A/N: So, for those of you who've read LoA, you know that I draft/outline my stories in a really silly way. It's so weird to me to write Nora's POV, since she basically speaks the way I draft, as compared to Pyrrha, who's so much more polite XD

Also- how much interest would there be in a real-world-uni!AU Arkos fic? I have one kicking around the back of my head. Let me know what you think!

What We Call Home

Settling things in Vale barely took them the morning. Although they had indeed purchased everything they could possibly need for their trip the day prior, they decided to head out in their older garments instead of their new wardrobe- "We might as well wear them in the snow rather than ruining new clothes," Ren reasoned. It made sense, so the trio packed away their bags with their new gear, mentally preparing for the last few snows of Patch's winter.

Professor Goodwitch and Professor Port simply smiled when they approached the Huntsmen before the morning shift, clapping them all on the shoulder as they explained their upcoming visit to Ruby.

"We also think we're going to head home to Mistral," Ren added, "So it'll probably be a while before we stay in the city again." Ruby had mentioned that she didn't want anyone to know their goal of visiting Haven, so the foursome was content to use the two childhood friends' trip home as their excuse.

"What fun! Well, you've done more than enough here in Vale. We'll miss you, but you need to go spread your wings. You'll do great things, Team JNPR!" the rotund professor guffawed, shaking Jaune's hand vigorously.

They all twitched. It had been three months since the Fall- three months since they had last ever truly referred to themselves as Team JNPR. Nora cast a quick glance over to Jaune. Their leader hadn't spoken much all morning, ever since he saw her and Ren's exchange. At the mention of their old team, a cloud was cast over his features. He wasn't okay.

It'll be a long time until we're really okay, huh?

The Huntress quickly realized the source of their discomfort. Cutting in front of her colleague, she assured the trio, "You'll be fine. Ensure that you are prepared for the trials ahead- the journey to Haven, especially now that each Kingdom is more hesitant to allow airships into their borders, will be arduous. You may have to travel by foot."

"You're visiting Miss Rose first, correct?" Professor Port inquired. Kindly, he added, "Check in on Miss Xiao Long for me as well, will you? I'm worried about the girl. Dealing with her injury can't be easy."

The blonde woman nodded in agreement. "We are all worried about her. But, these things take time. For now, you three should get on the boat to Patch. Work hard."

The atmosphere had darkened considerably over the boys. Time to shine. "Yes, ma'am!" Nora saluted brightly, grabbing Jaune and Ren's arms. The two boys had been more sullen ever since they had used their team name. So, before they could react, she bolted towards the docks at the west end of the city, ignoring their surprised yelps of protest as she dragged them along. She knew that the professors wouldn't mind their abrupt exit, a belief that was only supported when she heard the two laugh good-naturedly at their speedy departure.

As they ran, shouts and cheers of encouragement and well-wishes trailed behind from the other Huntsmen, students and civilians who saw them pass. With their heavy bags and newly-upgraded weapons, it was clear that they were leaving Vale. Nora couldn't help but grin, listening to their words. These people had made Vale feel almost like a replacement for Beacon, and for that, she would never be able to show the full extent of her gratitude.

Soon, they were already climbing up the boarding ramp after Ren hastily shelled out the money for their tickets. As they settled into a corner of the passenger deck, Nora leaned dreamily against the window to watch the waves as she yawned, still a little sleep-deprived.

Ren pulled his pack off his back and onto the floor, making a mental checklist of all the items visible. It was a sturdy hiking bag, perfect for the massive journey they would eventually undertake- everything from a bedroll to extra ammunitions to first aid kits to rations were carefully stowed away for any eventuality. "I think… we're all set," he said at last, sinking into his seat. "We're ready."

Jaune nodded resolutely. "Yeah. Let's do it."

"Woohoo, off to Patch!" Nora bit back a yawn, raising one fist in the air drowsily as a cheer before giving herself back into the arms of sleep. The ride to Patch would be at least a few hours, so they had more than enough time to relax.

The next thing she knew, Ren was gently shaking her arm. "We're here," he murmured. She rubbed her eyes and roused herself, slinging her own heavy travelling pack over her shoulders and trudging out after them.

However, the moment they stepped off the boat, her face automatically lit up in joy and wonder. "What the heck is wrong with this place?!" she shrieked, immediately running down the docks.

"Nora, be careful!" Ren called nervously after her. She ignored the frantic footsteps of her teammates following her, eyes solely focused upon the prize ahead of them- a giant snowbank.

