Chapter 4

Sweat beaded off Pyrrha's forehead as she paused in her push-ups. There was a noise, a creaking, coming from down the hallway. Quickly, she threw off her sweaty shirt into the corner of the room and wiped a towel over her face, diving into her bed moments before the door opened.

"Pyrrha, it's time to get up." Her mother called to her from the doorway. Pyrrha called back what she hoped was a convincingly sleepy groan and waited for the door to shut. Only it didn't. Footsteps made their way into her room and were followed by the disappointed sigh of her mother. "Oh Pyrrha, you know you're not meant to be training like this."

The truth discovered, Pyrrha looked up from her covers to see her mother standing with disapproval over the shirt she had thrown away. It had missed the basket she'd been aiming for and landed on the floor next to it instead, a neat display for her mother to see. Pyrrha hunched in slight shame at the sight.

"I woke up and was restless." It was the same excuse she always used, and her parents had stopped having as much sympathy as they used to for it.

"Uh huh. And what about the nighttime workouts? Don't think I can't hear your jumping jacks each night."

Pyrrha cringed at realising her mother only knew a fraction of the exercise she was getting up to each night. "I sleep better when I'm tired, I'm just trying to get better rest."

"You're not resting at all." Her mother came and sat on the bed, grabbing Pyrrha's chin when she tried to look away. "Look at these bags under your eyes, you're not getting enough sleep. We've been telling you to take it easy on the exercise. We agreed to let you do one workout a day in the gym, since we know it's important for you, but all of this extra stuff? You wake up and you're working out, you sneak in push-ups and pull-ups whenever we turn our back. You've got your big workout and you're doing training at nighttime too. This is too much Pyrrha, you spend every moment you can practicing."

"I feel better when I train." Her defence was weakened by the fact that she couldn't look her mother in the eye, but it was all she could muster.

"Speaking to the therapist is meant to help too, but you haven't gone to a single session. Not even through a scroll call. Pyrrha please, the doctor advised t gone to a single session. Not even through a scroll call. Pyrrha please, the doctor advised you to rest so you can recover from what happened, I don't want to see you hurting yourself."

"This is how I recover mom!" Stubbornness was a trait few seemed to recognise Pyrrha had, but it was how she had become a champion fighter in the first place. "I feel better when I'm in control, and doing all of this gives me that control. Each night I… I have those same dreams." Dreams of fire. Of Beacon overrun. Of dying… "I don't feel safe when I sleep. When I hold Milo and Akouo, that's when I feel safe."

The words were a lie. Holding her weapons didn't feel like enough. Wearing her armour didn't feel like enough. As her alterations continued, she only felt better as she buried herself deeper and deeper behind metal, then used that to batter away at her target. Never safe, but better.

Her mother softened. She was never strong enough to push her daughter the way she wanted to, always too willing to bend and comfort. But her concern was strong, and it was eating at her every day.

"Just… please consider the therapist at least dear." She pulled her daughter in for a hug, gently stroking her hair and savouring the returning embrace. When they pulled away, Pyrrha looked a little better at least. No longer so ashamed, yet still so tired and dull. "Come on, your flight is in a few hours, you need to get dressed and ready."

Most of her belongings had been packed already, and Pyrrha had long since prepared a travel bag for such occasions, but there were a few things she would need to collect. She'd left a few designs to be printed overnight, she'd have to pack those before she left. Most of her travel clothes had been prepared already, and she had an outfit set aside for her travel, something warm and comfortable that hung on the wall.

Rising from the bed, she put her sweaty shirt back into the basket and made her way into her ensuite bathroom, taking a quick shower to wash off the sweat before she began eying her figure. She was definitely toning more, and she felt much stronger too, but her eyes drifted over to the bags her mother had seen. She really did look exhausted.

And she was. Nightmares plagued her always, and unless she worked herself to the point of passing out, she got no rest. But she didn't have a choice, she needed to get stronger, and she needed to continue her training. She pulled a makeup set from one of the bathroom drawers and set to work hiding away her bags.

