"Oh crap, the path splits." Jaune gasped. He hunched over and rested his hands on bended knees, trying to catch his breath. The rain continued to pour, turning the forest path to a muddy morass. It would be night soon.
"There are tracks going both ways." Ren reported. The distant rumble of thunder added to the din of raindrops striking the foliage.
"We can't let those bandits escape." Pyrrha said. "They stole all of that village's dust. They'll be defenseless without it."
"I'll make them pay!" Nora shouted.
"We have to catch them first." Ren said.
"How can they be so fast while carrying all that dust?" Jaune asked.
"Well they did have a few hours head start." Pyrrha replied.
"And we had to wait for you to catch your breath a few times." Nora reminded Jaune.
"Alright, alright, where do the paths go?" Jaune asked.
Pyrrha pulled out her scroll and examined a map of the area. "Left swings in a wide loop and goes to a village before rejoining the right path which goes straight on."
"They could have gone either way." Jaune concluded, much to his disappointment. He was hoping one way or the other would have been the bandits' obvious route. "We'll have to split up. Pyrrha and I will take the left, you two will go right."
"Keep in contact with your scrolls." Pyrrha reminded the others. "The paths are pretty close together, so if you need backup, we can get there fast."
"Right." Ren said. "We'll see you on the other side. Let's go Nora." Silence. "Nora?" Ren looked around then spotted Nora already charging down the path. He rushed off to catch her.
Once the sun set it seemed impossibly dark. The storm clouds blocked out the moonlight and there were no major settlements nearby that would generate artificial light. Only the occasional bolt of lightning illuminated the path ahead. Ren and Nora charged ahead, determined to catch the bandits before they had a chance to slip away. Success was looking less and less likely.
Nora suddenly slid to a stop. Ren nearly ran into her back, slipping through the mud to and awkward stop just before a collision. Nora was clutching an unfolded Magnhild, straining to see in the darkness. "What's wrong?" Ren asked.
"I heard something." Nora replied. Electricity tore through the clouds, briefly lighting up the forest. It revealed ominous silhouettes. Nora shouted something just as the crash of thunder drowned her out. It did not matter; Ren knew what she had said.
A Beowolf charged out of the forest. Nora sidestepped it then pounded it into the ground with her hammer. Ren dove aside as another lunged forward and slashed at him. He fired a burst from StormFlower into the Grimm and it retreated back into the darkness. Now the Grimms' glowing eyes were clearly visible. The pair was surrounded. Nora slammed Magnhild down onto the Grimm that had attacked her to make sure it was dead.
Ren slid his scroll out of his pocket and called Jaune. Jaune answered immediately. "We're surrounded by Grimm." Ren said. "We might need help." A Beowolf dove out of a tree hanging above Ren. He dropped his scroll, ducked under the attack, and hooked the Grimm's chin with one of his blades. He slammed it to the ground and severed its head.
"We're on our way!" Jaune shouted, but the assurance was lost as the noise of battle covered up the sound coming from Ren's mud-encased scroll.
Nora converted Magnhild to its grenade launcher configuration. She spun in a circle firing; the grenades clearing away the brush the Grimm were using to hide. A Beowolf rushed at Nora while her back was turned but Ren reacted just in time, shooting the beast in the legs. The Grimm tripped and slid right up to Nora's feet. She spun around, converted Magnhild to a hammer and pounded the Beowolf flat.
A low rumble shook the ground. "That wasn't thunder." Ren warned.
"Ursa!" Nora shouted. She rushed forward and slashed her hammer into the beast's side. The Ursa staggered and roared in pain. Nora did not see the second Ursa. Much larger than the first, it attacked her from the side. A powerful swipe of its massive claw sent Nora flying. She sailed through the air and slammed into a tree before falling face down to the muddy ground.
"Nora!" Ren shouted. He wanted to check on her but the Ursai were unrelenting. Both charged him, the smaller one in front. He leapt over its head, hooking his blade at the base of its neck on the way, and came to rest on its back. The Ursa flailed in a desperate attempt to remove him as he pressed his free gun into the Grimm's back and emptied its clip. The larger Grimm swiped at him, forcing Ren to drop off of the smaller Ursa and retreat. The smaller beast spun around and back-handed him. Ren tumbled through the mud, rolling into a crater created by one of Nora's grenades.
