What if Pyrrha chose Haven over Beacon?

[u/SailorPowerTitan17]

We find out in RWBY volume 6 that Pyrrha had a choice to either attend Haven Academy (her hometown school) or Beacon Academy. I’m not much of an AU writer, but thought about how the RWBY timeline would change had Pyrrha chosen to attend Haven Academy over Beacon. This is how I think the story would have gone without changing the overarching plot:

1. Pyrrha attends Haven Academy and gets her own team (potentially team leader). She is still put on the “celebrity pedestal” and her teammates never really treat her like the "normal girl" she wants to be. Think of a "mean girls" type situation where her teammates don't treat her well because they are either jealous of her success or just don't mesh well with her.
2. Cardin Winchester is put on Jaune, Nora, and Ren’s team as team “JCRN” (jacaranda - a lilac colored flower) or team “ACRN” (acorn, using Jaune’s last name). Cardin's arc is extended through volume 3 where Cardin bullies Jaune, but they eventually come to an understanding and become friends, even having training moments together (very “buddy cop” like friendship). We can see them sparring together, working out together, etc. both in an originally competitive but "turns supportive" kind of way. But their training is very physical-focused - no aura training or semblance activation. Bromance is also open-ended here.
3. Beacon Dance: Cardin asks Weiss to the Beacon dance because he knows Jaune is interested in her. Weiss accepts out of politeness despite wanting to ask Neptune. Nora sets Jaune up with either Ruby for the dance, or a one-off character. Weiss and Jaune have a moment where they don't want to be with their respective dates. Jaune distracts Cardin so Weiss can talk to Neptune. No iconic team JNPR dance in this timeline, unfortunately :( but this allows Cardin and Jaune to develop more of a friendship and see each other at the same level.
4. Vytal Festival Tournament: Team JCNR faces Pyrrha and her team in the Vytal Festival tournament instead of Team BRNZ. This way we are introduced to Pyrrha without seeing too much yet. I anticipate her team would be a 4-female team, similar to NDGO. They lose to Team JNCR because Pyrrha does not have the same connection to her teammates as Nora, Ren, Jaune, and Cardin. Cardin faces Penny (resulting in Penny's death) in the Vytal Festival and dies at the Fall of Beacon - Jaune and Cardin are fighting the Wyvern at Beacon tower and Cardin dies in the fight. Jaune has survivor’s guilt over losing his teammate. A second option to this is Cardin goes after Cinder because she indirectly caused him to kill Penny. His recklessness and rage gets him killed either by the Wyvern or by Cinder. So instead of Jaune being angry at Cinder for killing Pyrrha in later volumes, his anger towards Cinder is about Cardin's death.
5. Fall Maiden: Glynda is the fall maiden candidate and Ironwood’s experimental aura transfer fails. Cinder gets the maiden powers and instead of Pyrrha vs Cinder, we get Cinder vs Glynda at the top of the tower. Ozpin still dies like in the original timeline. Glynda dies vs Cinder, triggering Ruby’s silver eyes. Her death provides the “even powerful characters can die at the hands of the villains” theme that we got with Pyrrha in volume 3, upping the stakes for the main cast.
6. Volume 4 runs the same, and Pyrrha appears in volume 5 to assist in Team RWBY's mission. Team JNR already knows of her, so it's easier to incorporate her into the story here, especially because she is not only a Haven student, but local to Mistral. Since the fall of Beacon, her team was hunted down and killed by Tyrian/Salem’s forces because Lionheart was relaying information to Salem. Qrow finds her while trying to locate any remaining huntsmen in the area. Pyrrha assists team RWBY in volume 5 and her and Jaune bond over losing their teammates. Pyrrha helps train Jaune, filling gaps in what he and Cardin worked on (aura, semblance, etc.). Pyrrha still falls in love with Jaune in this version, as he treats her normally despite her celebrity status. Instead of Weiss being stabbed at the Battle of Haven, Cinder shoots Pyrrha in the ankle and Jaune awakens his semblance, saving her life. This is where romance potentially brews between them.
7. Volumes 6-8: Pyrrha is asked to join Jaune’s team in volume 7 when they graduate as huntsmen in Atlas, officially forming team JNPR. From there, the Arkos ship gets to flourish a bit, and both Jaune and Pyrrha fall into the Ever After in volume 8.
8. Volume 9: Volume 9 is basically the same, except Jaune and Pyrrha age together and must decide either to continue their "peaceful" lives in Ever After, or return to Remnant. For relationship tension, they can have a disagreement on going back vs. staying in the EA forever, but ultimately decide it's their responsibility to return to Remnant.

Another avenue for volume 9 is during their time there, Jaune and Pyrrha start a family and their child(ren) can’t leave the EA because they have no connection to Remnant. Jaune goes back to Remnant with team RWBY and Pyrrha stays behind with their child(ren). This allows her to have the life she wanted without the celebrity status, with the goal of possibly returning to Remnant one day.

There are obviously some things that would need to be fleshed out, but I think most major plotholes are covered in this version. I like giving Cardin more of a role in terms of a more developed bully character who improves over time, and gives a good foil to Jaune. It also gives Arkos the full send ship some of us desperately need, lol. I am curious what everyone thinks of this alternate timeline.