Destiny

Pyrrha perched herself against the wall of the cafeteria, staring at the trees across from her. The serenity of it all plagued her of the choice she had to make. As a huntress, it should have been impossibly simple. She would take up the mantle of the Fall Maiden to combat the evil that threatened to disrupt the peace in front of her. A peace created by those who sacrificed themselves before her. It was her duty to fulfill. It was her role to protect everyone with the means given to her.

It was her destiny.

She didn't want to imagine a moment when all this would fall into disarray. Pyrrha knew in her heart that she would one day fight. It was why she was attending one of the most renowned combat schools, Beacon Academy. This was what she wanted; to protect people with the strength she strived so hard to obtain. However, she never thought the moment would come so soon. She never thought it would be at the cost of her own self. Interrupting her thoughts, she noticed a small leaf descend beside her and landing inches from her feet.

Fall...

If it was a simple acquisition of power, the choice would have been immediate and she would have done it then and there. However, this was far from simple, because acquiring this power came at the cost of a life. Taking the powers of the maiden at the potential cost of the previous host's life; an innocent and unaware life. The loss of a life that had no choice in the matter.

Her name is Amber.

Pyrrha didn't like it. She didn't like any of this! This wasn't how it was meant to be. She didn't want to be the reason for someone else's death, and she had no idea what would happen when forcefully inheriting someone else's aura. They didn't even know if it would be successful. It's entirely possible that those powers might up and leave the minute it was ripped away from its main host, potentially finding its way to its secondary host, their enemy.

Even if the experiment was successful, what would that mean for her? Two auras in one body? What if the aura took more than just her powers? What if the aura, the soul of Amber, tried to take control of her? What would that mean for her?

Would she lose herself?

"Hey, Pyrrha."

Turning her attention to the voice that called to her, Pyrrha saw Ruby crouched beside her with a look of concern. She didn't even noticed the girl arrive.

"You okay?" Silver eyes looked at her with concern. "You looked a little bummed out earlier, and I sort of saw you sitting here on your own so I wanted to check up on you."

Emerald eyes met her friend's, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth before immediately closing it and looking away.

"I'm fine." She answered moments before facing her with a weak grin, intending to fortify her façade. "Everything's fine, Ruby." She nodded her head. There was no need to involve Ruby into this. The girl already had her own concerns to worry about. This was something only she could-

"Umph!" Her young friend immediately sat beside her, stretching her legs to their fullest length. She puffed silently when she noticed her feet not extend nearly as far as Pyrrha's. She pulled her knees to her chest before wrapping her arms around them and turning to face her again.

"Ruby?" Pyrrha asked quizzically.

"What's wrong?" Her words were definite, expecting an answer. Pyrrha could feel Weiss's aura exude from Ruby, baffled by how easily she had seen through her.

Pyrrha quickly turned away, knowing her expressions would betray her. "Nothing's wrong. I'm not quite sure what you're insinuating."

"You said, 'I'm fine' twice."

Snapping back to her, Pyrrha couldn't help but look confused by the random observation. The dumbfounded look caused Ruby to giggle softly before clarifying.

"No one says, 'I'm fine' twice without being not fine." She emphasized. Suddenly, the girl had a small moment of realization. "Okay, well, maybe you didn't exactly say 'I'm fine' twice, but when you say 'everything', you also sort of include yourself in there as well. You know, with everything including... well... everything... So... uh... yeah." She stretched her legs again as she pushed herself against the wall.

It was such a simple thing, but the golden clad warrior couldn't fathom such logic. However, there must have been some kernel of truth to it for Ruby to have discovered her so easily. It was almost childish of a thought with so many flaws, but it made her all the more curious.

"Why would saying that I was fine twice mean that I wasn't, if you don't mind me asking?"

Pondering on the question, Ruby leaned forward against her legs.

"Well, when you say I'm fine once, you're trying to convince the other person-" She turned back to Pyrrha. "-but when you say it again, it means you're trying to convince yourself."

Ruby's gaze felt like they could bore through her. "What if I had said it twice and actually been fine?" Pyrrha immediately asked as she turned away from the peering eyes.

"Well, you probably wouldn't have asked that." Ruby beamed, feeling almost triumphant with the detective work.

Pyrrha cringed at the response. It was prevalent now that there was something wrong. She had practically confirmed it. However, being discovered didn't change that this was something she couldn't involve Ruby in. She didn't want to involve anyone else. Even so, Ruby was only a friend. She wasn't her partner or even her teammate. She was probably only asking out of obligation. There was nothing more to-

"I want to help."

She turned to face Ruby again. Eyes so innocent and warm looking back at her.

"Please... Let me help."