The larger Ursa stomped over to Ren and raised its massive foot to stomp him. The massive creature suddenly tumbled forward as Nora struck it in the back with Magnhild. She could feel the charge in the air. She raised her hammer over her head and a bolt of lightning made a direct hit. With a mad cackle she charged after the large Grimm as Ren sprung to his feet to fight the other. Her body charged with electricity, Nora unleashed a powerful swing into the Ursa's gut, strong enough to life the monster off the ground.
Ren tried the trick of jumping onto the smaller Grimm's back again but it was now wise to the maneuver. As Ren sailed through the air, the Ursa spun around, caught him in its claws, and slammed him into the ground. A quick stomp left him lying motionless in the mud. Nora failed to notice, still focused on the larger Grimm. It quickly recovered from her strike and shoulder charged her. Nora tumbled backward before springing to her feet. The Ursa charged again. Nora side-stepped the attack and slammed Magnhild into its back. The massive beast crashed through the trees as it tumbled through the undergrowth.
Nora saw the other Ursa standing over the motionless Ren. She screamed and charged. With one mighty swing she shattered both of the Grimm's legs. It crashed to the ground, presenting an easy target for Nora to finish off. She swung Magnhild in a wide arc, bringing it crashing down squarely on the Ursa's head, crushing it flat. The larger Ursa was not done and Nora failed to notice its approach. With a devastating swipe its claws cut into her side, stopped only by the metal apparatus on her torso. Shrieking with rage and pain she whirled around, swinging Magnhild upward at the Ursa's head. Her swing connected and separated the Grimm's head from its shoulders.
Ren was slowly regaining his bearings. He struggled to his feet, still unsteady. "Ren!" Nora shouted. Ren tried to turn around to face her but almost fell over. "REN!" Nora screamed. Something was wrong. He forced himself to turn around, barely staying on his feet. Nora had a look of agony on her face. She clutched Magnhild, using it as a crutch. Blood gushed from a gaping wound in her side. Ren snapped out of his haze and rushed to Nora, but her strength failed and she fell before he could get there.
Ren rolled her over and used his hand to apply pressure to the wound. "You're going to be okay." He assured her.
"It hurts." Nora groaned. "I feel tired."
Nora needed help Ren did not have the ability to provide. He needed to call for help. He reached for his scroll and remembered he had dropped it. The fighting had churned up the mud and finding it now would be impossible. "Nora, I need your scroll." He said. He reached into Nora's pocket and grabbed the scroll as Nora squealed in pain. It was smashed, useless. "I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt." He warned. He took off his jacket and wrapped it tightly around Nora's torso in hopes that it would stem the bleeding.
"Ren…I'm scared." Nora said. Ren grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. "Ren I…" She trailed off. "Ren…I…" As her consciousness faded she could faintly hear Jaune and Pyrrha shouting. It sounded like she was under water. "Ren…"
Nora could hear a rhythmic beeping. Beep…beep…beep…and on and on. She wanted to open her eyes but found it difficult. Beep…beep…beep…it continued. She wanted to see what it was. She forced her eyes open but her vision was blurry. It was bright, too bright. Beep…beep…beep. She looked down and could see the vague outline of her body. It looked like there was a sheet covering her. Maybe there was something in her eyes. She tried to move her arm. Beep…beep…beep. It felt heavy and she could barely move it. There was no way she could lift it up. Beep…beep…beep…it got faster. She struggled to move her legs. They were heavy too. She could only just press them together. It was a strange sensation. She was numb. Her whole body was. She could barely see and she could not seem to move. It was terrifying. Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. "Ren!" She tried to scream but only produced a hoarse whisper. BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP.
"Nora, calm down, I'm here." Nora heard someone say. It was garbled and hard to hear, like something was clogging her ears. Nora struggled to turn her head toward the sound. She felt the vague sensation that someone was holding her hand. She tried to squeeze back. Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. Her neck ached but she forced her head to turn. Her vision was still blurry but she could make out a figure and some colors, black, pink, green. It had to be Ren.
"Ren!" Nora tried to yell, this time joy, not fear. Again, she could only manage a whisper. Beep…beep…beep. Her vision cleared further. It was definitely Ren. He held her hand and stared at her with obvious concern. The room was all white, sterile. Of course, she was in a hospital! "Ren…" She took a great sigh of relief and smiled.
Ren heaved his own sigh of relief. "Hey!" Ren called to someone on the other side of Nora's bed. She wanted to see who but turning her head was too hard. "She's awake. I'm going to get a doctor."
"Oh, okay." Jaune said. He sounded like he had just woken up.
"I'll be right back." Ren assured her. He released Nora's hand and disappeared from her view.
