks then. You have a nice night." She walked around Pyrrha and continued on her way, again moving quickly but now trying to take care to keep her gifts under her jacket and out of the rain as much as possible.

She thinks Weiss and I eloped? The papers think we eloped!? Elope must mean something else here. Yes, that must be it. Except it seemed like it meant what I know it to mean by the way she said it… But that's crazy, right!? Weiss and I just running off and getting married like that? We've only been dating a few months! It's crazy!! Except I know I love her, I know it with all my heart, and she knows it. She almost died for me! So is it really that crazy?? But oh gods she hasn't met Mother. Mother is… a lot. What if she can't handle her? What am I saying, she handled Jacques Schnee . What if I can't handle him ? No, no, you can do it Pyrrha, for Weiss you can do it. Maybe we should. Maybe we should just go do it!

"Pyrrha?"

"Maybe we should just elope!!"

Pyrrha didn't realise she'd blurted her thoughts out loud for a moment, not until it finally registered that she wasn't staring at empty street anymore, she was staring at her very, very shocked girlfriend. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth and she shook her head in short, rapid movements, her eyes locked on Weiss'.

"I'm sorry!! I didn't mean-!" Pyrrha cut herself off, shaking her head more fully and waving a hand defensively. "I-I did mean to, but not like… I was going to eventually , not-."

Weiss looked this way and that, her mind clearly racing to catch up after the unexpected system shock she'd just received. "I… c-could you maybe… slow down and explain?"

Pyrrha's heart felt as though it were in her throat, attempting to leap out with every pounding beat; she swallowed it down as best she could. "I… y-yes, of course. That woman, she… she said she knew we had eloped… that it was all over the papers. So I thought 'that's crazy' because of course we haven't, but I realised it's not so crazy and-."

"Yeah, I got that part."

Weiss was blushing brightly. Pyrrha knew it was a pale reflection of her own crimson — her face hurt and she thought she might just die of shame. A protracted silence lingered before she spoke once more. "I'm sorry Weiss, I don't know what-."

"No."

Pyrrha blinked. "No?"

"My answer."

Pyrrha tilted her head. An answer to an apology? But… oh. Immediately her countenance fell, far more than it had even when the woman had reminded her of her accident with Penny. "I… I see…" She looked away to conceal the tears she could feel beginning to build.

"Hey." Weiss sighed, stepping in closer and reaching up to cup Pyrrha's cheek. Her touch was as tender as ever as she guided Pyrrha's face to gaze into her eyes; Pyrrha gave no resistance — she couldn't bring herself to.

Weiss smiled up to her. "I do want to marry you, Pyrrha Nikos, but we're not eloping ." She draped her arms around Pyrrha's neck. "When we do it I want all our friends to be there, and Winter and Whitley, and whatever family you want. I don't want to sneak off in the middle of the night, I want to declare to the whole world that I'm yours and you're mine and we wanted everyone to know it. And that… may take awhile, but I think it's worth it. Deal?"

Weiss' words quickly brought Pyrrha's spirits back from the depths to soar, and emerald eyes began to fill with tears of a different sort as they gazed into their icy reflections, so soulful and longing that not for the first time Pyrrha found herself falling into them and wondering how it was she'd ever managed to misjudge her dearest so, to ever deny those eyes a thing.

"Deal."

Pyrrha sniffled, happy tears trickling down her cheeks as Weiss rose to her tiptoes to kiss her deeply; Pyrrha bent down a little to meet her. Weiss could've asked her for just about anything in that moment and the answer would've been the same — if it brought a smile to her face and a light to her eyes, Pyrrha would do it, and do it gladly. After a short while — Pyrrha couldn't say how long, as her sense of time and most everything else fell by the wayside the moment Weiss' lips touched hers — Weiss lowered back to her heels.

"You know it's just going to get worse, right? What people think about us, the things they say… it's only going to get crazier."

Pyrrha's smile faltered just a little. "I know… I expected rumours, but the papers? Are there no laws about things like that here?"

Weiss sighed and looked away. "Not anymore…" Pyrrha frowned; her tone was bitter… something personal perhaps? Whatever it was, Weiss clearly didn't feel like elaborating on it just now and Pyrrha wasn't going to pry. Instead she simply gave her lover a squeeze and nuzzled against her for a moment, until her attention was drawn by the distant electronic chiming of a clock.

Already?

Pyrrha took a few slow breaths, just enjoying the moment for awhile longer, before finally pulling away. "I suppose it's time to go back…" She couldn't keep a melancholic note from her voice, nor a wistful sigh from escaping as she began to turn back, but Weiss' hand took hold of hers to stop her.

"It doesn't have to be…"

Pyrrha stopped, then twisted to face Weiss once more with an inquiring look.

"We don't have class tomorrow morning, Winter and Uncle James will be discussing curriculum changes with the Aces, so…," Weiss blushed and glanced down, her eyes flicking up every few seconds to ascertain Pyrrha's reaction. "We could… stay the night?" She toed the ground a little nervously. "I-if you want."

Pyrrha blinked — she wouldn't have even thought of such a thing — but smiled happily, turning fully back to Weiss and moving in closer once more with a nod. "That sounds grand! Yes, I'd love to."

Weiss beamed up to her, and the girls set off down the street once more in search of a hotel.

Weiss sat on the bed idly flicking through the channels on the TV, her still-damp hair sticking to her skin and the sound of Pyrrha's shower providing a steady background to the changing sound from the screen.

"-where you'll get the best prices in Atlas!" Click.

She wasn't really paying attention, just waiting… for the sound of the shower to stop, for Pyrrha to emerge. It had become something of a ritual since they'd come to Atlas. There were no papers to research here, no readings to do — the classes, such as they were, were long and gruelling at times, but when they were over for the day, aside from perhaps a few exercises to practise, the night belonged to the girls alone.

"-just…guys, okay? Mr. White… he’s-." Click.

Evening showers were, of course, practically mandatory given the intensity of their training — it would be patently ridiculous to clean in the morning and immediately proceed to sweat all day, not to mention the field exercises they sometimes conducted — and ever thoughtful, Pyrrha always insisted that Weiss go first, which unless she had something to occupy herself with left her to wait. Often, she would have messaged Winter, or practised one of the Aura techniques she was having trouble with, and on any other night she would have changed into her pyjamas… but this was not any other night.

"-made them in a test tube, but they don't know that. These Grimm are thinking, 'I gotta hunt. I gotta-'." Click.

Tonight, she could barely summon the focus to activate her Aura, much less to project it in any of the more esoteric ways Vine had been teaching them. Tonight, her sister was the farthest thing from her mind, and she had no pyjamas to change into, so there she sat still wrapped in the towel she'd worn out of the bathroom.

"-now to celebrity news, Weiss Schnee was spotted outside Atlas Academy today for the first time since her return from Vale. She was seen in the Humboldt district shopping with her new sweetheart Pyrrha Nikos. According to witnesses, the couple — dubbed 'Schneekos' on social media — seemed to be troubled, leading some to suspect this may be a short-lived-." Weiss huffed at that and angrily pressed the button to turn off the TV. How dare they say something like that! Suggesting she and Pyrrha had run off together was one thing, but that they would have a short-lived romance!? Unthinkable! Unconscionable!!

"Weiss?"

Weiss turned sideways to the bathroom door and her breath caught. She'd seen Pyrrha in just a towel many times before — when you lived and trained with someone, such things were to be expected — but this was different. This wasn't just cleaning off after a day of sparring or field training, nor changing from uniforms to combat gear or pyjamas, and they weren't in the Academy. The light here was dimmer and warmer, and it didn't just illuminate Pyrrha, it caressed her; it both made her glow and cast her in shadow in such a way that Weiss was suddenly very aware of how little they were wearing, even if it was thicker than the pyjamas she was used to.

Pyrrha's brow was furrowed, her eyes fixed on Weiss. "Is everything alright? You looked upset." She began to move closer.

"Yeah…" Her mouth was dry. Why was her mouth dry? Why did she sound like that? Weiss swallowed to try and fix it, heart pounding and eyes locked on the approaching goddess.

"I'm… fine… I-I'm good."

Oh no. Ooooh nonono. This was bad, this was very bad. She had felt like this before on occasion, but then… then she'd always had something holding her back — her teammates and Pyrrha's at Beacon, her injuries, and of late their worries had preoccupied her enough that it hadn't come up, but now… now they were alone, and Pyrrha was right there and…

Pyrrha frowned and sat down on the side of the bed. "No secrets, no lies, remember? What's wrong?" She reached out to brush her fingers against Weiss' cheek; the movement caused her towel to slip just a little.

Weiss' eyes flitted to the shifting towel and she bit back a whimper. It wasn't fair… it wasn't!! Why now!? She shifted a little unconsciously, clutching her own towel closer to her body.

"I remember…" Her voice was barely a whisper.

Why couldn't this have happened a few weeks from now? By then the surgeon Cerise Maru recommended would be back from Mistral and she could be whole again, but now…

"So?" Pyrrha prompted as she shifted closer, leaning over to kiss Weiss' brow. Weiss trembled, finding herself drawn in; this close, Pyrrha was irresistible — not that she wanted to resist, not really. She tilted her head into Pyrrha's hand and met her gaze, feeling warmth rise to the surface of her skin; Pyrrha would see she was flushed, most certainly, the only question was whether or not she would mistake it purely for embarrassment.

Weiss' hand lifted to cup Pyrrha's cheek whilst its twin held fast to her towel. "I-I want…to…" Her eyes dipped down along Pyrrha's seated form and she bit her lip, pausing to take a steadying breath. "But I…," she fidgeted uncomfortably, "right now, I'm… broken , so I…" Weiss looked away in frustration, her hand falling from Pyrrha's face as the other squeezed harder at her towel.

Pyrrha turned her face to kiss Weiss' palm, blinking and tilting her head a little. "You want to…?" It took her a second, her eyes following Weiss', before the implication registered for her. "Oh! Oh my." She blushed and looked away momentarily, but couldn't hide a smile as well, if indeed she was trying to. As soon as Weiss spoke of being broken, however, Pyrrha's eyes were back on her, concern marring her features.

"What would ever make you think such a thing?" Her hand moved to take Weiss' tenderly.

Weiss' looked down to their clasped hands. "Seriously? Who wouldn't want to-?"

"Not that. Why would you think you're broken, Weiss?"

Of course her deflection didn't work; she hadn't really expected it to, only tried it out of habit in all honesty. "Because it's true…" Weiss sighed. "If you saw me under this, you'd understand…"

"…That you are wonderful, and beautiful, and if anyone else were calling you 'broken' they would have a great deal of trouble on their hands." Pyrrha smiled adoringly.

Weiss simply stared in shock for a moment. That…no, that didn't make sense. "Pyr, I… sure, I was beautiful before… everything… but now…"

"Weiss…," Pyrrha sighed, briefly looking down to her lap before meeting her lover's gaze once more. "You're far too hard on yourself. I was with you almost the entire time you were in the infirmary; do you think I haven't seen beneath that?" She nodded to Weiss' towel.

Weiss froze; she'd never considered that before. Pyrrha had already seen them? Her heart quickened further, new fear setting in — how much had she seen? Was she covered by bandages? Surely the nurses would've at least cleared the room to change those wouldn't they? She must not have seen just how bad it was, or else-.

"May I?" Pyrrha was leaning over her now, looming almost, her hand touching Weiss' that held her towel up. She was soft where her body brushed Weiss, so soft despite her strength — Weiss knew that, but it wasn't the same! — and the scent of her skin and hair flooded Weiss' senses.

Weiss tried to reply, she really did, but all that came out was a faint, breathless squeak. She settled instead for a short, shaky nod, and let her hand fall away. This was very bad, but she was helpless, a sailor captive to a siren's song. Her siren's song.

Pyrrha smiled and gently, ever so gently, pulled at the towel until it came loose and fell away, then tossed it aside on the bed. Her eyes slid down to Weiss' abdomen, to the scars that bothered her so, then back up to meet her gaze. "I was wrong. You aren't just beautiful, you're radiant ."

Weiss blushed — not that anyone would be able to tell — and fidgeted again, wringing her hands a bit. "You're just saying that…"

Pyrrha shook her head. "I'm not." She sighed, leaning over to take hold of several of the pillows and pile them up. "Will you indulge me a moment?"

Weiss watched what Pyrrha was doing with curious eyes — why pile the pillows like that now of all times? — but nodded.

Pyrrha gave her another smile, returning to Weiss' side and guiding her to lie back onto the pile. "I want you to understand something, Weiss. I need you to understand it, alright?"

"Okay…" Weiss' response was soft and breathy, transfixed by her lover.

Pyrrha nodded. "There are people who believe that your scars make you less beautiful, people whose opinion I fear has influenced you in ways it ought not have. Those people are wrong ." Her voice was soft and loving, but firm as steel. "Your scars each tell a story…," She reached to caress Weiss' face, just below her eye where the arma gigas had slashed down through. "A story of defiance and the conviction to live as you see fit…," her hand slid down Weiss' neck and chest to trace fingertips along the lines of her newer scars, left by Cinder beneath the Beacon CCT tower. "A story of love and your determination to protect it… of a monster to whom you would not yield, even in the face of certain death…" Her hand rose once more to cup Weiss' jaw, and she slid her body up a bit higher to lean close and gaze into Weiss' eyes. "Your stories are precious; never let anyone make you feel ashamed of them, or of the proof they leave on your skin. They are all a part of you, and you are magnificent ."

Weiss listened, and watched, and trembled at those tender touches. She couldn't argue, and not only because it was Pyrrha — well, thinking about it later, she would realise she probably could argue with someone other than Pyrrha, but they still would've been right. And then she found she was trembling even without the touches — no, scratch that, trembling didn't come with blurry vision; she was crying — and she lifted herself up to wrap her arms around Pyrrha's neck, feeling her girlfriend's go around her back to support her in turn and gingerly stroke her hair. She buried her face in Pyrrha's hair, damp though it was, just holding her there, or rather being held by her, for long moments before finally speaking.

"Thank you, Pyrrha… I love you, so much…"

Pyrrha gave her a gentle squeeze and nuzzled back. "You're most welcome. I love you , Weiss. All of you." She pulled back slowly and eased Weiss to the pillows again to look her in the eyes, bringing a hand back and brushing away her tears. "You are not broken. Do you understand?"

Weiss nodded softly. "Yeah…," she sniffled, "yeah, I understand."

"Then say it."

"…I'm not broken…"

Pyrrha gave her a little smile, but Weiss couldn't help but feel there was a gentle scolding there as she tilted her head forward a little. "Say it with conviction. Mean it."

Weiss gave Pyrrha a look. "I'm not broken." Still, she felt the corners of her lips turning up a little.

"And I love all of you." Pyrrha's smile grew, and Weiss' in turn.

"And you love all of me."

How is someone so perfect even real?

Pyrrha beamed. "This part," she slid her hand down along Weiss' arm to guide it up to her face, where she placed a light kiss on her wrist.

Weiss giggled and gave her a loving yet playfully-annoyed look. "Okay, I get it. You don't have to demonstrate."

Pyrrha placed another kiss at her forearm, then the inside of her elbow. "And this part, and this." She returned that playful look, her smile unwavering. "Oh, I really think I do. And this," she kissed her neck, "and this," her eye scar, "and this," her voice softer as she pressed a longer, deeper kiss to Weiss' lips.

When Pyrrha withdrew — just a little, just far enough that Weiss could look into her eyes and feel her breath on her face — she hesitated a moment. There was a question in her eyes, unspoken but unmistakable, and Weiss felt the heat again. Pyrrha didn't care about her scars — no, Pyrrha loved her scars, as she loved all the rest of her. To Pyrrha, she wasn't broken at all, she was beautiful. She saw Weiss — all of Weiss — and wasn't repulsed, she was asking 'do you still want to?'. Weiss' heart raced and she held Pyrrha's gaze for a long moment, then gave a soft nod, which Pyrrha returned before trailing more kisses down Weiss' body, making sure to touch on her scars.

Soon all thought of brokenness was gone, all worry of newscasters and rumours and even Salem fled from her mind. Soon all thought was gone, in fact, save of Pyrrha — suffusing her every sense, permeating her to the very core — and that moment. Neither girl slept terribly long that night, but what they got was the best sleep either had had in quite some time, deep and unperturbed with the other happily cuddled close.

Consciousness slowly returned to Weiss, and she met it with a soft groan. She hated mornings… especially after such a wonderful night, why did morning have to come? She rolled over to escape the brightness and was suddenly struck by the lack of Pyrrha's warmth and softness beside her.

"Pyr…?" she murmured sleepily as she reached out in search of her girlfriend, to no avail.

Weiss opened her eyes, wincing against the light and pushing herself up partway. "Pyrrha?"

She looked around the room. Could she have imagined it? No… no, this was definitely the hotel room they'd rented in Mantle, and there were their discarded towels; Weiss blushed, but smiled as her thoughts went to the previous night's events. It wasn't a dream, dreamy as it may have been, but nevertheless Pyrrha wasn't here. Had she done something that upset her? Weiss frowned, drawing her legs up and casting about for her scroll, only for her attention to be called to the sound of the door's lock clicking a moment before the door itself swung open.

Pyrrha entered wearing the other new outfit she'd bought — grey leggings beneath a pleated black skirt and an ivory scoop neck top over which was an open carmine cardigan — with a drink carrier in one hand and a paper bag in the other. The moment she laid eyes on Weiss her face lit up brighter than the sun outside.

"Good morning!" Her voice had that musical lilt it sometimes did, and if Weiss weren't already beaming back at her she would've after hearing it.

Weiss followed Pyrrha with her eyes as she approached the bed and set the bag down, then handed one of the cups to her before removing the other from the carrier for herself. "I thought you might like some coffee and breakfast." She leaned in to kiss Weiss sweetly before retrieving a breakfast sandwich for Weiss and one for herself, then sitting next to her lover.

"My hero! You didn't have to do all that, though, there's a coffee machine in the room." Weiss nodded toward the aforementioned device, then took a sip from her coffee.

Pyrrha arched a brow, looking to Weiss over the rim of her own cup; hers would be tea, Weiss knew. "Would you really want me making your coffee? I thought you might prefer not to tarnish this memory."