_/\_TIG_/\_

"Call us as soon as you arrive!" Pyrrha had lost count of how many times her mother had told her that now. Call them when she arrived, has she got all her bags, has she got her ticket, don't talk to strangers without her agent, keep wrapped up when she arrives, on and on her mother went as if she'd never travelled before. Though Pyrrha would never complain about the many hugs she likewise insisted on.

"I will mom." Pyrrha reluctantly began to pull herself out of the hug, sharing a quick one with her father before grabbing her bags. "I have to go, my flight is leaving soon."

"Ugh, fine. I always hate this. Go on, before I start crying." Her mother shooed her on with a forced smile, and Pyrrha smiled back with bags in either hand.

Azuli walked with her as they passed quickly through security. Licenced Huntsman and Huntresses could travel without too much hassle, and student got some leeway with weapons and ammunition, but as someone not technically in a in an academy yet, the most allowance she got was the ability to send her weapons through ahead of time as they were inspected thoroughly. Azuli had handled much of that for her already, and they were able to collect the rest of her belongings without issue.

"Your makeup needs work." Azuli said as the two sat down, the woman already pulling out her own makeup set and applying touch ups. "I can see those bags you're trying to cover, it's not blended in correctly. Maybe I need to stop prepping you myself for interviews, make you get some more practice instead." She held Pyrrha's chin with one hand and a brush in the other.

"I didn't think I did too badly." Pyrrha defended, though more detailed makeup had never been her strong suit. Azuli was right, she had become spoiled having all the difficult work handled for her.

"Blush, eyeshadow, you can do those just fine. Concealer like this looks like you just wiped it on with your finger." Pyrrha muffled a giggle as Azuli worked. "But come on, why are you trying to hide this anyway, there's no way this can fool your mother."

"I… It didn't need to convince her, not really. But if it wasn't so obvious then maybe she wouldn't be as stressed."

"Your mother is always going to worry about you Pyrrha, you can't hide away the signs with a little bit of makeup." She finished her admonishment with a snap close of her kit, putting it away without letting go of Pyrrha's chin. "So, do I need to ask, why the bags? I thought you were meant to be on nothing but bed rest?"

"I can't sleep at night. I've been training whenever I can, it helps me…"

Azuli let go of her chin and held her hands up in mock surrender. "Don't worry, I won't judge. I've known plenty of people who've had trouble with sleep, feeling unsafe, always paranoid that someone is leering at them… This isn't a wholly safe industry and you know that, sometimes things happen. I won't say it's the same as whatever you're going through but, I understand."

Their flight was called, and Pyrrha kept silent as they boarded the ship. She was surprised when they entered into a private cabin as part of first class, expecting an ordinary seat and having not paid much attention to her seat number.

"A welcome gift from the Schnee's. I chose the flight and they paid for the cabin, a good thing too since you need the sleep." She set the bags down and took out a bottle of water and two little white pills. "Sleeping tablets, they'll knock you out for the flight and you can catch up on some of that rest you need."

Pyrrha flinched back as she held them out. "I don't want to sleep. The nightmares I have-"

"You won't dream." Azuli cut in, without any judgement. "It won't be pleasant, it'll be a murky grey sludge of a sleep and you'll wake up feeling a bit uncomfortable, but they help, trust me."

Pyrrha looked at the pills uncertainly. She didn't really want to do it, but memories of those constant nightmares had her reaching out to take them. Gulping down a mouthful of water, she sat on the edge of the cabin bed.

"You had those on hand. They're yours aren't they?"

Azuli didn't say anything at first, only finishing stowing away their bags before she began to lower Pyrrha to lay on the bed.

"Like I said, sometimes things happen in the industry." She pulled the blanket over Pyrrha. "Rest now, we'll be in Atlas before you know it."

For the first time since Pyrrha had died, she didn't dream of that moment. Azuli had been right, it was like trying to stare through a fog in her mind. She wasn't rested, not really, but it felt better than what had become her normal wakeup. That feeling of panic, fear, regret, and shame.

But she was a slow start for waking up, the pills having not fully worked through her system by the time they arrived. Only small moments stuck with her, from disembarking and collecting their bags, to being met by a driver to take them. She didn't even register for some time that they were distinctly not heading towards a hotel in the city.

