Chapter 4

The eight teenage warriors broke from the tree line in a furry. The cliffs were in their sights all they must do is cross a field then a weird bridge structure that hung over a chasm. That's not too hard, right? But when you have a giant death scorpion and falcon…eagle…condor… whatever type of bird it was chasing you it might get more difficult. Anyways the octet stormed across the field with trying their best to slow down the scorpion, that was catching up to them.

Ruby and Jaune were in the front leading the group towards the bridge, the two most unlikely people to lead warriors. In the middle of the mob were Richard, Yang, Nora, and Weiss, who Richard found the name out of Jaune who told him her name while describing her beauty. In the back, there was Pyrrha and Blake because they hand the most movement with the gun forms of their weapons. This formation was created by Jaune so the team could do damage while moving at a quick pace through the dense forest.

To the dismay of Weiss, it worked well while they were in the forest. Now they were in the field and they need a change of plan because that bird flew over the trees of the forest. Jaune looked back and saw the perfect plan, "Nora!"

"Yes Jaune" she responded.

"Distract that bird"

"Okeydokey boss" Nora pulled out Magnhild in grenade launcher mode. She pelted the bird with grenades.

The beast screeched and landed on top of the bridge structure. Some of the pillars on the structure crumbled under the weight adding some doubt to the octet approaching it.

Richard pulled out his pistol and spun it. The gun that his father had used will now protect Richard from the Grimm that threaten to hurt him. Richard felt the ground shake as they reach the bridge he turned around to fight off the scorpion. The others ran past, Pyrrha stopping with him to help defend the start of the bridge. Richard felt the fear rushing through him, but that fear fueled his actions to defend those he cared about so they don't have to fear. He shot at the Grimm's head, but no damage was dealt. His shot only seemed to piss it off more. The Grimm slammed its stinger into the bridge breaking it in two, thus separating Richard and Pyrrha from the rest.

"Nora, we have to get over there" Jaune said running to the gap in the bridge, "and we both know we can't jump that."

"Put your shield up and face me" Nora demanded. Jaune complied and did what he was told, though he had doubts about the plan. The next the Jaune heard was a boom and he went soaring across the chasm.

Jaune smashed against Richard sending Richard hurling into the scorpion. Richard held onto the stinger and started to punch it with his metal arm. He got an affirmative scream from the beast. It started to flail its stinger knocking Richard off and into a pillar.

"Richie!" Nora screamed as the Grimm went towards him stinger ready to kill.

On the other side of the chasm Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Weiss have defeated the giant bird. The headless bird fell into the canyon with a silence. The now quartet looks to the others seeing Richard about to get impaled. "Weiss stop that thing" Ruby yelled from atop the cliffs. Weiss dashed across the chasm using her glyphs as transport.

Weiss might not be the friendliest person, but she would not let a person die if she can help it. That was beaten into her head in training from her older sister. Weiss knew she needed to hit the whole Deathstalker. She spun the chamber on Myrtenaster to electricity dust. She landed next to Nora who was trying to get past Pyrrha to save Richard. Weiss looked at Richard against the pillar, she doesn't see a failure, she saw a poor choice of attack. She closed her eyes and summoned a glyph below the Deathstalker. A cloud appeared above the deathstalker and made a clap of thunder.

Richard sees Nora getting held back by Pyrrha. He teared up because she will lose her only friend here and because he can't get up off the ground to defend himself to stop that from happening. He looked over to Jaune who he knew is trying to think of a plan of attack. He looked back to Nora and was glad of the pounding in his ears so he couldn't hear her screams. He pulled his left arm up to wave goodbye to them.

That's when a lightning strike came down from a cloud above him and hit the Deathstalker dead center tearing off its stinger and making it land into the body of the beast. Now the beast was crippled and smoking but still alive it reared up its stinger. Then another strike comes down hitting Richard's metal left arm.

Richard felt the electricity coursing through him. He felt his heart tensing from the static in him. He knew he was going to die now so he winked at Nora so he can see her face one last time before he closed his eyes for the last time.

'NORA VALKYRIE. SEMBLANCE: CAN USE ELECTRICITY TO POWER MUSCLES. COPYING SEMBLANCE FOR USE.' Richard's mind read. He felt a surge of power and his eyes snapped open. Feeling stronger he jumped up onto the Deathstalker's back and hit its stinger deeper into the Grimm. He then got thrown off but landed on his feet. The Grimm faced him angrier than before. Richard ran up and punched the stinger using his supercharged metal arm pushing it further into its own body.

The Deathstalker stopped moving and started to dissipate into thin air.