Without a second doubt, she leapt in the air, cried, "Cannonball!" and tucked herself into a ball, letting herself fall twice her height deep into the giant snow drift.

The stinging cold was bitterly refreshing, biting into her bones instantly. She shuddered and crawled out of the snowbank, unable to keep the smile off of her face despite the fact that her body began to shiver almost on contact. "Whoo! That was good," she grinned wickedly.

Ren and Jaune were on her in seconds, brushing snow off her shoulders and helping her back onto the paved, cleared road. "Nora, you know that the snow's going to be melting here soon, right?" Jaune sighed, exasperated. He launched into a whole tirade about protecting her pack and not rushing off alone, but Nora tuned him out. As he spoke, light filled his face, and soon, the boy was grinning despite himself. Her heart swelled.

No. We'll be okay.

Finding Ruby's home should have been fairly simple with the directions the younger girl had supplied Jaune the night before. It was definitely a little ways away, but after asking for clarification for the fourth time, they found themselves cresting a hill on the seemingly-never-ending, frozen trail, finding a forest below.

"Forest! Trees!" Jaune scoffed. "See, guys? I told you we'd figure it out."

Ren sighed, shaking his head, and Nora rolled her eyes. "Ren, you're on map duty next time," she muttered, giggling when she heard the blond's affronted splutters.

The trail they were following eventually brought them straight through the thicket, the trees around them barren and stark black against the snowy, silent landscape. The last few snows were the hardest in Patch, Ren explained- but apparently, afterwards, the spring would melt seamlessly into the summer, and it would be beautiful until late fall. Definitely not the worst conditions to live in year-round, but Nora was already missing the temperate sun of Vale and Beacon.

The little cottage belonging to the Xiao Long household was easy enough to find, and it didn't take long to confirm that it indeed housed the person they were looking for. They had barely stepped forward into the clearing surrounding the quaint, wooden, pastoral home before the door burst open and an eager voice screamed, "Jaune! Nora! Ren!" A blur of rose petals flying on the wind later, and Nora, Ren and Jaune were all tackled into a giant huddle in the snow with a screaming sixteen-year-old practically lying on top of them.

Ruby lifted up her head, silver eyes practically shining in the reflection against the snowdrifts around them. A wide, innocent smile lit up her face, inciting a smile back from the new trio. "Oh my god you guys, I can't believe you're here! You're actually here!" Then, happy, relieved tears filled her eyes. She glanced over to Jaune. In a softer, quavering voice, she repeated, "You're here."

Nora looked over to the blond, heart melting as she saw the tears filling up his eyes as well. He didn't get to see her at all during the Fall, she realized. The blond had left their group fairly early with Pyrrha, after all, and the dark-haired girl had only regained consciousness briefly on the airship out to Vale after turning the Grimm Dragon to stone, when Jaune was already in Vale. She was unconscious the entire time he was around. It made sense that seeing Ruby, one of his closest friends from Beacon, would make him so emotional.

"You're really okay," Jaune whispered. Carefully, he reached out and gathered the younger girl in his arms, relieved, sobbing chuckles breaking through his lips. "I was so worried."

Ruby returned the hug fervently for just a moment before she began to shift uncomfortably. She never liked being held for too long. "Okay Jaune, time to let go," she muttered awkwardly. The blond blushed and released her, letting the girl spring back up to her feet, dusting herself off. "Come on! Let's go inside, it's chilly."

Laughing and bright, the four old friends wandered into the cottage. The moment they entered, they were greeted by a wash of warmth from a comfortably burning fireplace. An enthused voice called, "So, Ruby, these are your friends? Well, welcome to the Xiao Long's, boys and girls! I hope you enjoy your stay. I made quiche!" Standing at the door to the kitchen was a tall, tanned blond, the man grinning from ear to ear. Despite the freezing weather outside, the man wore a t-shirt, vest, and board shorts, clearly accustomed to the late winter chill. In his hands was a freshly baked, steaming quiche, large enough for the four of them to share- or at least, for Nora to fill up on. She was starving. "Please, make yourself at home!"

Ruby sighed, immediately embarrassed. "Guys, this is my dad."

"The name's Taiyang. Call me Tai," he introduced.

She rolled her eyes. "Dad, this is Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren- they went to Beacon with me-"

However sometime during her words, the man's expression fell away into one of distrust and annoyance. "Sweetheart," the man muttered, rushing forward. Firmly, he put the quiche down and reached out to Ruby, yanking his younger daughter towards his side. The girl yelped in surprise, but he paid it no mind as he put on a strained smile. "Sweetie. Ruby. You didn't tell me some of your friends who were coming here were… boys?" His eye twitched.

