A Simple Bet Between Friends

Chapter 38

Yang watched with bated breath as the fighters stood across from each other.

Their sister team had made it to the doubles rounds easily enough, Pyrrha alone probably could have done it but with Nora in the equation it just wasn't fair to the other team.

Once you factored in Ren and Jaune... The other team had never stood a chance.

The doubles rounds were a bit closer however. Pyrrha was still the unstoppable force she always was but the competition was a bit stiffer, having made it through the team portion.

It was still in Pyrrha's element however; she looked unfazed by the crowds standing tall and proud much like the champion fighter she was.

The unknown was Jaune. His stance was a bit more nervous, a little less confident, not having the same experience as his partner.

He could though. She thought to herself. He's stronger than he's ever been and he's worked harder than a lot of other people to get there.

It had been Nora's idea, surprisingly enough, to have Jaune go into the doubles matches' with Pyrrha. It was a way for him to show his parents that he had managed to earn his place in Beacon.

He had denied at first, not wanting to throw their chances of victory aside for his own personal issues. His team had been insulted by that, explaining that winning the tournament was less important than reconnecting with his Family was.

It had been a very wholesome thing, seeing them all put aside the tournament for their friend, but it came as no shock. Despite how much Nora boasted, she did not really seem to care for the tournament, Pyrrha actively despised it; Ren didn't seem to care either way.

In the end it was a no brainer for them, their friend came first.

That being said, they were still going to try; Jaune had every intention of winning.

Jaune's parents took the seats left vacant by the two in the ring, Nora and Ren on one side with team RWBY on the other. Juniper had insisted on Yang sitting next to her.

Yang had looked to her team for help only to find them all intently staring at the screen... a screen that currently displayed nothing since the fight hadn't started yet.

She'd accused them of being the traitors that they were, even as Juniper had started to ask all kinds of questions. Most of which Yang really didn't want to answer. She got the impression, however, that it was all in good fun.

Thankfully her prayers had been answered as Jaune and Pyrrha walked out onto the stage, forcing the woman's attention to something else.

"Awww, they look so cute together!" There was an awkward pause for a moment until her husband coughed. Juniper turned to her, laying a hand on her arm. "Not as cute as you two though dear, don't worry."

Yang blushed and looked away, pretending she couldn't hear the laughter from her supposed friends.

Traitors.

Her irritation only lasted a moment though, before her attention was drawn to the stage as the countdown began.

There wasn't really a moment she noticed it, the shift from nervous wreck to trained fighter. Pyrrha had leaned over and said something and then Jaune was as confident as she had ever seen him. Standing up straight he held quite the intimidating presence... er, well... intimidating to those who didn't know him, she thought it was attractive.

Definitely need to get him to act like that more often

The cameras panned around and zoomed in on the two, neither of them sparing a glance away from their opponents. Jaune's face was stern and unflinching; she could have sworn she heard a number of female's swoon at the sight.