"Mr Schnee has offered to host you in the mansion itself." The driver explained as they came near. "Other guests will be arriving throughout the day, but most will arrive tomorrow for the gala itself and stay the night then. If you would like to visit the city, we can arrange for a car to take you in and pick you up."

"Thank you, I'll have to think about it." Polite, practiced, and totally fake, she spoke the way she had been trained to and winced mentally. She was meant to be dropping all of this, yet it was so ingrained in her she couldn't not talk that way. What she had wanted to say was to not worry about it, that she would either be training or sleeping. But of course, such a thing would be rude. She soothed herself by pretending it was for Azuli's benefit, to not ruin her agent's reputation before she moved onto foster another talent.

Their arrival at the mansion was not met with much fanfare, relative to what she had expected anyway. There were people ready to greet them and take their bags, and the head servant was standing at the ready with a big, almost genuine, smile on his face.

"Welcome Miss Nikos, the Schnee household is so happy that you have finally been available to attend one of our wonderful gala's. My name is Klein, and if you'll follow me I'll take you to your room."

"Yes please, thank you." Azuli stayed quiet, making no comment about her lack of greeting which was not new. As she had often told Pyrrha, until the time came for networking her job was to fade into the shadows. People wanted to see Pyrrha Nikos, not her agent, she would involve herself when the right opportunities presented themselves.

If Pyrrha wanted to say anything, her breath was taken away when she saw the inside of the mansion. She had seen opulence before, but it was at hotels and ballrooms, not someone's very own house. This was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Decorators were still at work, tidying everything to perfection in subtle yet notable displays of wealth and power. Musicians were arranging their instruments and testing the acoustics, as there was apparently to be live performances as people walked through the front door. Caterers were not laying out food but were preparing tables and coordinating planned courses and h'ordeuvres for the gala the next day.

"The Schnee manor will be taking on an additional 20 guests over the duration of the day, just over half have already arrived." Klein explained as they walked through one of the many hallways. "Feel free to wander the manor grounds freely, though please forgive the preparations that will be happening throughout the day. Staff will be occupied for much of the day, and tomorrow, however meals will still be prepared as requested and you may ask them any questions you may have. Though we ask you to be considerate for both their time, and their perhaps limited experience, many of the staff members you see today may be recent hires or from external companies." He paused as they reached one of the rooms and tapped his scroll against the door to unlock it. Stepping aside as one of the two assistants carrying their bags moved inside. "This will be your room Miss Nikos, we have sent a digital key to your scroll along with a map should you get lost. Simply keep your scroll on your person, and the door will unlock. If you have any questions, there is a digital display by the front door which includes an FAQ, directions to any of the manor's facilities, room service requests, and more. There will be a dinner tonight at six, with the Schnee family in attendance, a little pre-gala get together if you wish."

Pyrrha stepped inside and gazed around the room, one she could almost say was the size of her living room, and complete with its own en-suite and wardrobe, as well as the massive bed and tv.

"We hope you enjoy your stay, Miss Nikos." He turned from her and acknowledged Azuli directly for the first time since their arrival. "Please, follow me Miss."

They left, and Pyrrha took a moment to breath in the wealth that dripped from every pore of the room. In Beacon, Pyrrha and Weiss were undoubtedly amongst the richest students there, with Weiss an heiress and Pyrrha a celebrity of sorts, but the difference between the depths of their wealth had never truly been apparent to her until now.

Except, this was Schnee wealth, not Weiss'. Pyrrha remembered the moment at the tournament where Weiss had been cut off from her funds. She unpacked her belongings as she mused on what she would say when she saw Weiss. How could she prepare Weiss for what was to come without the girl even knowing her first? Be prepared to kill and let go of your prejudices before you start arguing with your faunus teammate? Yeah, that would go over well.

Her bags were unpacked quickly, the longest time spent on her weapons and armour. She pulled apart her weapons and gave them a thorough service, sharpened the blade, polished and cleaned her armour, and inspected her ammo as she struggled to come up with a plan of what to say to Weiss. In the end, she decided to give up. Her first true day at Beacon, she had decided to let the chips fall where they may, and that had led her to her wonderful team and being partners with Jaune.

This time, she would do the same.