They were soft but comforting words and every bit as genuine as the girl she knew Ruby to be. Pyrrha was upset at herself for trying to think otherwise. Looking back to the leaf that had fallen at her side, she closed her eyes shut before taking a deep breath.

"I don't know what to do." she said quietly, almost shakily.

"That's why I'm here." Her friend answered immediately.

Pyrrha nodded her head again, a small smile graced her face before disappearing. She looked off in the distance again to watch the shuffling of the trees and brush. The leaves falling and drifting away.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

From Ruby's perspective, the question was a random one, and Pyrrha was sure the girl next to her had no context to it or the meaning behind it. Of course she wouldn't. She had no idea what was going on.

"Destiny?" Crimson hair shuffled as her head dipped down. "I haven't really thought about it." She pressed her hand against her chin contemplatively, giving the question honest thought.

Unsure of whether to let Ruby think it over or continue on, she herself thought of how she viewed destiny. What she believed destiny to be. She decided to continue.

"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."

Ruby looked to Pyrrha in curiosity, mulling over her words. "Something you work towards..." the girl repeated quietly.

"So..." Pyrrha continued. "What would you do if something came along that you never expected..." She faced Ruby once again, her emotions beginning to express themselves. "Something that had the potential to stand between you and your destiny."

"But, Pyrrha-"

"Or, what if you could suddenly fulfill your destiny in an instant but at the cost of who you were?"

Ruby extended her arm to the girl. "Pyrrha, that doesn't make any sense-"

"None of it makes sense!" The frantic girl shouted as she stood up abruptly, refusing the comforting hand. "This isn't how things were supposed to happen." Pyrrha wrapped her arm around herself as she retreated away.

"Pyrrha, wait!" Ruby shot up after her, trying to catch her before she could leave. She didn't expect her to suddenly stop in her tracks, standing aimlessly with her head hung low.

"I've always felt as though I was destined to become a huntress." She spoke solemnly. "To protect the world-" An empty sigh escaped her lips. "-and it's become increasingly clear to me that my feelings were right."

She shook her head slowly, holding back the emotions welling within her. Letting her arms drop to her side, she stood up straighter and turned back to face Ruby once more.

"I don't know if I can do it." Pyrrha finished almost matter-of-factly. She looked Ruby in the eyes, seeking any form of reprieve from what was tearing her apart. However, she herself had no idea what she wanted as an answer, nor did she know what answer she would need to feel sane again.

"Then don't..."

There was a moment of silence when the words were spoken. They were soft but clear and it cut through Pyrrha's conscience like a knife. Her eyes shot wide, utterly surprised by the response. Ruby on the other hand showed no conflict with the answer she had given. The younger girl took a few steps closer to her friend before taking her hand into her own, determined to help Pyrrha in any way.

"I... I don't know what it is that made you feel like it's out of your control-" Ruby made sure to look Pyrrha in the eye as she tightened her grip. "-but you can never let yourself think there's no other way."

Ruby's words sounded so definite and her expression resolute. The older girl was unsure of what to say, only feeling the warmth in her hand as Ruby took in a deep breath before continuing on.

"You... you said it yourself..." She paused for a moment to coordinate her thoughts. "You said that destiny was a final goal and it was something you work towards. This... this means it's in your power how you finally reach that goal."

It was her choice.

"Whatever it is that you think is in your way or might make the whole thing go by quicker but you don't want to do it... you don't have to do it. You don't- you don't have to let either be the final option."

Silent throughout Ruby's monologue, she could see Ruby was having a difficult time trying to make rhyme or reason to the explanation she was giving. However, she could feel in the girl's grip that she was trying the best she could to explain herself. Suddenly, she started feeling those delicate hands tremble.

"Mom- my mom..." she clarified quickly, inhaling before slowly exhaling a shaky breath. Ruby's hands steadied. "Mom was away a lot... Like... a lot, a lot. And..." Another momentary pause to alleviate her trembling. "I get that it's a hunter thing to go on missions and stuff, but dad wasn't away nearly as often. I don't know if it was because I was little and didn't really get it, but I always wondered why she would go off on her own..."

Pyrrha felt Ruby grip tighter.

"Like... like that's the only thing she could possibly do... I-um, sometimes… sometimes dad would... he'd also be worried and they would go somewhere and talk about it. Most of the time it seemed to turn out just fine." The girl pursed her lips and shut her eyes. "And sometimes... I feel like my mom would look sadder... I never really saw them argue, but I could tell my dad was upset and mom was trying to keep it all in. I once saw when dad had walked away and my mom looked super, super lonely again..."

Lonely.

"-like she was trying to do everything on her own." Ruby's hands loosened which caused Pyrrha to look back down. "When I saw you earlier today, you had the same look."

