That night everyone was still very much overwhelmed and didn't have the easiest time winding down.

Shine and Wally had left to actually go out, which made the place seem emptier, oddly enough.

Pyrrha was lost in thought. She had a feeling that now that Vara had disappeared, everything in Vacuo was going to change soon, and she wasn't sure she liked it.

It hadn't been peaceful, but it had been a little steadier the last week or two. She'd felt more sure of herself.

She couldn't believe that Vara had met her and she'd not even known it. So much for being helpful! And yet, did she really want to help the team find another Maiden?

Vara should get out while she could.

Still, was it selfish of her to do so, leave them all in the lurch like this?

Thinking this, Pyrrha ventured into the back courtyard of Shade to get outside for a while.

She was quite startled when someone addressed her from the shadow of a statue of a famous warrior.

"Nikos?"

Pyrrha jumped and looked up.

The figure pulled back their cloak. It was Vara.

"Miss Sol?" Pyrrha hissed. "What are yo--?"

"Shh!" Vara put a finger to her lips.

Pyrrha broke off abruptly.

"Figured the last place Theo would look for me is right here," Vara said. "But if you make a racket, that's not good."

"But we thought you had run." Pyrrha lowered her voice.

"I have," Vara said. "But I wondered what happened to the girl. From all the ruckus, I'd say you found her."

"Yes, yes, we have them both." Pyrrha tugged her hair. "What do you...plan to do?"

"Are you going to tell them I'm here?" Vara asked warily.

"Not if you don't want me to," Pyrrha said. 

"Hmm...nothing about how I've neglected my duties?" Vara seemed to be determined to pick a fight.

"I don't think it's for me to say," Pyrrha said. "I narrowly escaped becoming a Maiden myself."

"I heard that." Vara leaned on the statue lazily.

"Theo told us about Summer Rose," Pyrrha said. "I'm sorry."

Vara frowned. The wind picked up a little and blew some dust across the courtyard, then died out.

"I've cursed the day I ever agreed to keep that a secret many times," she said grimly.  "Never become an accomplice to a suicide mission, girl."

"But you couldn't know..." Pyrrha said slowly.

"Couldn't I have?" Vara said. "None of our plans amount to anything..." She seemed very tired suddenly.

"Vara, why is it that you can't...be a Maiden?" Pyrrha asked. "I feel like, it's not courage."

"Maybe it's partially courage." Vara straightened. "But it's also stupid to try. You know that the Maiden powers bring a weakness with them? Weakness to the silver eyes?"

"Yes..." Pyrrha said. "But was it really true?"

"Maybe it was. Maybe it was just Calour." Vara shrugged. "But if that wasn't bad enough, my Semblance makes it worse."

"Your Semblance?" Pyrrha asked.

Vara held up her hand.

"Did you know that people who work the dust mines too long can develop health problems?" She changed the subject abruptly.

"I have heard that," Pyrrha said. "My parents said it should be illegal to work there without protection."

"They've been cracking down on it the last 10 years," Vara said. "I'm over 25, though...and 25 years ago Vacuo still had hardly any restriction on dust work. You worked as long as you could stand to do it. And if you needed the money, you worked even if you shouldn't be, regardless of gender...and if you were pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Pyrrha said.

"It's new research," Vara said. "Ironically, something Vic learned while she was on her team of dust researchers. One of them, they were a medical doctor as well as a scientist. Apparently they'd discovered in their private practice that pre-natal exposure to dust can damage the health of infants... Took ages to get that proven and made into law, just happened recently. Too late for my mother."

"You mean that your mother...and so you?" Pyrrha said, sadly.

"Yeah." Vara eyed her hands. "Dust exposure can cause physical issues, but the thing they discovered is that it's uncannily more likely to affect your Semblance. The Schnee family Semblance is hereditary. Did you know that? Some people suspect that was caused by dust exposure... It wasn't always, the story goes."

"Really?" Pyrrha had not heard this. 

"They're not the only ones. It's rare, but it's happened a few times," Vara said. "But Semblances have been known to...mutate, if someone is exposed to dust directly too often in its raw form. About 50% of the cases, it was a beneficial mutation...in that they got stronger, more dexterous. But the other 50%, the Semblance would become harmful somewhat to its owner. The test group was small, so it was never really talked that much about. That part of the project was closed before they could damage that many people. But I believe it, because that's what happened to my mother. But she didn't just get damage to herself, she passed it on. We never knew it--she never unlocked her Semblance...but I unlocked mine in training at the academy."

