ENEMY

Chapter 8: Preparations

In an empty area of Mistral's forest, Pyrrha Nikos, took a seat on a nearby rock, taking a break from her training with Qrow, as she sat down and took a few deep breaths, she set her shield and sword against the side of the rock and her mind quickly thought back to her team and her friends at Beacon. She wondered how they were doing after everything Cinder Fall and her team had done, and also wondered how they were holding up with her not there. She wanted to call them, check and see how they were doing and if they were ok, but Ozpin's orders were that she was not to have any contact with her team until the new school year began, but she... she missed them. She missed Jaune most of all.

She kept thinking back to her kiss with him before she ventured off on what she at the time knew to be a suicide mission, it was supposed to be a goodbye kiss, but it wasn't, she had survived her fight with Cinder and became Ozpin's Fall Maiden, and fulfilled her destiny. However, she didn't expect this, she didn't expect to be taken away from her friends for a whole summer, not even being allowed to speak to them, and that pained her.

"I know that look," Qrow's voice said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Pyrrha turned to him, feigning innocence, "What look?" She asked.

Qrow took his flask out and undid the lid, "You're thinking about your friends, and your missing them," He told her, then he took a sip of his flask.

Pyrrha sighed and nodded, "I am," She said, "I missed them and I don't understand why I can't speak to them?" She asked.

Qrow removed the flask from his mouth and looked over to Pyrrha, "Because the Cinder chick hacked into the CCT tower, so until Ironwood's best tech dogs can wipe the Virus away, no calls, and no text," He told her. "Look, I get it, I miss Ruby and Yang too, and they both could use all the support right now, but you and I, have a job, and that job is making sure your powers don't fall into the wrong hands," He told her.

Pyrrha nodded and sighed, "But isn't there some way I can know how they are doing?" She asked.

Qrow looked at her and saw sadness in his eyes and he groaned, "Ugh... look, If you really wanna know how your little friends are doing, I'll ask Oz how they are, and once I hear back from him, I'll let you know, deal?" The drunk asked.

Pyrrha smiled softly and nodded, "Yes," She replied

Qrow smiled and nodded, "Alright then," he said, "Now, get your stuff, we'll stop by a small town and restock on supplies," he told her.

Pyrrha got up from her rock seat and made her way to her bag, as she did, Qrow looked at her and his expression changed to a gloomy one.

'She's gonna hate us when she finds out about two of her teammates, as well as who her former leader is in charge of now, but Oz is right, we need to focus on her training, and using her Maiden powers,' Qrow thought to himself, 'We don't want her ending up like Amber,' Qrow finished.

He took another sip from his flask and once he was finished, he closed it and put it back in his vest, and he walked over to their small camp, grabbing his things as well.

Meanwhile, back at Beacon, Jaune and his team were in their room with CFVY and Cardin, and FVY and Cardin were speechless from what had just been explained to them, and even Neo and Ilia were a bit shocked at what they had just learned.

Fox looked at Jaune and Coco, "This isn't a joke, right?" Fox asked.

Coco shook her head, "It isn't, if it what, I'd fill Arc up with so many rounds he'd be crapping lead," Coco told him

"He's telling the truth," Mercury said, "Look, I know you guys don't like us, and that's fine, but believe us when we say that Jaune is telling the truth," Mercury finished.