Shock enveloped Pyrrha once again.

"I... I did?"

Ruby nodded.

"I don't... I don't know what my mom was going through, and I don't know what you're going through right now, but..." Taking another deep breath, she exhaled from her nostrils quickly before giving her friend a look of determination. "-but, this time I'm going to tell you that you don't have to do it alone!" Her words were strong and confident, much like her usual self. "What-whatever it is that you feel like you need to do, you can find another way. I can-can-I can help you find another way!"

The words sounded so simple. They felt so innocent and oh so very simple. However...

"What if the decision I make to turn away leads to more lives lost?" The doubt in her mind taking hold of her once again. Pyrrha could feel the questions seeping through. "Even if it cost me who I am, what if it's the only-"

"It's not the only way!" Ruby shouted at the top of her lungs. Her words so piercing, Pyrrha felt it could have shattered the glass behind them. However, it was all immediately forgotten the moment her eyes caught the shine of tears. "It's not... You-you can't let yourself think there's only one option..."

"Ruby..."

"You... you can't let yourself think that no one can help you." Those silver eyes that stared into her soul... Soft and caring but so familiar with sorrow and pain. "You're not alone. You have friends that can help you find another way..."

Pulling Pyrrha's hand closer to herself, she opened the girl's palm and pressed her finger against hers.

"There's Jaune, Ren, Nora-" Her friend counted Pyrrha's three teammates off her fingers before opening her own palm. "There's also Yang, Blake, Weiss..." She counted off her three fingers before clasping their hands together in a tight grip. "-and me... So... so you're not alone because we're all here, and we all want to help."

The smile she received was the most sincere smile she had ever seen in her life. Pyrrha was unsure of what she had possibly done to deserve such kindness from someone. She was still trying to fathom the words that were spoken to her.

"If... if you were all alone..." a lone tear finally fell from Ruby's eyes. "-then no one can come and save you when you're in trouble..."

This was something Pyrrha had never really thought of. The concept of someone having to save her. It was a conceited thing to think, but it was true. All her life, she'd worked to become a huntress, and all around her, she was credited to being one of the strongest. She had worked so hard to put herself in a position where she didn't need to rely on being protected. It was probably why this whole situation felt so unfamiliar and why her heart and mind felt so torn.

She needed to be saved.

"Thank you…" soft words spoken as Emerald eyes looked down to the friend doing her absolute best to help her.

"Huh?" Ruby looked up, unable to hear the whisper.

"Thank you." Pyrrha repeated. A small smile spread across her lips. "Thank you for saving me."

The young girl's eyes grew wide as she suddenly grew flustered by the gratitude.

"I-um-uh-but I-I didn't really-didn't really do anything. You weren't in any danger, and-and-um- I just-I don't know-I just wanted to help and then I started going on about-oh god- I was talking about my mom and-and now that I think about it, I still don't know what it is that you were-eep!" Ruby shrilled. She hadn't taken notice of the hand that had pulled away from hers only to wrap themselves around her body in a strong embrace, Pyrrha's head nestling themselves in the crook of her neck.

"You've done more than I could ask for, and I thank you." The taller girl stated jovially as her embrace tightened before finally pulling away, watching as Ruby took a few breaths to relieve herself. The girl was unaware of how strong Pyrrha was, with a hug that could match Yang's.

"There's something I have to do. I think it's best I give my answer now rather than later." Pyrrha stated affirmatively. She was still unsure of whether this would be the best decision, let alone the right decision. However, she knew that she had to give her answer, feeling more confident than she had ever been today, or any other day for that matter. "I have to see Ozpin." She turned away from Ruby. "I'll see you at the tournament."

"I can come with you." Ruby quickly replied. Pyrrha immediately halted and faced her, completely taken by surprise after her sound determination. "I don't really have much else to do, and I'm only waiting for the singles match to happen, which doesn't exactly start without you."

Rapidly blinking several times, Pyrrha felt like a fish out of water. "Um... you-you don't have to. I wouldn't want to trouble you anymore than I already-"

"I want to." Ruby cut in. "I want to be there for you if you need me." Her expression the exact same as when she offered to help. It suddenly felt like a simple decision. Smiling back at her, Pyrrha nodded.

"Alright. I'd really like that."

Author's Note: Hello! This will be a two-shot of a "what-if" scenario involving our cute little reaper come to save the day. This was an idea floating in my head for some time now, and wanted to explore how it might play out. While doing that, I inadvertently boarded a ship I see no escaping. This little story will be a simple two-shot, but it will prequel into a whole fluff story with my two favorite socially inexperienced redheads. That's it for now, I hope you enjoy!