Weiss gave a sheepish little laugh. "I-I'm sure it would've been fine."

Pyrrha just stared at her for a moment with an amused half-smile. "Last time you asked if I had won my tournaments by poisoning my competition."

And that was how Weiss knew Pyrrha's would be tea. "I wasn't serious!" Her face was nearly as red as Pyrrha's hair.

"Of course." Pyrrha sipped her tea, maintaining that half-smile — perhaps a little more than half. "Enjoy your breakfast."

Weiss decided to do just that; after all, it was difficult to put her foot in her mouth if she was busy filling it with sandwich and coffee. Delicious sandwich and coffee, too — Pyrrha may not be able to make it, but she sure could find a good place in an unfamiliar neighbourhood.

Once they finished eating, Weiss got dressed and attended to hygiene whilst Pyrrha gathered their things together.

"Hey Pyr?" Weiss turned from the mirror after putting her hair in her trademark side tail.

"Hmm?"

She turned her back to the mirror. "Last night was good… right?"

Pyrrha appeared in the doorway, smiling down to her. "Yes Weiss, last night was wonderful. You're wonderful." She stepped closer, tucking a stray hair back behind Weiss' ear and cupping her cheek. "We needed this."

Weiss smiled and blushed, turning her face into the touch and looking away for a second before meeting her gaze once more. "Yeah… we really did. But I mean, even before…, " she bit her lip and glanced away again briefly. "It was good, right?"

Pyrrha blinked and tilted her head curiously. "Well, yes, it was a lovely evening. Why do you ask?"

"I think…," Weiss fidgeted a little. "I think Neon was right. I think I messed up, and all of this stress and worry has all been for nothing…"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I think…," Weiss sighed, deflating a bit and turning her gaze downward. "When I woke up after Beacon and heard about Salem and… everything — even before that really, when you were in that horrible machine screaming like you were dying and there was nothing I could do, and I knew I couldn't beat Cinder and as soon as she got past me she would kill you — since then I've just…" Weiss swallowed the lump in her throat and looked back up to Pyrrha with misty eyes. "I've been… terrified of losing you, and… and I think I might've… overreacted."

"Weiss…"

"Please, Pyr… I need to say this."

Pyrrha looked deeply into her eyes for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright."

"Thank you." Weiss offered a little smile. "Last night was the best night we've had in a long time, and not just because of…," her eyes flicked to the rumpled bed. "It's also because we were just… being , not worrying about everything. Living in the moment, like Neon said. I'm not saying we shouldn't plan ahead or anything, but… I think she's right that this is a maybe problem we shouldn't be worrying about. You've always had a good heart and a strong sense for right, Pyrrha… I'm sorry I ever started doubting you, but I'm ready to admit my mistake and stop , and I think you need to, too."

Pyrrha shook her head slowly as she took a shaky breath, her eyes glistening now as well. "Everything you said before could still end up being true… are you sure you can trust me, Weiss? Are you sure that… that I should trust myself?"

Weiss nodded, reaching up to cup Pyrrha's jaw. "Yeah… I am. You're the best person I know, Pyrrha, the best person I've ever known, and what I saw you do out there last night, what you did for me… it reminded me of just how incredible you are. If we can't trust you, there's no one in the world we can trust."

Weiss' words clearly had an effect on Pyrrha; tears trickled down her cheeks briefly before she wiped them away, and she sniffled but smiled a conflicted smile, stepping closer to embrace Weiss and hold her close.

"Oh Weiss…," she kissed the top of her lover's head. "I'll try to do as you ask, but… I'm not as good as you think I am. If I do good and right, it's only because of you… you give me the strength to even be here. If it weren't for you, I would be locked away in a secret room somewhere, hidden from the world by a paranoid old man and thinking that it was my destiny." Pyrrha withdrew just a bit, enough to lean down and meet Weiss' gaze. " You are my destiny. If I'm to do this, you must promise me that if your concerns do begin to prove true — if I do begin to slip away — you will do whatever you must to protect yourself."

Weiss tried to ignore the pain that shot through her heart at the thought of such a terrible thing, forcing a thin smile and an unsteady nod. "Okay." She leaned into Pyrrha's embrace once more, resting her head on her chest. "You know, thinking like that just proves you really are you."

Pyrrha chuckled softly and stroked Weiss' hair, and for a time the girls just held each other, until it was time to leave the hotel and Mantle behind and get back to the Academy. It wouldn't do to leave the general waiting.

#my writing #fanfic #schneekos #pyrrha x weiss #rwby au #rwby pyrrha #rwby weiss #weiss schnee #pyrrha nikos #rwby

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

Text

Northern Lights

Chapter 2

"Are you alright?"

The voice was distant, as though heard through a thick fog, but it nevertheless brought Weiss out of her reverie to discover Pyrrha leaning over her, her brow furrowed and emerald eyes searching Weiss' with concern. Weiss gave a questioning look in reply.

"You've been staring at the wall for the last five minutes…"

I should be the one asking you…

"I was?" Weiss blushed a little as she stood. "I'm okay, I was just…thinking."

Pyrrha frowned. "It isn't like you to get so lost in your thoughts. Is something bothering you?"

"It's not-." She could tell as soon as she began the lie that Pyrrha saw right through it. "Kind of? I'm just… there's something I'm trying to figure out."

Pyrrha's expression grew puzzled; that was close enough to the truth, it seemed. "Is this about how Major Zeki likened Aura to water, and the ways we must learn to use it to changing the state and shape of that water simultaneously and instantaneously?"

Weiss held her gaze for a moment; to be honest she hadn't even heard that, so preoccupied was she — it certainly wasn't what caused her inattentiveness just now. No, that dubious honour belonged to the thoughts that had plagued her the previous night and distracted her all morning. She slowly nodded nevertheless.

"Yeah… this stuff about Aura manipulation is just… it feels…"

Wrong.

"Strange?"

Close enough. "Yeah."

Pyrrha smiled softly down to her. "I was just talking to him about that and he assured me that although it seems odd now, with practice it will become second nature, just as activating our Auras did. He said that for most that he's spoken with the greatest difficulty lies in understanding the nature of Aura; they often believe it to be their soul entirely rather than its reflection, and so cling to it fearfully in its resting state, but like water in a pond, what evaporates in the summer or is carved out for ice in the winter will be returned with the spring rain. He showed me a few exercises to accustom myself to manipulating my Aura like that… perhaps tonight we could do them together?"

"… Sure." Weiss stared up to Pyrrha, trying to recall whether she had ever seen her so eager in class. Nothing came to mind — she was always smart, acing every course, but equally quiet and shy — but then this was no ordinary class, so how applicable was past experience?

The corners of Pyrrha's mouth curved up a bit more. "I look forward to it." Her gaze flicked to the clock on the wall, then back. "We should go, we're expected for Semblance training at the top of the hour."

Weiss offered a slight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes; she hid it with a small bow and swept her arm toward the door. "After you."

"Why thank you." Pyrrha giggled lightly and stepped through the door, waiting on the other side for Weiss to join her before both made their way to the lockers making small talk. Weiss wasn't really paying attention — oh, she was paying enough attention not to be rude, but her focus truly lay elsewhere… still on Pyrrha, but not on the present conversation nor the instruction Vine Zeki had just given them and the exercises they would be performing later.

For several hours after climbing into bed last night Weiss had sought sleep and found it maddeningly elusive. The moment her eyes closed, her mind flooded with images of Pyrrha savaging Winter and Harriet, only to be replaced by her lover's tranquil form there beside Weiss when they snapped back open. Pyrrha's behaviour in the training room seemed so unthinkable, so… so foreign to her that it had eventually driven Weiss from bed altogether. She spent the rest of the night and the early hours of the morning with coffee for company, poring over every match of Pyrrha's she could access, all the combat logs from her field exercises she could find, and the more she watched the more she felt the void that had begun to form in the pit of her stomach grow.

In all of her matches, never once had Pyrrha demonstrated anything like the viciousness Weiss had witnessed the prior evening, not even an inkling toward such; on the contrary, she had always been the very model of control and poise, gracious in victory even toward those who arguably deserved to be taught a lesson. There had been the terrible incident with Penny of course, but it wasn't at all the same — that had been a defensive act and Pyrrha had been horrified by it. Neither had her professors nor observing hunters nor teammates noted any particular aggression toward the creatures of Grimm in any of the Beacon field logs, rather there were several comments in her files that she remained calm and collected even when faced with especially dangerous specimens. Then there was her own experience with Pyrrha, having spent as much time alone with her as possible and seen a side of her no one else got to see; Weiss knew her in a way that her professors didn't, that even her teammates didn't, but nothing in their time together so much as suggested a craving for violence. No, all that Weiss knew of her lover revealed her to be the kindest, gentlest person Weiss had ever known, devoid of malice or bloodlust in spite of her obvious talent for battle. They all had one thing in common, however, one thing that chilled her to the bone, the kind of chill so deep that neither blanket nor coffee nor sunlight could banish it — they were all based largely if not entirely on her behaviour before-.

"Weiss?"

She blinked — several times as it were, and apparently for the first time in some while judging by how dry her eyes felt. She was looking into her locker but had yet to retrieve Myrtenaster from it; that meant Pyrrha had had time to finish her call with Jaune — what good he thought advice over the scroll would do on a practical exam was beyond her — and collect her own weapons whilst Weiss had been standing here. She'd fallen completely into her own mind again.

"Sorry, I…" Weiss withdrew her blade from her locker and closed it slowly, leaving her hand against the cool metal. She took a deep, audible breath and slowly let it out, then partially turned to face Pyrrha. "You don't… think we'll be fighting this time, do you?" She couldn't keep the apprehension from her voice — or her face it would seem, from the way Pyrrha's turned softer and her arms wrapped around Weiss as though to comfort her. She couldn't keep herself from trembling either.

"I don't know, but I promise I won't let them hurt you again." Pyrrha's voice was soft as she gave Weiss a gentle squeeze.

That's not what I'm worried about…

"Thank you…"

Weiss pulled away and turned her gaze to the door, thankful to have somewhere else to direct her attention if not her thoughts and to put a little space between them — she didn't want Pyrrha seeing the fear in her eyes, feeling it each time she quivered.

"We'd better get going; don't want to be late."

She didn't want to go at all, to be perfectly honest; what she wanted — what she needed, if she was to have any peace of mind — were answers.

Weiss looked up and back to the control room window again, but as before no one was there. She frowned; she'd expected General Ironwood or her sister to be there, someone who she could at least pull aside to ask some questions, but instead she and Pyrrha were alone in the training room with-.

"Am I boring you, Schnee?"

Weiss jumped at the question, blushing a bit and turning to face their instructor.

"Um, no ma'am… I'm sorry."

Captain Tortuga placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward to peer at Weiss through narrowed eyes.

"Then why is it that every time I start talking, you look up to the booth like you're trying to find someone to save you?"

"I-… that's not it," Weiss shook her head, "I just… thought my sister would be here."

Pyrrha gave her a worried look as Tortuga responded.

"Lieutenant Colonel Schnee will be your normal instructor, at least for the time being, but due to her… unforeseen injury," she gave Pyrrha a hard look — which Pyrrha returned in kind — before turning her attention back to Weiss, "the General asked me to take over today. Is that a problem?"

"No, it's not a problem…"

In fact…

"Good. Now-."

"It's just…"

Tortuga sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just what, Schnee?"

"Well… I was already working with Winter on developing my Semblance back at Beacon, before-," she cut off, glancing to Pyrrha, then down sadly. "Anyway, she was helping me a lot so I… with all due respect ma'am, since we have the same Semblance and all I feel like working with her is the best way for me to develop, even if it's just talking with her for today. I know I'm asking a lot, and I don't mean it as any kind of insult, but… would it be alright for me to do that?"

Tortuga just stared at her, long enough that she was sure the Captain was waiting for the punchline… or perhaps deciding just what sort of punishment to dole out for her temerity. Weiss exchanged a glance with Pyrrha — Pyrrha looked as confused as Tortuga did unamused — then opened her mouth to break the awkward silence, but Tortuga beat her to it.

"Fine. You're not hearing anything I say anyway, you may as well get something out of today, so just… go."

Weiss nodded. "Thank you, ma'am"

Tortuga turned and shook her head, muttering to herself momentarily.

Pyrrha turned to Weiss and stepped closer, laying a hand on her arm; Weiss froze in mid-turn herself and hoped the position would hide the sudden tension in her body.

"Are you sure about this? She tried to have you killed; do you really think you should be alone with her?"

Weiss twisted to meet Pyrrha's gaze. "That was… part of the exercise."

Pyrrha's look turned a little incredulous. "Do you truly believe that, Weiss? You weren't even supposed to be on the floor at the time."

"I don't understand it all, but," Weiss sighed. "She's my sister, Pyr. I know her… I trust her."

Pyrrha looked like she wanted to protest further, but Tortuga's voice cut her off. "If you're leaving then leave; stop distracting Nikos! And remember, if you fall behind because you're gossiping instead of practicing, that's on you!" Instead she glanced over her shoulder to the instructor, then back to Weiss. "Please be careful? For me?"

Weiss nodded and offered a tight smile. "I will." She gave Pyrrha a quick hug, then sent a message as she left to both her sister and the General — they needed to talk, and not about Semblances.

"I'm sorry Colonel, I'm going to have to call you back."

The face of the man projected above General Ironwood's desk didn't look particularly happy about that, but he could hardly argue.

"Of course, sir."

The projection saluted, then vanished, and for a moment the office was quiet as both of its prior occupants stared at Weiss, Ironwood from behind his desk and Winter from a comfortable-looking chair off to the side he'd apparently had brought in for her. It was the general who broke the silence.

"You're supposed to be at Semblance training right now… is something wrong?"

Weiss fidgeted a little. "I was hoping you could tell me that, General."

"It's just us here Weiss, you can drop the formalities. What's bothering you?"

"Sorry. It's…," Weiss glanced back toward the door, "it's about Pyrrha. About what happened to her at Beacon."

Ironwood stiffened a bit, turning his gaze down to his desk momentarily and pressing a few buttons. There was an audible click of the door locking, a soft hiss as the hardlight wall appeared and the air between it and the rear wall was extracted.

"Go on."

Weiss nodded. "I just… are you sure the transfer didn't have any side effects?"

Ironwood frowned, thinking for a few seconds before replying. "No, there's no way to be sure — this is the only time it's ever been done — but as far as we could tell she didn't have any Aura degradation, and when we asked her how she felt afterward the only thing she mentioned feeling poorly about was not having been able to fight alongside you. Dr. Fields and I monitored her on the flight back as well, and aside from some insomnia, that seemed to still be the case." His tone — his entire affect, really — turned notably more worried. "Is she noticing side effects now?"

"No… not her, at least I don't think so. But…"

Winter stood and approached the desk, standing somewhat between them. "But what? This was urgent enough to interrupt both his duties and yours, so don't keep us waiting."

Weiss looked to Winter, then back to Ironwood. "You saw what she did yesterday, how… vicious she was at the end. I'm worried… I think something happened to her, that she's not fully herself."

Winter scoffed a little and muttered under her breath that she didn't just see what Pyrrha did. Ironwood shot her a look before turning back to Weiss.

"I saw, but she didn't seem all that different to me. Admittedly I don't know her the way you do, but I know her well enough to know that you're very important to her, and after having recently almost lost you, to have you put into harm's way again and believe herself responsible for it, even if only partially… her response is understandable."

Weiss blinked; she hadn't expected that. Nevertheless… "I don't think you understand, Uncle James… I've watched every match she's ever been in, multiple times. I spent every minute I could with her at Beacon, and last night I read over all of her field logs I could get my hands on and watched all the footage from her missions that was available. In all of that there wasn't even a hint of the kind of violence she showed yesterday; she was always controlled, always calm in a fight, even if she was protecting someone she cared about — even during initiation. Something must've happened to her."

"Say you're right and something did; what do you expect us to do about it?" Winter arched a brow and gestured for emphasis. "There aren't any tests that would show it, and even if there were, her Aura can't be un-fused. If it changed her, then who she is now is who she's going to be."

Weiss' heartbeat grew loud and fast in her ears and the pit in her stomach sucked in deeper, causing her chest to ache.

"But… there must be something we can do — something I can do — to help her, right? To keep her herself, or… or bring her back?"

Ironwood stepped around his desk with a sigh. "If she really has been changed, then maybe not, we honestly just don't know. But Weiss," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and leaned down a bit to look into her eyes, "have a little faith in her. I understand you're worried, and I'm not saying to ignore your instincts, but don't assume the worst either; it seemed to me that she was just protecting what was precious to her."

Weiss blushed a little at that and looked away momentarily. "I… suppose that could be possible…" She lifted her gaze to meet Ironwood's once more, not noticing the somewhat-exasperated look Winter gave her at her display. "But what if it's not? What should I do?"

Ironwood smiled softly down to her. "For now, just watch for more strange behaviour. If you notice any, report it to one of us, otherwise maybe you should talk to her about it."

Weiss' eyes went wide. Talk to her about it, just like that? What, like 'hey Pyr, are you feeling okay? You almost killed my sister, that wasn't much like you; maybe you have a case of not-yourself-anymore?' Had he gone mental!?

"Yeaah, I'll… I'll keep an eye out."

"Good." Ironwood gave her shoulder a soft pat. "Was there anything else?"

Weiss shook her head. "That's all, thanks Uncle James." She stepped in to hug him tightly.

Ironwood was caught rather off-guard; he looked to Winter for help and found only a little smirk waiting for him, but after a moment returned the younger Schnee's hug. "My door's always open for you."

Weiss smiled up at him as she pulled back, beginning to turn for the door before suddenly halting. "Oh! There was one more thing…"

"Hmm?"

Weiss turned to Winter. "I kind of… told Tortuga I wanted you to help me with my Semblance training today, since we have the same one and you already started it at Beacon and all, so…"

Winter's eyes narrowed. "I'm on leave."

"That sounds like an excellent idea."

Winter shot Ironwood a look at his betrayal. "And how is that, when I'm supposed to be resting today?"