Nora could hear Jaune tapping away at his scroll. "Pyrrha, Nora's awake, you should come now." He said after a few moments. Nora could hear him fumble as he put the scroll away.
"Jaune…" Nora whispered.
"What is it?" Jaune asked. He now sounded fully awake and alert. Nora could hear his footsteps as he walked around her bed and into her view.
"What happened?" Nora asked.
"Oh, when Pyrrha and I got to you, you were already unconscious." Jaune explained.
"Where?" Nora asked.
"You don't remember?" Jaune gasped. "Oh, in the forest. You and Ren were ambushed by some Grimm and you were hurt pretty bad. We got you to the nearest village, but the doctors there couldn't do much so an airship took you here."
"Here?" Nora asked.
"The hospital in Vale." Jaune answered. "We were all so worried about you."
"Why can't I move?" Nora asked.
"I don't know." Jaune replied. "Maybe it's because of how long you've been out, or maybe it's the medication. You're on some crazy painkillers. Does anything hurt?"
"No." Nora said. "I feel, weird."
"Ah Ms. Valkyrie, you're awake." An unfamiliar voice said from behind Nora. With heavy footsteps a doctor walked around into her view and Jaune stepped back. He shined a flashlight in Nora's eyes and she struggled to turn away from the pain. She barely moved, but it was enough for the doctor to notice. "Well, that's a good sign. It appears she can move all her extremities."
"Where's Ren?" Nora asked. He had promised to come back once he got the doctor.
"Good, you can speak as well." The doctor said. "I'm sure your friend will be here any moment. Are you experiencing any discomfort?"
"It's hard to move." Nora complained. "Everything feels numb."
"Don't worry about that, it's perfectly normal." The doctor assured her. "You haven't moved much in days so your muscles will need some time. I could reduce your medication, but then you might experience pain from your wound."
"Do it." Nora said. "I want to move. I want to feel."
"I'm not sure that's wise." The doctor said. "Your injuries are extensive. Immobility may be better for your recovery."
"I can't stand it!" Nora tried to yell, but still could muster no more than a whisper. Her current state was terrifying to her. Even if it hurt she needed to be able to move normally. "Let me move!"
"Do it." Jaune told the doctor.
"As you wish." The doctor said. He adjusted a few dials on one of the machines hooked up to Nora. "If the pain it too great, just tell me and we can raise the levels again. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours." The doctor walked out, leaving Jaune and Nora alone.
"Where's Ren?" Nora asked.
"He probably just had to go to the bathroom or something." Jaune said. "He hasn't left your side since you were injured, so he probably needs a shower too."
"How long was it?" Nora asked.
"It was…uh…" Jaune trailed off and started counting on his fingers. "It was nine days."
"He was here with me for nine days?" Nora gasped.
"Yeah, he even slept in that chair." Jaune pointed to something just beyond Nora's vision. "Pyrrha and I took turns coming by after class but he was always here. The whole time he never said a word. I've never seen him so worried. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen him worried."
"I can't believe…maybe he…I…never mind." Nora stammered. She was touched. She had always hoped Ren cared about her but he was so impassive, it was hard to tell. Now she knew and it was a wonderful feeling.
Pyrrha rushed to the hospital as soon as she heard Nora was awake. It was an easy trip from Beacon, just an airship ride and a short walk, but it took time and Pyrrha was impatient. A steady cold wind on an already chilly night made the trip even less pleasant. When she finally arrived, Pyrrha saw a familiar face standing outside. "Ren, what are you doing out here?" Pyrrha asked. "Shouldn't you be inside with Nora?"
"I just needed some air." Ren replied.
"Alright, we'll go in together." Pyrrha offered.
"No, I need a few minutes." Ren said.
Pyrrha knew something was bothering Ren. "I thought you would be ecstatic to see her awake." She said. "What's wrong?"
"I'd rather keep it to myself." Ren sighed.
"You know I can't just walk away when I know something's wrong." Pyrrha said. "You're my teammate. Please talk to me."
Ren rubbed the back of his head. He was not much of a talker even in the best of circumstances. "I'm very happy that Nora is okay." Ren finally said. "I'm just…I don't know. It's very difficult to see her like that, suffering and afraid."
"Of course it is." Pyrrha said. "It's always hard to see someone you care about in pain."
"There's more to it than that." Ren admitted. "I really like her."
"We all like Nora." Pyrrha laughed.
"I mean, really like her." Ren clarified. "She's always been like a sister to me, but lately I've felt like I want her to be more than that. Please don't tell her I said that."
