>For what felt like ages, there was nothing but silence.

>When that arrow pierced you... burned you to ash from the inside out, all you knew was pain... and then nothing.

>Which is why you were more than a little surprised to find yourself waking to the sound of a heartbeat... and the sight of the Dragon, unmoving, as though as it was frozen.

>You yourself find it difficult at first to move, a dull ache spread throughout your body as you took in your surroundings.

>Off to one side, you can see your spear and shield, Miló and Akoúo̱, respectively.

>You attempt to pull them to you using your semblance, to no avail, your frustration mounting, a heat boiling up until...

>There is a shrill cry as a small burst of flame explodes beneath the weapon, a twisted mass of volcanic glass remained where the shield and spear were moments before.

>This didn't make sense.

>None of this made sense.

>Looking down, you spotted your headdress.

>Hesitantly, you reach down, grasp it, and freeze, when you realize just whose hand it was gripping your--her-- the circlet.

>You stumble drunkenly, milling about what was left of Ozpin's office, catching a reflection in the broken glass.

>You scream in a voice that is most definitely not yours, and that only frightens you even more.

---

>It was hard to come to terms with... Heck, you still can't even begin to wrap your head around the "how" or "why", but here you were.

>In the body of the woman who killed you.

>How did this even happen?

>You remember a child wearing red... silver eyes-- Ruby. You remember Ruby-- and she...!

>No, that wasn't right... was this what SHE saw?

>Panic set in once more; how could you even remember something you weren't there for? Something that happened after you had... yeah.

>Memories... or fragments of them came unbidden. Memories that you were certain were your own, and ones that you were less certain belonged to you.

>It was all so confusing... so painful.

>You grip the side of your head, attempting to will away the pain.

>You wanted it gone so badly.

>You needed it gone... what could make the pain go away?

>Then it came to you, an image of a young man with blonde hair, the kindest blue eyes you've ever seen, and the warmest, most accepting smile...

>His name... what was his name?

>Tears fall as you try to remember the boy who held such a grip on your heart.

>You had to find him.

>If you found him, surely the memories would come back... wouldn't they?

>The pain would stop... wouldn't it?

>But how?

>Two names immediately come to mind and you reach into your-- HER pocket and pull out a scroll that somehow managed to survive the entire ordeal.

>You were sure they would prove useful...

---

>Things were finally coming together.

>Those two had managed to track down Ruby's ragtag team-- YOUR team... what used to be your team, you reminded yourself.

>You made it clear, much to Emerald's trepidation and Mercury's indifference that this was something you intended to do alone.

>You had thought they were used to this from what you could remember of HER... but then you saw the hint of fear in their eyes.

>You tried to stamp down that feeling of satisfaction you felt when they couldn't... WOULDN'T object to your whims.

>You weren't her.

>You would never BE her.

>You had to believe that.

>Now here you were, watching them gathered around a campfire, huddled close to one another for warmth.

>Nora next to Ren, and Ruby next to... to Jaune.

>They looked happy. Tired, but happy.

>A myriad of emotions surged forth in an instant.

>Sadness

>Anger

>Jealousy

>Happiness

>Confusion

>It was all too much. You clutched your head, fingers brushing against the weathered bronze of your headdress, and--

>It was completely involuntary, and your eyes widened when you heard the telltale shrill cry of your flames igniting, destroying the campfire, blowing everyone back.

>You stepped forward as everyone scrambled to gather their weapons.

>You try to smile, despite the circumstances.

>You'd apologize, and explain some things.

>Surely they'd listen to reason; they were your friends.

>"Hello Ruby... Jaune... it's so good to see you again."

>In retrospect, what you said must have come across far more sinister than you intended, because they were anything but happy to see you.

>Especially-- Oh Jaune...

>Your eyes widen as the look he gives you is nothing short of heartbreaking.

>Those kind eyes, filled with such hate... such pain; and it was all directed towards her... no, towards YOU.

---

>No

>No no no NO

>Jaune, no... why?!

>You didn't mean to... you didn't mean to... you KNOW you didn't mean to.

>It was almost instinctual, how you had reacted.

>Fighting them was the last thing you wanted... but it all came so easily.

>Too easily.

>You tried ignoring this sense of sick satisfaction when you had sent Ruby sailing... right into Jaune's arms.

>The anger... that was much harder to ignore.

>But it paled in comparison to the rage that was etched into Jaune's face.

>Coming at you with a speed that you never knew he was capable of, striking at you with a ferocity that shook you to your core...

>It frightened you... and saddened you to see just how different he was compared to the Jaune you fell in love with.

>It hurt so much, knowing you... the both of you were responsible for this pain.

>You were shook from your thoughts when your face came in contact with the sheath-shield (shielth?) of Crocea Mors.

>Any thoughts of Jaune were drowned out by an overwhelming anger.

>How DARE he!

>Didn't he know who you were? Who he was dealing with?!

>... Who it was he was really fighting?

>His armor had shattered like fine china when her... your Maiden Powers surged forth, striking him dead-on in the chest, burning a hole through his shirt and hoodie.