He showed no sign of perturbation — or even acknowledgement — at the look. "As long as you're only coaching her, it should be fine."

"You're the one that insisted I relax!"

It was Ironwood's turn to smirk. "What could be more relaxing than a nice conversation with your little sister about shared talents?"

"Weiss…?"

Pyrrha frowned when she received no reply. Weiss was staring off into the distance again; she'd been doing that a lot lately. She'd been lying about it being nothing a lot, too — Pyrrha was not so blind that she couldn't tell when something was troubling Weiss so greatly — and Pyrrha had a terrible feeling as to why.

"Are you alright?"

She reached to gently touch Weiss' hand and was met with a little gasp as Weiss jolted back to the present from wherever it was her mind wandered of late. Weiss gave another little jump upon turning and finding Pyrrha's face quite close to her own, peering into icy eyes with obvious concern; a pang of hurt rose in Pyrrha's breast at the further confirmation of her suspicion.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, it's just… you've barely blinked and haven't touched your food or said a word since we sat down…"

Weiss glanced to her lunch tray, then back to Pyrrha.

"I'm fine, just… tired."

Though practiced, Weiss' tone was hardly convincing to one who knew her well, and made all the less so by her bearing. Oh, she was tired to be sure — she hadn't slept well for nearly a week now, having risen before Pyrrha every morning since their assessment despite normally being a legendarily-late riser and struggling for fitful sleep each night when Pyrrha had succumbed to her own fatigue — but it wasn't the bags under Weiss' eyes that were the most disconcerting, it was the way they couldn't seem to meet Pyrrha's. Pyrrha held Weiss' gaze for a moment, all that she could manage as it were before the other girl again looked away; her own gaze fell a little.

"…So long as you're certain."

Weiss gave a small nod and a thin smile in reply but said nothing. Again.

Pyrrha turned her attention down to her own food, picking at the fish she'd selected. Right now she didn't feel very hungry, and it had nothing to do with the ease of the morning's training. She knew fear when she saw it… she'd seen it enough in the arena, and more than she liked in the few field exercises she'd taken part in. She'd felt it of course, but more than that she knew what it looked like, and it looked like darting eyes and shrunken posture, jumpiness and making excuses to avoid confrontation. It looked like Weiss. She had thought she'd understood at first, the day after the assessment — Weiss' own sister had ordered her attack, ordered an elite huntress to fall upon her with lethal intent and no restraint; how could she not be shaken by such a thing! — but then Weiss left Semblance training to specifically seek Winter out, and without anyone there to safeguard her against another assault. That was when Pyrrha began to suspect that it wasn't Winter or even Harriet that Weiss feared… it was her, but try as she might, she couldn't understand why Weiss would fear her so. She would never harm Weiss, nor by inaction allow her to be harmed, not ever. The lesson had been a painful one, and one for which she would not soon forgive Winter, but she had taken it to heart; there may come times when she would be forced to choose between her sense of honour and the safety of those she loved, and in such times, there was no choice.

Nevertheless, she could not deny the growing evidence that Weiss was, in fact, afraid of her, and unwilling to even tell her why. She must've done something, said something, to cause it; Weiss wouldn't spontaneously change from the sweet, loving girl she knew overnight. Pyrrha blinked; or would she? Everything was fine until the assessment… and the assessment was the first time she'd taken up arms since her near-death at Cinder's hands. Since then, the occasions she had seemed the most afraid all involved battle or the prospect thereof; she was worried about having to fight during Semblance training before she ran off, she'd spent more time watching Pyrrha than her surroundings and narrowly avoided disaster in the field exercise three days back, and in yesterday's team spar she'd frozen up as soon as things got serious. Could it be that she had linked Pyrrha with her trauma? Perhaps seeing her utilise her Maiden abilities, even in a training environment, somehow aligned her with Cinder in Weiss' mind? Or even… could she hold Pyrrha responsible for the suffering she'd endured? Pyrrha lifted a hand to her mouth; gods, of course… and she'd been upset about it whilst poor Weiss…

…was off in her thoughts again, Pyrrha found upon looking her way. Well, she had been too after all, and the poor thing… she was probably barely keeping it together, being in the program they were and dealing with what she was.

"Oh Weiss…"

Weiss didn't react to her voice, as expected, nor to the clock's gentle chiming. Pyrrha glanced at her scroll to confirm the time — they had only a few minutes before they were due for Counter-Grimm Operations. She stood and cleaned their table, only then returning to lift Weiss' trance with a touch at her shoulder and an offered hand, which she recoiled slightly from.

"Sorry, I'm just-."

"Tired?"

"…Yeah."

Pyrrha gave her a small, sympathetic smile, her eyes full of concern and tone a little softer than before.

"It's alright."

Pyrrha gestured gently with her offered hand and this time Weiss took it, albeit a little hesitantly, and rose to her feet.

"Thanks, Pyr."

"Of course. Weiss?"

Weiss looked up to her — mostly — and waited for her to continue.

Pyrrha hesitated; Weiss looked so fragile just now. She stepped closer and gently wrapped her arms around the other girl, slowly enough that she could move away if she wished; Weiss tensed up a little, but thankfully didn't withdraw. "…Nevermind, it can wait."

"How does it look?"

Weiss slowly turned around, looking down at herself a little, then back to Pyrrha.

"It looks…"

She shrunk a bit. "That bad?"

Pyrrha blinked and shook her head. "No! Not at all, I was only trying to think of the right word. 'Lovely' is too casual, 'marvellous' too formal, 'beautiful' is better but none convey the distinguished air it lends. I think… yes, it looks quite fetching on you." She smiled and gave a little nod, her praise earning a blush from Weiss.

That was good. Things had gone better since lunch yesterday; Weiss was… well, she was still off, but she wasn't quite so off now that Pyrrha understood and was doing her best to be especially gentle, and the surprise of new clothes awaiting them at the end of the day helped too. Prototypes for the program's winter uniforms — a modified version of the standard Atlas girls' uniform bearing a blue undervest and shoulder boards and a red tie, along with a single red aiguillette on the left shoulder — but nevertheless they hadn't brought much from Beacon after the destruction of the attack and Weiss was loathe to visit the Schnee manor to get any of her things from home, such as it was, nor had they really had a day off since their arrival to go shopping aside from buying a few things at the canteen.

"You too." Weiss smiled a little. "The red matches your hair."

Pyrrha felt her own cheeks grow warmer. "Thank you."

She fidgeted a bit, hesitating… she'd tried and failed to speak to Weiss the night before — she just couldn't bring herself to, especially when Weiss finally seemed to be falling into a decent sleep — but had promised herself she would do it tonight. She had to do it tonight; tomorrow was their day off, and she wanted to clear the air before then… before they stepped out into Atlas proper and were beset by the paparazzi — or worse, Jacques Schnee. She would not have her Weiss suffer the slings and arrows of their impertinence without the confidence that Pyrrha was there beside her, a steadfast bulwark against whatever brazen acts or accusations they might make.

And yet here Weiss was, seeming almost happy. She was making eye contact again, not jumping every time Pyrrha reached for her — she was even smiling! Pyrrha could almost believe it… and if she hadn't come to know Weiss as she now did, if she still knew her only as shallowly as she had before their dance, she would believe it, but now she knew better. Now Pyrrha could see the false smile, the one she wore around others — not her smile, the special one that only came out when they were together — she could see that her eyes didn't shine as they should and feel the tension in her small frame, albeit lessened from before.

Come on Pyrrha… you can do this. You have to! For Weiss.

"Weiss?"

"Yeah?" The other girl had moved to sit in the chair and was now bent double, tugging off her boots.

"Can we… talk?"

Weiss froze momentarily. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, exactly… whatever it is that's troubling you?"

"So… you want to talk, but you don't know why?" Weiss pulled her boot off and lifted her head to give Pyrrha a little smile — false again. "I'm fine Pyrrha, really; I was just tired." She leaned back over to pull her other boot off.

Pyrrha gave her a soft, sympathetic smile, and spoke in a tone to match, but both her eyes and voice made clear she saw through Weiss' façade. "We promised to talk to each other and not to keep secrets, did we not?"

Please Weiss… please let me in…

Weiss winced at the reminder, then sighed. "Yeah… you're right, we did." She straightened once more, the moonlight streaming in through the window setting her hair aglow and casting dramatic shadows across her face that made her look all the more apprehensive. "Okay, I'm… scared." Her voice was barely above a whisper and she trembled visibly.

Pyrrha's heart ached, her eyes growing misty and voice strained by a choked-back sob — she may have been expecting this, but it didn't make it much easier. "Of me?"

Weiss bit her lip. "Of… what you'll do, what it means…"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed. What I'll do? So… she doesn't hold me responsible for what happened, then?

"I'm sorry… I don't understand…"

"You've been doing things that…," Weiss took a quivering breath as tears built in her eyes, "that I never thought you'd do. Hurting people with a ferocity I didn't think you had…" She averted her gaze and stood, taking a step away and hugging herself seemingly unconsciously.

"I had to do those things… to protect you, I had to; your sister taught me that. I would never hurt you, Weiss… never."

"I want to believe that Pyr — I did believe it, and… and I still do — but…" Weiss looked back. "That was more than just protecting me…"

"Don't give up on me," Pyrrha sniffled. "Please…"

"I'll never give up on you…," she turned to face Pyrrha fully once more, "but are you really you?"

"Of course I am, I'm-."

"How do you know?" Weiss sought an answer with her eyes, her tone, to set her mind at ease.

"I… " Pyrrha trailed off; she had no sure answer to give. "I feel like… me," she finally answered, fully aware of how inadequate that was.

"Would you not feel like you? What if…," a small sob interrupted Weiss, "what if that machine did more than just give you magic powers… what if it changed who you are? How could you tell?"

I… I don't know…

"What if Amber is influencing you? Do you know what she was like? What if she was violent and cruel, like Cinder?"

Pyrrha's eyes widened a touch. Could Amber have been a monster like that? She had never asked, and no one had ever told her what kind of person Amber was…

"Or what if the magic itself is dangerous and makes you like that, and Ozpin just left that part out like so much else?"

Her breath caught in her throat. Surely Ironwood would know! But then, Ironwood believed he had been kept in the dark on many things as well, and disagreed with Ozpin on a great deal it seemed…

"O-or what if… what if sharing the power with Cinder is somehow causing her to influence you? Would you know?"

Pyrrha hung her head, Weiss' fears echoing in her mind. Any of them could be true… or all. She'd been so worried about Weiss when she'd awoken that she hadn't even considered there could be subtle changes in her behaviour, changes she wouldn't feel and the Atlesian machines couldn't detect. What a fool she was.

"Tell me I'm wrong." Weiss' voice was soft and pleading. "Please, Pyr… tell me I'm being paranoid and you've already thought of all that. Tell me that you know — that you're sure — you're Pyrrha Nikos… that you're my Pyrrha…"

The room fell silent, and the silence stretched uncomfortably long. Weiss took a half-step closer.

"Say something?"

Pyrrha took a slow, deep breath, but had no words.

"… Anything?"

"What is there to say…?" Pyrrha's voice came quietly, hoarse and hollow. She lifted her face to look into Weiss' eyes, her own wet with tears that streamed down her cheeks. "I have no answer."

Pyrrha slowly pushed herself up and took another deep, trembling breath to steady herself such as she could. "You're right; I may be a monster worse than any Grimm, and I would have no way of knowing it." She must've looked as pitiful and defeated as she felt, given the way Weiss looked at her as she stepped closer.

"And I may not be the-," her voice broke, "the Pyrrha Nikos who stepped into that pod… the Pyrrha who you nearly died to protect…, " she squeezed her eyes shut briefly and gave her head a slow shake against the new tears and the lump in her throat. "But I am nevertheless your Pyrrha… I love you just as she did, I will stand with you just as she would, and if need be I will lay down my life to protect you, whether for the first time or the second." She reached out to place a tentative touch, barely a brush of trembling fingertips, at Weiss arm. "Even from myself. Will you still have me?"

Weiss looked down to the hand at her arm, then up into Pyrrha's eyes, and stepped forward to embrace her. "I… y-yes, always." Her voice was hoarse as well, and she buried her face against Pyrrha's chest. "I'm sorry Pyr… I'm so sorry… I never meant-," she sniffled and shook her head, pressing closer. "I never wanted to push you away, never that."

Pyrrha held Weiss in kind, turning to half-lean and half-fall back against the wall, and the two slowly sank to the ground. "Weiss, you didn't-."

"I did! What I said… I made you feel…" Weiss took a tremulous breath and shook her head. "You are not a monster, okay? I… I'm just… I'm so scared of losing you…" She lay her head against Pyrrha's chest. "I can't lose you…"

Pyrrha held Weiss close with gentle arms, but in truth it was all she could manage just now. She felt utterly drained, as though someone had pulled the cork on the bottle that was Pyrrha and upended her until barely a drop clung to the lip. She wanted to reassure Weiss, to bring her smile back, but what could she do, what could she say — that everything was fine, when it clearly wasn't? Weiss was too smart for that, even if she was desperate. No, there was only one thing — one genuine thing — to be done, one to be said, with that last drop.

"You won't." She kissed the top of Weiss' head softly. "Whoever I am… whatever I am… I'm yours, always…"

#my writing #fanfic #schneekos #pyrrha x weiss #rwby #rwby weiss #rwby pyrrha #rwby au #pyrrha nikos #weiss schnee

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

Text

Northern Lights

Chapter 1

Pyrrha jogged along the corridors of the Dauntless with only the sounds of her breath and echoing steps to break the silence, save when she passed the occasional sentry or open door with on-duty personnel. Though the flagship was carrying more than its normal complement given the craft lost at Beacon and the sudden return of so many students, few were awake at this hour, but for the fourth night now — every night since the attack, or rather since she'd awoken after it was mostly over — Pyrrha couldn't sleep. She was beginning to wonder if she ever would again… or if Weiss would wake. The thought brought with it a deeper frown than that which she'd already worn; that was where she would rather be, at Weiss' side, holding her hand, talking to her, calling her back from wherever it was she now drifted, but when she'd tried to return after cleaning up the doctors refused to admit her back into the infirmary until she slept. Pyrrha scowled and resisted the urge to lash out at the wall, at least physically — the groan of metal echoing down the corridor belied her Polarity's touch. How was she supposed to sleep when at any moment Weiss could open her eyes, unaware of anything that happened after her valiant defence in the vault? How, when at any moment she could slip away, and-? Pyrrha squeezed her own eyes shut and shook her head as though to physically dislodge the terrible thought; no, she couldn't believe that, she refused. Weiss would survive, she would recover, she must, or… or else…

"Miss Nikos? Are you alright?"

Pyrrha blinked at the voice and found herself on her knees, her eyes burning and cheeks wet with tears. How long had she been there? She lifted a hand to wipe at her eyes — at least enough to see, if a bit blurrily — and gazed up to the speaker to find General Ironwood leaning down toward her with a concerned look about him.

"General. Yes, I… I'll be fine." It sounded hollow even to herself, but perhaps he wouldn't notice.

Ironwood frowned a little. "I'm sure you will, but that's not what I asked." He offered his hand to help her up.

Pyrrha gave him a questioning look, pausing briefly before taking his hand to rise. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I think you do." The general paused momentarily and his expression softened a bit. "Dr. Fields is worried about you, you know. She said that if you keep this up, it'll be you in that bed."

Pyrrha turned her gaze aside. "Dr. Fields need not concern herself with me; her effort should be spent helping Weiss."

Ironwood sighed sympathetically. "Miss Nikos — Pyrrha — everything that can be done to help her is already being done; exhausting yourself like this isn't doing either of you any good." He reached to place a hand gently on her shoulder. "She doesn't need you to literally worry yourself sick."

"No." Pyrrha's eyes went to the general's hand, then rose to meet his own. "When she needed me, I wasn't there; I was too busy having Amber's soul grafted onto my own, too weak to endure it and fight my own battle." Clenching her hands into fists, she looked away in disgust at the reflection in the general's eyes. "I should have been there beside her to face Cinder…"

"You're right, you should have."

Pyrrha hadn't expected that, and it showed on her face as she looked back to Ironwood. "…What are you saying?"

Has he lost faith in me already?

"You should have been beside her, and neither of you should've been down there."

"With all due respect, I was there because you and Professor Ozpin asked it of me and were it not for the attack I intended to decline. I only went with him so that I could protect everyone. If I knew then that I would be useless — worse than useless — I never would have followed him into that lift."

The general's eyes widened just a touch, then took on a sadder air as he lifted his hand from her shoulder to forestall her defence. "It seems I was unclear; we never should've asked. It was incredibly unfair to put that pressure on you, especially without even telling you the whole story. To do it without allowing you to talk to those you trust, and to demand an answer within days, was cruel, and I'm ashamed of my part in it. While I can't speak for Oz and the others, for what it's worth I'm truly sorry that you've been dragged into this, and all the more if you wanted not to be."

Pyrrha blinked in surprise, and for a moment she couldn't find the words to respond. It wasn't just his words that shocked her, though they certainly did, it was the earnestness with which he spoke. When Professor Ozpin apologised it was never so forthright and open, never so… honest. She always had the feeling he was keeping something from her and that, at least in part, his apology was an act; she had none of that feeling now from General Ironwood, only genuine contrition.

"…Thank you, sir. I- …thank you."

Ironwood shook his head. "No, thank you; you've taken on an enormous burden that you didn't even want. Unfortunately, I can't undo what's been done, although given what you — and Miss Schnee — went through to get those powers, you may not want to lose them even if I could."

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed at the memory, but moreso at the state her Weiss had been left in; her voice was firm when she replied. "No."

"I thought as much; I know the feeling."

"You do?"

He nodded. "These didn't come from paperwork and desk accidents." He gestured to the prosthetics that made up almost the entirety of the right side of his body and gave her a small smile.

"Oh." Pyrrha blushed and looked down, embarrassed. "Of course. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I'm not. There are people alive today that wouldn't be if I didn't have them; I know that, just like I know that Weiss is going to be alright."

"How can you be so sure…?"

Ironwood paused. "You saw them in the tournament, didn't you? Both Weiss and Cinder?"

What does that have to do with it?

