Disclaimer: Roosterteeth owns RWBY.
A/N: This is a long fanfiction, it won't update regularly (working a full-time job and studying), it will have at most two more popular ships(if even that) but the rest will be rarepairs of all types(FF, MF, MM). So you've been warned. Just know that if I choose to write about two characters together, it will have romantic buildup. So essentially, I am telling you it will be a slowburn. Have a lovely day.
Chapter One: Nora Valkyrie
Nora opened her eyes and saw it was another bright and beautiful morning. It wasn't just any morning. It was thee morning. She leapt out of bed, throwing off her pink quilt and ran to the window and threw it open. Breathing in the fresh air, she glanced across at the house next door. The window adjacent to her own, still dark. She lifted an eyebrow and smirked. It was only a short stretch across from the two houses and she took that to her full advantage most days. She took the small steel ladder and plopped it down on her neighbor's ledge. She crawled across still in her pink pajamas with major bedhead but he wouldn't care. Rapping on the window, she heard an enormous groan followed by a few mutters. Soon enough the blinds were drawn to reveal Ren, her best friend with dark circles under his eyes. He frowned through the glass. Nora puffed up her lip and showed him the best puppy dogs she could offer.
"Nora," he said with an edge in his tone as he opened the window and let her into the dark room. Even though the room was dark, she knew the layout of the furniture by heart. His bed was below the window so it made for a soft landing spot from the ladder.
"What Ren?" she asked as he helped her down, gripping her hand as she plopped onto his bed. Ren's cat, Mr. Mushu hissed and jumped off the bed. "Sorry, Mushu." she said as she waved at the gray fluff ball.
"I can get up perfectly fine on my own." he huffed as he stretched then crossed his arms. She just grinned at him.
"Oh really?" she paused as she glanced at him. He ruffled his black hair and sighed. "I knew it, you can't. Plus, you love my morning wake up calls. Anyways, do you know what day it is!?" she jumped up and down, the bed squeaking. Ren straightened his white shirt and let out another sigh.
"The first worst day of the next four years of hell?" he replied as he put on his glasses. Nora glanced around the room. Not much had changed over the years. Plain white walls, modern black furniture, and beautiful paintings of vibrant color stacked up in corners and on the walls.
"You need to stop being such a negative Nancy!" she punched him gently in the arm. He rubbed the spot, letting out a chuckle.
"I am only stating facts here. 20% of the Vale population develop depression during the ages 12 to 17. And those statistics are old, it may even be more than that. I am just bracing myself for the possibility... Not saying that I expect to be the 20%. It is just a precaution," He opened his white wardrobe and started to sort through clothes.
"We won't be the 20%, I promise you that. Plus, high school can't be that bad," she rolled her eyes up to ceiling as she thought about the negative side of upper education. She shook her head. Nope, he had to be positive because today was the first day. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something. It was a new painting on the easel and she walked over to examine it. It was a lotus flower with pale pink petals.
"Nora, you better get ready." he said from behind her. Ren gestured to the clock. Her eyes blinked rapidly and then scurried out the window and across the ladder in no time flat.
"Gran made pancakes and the granola you like! Better be over soon!" she shouted across the narrow space. Ren smiled. She pulled the ladder in.
"Of course, just remember to leave some syrup for me." he said. She laughed at that because her Gran's blueberry syrup was to die for and she could probably live off of it if it weren't so sugary. They shut their windows and closed their curtains. Nora stared at the mess that was her room. She frowned at the clothes were thrown carelessly about and saw the various items that were her options. She chewed at the inside as her cheek as she threw open her closet. It wasn't any better. Something pink, something girly but edgy. She pulled out a light pink floral dress and ran across the room and took off the black leather jacket off of her desk chair. She squealed for glee and threw the perfect outfit on and slipped into her pink combat boots. She ran across the room to the bathroom where she fluffed her hair and went through her hygiene routine. From her makeup to her outfit, Nora knew today would be perfection. She'd prove to Ren that there was nothing to worry about.
She grabbed her duffel bag and ran down the steps. They creaked under her weight, years of her thumping up and down them had done them in. She smelled the comforting smell of pancakes. Gran stood there in front of the oven flipping the pancakes with one hand in the cast iron pan like a chef. The Valkyrie Women were known to be strong and gran proved it in the kitchen. The grandmother was short but broad with muscle and brawn. Her tan skin weathered from years in the sun and her gray long hair did not make her look old but added to her kind, youthful appearance. Nora kissed her on the back of the head.
"Morning, gran! How's the weather?" Nora asked as she sat down at the table that was set for three. The silverware was polished and the plates were china. Fresh grown flowers filled the room with a lovely scent. Gran had always insisted they eat with class. Ren came through the kitchen door, finally somewhat awake. He wore his usually which was a loose white tunic over some colored skinny jeans. Today's color was green. He carried his French press with him.
"Morning, Valkyries." He said with a smile as he set the coffee on the table.
"Gran was about to give the weather report," Nora said as her eyes followed the large plate of flapjacks in her grandmother's hand to the table. Ren sat down beside Nora and plunged the coffee then poured it into gran's blue china cup. Gran nodded a thank you.
"Alright, it will be a sunny day and the most excellent day for me to have a martini watching my shows. For you two, the most flawless day for the first day of high school." Gran replied as she served each one of them two pancakes.
"See! How could today be bad?" Nora said elbowing Ren. He laughed and shook his head.
"I suppose with a positive forecast such as that it will be a good day." Ren replied. They ate their breakfast and then headed to the bus stop where they saw several other familiar faces. Yang and Jaune were there discussing something.
"Yang and Jaune!" Nora waved as Ren and she strode up. Yang waved. Nora smiled at least someone was enthusiastic for school as much as she was. Jaune slumped forward and breathing out a sigh. Yang patted him on the back.
"Err…Jaune?" Ren said. Jaune lifted his head, a look of defeat written upon his features.
"It's horrible!" Jaune groaned. Yang gestured to both of them not to say anything. Nora looked around for Ruby but she was nowhere in sight. Ren sat the distressed Jaune down on the bus bench while Yang and Nora scooted closer together.
"So, what's the deal?" Nora whispered into Yang's blond curls.
"His mother insisted on afterschool tutoring or else he'd be homeschooled." Yang whispered back, she turned and looked at Jaune again to see if he was listening. "His older sisters are relentless." Nora mouthed 'yikes' then asked the question in the back of her mind.
"Where's Ruby?" she asked. Yang had told her all about how Ruby had gotten to skip a grade due to her advanced level in homeschooling.
"Oh, she's doing the morning sprints at school already. Let me tell you, I thought I was excited for high school but once she found out she could skip a grade because of my dad's homeschooling, she wouldn't stop talking." Yang and Nora continued their conversation on the bus where they saw many familiar faces from middle school and a few not so familiar ones. Ren sat across the aisle from her, she watched him comfort Jaune. Jaune however pressed his face against the bus window and muttered to himself the entire way. Ren read one of his worn paperbacks then. Yang already engaged in a different conversation with Coco Adel, a sophomore who had ruled middle school with style while she was there. "Ugh, I can't believe the school voted her as student body president! It infuriates me! The school is now running like a military camp," Coco said. Nora's eyes grew wide. There was no way. She ignored the conversation, thinking positive thoughts. Turning, Nora surveyed the rest of the bus and overall it seemed to be a pretty tame group of kids. This day was going to be alright. They arrived at Beacon High School and Nora could not stop from grinning. She'd conquer high school, and make it out with happy memories. She had her crew and there was nothing stopping her from being the queen of her castle, her piece of life.