Nora immediately snorted. She took a step behind Ren and Jaune and quickly waved to get the man's attention. Once the angry paternal stare was fixed upon her instead of glaring holes at the two young men shifting uncomfortably in his doorstep, she pointed between herself and Ren frantically. Ren and I. Not Ruby, she pantomimed. The man nodded imperceptibly. Next, she pointed between Jaune and Ruby. Jaune and Ruby. Not a thing. She crossed her arms repeatedly. In her mind, all she could say was, No way are Jaune and Ruby a thing. Arkos or whatever the heck Jaune called their team attack is the only thing I would have allowed at Beacon, and it's the only thing I'll allow now!

Instantly, the man's demeanor softened once more. "Oh, well, a few boys aren't the worst," he chuckled nonchalantly, utterly relaxed and welcoming again. Ren and Jaune traded horrified looks as Nora sneakily stepped back up to join them, winking at Ruby as the younger girl fought to contain her sniggers, having seen the whole thing by her father's side.

"C'mon guys, let's go eat," Ruby waved them over. Nora eagerly followed, her stomach grumbling excitedly. Thankfully, she didn't miss the scathing glare Tai cast towards the two uneasy boys anyways, clearly conveying the message of, I'm watching you two, anyways. She liked Tai. He was funny.

The moment they properly crossed the threshold of the house, they were ushered to the bathroom one by one to get changed and dry off. Once they were all in their pyjamas, towels around their shoulders and slippers on their feet, they were finally allowed to eat. The food was delicious, the hot cocoa warm and soothing. It was lovely to be in such a quaint, loving household- pictures of Ruby and Yang lined the walls, and Nora had a blast cooing over how tiny the two girls looked. Tai was exactly what Nora would have imagined him to be- he was the perfect explanation as to why Ruby and Yang were usually so perky and open. The doting father was more than happy to oblige the orange-haired girl's curiosity, pulling out his favourite photo albums of his daughters before Ruby exiled him to his bedroom.

He called back in a chipper voice as he made his way up the stairs, "Stinky boys get to sleep on the couch, by the way! Nora can join Ruby in her room! No boys allowed upstairs!"

"Dad!" Ruby shrilled.

The man's laugh floated downstairs, lighting up the entire room. Ruby huffed and crossed her arms, slumping back into her chair. "Whatever. Ignore my dad. If you guys wanna take our guest room, that's totally cool."

Nora snorted. "How the heck would he have taken it if you had to room with boys at Beacon?"

The younger girl shuddered. "He'd have dragged me home and locked me up in my bedroom until I was thirty. He's so weird!"

Everyone laughed at that, but the air was still a little tense from Tai's sudden callback to the reality of their situation. Sighing, Ruby clapped her hands together, attempting to brighten up her expression to lift the mood. "So… what've you guys been up to in Vale for the last few months?"

Jaune shrugged, sending her a small smile. "Not much. We just helped a bit with the construction, that's all."

"We couldn't leave it all to Professor Goodwitch's telekinesis, after all," Ren added wryly.

Nora blew them both a raspberry. "Speak for yourselves, I basically fixed the entire power grid myself!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. "And did I ever get thanks for it? Nope! Nuh-uh!"

Ren rolled his eyes. "Um, Nora, you got Magnhild upgraded for barely anything yesterday- I don't think you need to complain."

"Still!"

They continued to talk and catch up for over an hour after that, and Nora loved it. The conversation was inane, silly, unimportant. They laughed, they teased, they joked. It felt like they were all crowded around the kitchen island again in their little floor lounge, back in Beacon. It felt like home.

Ruby giggled, punching Jaune on the shoulder. "But anyways, look at you, Jaune- you've bulked up!"

It was true, now that Nora was looking at it- in addition to growing taller, the boy had put on a decent amount of muscle while performing the hard labour required in their work to rebuild. The blond shrugged, checking out his own shoulders meekly. "You think?" he asked. "I-I mean, it's been like three months of picking up lumber and bricks and stuff, so I guess…"

The younger girl hummed excitedly. "Yeah, I bet the girls would've been all over you," she teased innocently.

Instantly, Jaune's face closed up, his tone cold. "I wouldn't know." Under his breath, he muttered, "I'm not interested in anyone else."

Oh, Jaune.