"I did…"

"We know Cinder was holding back — she didn't use her Maiden powers in her match — but based on what you saw, how would you compare them?"

Pyrrha bit her lip — it pained her to think thus of her dearest, but… "Weiss is an excellent fighter with unparalleled versatility, but Cinder is the better duellist."

"Diplomatically spoken," Ironwood raised a hand to ward off the defence of Weiss that threatened to follow the look Pyrrha directed his way, "and understandably so. That said, their encounter in the vault was a duel, so how long — in your professional opinion — would you expect that duel to last?"

What are you getting at?

"Without knowing Cinder's actual capabilities, I cannot confidently say, but… one and a half, perhaps two minutes?"

"Four minutes, twenty-seven seconds."

Pyrrha blinked. "What?"

"The transfer time remaining when Oz got back to the panel, so he said. Weiss held her back for four minutes, twenty-seven seconds, and do you know why?"

Pyrrha was awestruck. When she didn't respond, the general's raised hand moved to point a finger to her, lightly touching at the top of her sternum. It broke her out of her trance and drew her gaze down, then back to meet his.

"Now tell me, do you think the girl who did that will give up and fade away, or will she fight her way through anything to get back to you?"

Pyrrha felt the tears coming once more, but they were different this time. General Ironwood was right, she should have faith in Weiss. It was Weiss who had saved her, who had shown her that life could be so bright — and yes, so frightening — Weiss who gave her the courage to be not just a weapon, not just the Invincible Girl, but a person with her own dreams and desires. She might look small and frail, but Pyrrha of all people should know better, that inside Weiss had the strength of giants. She would weather this storm… she would come back.

Lost to her thoughts and tumultuous emotions, Pyrrha didn't notice her scroll chime, but General Ironwood noticed his. "Speak of the devil…," he murmured as he glanced at the screen before slipping it back in his pocket with a smile. "It seems there's a patient asking about you in the infirmary."

A faint, indistinct murmur came first, and try as she might there was nothing individual to make out there, everything simply blurring together. Blindingly, painfully bright light greeted her as her eyes cracked open; she tried to shield them with her hands but found it difficult to raise her arms. Weiss had heard some who survived brushes with death describe the experience as being swallowed by a bright light — that part certainly fit — and perhaps one's body did not translate to the afterlife, but if that were indeed where she found herself then those descriptions left out the annoying noise and the pain. It wasn't just her eyes that hurt from the terribly bright light and the pounding in her head either, oh no, her entire body ached — if it was in fact a body — and her abdomen most of all.

She soon began to realise that there was a rhythm to the background noise and a pattern in the brightness. Why would it have a pattern? Did the spirits of the dead have… afterlife décor? Her study of the pattern and pondering over the questions it raised was interrupted by a sudden dimness and a change in the background noise, and she felt herself moving a little. Blurry shapes began to resolve against the brightness, the background noise separated into muffled mumbles and chirps and hisses, and the pain in her middle rapidly rose.

Maybe this isn't the afterlife after all… so then, where am I? And what happened?

Everything was so foggy.

I was doing something…

One of the shapes — people, she realised — was talking to her now, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

Something important. More important than anything… what was it?

"… need you to activate your Aura. Can you do that for me?"

Weiss' eyes struggled to focus on the woman speaking to her, able to make out what appeared to be a doctor's coat now but little else.

My Aura? That's right… I was fighting someone…

Weiss gave a slight nod in response, willing her Aura to activate and shivering as she felt it wash over her and greatly quicken her body's healing process. She tried to speak, to ask where she was, but found her voice hoarse and her throat dry despite the moist air being pumped through the cannula fitted in her nose.

"Shh, rest now. You were injured quite severely, but we've been taking care of you on General Ironwood's orders, and now that your Aura is active we should be able to transfer you to standard treatment by the time we reach Atlas."

As soon as she heard the word 'transfer' Weiss' memories came flooding back, cutting through the hazy darkness that enveloped her mind like lightning. Yes, she'd been fighting someone — Cinder Fall — fighting with everything she had to protect-.

"P… Pyr…"

The monitors in the room chirped faster.

"Don't try to talk now, just rest; everything will be alright."

Weiss shook her head and struggled to push herself up so she could look around, drawing a deeply concerned look from the doctor.

"Pyrrha… where…?"

The doctor paused for a moment. "Pyrrha Nikos? I'm sorry, I'm afraid she's gone, but-"

Weiss didn't hear the rest, or at least it didn't register for her. She no longer felt the pain in her head, or in her abdomen trying to tear itself open each time she took a measured breath, or in her parched throat or limbs lain motionless for far too long. She only felt the icy talons piercing her heart, squeezing and freezing her from the inside out.

She's gone…? Then why… why am I here…? I failed… I had one thing I could not fail at, and I failed, and now… now she's gone, and I'm still… here…

She had no idea the doctors were frantic over her sudden unresponsiveness or that her monitors had dipped the moment those words hit her. Memories of Pyrrha flashed through her mind bringing tears to flow uninhibited down her cheeks, memories of dazzling eyes plagued by melancholy brightening when they met her gaze, of gentle laughter from the mesmerising smile of a goddess, the warmth and tenderness of her touch over long nights spent baring their souls, her unique scent that Weiss had grown so fond of cuddled up on the rooftop together, the spark as their lips met that first time and each time since — every one of them precious to her, every moment cherished. The talons squeezed tighter; there would be no more memories, no more cherished moments.

She's gone… but they saved me… That was no mercy. They should've let me go too. At least then I might see her again… I might hear her voice…

"Weiss?"

I can almost hear her now… maybe I'm slipping after all…

"Weiss!"

That's good… I don't want to be left alone…

"Weiss, please! Don't give up, not now!!"

I'd never give up on you, Pyr… I'm just coming home to you…

"This isn't you! You don't just let go, you fight, no matter the odds!!"

I did fight… I fought, and I lost, and that's… that's why you're gone, and now… I just want to find you again…

"Please, Weiss… please don't go…"

Don't cry, Pyr… I want this, I want to be where you are.

"You were my anchor… you kept me here… now let me be yours… please come back to me…"

Wait, what do you-?

She felt the spark again, the touch of familiar lips — albeit trembling — against her own, the caress of hair she knew to be scarlet without seeing it and tender fingers against her cheeks. The ice gripping her heart melted — this was no memory. Weiss' eyes fluttered open and through tears she saw the blurred form of Pyrrha leaning over her, only just pulling back, tears of her own falling to land on Weiss — the heiress felt a few but could not see them.

"Pyr…?"

"Weiss!" Pyrrha leaned back in to embrace her, as tight as she dared just now, doing her best to suppress the sobs that still rose in her throat. "I thought I lost you…"

"Are you… real…?" Weiss croaked out, barely above a whisper, the monitors no longer blaring alarms.

"Yes." Pyrrha sniffled and pulled back again, just enough to look Weiss in the eyes and cup her cheek. "Yes, I'm real."

Fresh tears welled in Weiss' eyes. "But… she said…"

Dr. Fields stepped a little closer, on the opposite side of Weiss' bed from Pyrrha. "I said she was gone, but if you would give me a few moments I'd contact her and let her know you'd awoken and she could come see you." She turned her gaze to Pyrrha. "I honestly don't know what happened, she seemed fine and then suddenly went into cardiac failure. I've never seen anything like it."

Pyrrha shot the doctor a sour look. "You should choose your words more carefully, Doctor." Turning her attention back to Weiss, Pyrrha took her hand and gently lifted it to her own heart. "There… can you feel that? I am real, and I'm right here with you." Her gaze briefly returned to Dr. Fields, carrying a challenging, almost warning edge with it. "And I'm not going anywhere."

"That's…"

Pyrrha kept her eyes on Weiss, studying her expression — shocked as expected given what she'd just heard, but she was dealing with this rather well all things considered.

"That's a lot to take in."

"Yes."

"And it raises more questions than it answers."

"You're certainly right about that…"

"Pyrrha…" Weiss looked from the bed across to the chair where Pyrrha sat, a somewhat doubtful look on her face. "Do you believe it? What they told you?"

Pyrrha looked down to her lap momentarily, fidgeting a little. They'd been given unused officer's quarters at Atlas Academy for the time being, much to Jacques Schnee's consternation — he'd tried to force the issue and bring Weiss back to the Schnee Manor immediately upon their arrival in Atlas, but with her now an adult and General Ironwood blocking any objection on the grounds of security debriefing, his efforts had thus far been stymied — specifically to provide a more comfortable environment than the student dorms for Weiss' recovery and the freedom to speak of this matter without being overheard, but nevertheless it was a bit unnerving to be asked bluntly if she believed the man who had arranged such accommodations.

"I believe that the Maidens and magic exist — how can I not, now? — and that this 'brotherhood' has hidden their existence for longer than living memory at least. And I believe — I know — that there is more that I haven't been told. The rest, about the fairy tales, and the hidden history, and so on, I honestly don't know."

"And you trust them? After what they did to you?" Weiss arched a brow incredulously and leaned a little closer, wincing slightly as the movement sent a shot of pain through her still-tender abdomen.

"No. Only a fool would trust them, knowing what I now know; it pains me to have left our friends and the people of Vale in their care." Resentment flashed in Pyrrha's eyes at the reminder of what she'd discovered in that final meeting at Beacon, but as she looked up to meet Weiss' gaze her expression shifted to one of calmer, more certain resolve. "I trust General Ironwood, alone of them all. He has broken ranks with the others to do what's right, what must be done to safeguard against another Mountain Glenn, another Beacon."

"Are you sure you can? He manipulated you with the rest, tested out that horrible machine on you… you said it was his machine! Don't get me wrong, I've known General Ironwood a long time — he's more or less my uncle — and it's really kind of surprising, but from what you just told me he wasn't exactly going out of his way to keep Ozpin or the others from keeping you in the dark and pretty much forcing this on you."

"He did, yes… but it was clear that Professor Ozpin was in charge of their group. He could have waited until I'd been dismissed to air his grievances with Ozpin's decisions, but instead he did so whilst I was present; he gave me a glance behind the curtain hiding the crumbling scaffold. What's more, he outright challenged Ozpin's demand that I stay at Beacon, not to insist I come with him instead but to extend the choice to me. General Ironwood ostracised himself from this occult brotherhood long before his plans required it for my benefit, to give me the opportunity to avoid becoming a pawn in whatever game it is they're playing."

"That sounds more like the person I know." Weiss smiled a little. "That's … kinda comforting. I really didn't like the idea that Uncle James was a façade all this time. Still… are you sure this is what you want, Pyr? Transferring, I mean? You didn't like the attention you got in Vale, and you'll get a lot more of it here, especially since we're together — not to mention that my father will not approve and try to make your life hell so you'll leave me, or even Atlas entirely…" Her smile faded and she wilted at the thought.

"I am. Running isn't in either of our natures, and this is the only academy whose headmaster we know can be trusted." Pyrrha leaned closer as well to take Weiss' hand for a gentle squeeze and a reassuring smile. "As for the rest… I will never leave you, no matter what your father or anyone else does to coerce me. And while it's true I don't look forward to being the centre of attention, so long as you're with me I can endure anything."

Weiss blushed brightly, but her smile returned much bigger than before. "W-well, ah, I guess there's nothing to worry about then!" Her flustered words brought a giggle to Pyrrha's lips, which only flustered her more, and for a few extended moments they sat quietly.

Pyrrha finally broke the silence. "Are you sure?"

"I… do you even need to ask? Of course I'm sure, I want to be wherever you are. That's why I went to Beacon in the first place, so if you're here at Atlas, then here's where I'll be."

Pyrrha shook her head softly, lifting Weiss' hand to her lips to plant a gentle kiss on its back. "I know you're sure about me, and that you'll follow me anywhere, but being here won't expose only me to difficulties, it will expose you as well. Your father can make your life troublesome too, the paparazzi will invade your privacy as surely as mine if not more. You chose Beacon for me, I know that, but it was also an escape from your family… is it fair for me to make that decision for the both of us?" She sighed, her gaze falling. "The last time I did so I chose wrong. You were right and suffered dearly for my folly, and now I — and you by association — will be forever embroiled in this… this mess." When her gaze returned to Weiss' eyes, her own glistened wetly. "I believe this is the right path, but Weiss… my decisions have caused you such pain already, I don't want to force yet more on you."

Weiss pursed her lips, then reached to cup and caress Pyrrha's cheek. "You aren't. Yeah, okay, some things will be harder here than if we weren't in a city where my father has so much influence and everyone's been following my life since I was born, but… you're right, about everything you said before. We won't run, and Atlas is the only place we can trust to teach us, so…," she smiled and shrugged a little, "I think it's the right path too. You're not forcing anything on me Pyr, this is how it's supposed to be — we talk to each other, decide together, we don't keep secrets, at least not big ones. Let's keep it that way, no matter what anyone else says, okay?" Weiss' smile grew a little and she wiped away a tear with her thumb as it trickled down Pyrrha's cheek. "Promise?"

Smiling, Pyrrha slowly nodded. "Promise."

"Thank you both for coming. I understand you'd like to officially transfer to Atlas Academy?"

"That's right, but…," Weiss looked a little uneasily over her shoulder towards the door, "is all this really necessary for that?" She had been to General Ironwood's office before, but on no previous occasion had he locked the door much less air-gapped it with a hardlight wall to prevent anyone on the other side from listening in, and yet now he had done both.

"For that, no, but I wouldn't have asked you here just to file transfer papers." Ironwood offered the barest hint of a smile. "That just gave a convenient excuse for my itinerary."

Pyrrha glanced to Weiss questioningly, then back to Ironwood when she found no answer. "Then… why did you ask us to come, General?"

"Several reasons, actually. Please, have a seat." The general gestured to the chairs across the desk from his own, waiting for the girls to do so before he continued. "First off, I did want to take the opportunity to welcome you both to the academy, though the term is nearly over. Also, I was able to apologise for what happened to you Miss Nikos, but I haven't yet had the chance to offer the same to you, Miss Schnee; I am sincerely sorry for everything that occurred beneath Beacon — neither of you should've ever been involved in this. I will do all I can to help you both to understand and handle this world you've been brought into, you have my word."

Weiss and Pyrrha shared a look, then turned their attention slowly back to Ironwood. "Thank you, but… it's kind of hard to understand when you barely have any information."

Ironwood sighed regretfully. "That's putting it mildly." Addressing Pyrrha specifically, he asked, "how much have you told her?"

"All that I know to tell."

"Good." Ironwood nodded, leaning forward on the desk a bit and interlacing his fingers together. "Then I don't need to go over that part again."

"You mean you're going to tell us… everything?"

Weiss was shocked. Of course, there wasn't really any way for them to know whether what he told them actually was everything, but after Ozpin had been so secretive and reluctant to even let her accompany Pyrrha as a guard, it was… refreshing.

"Unfortunately no, but not by choice; I worked for Oz for years, and even so I'm all but certain he never told me everything. That said, I'll tell you what I know… if anyone deserves to hear it, it's you."

Pyrrha inclined her head in understanding. "Whatever you can tell us will be of great help, I'm sure."

"Right. Before, we told you that the Maidens were protectors of the world; what we didn't tell you was what they're meant to protect it from."

"It isn't the Grimm?"

"In a manner of speaking yes, but four women — even very powerful women — can't be everywhere the Grimm threaten, and until recently with the CCT system they couldn't have even known where a major attack occurred until it was over unless they happened to be there at the time. But the Grimm aren't just the mindless horde we've all been led to believe, not even simply cunning; they have a leader, a queen — Salem."

Weiss was a little confused; it wasn't like Grimm had a society after all. "A queen? You mean like an alpha, but for all Grimm?"

"Not exactly." The general sighed and closed his eyes momentarily before continuing. "Ozpin is the only one who's ever seen her, at least that we know of — aside from Cinder Fall now, presumably — but according to him she's human. Or she once was, anyway; 'an ancient witch twisted by dark power and enemy to all the peoples of Remnant' as he put it. She commands all Grimm, even monstrosities like the wyvern that attacked Beacon, but not with the simple desires of an alpha — she's terrifyingly intelligent and powerful, and has had thousands of years to perfect her ways."

"Wait, hold on." Weiss lifted a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "So first it's magic and fairy tales that are real, and now you're saying there's an ancient, evil, human witch out there sending the Grimm after us? Isn't that a little… far-fetched?" It was absurd, but she knew how to be more tactful than to say as much.

Pyrrha's eyes reflected Weiss' doubt as they shared a quick glance. "It is rather hard to believe, even moreso than the Maidens and magic. But if we assume it to be true, why is Professor Ozpin the only one to have seen her? I was under the impression he hadn't left Vale in decades."

"It is, and he hasn't — at least to my knowledge. He's the only one that's seen her because he's been fighting her the whole time."

The room fell silent momentarily. Weiss looked to Pyrrha again — yeah, she definitely felt the same — then turned back to face Ironwood.

"General… Uncle James… you've been through a lot lately. Maybe we should come back later, and you should take some time off? Beacon was… it was really rough on everyone, I think we could all use a chance to recover."

Pyrrha nodded agreement. "Even the greatest of us needs time to recuperate on occasion, sir… there is no shame in it."

Ironwood sighed. "Believe me, I know how it sounds. I had about that same reaction when he and my predecessor told me; the only reason I believed it was because they showed me this."

He tapped at a few holographic buttons on his desk, then made a flicking motion and images began projecting into the air above the desk; an official photo of Ozpin, a decades-older photo of a man with striking resemblance, another from the time of the Great War, another from some decades before when photos were new technology, and painted portraits going back many centuries, all of them showing men that looked eerily like Beacon's headmaster — different in dress and hairstyle, some in hair colour, some with scars or signs of disease, but all things that fashion or the wear of life could explain.

The girls studied the pictures for a time before Weiss finally spoke. "They really do look like him…"

"They're him." There was no doubt in the general's voice. "I've run facial recognition on them and the photos match. The paintings are close enough, but paintings are never 100%; more importantly I had the remains of those here who were accessible genetically tested and they matched exactly as well."

"You desecrated their graves?" Pyrrha looked as shocked as she sounded.

Ironwood turned his attention to her. "A grave is the final resting place of the dead; Ozpin may have died many times but as you well know he's very much alive now, so I don't see it that way, no."

