Destiny No More

Chapter 69

"These are amazing!" Nora said, or at least that's what Pyrrha assumed she said. It was rather difficult to tell while her mouth was stuffed with pancakes.

"Nora," Ren sighed from beside her. "Don't speak with your mouth full."

Pyrrha honestly doubted Nora heard him, too lost in her third serving, but the scene was a familiar one. She hid her laughter behind her hand in an attempt to keep her composure.

"You weren't kidding, she definitely loves this place." Yang had taken the seat across from her - her partner sitting next to her - and she seemed equally as amused by Nora's antics, though she made no attempt to hide it. "How did you know?"

"Oh, just a lucky guess." Pyrrha's smile only grew, and now she was glad she had covered it with her hand. She knew Nora better than most of the people currently sitting at the table, other than Ren of course, but she knew it was best to not show that too early and risk driving them away. "I think Ruby mentioned something about it once, and I've come here before with Team CFVY."

"Yeah, well, whatever she told you was probably true." Yang smirked. "Especially how her and Ren are to-"

"Don't spread rumors, Yang." Ren said without letting her finish.

"Aw, you're no fun." Yang crossed her arms over her chest and sat back with a pout that looked entirely too forced. Whether it was or not, Pyrrha couldn't resist jumping in. Maybe spending too much time with Coco had started to wear on her.

"Together, but not together-together?" Pyrrha's smile took on an edge that she knew looked like her friend's. If she had worn a beret and sunglasses it would only have sold the look even more.

Yang's mood did an apparent flip, her pout not falling away but rather being tossed aside as she grinned in a way that reminded her of Qrow. "So you have heard."

Ren sighed, his shoulders falling slightly as he brought his hands to his face. "I don't know who started that rumor, but I fail to see how it's important."

Ren's rather tame response was contrasted by the choking sounds from beside him as Nora seemed to inhale the remnants of however many pancakes she had managed to fit in her mouth. Her face was a subtle pink as she desperately tried to speak, only to involuntarily cough every time she tried.

Pyrrha caught the slightest glint in Yang's eye and knew without a doubt how those rumors had started. Coco had said, before Yang and Ruby had even started Beacon, that the older sister would love the Beacon rumor mill; Pyrrha hadn't actually needed her friend to draw that conclusion though. She had been just as bad before, only this time it seemed Ren and Nora's... relationship was somehow prime news. She couldn't help but wonder why that was?

"Can we please change the subject?" Ren asked desperately, or at least as desperate as his typically neutral voice would allow.

"How have your classes been?" She was all too happy to give her friend an out, even if it had been her to make it worse. Pyrrha blinked slowly, realizing just how much that sounded like something Coco would do.

"Surprisingly well." Ren jumped on the life line quickly. "We are ranked among the top Teams for our year, just below Team RWAN."

Yang let out a single bark of laughter. "Just below might be a bit of an exaggeration. That team is a powerhouse."

Pyrrha winced at the way she said it however. "Pyrrha is a world renowned fighter, she's probably a little bit more experienced than you guys is all."

"Oh yeah, Pyrrha is dangerous, but I'm confident we could beat her if we had too." Yang looked towards Ren. "Our fearless leader has a few good plans he's been working on for the Festival."