She clenched a fist.

"Your Semblance hurts you?" Pyrrha said.

"It's complicated." Vara frowned. "It doesn't hurt me if I use it carefully. I can affect other people with it. It helps me be extremely aware of my surroundings, gives me precision, and probably is part of the reason I have such easy command of my...additional powers."

"So what is it?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well, it's hard to name it," Vara said. "I guess you could call it High Sensitivity. Since birth, I've gotten cold easy, hot easy, uncomfortable easy. Made me just a little...high maintenance." Her eyes gleamed for a second. "But not just that. When I focus it into a Semblance, I can inflict maximum damage on my opponent with much less effort on my end. Sort of sharing the effects."

"So it's kind of like Qrow or Ren's Semblances,"  Pyrrha said. "Or Jaune's, even... That's not all there is to it, is there?"

"No." Vara smiled bitterly. "While I was in my training days, I could fight still, using it. If I took a hit, it hurt a lot, but I learned to use Aura to recover from it, and, with practice, I got pretty good at balancing it. I got to where I could almost have a 6th sense about people sneaking up on me, because of how I could feel it. Not an un-useful Semblance. I was killing it as a huntress...until I started training with the Maiden powers."

"And that changed it?" Pyrrha frowned. "Because they enhance a Semblance, right?"

"Hey, not bad, Nikos." Vara was impressed. "You're smarter than I thought. Yes...the powers...well, they don't enhance every Semblance the same way, we think. It might depend on the user. But in my case, since my Aura is...broken, they seemed to go right to it. They made me even more aware of my surroundings...but it's too much. They turned my Semblance into something like a sensory overload."

"Overload?" Pyrrha said nervously.

"Yeah, it drives me crazy when things are loud," Vara said, "and whenever it's too hot, even more than before. I hardly ever go outside when it's the middle of the day now. Makes me feel horrible." She made a face. "But I could live with that. It's what it did to my battle prowess that's the worst. I can strike better than ever, and I can use these powers so well, they're almost like an extension of my weapons...but there's a price. If I get the smallest hit, it feels like a big one. And the worst of all is, if I get cut, especially by something dust or metal based for whatever reason, it shocks my nerves just like getting hit in the head would for you. Usually, I pass out."

"Oh!" Pyrrha put her hand to her face. "It's that bad?"

"Oh, yeah," Vara said distastefully. "Most people don't know you can get concussions from getting hit other places than your head--me? I get KO-ed if I get hit almost anywhere hard enough. Even a small cut does it. If I'm all riled up and my Aura's up, it doesn't take long... If I'm calm, it doesn't always go that far, but it's still jarring. And this, by the way, is a secret. You tell anyone, and I'll kill you in your sleep."

Pyrrha hoped that was hyperbole.

"But why are you...?" she asked. "I mean, I...I understand now--you could never hope to protect those powers...but wouldn't transferring them kill you?"

"Vic predicted that she could mitigate it...and she is good at that," Vara said. "But outside of her inventions, nothing seems to really mitigate the effects. So, I have to be really careful...and that doesn't suit me at all." She smirked mischievously. "I hate it. But the point is, yes, I'm a sitting duck for anyone. It's hard to land a hit on me, but no one can watch their back all the time. You gotta sleep some time. You gotta make a mistake sooner or later. So I hid. I thought it would be for a few years...but then it wasn't."

"So what now?" Pyrrha said somberly. "Where will you go?"

"I have no choice but to retreat back into the labyrinth," Vara said firmly. "I'll move around a bit. I'm pretty used to navigating it by now. No Grimm ever come in, and no one else does either. I guess I'll move around the kingdom. I could try to leave it... I should probably, but how far would I get? In the wild...you can't just make a mistake. I'm trapped." She put a hand to her throat. "Sometimes I think I should have...just taken myself out of the picture..."

Pyrrha gasped. "No, no," she said. "That's a terrible thought."

"Yeah...I guess," Vara said. "I mean, it's not what I want, but is it the responsible thing to do? It looks that way."

She tilted her head. "In fact, I wanted to ask you something, Nikos... You were in line to be the Fall Maiden, right?"

Pyrrha's blood ran cold.

"I know, the last thing anyone wants are these crap powers," Vara said slowly, "but you seem...healthy, and you're powerful, and you seem pretty smart, honest, and all that... What if I passed them on to you?"

Pyrrha felt sick.