Richard had won, he had died and came back. The seven others ran up to him in shock of the events that just occurred. They all had different expressions of happiness, awe, and sickness, the latter only to Jaune. No one knew what to do or say, the feeling was just shocked happiness.

"Guys, can we go back to the academy?" Richard asked before passing out. He embraced the sweet rest that his mind needed after the display he just did.

Richard had been unconscious for three days now and Nora spent all her free time in the medical bay with him. The only way she would leave his side was when Jaune ordered her to. Her eyes are always red from tears because she couldn't imagine losing another friend. Over the time, Richard had been unconscious people have asked if they are together, but Nora always said that they are 'together but not together- together'. She has never thought of Richard like that, but seeing him almost die after being that friendly did something.

Nora sat in her chair beside his bed as she always did, holding his hand and sobbing. The clock read 2:17, that meant she has eight more minutes left until her next class. She looked up at his face, tears still in her eyes, and she was glad because of how peaceful he looked. She started to cry again wondering what would she have done if he died that day. Would she leave Beacon? Would she stay with her team?

Her team was the main reason she had stayed. They have helped her so much with this. Jaune was walking her around and making sure she was as happy as possible. Pyrrha was giving her hope and advice to mend her guilt. The guilt was the worst part for Nora to handle. 'Only if I saw what was behind Jaune before I launched him', she thought before letting the tears fall again.

Nora glanced at the clock again 2:23. She had two minutes left until her class started, so she did what she always did before she left him and kissed him on the cheek. "I will see you after Port's class Richie. I will tell you his story of the day." she said trying to cheer herself up before going to class. She opened the door and bumped into a certain gray-haired man. "Sorry Headmaster"

"It is quite all aright Ms. Valkyrie. Just get to class." He responded

"Yes sir" Nora said with fake happiness.

The Headmaster walked into Richard's room and sat where Nora had been before. The young man before him had been invited into Beacon not on skill or ability but on the willingness to fight those who plan to destroy Remnant. But a thought kept itching at The Headmaster's mind 'How did he have Ms. Valkyrie's exact semblance?'. That one question burned in his mind for three days and still no answers. Two people having the same semblance was incredibly rare except if you were Weiss Schnee, whose family had a genetic semblance that is passed down. How? It was the only thing The Headmaster could think. Until he heard a groan and saw a stir in the boy's face.

"Shit…my…head" he slowly spoke rubbing his head as he opened his eyes. To his shock, he saw The Headmaster sitting there with a relieved expression. Richard's face was more of fear because he just cussed in front of him. "I'm so sorry, please don't discipline me sir" he pleaded.

"Son, I run a fighting school for teenagers. I think I have heard a lot worse."

"Thank God."

"You might want to for letting you live."

"Yes, about that. What exactly happened?" Richard asked clearly don't remembering his experience.

"Well… I wasn't there so you might want your teammates to explain that"

"Teammates?!" Richard exclaimed

"Yes, I believe you are on Team Juniper alongside Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, and Nora Valkyrie."

Richard relaxed at hearing who his teammates were. His face slowly started to change to sadness at realizing what trouble he had put them through. Richard pushed the covers off to get up and saw that he was wearing his pajamas. Richard knew this had to be Nora's doing, who else would do that for him. 'Nora' Richard thought seeing the last time he saw her face. The fear and anguish that showed, her tears, she was trying to get past Pyrrha to save him. It was the last thing he remembered before blacking out.

"Mr. White, I would advise against you getting on your feet." The Headmaster told Richard, who was trying to stand on his feet on the other side of the bed "You have been out for quite some time".

"How long?" Richard asked with a sadden tone sitting back on the bed defeated.

"Three days"

"Three days!" Richard spun around to face The Headmaster "You have to be kidding".

"You know I do not kid" The Headmaster responded "I know it is shocking to you, but rest assured Mr. White once you have the strength to walk you will be dismissed from the ward and will return to classes."

"Well I better start trying to get up again" Richard said with newfound enthusiasm. He put his feet on the floor of his room, he shivered from the coolness that touched his bare feet. Richard pushed himself up and wobbled and fell back down 'No, I will do it for Nora' he psyched himself up again and pushed off again. This time balancing himself immediately and placed one foot forward. Richard leaned off balance a little but corrected himself. He slowly made his way to the small bathroom connected to his room. He looked in the mirror and saw something pink on his cheek. Puzzled Richard wiped it off on his hand and examined it. 'Lipstick? Why is their lipstick on my cheek?' he mulled the thought over and decided someone probably put it there. 'Now, who would put lipstick on my cheek?' Richard asked himself and only one name came to mind.

"Nora"