Ruby froze, face clouding over in worry. Nora laid a gentle hand on Jaune's arm. "Well, either way," she inserted herself in the exchange awkwardly, "we're here now!"

"You… certainly are."

The new voice came from the doorway, and the four of them swivelled around in their seats, surprise overtaking them all. Jaune leapt to his feet, and Ren and Nora quickly stood up after. Ruby just crawled onto her knees, clutching the seat's back, peering over it nervously. "Sis, you're awake," she murmured.

Yang stood at the doorway, staring blankly at the wall. "Yup." Tight-lipped and lifeless, the blonde girl meandered past them all, heading straight for the sink. Nora's heart sank into the floor, seeing the bandages covering her wound go all the way up the stump of her right arm. The girl, who had always looked so fiery and cheery at Beacon, had faded out. She was wearing browns and blacks, her skin pale and her trademark, vivacious blonde locks limp. Nora watched Yang's silhouette outlined by the snow outside of the kitchen window as the girl took a drink of water at the sink, and she couldn't help but chew her lip and sigh.

She missed Yang. She knew it wasn't fair to the girl- it wasn't fair at all to come right out and say, Hey, lighten up, it's not so bad, so let's play a game! but seeing her so utterly broken hurt Nora inside. She missed her friend.

"Hey, Yang," Jaune whispered.

"It's good to see you again," Ren added.

Nora finally said, voice wistful and sad, "I hope you're feeling better."

"I'm not," was the deadened response. The blonde continued ignoring them, making a beeline back out the door. They could hear her heavy footfalls lead up the stairs, all the way to her bedroom, where the door slammed shut.

Ruby winced. "Sis… isn't doing too good," she finally chuckled, although her voice was devoid of joy.

And just like that, the room was dark and quiet, all the previous light sucked away.

After about a minute of uncomfortable silence, Nora murmured, "When do you think…?"

"It'll take a while longer. Give her time." A sigh from the doorway caught their attention again, and everyone went on guard. It was just Tai again, though- the man leaned against the frame, hands tucked into his pockets.

"Dad…"Ruby mumbled.

The man walked over and ruffled his younger daughter's hair. "It's just her stubbornness, sweetheart," he soothed tiredly. "Would you mind grabbing some tea for me?"

Nora winced in sympathy. It sounded like he was saying that more to convince himself than Ruby. When Ruby stood to make some tea, the man slid into her freed seat momentarily, muttering under his breath, "Yang… so much like her mother."

That piqued Nora's interest. She didn't know a lot about Ruby's family history- all she knew was that the two girls were actually half-sisters with different mothers. It explained just how different the girls looked. Their personalities for the most part, though, were clearly the result of a lifetime of love from the weary man sitting beside them- it was clear that he had given his all to his daughters.

But what was the bitterness in his voice at the mention of Yang's mom? What had happened to the woman? Nora's fingers scrabbled against her worn skirt, itching to ask the question. No, Nora, she scolded herself internally. It's not polite. Don't dig things up. Almost as if reading her thoughts, she glanced at Ren, seeing the boy sending her a pointed look. She wilted underneath it, pouting. Okay, okay. I really won't. He raised a brow. She nodded sagely, and he finally looked away, satisfied.

When his daughter returned with a cup of tea, the smile was back on the man's face. "Dad, give me my chair back," Ruby whined.

Tai simply patted his knee. "My little girl can sit here, can't she?"

"Dad, why are you like this, oh my god," she groaned, yanking the man to his feet.

Laughing, Tai held his hands up in surrender and walked away. "Enjoy your night, kids!" he called lovingly.

"Thanks!" "You too!" "For sure!" "Go away, dad!" they all called, Ruby's voice soaring over them all due to her exasperation.

With the kitchen quiet again, but the mood lightened considerably, Ren folded his hands on the table. "So, what's the plan?"

Ruby leaned forward in her chair. She lowered her voice. "We need to go to Haven. Something's going on, guys. I need to know what is happening with the Academies."

"But how do you know it'll actually work?" Nora asked, sitting criss-cross on her chair. "It's not like there's really a glowing sign over Mistral in the sky saying 'We'll be hit next'."

The younger girl replied quietly, "I talked to Uncle Qrow. He didn't say anything explicitly, but he hinted at it. He said it'll be better to find out the truth myself, and that the truth is waiting for me in Mistral." She softened, climbing to her feet. Quietly, she quickly poured the four of them little glasses of milk, then pulled out a small jar of cookies in the cupboard. Offering one to each of them, she held a cookie in her mouth, replaced the jar, then took her seat again. Dipping the cookie in the milk absentmindedly, she added, "I know it's not fair to ask, but I'd… I'm kind of scared of going alone. So, thanks, guys."