"You can't do that," she said firmly. "I won't...I won't agree to it!"

"The thing is, I could do it anyway," Vara said, in a different voice.

"No!" Pyrrha almost forgot to be quiet. "I refuse! And you can't do anything to hurt yourself either. That's not the way, I'm sure of it! It's not right! We'll find some other way to help you."

"Will you?" Vara said.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure my new teachers know a way," Pyrrha said. "They know about magic. And magic removal... I could consult them."

"Magic removal?" Vara said. "Hey, we can't just suck it out like those machines do. You need a host."

"Perhaps they could..." Pyrrha said. "You should at least let me try. Please."

"Well...I'm not going anywhere..." Vara said. She looked around, somber. "I admit, it'd be a s----y thing to do to force it on you...but think of Vacuo too. Salem will tear this place apart, and I can't protect it. This might look like a dump to you, Argus Girl, but it's my home. I don't want to lose it. I don't want to die either, but it might be time for me to start acting like a huntress again."

"That's not right," Pyrrha said.

Vara pressed her lips into a thin line. "I'll not do anything right off," she said. "I'll wait. Maybe you can find a way to help, eh? Ask your friends, then--but leave my Semblance out of it. Or I'll be pissed. If they say yes, then sure, do it that way. It's only a matter of time before Theo tracks me down...but if Salem arrives before then, in all that state like at Atlas...and we're out of time...I'll have to pick someone. Unless you have a better choice for it, I have to do what's smartest."

"I do not want it," Pyrrha said. "Ask someone else. You must know someone else."

"You might have missed the part where I'm a forced recluse," Vara said. "I have no friends, other than Vic, who's now an ex-friend in my book. And I would rather die twice than give her these powers. Even if I could, she's probably too old anyway. And not to get sappy, but I've always admired you. Who could be a better choice?"

"I'm begging you not to choose me," Pyrrha said. "I got my life back after I failed to get those powers, and I know for certain, they are not what I want anymore. It was a mistake to want them. I want you to be free, not dead. I'm sure you are not really such a person as to want to force this on me."

"I don't want to, kid," Vara said, and she looked sincere. "But I might have to. Don't you get it? The greater good, bigger picture? I can't nurse your feelings on this one... I figured I should tell you that. It's lucky you walked out here. I've gotta go now. Someone else is bound to notice us. Good luck finding another solution... If Theo doesn't find me first, and you want to get in touch, I can give you my scroll number... I can't check it often, but give me a day or so to answer."

She held up her number.

Pyrrha put it into hers, reluctantly.

"Pick someone else," she said.

"I can't argue anymore." Vara glanced around.

She pulled her hood back up. "See you later, kid."

She flew over the wall of the school with ease, and almost invisibly because of the dark cloak.

Pyrrha stood there for a long moment, shaking.

Then she raced inside.

* * *

Shine found her later, crying in their room.

"Pyrrha, whatever is the matter?" She was distraught at once.

Pyrrha looked up. "It's not fair!" she cried. "I've done everything you said! I've been trying to follow Him! And I shouldn't end up in this position!"

"Pyrrha, what are you talking about?" Shine was really concerned now.

Pyrrha threw a pillow across the room, not at Shine, just at the wall.

Then she threw herself down on her bed dejectedly.

Shine decided to just wait for her to talk. She came and sat across from her.

"I had a visit from the Summer Maiden," Pyrrha said in a low voice.

Shine was not expecting that.

She stared at her.

Then Pyrrha told her the whole story--omitting the part about Vara's Semblance details.

The worst of it was that Shine took the news gravely, instead of getting angry immediately.

"You don't seem so sure that it won't work." Pyrrha looked up. "Could she do that?"

"By Ozpin's rules..." Shine said. "What a horrible way to transfer the powers...and yet it seems that's how she got them... The cycle continues... Ugh." She shuddered. "I hate this... Stupid powers...stupid rules. Why did Oz ever do it?"

But then she shook herself. "But Pyrrha, I'm sure no one could force them on you. You have a stronger spirit now than you did then. If you say no, then it is no."

"But do I not have the same problem as Oscar, then?" Pyrrha sat up. "I could end
up passing them on to someone else...or back to her...and then I'm responsible for their life. I could say no...but should I?"

"Pyrrha Nikos, do you think that it's something we should seek out, to have magical baggage like that?" Shine said. "Their whole origin is bound up in death and bondage, because of how they are passed on. There is no choice. We worked this hard to get you in a position where you did not have to live under that burden any longer. Do not throw it all away!"