Pyrrha didn't seem to appreciate the distinction.

Weiss was less concerned. "Okay, so it's him and he's been fighting her for thousands of years, but lately he's been holed up in Vale because… he's never beaten her? In all that time??"

Ironwood swiped away the pictures. "So it would seem. Oz gets even more cryptic and guarded than usual when it comes to his past, but it's clear that she's much more powerful than him and he's terrified of her."

"So that's why he refuses to take the offensive even after the recent attacks." Pyrrha looked down and away in disapproval. "And why he was so adamant that I stay under his influence."

"I believe so, yes. I've worked for him in this for years now, and we've had plenty of disagreements, but I never thought he'd stand by after something like this. What good does all the watching and planning do if we don't act when we're faced with threats? How can we ever win if we never take action against Salem, only respond to her moves with too little, too late?" Ironwood shook his head sadly. "If only I'd realised earlier, maybe this all could've been prevented…"

"You can't blame yourself for that… if we could turn back time, I think we would all make different choices." Pyrrha turned an apologetic look to Weiss and reached to give her hand a soft squeeze.

Weiss returned the squeeze, holding Pyrrha's gaze — oh, how it hurt to see the pain in her eyes, the guilt she carried; if Weiss could go back she would destroy that damned pod the moment she laid eyes on it… or better yet whisk Pyrrha away from Beacon entirely, forget about the tournament, and let Penny win by default.

"All you can do is learn from it, try not to let it happen again, and above all don't let it break you…" She turned her attention almost reluctantly back to Ironwood. "That's all any of us can do."

"You're right." Ironwood didn't sound happy about it — of course he wasn't, why would he be? None of them were — but he nodded. "To that end, I have a proposal for you. Miss Nikos heard me mention before that I intended to fast-track the most promising Specialist program students. That is of course at their option, but I'd like to extend the offer to both of you as well. Given the timing of your transfer, placing you in the standard classes would be of little value, and although I'm certain you would have no trouble passing the practical exams with flying colours the course material may give you some difficulty purely by virtue of difference from what you took at Beacon. If you prefer to join the normal classes regardless, I won't stop you, however if you would like to be part of the accelerated Specialist program I have something different in mind for you."

Weiss blinked curiously. "Different how?"

"For the next few weeks — until the end of the current term — you'll be receiving personal training in combat, Aura techniques, and small-unit tactics from Specialist Schnee, the Ace-Ops, and myself. During this period we'll be learning from you as much as you are from us and developing the program that we'll implement for the other candidates once the term has ended. When that happens, you'll be joined by the others and continue as before, only in small teams that will be undertaking field missions as well. I can't tell you much more than that because frankly, it'll depend on what we discover from training you, if you're willing, but I can tell you that you that the hours will be long, the pace intense, the standards second to none, and the focus strictly on combat and warfare — the goal of this program is to produce superior soldiers to take the fight to Salem, not hunters operating as they see fit."

Pyrrha and Weiss shared a look, an unspoken question passing between them before the former spoke. "We are grateful for your offer, General," she kept her eye on Weiss to confirm until she received a small nod, then turned her attention fully to Ironwood, "but we have some questions. Are hunters and soldiers not already one and the same in Atlas?"

"Of course. They are to an extent, however a graduate of Atlas Academy and a Specialist are not one and the same. The academy is run by the military, but graduates are not obligated to join except those on the Specialist track; they explicitly intend to enter the service upon graduation, and so their classes are tailored to reflect that. They're guaranteed a place in the Specialist Corp when they graduate but obligated to serve at least five years as well, and most make a career out of military service."

"And we'll be Specialists, so… we'll be joining the military?" Weiss arched a brow.

"That's right, but you'll be part of a new program; instead of the full four year curriculum, we aim to complete your training in twelve to eighteen months — depending on your individual performance — and with better field results."

"That's all well and good, though I must admit the idea of being obligated to five years thereafter is less appealing when we've no idea what that may entail." Pyrrha's eyes were wrought with concern as she glanced to Weiss. "I have no objection to the commitment itself, but if we were to be separated…"

Ironwood lifted a hand. "Allow me to ease your mind, then — you won't be. I'll even include it in your contracts that you must be assigned together, but to be honest it isn't necessary; Specialists exist outside the normal rank structure and answer only to the general and their own commanders, and currently when it comes to personnel assignment that means Winter and myself. And although it is an obligation, it does come with certain perks as well — steady pay, housing, access to the best of Atlesian engineering, all the Dust you need, not to mention support staff and the knowledge that not only are you making the world a better place, you'll never be left to do it alone."

Weiss caught Pyrrha's eye and arched her brow, receiving a slight tilt of the head in reply. "In that case, we're in."

"That's enough."

Ironwood's voice beside her echoed faintly as well in Pyrrha's ears from beyond the glass through which she'd been watching Weiss and Elm's match. She let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding as Weiss rose from the knee she'd been driven to; she'd given a good showing, but in the end had been caught by a heavy blow from the much larger Elm, and following on it several more before the general had called a halt.

He keyed the mic again. "You were doing very well, Weiss. What went wrong?" It wasn't an accusation, but the leading question of an instructor.

Weiss took a moment to think and catch her breath a bit more before touching her earpiece to reply. "She was faster than I thought and guessed where I'd be?"

"Perhaps. Come up to the booth and we'll go over your performance." Ironwood took his finger off the button and glanced to Pyrrha. "Do you agree?"

Pyrrha bit her lip lightly — she didn't like to openly contradict Weiss on such things, certainly not behind her back, but… "No, General."

"What do you think went wrong for her?"

"It was the same pattern… she used the same attack pattern for that final exchange as for the second and eighth, and only slightly modified for the fifth. Elm caught it and knew where she was going and how to slip her guard; she caught it before, too, but wasn't fast enough to counter."

Ironwood nodded. "And what would you recommend to prevent it in future?"

"Avoid patterns, create openings, and control the rhythm. In a case like this where she has a distinct speed advantage, a counterattack strategy would have been preferable — bait Elm into attacking and counter before she could recover."

"Hm." The general's tone seemed approving enough, but there was something else there as well, something that nettled a corner of Pyrrha's mind. He didn't entirely approve, she thought, but before she could ask about it he turned to the other side of the room. "Bree, are you ready?"

Harriet stood from where she'd been sitting with her team against the far wall and saluted. "Yes, sir! Always."

"Good." He turned to address Pyrrha as well. "Your turn. For now, don't try to force your new power — if it feels natural you can use it, but that's not why we're here today. But remember, this isn't a normal sparring match — there's no ring out, no fair and unfair. Take it seriously and don't hold back, either of you."

Pyrrha nodded. "I understand."

"Copy." Harriet looked to Pyrrha with a cocky grin. "Ready to find out what 'elite' means, Miss Champ?"

Pyrrha glanced at her. Harriet reminded her of many of the fighters on the tournament circuit, the ones who would posture and preen as some sort of psychological tactic before a bout. She never much cared for that sort of thing herself, but so long as they took their losses in stride she didn't hold it against them… she'd never lost to one to say how that might go, but there was after all a first time for anything.

"I'm ready when you are."

They headed downstairs, passing Weiss and Elm along the way — Weiss had a half-felt smile and a wish of good luck for Pyrrha, which she accepted with a smile of her own — and soon took their places at opposite ends of the training hall before hardlight structures formed between them.

She wished she knew what was being said in the control booth. Weiss had wanted to go first to redeem herself for her loss to Cinder, despite all reassurance that she had nothing to seek redemption for; her inability to secure a clear victory against Elm — indeed, circumstances being what they were when the general halted the match, what could only be called an apparent defeat — would have certainly shaken her. She wished she could offer her own words of encouragement, could soften whatever criticism the general and Winter had for her. And General Ironwood's partial-approval of her appraisal still rankled her; it was a good strategy, one that had served her well against bigger and stronger opponents on a number of occasions, so why did he have reservations?

Pyrrha drew her weapons and closed her eyes, forcing her thoughts to quiet — this was not the time for them, not when battle was at hand. As soon as she heard Ironwood's signal to begin, her eyes snapped open and she adopted a mobile guard, scanning the arena as she moved between the barriers.

It took only moments for Harriet to find her, and as Pyrrha expected of her, she rushed straight in for the attack. She was fast, of that there was no doubt — faster even than Ruby — but nevertheless Pyrrha caught the first quick flurry upon Akoúō's face, dancing aside when Harriet attempted to bypass the shield and giving her exoskeleton a little nudge with Polarity to slip past a punch and throw off her balance enough to land a slash of her own with Miló across Harriet's exposed ribs.

Harriet stepped out of range for a following strike. "Oh, you've got some moves! Well, so do I!" She darted back in and sidestepped a thrust, then ducked a slash, and in close began unleashing a barrage of blows. Pyrrha parried here, blocked there, mixing in her own ripostes and kicks and shield strikes where she had an opening… or could create it with weapon or Semblance. She took a few hits in the process — she may be called the Invincible Girl, but even undefeated as she was it wasn't a very accurate moniker — but were she to guess, by the time her shield met Harriet's fist and sent both women skidding back a couple metres, Pyrrha had gotten the better of the exchange. She immediately flicked Miló into spear form and leapt forward to-.

"Stop." The voice on the speaker belonged not to General Ironwood, but to Winter Schnee, who had been silently observing thus far.

"The hell?" Pyrrha landed lightly in front of Harriet, who looked as confused as she was and far more frustrated. "We were just getting started!" Harriet looked from Pyrrha to the booth and back. "That can't be it, right!?"

"I would expect not, but…" Pyrrha frowned slightly; Harriet was right, they'd barely begun. Surely the general hadn't seen enough to make an assessment already…

The door leading up to the control booth opened and drew their attention to Winter, whose disapproval was clear as she strode over to the combatants.

"Ma'am, what's going-?"

Winter cut off Harriet's question with a raised hand on her approach, but her eyes fixed on Pyrrha.

"Is this a game to you, Nikos?"

"I'm… sorry?"

"You were expressly told to take this seriously and not to hold back, but you've done nothing but that since this exercise began. Why? Do you not consider Bree a worthy opponent?"

"I… don't understand what you mean. She's an excellent opponent, and I am taking her seriously."

"No, you aren't."

"Why do you think that?" How could Winter say such things? She took every opponent seriously, and she was treating Harriet with no less respect than any other!

"Because if you were, this fight would've been over in seconds."

Harriet fumed at that. "Hey, wait a minute! It sounds like you're the one that thinks I'm not good enough!"

Winter glanced to her. "It isn't about your skill," her eyes turned back to Pyrrha, "it's about her unwillingness to use her power."

Pyrrha frowned. "General Ironwood told me not to use it unless it felt natural, and it doesn't yet."

"I'm not referring to your Maiden power, Nikos."

"…My Semblance? I've been using it!"

"To toy with her!" Winter stepped closer, her eyes narrowing a bit. "This is not some tournament where your objective is to impress the audience with your skill and make them think it's simply talent and training. We're here to prepare for war; lives will be on the line, not just yours but the people beside you and behind you, and it's your job to protect them by neutralising the threats in your way as quickly as possible, not playing with them like a cat with a mouse."

Pyrrha was taken aback by the accusation. She hadn't been playing with Harriet… had she? It was true that she always tried to use her Semblance subtly, to conceal its power in the arena, but wasn't it only sensible to not let one's opponents know one's full strength? Her coaches had always taught her as much, but then this wasn't the arena. However, the one time she hadn't…

"You want me to use it more forcefully… after what I did to Penny?"

"Yes." The lack of any hesitation whatsoever made Pyrrha tense. Did Winter not care at all? "In fact, I want you to in part because of what you did to Penny."

Pyrrha was horrified by what she heard. "Because of… I killed her!! You want me to intentionally try to kill Harriet, too!?"

"That is exactly what you should be trying to do."

"This is a training match!!"

"No, this is an assessment, one which you are supposed to be treating as an actual battle, and every time you draw that blade in battle it should be to kill your enemy as swiftly as possible."

"How can you stand there and ask me to do that? To kill one of your own people? I may not know Harriet well, but I know she is not my enemy!"

"What's going on down here?" All eyes turned to the door, where Weiss had just emerged with a worried look about her. She looked to Pyrrha and Winter, clearly in the middle of arguing, and approached with a frown. "Did something happen?"

"No, and that's precisely the problem." Winter glanced to Pyrrha, then back to Weiss. "But perhaps you can help."

"You think Weiss will talk me into it? That she would even agree with you?"

"No, I think you require the proper motivation and she can provide that." Winter turned to Harriet once more. "Bree, your new target is Weiss. No mercy."

Both Weiss and Pyrrha's eyes widened in shock; Harriet looked uneasy. "Ma'am? She's unarmed…"

Winter drew her sabre in the same motion she turned to face Pyrrha. "You have your orders, soldier; don't make me repeat them."

"Winter?" Weiss shrunk back a bit.

Harriet's gaze flicked between Winter and Weiss. "… Yes Ma'am." She raised her fists and advanced toward Weiss.

Pyrrha moved to intercept but was herself blocked by Winter. "What is wrong with you!?" She attempted to push past and found Winter's blade flashing out at her throat, forcing her into an awkward parry and backstep that still resulted in a nick at her Aura.

"You'll have to try harder to get past me, Nikos." Winter immediately pounced, her sword as quick as lightning; she may not move as fast as Harriet, but her greater reach and leverage led to the same effect, and she was far more precise — there was no room for error here. She pushed Pyrrha back with a rapid exchange, landing a few light blows and taking a few in kind but more importantly driving her further away from Weiss.

Weiss was dodging Harriet as best she could, but with no weapon that wasn't very well; Harriet was faster than even her glyphs could move her — aside from her time dilation at least, and that would leave her absolutely defenceless soon enough — and far more skilled at unarmed combat. She was saying something — Pyrrha thought she was asking Harriet to stop, but she couldn't make out what was being said exactly; in any case it didn't stop Harriet from attacking, or even really slow her down.

Why? Why would she do this? Why would she obey that order… why would Winter even give it? There has to be a better way than this, it's madness!

Maybe Pyrrha could go over Winter, use the terrain to her advantage? She slashed high to force Winter to duck and leapt into a descending kick over the counterslash which she used to propel herself skyward and back, then kicked off the wall behind her to launch herself up to the top of a nearby hardlight pillar. Good, Winter was trailing behind; from the top she could-. Pyrrha barely had time to react as a group of summoned beowolves rushed at her.

You're in my way!

She slid under the claws of the first and dispatched the second with a thrust to the throat as she regained her feet, catching the third's strike on Akoúō and spinning just out of reach of the of the fourth to cut down the first, then leaping through the gap to plunge Miló into the third's heart and kick the fourth off the top of the pillar on her way toward Weiss… only to find Winter blocking her path once more.

Pyrrha didn't have time for this; from the corner of her eye she could see Weiss trying desperately to defend herself against Harriet, who easily slipped her guard to deliver a vicious body blow — the sound of it tore at her heart — but Winter was between them, and far too good to simply slip past.

No choice, I'll have to go through her and take the hit.

She clenched her teeth, braced herself, and leapt straight for Winter's head with Akoúō leading — normally she would never do something so reckless and easy to avoid, it left her wide open, but Winter would have to move to avoid it and that would clear her path.

Winter moved — slashing at Pyrrha's exposed back as predicted — but rather than continue onward to Weiss, Pyrrha was caught in midair by a charging, solid-white manticore that slammed into and threw her diagonally back into another of the barriers, and though she twisted to land on her feet Winter was once again on her as soon as she touched the ground.

There!

She knocked Winter's sabre wide and darted forward, using her shield and the barrier's edge to block Winter's line of attack only to find the blade split into two and the smaller suddenly threatening her on a different line, cutting off her path. "Not that way either. You'd better hurry, her Aura was already low."

Sweat began to chill Pyrrha's spine, and not from exertion. She gave a battlecry and pressed the attack more fervently than she had in any tournament bout, trying to drive Winter back toward the others, heedless of the strikes that slipped past her guard and taking no pride in those she got past Winter's.

Not fast enough… she's not moving fast enough, not going down quick enough! Fine, if she wants me to use my Semblance more, she can have it!!

"Weiss!!" Pyrrha hopped back a step and thrust out her shield hand, a black aura emanating from it and surrounding the larger of Winter's blades to rip it free of her hand and fling it toward the younger Schnee.

"Good!" Winter spun back herself and flicked out her now-empty hand, causing a huge spike of ice to form from a glyph on the ground and capture the sailing sword in its crystalline heart. "But not enough." And again she was on Pyrrha, this time augmenting her single, smaller blade with a summoned swarm of tiny nevermores that demanded Pyrrha's shield.

Weiss cried out and slid along the ground behind the ice spike, her Aura evaporating under a hard blow delivered by Harriet, who swiftly pursued.

Weiss, no!!

Winter was right, it wasn't enough. Even throwing away her opponent's weapon like that, it wasn't enough. Weiss was still in trouble. Weiss still needed her. She was still in danger. She was in danger… because Winter had put her in danger. How could she do that? Her own sister! A burning fury lit in Pyrrha's heart and was manifested around her eye in Maidenfire.

This ends now!!!

Pyrrha caught Winter's sword on her own and planted a powerful kick in her abdomen, sending her back a few paces and buying enough time to throw out her hand and pull. In the middle of leaping upon Weiss, Harriet suddenly jerked sideways with a yelp of shock and pain and a twisting of metal to slam into the ice hard enough to shatter it to pieces and continued through to land roughly, her arms bent in an unnatural way. In the same motion Pyrrha threw her shield through the swarm with all her might, obliterating the summons and the glyph that brought them.

Winter looked pleased as she turned her gaze to Harriet. "Very good," the elder Schnee began, however if she thought now that Pyrrha had unleashed her Polarity more fully they were done she was sorely mistaken; Winter had endangered Weiss, and whilst Pyrrha was not quick to anger, once driven to it neither was she quick to calm. Her eyes widened with a gasp and she barely managed to bring her shorter blade up in time to parry as Miló came for her, now in its spear configuration and arcing with lightning. With an electric crack it blew her weapon from her hand to sail through the air.

"Stop!"

