A/N: Renora is love, Renora is life- so get ready for cute. I missed writing these dorks.

Only a few more chapters in V5! I hope you're as stoked as I am to fix this Haven battle :D

Leave a comment if you're reading along!

What We Call Home

The next day, once tempers had settled and sorrow had subsided, the group found themselves integrating Oscar into their little circle with more ease than they could've imagined. They didn't have much else to do while they waited for Qrow to return from his hunt for Huntsmen to join their cause, after all.

Although the boy was much younger than them all- it was odd to see just how small he was at 14 years old- he seemed far wiser than his years at times. Whether that was from Ozpin's presence in the background, or just due to Oscar's personality, they didn't know.

At least he had a good sense of humor. When Nora started stealing pancakes from Jaune, the blond barely awake at the dining table, Oscar could barely bite back his amused smile. And, when she motioned silently for him to pass more table syrup with which she could enjoy the delectable treats, Oscar complied with nothing but a devilish grin and a silent snicker.

Little-cute-boy-Oz ain't that bad. Nice.

"Isn't it… y'know, weird?" Nora asked again.

The younger boy chuckled awkwardly. "It is, but… I guess…"

"It is what it is," Ren supplied as he brought over another stack of pancakes for the group to share. He did send Oscar a bit of a warning glance as he pushed the stack towards Jaune. Nora almost squeaked from holding back her laughter. Oh my god, she thought, practically shaking in her seat, he really is jealous! Of what, this little boy? What are you doing, Ren!

It felt good to have something like that to laugh over, though. She'd never seen Ren wear his heart on his sleeve like this. Little by little, the wounds from Kuroyuri all those years ago were healing.

She was so proud of him.

Everyone nodded, small smiles on their faces. Oscar didn't choose his lot in this game- but he was their ally now, and they'd work together to the end.

However, working together meant being strong enough to do so. The moment dishes were washed and bellies were full, green and white light flashed from Oscar's eyes, and Ozpin's voice emerged from the young boy's mouth. "Well, students- are you ready to begin your training?"

Nora nodded, feeling herself instinctively tense up when she heard his voice. You gotta let go, she kept chiding herself. There's no point being angry. It's done.

It was hard, though.

Still, she brought out Magnhild and waved everyone to the balcony. "We can totally train up there! It's such a nice day today." she called, skipping up the steps two at a time.

Behind her, she heard Jaune chuckle, "Yeah, we probably shouldn't train in here- we'll break furniture."

"Let's avoid damaging our host's property- but isn't there a room downstairs we can use?" Ren pointed out.

There indeed was a large storage room they could easily clear for training. However, Ozpin shrugged. "I'd say we enjoy the good weather while we can." They all agreed, and the group wandered up to the second floor, ready to take on whatever challenges their former headmaster sent their way.

They had all been expecting a fairly light training session. Other than Jaune, none of them had really been training extensively since the Fall- there had always been more than enough combat as it was to keep their skills sharp for the most part. Maybe they had all become soft after lacking Professor Goodwitch's iron rule over her sparring classes, though, because when Ozpin said he was going to train them, he was not making light of the situation.

"We only have a month at most before the attack on Haven Academy," he boomed, tapping his cane on the ground with such ferocity the balcony seemed to tremble. They all flinched in the face of his intensity. "We must be ready."

And thus began a long, wearying day of sparring, only accompanied by quick rests. There was never a match not happening on the balcony- the only downtime people had was when they were spectating another fight, taking notes and critiquing form as they watched one another square off. It was a long, daunting day.

"How the heckie did we do this all day back at Beacon?!" Nora groaned, lying flat on her back after a particularly exhausting bout against Ren. The sky was starting to darken, with the evening sky setting a lovely ambiance to their mind-numbing training.

The boy coughed out, massaging healing ribs, "I… think… we were… more in shape… back then."

"You've got to be much stronger," Ozpin announced. "I think Oscar is ready to go again. Miss Rose- if you would."

Ruby pouted, laying Crescent Rose on the ground affectionately before standing up and taking the center floor. Ozpin had been forcing her to fight hand-to-hand all day against Oscar, since their levels of proficiency in physical combat were the closest out of everyone else. As the match began, Nora whistled from the sidelines when Oscar managed to land quite a few decent hits on Ruby, despite having had little training before that day.

Jaune commented, "Man, Oz wasn't kidding. Oscar's picking up on this stuff fast."