Nora, Ren and Jaune all looked at one another, small smiles on their faces. Sometimes, it was so easy to forget that the leader of Team RWBY was two years younger than them- she had been by their side from day one, after all. It was rare that they got to see her vulnerable side, usually so hidden away by her chipper demeanor.

"Anytime," Jaune soothed.

The girl beamed back.

"Does your dad know about your plan?" Ren asked.

Ruby shook her head. "No. Just- I'll tell him eventually, guys. Don't say anything for now." From the look in her eyes, though, it was clear that she wouldn't. Nora chewed the inside of her cheek, but said nothing. It wasn't her place, after. With Yang to worry about, it was up to Ruby how she dealt with her family.

The younger girl said, "We can take a boat to Mistral once the snow clears enough to reach the northern dock. That'll be, at the latest, in a week."

Jaune snorted out of the blue. "Um… why take a boat all the way around the northern half of the Sanus continent when we can just… take a train? Y'know, across the middle?"

Nora giggled. "Yeah, the trains work just fine going to the east coast. We might as well."

"It'll cut at least two weeks from your proposed plan," Ren added reasonably.

Ruby spluttered. "Oh, it wouldn't be that bad! I was just thinking about having the least amount of transfers."

Jaune mumbled around a large mouthful of his cookie, "No point making it longer than it has to be."

Nora and Ren nodded, and Ruby pouted. "I call shenanigans," she complained. "It's not fair! There's three of you!"

Nora sing-songed, "Sucks to be you, but we! Are! Taking! A! Train!" She thumped her fist against the table with each word to punctuate it.

Ruby stuck her tongue out at the orange-haired girl, but soon her expression fell once more. "Speaking of Uncle Qrow, though…" She paused, sighing heavily. "I told him to- after the Fall…" She gulped heavily. "Did… he give you her stuff?"

Jaune froze, his eyes trailing to their packs, which were all leaning against the sofa outside in the living room. Nora reached over and squeezed the blond's hand reassuringly, and he spared her a wan smile. The boy had ensured that the black cloth-wrapped bundle of Pyrrha's armour was placed in the most protected part of his hiking bag. That was the first thing he had made room for- there had never been any doubt that she was coming with them, wherever they went, forever. "Yeah," the blond whispered thickly.

"Good." The girl swirled a piece of her cookie in her milk numbly. "I told him to."

"Thanks."

They were all quiet. Finally, it was Ren who murmured, "What happened that night?"

Ruby sighed, burying her head in her hands. Her lip wobbled, and soon, they could all see that she was fighting to keep her distress and tears at bay. "Cinder… killed her. Then, apparently I froze the Wyvern? I'm still… kind of lost, myself."

Nora and Ren traded horrified glances. They had never heard who had been responsible for Pyrrha's death- everything had always been vague surrounding the details of their loss. "Wait- Cinder? Who the hell is Cinder?" the orange-haired girl cried.

"Cinder Fall," Ren muttered. The three of them shifted to watch the quiet boy's expression darken. "She was from Haven, remember? She was on the same team as-"

"Emerald and Mercury," Jaune breathed, glaring at his fists. He bit his lip, then pounded his fist against the table, making them all jump. "Pyrrha never liked him! You could tell- don't you remember their match? After she fought Cardin and his team? She was so uncomfortable after that!"

With that, Nora remembered. Cinder, the girl with golden eyes. She never said anything whenever they had run into the trio, leaving Emerald and Mercury to do the talking for the Haven team. But it just… it didn't make any sense. "But wait, are you- the Grimm Dragon was waiting on the top of Beacon Tower, right?" Nora scoffed, the disbelief tangible in her mouth. "Why wouldn't it attack Cinder?"

The air was silent.

She laughed again, shifting uncomfortably. "You cannot possibly be saying that it was Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury who were responsible for the Grimm? Not just the White Fang?"

Ruby said nothing, dipping her last tiny sliver of cookie in her milk absently. "Emerald made an illusion. Made Yang think that Mercury was attacking her at the end of their match during the Festival. They wanted the Grimm to wake up- there were so many people there. Yang didn't attack him intentionally. It was self-defence, guys. You've gotta believe me." With shining eyes, she looked up at them, tears dripping slowly down her face. "I think they made Pyrrha see something weird too, to get her to freak out, to… kill Penny. They figured out she had polarity- Mercury wouldn't let me stop the match when I realized it was all rigged. They hacked the system. They planned everything."