"Your secret's safe with me, but maybe you should tell her." Pyrrha advised. "That still doesn't explain why you're out here."
"The truth is I feel like this is my fault." Ren sighed. "We were supposed to watch each other's' backs but I couldn't help her. Then, when she was lying there bleeding, crying my name, there was nothing I could do to help her. I couldn't even call for help. All I could do was watch. I can see the fear and pain every time I look at her. I failed her, as a friend and as a teammate. How can I face her?"
"It doesn't matter that you couldn't do anything help her." Pyrrha said. "You did everything you could, and sometimes that's all that matters. She probably feels bad for worrying you so much."
"I wasn't prepared for her to wake up." Ren said. He was beginning to cry though it was clear he was doing his best no to. "The first doctor that saw her said she wouldn't survive the trip here. Once we got here and her condition stabilized into a coma, the doctors said she probably wouldn't wake up and that if she did she probably wouldn't full recover anyway. Then they said she wouldn't survive the infection. I spent nine days praying at her side. Praying for her to wake up, praying for her to recover and praying for forgiveness from her and any deity because I couldn't protect her. I came to terms with her death, but I didn't prepare myself for her life. I basically gave up on her. How could I have done that?"
"Ren, it's alright." Pyrrha said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's only natural to assume the worst. I didn't think she would survive either, but I always had hope. I'm sure that you never gave up hoping she would pull through."
"What do I do?" Ren asked. "What do I say? I have no idea."
"That's fine." Pyrrha assured him. "I think we're all just making it up as we go along. I don't think this is something any of us were prepared for."
"What if she's angry at me?" Ren asked, spiraling deeper into despair. "What if she hates me? I let this happen." Pyrrha took a deep breath and slapped Ren. "Pyrrha?!"
"I'm sorry." Pyrrha apologized. "Was that too hard? I just couldn't let you talk like that anymore. Nora's not angry. She could never hate you. It's not your fault. You have to believe that. Deep down, you have to know that."
"I guess I'm just scared." Ren sighed.
"It's alright to be scared." Pyrrha said. She stepped forward and hugged Ren. She stepped back and held him at arm's length. "Now, Nora will want to see you, I'm sure of it. Let's go."
Jaune fell asleep, effectively leaving Nora alone. It did not really matter as she had nothing to say to him. As the minutes passed the feeling gradually returned to Nora's limbs but the pain radiating from her side grew worse. It was excruciating but she certainly preferred this to not being able to move or feel. She pulled back her hospital gown to see the wound that was giving her so much pain. Her torso was wrapped with bandages but the dried blood that showed through provided a rough outline. It looked far larger than she had imagined. More of a concern was the fact that it was not yet healed. She had suffered some serious injuries in the past, but they had always healed up in a day or two. She could feel that something was still wrong and now she could see it too. Nora was afraid.
"Hello Nora." Pyrrha said from the doorway with her characteristic good cheer. Nora shifted her gown back over the wound. She did not want Pyrrha to have to see it too. "It's so good to see you awake."
"Hey Pyrrha, is Ren…" Nora started.
"I'm back." Ren said, appearing from behind Pyrrha. "Sorry I was gone for so long."
"Where were you?" Nora asked. "I was worried."
"I was…uh…" Ren could not decide how to answer.
"Oh, Ren was so tired he fell asleep standing up!" Pyrrha lied for him. Given Ren's lethargic nature and his ability to fall asleep almost anywhere, it was believable. "He's been here at your side for days and I don't think he got much sleep."
"Yeah, sorry I worried you." Ren said. He was grateful that Pyrrha had bailed him out. "How are you feeling?"
"My side hurts but I guess that's to be expected." Nora tried to sound as cheerful as possible. Tired of everyone standing over her, Nora tried to sit up. "Ow ow ow!" She cried, falling back flat and clutching her side.
Pyrrha and Ren both rushed over and held her down. "Don't, you'll hurt yourself." Ren warned. "Let us help you." Pyrrha and Ren each grabbed an arm and supported her behind the shoulders, lifting Nora into a sitting position.
"Jaune, help me out." Pyrrha called. Jaune snapped awake then after a moment of confusion adjusted the bed into an upright position. Pyrrha and Ren carefully eased Nora back to meet the bed. "Are you comfortable?"
"Yes." Nora replied. "This is much better." The rest of the team looked at Nora with concern. "I'm sorry I worried all of you."
