Path Of Blood - 62 Chapter 54

The most selfish choice is always the most available…

For so long… she has believed that she was destined to be one of the greatest hunters and huntresses, It has always been her final goal. Something the has worked towards her entire life.

Pyrrha has been absentmindedly staring at the distance, She kept on sighing even at classes, usually she was the most attentive no matter the subject. She has always kept up the pace.

But most of the instructors ignored all this and left her alone, they were all told by Ozpin to just ignore this.

Except for Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port, they were worried about they’re students..

Oobleck finally found the chance to talk to her after class, “Uh.. Miss Nikos, If I may…”

Pyrrha looked towards his direction, “Yes doctor?”

“It seems that there is something troubling you, if it’s not too much to ask would you mind telling it to this old man, perhaps I may ease your mind even a little bit?”

Pyrrha smiled, she can’t just shrug off his sincere help. She asked him, “Doctor… What are you… you going to do if you’re about to make a big decision that could possibly affect everything around you?”

“Miss Nikos… Everyone has asked themselves that question all the time. Like was this worth it? or What would change if I did this…

But they’re ignoring the most fundamental thing, The people around you… The most important thing is to ask their opinion on the matter. But most of the time, they would be behind every decision you make.”

“But what if the cost is sacrificing who you were… Your whole identity?”

Oobleck was silent, he slowly uttered these words, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Everyone wants the idea of playing hero, the thought of it alone could change how you view things, But they forget the sacrifice those heroes made made to get to that point.

In the acceptance to suffer bravely, their lives had meaning until the last moment, and it has retained this meaning until the end.

Miss Nikos I could only leave this words to you, I hope that you think of these words before you make that decision…”

Oobleck went out of the door and as he opened the door he saw Haruki leaning on the wall, waiting for Pyrrha.

Oobleck smiled at Haruki and walked towards the faculty room.

Pyrrha walked out of the room and saw Haruki, She furrowed her brows and tried to walk away.

Haruki held her hand, “Where are you going?”

Pyrrha shook her head, “Please Haru… I want to be left alone for now.”

Haruki looked towards Her departing back and he sighed.

He silently walked besides her, She glared at Haruki. She ran forward she didn’t want to see him right now. She feared that her decision would waver the longer she stayed beside him.

“Stop following me!!”

“Then stop running away!” He screamed back to her.

“I don’t want to see you right now!! Everytime that I look at you, I waver…” She said as her entire body shook.

Haruki held her shoulders, “Please… talk to me… Rely on me… We’re in this together.”

Pyrrha stared straight into Haruki’s sincere eyes. He held her hand and dragged her someplace private where they could talk.

They walked outside of beacon, and went into the Commercial District.

They sat on a nearby park, Pyrrha sat on the bench waiting for Haruki as he bought the beverages.

“Hey I got you your favorite drink, hope it cheers you up even a little.”

He handed her a Can of Ol’ King Cold Soda. He popped it open and sipped on it, “Well?” Pyrrha smiled, “Thanks…”

She took a sip, the fizz just gets it right on her throat, she shivered from the sheer delight of her drink. She stretched her arms, She breathed deeply.

She took another sip, and finally gained the courage to speak out her thoughts.

“Ever since I was small, I have always wanted to save people as much as I could… because I have witnessed myself the repercussions of the Grimm’s Carnage.

Once I awakened my semblance and showed that I was talented in this particular aspect, it felt like a huge responsibility was thrust upon me. ”

She leaned her head towards Haruki’s shoulders.

“I always thought that… carrying out my duties as a huntress would make it difficult, or even impossible, to even make a decision for myself…

I fear that I would be letting down those who believe in me…

I Donned a mask called the Goddess of Victory… Inwardly I always thought that I could never lose, because I have always been aware on what it would cost once I did.”

Pyrrha looked at the kids playing in the park, she continued.

“So I became a symbol of hope, that I represent the good in people. I became what everyone wanted to be, what everyone wanted to see.

But this, this talk about being chosen to be the next maiden, is just too much!!

I could probably fullfil my destiny to be a great huntress… In one fell swoop, but at what cost!? my personality? my memories? my… my love for you!? How can I accept something so cruel!?

I don’t want to wake up one day, look at your face and feel nothing at all!! But I can’t just turn my back against humanity!

I have a destiny to fulfill… I could sacrifice anything else, just not you… I just can’t…”

She gripped the Hem of her skirt, “Anyone could be under the mask of the Goddess of Victory persona, but they chose me…”

Haruki tightened his grip on her soft hand. He thought to himself, ‘She knows that she’s not the real goddess of victory, just a kid playing super hero.

That… it’s all an act, it’s a teenage girls idea of what a proper huntress should be.

It’s everything Pyrrha wishes she was. It was basically teen angst channelled into her own interpretation of duty and justice.’

She tried to stop the tears falling from her eyes, but like life… they flowed in droves.

“I had no Noble aspirations, I have always believed that my only purpose was to be a huntress and hunt Grimm…

I have to constantly remind myself, why I should fight… When I fought two… it was the first time I fought someone so complex, unlike Grimm they also had something they fought for.

I always knew deep down, Grimm won’t be the only things standing in my way.That one day I would have to take someone else’s life… Even when they have staked their entire existence on that sole purpose or reason.

I would ask myself would I waver? It was answered when I faced her. I choked when I was supposed to deal the finishing blow. She had to do it for me…”

“And when the doubt settled in, it crushed me.

