LJNT

Only Getting Worse

Lyra just hadn't been the same lately.

She had made a point to avoid her teammates as well as Pyrrha, either soaking herself in Vytal festivities alone or with fans. She wouldn't even converse with Mura, as he reported. The team was, frankly, incredibly worried as to what they had done.

"She wouldn't even talk to me," Pyrrha said, the same look Lyra had on her features. Nico couldn't help but think there was something strange about that, though she just dismissed it as Pyrrha being worried. After all, Nico hadn't even tried to approach Lyra; fear kept her from doing so. "Your actions may have led her to do something incredibly dangerous, something I'd rather take on myself..."

"Like what?" Tanya questioned, leading to an awkward silence. "Or not..."

"Regardless of what may be going on, that does not change the fact that we still owe her an apology," Janelle said as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. "If she will not listen, then there is nothing to be done. We can only hope she will change her mindset."

"That...isn't going to happen," Pyrrha couldn't
help but raise her voice, frustrated that she alone understood the situation but couldn't tell anyone. "Especially not without help from us. We need to be calming her down and helping her. Nothing will come by her trying to change by herself."

"But what do you want us to do?" Janelle folded her arms. "We have tried to speak to her, yet she will not listen to anything-"

"Then we have to try something else! You guys aren't understanding the situation. I'm not going to let my younger sister go through something this dangerous!"

"Pyrrha, it's just the Vytal Festival," Tanya said. "They'll pull her out if things get dangerous. Besides, don't you think she'll win?"

"That's not-well, of course I believe in her," Pyrrha frowned, catching her own mistake as she cautiously tried to apply the real circumstances to their viewpoint. "But in her...current state of mind, I don't want her to be in harm's way."

"Well, what can we do? If she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't want to talk," Mura remarked. "Of course I like Lyra, but even when I tried to help her, nothing worked. She hasn't approached any of us about anything. Is she going to the 1v1's?"

"I...guess. The only ones eligible are Nico and her since they fought in the 2v2," Janelle sighed. "...Regardless of whether or not we like it, Lyra does have a point about everyone freaking out. I wish it were not so, but...well, anyway. Lyra is surely feeling tons of negative energy, and that energy is probably attracting more Grimm. We do not want to put any more negativity in the air.."

"T-That's a good p-point," Nico mumbled, secretly relieved. With everything going on, Nico just didn't feel like fighting right now. "S-So...n-now what?"

"We've got to convince her that she's not...what you guys called her," Pyrrha frowned before she stood and turned away. "I'm going...to look for her. Goodbye."

"...What's up with her?" Mura raised a brow. "She seems...distressed."

"It is most likely because of Lyra," Janelle said. "Well. Anyway. How do we rectify this...?"

"...Yeah, I don't know if we're ever going to find the answer to that question..."

<><><>

"Headmaster Ozpin, I've made my decision."

The 1v1's were about to begin, and Ozpin was gathered around with the other Headmasters, but this time, Stella was missing. She has to fly back to Vacuo due to trouble from the cult Pandorian. Pyrrha walked up to Ozpin, her features tense and contemplative.

"I accept the Fall Maiden's power," Pyrrha's green eyes met Ozpin's bespectacled ones. Pyrrha took a deep breath. "Please accept me. Do not take Lyra. I understand the dangers of the procedure, and I don't wish for her to go through them...so take me instead."

"...I thank you for your agreement. The aura transfer will take place right after you and Lyra go," Ozpin said. "...But we do indeed still have a decision to make as to which of you two should receive the power."

"Please, Professor," Pyrrha pleaded. She didn't want to lose her own identity, no...but placing Lyra in danger was simply out of the question for her. "Lyra may have issues...but as her sister, I refuse to see her hurt."

"This shouldn't be a hard decision to make," Ironwood eyed Pyrrha. "She is the invincible warrior, is she not?"

"...I am," Pyrrha lifted her chin. "So take me. I will use this power to it's fullest extent."

"If Pyrrha's willing here and now, I see no reason not to allow her to take it," Lionel said, a bored expression on their face. "Oz?"

"They are both willing to take on the powers. Frankly, I understand Lyra's mental state is...deteriorating. However..." Ozpin paused. "If the future is to come to pass...then..."

"What?" Ironwood furrowed his brow, confused. "Then what...?"

"Please make your way down for the 1v1's," Ozpin said abruptly. "I will see you and Lyra in the vault afterwards so one of you will receive the power."

"No, I refuse to let her take that risk!" Pyrrha protested, but the other headmasters paid her no mind as they solemnly walked away. She took another deep breath, pain embedded in her emerald eyes. "No, please..."

"...You don't have to be afraid, Pyrrha."

Lyra was dragging her golden axe against the ground as she walked toward her sister. Lyra shrugged, pink and white flecks speckling in her eyes.

"For the first time in awhile, everything is going to work out just fine," Lyra said softly. The smile on her face wasn't faked or in genuine whatsoever. "It's okay."

"I'm not going to let you. I'd rather have myself at risk than you!"

"I feel the same, but...Pyrrha, people need you," the corners of Lyra's eyes crinkled as she smiled wider. "They don't need me."

"That's not true-" Pyrrha tried to argue, but Lyra simply shook her head.

"I'm a monster. No one wants monsters. I understand that quite well. No one loses by my personality changing...I can only get better from this. So just please..." Lyra paused before she strapped her axe to her back. "Just let me do this."

"...I can't allow that, no matter what you say."

Lyra's expression fell, her features suddenly darkening as her smile dropped and the white flecks from her eyes disappeared.

"Then you're going to have to stop me yourself."