Nora nodded, leaning on Magnhild while she watched the match. It was true- compared to that morning, he was already becoming fairly proficient. It was as if he'd already had years of foundations built into him.

Ruby managed to land a solid blow on Oscar, sending the boy flying backwards with an audible thud. Nora winced- it sounded painful. However, the boy simply remained on his back, glaring at the sky for a moment before crying, "Why didn't you tell me?" before quieting down again.

"I think he's talking to Oz," Nora whispered to Jaune.

"It's so weird," Jaune replied, eyes transfixed to the scene.

"Let it go, you two," Ren murmured lowly from where he sat, cross-legged and eyes closed in a meditative trance. "You've got to get used to it at some point."

"But it's weird…" Nora repeated, pouting. Still she turned her attention back to the fighting pair as Oscar's eyes flashed with light, indicating a soul switch.

Ozpin straightened up, a wry grin on his face. "Not bad, Miss Rose. But Oscar doesn't have the years of training that you do. Or I do." His body shimmered green for a moment as his Aura formed a defensive layer upon is skin. Then, he began to slowly march towards Ruby.

Nora watched in nervous anticipation. Ozpin himself had only come out to fight a few times throughout the day, and each time, he packed a punch.

Ruby realized it, too. She squeaked, "Oh, ha, well, maybe we should uh... take a break!"

He paid her no mind. This battle was no different from the others. Within ten seconds of beginning another fight, Ruby was already knocked clean off her feet with a firm head butt, and Ozpin stood victorious.

"Ouch," Nora muttered.

Calmly, Ozpin offered, "The next time you want to throw a left cross, remember to push off with the appropriate foot. And as always, do be aware of any openings."

Ruby groaned, trying to sit up carefully while her Aura knitted any bruises away. "Got it," she coughed out.

With a flash of light, Oscar re-emerged, and immediately the young teen fell to his knees, panting and exhausted. Ruby immediately shuffled over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder in worry. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Nora leaned Magnhild against the wall, ready to go help the boy up to his feet. Oscar croaked, "How is this so exhausting?"

From his tranquil corner, Ren explained, "Your body isn't used to this kind of training, not to mention generating a defensive Aura on your own." Ruby and Oscar straightened up as Ren opened his eyes, finally watching the weary pair. "It takes intense concentration at first, but in time it will become second nature, allowing you to deflect attacks and gradually heal your wounds. After that, you can begin focusing on your Semblance, whatever that may be."

Oscar staggered to his feet. "Semblance?"

Nora grinned, hopping forward. "You know! Like your very own superpower!" Oscar's face showed no sign of recognition, so she barreled onwards. "Everybody's got one. It's just a matter of finding it and mastering it. Ruby moves super fast, electricity makes me stronger, Ren can mask emotions, and Jaune..." She paused, running out of steam immediately as she stumbled her way through the rest of her sentence. Has Jaune even found his Semblance yet?

As if reading her mind, Jaune's face fell. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, admitted, "I can't do anythi-"

"Jaune's like you!" Ruby interjected instead, grabbing Oscar's hand and dragging him over to the tall blond. "He hasn't found his Semblance yet, but we all know he will. And you will, too. We all just have to try and help each other get stronger."

"Cool," Oscar murmured, glancing around at each of them with shining, eager eyes.

Ren smiled. "A common philosophy is that a warrior's Semblance is a part of who they are. Some say your personality and character can define your Semblance while some claim that it is the other way around. Of course, there are still many who don't see a connection at all."

Nerd. Nora added, "It's hard to know when you know sometimes. Ren's Semblance was unlocked from intense stress."

"And mine kicked in during training one day," Ruby said.

Turning to Nora, Oscar asked, "And what about you?"

Her mind flashed back to Caelus' dumbfounded, then absolutely jubilant expression when she was a child. "Oh," she chuckled fondly. "Struck by lightning. Didn't die. Crazy Thursday."

Her thoughts lingered on them for a moment before focusing back on the situation at hand. We'll go storm-diving soon, I just know it.

Jaune sighed, his frustration clear as day. "I just don't understand what's wrong with me. I train. I meditate."

In a flash, Oscar's eyes glowed before Ozpin explained, "Don't worry, Mr. Arc. Your journey is far from over." Glancing at everyone else, he added, "And the same might be said for all of you. Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve. Providing you're willing to put in the work, who knows what could happen."