"Don't be sorry." Pyrrha said. "Just focus on getting better."
"Why does it hurt so much?" Nora asked. "It should have healed by now."
"Unfortunately there were complications." Ren said. He had an unusual look on his face as he explained Nora's condition. Nora studied his expressions carefully, trying to figure it out. "You got an infection, and they had to do more surgeries to cut away the infected parts. You should be able to start healing now."
"When will I be able to leave?" Nora asked. "I hate hospitals."
"The doctors want you to stay here so they can make sure you're healing properly." Pyrrha replied. "You shouldn't rush it."
Ren nodded in agreement with Pyrrha and Nora finally figured out what was on his mind. "I wasn't supposed to survive, was I?" Nora asked. The pained look on Ren's face was all she needed to know the answer.
"You lost a lot of blood, and it took a long time to get you to the hospital." Pyrrha said. "The doctors didn't…the doctors were not confident. Then the infection almost killed you. Until you woke up they weren't expecting you to recover at all." Ren shed a tear and quickly wiped it away.
"You all thought I was dead." Nora said.
"It's not that we wrote you off, we just had to be realistic." Jaune said. "We all hoped you would pull through, but we had to be ready for the worst. Ren never lost hope! He was here with you all the way, just waiting for you to wake up." Pyrrha tried to wave Jaune off saying more but it was too late. Ren could no longer hide his tears. He turned away and walked to the window.
"I want to talk to Ren." Nora said. "Um…alone please."
Jaune and Pyrrha looked at each other. "We should be getting back home anyway." Pyrrha said. By facial expression and body language she tried to convey to Jaune that he should agree.
Miraculously, Jaune got the hint. "Uh, yeah…it is getting pretty late." Jaune said. "We'll see you tomorrow." He and Pyrrha quickly made their exit, leaving Nora and Ren alone.
"What is it?" Nora asked once she was sure the others were gone. Ren just sighed heavily and kept staring out the window. "Ren, I know you're not big on conversation, but talk to me. Please."
"I failed you." Ren said. He rested his forehead against the window pane.
"What happened in the forest, that wasn't your fault." Nora said. "It was a tough fight. I was too reckless, just like you always say. I'm a Huntress. That sort of thing happens."
"It's not just the forest." Ren sighed. "Jaune was wrong. I wasn't here waiting for you to wake up. I was here waiting for you to die. I gave up on you."
"I forgive you." Nora said immediately. "As bad as I was hurt, it was only natural."
"Just like that?!" Ren shouted as he spun around. Nora could finally see his face; see the tears and the anguish. "I couldn't protect you in the forest! I couldn't even help when you were hurt! There's no one in the world I care about more and I gave up on you!" He slammed his fist down on a table, cracking it. "There were times when I thought it would be better if you just died. At least then you'd be at peace. No more pain, no more suffering."
"But you care about me." Nora said. "That's what matters. Even if you were just waiting for me to die, you still put your life on hold to be at my side. You might have given up hope but you're only human. It couldn't have been easy to sit there and have to look at me, knowing there was nothing you could do to help, knowing if I did live there would be pain. If you're looking for punishment, you've already put yourself through worse than I ever could."
Ren stomped over to her and grabbed the rail that lined her bed. "This doesn't make sense!" He yelled. "Knowing all that, you should hate me!"
Fighting through agonizing pain Nora turned herself to face Ren and grabbed both sides of his face. "I could never hate you." She said. "Through all the pain and hardship, not just now but our whole lives, you're the one who's always been there. Even when I had nothing else, I had you."
"You deserve better." Ren said. He tried to pull back but Nora would not let go.
"I'm probably going to regret this later but you just won't listen." Nora sighed. She tugged him in close and kissed him passionately. When she finally released him, Ren stumbled back in shock, almost losing his balance. "I don't know if you'd ever feel the same way but I love you!" Nora declared.
"I…I…love you too." Ren stammered.
"I know; I'm like a sister to you." Nora said as she buried her face in her hands. She was not often embarrassed but now felt like she had made a terrible mistake. Between that and the pain she could not help but cry.
"No, I mean, I love you." Ren said. He pulled Nora's hands away from her face and looked into her eyes. "I always have. I was just afraid you didn't feel the same way."
"I was…damn it I'm such an idiot." Nora cried. "I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way and it would make thing awkward and then you would leave me."
"I guess we're both idiots then." Ren said, smiling through his tears. He leaned over and hugged her tightly. "We'll just have to be idiots together."
Nora smiled back and laughed. "Together together."