Ruby x Jaune (Joy juice)

The young yet quickly maturing Team RNJR had made its way through freezing cold and perilous seas to reach the continent of Anima. The baggage of their hearts weighed heavier than luggage. The Fall of Beacon haunted them in the night like a Geist Grimm stalking its prey. Jaune fought against the terrors of night, training while his team were asleep to escape his nightmares.

He practised his stances, aura control and sword swings until his muscles felt numb. Exhaustion was better than terror. The harder he trained, the deeper he would fall to sleep. Jaune hoped that his training would bury his psyche deep enough for any painful memories to unearth themselves in his dreams.

This ritual became a source of relief. It was his punishment and his means of redemption. Jaune was too weak to perform the only task asked of him by Ozpin in the underground chamber where Pyrrha was taken during the battle of Beacon- keeping watch.

Pyrrha's screams of agony during the transferal of the Fall maiden powers echoed through nocturnal howls of the wind. Jaune looked away from the vast hallway Ozpin ordered him to defend. Jaune was prepared to beg Ozpin to stop whatever hocus-pocus he inflicted on Pyrrha, if only to stop her screaming.

But in his moment of weakness, an arrow flew through the hallway of the underground chamber. Its whistle mocked Jaune. He had one job and he blew it.

The glass cylinder adjacent to Pyrrha cracked. The arrow pierced through it and the previous Fall maiden's chest. Cinder stood in the centre of the hallway, bow in hand. A rush of wind and orange rays blasted towards her- the air was hot like a funeral pyre, announcing the **** of Amber and the coronation of Cinder as the new Fall maiden. This destiny that was meant to be Pyrrha's, robbed in seconds because of Jaune's incompetence.

Pyrrha would sacrifice her life in a futile attempt to right Jaune's wrongs. The stirring of the midnight breeze pushed him to live on and go further than before. Not to be sorry, but better. His spirit could not be broken again. His mind could not remain weak. His body could not wither and die before living up to the legacy of his forefathers. However, the winds were not enough to hold Jaune together.

Jaune would often play a recording of Pyrrha giving him instructions for training by himself. She recorded back during their first semester. Listening to Pyrrha's voice was soothing. However, seeing her face was torturous. He wept alone for many nights... How his team would react to seeing him emotionally distraught and swinging his sword about in the night never occurred to Jaune...

One night while team RNJR were camping, Ruby awoke in fright upon hearing Pyrrha's voice in a dream. While awake, Ruby faintly heard the recording of Pyrrha's voice playing in the background. Jaune chose to practice a little too close to his team tonight. Ruby could hear his sword swings too.

Ruby decided to check in on Jaune. She hid behind a tree to observe Jaune in the distance. His breathing was heavy, implying that he had been at this for a while. As Pyrrha's recording neared its ending, it seemed as if Pyrrha wanted to make a confession. However, she chose to focus on how happy she was to be part of his life.

"I'll always be here for you Jaune," Pyrrha says from across time.

Where Jaune sought comfort, he found pain. Ruby saw Jaune's brokenness in his composure.

Pyrrha's recording reached its end and began rewinding itself back to the beginning. Ruby contemplated making her presence known to Jaune. Interrupting his training could be in bad taste. Or maybe, it's just what he needed.