14 Chapter 11: Take the First Step!

(AN: As Natsu once said...

All right! I'm all fired up now!)

Previously:

Jaune: Hey... I'm Jaune.

Weiss: (handing the pamphlet to Alice) Read this and try not to talk to me for a while, my head hurts.

(Linebreak) (AN: This is for you, @AstralJuggernaught)

(3rd Person POV:)

???: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

Kirito groans as he slowly opened his eyes, everything looking blurry.

???: Wake up, lazy butt! (dashes to the side)

To his left, a guy gets up with a groan as a VERY loud girl hounds him.

???: (singing) It's morning! It's morning! It's morning! It's morning!

The guy sighs again as he waves her off.

???: Nora, you're too loud. You're probably disturbing others.

Nora: (excitedly) Boo, you're no fun, Ren! Besides, I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours! Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean, you're the perfect student and I'm... well, I'm me! But it's just crazy, you know? I mean...

Kirito: Mhm, I guess it's time to wake up. I don't want to...

Alice: (groggily) Do we need to wake up?

Kirito: Mhm, carry me.

Alice: Shouldn't you be carrying me? I'm the girl after all.

Kirito: After dealing with your teasing, I can now say I am a full believer in gender equality.

Alice: (sighs) Fine, but only for a little bit.

Alice gently picks him up as he hangs over her shoulder, piggyback style. Normally, he would be embarrassed, but he was too tired to care.

Kirito: Looks like Ruby and Yang left without us already.

Alice: C'mon, let's go get ready.

(Timeskip with... DIO! Oh Sh- ZA WARUDO!)

Kirito and Alice walked towards the lunchroom, passing by the two who were talking earlier.

Nora: We've been friends for soooooooo long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well, not "together-together..." Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you are handsome, but that'd just be weird, right?

Ren: Eat your food, Nora.

Nora then proceeds to cram her mouth with a bunch of pancakes.

Nora: (muffled through her food) Right! What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together! (slurps up more pancakes) Oohhhh! We should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No, that won't work. He owns the school.

Alice: Those two are interesting. Did you check their stats?

Kirito: Yeah, and they're pretty strong. Almost as strong as Yang, but strength isn't everything.

Ruby: Alice! Kirito! Over here!

The duo walk over to where Yang and Ruby were, greeting them.

Alice: Morning!

Kirito: Mmph.

Yang: Back atcha.

Ruby: Kirito! Where were you going earlier?

Kirito: Me? Oh, nothing, just something I was thinking of.

Kirito: (thinking) I can't tell them that I know what the initiation is going to be. That would be bad since I have something for that.

Alice: Come on! Let's eat already!

Kirito: Hai hai.

(Timeskip brought to you by Kurumi. Eleventh Bullet: Yud Aleph!)

Kirito and Alice stand, waiting for Yang and Ruby to grab their weapons, as they overhear Ren and Nora once again.

Nora: I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal! (gasps) A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth?

Ren: (finally replying) Nora?

Nora: Yes, Ren?

Ren: (sheathing his weapons in his sleeves) I don't think sloths make a lot of noise.

Nora: (thinks about this for a moment) That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together!

Ren: (smiling and shutting his locker) Come on Nora, let's go.

Nora: Not "together-together..." (giggles)

Ren heads out while a skipping Nora follows, passing Ruby, Yang, Kirito, and Alice as they are busy readying themselves.

Ruby: Wonder what those two are so worked up about?

Yang: Oh, who knows? So, you seem awfully chipper this morning!

Ruby: Yep! No more awkward small talk or "getting-to-know-you" stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking. (strokes Crescent Rose as she sighs happily)

Kirito: You gotta remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people.

Ruby: (sighs in frustration) You sound like my Dad! (shoves her weapon into the locker) Okay, first of all: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!

Alice: (under breath) You're still short.

Yang: But what about when we form teams?

Ruby: (suddenly nervous) Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something... Maybe Kirito? Alice could work too...

Yang: (Bringing her hair around her shoulder and stroking it) Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?

Ruby: My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?

Yang: What? No! Of course, I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell!

Ruby: What the-?! I don't need to 'break out of my shell'! That's absolutely-

Jaune: Ridiculous! (suddenly walking in between the sisters, holding a map and looking lost) There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?

Kirito: Hey Jaune!

Jaune: Oh! Kirito! Can you help me out?

Jaune and Kirito pass by Weiss and a red-haired girl as they ready themselves at their lockers.

Weiss: So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!

Pyrrha: Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may.

Weiss: Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together.

Pyrrha: Well, that sounds grand!

Weiss: Great!

Suddenly, a thundercloud appears as Weiss adopts a scheming pose along with a manic smile in her head.

Weiss: (thinking) This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now! All I need is Kirito- Wait! Why am I thinking about him?

Jaune: (coming between them and interrupting Weiss' train of thought) You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you.

Weiss: (irritated) You again?

Kirito: Weiss? How are you doing?

Weiss: (mood change) Kirito? I didn't see you there!

Jaune grumbles as Pyrrha lets herself be seen.

Pyrrha: Ooh, new people? Nice to meet you guys!

Jaune: Yeah, yeah. (pushes Pyrrha aside and talks to Weiss, posing slightly) So, Weiss, couldn't help but overhear you talking about me the other day.

Weiss: Oh, you've got to be kidding me!

Pyrrha watches them both with a hint of jealousy as Kirito introduces himself.

Kirito: Sorry about him. He's a bit of an "interesting" person.

Pyrrha: (hand over her mouth) Oh I'm sorry! My name is Pyrrha! Pyrrha Nikos!