"I don't want to, Shine, but I can't just be flippant about it!" Pyrrha was miserable. "She seemed to really be determined, and...oh, the thing is, I know I could handle the powers better than her... And I feel sure she was hoping that I would say, if they ever did learn the transfer of magic without Aura, I would be willing to take them. But I wouldn't agree. I begged her to reconsider, but she's determined it should be me."

"She has no right to make that choice for you," Shine said. "I am sorry for the woman, but it's her problem--she agreed to it. Does she expect us to pity her just because it didn't work out the way she thought? Summer didn't make her, she asked her. That was clear before. Vara is being a  hypocrite."

"But for a good reason," Pyrrha said. "How could I just refuse her?"

Shine hit her, sharply.

Pyrrha was so shocked that she almost fell off her bed.

"Shine!" she said.

"I'm sorry, but I was hoping that would jar some sense into your head." Shine rubbed her hand. "I heard it does sometimes... Listen to yourself, Pyrrha--you're falling right back into the same temptations as before... Don't do that. We worked so hard...and as the word says, 'It is for freedom that Christ has made us free.' You have every right to live that way, now. Don't let anyone guilt trip you into going back into the same bondage as before. Were you happy then? Was it really what you wanted? Don't lie to yourself. I know you want to save everyone, but you must do it as you, yourself...not as a Maiden. Forgive me for being so blunt, but wasn't dying enough of a hint to you that that was not your destiny?"

Well, only Shine would have said that to her, and only Shine would have sounded caring while fierce in doing so.

But it worked.

Pyrrha's head cleared.

"No..." she said. "You're right... I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking... She upset me so much, but I just wondered if she was right... But of course...of course I can't... I can't be so ungrateful... But, Shine...I'm scared."

Shine hugged her.

"What if I falter?..." Pyrrha said. "If she does it, and I'm not ready, what if it latches on to me before I can stop it? Even Oscar struggles with his curse... I just don't know."

"No one can own you," Shine said. "Just...put that thought out of your head... But I can't promise that it won't try...or that it wouldn't be a fight if it does... It may be a long one..." She frowned. "I know that we can win, but I don't always know how we will. For some of us, it's instantaneous--magic simply does not touch us... That's usually me... But for others, like Oscar, or even Wally in the past, magic will try to latch on, and it will take many times to get it to fully let go... So I don't know, Pyrrha, but don't you give up even if it does try. I believe you'll win in the end if that happens. We'll help you. So don't fear her."

Pyrrha smiled and nodded.

"But...in the meantime, we'd best be ready for Vara to do something desperate," Shine said slowly. "As for her...yes, we could remove her magic powers, but I have no guarantee that we could transfer them... If she won't have it any other way, and she won't agree...we might not be able to remove them without killing her. Even if we could heal it, I worry the whole thing could cause her permanent damage if it was too shocking... Also they might simply fizzle out...or seek a new host, which is more likely...and it could be a random one. That's...a problem. Otherwise, they go back to Ozpin...and that would make Oscar's battle harder... I don't see any way that this ends well for us. The powers would have to die...and, as long as Ozpin is alive, I don't think they can. That could be why he passed them on at all."

"Anyone we gave them to would be in danger," Pyrrha said. "If it's not me...and if it's no one we know...they probably would not survive, if Salem knew where to find them... We know she can track Maidens now... But if Vara keeps them, she'll always be in danger."

"I see now why Theo had a hard time with this. This is really a no-win situation," Shine mused. "But at least, Pyrrha, it is not your problem... But she's chosen you, and we'll have to deal with it. Well, I am sorry. If we hadn't brought you here, she would never have known."

"And I wouldn't be here at all," Pyrrha said. "I wasn't going to leave you all after what happened. It is not your fault. It's just...what it is. Don't blame yourself."

"Well, okay, I won't," Shine said. "But, boy, the enemy sure seems to love twisting all the good things we do... I see how Ozpin feels...but you know what? That just makes me want to win more." Her eyes burned with fire.

Pyrrha was glad she was back to normal... Shine's intensity was kind of like a hot stove--scary to be close to if you got burned, but comforting if you were careful with it...and probably essential to their survival, if she was honest.

[That may be the best explanation of Shine's relationship with her friends and enemies so far.]

Shine stood up and walked about a bit. "Pyrrha," she said, "we'll deal with this together, but I think you should tell Jaune."

"Jaune?" Pyrrha did not want to do this... He'd flip out for sure.

