Destiny No More

Chapter 16

Beacon had always been symbolic to Pyrrha. It had been her chance to escape the weight of her fame, a symbol of freedom. She had hoped to make friends, real friends who didn't just want her for her name, but she hadn't held any expectations. Her wildest dreams hadn't even come close to what Beacon had ended up giving her.

Pyrrha had made more friends in her short months at Beacon than she had in years back home in Mistral. Friends that she trusted and was able to be herself around. Family. Beacon was a symbol of the life she had come to love and everything that she was willing to train so hard to protect.

It was also remarkably boring alone.

She had spent much of her life alone, not by choice, but she had adapted. She had slowly grown used to the fact. After meeting her friends and team however, it became painfully obvious just how much she despised being alone. She wanted to see her friends, to joke with her team and laugh at Nora's shenanigans, but none of that was currently an option.

Beacon represented everything that she wanted to protect and save, but the days had begun to blend together. Her body was in a permanent state of exhaustion and soreness, her mind set on the one task at hand.

Despite her best efforts, the work was slow. She had made far more progress with the Maiden powers. She was able to manifest some basic attacks now, with complete control of the small amount she used. It wasn't anything like what she had seen Cinder do, but Ozpin had assured her that given time Pyrrha would far surpass anything her enemy could manage. She only hoped they had the time.

That small amount of improvement didn't make her feel any less ashamed of herself for having failed his test, nor the daunting possibility that she wouldn't be ready for when Cinder arrived. It only served as a reminder for why she had to work so hard.

Today was different however. Ozpin had invited her to a meeting with Qrow and Miss Goodwitch about 'moving forward'. The Headmaster had kept his words vague but it didn't take knowledge of the future to know what that meant. They were going to start acting on that knowledge.

Unfortunately Ozpin and Miss Goodwitch were both busy at the moment, since it was a school after all. They were set to meet after classes had concluded for the day. She just had to make it through the rest of the day and she would finally know what the plan was. The anticipation had been building all morning and, in a desperate attempt to distract herself and make the day go by just a little bit faster, she had spent the majority of it in the gym.

While she hadn't been the only one in the gym when she started, as the school day began the other students had cleared out leaving her alone for the most part.

That was, until now.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much." Coco looked down at her with a slight smirk, hands resting on the bench press Pyrrha was currently using. Technically she was spotting her but she didn't appear to be paying it much attention. When exactly Coco and her partner Fox had arrived, Pyrrha couldn't say, but she had been holding a rather one way conversation for the better part of an hour. "What's got you in such a great mood?"

The comment made Pyrrha scowl slightly. She had always been good at putting on a mask in front of people she didn't know, she'd gotten so good at it in fact that it had almost become subconscious. Had her time with her friends really changed her that much? Or was Coco just unusually perceptive?

She ignored Coco's question and returned one of her own. "Why are you here?"

"Study periods for the rest of the day." Fox offered from beside her.

"Then shouldn't you... be off studying?" Pyrrha spoke between clenched teeth as she attempted to push past the burning in her arms. She was close to done with her current set but she was quickly realizing she may have underestimated the weight.