With a smile, Ruby stated, "Then let's get back to it."

And so, that was how they spent their days in that lovely, quiet manor high in Mistral. The days, while not the most exciting, were productive, at least. Occasionally, they found Qrow wandering through the manor in the dead of night, but for the most part he was off in the depths of Mistral, leaving the kids to their own devices.

Nora wanted to sneak off and conduct her own hunt for Kalian and Caelus and Howl, but Ren stopped her every time. "We can ask Qrow based on the list of Huntsmen he finds," he insisted. "Let's wait until we have more information."

Each time, she pouted and crossed her arms and sulked, but she always listened and stayed behind to train.

With not much to do other than train, the five of them began to see steady improvements in one another. It wasn't life at Beacon, but it certainly felt nostalgic to have a training schedule in relative security again.

"I wonder how Vale is doing," Jaune murmured one day as they paused for lunch. "Is everyone still protecting it? Are they all going back to school?"

"Maybe the staff have made headway with taking back Beacon," Ren murmured.

They all traded glances, unsure of what to say. Finally, it was Ozpin who spoke up, taking over Oscar for just a moment. "Based on what Qrow has told me about the situation at hand, it seems that Beacon is unreachable for now. Therefore, after establishing a safe zone and getting Vale up and running again, I'm sure that Glynda would assign everyone to positions around Vale while she went to another Academy. Knowing that James is still alive, I'd assume she chose to help at Shade."

"Shade, huh?" Nora murmured. She didn't know much about Shade Academy- only that its students were… interesting.

Either way, they had no way of finding out. So, they focused on what they could control- training for their battle at Haven.

After a week of training with Ozpin, the man woke them up with wide smiles and small envelopes. Confused, the group looked between one another, taking an envelope each.

"Is this going to be for training today?" Ruby asked, clumsily tearing open the side of her envelope.

Ozpin shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "No. You should always take chances to rest when you can, and you five have earned it. I managed to acquire some of my stored funds, which I've given to each of you."

Nora's eyebrows shot to the top of her forehead. "You're… wait, is this money?" Ripping open the small packet, her eyes bugged out of her head when she counted the amount of Lien hidden within.

"This is far too much," Ren murmured, tensely staring at Ozpin.

Jaune nodded frantically. "Yeah- there's no way we can take this!"

Ozpin held up a hand, closing his eyes firmly. "You do not live as many lifetimes as I have without generating some capital for… special situations." He chuckled. "You do deserve it. As Huntsmen and Huntresses, which you all are- despite the circumstances of your education- you would be normally able to make much more money that what I've given to you here in just a few missions. Due to the importance of staying safe and ready to fight later this month, however, none of you are able to take on any missions for now. So, this is merely compensation, if you will."

"So," Ruby mumbled, "what should we do with it?"

Ozpin smiled, his eyes so oddly fond and wizened within Oscar's young face that it threw Nora off. "I recall you all used to go down to Vale for… what did you call it- Noodle Sundays?"

"Sunday noodle nights," Jaune corrected quietly, his brow furrowing at the memory.

"Yes, that. Glynda told me about it." Empathy radiated from every pore. "Why not carry on with that here? No better place than Mistral."

"Mistral is known as the land of noodles," Ren murmured. "The man who owned A Simple Wok learned everything from here."

Ruby smiled as Ozpin returned control to Oscar. "Then, why don't we do it? We can spend the day exploring Mistral, and then, we can meet up somewhere for dinner?"

"That actually sounds like a lot of fun," Jaune admitted finally. "We haven't exactly explored the city at all."

Nora cheered, the possibilities of what they could do that day practically endless in her mind. "Perfect! Let's all meet up…" She pulled out her Scroll, opening up a map she had downloaded weeks earlier upon their arrival. Pointing to the nearest marketplace, she insisted, "I'm sure we'll find a good place around here."

Ren held up a hand before anyone could get too carried away. "Before you run off," he explained sagely, "just… don't go to the lower levels."

Instantly, Nora deflated. The option hadn't even crossed her mind- but as it was Ruby, Oscar and Jaune's first time in Mistral proper, that probably was a smart thing to say. "It isn't safe down there," she mumbled. "Stay up the mountain, okay?"

Ruby and Jaune traded a concerned look, but soon, they nodded. "Cool. Let's head out!" Jaune announced, ushering them all upstairs to grab whatever they needed.