"Pyrrha, you kept this from him before, when you were going to do it willingly," Shine said. "If you do it now, when it could end up being forced on you and become a problem for a while, he'll never get over it. You need to tell him. I know he'll be upset, but he'll be more upset if he finds out later from someone else. Besides...we might need his help. Even if not, it's better to trust. This is my advice... I won't tell him for you, unless you become unable to do so for any reason...but I wouldn't feel great about it."

Pyrrha swallowed. "I'll tell him," she said, "soon...but...maybe not tonight... We're just barely getting over Yang's kidnapping."

"Maybe that's a good idea," Shine said. "The others don't need to know right away...but some of them might have to know...at least the adults should... This is their business... I'll leave out some of the details, but Pyrrha, we're going to have to let them know. As for the teen members, you decide who you think needs to know. But more of us would be smart."

"I'm a little worried that some of them might offer to take that power themselves," Pyrrha said.

"They can't make Vara agree even if they do, so don't worry about it too much," Shine said. "I had better fill Wally in...but try to rest, all right? It'll be all right, really. Difficult, maybe, but all right."

Pyrrha could tell Shine actually believed that, and that did make her feel better... She didn't settle down for a long time still, but she at least wasn't gripped in terror after that.

Though Emerald could tell she was restless when she came in herself, but she didn't ask. She wasn't really that good at empathy still.

* * *

Pyrrha's mood was low the next day, and everyone could tell.

But she wouldn't say a word about it, even to Oscar, who was seriously concerned.

To Jaune, she only said they'd talk about it later.

Jaune waited about half the day, until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Pyrrha, it's later." He came up to her. "Can you please just tell me what's wrong?"

Pyrrha looked up, then she sighed. "All right...but can we go for a walk?"

She was starting to feel as suffocated by Shade as Vara must have felt by the tunnels.

15 minutes or so later, they were in one of the nicer parts of Vacuo. It looked like a carnival-- games and vendors. Still thieves around, but overall its mood was more chill than in the rundown areas.

"So... " Jaune could finally not keep quiet anymore.

Pyrrha rubbed her arms. "I don't know a way to break this news easily..." she said, "but..." She hesitated. "Jaune...I...talked to the Summer Maiden."

"You what?" Jaune said. "Here?"

"She stole into Shade while I was outside... I wasn't looking for her, but she found me," Pyrrha said in a hurry. "And...well...Jaune, she wants me to accept the powers."

That hurt every bit as much to say as she had expected, and Jaune's reaction hurt even more.

He stopped dead still and turned pale. And he looked pretty panicked.

"No!" he said, in a stricken voice. "No, she can't do that! What did you say?"

Then he grabbed Pyrrha by her arms, shocking her. "What did you say?"

"I said no!" Pyrrha said.

Jaune let go. "Really?" surprised.

"I did!" Pyrrha said. "Over and over again--but Jaune, she didn't accept it...and she...well, she threatened to...force it."

"Force it?" Jaune said.

"By..." Pyrrha made the sign for death. "You know... It was horrible."

Actually, now that she'd had a day to think about it, that part was even more chilling than before.

Jaune was just as freaked out. "That's so messed up--she can't do that to you!"

He was upset. "Did you tell her that you didn't want it?"

"I did, more than once," Pyrrha said. "She wouldn't have it...but she said she might think about it if I find another solution..."

"Another solution?" Jaune said.

"I asked Shine about it," Pyrrha said. "She says she thinks we can...well, keep her at bay, and we could even help Vara, but she's not sure she'll agree... Basically, the power may go to me either way--"

"No!" Jaune got very angry--not at her--and kicked a rock across the street.

Pyrrha swallowed. "Jaune, listen."

"Listen to what?" Jaune said. "This is not happening to you, not again... It's not fair!"

"It won't." Pyrrha sounded much more sure of herself for his sake than she really felt. "Shine says I can say no. I can refuse them."

"What?" Jaune said, not really buying it.

"She says it's possible," Pyrrha said. "Only, I may have to be vigilant about it for a while... It may be a process...and I might need help doing it...but she says no one can force it on me. Not anymore."

She hugged her sides. "That was a relief to hear," she said. "But...well, she thought I should let you know...let all of you know, perhaps, because if it happened that way. It would...be a battle. Obviously, I would probably not be doing the best for a while."

"But you can help it?" Jaune said. "I mean, all of us could help?"

"Some of us." Pyrrha supposed it would be the ones who knew about this power.