Kirito: Hice to meet you. My name is Kazuto Kirigaya, but you can call me Kirito.

They both stood there and watched awkwardly as Jaune and Weiss continued to talk.

Jaune: Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?

Pyrrha: (getting Jaune's attention) Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so-

Jaune: You don't say. (advances on his new target) Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team.

Kirito: (thinking) I may be dumb about love, but I can tell Pyrrha has some sort of affection for him.

Weiss: (separating the two) Jaune, is it? And Kirito? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?

Jaune: Not in the slightest, snow angel.

Kirito: Sorry Weiss, but not really.

Weiss: This is Pyrrha.

Pyrrha: Hello again!

Kirito: Hi!

Weiss: Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum!

Jaune: Never heard of it.

Kirito: (takes on a confused look)

Weiss: (scoffs) She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!

Jaune: The what?

Kirito: (Steam coming out of his ears out of overthinking)

Weiss: (waving her arms rapidly in anger) She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!

Kirito: (Starts squatting while scratching his head)

Jaune: (gasping suddenly) That's you?! But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!

Pyrrha: Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you.

Weiss: (appearing as the box design crumbles behind them) So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?

Jaune: I guess not... Sorry... (hanging his head)

Kirito: Sorry Weiss, but I need to disagree.

The other three turn around to see Kirito, each with different expressions.

Kirito: It doesn't matter who you are or what kind of background you have. To me, it all depends on how they act overall. So far, Jaune appears to be a nice guy, though a bit clumsy, but he has leadership skills.

Jaune: (immediately brightening back up) D'oh, stop it Kirito! You're making me blush.

Kirito: Besides, I don't Pyrrha is too happy with how you keep flaunting titles like that. What if she wants to talk to someone normally, and not with them acting towards her like a celebrity?

Pyrrha's eyes slowly start to widen as her eyes begin to turn moist.

Weiss: I suppose you are right, though I don't think he would be the best leader or hunter.

Kirito: (smiling) Isn't that what we are all here for?

Weiss began to furiously blush as she looks away.

Jaune: Sounds like we all could make a team if Pyrrha is correct. What about you?

Weiss: (slightly disgusted) All right, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?!

Jaune looks back just in time to see a spear strike him, sending the would-be leader flying off.

Pyrrha: I'm sorry!

An announcement plays on the intercom system.

Glynda (voice only): Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.

Weiss passes Jaune as he hangs from the wall of a locker on her way out. Pyrrha follows her, grabbing her spear and dropping Jaune to the ground.

Pyrrha: It was nice meeting you!

Jaune: (slumping against the locker) Likewise...

Pyrrha: Oh! Kirito! Can you come with me real quick?

Kirito: Sure!

The two walk away as Ruby, Yang, and Alice approaches the now fallen Jaune.

Yang: Having some trouble there, lady-killer?

Jaune: I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?"(accepts Ruby's offered hand and uses her to lift himself back up)

Alice: "Snow Angel" probably wasn't the best start.

Ruby: Come on, Jaune, let's go.

Alice: Wait! Where's Kirito?

Ruby: We can meet up with him later! We need to go or we will be late!

Ruby leads Jaune out of the locker room by supporting him and his damaged self-esteem, while Alice and Yang trail behind.

Meanwhile, with Pyrrha and Kirito.

Kirito: So... Did you want to talk?

Pyrrha: Yeah! How did you know about...

Kirito: The fact that you didn't want to be looked at like a celebrity?

Pyrrha nodded her head.

Kirito: Well, you kinda had a look in your eyes whenever Weiss mentioned any titles like you wanted to talk like a normal person.

Kirito: (thinking) And that's what you said during the anime, or at least that's what I remember.

Pyrrha's eyes then start to tear up, causing Kirito to panic. He may not be as shy as he was back when he first met Alice, but a girl crying was something he didn't know how to deal with.

Kirito: I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong?

Pyrrha: No! In fact, this helps me a lot! I've always wanted to... talk to people normally. No worship. No staring. Just a straight conversation.

Pyrrha then walks over to him and gives him a big hug, causing Kirito to blush, but a lot less than usual.

Kirito: (thinking) I've gotten too used to Alice.

Pyrrha: Well, I think we should go now, initiation should start soon. If you ever need to talk to me, don't hesitate! You will always be my friend, and I'll always be yours.

Pyrrha then started to walk off, with her spear/javelin and shield. Kirito watched her disappear around a corner before he remembers the future.

(flashback)

Cinder pulls back the arrow, lowering the bow to aim at her weakened opponent. Nearby, Ruby finally reaches the top of the tower, landing in a kneeling position. She looks upon the scene, seeing Pyrrha sitting with her eyes closed, accepting the fate that awaits her. Cinder fires the arrow, which plants itself directly in the center of Pyrrha's chest. Ruby watches in horror as Pyrrha gasps in pain, the wound in her chest emitting a red glow. Cinder approaches her fallen foe and places a hand on Pyrrha's head, using her Maiden powers to flash incinerate her. Pyrrha instantly ceases all movement and sound, her body glowing orange and then scattering as embers. Her headdress remains in Cinder's hand, and the villain drops it on the floor, smashing it with her foot.

(flashback end)

Kirito clenched his hand as it slowly shakes. He then looks towards where Pyrrha was last at before making a vow.

Kirito: Pyrrha Nikos, I swear that I WILL save your life, as a friend, a fan, and as someone, you can rely on. I swear it on my life. But first...

Kirito looks at the vast forest in front of him and mutters something under his breath.

Kirito: (grinning) Time to go all out, and show them all my power.