Magnetic Connection: Pyrrha Nikos X Male Reader

Vol. 3 Ch. 24 Amber

Your POV

While we were all in the elevator, Pyrrha looked at Ozpin and Glynda as if seeing them for the first time while a steady beeping signaled each floor that passed. Pyrrha spoke up and said apprehensively, "Where are we going?" Ozpin responded, "The vault. Under the school." I felt Pyrrha's hand tighten its grip for a brief second as she looked at me again, the look in my eyes revealing that I had no idea or clue about there even being a vault under the school. She moved slightly closer to me as the elevator continued downward through the long elevator shaft. Eventually it came to a stop and opened its doors, everyone stepped out of the elevator, with Pyrrha and I being the last to leave as we absorbed the sight of the large, sparsely-lit hallway we were now being lead through. Glynda waited up for us behind the others and said, "I'm sure you two must have questions." Still taking it all in, my girlfriend said, "Maybe one, or two... I still don't understand. You said I was next in line to receive the Maiden's power. What do you mean by that?" I nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, what do you mean?" Goodwitch replied, "The Maidens have existed for thousands of years. But much like in nature, the seasons change. No two summers are alike. When a Maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host, ensuring that the seasons are never lost, and that no individual can hold on to that power forever." Pyrrha asked, "So, how does the power choose?" My dad answered her over his shoulder and said, "Through a series of stupid and convoluted rules." Goodwitch muttered, "Qrow." He replied, "Hey, don't get mad 'cause I'm right."

Turning back to Pyrrha, explaining it all carefully, Glynda said, "At first, the only thing that was certain was that the powers were specifically passed on to young women. But as time went on, it was discovered that the selection process was much more... intimate." Concerned, Pyrrha said, "Intimate?" Goodwitch explained, "As we understand it now, when a Maiden dies, the one who is in her final thoughts is the first candidate to inherit her power." My dad continued, "Unless it's a dude or some old hag. Then the power goes to someone random, and our job gets a lot harder." Pyrrha then said, "Why tell me all of this now? Why not wait until I've graduated?" Dad spoke up again and said, "Honestly, we've run out of time. I don't know if you've noticed, but things are getting a lot scarier out in the world. Tensions are high. Grimm are growing stronger, more prevalent. And it's not going to be much longer before the peace we've been enjoying so much goes out the window." I spoke up and said, "You're not... talking about a war?" Ironwood replied, "Not a war between nations." My dad then said, "We can fill you both in on the full details once we know that you're with us. For now, all you need to know is that one of the Maidens has been attacked. And for the first time in history, part of her power was stolen." I could hear a humming of electricity as we came to our destination at the end of the hallway. It was a large machine with lit screens hooked up to two rectangular pods, one of which was upright to show through the glass window a slightly familiar young girl dressed in minimal clothing with a burn scar over her left eye and across her face. Letting go of my hand and stepping forward hesitantly, Pyrrha said, "Is that...?" Ozpin sighed heavily and said, "The current Fall Maiden, Amber." Holding herself, Pyrrha said, "She's... still alive." I tuned everyone out as I had a flashback of when I last saw Amber.

Flashback

1 Year Ago

Dad and I were rushing to Amber, hoping we weren't too late. Dad swung his sword down on the web coming from the one's hand, severing it and causing the three attackers leap back. I quickly caught the unconscious Maiden before she could hit the ground, and the women looked at her hand as the glove burned away into nothingness, leaving only a tattoo of high heels between her exposed shoulder blades on her back. She then looked up with a grin, her right eye now brimming with golden energy, as she got up from her position and raised her arms, embers circling around her. Dad and I could only see her shimmering face for a second before the ground under us started to glow, and we got ourselves and Amber out of the way just as it exploded. We looked back and saw that the three attackers were gone, then my dad and I turned our worried gaze to the marked and comatose face of Amber, then Dad turned to me and said, "This isn't good."

End of Flashback

I focused myself back to the present right as Pyrrha said, "I'll do it." Ozpin looked up, surprised, as she stared at the ground and continued, "If you believe that this will help humanity... then I will become your Fall Maiden." As the others silently turned to each other with wary faces, Pyrrha said, "That's what you wanted, isn't it?" Stepping towards her, Ozpin said, "It is, but I'm afraid it's not that simple. Given Amber's condition, you won't be able to inherit her power naturally. However, General Ironwood believes he has a solution." Ironwood spoke up and said, "For the past few years, Atlas has been studying Aura from a more scientific standpoint; how it works, what's it made of, how it can be used. We've made... significant strides. And we believe we've found a way to capture it." My dad said, "Capture it and cram it into something else. Or in your case..." He gestured to Pyrrha as we both took a second to realize what that meant. She turned to Ironwood and said, "That's..." He cut her off and said, "Classified." "...wrong!" Pyrrha said as she finished her reply. Glaring at Ironwood, Goodwitch said, "The feeling is mutual. But desperate times call for desperate measures." Ironwood continued, "And these are indeed desperate times. We can't transfer Amber's power to you, but we can give you what those powers are bound to." Pyrrha answered, "...Her Aura." Ozpin said, "Her life... would become intertwined with yours. The question is..." My dad said, "What's that going to do to you?" I spoke up and said, "Now I'm still confused about something. Besides the facts that Pyrrha is my girlfriend and Qrow is my dad, what does any of this have to do with me?" Ozpin took a deep breath and said, "Miss Nikos would be better off with a guard if this all works. Someone by her side at all times, being responsible for her safety as a Maiden. It seemed only right for this responsibility to go to you, Mr. Branwen. Especially since you are not only the son of an extraordinary Huntsman and Huntress, but seeing as you and Miss Nikos are already in a relationship, you two being together more often, shouldn't raise any suspensions."

As Pyrrha and I now fully understood the dangers we might face, Ozpin said, "You have an important decision before you, Miss Nikos. There's no guarantee this transfer will work. And there's no telling if you will be the same person if it does. I advise you two to take time on this matter. But understand that before the Vytal Festival is over, we will need your answer." Pyrrha didn't respond, instead she placed her hand on the glass separating the maiden from her potential replacement, seeing her scared expression reflected on the scarred face of the dying girl, before turning away from this expected destiny as Ozpin gives one final warning. He said, "The assailant that attacked the Fall Maiden has made their first move. And there's no telling when their next move will be." Pyrrha looked to me as the two of us walked back to my dorm together in silence.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
Master out.