Jaune was silent, then he took her by her shoulders.

"Pyrrha, if you start feeling different, you have to tell me," he said. "I mean, tell everyone. Okay?"

Pyrrha nodded.

"We're going to have to find some way to fight this," Jaune said. "I mean, that woman needs to get her head on straight... I wish I could talk to her--but you can't give up, all right? I--we, can't lose you again, all right? Not like this."

"I agree..." Pyrrha said in a small voice. "I don't want it, Jaune. You have to believe that. I have learned. I want to live my life, not someone else's..."

She was going to cry again...but the whole thing had her all worked up.

[I feel so sorry for her.]

Jaune regretted getting so upset when Pyrrha was clearly going through it.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he said, trying to sound convincing. 

Jaune was, after all, still in many ways a scared teenager. It wasn't like he was an expert on how to make people feel better.

But Pyrrha really didn't expect that--she was just grateful for the attempt at all... Anyone else she would have been afraid of encouraging her to consider just taking the powers...but not Jaune. Never.

Jaune risked hugging her instead.

Pyrrha leaned on his shoulder...

She calmed down slightly... Shine was right--sharing this did make it less suffocating than keeping it to herself had. Though it had hurt badly to get it out, now that she had, she felt more peaceful.

Maybe it would be all right, she thought, more optimistically. Maybe nothing would happen...but either way...at least she wasn't alone this time.

Jaune reflected that he should be more supportive...

"I mean, thanks for letting me know..." He stepped back awkwardly. "I mean, uh, I bet that wasn't easy to talk about."

"Well, we are partners. I thought you should know." Pyrrha realized this was true now. She'd just been afraid of talking about it.

Awkward pause.

"I'm sorry to worry you more though." Pyrrha swallowed. "We have so much to deal with already."

"I don't care about that." Jaune was a bit bolder than usual because of how high the emotions were right now.

Pyrrha turned red.

"Pyrrha, can I ask you something?" Jaune said.

"Sure?..." Pyrrha said.

"Why did you...kiss me before you went after Cinder?" Jaune asked.

After over a month, this finally came up...now?!

[Okay, but when is it a good time to ask someone that?]

Pyrrha felt like she was melting--and not from the Vacuo heat either.

"Oh, uh..." She looked down. "Because... You know, I really should apologize for that. It was kind of unfair to do that at a moment like that."

"Did you like me?" Jaune couldn't believe he actually had the nerve to ask that.

Pyrrha was sure she was going burst into flames!

She couldn't formulate a response.

But in such cases silence sometimes speaks volumes, and Jaune was fairly certain of her answer.

Taking Pyrrha's face in one hand, he kissed her before she was quite ready for it.

Pyrrha could not have been more shocked--even if she should have anticipated it.

Jaune couldn't believe he'd just had the courage to do that!

But Pyrrha put her hand on his shoulder, carefully, so she must have been okay with it.

He stepped back then.

Pyrrha was just staring at him.

Well...better say this before he lost his nerve.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Talk about crazy timing, but...then again, better just ask her before something else happened.

Pyrrha choked a little on air, but then she got a grip. This was no time to be a fool.

"Yes," she said.

A pause.

"Well...that actually wasn't so bad," Jaune finally said. "I thought it would be really scary to say that, but--"

Pyrrha started laughing. "I've been waiting to hear that for months! I mean, what took you so long?"

"I wasn't sure if you wanted it--"

"I wanted it?!" Pyrrha scoffed.

"I mean because of...everything." Jaune rubbed his neck. "But it doesn't matter, right?"

"I think--" Pyrrha grew a bit more serious. "I think that, after everything, I really just feel like I shouldn't waste any more time. I didn't want to push you, but if you're worried about me...well, don't be."

"Well, okay then," Jaune said.

Pause.

"So should we...?" Jaune looked ahead.

"Yeah," Pyrrha said.

[AMV by Heizell, "Something Just like This"]

https://youtu.be/XPQ3-yc_yc4

[AWWWWW! 😍

ARKOS 4life!

It seemed fitting that this should be the first one to sail. I mean, Arkos was originally why I wrote this fan fic to begin with, and we did start with it.

I love the new cast and all, but Jaune and Pyrrha are the heart of the old part of the show.]

[Additional note: I am the queen of slow burns in fan fic. My shortest ship on record is I think Kamijiro in MHA. That took 100 chapters. This one took 98. So I've gotten slightly faster. Yay!]