Winter backpedalled and Pyrrha pursued, and no longer was it only Miló crackling with lightning, little arcs dancing now and then over Pyrrha's body as well, evidently having burnt away her hair tie as her hair now spilled free and flowed as though it had a mind of its own. She called on her manticore for aid, and as it swept down between them, tried to make a break for her sabre in the ruin of the ice formation as more glyphs winked into existence to launch ice shards at Pyrrha. The charging beast hardly fazed Pyrrha — she vaulted over it, stabbing downward in an aerial pirouette to pierce its back with a thunderclap and sprinting to cut Winter off, her weapon whirling to knock aside the projectiles that she didn't leap and twist to avoid. She flung the sword aside with her Semblance just as Winter reached for it and caught her with a kick to bring her back upright, launching into a brutal flurry that, for all her skill, Winter had little hope of defence against with no weapon to parry. Pyrrha's spear spun and stabbed, striking with blade and haft both; Winter tried to defend herself with conjured glyphs, but the blows shattered them like glass, and she could only evade so many.

"Nikos, stop!"

Pyrrha did not stop. The lights in the room went red.

Winter desperately leapt back, her Aura wavering after the exchange — if it could be called such — and called up a line of glyphs to escape at speed, only to find Akoúō slamming into her legs from behind and depositing her hard on her back with the air driven from her lungs.

"Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha pounced onto the fallen Winter, and as she descended, she triggered Miló's rocket blast and wrapped it in her Polarity. She landed atop Winter, pinning her beneath a hand and knee with the entire length of her spear's blade driven into the ground a hair's breadth from her head, the arcs from both the weapon's charge and the damaged floor singing Winter's hair and skin.

"Are you happy!? This is what you asked for! You wanted this!!"

The lightning faded along with the Maidenfire as she took hold of Winter's collar and leaned in close, staring daggers into Winter's eyes.

"Never put her in danger like that again. Ever."

She felt hands on her — other hands, not Winter's; those were accounted for — pulling her away and released her hold to see who they belonged to.

The other Ace-Ops; of course.

More precisely Vine — the rest were still running over, but his Semblance let his arms reach her to pull her away from Winter — along with General Ironwood. She let herself be pulled off the other woman and back to standing, casting her gaze about for Weiss, but when she found her and made to move toward her Pyrrha found Vine unwilling to let her go. Immediately the Maidenfire returned and she twisted, calling Miló spinning back to her hand.

"Let her go."

General Ironwood's words gave Pyrrha pause. She halted her blade, her gaze flicking from Vine at the corner of her eye to the general ahead and back.

"Sir, she nearly killed-."

"I saw what she did, Zeki, and I saw what led to it. Let her go."

Vine hesitated for just a moment before releasing Pyrrha, who stepped away to approach Weiss at an urgent pace, stowing Miló and dismissing the Maidenfire as she moved.

"Are you alright?"

Weiss was tense, trembling as she briefly checked her over. Finding no immediately apparent injuries, Pyrrha wrapped her in an embrace but try as she might — and try she did — she couldn't seem to soothe Weiss' nerves.

"Winter… Harriet…"

Weiss' voice was soft and unsteady, trembling as much as her body. Pyrrha held her closer; she could feel Weiss looking at them over her shoulder, feel tears against her neck.

She must be so hurt… so terrified of what they might do, these people she thought she could trust…

"I know Weiss, I know… I can't believe they did that to you, but I promise, I won't ever let them hurt you again…"

"Are you sure about her?"

"Sure? No. I can't be sure of anything, not when it comes to this, but… I believe in her. She's young and has some rough edges, but she also has incredible potential."

"Rough edges? She's dangerous. Undisciplined. You saw it yourself, she ignored multiple direct orders, first to use her power and then to stop using it. How is that someone to believe in?"

Ironwood simply smiled in silence for a moment.

"What?"

"I was just thinking how alike you are."

"What!? We aren't the slightest bit alike; I would never disobey orders like that!"

"Really? I seem to remember having to physically hold you back when your sister called in tears, upset that her father was on one of his tirades and had turned his anger on her."

Winter sputtered momentarily.

"Well that's-!"

"It could've caused a national incident. The press would've had a field day."

She was turning redder by the second.

"You know there are still people around here that think we were, ah, 'fraternising' after that, what with the broken furniture and you storming out with your jacket half-ripped?"

"That's ridiculous! You and I-."

"I know."

"Who are they!?"

"It doesn't matter."

"But your reputation-!"

"Winter, it doesn't matter. But this is what I meant, how you're alike. Your protective instincts."

"I would have never let Weiss come to actual harm."

"I know that, or I would've stopped it the moment you put Bree on her. I think Weiss knows it too, although you might've shaken her confidence a little. But does Nikos know that? This was only the third time she met you, and the first with Weiss there."

Winter's gaze fell a bit.

"You knew she didn't; you were counting on it. You got exactly what you wanted from her — her protective instincts came out, you just didn't count on them being so strong or her taking it so far."

"I suppose."

Ironwood stepped closer. "Winter, you know what your sister did for her at Beacon. You know what she means to Weiss; did you think Weiss meant less to her?"

Winter met his gaze briefly, then turned hers aside with a huff. Ironwood smiled at the petulant answer.

"Are you honestly upset that she does, knowing how Weiss feels?"

"… No."

"That's good. She needs you to be a good sister…"

Ironwood laid a hand on her shoulder and turned a concerned look to her despite his small smile.

"Now are you sure you're alright? You took quite a beating out there…"

"I'm fine… nothing Aura and a few days' light duty won't fix."

"No."

"No?"

"No. Not light duty, rest."

"But I-."

"Rest, that's an order."

"Oh, so you're back to being the general now?"

"If I have to be."

"Fine… I'll rest. Tomorrow. After that, no promises."

Ironwood sighed. "Has anyone ever told you stubborn runs in your family?"

"Once or twice."

"Alright; rest tomorrow, then we'll see, but you have to try to get along with Nikos."

"… Fine."

"Good. You're going to be seeing an awful lot of each other, and that goes double if she ends up being your sister-in-law."

"Ugh, you're terrible!"

Ironwood chuckled. "Just trying to look out for you."

#my writing #schneekos #rwby #pyrrha x weiss #pyrrha nikos #weiss schnee #rwby pyrrha #rwby weiss #rwby au #fanfic

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snow-and-scarlet · 3 years ago

Text

Dancing with Destiny

"No."

"But I-"

"My answer was no yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. It's always going to be no."

"But what if-"

"Still no! Do you know why? Because no matter how you finish that sentence, it won't make me want to go to the dance with you! What part of that don't you get? Now go ask someone else and leave… me… alone."

Weiss shut the door firmly — she did not slam it, thank you very much — in Jaune's face and turned to stalk back over to her bed, where she sat down heavily with a frustrated humph. What nerve he had! As if she hadn't made it abundantly clear she had no interest in him whatsoever… it was bad enough that he was woefully unqualified to be there at Beacon — or even one of the junior combat academies for that matter! — bad enough that he had all the social graces of a boarbatusk, but worse by far was how terribly envious she was of him. He got to spend every night training with Pyrrha Nikos. He got to study with her, fight alongside her, eat with her, laugh with her, smile with her, sleep with her — she felt her cheeks warming — not like that; in a bed beside hers! Still… what she wouldn't give to be in his place… and if she were, then maybe…

Weiss groaned and threw herself onto the bed, then rolled over and grabbed onto her pillow tightly to scream into it, kicking her feet petulantly all the while. Why!? Why couldn't it have been her!? Why did she have to freeze up like that, to fall back on her icy persona? Sure, she'd been a little starstruck — okay fine, more than a little — but she knew Pyrrha would be there… that was half the reason she chose Beacon to begin with.

She'd been harbouring a crush for some time, and yes, celebrity crushes come and go, but she could feel how alike they were from the interviews, the look in the Invincible Girl's eyes and just… she had to try, right? But despite all the rehearsing, all that she did to shed her nervous energy, the moment the real Pyrrha Nikos was there before her, and Weiss could see the emerald depth of her eyes and the way the sunlight played off her hair and seemed to light her skin from within, she just had to freeze and revert to the haughty little princess her father expected and ruin everything. And maybe if it weren't for Jaune Arc she could've still salvaged things, could've caught up to Pyrrha in the forest once the panic of seeing her smile fade at Weiss' behaviour had subsided. Maybe if it weren't for his absolute lack of… well, of anything Pyrrha wouldn't have had to rescue him from certain death — such a kind woman she was, truly remarkable! — and taken the burden of him onto herself. But maybe didn't happen; Jaune Arc had bumbled his way here, had ruined any chance Weiss had to fix her first impression with Pyrrha, and was now not only aggravating her with his constant invitations to the dance but preventing her from inviting Pyrrha with his very presence because of course he was!!

Weiss screamed into her pillow again, as loud as she could.

I shouldn't have come…

Pyrrha sighed as she looked out across the dance floor where couples twirled and swayed, her head dipping a bit further than it already was along with her mood. She had fretted about it for awhile — long enough to arrive late, even — but in the end decided to come to the party in the hope that although no one had invited her, perhaps she could still enjoy the evening… and maybe, just maybe, there might be someone there waiting for her after all.

She'd been wrong, of course. It had only been a few minutes now but already her heart was sinking, the sight of happy couples dancing and smiling only serving as a painful reminder of that which she lacked. There were others who had come alone, naturally — Jaune, who seemed to have finally found Ruby at the punch bowl, Neptune Vasilias, Weiss Schnee oddly enough — but she suspected that, save perhaps for Ruby, in none of their cases was it for lack of offers. For Pyrrha it was different… no one had even asked, and she knew no one well enough to ask herself that wasn't already claimed or obviously infatuated with another.

Pyrrha made her way through the crowd to the staircase and up, out to the balcony to rest her hands upon the railing, gazing up to the night sky.

Is this truly my destiny? Am I to be forever alone, the Invincible, Isolated Girl? No… no, I cannot believe that. There must be someone, somewhere who-

"Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha blinked at the interruption to her thoughts and the tentative tapping of approaching steps.

"Oh, hello Weiss."

"Are you alright? You look… well, wonderful, but also very lonely."

"Thank you…" Pyrrha turned back to the balcony to cover the fall in her expression; she wished she could do the same for her voice.

"Did your date stand you up?," Weiss asked as she stepped over to lean against the railing as well.

Pyrrha sighed, hanging her head slightly. "Not exactly."

Weiss blinked. "You mean he actually brought you here and ditched you!?"

Pyrrha turned to Weiss and shook her head. "I never had a date."

Weiss' jaw dropped. "What?? How could you not have a date!?"

"Nobody asked me," Pyrrha explained with a sad shake of her head.

"But… but you're Pyrrha Nikos! You're…! How could nobody ask you!?" Weiss looked for all the world like a robot in one of those old movies, whose head was about to explode when presented with a paradox.

Pyrrha's eyes lingered on Weiss for a long moment, as though gauging what to say, before she shook her head. "You wouldn't understand." She began to turn back toward the door.

That seemed to shake Weiss out of her shock, and she extended a hand to gently touch Pyrrha's arm. "Try me." She smiled warmly up to the taller girl. "We haven't spoken much, and I know my first impression… wasn't great, but I wouldn't be here if I was just the spoiled princess everyone thinks I am."

Pyrrha looked down to the hand at her arm, then to Weiss' eyes. What she said… it made some sense. Her first impression had been rather dreadful, but if that truly was the extent of Weiss Schnee why bother coming to Beacon? She turned back to Weiss and nodded slightly.

"I've been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumes I'm too good for them. That I'm on a level they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people. No one sees me for me, they see the Champion of Mistral, the Invincible Girl, and nobody will ask her to a dance."

Weiss nodded slowly. "I do understand, sort of. I may not be the Invincible Girl, but… all anyone sees when they look at me is my name, and all they want are the connections it brings."

"I suppose you do," Pyrrha replied softly. "Is that why you came alone tonight? You believe that anyone who asked was only interested in your name?"

Weiss shook her head. "No… I know your partner isn't like that, but he does need to learn to take 'no' for an answer. He's just not my type."

"And no one else asked you? You are Weiss Schnee after all."

"Others did…" Weiss looked away a little sheepishly at the admission given Pyrrha's lack of invitations, "but not the person I wanted to."

"You didn't invite him? Forgive me, but you don't seem like someone who would stand aside as the chance slipped away."

"Yeah, about that… by the time I could've possibly asked, I kind of assumed that she already had a date?" Weiss nervously bit her lip.

"Oh." Why did Weiss just assume everyone had a date? Was that normal for Atlesian socialites?

An uncomfortable silence lingered.

"But better late than never, right? So, would you, uh… like to go to the dance with me, Pyrrha? No titles, no masks, just the real us." Weiss held her hand out in offer, her eyes hopeful.

"… Oh!" Pyrrha's cheeks flushed bright red as Weiss' question shed entirely new light on their interactions thus far, the little lingering looks she'd thought were scheming to take advantage of her talents, the envious glances toward Jaune she assumed were fuelled by Weiss' ambition. "I…" Her head reeled; she had never even considered Weiss as a date, not least of all because of their initial meeting, but… but Weiss was right, or at least she deserved the chance to prove that she was, that like Pyrrha herself there was more to her than her name and her mask. She reached to take Weiss' hand, smiling for the first time that evening, and nodded. "Yes, that would be lovely."

Over the course of the ensuing night of dancing and revelry, Pyrrha came to understand many things about Weiss, and about herself. She learnt that Weiss was indeed not simply the icy princess but quite warm and caring, that she knew all too well what it was like not to be seen, that loneliness gripped her heart as it did Pyrrha's. She discovered that Weiss was an excellent dancer — she rather enjoyed spinning and swaying and sashaying with the smaller girl, and simply holding her and being held in turn — and that she quite liked talking and smiling and laughing with her — the real Weiss had a subtly different voice than the persona she adopted, livelier to match the light in her eyes that was never there in the heiress'.

As the night wore on and the partygoers began to leave neither Pyrrha nor Weiss felt ready to retire, and so the pair found themselves atop the roof exchanging stories of childhood, sharing dreams gone by and those yet held dear. By the time the girls watched the first light of dawn creep over the horizon, a singular thought came to the forefront of Pyrrha's mind, a thought which brought with it a smile.

Perhaps solitude is not my destiny after all.

Weiss was giddy. The night had gone better than she could have possibly expected, and while she couldn't be entirely sure whether certain parts actually happened or her mind had added them in during the few hours of sleep she managed between finally returning to the RWBY dorm and being awoken by Yang — had she really kissed Pyrrha? Much as she'd like to think so, she'd better assume that part was a dream until she knew otherwise — she was certain she'd made up for her first impression, and then some. They had really connected, she felt it and she was sure Pyrrha did too; why else would she have stayed out so late? Even news of Ruby's encounter last night couldn't dampen Weiss' spirits, nothing could, and now she and her teammates were on the way to the auditorium where she would undoubtedly see Pyrrha again, and things could only get better and-

"Weiss!"

Weiss turned to see Jaune running up from behind. Alone. She looked around momentarily for the rest of his team whilst the rest of hers simply prepared for the by-now-expected failed courting attempt.

"Can, uh… can we talk?" Jaune looked to the rest of team RWBY, drawing a chorus of curious looks; this was new.

"… Sure." Weiss turned back to the others. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"Are you sure?," asked Ruby.

"We don't mind waiting," Yang added with a glance to Blake, who nodded in confirmation.

"Absolutely. Besides," Weiss smiled to them, "if you don't get there soon, all the good seats will be taken." And I won't get to sit close to Pyrrha.

Ruby hesitated briefly, then nodded and turned to continue toward the auditorium, Blake and Yang following along, and Weiss turned back to Jaune, waiting for him to speak.

It took him a few nervous moments to do so. "So, uh… great party last night, huh? You looked really nice."

"… Really?" Weiss folded her arms and somehow looked down her nose at him despite being a full head shorter even in heels. "Still? Even after you saw me dancing with Pyrrha??" She scoffed and threw her hands up in exasperation, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" Jaune rushed around in a panic to get in front of her again, holding his hands out pleadingly. "Please, just… I'm sorry, that came out all wrong. That's what I really wanted to talk to you about — Pyrrha, I mean."

Weiss stopped and gave him a look. "What about her? Is she okay?"

"Y-yeah, she's… great, actually. She's been smiling all morning, and dancing around when she doesn't think we're looking. It's, uh… kinda adorable, really." Jaune looked away, lifting a hand to rub at the back of his head.

Weiss blinked, suddenly picturing the usually-reserved Pyrrha as giddy as she herself felt, dancing through the halls, and couldn't quite suppress the giggle that rose within her though she did cover her mouth with her hand.

"I think this is the first time I've seen her genuinely happy," Jaune continued, smiling a little himself now and looking back to Weiss. "She deserves that, and you gave it to her. Thank you…"

Weiss' smile grew, and she found her eyes growing a bit misty. "She does. I'd like to make a habit of it, if she'll let me."

Jaune gave her a bigger smile in return. "I won't get in your way. I'm sorry I've been such a… well, an ass, but not anymore. Friend hug?" He spread his arms.

Weiss nodded and stepped closer to hug him.

"We should get to the auditorium; everyone'll be waiting for us. Buuut if you want, I'll make sure you can sit next to Pyr."

Weiss looked up to Jaune, her eyes widening a little. "You'd do that for me?"

"Hey, team leader's prerogative where to sit, right?"

Things were getting better already!

"… and he caught me in the air by my face and slammed me into the ground. From there things get a little blurry…" Weiss' brow furrowed a little in thought and she shook her head. "I still can't remember exactly. I woke up in another car with Blake and Yang, and we climbed up top with Ruby and Dr. Oobleck, and I had just enough Aura to put up some ice around us to take some of the impact from the crash; you know the rest, you were there."

"Oh my…" Pyrrha looked upon her with concern, wishing more than ever that she'd been with team RWBY on their mission. Weiss had nearly died…twice! And it sounded as though Yang and Ruby had very close calls as well.

