Dark Symphony (RWBY X Jaune Arc X Sukuna)

Chapter 22: One Destiny

As the days passed and the end of the festival tournament drew near, Jaune spent his time with his father. Jaune found himself frequently embarrassed as his father regaled his friends and team with tales of Jaune's younger, more adventurous and outgoing self. Despite the initial embarrassment, Jaune and everyone around him found themselves thoroughly enjoying the lighthearted stories.

His father, in particular, took delight in teasing Jaune about Pyrrha and the apparent closeness between them. Pyrrha, in turn, blushed at the attention and seemed to have won Jaune's father over, who openly supported the idea of them being together. Jaune could only manage a reddened face in embarrassment, a sentiment that Pyrrha mirrored. The playful banter added a new layer of warmth and camaraderie to the group as they approached the climax of the festival.

As Jaune and the rest of the team encountered numerous individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences, each person bore a different flag and a unique story. The exchange of tales wove a tapestry of memories, bringing everyone closer together. As the final matches approached, the competition narrowed down to one-on-one battles. Team JNPR had to decide who would represent them, and much to everyone's surprise, Jaune declined the opportunity.

Confusion hung in the air as Jaune explained that he had promised Todo to head into town with him to grab some limited edition merchandise of his idol as well dont feel like he would be able to do with with just his hands or his sword that he hardly ever use. Though met with perplexed stares, the team agreed, and Pyrrha was selected to enter the finals. However, Pyrrha's behavior raised concerns... she seemed absent-minded, daydreaming with a vacant expression that worried her teammates.

Jaune, having observed this recurring behavior since the previous day, decided to take matters into his own hands. Before Pyrrha's match, he resolved to check on her and uncover the cause of her apparent distraction.

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"Brother!" Todo hugged Jaune with backbreaking force, expressing his gratitude. "It's good that you got your merch and all, but can you let me go?" Jaune pleaded slightly, and Todo, realizing, released him, much to Jaune's relief.

"Ho~? Seems like Yang, your friend, is fighting some silver-haired kid" Todo mentioned, pointing to a screen on a TV in a shop as they stood in the street.

Watching the screen, Jaune observed Yang's impressive skills and fighting prowess. A slight smile crept onto his face. "She is good" he whispered, feeling excitement welling up just from watching the intense battle. However, something seemed off, especially towards the end. The silver-haired boy crouched down on the ground, seemingly about to get up, when Yang, who appeared perplexed, leaped towards him. She swiftly switched to her shotgun gauntlets and fired straight into his leg, shattering it for everyone to see.

"AHHHH!" The scream from the silver-haired boy echoed in sync with the gasps of the surrounding viewers. It was shocking. Why did Yang do that? She may be hot-headed, but she was also smart enough not to make such reckless decisions. The unexpected turn left Jaune and Todo both bewildered and concerned.

Moments after the injured boy was helped off the arena by the Atlas guards, the screen abruptly switched to an ad.

Todo and Jaune exchanged silent glances, understanding passing between them. With a nod, they left the area and returned to Beacon.

Several hours passed, and Jaune found himself standing in front of Pyrrha, who looked surprised to see him. In the past hours, Jaune and his team had met with Team RWBY to check on Yang. She could only look down at the ground from her bunkbed, and Blake appeared conflicted.