So, the five teens headed out of the manor for the first time without Qrow since their arrival. Ruby sent her uncle a quick text telling him they were heading out, to which he simply parroted the same advice Ren had shared with the group.

Within a few minutes, they reached their first fork in the road. Nora propped her hands onto her hips and grinned, tugging on Ren's arm. "So, where do ya wanna go, Ren?" she asked, pointing in each direction without giving him time to respond.

Oddly enough, Ruby and Jaune shared a meaningful look. "Oh, y'know," Ruby murmured coyly, "I remember there being an article on this cool marketplace down that way." She pointed towards the right-hand path which would bring them to a slightly classier area of Mistral. "You should check that out, guys."

"Ooh, sounds fun. We can make fun of all the snobby people," Nora giggled.

However, as she said that, Ruby and Jaune both grabbed Oscar's arms, much to his surprise. "Guys, wha- what are you doing?" the younger boy protested.

"Yeah," Nora cried, "where are you all going?"

"I wanna visit a weapons shop down here!" Ruby cried hurriedly. "Have fun without us!"

Jaune waved over his shoulder at Nora and Ren, a smug grin on his face. "You two be safe, y'hear?"

"Guys, what-?" Oscar continued to demand, but the two older teens simply giggled evilly and dragged Oscar down the left path towards the middle-class district, leaving nothing in their wake but Oscar's confused cries.

Nora blinked at their friends' odd departure. "What in the world was that about?" she asked, baffled.

Turning to Ren, however, it was clear that the boy understood what was going on better than she. His face was flushed, eyes wide as he watched the empty space where his friends had stood moments before.

Nora pouted, poking Ren's arm. "C'mon, tell me."

The blush in Ren's face was spreading like wildfire on his face, his ears practically neon. Quickly turning back towards the right path, he gruffly said, "Nora, let's go."

She froze, staring at his stiff movements. Suddenly, it all clicked into place.

"Oh my god, Ren," she whispered, shuffling up to stand beside him, "is this a setup?" He didn't respond. "Is this… like… our first date?"

Ren covered his face with one hand, embarrassment oozing from every pore. With his other hand, however, he held it out to Nora. "I didn't think they were serious," he groaned. "Just… let's go, Nora." His voice was strained and squeaky, the boy clearly too flustered to function.

Oh my gosh, this is so cute! Every fiber of Nora's being wanted to take a photo of Ren's face at that moment, wanted to crystallize that moment in her memories forever. However, the boy seemed to be steaming with embarrassment, unsure of where to look.

So, squashing her giddiness down, she quietly took his hand and leaned her cheek on his arm. "Let's go," she agreed gently.

Ren finally lifted his face, and the sheer warmth in his eyes made her want to melt.

And so, with his hand in hers, Nora and Ren made their way to the more affluent marketplaces of Mistral. They found their way through winding corridors until they entered a large bazaar. There were no makeshift street stalls here, aside from the few quaint stores which thrived on tourists at the corners. Instead, each side of the square was lined with elegant stores showcasing their wares through beautiful displays in the windows, with large silken tapestries welcoming customers in. At the center of it all was a lovely stone garden, the bonsai trees immaculately pruned into art itself alongside sparse rock formations and bamboo fountains filling up a central pond.

Leaning against Ren's arm, Nora whispered, "This is fancy."

"Let's take a look," Ren encouraged, pulling her along.

Nora had to bite back a giggle as she saw his eyes light up. On the other end of the square was the sign for a traditional Mistralian sweets shop. Well. I know what I'm doing with my money. It wasn't every day that she could buy Ren sweets made by master artisans, after all.

Still, there was a ton of things to see before they reached that side of the square. Leisurely, the pair began to wander through the stores, examining whatever caught their fancy. Ren warned her multiple times not to touch anything- normally, she would've pouted and protested at that, but this time, she listened well. If she broke anything… well, that would mean no sweets for them, at the very least.

It gave her an excuse to hold onto him instead, after all. Ren's cheeks never lost their flush the entire time. I could get used to seeing this, she thought happily.

The boy never seemed to find anything that really drew him in. For her, while there were many trinkets and baubles that caught her eye, she didn't find anything of use either. "Everything here is so fancy-schmancy," she whispered to him in a jewelry shop. The amount of jade and gold surrounding them was making her dizzy. "It's not practical."

Ren bit back a smile. "At least they're not trying to sell us anything," he offered, guiding her to the exit.