That truth bomb struck them all down to the very core. There was just no way. The story sounded absolutely impossible- how could just three people achieve such widespread chaos? Destroy so many lives?

"So… Penny was killed after Yang's match as the tipping point to incite chaos, to bring the Grimm, is that it?" Ren clarified soberly.

The girl nodded miserably. "I think they found out about her being a robot. But- but Penny was my friend!" She sobbed, taking deep, heaving breaths. "I loved her. I wanted her to meet all of you guys so badly." She broke down, burying her head in her hands. "She wanted to go to Beacon with us next year. She wanted to stay with us. She was so sweet. And Cinder used her! And then she… Pyrrha…"

As Ruby quietly cried, Nora looked at Ren, incredulous. "So, I get how that happened," she said tightly. "But you can't possibly tell me that it was Cinder who took down Pyrrha. I mean, it… it's Pyrrha! There's no way."

"It makes sense," Jaune muttered miserably. She looked at him, hollowed out and broken. The remains of his cookie had long ago dissolved into his milk, but he made no move to fish it out. "There was this weird basement under the school- some kind of vault, I guess- but Ozpin took us down there. Pyrrha knew what it was. But…"

Nora leaned forward, watching the blond with wide eyes. He had never spoken about what had happened that night to her nor to Ren. "But why would you go there in the middle of the fight?"

Jaune shrugged. "I think Ozpin had a plan to fight back. I- I dunno," he muttered, burying his head in his arms on the table. "There were some tubes, and this giant machine, and they told me to stand guard. Next thing I knew, Pyrrha was screaming in one of these pods- gods, I almost broke down, she was in so much pain. I've never seen her that hurt." The boy was now openly sobbing alongside a teary-eyed Ruby. "It was all some top-secret plan. That's why Oz kept talking to Pyrrha all the time, guys!"

"But," Ren whispered, "what were they doing to her?"

The blond shook his head. "I wish I knew. But, if you say it was Cinder," he shuddered, turning back to Ruby, "I believe you. After all… there was this other girl down there. I don't know who she was. She was sleeping, I think. Cinder came and killed her. Suddenly, she was super powerful, and Oz told us to run, so we did, but…"

"But what?" Nora pressed quietly. There was too much happening, and her head spun as the boy's words fell out of his mouth, rushed and frantic.

He looked up, despair evident in bloodshot eyes. "She killed Oz, guys."

That thought chilled the entire room. Professor Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy, the leader of all the headmasters across Remnant- killed by a student? They had known he had lost his life- Professor Goodwitch had announced that to the camp soon after she brought Pyrrha's affects to them- but no one had known how.

Suddenly, the lights all flickered on. Nora blinked. They had been seated at the dining table for so long that the sun had already set, and it had been almost pitch-black in the kitchen- yet, they hadn't even realized it, so engrossed in their own thoughts. Standing at the doorway in a fluffy robe and pyjama pants was Tai once again, one hand on the light switch, face twisted into a look of heartbreak. "You… you kids doin' okay?"

Nora pursed her lips, watching the concerned man wearily. He looked so guilty, as if he knew something that they didn't.

They didn't respond, so he stepped away. Before he left, however, he hung back in the doorway of the kitchen and dining area. "You three… you're from Mistral, right?" When they nodded, he continued, suddenly somber, "Ruby… told me. About… Beacon. You're all more than welcome to stay here, for as long as you like." His eyes shined meaningfully, and Nora reached out for Ren's sleeve subconsciously, gripping onto it with all her strength to avoid thinking of the lump that emerged in her throat at his sincerity. "I don't know if you have people waiting for you or not, but I'm always happy to welcome any friends of my girls. My home is your home. If you ever need anything, let me know."

"Thank you," Ren murmured. Even his voice trembled as he spoke. "We appreciate it."

The man nodded, then wandered away. The four of them didn't move for a long time after he left, though. There was a lot to process.

Cinder had been the one to kill Pyrrha.

Then, it was as if electricity had been shot through her core. Suddenly filled with more energy and power and drive than ever before, Nora sat upright, eyes flashing determinedly as she bore a hole into her glass of milk. It wasn't anger in her heart- she had long learned how to avoid hate, after years of suffering. Instead, it was just bitterness, frustration, and steely resolve. It was the first true goal she had held for herself since the Fall. Finally. I know what to do.

She was going to make Cinder Fall pay for what she had done to Nora's family.