Destiny No More

Chapter 51

Pyrrha looked out over the campus anxiously, today was Initiation. From where she stood, looking out the window of the floor below Ozpin's office, she could see the landing docks where the students would be delivered. An Initiation was held every year and, judging by the relative calm of the professors, it was no Remnant shaking event; it was so much more significant to her however. This had been her initiation. She could see the shuttles in the distance as they departed from Vale, and she knew that her past self would be on one of them. Her team was sitting there, ready to start their training at Beacon and continue their path as Huntsmen and Huntresses; blissfully unaware of what the future held.

Jaune was on one of those shuttles, likely puking his guts out as he tried to struggle through his air sickness. Despite her mood, Pyrrha smiled softly at the memory. He would manage to grow past it in time, though it would never go away completely. By the time of the Breach he at least knew how to force himself through it.

Ruby and Yang were also there and, despite Yang's best attempts to hide it, they were equally stressed out about what was to come. Pyrrha had broken the rules somewhat and warned them what initiation would actually be, giving them some advantage over the other students. She doubted that it would make much of a difference, but if it would help them to remain just a bit more calm, then it was worth the effort.

The fact her friends were arriving should have been cause for celebration, but that celebration had been stolen from her by a simple Scroll message that morning. She wasn't going to be participating in initiation, at least not as a potential student. She would be assisting Glynda and the Headmaster watch over the students in the event anything went wrong.

While she wouldn't have usually minded helping them, it was more the implication that had soured her mood. She wasn't going to be allowed to join Beacon as a first year. That should have been obvious, and it didn't come as any surprise, but it hurt to finally know that for a fact. She had wanted nothing more than to rejoin her old team, partner up with Jaune again, and actually tell him how she felt this time around; it seemed the Headmaster had other plans however.

"I understand you must be mad at him." Glynda walked up beside her, looking out the window at the city. "But he is not wrong. You have already completed your first year at Beacon, there is nothing more for you to learn from it." Pyrrha hummed softly but said nothing. She felt a hand grasp her shoulder softly, causing her to look up at the Professor's eyes. "You can't replace her, no matter how much you wish to."

"She is me, remember?" Pyrrha smirked at the confusing statement, amused by how easily they both understood it, before looking back out the window. "I don't want my old life back... I just want my friends."

"I'm sure you can approach Mr. Arc of your own accord later." Glynda replied.

Pyrrha blushed and stammered. "I-It's not just him!"

"The bonds we make at Beacon can easily last a lifetime, something I have no doubt you will seek to prove." The Professor smiled back at her for a moment, but Pyrrha couldn't ignore the sympathetic look in her eyes. "But you must remember that, while you may have lived through it, that person is not you. It is not your life to live, not any longer."

Pyrrha sighed. "I know, it's just..."

"Young love makes us ignore rational thought." Glynda said, the amusement in her voice was thick enough that Pyrrha could have cut it with Allos were she not so busy blushing like a schoolgirl. "I'm sure you will find a way."

"Can we talk about something else please." Pyrrha begged.

Glynda chuckled softly, a surprisingly warm sound considering how cold the Professor often seemed. "Very well, how about your duties for tomorrow."