Chapter Text
Devilman Crybaby- From here to eternity
Jaune struggled with all his might to exist push the door of the locker room open but to no avail. All he could do was watch helplessly as his partner put in the coordinated to Vale to make sure she would live.
“Pyrrha, please, don’t do this,” he begged. She was the strongest person in their year, the 4 times Minstral Champion in a row. Yet despite all those feats, there was no guarantee that she could win against that woman, Cinder, who defeated the Headmaster.
The sad smile she had showed told him that she knew this as well. "Jaune…I love you…” she said and causing his trashing to stop.
A second later the locker was launched.
No! This can’t be happening!
Jaune punched the door with all his strength, but no matter how hard he punched, the door wouldn’t budge. All he ever achieved was to consume his Aura
Come on! Come on! I can’t let it end like this! I’m her partner. I’m supposed to watch her back!
He kept punching, his fist covered in a white glow. He managed to make a fist-sized dent in the locker.
I can't let her die! I won't! My dream is to become a hero! How can I be a hero if I can save the ones that are important to me?!
The glow grew brighter and his whole body was glowing. He kept punching until he was able to rip the door open. Jaune jumped out of the locker and hit the ground hard, however his aura protected him. He groaned as he stood up and noticed that except for his head, his body was covered in white armor, with a white cape fluttering behind him.
”Jaune! Is that you? Are you alright?” Weiss’s voice came from his scroll.
“Weiss! You’ve got to save Pyrrha! She’s going atop the tower to fight Cinder! You’ve got to save her! Please! I’ll be there as soon as I can!” he said, desperately.
“I will, but what about you?”
“FORGET ABOUT ME!” he roared. He doesn’t matter. Only Pyrrha does.
He grabbed his sword and dashed towards the tower with all his speed. Some Grimm blocked his path and Jaune drew his sword and cut through them without stopping. Some Beowolves and Ursai swiped at him, but Jaune took their hits head-on. He didn't bring out his shield, it would have just slowed him down. He arrived at the front of the tower and from the corner of his eye, he saw Ruby and Weiss battling Grimm and rogue Paladins. Some of those Grimms put themselves between him and his objective.
“GET OUT OF MY WAY!” he roared as he cut them down.
With a mighty jump, he started to wall jump on the tower to reach the top where Pyrrha was fighting. In two minutes he reached the top and he saw her. Battered, bruised and on her knees, but still alive. When she looked at him, he smiled in relief. He had done it. He managed to arrive in time and save her. Suddenly the sound of pierced flesh echoed on the rooftop and he looked in horror at the arrow that was in her chest. He turned his head to the left and he saw the one who did this. Cinder was smiling maliciously at her defeated opponent, her posture screamed arrogance and victory. She didn’t even notice him, which turns out was a mistake. The look of horror on Jaune’s face was replaced with one of absolute anger as the final piece of the armor, the helm, covered his head. He didn’t notice that he poured his Aura into his sword until it glowed white. With a roar he swung his sword at Cinder, releasing a blade beam at his enemy. Cinder saw the attack too late. A large explosion followed and Cinder was blown out of the rooftop. The attack was so great that even the Grimm Wyvern was hit, losing his eye. While the beast roared in pain, Jaune quickly grabbed Pyrrha and jumped from the tower. He used his sword to slow down their descent, almost destroyed the ancestral blade. When they were close to the ground, he pushed against the tower and launched himself forward and broke the remaining fall distance with a roll at the cost of dropping Crocea Mors. He didn’t care. As long as Pyrrha was safe he would gladly give up the weapon. Once he stopped rolling, he sprinted towards the evacuation point with all his remaining strength.
“Hold on, Pyrrha! We’re almost there!” said Jaune.
“Jaune…” she called out weakly.
“Don’t talk. Save your strength.”
“Jaune…” she called again, even weaker. This time she reached out with her hand and touched his armored cheek, causing him to stop and look at her. “I…I’m happy…that I got to see you…one last time,” she said, her hand falling limb and her eyes glossing over.
“No! Pyrrha! Hang in there! We’re so close! Come on!” he said as he desperately shook her, but it was no use.
Pyrrha died.
Jaune stared at her body as his heart shattered, a pain he had never experienced before overwhelmed him. He fell to his knees and let out an anguish filled cry.