"Yeah…" Weiss looked down to her hands where they sat folded in her lap. "You know the funny thing though? I'm a huntress in training, and we were on that train racing toward the city knowing it would bring the Grimm, but when he grabbed me like that and I thought I was going to die it wasn't Vale I was thinking about." She smiled softly and glanced over to Pyrrha. "It was you. I thought about how I was going to miss our date… how I'd never see you again, never get to make you smile again, just when I finally managed to." Her eyes grew misty and she looked back down, lifting a hand to wipe at them.

Pyrrha blushed and fidgeted a little. She didn't know what to say; on the one hand that was hardly becoming for a huntress — she should always put the lives of civilians first — but on the other it set her heart aflutter to hear that what would've been Weiss' final thoughts were of her, that she held Pyrrha so dear as to value her happiness over her own life. It was just so romantic!

The girls were seated on a bench in one of Vale's numerous parks — not the date they had planned, but after Weiss' near-death experience and early return, waiting was unthinkable and something simple where they could just talk suited both.

"Thankfully, that didn't happen," Pyrrha finally replied as she reached to gently take Weiss' hand. "You came back. Here you are, and here I am, and I'm smiling." Indeed she was, though there was a tension there as well. "But… please don't do that again. When we arrived and saw the wreckage and the Grimm, I thought… I feared I'd…, " her voice broke and she shook her head a little.

"Pyrrha?" Weiss turned toward her, looking up to her eyes.

Pyrrha turned as well, to fully face Weiss, lifting her hand to Weiss' shoulder. "I told you, that night at the dance, that nobody sees me for me. I've waited my entire life to meet someone who did, someone who would treat me the same as anybody else, someone to whom I was just Pyrrha. I waited and waited, and I had begun to believe that I would never find someone like that, that I would forever be alone. And then… then I met you, the real you, and now I realise that it isn't what I was waiting for after all. That's part of it, but I was also waiting for someone who… who could understand me, who knew what it's like to be seen for what you are rather than who you are. Someone who knew what it feels like to be burdened by the expectations of everyone you meet, to never have the luxury of anonymity no matter where you may go. Someone… like you."

Pyrrha leaned forward to softly touch her brow to Weiss' and her hand drifted upward a little to cup her cheek. "And then, just when I found you, I almost lost you. I…I don't think I could bear it…" A soft sob shook her body at the thought and she wrapped her other arm around Weiss' shoulders. "So please, Weiss… promise me you won't do that again… that you won't leave me alone…"

It was Weiss' turn to blush at the tender touches and heartfelt words, her own slim arms wrapping around Pyrrha in kind. "Pyrrha, I… you know I can't promise that nothing will ever happen to me, even if I wish I could for you." She pulled back gently, raising a hand to brush hair from Pyrrha's face so she could gaze deeply into her eyes. "But I promise you, with all my heart, if there's anything I can possibly do about it I will never, ever leave you alone." She smiled softly, and after a moment so did Pyrrha.

At first she didn't notice herself being drawn slowly closer to Weiss. It was an odd feeling, not like using Polarity on her own armour — perhaps if someone were made entirely of metal, and she were using it subtly on them, they might feel thus. No, she was too mesmerised by the blue eyes into which she gazed, the warm breath upon her skin, to notice herself drawing closer until she felt the touch of her lips against Weiss'. She gave a slight start, as did Weiss; neither seemed aware of just who had initiated the contact, both blushed profusely.

So soft…

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha murmured.

"N-no, don't… apologise…" Weiss sucked her lip and fidgeted momentarily.

"But-"

Weiss turned and leaned in, pausing just long enough for Pyrrha to turn away or push her aside if she so chose — she did not — before kissing her more fully, her lips cutting off any further words and muffling the little sound of surprise that rose in Pyrrha's throat.

Later, Pyrrha would have to fend off paparazzi even more than usual. Later, rumours would circulate through the entire school that brought even more looks, even more remarks, even more jealousy and of an entirely new sort. Later, she would learn that even her and Weiss' teammates' good natured teasing could grow quite tiresome. But just then, on that bench, nothing mattered but those lips, the girl they belonged to, and the electricity they were sending through Pyrrha's body and soul.

Pyrrha sat forlornly against the wall, lost to her thoughts. How could she not be, with all that was happening? She was the sole remaining Vytal finalist for Beacon after Yang's disqualification, and the pressure and shock and sympathy alone would have been enough but right now they were the least of her concerns. Of far greater import were the secrets Professor Ozpin and the others had revealed to her… and the choice they laid before her.

Maidens? Magic? Fairy tales made real? It was all so mind-boggling, but the worst part… the worst was what they asked of her. To have the Aura of this Amber woman — her very soul — shoved into herself…what would it do to her? How much of Pyrrha would be left? At the start of the year, her decision would have been an easy one… what would it have mattered if there was nothing left of Pyrrha Nikos, when Pyrrha Nikos was nothing more than an embodiment of victory and a tool to save others? She would not have hesitated, would have simply accepted then and there as another step toward the culmination of her destiny, and if the price were herself it would have been a small one. But now… things were different. Now she had friends who cared for her, friends for whom she cared deeply. Now she had hopes and dreams beyond just her destiny. Now…now she had Weiss.

It had been over a month now since the dance, over a month that she and Weiss had officially been dating; not so long in the scheme of things and yet it felt like a whole new life, as though everything before had been a colourless, muted dream. She knew Weiss felt similarly — she'd said as much, but more importantly Pyrrha could see it in her eyes, in her smile, the smile that only came out for her. Would Weiss still smile like that if Amber's Aura changed her? If Pyrrha ceased to be, would Weiss' eyes lose their shine forever? If she rejected Professor Ozpin's request she chose possible danger for all humanity, but she was only his first choice; surely there must be another candidate? If she accepted, she made the choice not only on her own behalf but Weiss' and her friends' as well, without them even knowing. Vacuan roulette to keep terrible power out of dangerous hands… even if the gamble succeeded, could she be forgiven for taking that risk? Would she deserve to be?

So preoccupied was she that Pyrrha didn't notice she wasn't alone until she felt a soft touch upon her shoulder. She blinked several times in rapid succession, looking over to find Weiss looming over her — a rare sight indeed given how she usually towered over her dearest — worry writ large on her face.

"Are you… okay?" Weiss looked into Pyrrha's eyes, as if by looking deep enough she could see the thoughts that so troubled her.

"Weiss." Pyrrha smiled, if only a little, before the sight of her brought the turmoil surging right back, and higher than ever. "I… just have a lot on my mind."

Weiss frowned as she saw the smile fade. "I see that," she replied whilst moving to sit beside Pyrrha and gently, comfortingly taking her hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Pyrrha sighed and turned her gaze downward where the breeze teased a few autumn leaves along the ground nearby. "I wish I could, truly. It would make everything so much easier…"

Weiss' worry only grew at that, and she turned and leaned closer, lifting her opposite hand to urge Pyrrha's face to turn and meet her gaze. "Whatever's going on, whatever this is, you can trust me… you know that, right? You don't have to face it alone; I don't care if it's someone from your past or the evil wizard Goldemort or the brothers themselves, I'll be right there beside you." She smiled that smile that said she was trying to reassure Pyrrha, but inside was terrified — it was the same smile she'd worn when she'd first asked Pyrrha to the dance, at the dance.

"Thank you…" Pyrrha found her eyes growing wet. Oh, how she wished she could tell Weiss… she yearned so badly to tell her, to ask what she should do, but how could she? She would sound crazy, and moreover Ozpin and the others were very clear that this was not to be spread. But how could she not and still make this decision? Slowly, she leaned over to rest against Weiss, and the smaller girl wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple just below her circlet.

"Please, Pyr…," Weiss said after a long silence, "please don't shut me out… I promised I would never leave you alone, remember? What can I do to help?"

"You're already doing it." Pyrrha's eyes drifted closed and a small smile slowly returned to her as she nestled against Weiss, simply basking in her presence. If she accepted the request, it may be one of her final memories after all…

Weiss' expression didn't lighten nearly so much — she couldn't help but enjoy the cuddling, however with whatever was bothering Pyrrha so still a mystery she was ill at ease. Still, she raised her hand to gently stroke Pyrrha's hair, to do what little she could in the circumstances to provide comfort at least. And for quite some time that was how they sat, until Weiss had lost all feeling in one arm and the other burned and she had begun to wonder if Pyrrha had fallen asleep.

"I don't know what to do, Weiss." Pyrrha's voice was barely above a whisper, and quavered with fear.

That in itself sent a chill down Weiss' spine. She had only heard Pyrrha frightened once before, when she had asked Weiss to promise not to leave her alone; what could possibly do so like this that she couldn't speak of? "What do you mean?" It took her a moment to respond, and when she did her voice was soft but betrayed her worry.

Pyrrha sat up straighter, gazing skyward in thought momentarily. "Do you believe in destiny?"

Weiss blinked, not having expected that. "You mean like… fate?" She brought her arms back and pushed herself up a little, suppressing a wince as returning feeling brought pins and needles.

Pyrrha shook her head. "When I think of destiny, I don't think of a predetermined fate you can't escape. But rather… some sort of final goal, something you work towards your entire life."

"Oh. Well, I've never heard it put that way before but yeah, I believe in that."

"Well… what would you do if something came along that you… never expected? Something that had the potential to stand between you and your destiny?" Pyrrha glanced to Weiss as she spoke, her voice growing more nervous toward the end.

"Uh… depends on the something?" Weiss looked terribly confused.

Pyrrha didn't quite wait for Weiss to answer fully before continuing. "Or what if you could suddenly fulfil your destiny in an instant, but at the cost of who you were?"

"Whoa, Pyrrha, slow down! You're really scaring me now… seriously, what's going on?" Weiss reached for her arm, to lay a calming touch there, but Pyrrha stood and stepped away, holding herself and trembling.

"I'm scared too, Weiss… this isn't how things were supposed to happen."

Weiss rose as well and took a tentative step closer, practically in tears. "Then let me help you! Tell me what's wrong, what this is all about… tell me something, please…I don't want to lose you…" She gesticulated as she spoke, her voice breaking toward the end as her hand moved to clutch at her heart.

Pyrrha took a deep, steadying breath. "I've always felt as though I was destined to become a Huntress — to protect the world…," she sighed, "and it's become increasingly clear to me that my feelings were right. But…" she turned back toward Weiss, her eyes shining with tears, "…I don't know if I can do it."

Weiss frowned, then shook her head resolutely. "No."

Pyrrha was taken aback by that, both the speed of the answer and the certainty with which it had been given. Did… Weiss not believe she had what it took to be a Huntress? "No?"

"No. That's not what's bothering you," Weiss declared, stepping closer, close enough to reach out and touch her now. "You wouldn't be here at all, acing every class, if you didn't know you wanted to be a Huntress. You were already doing that last week and you weren't feeling conflicted like this. This is something new, something in the last few days." She slowly reached out to take Pyrrha's hands lest she withdraw again. "Please, just trust me… I've been trusted with corporate and state secrets, whatever it is, I promise you it stays between us."

Pyrrha hesitated — how much could she say? She had to say something… Weiss had a right to know, as much pain as it could cause her — before finally, carefully speaking. "I've been given an offer… an offer that carries a great deal of responsibility and the potential to fulfil my destiny immediately, to protect the world from enormous danger…"

Weiss held Pyrrha's gaze, peering through emerald windows to the soul beyond in search of what she wasn't saying. "But?"

"But… it also carries significant risk. I would be targeted by great evil all my life, and…" Pyrrha hesitated, but Weiss only waited, her eyes imploring Pyrrha to continue. "And by accepting the offer… I may lose my soul…"

Weiss blinked. "Lose your soul? You mean like… it's a really sketchy deal?" Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, is this something my father is doing?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "No, Weiss… I mean my actual soul… the Pyrrha you know may cease to exist…"

Weiss' eyes widened and she paled, no small feat for someone so white already. "Cease to… N-no! No, that isn't fair! Why would you do that!?"

"If I don't, the world will be in grave danger. You will be in grave danger."

"Then we can face it together! There must be another way, someone else that can take that responsibility! General Ironwood, o-or Professor Ozpin, or-!"

"They can't." Pyrrha stepped closer to wrap Weiss in an embrace and buried her face in the shorter girl's hair, her voice breaking with a sob.

"Someone can! There has to be someone!!" Weiss was frantic now. "Please, Pyr… don't do this… there are other ways to reach your destiny. I'll help you get there, I swear I will… I-I'll do anything, just please don't throw your life away…" She sniffled against Pyrrha's chest, clinging to her and trembling.

That was it then. She couldn't do that to Weiss, not after everything she'd done, after she'd given Pyrrha the one thing she never had: real happiness. "Alright…," she whispered, absolutely drained. She gave Weiss a gentle squeeze and nuzzled her hair. "I'll tell them tomorrow… I'll tell them… that they need to find someone else…" She couldn't help the guilt from seeping into her voice.

"Thank you…" The tension melting off Weiss was palpable — not all of it, certainly not, but the greater part; she trusted Pyrrha not to lie to her.

I'm sorry, Professor… I'm so, so sorry…

This was madness. Absolute, unthinkable madness. Grimm and White Fang attacking the festival, working together somehow? It simply wasn't possible!

She'd been in the stands with Jaune, Nora, and Ren, watching Pyrrha's match and cheering her on, as much as she could muster cheer after their earlier conversation. In all honesty she had wished Pyrrha's name hadn't been called — Pyrrha felt the same, she knew, but the matches were random and alas she had been — and they could have just gone back to the dorms to rest; the others would understand that she needed to stay with Pyrrha tonight, their relationship was no secret. Nevertheless, everything had been going well enough; even fatigued by her lack of sleep and emotional state, even with her mind in turmoil, Pyrrha was winning and then… and then someone did something to Pyrrha that made her kill that poor girl Penny — she never would've done it intentionally, not ever, of that Weiss was absolutely certain. Then Ruby was there, and General Ironwood, and before she knew it she was on a ship with everyone else headed for Beacon to join the fight. Now here she was, gliding on glyphs past Jaune as he slashed at an ursa, past Pyrrha cleaving through several beowolves, to skewer a boarbatusk with her blade.

"This is crazy!" Weiss moved to regroup with JNPR at a quick step. "Since when do Grimm work with people!?"

"Since today apparently," Sun replied, leading his team over to join them.

A roar from above drew their attention to a great wyvern passing overhead, dropping globs of a viscous black goo in the courtyard nearby. Almost as soon as they splattered upon the ground, Grimm began to rise from their inky depths.

"Oh, come on!" Jaune gestured in exasperation at the newly-formed group beginning to charge them.

"Aw, don't be like that; just think of it as team building!," Nora replied with a laugh, launching a grenade into the midst of the Grimm.

Weiss was more inclined to agree with Jaune, especially once she saw the look in Pyrrha's eyes as their gazes met. That look wasn't just worried, or stressed, or even frightened… that look was apologetic. This had something to do with the 'great evil' or 'enormous danger' Pyrrha mentioned before, or at least she thought it did.

Pyrrha looked away then and wilted a little; Weiss began to step closer when a shot whizzed past her face. She looked to see a squad of Atlesian Knights firing on the students — really!? Now their allies were turning on them too? — and launched a few ice shards at them, then turned back to Pyrrha only to find that she was no longer there.

"Pyrrha?" Fear gripped Weiss' heart and she cast her gaze around frantically.

"Where's she going?," she heard Nora say, spinning to follow her friend's gaze. There! Pyrrha was approaching Ozpin at the base of the CCT tower.

"I'll go with her!," Weiss called back over her shoulder, already at a run to catch up; she wasn't about to let Pyrrha go off on her own — and as far as she was concerned, right now, if she wasn't with Weiss or her teammates, she was on her own.

"Miss Schnee," Ozpin looked at her over his glasses, his voice serious rather than its usual friendly tone, "you will be most helpful out there with the others."

"So will Pyrrha," Weiss countered just as firmly, "or is there something you're not telling me, Professor?"

Ozpin glanced to Pyrrha, who looked away sadly. "Miss Nikos has a different role to play, I'm afraid."

"Then so do I."

"Miss Schnee-"

"Where she goes, I go." Weiss gave the professor her very best glare, just like Winter taught her.

Ozpin held her gaze impassively for a moment, then huffed. "We haven't the time for this. Very well, this way." He turned and led them to the lift.

As they walked, Weiss looked over to Pyrrha meaningfully, only for Pyrrha to turn her eyes away guiltily. Weiss frowned. "This is it, isn't it?," she whispered; Pyrrha hung her head, all the answer she needed. "Don't do this!"

"I have to," Pyrrha whispered back dejectedly. "Look at what's happening out there."

"That doesn't mean-!"

"Ahem," Ozpin gave Weiss a very disapproving look — one she gave right back — as he ushered them through the door. "Miss Schnee, I will thank you not to make this any more difficult for Miss Nikos than it already is."

Weiss' eyes widened with outrage at that, and as they began to descend she exploded. "I'm making it difficult!? What about you!? You're the one asking her to do whatever this is, risking her soul, keeping everything so secret she can't even talk to the people she loves about what's going on!!"

"Miss Sch-"

"You're the one that wants to put her in constant danger for the rest of her life!! You're the one asking a teenage girl to take the fate of the world in her hands!! But you don't even care, do you!? You don't even care what that does to her!! You don't even care if she's still Pyrrha!! You don't care what happens to her!! You don't care about her at all, you just want your protector!!"

Weiss was trembling with fury, seething; Pyrrha was shocked, her hands covering her mouth.

"Are you finished?," Ozpin asked calmly after a silent moment. When he received no response save Weiss' livid glare, he sighed. "Your accusations are not without some merit, Miss Schnee. Indeed I have asked these things of Miss Nikos," he looked to Pyrrha apologetically, "and it is my failure that has led us into the present situation. For that I am truly sorry. However," he took both girls in with his gaze, "my guilt does not change the circumstances, and the simple truth is that we have run out of time. You may hate me if you wish, you may lay your blame upon me, I will not deny its due, but the enemy is at the gate and whether or not any of us survive to see morning may well hinge upon this decision." The weight of his words hung in the air briefly before a soft ding announced the stopping of the lift.

"We are not finished!," Weiss snapped at Ozpin with a pointed finger for emphasis before turning to run alongside Pyrrha toward a pair of strange pods on the other side of the enormous vault. Why was there a massive vault here? What could a school possibly need something like this for? Why was there another girl in one of the pods!?