>What was left was an angry scar on his body.

>You hurt him

>YOU hurt HIM

>No no no no no no!

>You let out a wail that chilled the air around you... and you fled, tears falling freely from your eyes.

>"I'm sorry."

>You couldn't stay there, knowing what you'd done. All you could do was apologize.

>If you had stayed there, perhaps, you might have heard the words spoken by Jaune as he barely clung to consciousness... to life, even.

>"... Pyrrha...?"

---

>It was all falling apart.

>Nothing was according to whatever plan you had in mind.

>You actually believed that you could find Jaune, simply tell him what happened, and everything would be okay?

>Stupid... how could you be so naive?

>Nothing could ever be that simple.

>This wasn't some fairy tale where you would get your prince after enduring hardship after hardship... real life never worked like that.

>You couldn't face them again... not after what you did.

>You definitely couldn't face HIM...

>So you ran.

>You suppress a shiver as you mime washing off nonexistent blood that refused to leave your hands.

>Not her hands... yours and yours alone.

>It hurt, coming to terms with the fact that you did that to Jaune.

>You would continue to run... and against all logic, there they were, at your heels.

>You'd been running for so long, you never really occurred to you why they were really chasing you; you'd assumed it was simply to deliver the justice that she... that the both of you deserved.

>Which is why it was all the more surprising to you when, after they had finally cornered you, and there was no chance for you to escape without a fight, not a single one of them approached you with their weapons drawn.

>To your surprise, and yet deep down you expected it, considering what you remembered of her, Ruby stepped forward.

>"Please, don't run... we just want to talk."

>You study her for a moment, and you can see her cycle through several emotions.

>Sadness, fear, trepidation, hope...

>When you look into those silver eyes of hers, you can see the truth behind those words. You're put at ease...

>At least to the point where they're certain you won't run off on them again.

>Emboldened, Ruby takes one step forward, then another, but stops short when you flinch unconsciously when she reaches toward you, making her stop.

>"That IS you in there... isn't it? Pyrrha? This isn't some trick, right?"

>You're not sure what to think anymore.

---

>After a few agonizing seconds, you finally manage to gather the strength to speak.

>Your voice is tremulous, as if you're afraid you'll betray yourself the moment you start to speak.

>Who are you kidding, of course you're afraid.

>"I... don't know anymore." you admit.

>This time it's Jaune who speaks up; there's a tinge of anger in his tone, but beyond that, you can tell he's concerned.

>"What do you mean?"

>You don't want to believe he could be concerned for you... you lost that privilege a long time ago.

>This time the words come unbidden.

>"There's so much missing, Jaune... I can't tell where she ends and I begin anymore. I'm scared."

>You see him tense for a moment, but he motions for you to continue, regardless.

>"I can't even remember my own mother's face anymore. I don't know how I got these powers... why I... she wanted them, and worst of all, I'm scared I won't remember you... any of you anymore."

>Even as the tears are falling, you continue, forgetting yourself and your surroundings.

>Which is why it was all the more surprising when you felt a hand on your shoulder.

>Not just any hand, but his hand.

>He looks at you, with those kind blue eyes, and that understanding smile, and you can't help but feel your heart melting all over again for the first time.

>God, you must look like a mess... not that he seems to mind, though.

>When you finally stop crying, he takes that opportunity to speak.

>"Pyrrha... do you remember that night on the roof, when I told you why I wanted to go to Beacon?"

>You smile... you really, truly smile as the memory surfaces.

>It's one of the few things you remember so clearly, that you refused to let go of as the rest of your world crumbled.

>"Of course." you say, drying your tears. "More than anything, you wanted to live up to the legacy left behind by your father, his father before him, and his father before him. I remember offering my help, but things had been a bit... complicated back then."

---

>Jaune looks at you-- really looks at you, and not HER...

>And laughs the most genuine, wonderful laugh you've heard in a long time.

>"Complicated didn't even begin to cover it." he says, rubbing the back of his head.

>"You've come a long way since then, though." you say, managing a smile of your own. "Your stance was terrible back then. A gentle breeze probably could have knocked you over."

>While Jaune sputters indignantly at your teasings, Ruby, Nora, and Ren try, and fail to hold back their laughter, earning them the nastiest glare Jaune could muster, given the circumstances... which was about as scary as a cranky puppy, making the laugh even harder.

>Heck, even you couldn't help but giggle yourself.

>"Pyrrha, not you too!" he whines, pouting.

>You can't help but smile.

>Pyrrha... he called you "Pyrrha".

>It never felt so right in all these months as it had now, when that name left his lips.

>"I know, I'm sorry." you say, leaning into him.

>You try to hide your glee when he doesn't pull away, and instead pulls you in closer.

>Everyone else took that as an invitation to dogpile the two of you, and soon enough, you found yourself in a cocoon of hugs.

>After everything that's happened, this feels... right.

>Your name is Pyrrha Nikos.

>You are not Cinder Fall.