That moment reminded me that I’m just Pyrrha Nikos, not some kind of goddess of victory…

That no one should aspire to be me, because I myself aspire to be like greater hunters. I’m right down there just like any regular people.”

She looked towards Haruki with tears in her eyes, “So why me!? isn’t there people out there much more suited? Than someone like me who is flawed, who makes wrong decisions from time to time?”

Haruki hugged her tight, “If you don’t want to be a maiden you can just tell Ozpin that you don’t want to be one…”

She shook her head, “It’s not that simple! They make it seem that I don’t have any better alternatives, our enemies are stronger that any Grimm that has existed… I want to be able to stand by your side and not be a burden…

But if I had to sacrifice everything just to attain that kind of power, then what’s the point!?”

Haruki Called out to Ars, ‘Hey Ars, can I talk to you? I really need you right now…’

But no response…

He wanted to give Pyrrha a new weapon, a better alternative than becoming a maiden. But sadly Ars still hasn’t responded on his calls. He could only comfort the woman he loves in his arms.

“Pyrrha… I Honestly don’t want you to become the next fall maiden, I really don’t… I would stand in your way if I had to…

But if it’s what you really want to, then I would step aside. I won’t get in the way of what you want to do…”

No matter how much we call out to the Gods for a justification on our current situation, The universe still stays silent.

It is we ourselves who must answer the questions that life asks of is, and to these questions we can respond only by being responsible for our own existence…

In conclusion, Fuck it I’ll do it myself…

Pyrrha buried her face into his chest, she didn’t want to let go, she didn’t want to lose the feeling of comfort, of safety…

Because every time that she is on his arms, she isn’t anyone else just Pyrrha and that’s it. She doesn’t have to try and put up a facade. She could just be herself… nothing more than a normal girl, who yearns for dreams of grandeur and a prince who would treat her well.

But the constant reminder of her failure, the reason why she fights… Her destiny, even if doubt settled in and crushes her. She had to return out of guilt.

What is a hero to themselves?

to them they’re just someone that believes they’re doing the right thing.

A hero is only a hero because people are unable to do what they do, so they uphold them to a higher status such as a hero…

“I had to combine the memories of the fall maiden with myself…

So would that still be me in the end? It scares me, but I don’t want to look away from reality… I have a duty… A destiny to fulfill. I won’t stand back as our opponents grow stronger each day… Who’s to say when everything is going to fall apart. I want to be able to fight back to become strong enough so that I won’t be a burden… but an ally and a lover you could rely on…”

She looked straight into Haruki’s eyes.

Haruki spoke, “I do agree on your sentiments of wanting to be stronger…but the sinners they’re mine to take on…”

Pyrrha shouted, “So you expect me to just stand back!? Haru! you could barely stand your ground against Eris and corvus alone! why do you always carry the burden yourself!? we’re here for you! so stop making decisions on your own! I thought were partners? a team? together through everything that stand in our way? you don’t have to these alone!!”

As she fired of those words she looked at Haruki only to see him smirking towards her. He caressed her head affectionately.

“It’s really hard to make you understand you stubborn girl… you have to say it yourself so you’d get it…”

Pyrrha was stunned. She looked towards Haruki, “Pyrrha… back in my world. I have always believed these words, even after all the terrible shit that I have done. These words has always stuck with me…

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how…

You don’t have to carry this burden yourself. We’re here for a reason, and it’s just not to support every decision you make… It’s also to knock some sense into you when you’re about to make a terrible decision.”

He flicked her forehead as he smirked towards her, “You’re one of the kindest girls that I have met… But you can be so stubborn sometimes. You forget that there are people you can rely on… Me, Neo, Cinder, Emerald, Your team, Team RWBY… there are a lot of people around who would gladly share that burden.

Being a maiden is not the only thing that could make you stronger, It’s by having a reason to fight for… You can have the strength to stand back up, to charge once more into the fray…”

Pyrrha gripped the hands that were wrapped around her, “But… what if an opponent comes, where I have no choice but to take a life?”

Haruki sighed, “Pyrrha, I’m pretty sure you already know this but, to save a life… sometimes you have to take a life. A necessary evil.

But… Necessary it may be evil is still evil, no matter how big or small… it still falls into the same category.

That’s why I admire you for not being able to kill. Always keep that fear, it separates you from those who do evil. It’s a line no one should cross.

I admire that sentiment. I have taken so many, that I don’t know if I’m even allowed to have you guys. I know that I’m never going to be forgiven. But I have to find happiness for their sake and mine…”

Pyrrha nodded her head, she finally gave Haruki a smile. A decision was made at that moment. A resolve… that would probably change her own destiny.

she thought to herself, if destiny won’t cooperate then she would change it her self. She would go against it, no matter how hopeless the situation may be, as long as she has him, and her friends. She would be able to weather this tide.

She kissed Haruki on the lips, and stood up. She stared at The Setting sun, “I have finally decided… thanks Haru. I want to walk home alone, I need to do it myself…”

Haruki smiled and nodded at her, he breathed a sigh of relief and watched her departing back.

He lit up a stick, He slowly breathed in and blew out the smoke. He looked at a tree positioned behind him, “So Miss Eris… Is listening in on other people’s conversation your hobby?”

A shadow slowly appeared from behind the tree, revealing a beautiful woman, Wearing a Leather Jacket and a white shirt underneath, blue jeans and black boots. Her beautiful blonde hair tied into a pony tail. It was the sinner of Pride…