"No, Miss Schnee, I didn't expect we were…," Ozpin murmured mostly to himself before dashing off with the girls.

Weiss looked warily toward the pod with the unconscious girl, then to Pyrrha. "Are you sure about this? You heard him, he screws up; maybe he's wrong now!"

Pyrrha shook her head. "I can't take that chance… you saw what's going on; if it continues all of Vale will be destroyed. I'm sorry, Weiss… I have to do this."

They slowed to a stop as they reached the pods and Weiss tearfully took Pyrrha's hands in her own, gazing up into her eyes. "Pyr, please… I can't lose you…"

Pyrrha smiled down to her, her own eyes glistening wetly. "Then be my anchor… believe in me, and hold me here."

"Always." Weiss choked up, returning her smile despite the fear.

"Miss Nikos… it's time to choose." Ozpin stood at the controls for the pods, looking toward the girls. Pyrrha took a deep, steadying breath, then nodded. "Thank you." Ozpin pressed a button and the second pod opened. "Then, if you please?"

Pyrrha began to turn toward the pod, but Weiss held her arm. "Wait."

"Miss Schnee, this isn't the-"

Weiss leapt up to kiss Pyrrha deeply, catching her by surprise, then sinking back to her tiptoes as Pyrrha leaned over with her. For a long moment they stayed there, then finally Weiss pulled back. "To help anchor you." Pyrrha smiled and gave her a little nod, then turned and climbed into the pod, which closed over her.

Weiss turned to Ozpin. "If this is her last memory, it's going to be a good one," she murmured softly, moving over then. "This better work."

"I sincerely hope it does," Ozpin replied. "If you'd like to help, make sure nothing happens to the pods until the transfer is completed."

Weiss nodded, drawing her weapon and summoning a number of glyphs around the pods, gravity to turn aside any projectiles and ice to trap anyone who might try and approach — or which she could activate to create a barrier if need be.

Ozpin pressed a few more buttons, then looked to Pyrrha. "Are you ready?" She gave a small, slow nod. "I… need to hear you say it." Weiss shot him a look.

Don't act like you suddenly care. One way or another you're going to make this up to her.

Pyrrha took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Very well." Ozpin pressed a few more buttons and the other pod raised up, an orange glow suffusing the unconscious girl and her eyelids beginning to flutter. The glow travelled along the pipes connecting the pods, then surrounded Pyrrha, who begun to scream in agony.

"PYRRHA!!" Weiss' eyes were wide with panic and she stepped toward Pyrrha's pod, but was stopped by Ozpin, who looked away sadly. "I'm… so sorry."

Weiss frantically tried to push past, to no avail, then shoved herself away from him. "Sorry!? You're sorry!? What does that mean!? What-!?"

The sound of glass being pierced followed immediately by a dull thunk drew their attention to the other pod, where the shaft of a black arrow stood out from the glass. Weiss' breath caught in her throat; she was supposed to protect the pods… what would happen if something interrupted the process? Would Pyrrha be lost for certain?

Oh no… oh no, no no no please gods no!

For a few agonising heartbeats, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Weiss called a half-dozen glyphs to fully cover the pod as she rushed to look. The arrow had buried itself in the back of the pod, having nicked the unconscious girl's ear along the way — a small trickle of blood was just beginning to stain her neck.

Weiss released the breath she hadn't realised she held, just in time for another arrow to break through her glyph and slam into her shoulder, what would've been a heart—piercing shot adjusted for the effects of her gravity glyph. Even with her Aura it spun her around and threw her against the pod, and she saw Ozpin rushing forward, his cane held much as she would her rapier, to engage their assailant. Faintly over the sound of her own hammering heart and Pyrrha's soul-wrenching screams she heard him calling out to her to protect the pods.

Until my very last breath.

She activated the ice glyphs to form a wall between the pods and the duel, risking a glance over at Pyrrha's pod — those screams tore at her heart… oh, how she wished to never hear their like — and the control panel with all its holographic buttons and readouts.

No… no, this wasn't right. She didn't know how to operate this machine; she didn't even know what this machine was. Professor Ozpin should be here so that he could monitor its progress and make sure everything went well, so that he could respond to complications and keep Pyrrha… Pyrrha. It should be Weiss out there keeping that woman at bay.

Weiss took a deep breath, then called a glyph to propel her up and over the ice wall and another to launch herself sword-first toward the woman — Cinder? But why? — who easily evaded the attack.

"What are you doing!? I told you to protect the pods!"

"I know, but I don't know how to use that thing!" Weiss parried a strike and dodged another, but it was very clear to her that she was no match for Cinder alone, only given room to breathe by Ozpin's counterattack landing solidly. If Ozpin relented and left her to fight, the only victory she could hope to find was to hold out long enough for the transfer to finish. "Pyrrha needs you back there."

"But-"

Weiss turned a pleading look to her headmaster. "I've got this." If I don't… make it worth it. Make sure she comes out herself.

Ozpin hesitated, but nodded — whether he cared about how important this was to her or just didn't think it was worth the argument she couldn't say — and withdrew, leaping over the ice wall with the aid of a glyph.

"Is that so?"

Weiss turned back to Cinder, who circled slowly, flourishing her obsidian scimitars. "That's right. I don't care who you are, you're not getting to those pods. Not while I'm alive."

"Oh," Cinder smirked, "well I guess I'll just have to kill you then." She pounced like lightning, her blades weaving a deadly pattern through the air. Weiss desperately gave ground and parried, but even so Cinder's blades slashed at her Aura; she couldn't find time, let alone an opening, to attack.

This won't work! You can't just keep retreating, she'll have you too soon!

Weiss leapt back as far as she could, creating an ice glyph in front of her as she did so — Cinder punished her for the lapse in defence, even with Aura she felt that one — and trapped her opponent's feet; it bought her only a moment before Cinder freed herself with a cut, but enough time to call up more glyphs and rapidly launch herself from one to the next to the next, striking a blinding flurry from dizzying angles. She landed a decent hit, a pair of grazing blows… everything else was intercepted by Cinder's flashing blades, which lashed out at Weiss during her assault as well; she took as many hits as she gave.

"This is how you're going to stop me?" Cinder's tone dripped amusement. "You should just take down your little wall and leave, you're not even worth killing."

"Never." Weiss feinted a high thrust at Cinder's throat, dropping it to her abdomen at the last instant; she was rewarded with a parry and a cut to her sword arm… her Aura was getting low now, she could feel it. "I won't let you touch her!"

"'Her' is it? How sweet." Cinder chuckled, throwing a quick flurry to break Weiss' defence and nip at her Aura a bit more, then viciously kicking her in her exposed middle and sending her to the floor. "Last chance… drop it and I'll kill her quickly. If I have to kill you… I'll make her suffer."

Weiss clenched her teeth and scrambled to her feet — Cinder let her, she knew… she was playing with her — and held her weapon at the ready once more, calling up one last glyph. This was it. This was her last stand, her last trick, her last chance to stall, to put up a fight, to hold Cinder off for a few more seconds. I hope it's enough… please be enough. "She would never forgive me if I gave up."

Cinder frowned. "Have it your way." She spun her swords once, then rushed in like lightning, no longer playing, but something was different. Every slash was met with a parry and a blindingly fast riposte, not all of which she managed to catch. "What?"

Weiss pushed herself to the limit: thrust, parry, parry, riposte, slash — she even threw in a kick here and there — but it was a pace she couldn't maintain. Her time dilation glyph was one of her best, but came with a terrible drawback… the instant it wore off, she would be slowed to a crawl, absolutely defenceless in the face of Cinder's wrath, and her Aura was nearly gone. When her speed ran out, her life ran out.

Make the most of it, make it count! This is for Pyrrha!

She pushed Cinder back, back away from the ice wall, back toward the lift, chipping at her Aura all the while. For those few glorious moments Weiss felt as though she might actually pull it off, as though she might, against all odds, defeat this demon and save her princess like some sort of storybook hero. But this was not a storybook, it was reality; she was not a hero, she was but a student; and her princess was not waiting to be saved so they could live happily ever after, she was screaming in unspeakable pain when she could draw breath at all as her soul was torn asunder and stitched back together.

The slow-motion of the world began to speed back up.

No, not yet!

Cinder's movements rapidly accelerated to match Weiss' speed…

Please, just a little more time!

…then surpass it…

No! No, they're not done yet!

And suddenly the world was a blur to Weiss, and Cinder the blurriest of all.

I'm sorry, Pyr… I'm so sorry…

Weiss couldn't even tell which blows landed first, or how many there were for that matter. Her Aura shattered like so much glass and the swords bit deeply into her, throwing her back with a cry to land in a limp heap as her own weapon skittered away.

I tried… I gave everything I had… until my… last… breath…

The ice wall crumbled and fell, and as its rumbles and the echoes of Weiss' voice faded, for a brief moment the vault was silent. No sounds of combat… no agonised screams. Cinder stalked over toward the pods, hidden in the fog left by the dissipated ice.

"You should leave."

Ozpin's voice stopped Cinder in her tracks, her blades held at guard before her. "And why would I do that?"

"Because you're too late." Ozpin stepped forward so that she could see him in the fog. "The transfer is complete. There is a new Fall Maiden, one who will not be so easily bested." His gaze darkened. "And that," he gestured to the still form of Weiss, "is the girl she loves."

Cinder tensed. Fighting a new half-Maiden was one thing… fighting one who was enraged and out for her head whilst also fighting Ozpin, with a damaged Aura, and finishing it before reinforcements could arrive was something else entirely. A growl rose in her throat. "This is not over."

"No, I don't suspect it is."

Cinder glared, then turned and ran for the lift.

Once Cinder was gone Ozpin relaxed and sighed, looking mournfully to the fallen Weiss, to the pod where Pyrrha lay unconscious. It was fortunate the ice wall's passing had left that fog… although defeated Weiss had succeeded. He went to check on her — still breathing, but barely… faint and ragged, and that was a lot of blood — then took out his scroll and called General Ironwood.

"Oz?"

"It's done."

"You mean…"

"Yes… the procedure was successful, but…"

"But?"

"We need a medical team, immediately. A very good one."

"Of course." There was a brief pause. "They're on the way now. What happened?"

"There was an… altercation. A student was gravely injured… I don't know that she'll survive."

Ironwood's countenance fell. "I'm sorry. It wasn't-"

"No, the Maiden is secure. But James…"

"Hmm?"

"Your adjutant may wish to be here as well."

Ironwood looked puzzled. "Winter? Why would she-," then it struck him and his eyes widened slightly. "You mean… oh no."

"I'm afraid so."

"… Nikos?"

Pyrrha sat in Professor Ozpin’s temporary office - his normal one had been damaged in the battle and not yet repaired — with her head hanging, a pensive look upon her face.

"Are you alright?"

With her, aside from Ozpin himself, were General Ironwood, Professor Goodwitch, and Winter Schnee, who had been admitted at the General’s insistence given the near-fatal incident with her sister; to say she was unhappy would be a great understatement.

"Miss Nikos?"

Finally Pyrrha lifted her head to meet Ozpin’s gaze and found all eyes on her, with concerned expressions.

"I was asking you how you’re feeling?"

"Oh. I’m sorry. I feel… horrible."

The others shared a glance.

"Your vitals are all excellent…," Professor Goodwitch noted.

"And your Aura is strong and shows no sign of degradation from the procedure," added the General.

Pyrrha shook her head. "No, not… physically…"

"Ah." Ozpin tented his fingers. "You’re referring to Miss Schnee."

Pyrrha nodded morosely.

"What happened… wasn’t your fault. She made a choice, as did you; she insisted on accompanying you, and when Cinder Fall presented a threat, she insisted that I monitor the procedure to give you the best chance of a positive outcome." A small, sad smile came to him. "She cares a great deal for you, Miss Nikos… though her injuries are regrettable, we were very fortunate she was there."

Winter grew visibly more upset seemingly by the word, finally losing her decorum. "Fortunate? You were fortunate!? If you had anywhere near the security you should for something so important Cinder Fall never would have seen that vault, let alone-!"

"Schnee!" Ironwood barked the name with the sternness befitting his rank, and Winter’s tirade immediately ceased with an audible click of her teeth as her jaw clenched. He gave her a disapproving look, then turned his gaze to Ozpin.

"My apologies for her outburst, Oz; it won’t happen again." He glanced back to Winter at that last before returning his attention to his fellow headmaster. "That said, she’s right. We’ve been on the back foot for too long, that’s become painfully clear. Amber, the CCT tower, Mountain Glenn, and now this, an attack in broad daylight on the Vytal Festival?"

Ozpin frowned. "What are you saying, James?"

"I’m saying it’s time we go on the offensive."

Glynda’s eyes widened. "You want to start a war?"

"We’re already at war!"

"A shadow war, not open combat!"

"Don’t be naïve!," Ironwood exclaimed, gesturing to the window for emphasis. "Look out there. Do you see that smoke? Those are people’s homes, people’s lives. Your people! How many died over the past two days? How many students did you lose?" He turned to Pyrrha. "How many friends?"

Her breath caught for a moment. Thankfully, none of her team had been lost, nor team RWBY, but some of the others… she’d seen faces she knew among the fallen. Faces she would never see again. A hand rose to cover her mouth at the thought.

"That isn’t fair, don’t bring her into this," Glynda protested.

"She’s already in it," Ironwood countered, and they all knew he was right. She was already in it… whether she wanted to be or not, she would be in it for the rest of her life. She was their new Fall Maiden, intrinsically linked to this conflict. He turned back to Ozpin. "I know it sounds like I’m blaming this all on you. I’m not; my ship was taken too, my Knights and Paladins killed some of those people out there. Their blood is on my hands, and I’ll never forgive myself for it. As soon as I get back to Atlas, the entire force is getting refitted; this will never happen again."

"Then how do you expect to fight your war?" Ozpin arched a brow.

"Our war. They won’t be out of commission for long. In the meantime the most promising students in the Specialist program can be fast-tracked."

"Your war. I’m afraid I cannot condone this, James; it will only bring more panic, and panic is already higher than ever after this latest attack."

Ironwood sighed. "I’m not asking permission, Oz. I’d like for you to join me in this — you know her better than anyone — but the war is here. If you want to hide and wait for her to come for you, that’s fine; Atlas is taking the fight to her." He turned to Pyrrha then. "What about you, Miss Nikos?"

Pyrrha didn’t know all of what they were talking about — who was this ‘her’ they kept referring to? — but she knew some… she knew enough.

But they talked over her anyway. "She needs to stay here," Ozpin replied firmly.

Weiss wasn’t staying here, she was being taken home to Atlas for treatment.

"Shouldn’t she have the choice?," countered Ironwood.

Professor Ozpin had told her she had a choice.

"I want to go…"

"She is the Fall Maiden, she must remain here; you know that."

Pyrrha stood up. "I’m going to Atlas." The General gave her a small smile and a nod.

Ozpin, on the other hand, looked over his glasses in that manner by which elders would explain to the youth why something they didn’t like was for their own good. "Miss Nikos…I’m sorry, but that simply isn’t possible. You must understand the pivotal role you now play in safeguarding the world, and to play that role you must stay nearby so that we can protect you."

"Except you can’t, can you?" Pyrrha felt her heartbeat quickening. "You couldn’t even protect me in the heart of Beacon when you stood beside me yourself, Weiss had to-" Her voice broke as her melancholy began to give way to the hurt and anger she’d been suppressing. Anger at Cinder Fall for nearly killing her dear Weiss, at Cinder's associates for actually killing so many others and destroying so much of this place she’d come to call home. Anger at Ozpin for his failure to protect them, for allowing this to happen, both to Beacon and to Weiss. But most of all by far, anger at herself… for allowing herself to be deceived and bringing the Grimm to Vale, for heeding the Professor’s request and bringing Weiss down to that place, for being too weak to complete the transfer sooner. Weiss had been right, she could have done more good on the surface; all that she did in that vault was scream and pass out, and the worst of the battle was over by the time she awoke. Perhaps if she’d listened and rejected Ozpin’s request, she could’ve saved some of those lost. Perhaps Weiss wouldn’t now be lying in a hospital bed fighting to stay alive.

Pyrrha took a breath to calm herself. "General Ironwood is right, no fight can be won by defence alone."

"Miss Nikos-"

"I will be far safer surrounded by the Atlesian military than I will be here."

"Pyrrha-," Glynda began.

"I am going!" The others seemed shocked, though the General less so. Not because Maidenfire had suddenly flared up around her eye, except in Winter’s case — no, that was to be expected when a newly-minted Maiden became emotional — but because soft-spoken Pyrrha, chosen in part for her malleability, was shouting her defiance.

Ozpin sighed. "There is nothing I can do to dissuade you?" Perhaps in his many lifetimes, he had grown too far detached from humanity to account for just how strongly a teenage girl’s heartstrings could bond to another.

Pyrrha shook her head. "I’m afraid not." She turned her gaze to Ironwood. "It’s as you said: we are at war, I am already involved. But to win a war you need soldiers. I don’t know who this enemy is, but I know that Cinder Fall is among them and she has the other half of this power inside me; let me be your champion and take it back." Let me make her pay for what she’s done!

Pyrrha’s understanding of what soldiers were might be a little out of date — several thousand years or so — but it still elicited a smile and a chuckle from Ironwood. "Atlas will be glad to have you."

"I’m sorry to hear that." Ozpin sighed, seeming somehow older. "Then it seems we have no more to discuss. Good luck in your new home, Miss Nikos."

Pyrrha gave him a slow nod, then turned to leave along with Ironwood and Winter.

"Oh, and Miss Nikos?"

Pyrrha stopped just before stepping past the doors, half-turning to look back to the headmaster.

"Do be careful."

His words, or rather his tone, sent a shiver down Pyrrha’s spine — she couldn’t say why — but she tried not to dwell on it as she turned back to step on with the Atlesians, making a point not to meet Ozpin’s gaze as the doors closed.

#my writing #fanfic #schneekos #rwby #pyrrha nikos #pyrrha x weiss #weiss schnee #rwby weiss #rwby pyrrha #rwby au

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