#apotheosize

All her life, she could not escape the flashing lights, chaotic praise, and undying devotion from a distance. It was humbling to be thought of as an amazing person, an idol, someone to look upon and say that you wish you were like them.

But it was also incredibly demeaning to be told you were above all else, a goddess, untouchable, perfect.

Most people would die to hear those words being used to describe them, but Pyrrha had heard them enough to make her feel separated, an outcast by their adoration. She sat in one of the few places people did not seek her out, the solitude of the locker room. A familiar sight, though they never change. The one at Beacon reminded her greatly of the one in Mistral, save for the grandiose columns and archways, marble-esque statues, and fountain works throughout the colosseum, the locker room was no different. The metal doors, the smell of sweat and blood, the cool air that came through. A sound rang from her pouch, signalling a message’s arrival. She messaged her teammates back at that moment, their wanting to meet up always gave her hope and letting them know where to meet her.

She looked up at her locker, holding Miló and Akoúo̱, only brought memories of days long past. The resonating worry that her life will stay the same through out time; Alone and on her own. She had a team, she had friends, and these wonderful things gave her great joy. She had even found someone that filled her with feelings she never though were ever for her to feel.

But life had a sick way of repeating itself when you’ve not learned your lesson.

She’d been there before, letting her feelings take hold and ending up pushing actions forward. But when that sacred person hurt her, took her for granted, and left her life, she vowed to not let it come again. Time and time again, she tried to get the words out to the one she felt these feelings for now, but could never let them be free. And with that person being rather...oblivious, it certainly did not help. So, she told him to go for the one he wanted, even though she knew it to be ill-fated. But that was a familiar feeling for herself. An ill fate she couldn’t seem to escape no matter what she did.

Standing from her seat, she closed the door, the metal clanged as the locking mechanism closed upon itself. She turned away, the clacking of her boots rang out through the empty, large room. Pushing the double doors open with both hands, she looked into the open day that was before her. The sun was bright, her eyes adjusted from the dim room to the brightness as she focus in on her teammates who waited for her. The happiest one, Nora Valkyrie, ran up to her first and giggled, exclaiming that she was finally back. Lie Ren, the modest and quiet, stood there with a silent smile and a nod. And Jaune Arc, their team leader, holder of her attention, and master of letting everything fly over his head, smiled at her and waved, welcoming her back. Pyrrha smiled at them all, and walked with them. Idle chat occurred, speaking of their plans for the day.

But she couldn’t stop wondering if this was all for naught.

Feeling a nudge from Jaune brought her away from the short moment where she was lost in thought. Looking over to his eyes, he chuckled and made a small joke about her being lost. She smiled, and refused to acknowledge her heart’s flutter from their interaction. She turned and looked to her other teammates, and tried her best to act like nothing was wrong. But, in the back of her mind, she feared she was doing exactly what she hated so much.

She’d placed him on a pedestal.

She didn’t want that, she refused to look at it that way, but he was better than the others for how he treated her. Even if he was completely lost to her feelings, he treated her as a person, a friend, a comrade, a warrior, they placed their lives in each others hands. He was her partner in combat, though she longed for him to be her partner in life.

She shook her head, and smiled at them all, blaming her hunger for the beginning of a headache. Nora, on queue, exclaimed for pancaked from Ren. Ren chuckled, offering to cook. Jaune laughed and accepted, looking to Pyrrha. She nodded and began to head to their dorm for him to indulge in one of his favorite things to do.

Pyrrha was genuinely happy with her friends, they even invited the team across the hall, Team RWBY, to join them in what turned into a small party. The festivities were pleasant, she was surrounded by people who at least cared. It lasted into the night until they decided that school the following morning required decent sleep. Changing into her pajamas for sleep, Pyrrha slid under her covers and looked over to Jaune, who was already passed out. Looking to Ren and Nora, who were also asleep, she looked out to the window and into the sky.

She’d seen this sky numerous times, but never did it feel so vast as it did tonight. Falling into the sky, she felt weightless and free, looking over the land below, seeing Vale’s cityscape. It was invigorating, enveloping, she felt like her life was not holding her down. But her heart started to weigh on her, she couldn’t rise higher. People chanted her name from afar but when she grew close, they parted like water. Seeing the chains that extended from them pulling her towards them but never close to them.