Devilman Crybaby- From here to eternity (Strong version)
He didn’t know when he got up and moving again, he didn’t know why he got up, but he figured it had to do with the natural human instinct: survival. His armor has vanished some time ago. Regardless, he got up and arrived at the evacuation site.
Nora was the first to see him. “Jaune! You made it! And you brought…” her words died in her mouth and her eyes widen as she saw the state of his partner: bloodied and lifeless. “No…No! It can’t be!”
“Jaune!” another voice called behind him as Ruby and Weiss arrived. “Thank goodness you’re alright! How’s Pyrrha?" she asked before noticing the looks of people in front of her, all of them looked horrified and shocked. When he finally looked at him, she realized why everyone was on the verge of crying.
Eventually, the dam broke and so did everyone. Nora sobbed in Ren's chest as her partner held her and cried silently. Ruby hugged Weiss and cried in her shoulder, while the heiress put a hand over her mouth to stop the sobs from coming out, but the tears flowed freely from her eyes. Blake was crying too while Sun put a comforting hand on her shoulder while he closed his eyes to stop the tears from coming out.
Jaune was doing his best statue impersonation. He watched as his friends cried while holding onto his partner's body, as numbness consumed him. He felt nothing. If the world were to be destroyed at that moment, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. And in a way, his world had come to an end. Beacon and Vale were destroyed, Pyrrha was dead. What remained? Nothing. Eventually, they had been transported to the safe zone in Vale. He was still cradling Pyrrha’s body as he refused any medical assistance he was offered. Everyone else had left him alone, as each grieved in their own way. Good. He didn’t want to be around anyone. Suddenly, the sound of high heels clicking softly pierced through the silence that surrounded him.
“I…I’ve brought you your sword. You left it near the tower,” she said in a soft voice, that he never would have thought her capable of doing.
He said nothing, he didn't even acknowledge her. Weiss reached out her hand to touch him but stopped when it was close to his shoulder as if a force field surrounded him which stopped her from reaching him. She clenched and unclenched her hand a couple of times as if she struggled against the force field. She lower her hand when she heard footsteps coming their way. She turned and saw Professor Goodwitch with two Atlasian soldiers flanking her.
"Mr. Arc," she spoke professionally, however, Weiss could see the cracks in her façade. After all, one of her students died and despite what people believed Glynda Goodwitch cared a lot about her students. “We need to take Ms. Nikos…body.”
Weiss saw Jaune tense up immediately and pulled Pyrrha closer to his chest. He raised his head to glare hatefully at his teacher and the heiress realized that he wouldn’t hesitate to attack if someone were to take Pyrrha from him.
Professor Goodwitch realized this too. "Mr. Arc," she began softly as she could. "Miss Nikos's parents would like to see her daughter…and plan for her funeral. They deserve to see her."
Jaune lowered his head. She’s right. They deserve to see her and say their goodbyes. She said that she’s from Minstral, but from where, I don’t know. And I’ll never find out again. I feel like I barely knew her. She’s been my partner and I barely knew her. I’m the worst.
He got up with Pyrrha in his arms. “Lead the way,” was all his said.
Glynda accepted this and lead the young Arc towards one of the transports. Jaune was completely unaware of two sapphire-colored eyes that watched him with concern and sadness.
Jaune entered the transport and gently laid Pyrrha in an open cryogenic pod that would preserve her body. The pod closed, but Jaune didn't move. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to let go, to say goodbye. But he had to.
His professor gave his arm a gentle tug to gain his attention. “They need to go.”
He nodded and exited the ship
This is goodbye, Pyrrha, he thought as he watched the ship rise and eventually disappear in the horizon.
Not knowing where to go, he wondered back where he was moments ago.
“Jaune!" a voice called, a voice he could barely recognize. The boy turned and saw what most people describe as an older version of himself. The man had shorter, whiter blonde hair than him, bags under his eyes due to stress and sleep deprivation. He was taller than Jaune and more muscular and wore armor similar to his own. “Jaune!” the man called again when he saw him and quickly rushed to him. “Jaune, thank the gods you are okay!” the man exclaimed as he hugged him.
“Dad…” Jaune whispered, feeling completely tired and broken.
His dad pulled back to look at him and what he saw made him gasp softly. His son's eyes were full of life and happiness, but now they were empty and lifeless. If not for the fact that he was breathing, the boy can easily pass as a corpse. "Jaune…” he said softly before hugging him again.
Jaune didn’t return the hug. He stood there like a statue. And just like a statue, he didn’t feel anything.