She killed time before dinner by making a call to her parents, then taking a walk of the manor and returning to her room to exercise before a thorough cleanup. Azuli arrived while she was showering and had taken the liberty to prepare a dress for her. Red like her dance dress, but more fancy.

"Does the neckline really need to be this low? You remember I'm only seventeen, right?"

"It's the style Pyrrha, it's not about sex appeal. And stop frowning, you're going to ruin your makeup." Azuli admonished without pausing her work on her hair at all, though Pyrrha continued to frown as she looked herself over. "This shows about as much cleavage as your armour, and you've modelled in that, what are you so worked up about?"

"I don't have to have dinner with people in my armour. It's usually an interview or I'm hitting them, this feels different, like I'm on display." Vulnerable was the word she wanted to use. She felt too exposed, wanting to hold her own arms as a shield.

"Don't worry, the people who have arrived here today are going to be on their best behaviour. Tomorrow, during the gala, maybe some people will get a little looser with the drinks flowing, but we'll do something else then. Tonight is just about making a good impression on the Schnee's with the latest fashion." Azuli stepped away from her, making a final check before she sighed in satisfaction. "And done."

Pyrrha eyed the bun in the mirror. A bit different from how she normally wore it, and she had so many hairpins in that she could almost feel them even without her semblance, but as always it was good work. "Thank you Azuli. Shall we go?"

Azuli paused to do a final check on her own makeup before she opened the door and followed Pyrrha towards the dining room. Azuli was wearing something more modest, perhaps not in neckline but subtlety at least, and all eyes were on Pyrrha as the pair reached the hall.

The table was set, and placards marked everyone's seat, but nobody was seated yet. Instead, all were mingling and waiting for the Schnee's, networking politely with one another. Pyrrha was immediately set upon by a few guests who strolled up and introduced themselves.

"Miss Nikos, such a pleasure to meet you." One man introduced himself, holding out his hand and taking hers as soon as she began to raise it. He was older, a little passed middle aged, but had the familiar touch ups to hide his aging that so many rich people had. "I'm Daz Grey, Cerulian Arms' CFO. I had the pleasure of watching your last tournament, though I'm afraid I didn't get a chance to introduce myself there. Your fight against Ivory Blizz was simply phenomenal I must say."

Pyrrha momentarily blanked, so long ago for her it had been that the name at first didn't register. But it quickly came back, another woman her age who had fought using a whip enhanced with ice dust and with a semblance that allowed her to remain totally stable even as she spread that ice everywhere.

"Ah yes, she was quite the opponent, her level of area control was exceptional."

"Indeed, she was actually quite the favourite to win amongst those I know. Daughter of one of the upper management you see. In fact, her weapon was produced by our very company, a custom order. If you ever wished to make some adjustments to your own, I'd be happy to put you in contact with the right people."

He flicked her his card, which she accepted with a polite but non-committal thanks, giving the card over to Azuli to keep. Part of Azuli's job throughout the night would be to keep track of who she had spoken to, any promises she had or hadn't made, and hold all of the many business cards she would be given.

As soon as Daz Grey was finished, a woman took his place to introduce herself. Her business was in aircraft, including the main run of Bullheads. She had much less in the way of business incentives, and their conversation was more casual, though there was still the offer of modelling discussions at the end. More and more people came and spoke to her, few having anything to say beyond business or the usual compliments on her career, and Pyrrha was grateful when Klein rang a bell to get everyone's attention.

"Announcing Mr Jacques Schnee, Lady Winter Schnee, Lady Weiss Schnee, and Master Whitley Schnee."

The four Schnee's all entered in formation, following behind Jacques at the head.

"My seat is at the end," Azuli whispered as people began taking their seats, "I'll see you at the end of the night."

Azuli departed to where Pyrrha noticed most of the aides had been seated, and Pyrrha moved towards her seat. On her right was a man in a suit that Pyrrha recalled worked in cosmetics of some kind, and on her left… was Weiss.

"Pyrrha Nikos," Weiss held out her hand with a genuine smile, "I'm pleased to finally meet you. I'm Weiss Schnee."

"Weiss Schnee." Pyrrha took her hand and shook it happily. "It's so good to see you."