"Well, duh," she retorted, "we look like Huntsmen! Not like we've got any use for this stuff."

It was true. All of the other shoppers were clearly the upper-class of Mistral, dressed in delicate robes and gilded sashes. The women looked poised and elegant, tittering over the finery offered by the bazaar, while the men remained at their sides, stoic and firm in their muted garb. It was a far cry from Ren and Nora, whose garments allowed for movement and freedom with their weapons holstered for all the world to see.

Ren's eye caught something. "Wait here, Nora. And don't touch anything," he chided pre-emptively before heading to one of the smaller street stalls. Nora nodded with a smile, clasped her hands behind her back, and began examining the window displays in nearby stores.

And then, Nora saw it, and her eyes widened in awe.

Tucked in the window of a beautiful little dress shop was the loveliest Mistralian gown she had ever seen. It was a traditional, everyday robe for the upper-class- nowhere near the fanciest thing she had seen in the stores lining the square- but there was something about it that drew her in. The silk was dyed a pale pink fading to a deep lavender at the bottom, the colours splashed together as if it were a watercolour painting. The inner robe was a pretty off-white, the tracings of golden embroidery so faint on the inner collar that it seemed to catch the light like a kaleidoscope. White and magenta sprigs were embroidered along the edges, with a delicate white sash of embroidered lace on silken cloth holding the robe together.

She grabbed her arm unconsciously, eyes transfixed upon it. It truly was a breathtaking dress.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She had always been able to imagine Ren in Mistralian robes, but for the first time, she imagined herself beside him, wearing that dress. Her hair was longer and held up by a wooden pin, and the pink of the dress matched her current skirt so she knew it looked wonderful on her skin- and beside Ren, in her mind, she finally looked like she belonged.

"Miss, may I help you?" a high, soothing voice asked.

She nearly jumped in shock as her daydream shattered, turning to look at the speaker. Out of the store had stepped a petite, breathtakingly-beautiful woman dressed to the nines in an intricately-woven traditional dress. The woman bowed to her, her back completely straight with the motion. "May I help you with something, miss?" the woman repeated gently.

Oh god, she works here. "Oh- oh no, I'm fine," Nora said quickly. "I'm just- just looking!"

The woman smiled politely without showing her teeth, pinks lips curved just enough to maintain her aura of completely serenity. "You seem to be quite taken with this dress," she murmured.

Nora chuckled weakly. "It's… it's beautiful."

"Yes, it is. This style is not as traditional for common apparel these days, although it is well-suited for it depending on your… status." The woman looked Nora up and down, taking in the girl's decidedly Valean gear and Atlesian colouring blankly. "Mistralian women are well suited for it- it was made with darker hair and eyes in mind, to accentuate the contrast between them and the lightness of the dress."

And just like that, Nora's positive mood was shattered.

"Oh, I-" Her face felt hot and flushed, blood racing to her cheeks so quickly it left her dizzy. Quickly spinning on her heel, she caught sight of Ren, who was heading back to her from the street stall he had been examining momentarily. "I need to go."

"Thank you for your patronage, miss," the woman replied evenly, her smile never reaching her eyes.

Nora scurried over to meet Ren, her mind racing. I grew up here. I'm just as Mistralian as everyone else. Why does this always happen?

But she wasn't Mistralian. With her pale complexion (I always look, I know- how the heck am I supposed to be a pretty as Pyrrha or Ruby or Yang or-) and her orange hair (no one has hair like this- it's not natural to look like a damned carrot) and her eyes (if I ever hear someone else say that they're 'too pale, too empty, too dangerous, that they carry the ghosts of the sea' I'm going to lose it) she would never belong.

"Nora, I told you to stay- Nora?" Ren's voice immediately shifted from chastising to concerned as she ran up to him, immediately grabbing onto his arm and tugging him towards the sweet shop.

"Let's go there, then meet up with everyone, okay?" she asked quietly.

"Nora, we still have time-"

"Ren, let's go." She bit her lip and pulled him forward. "Please."

Glancing up at him, she could see the worry and confusion in his eyes. She told him nothing, however. She simply plastered a smile on her face and walked into the sweet shop with him, pointing at all of Ren's favourites without a word and paying with Ozpin's gift before he could stop her. Then, as they left the square and headed towards the meeting place, she pulled out a sweet wrapped in a leaf and held it up to him. "Eat," she encouraged, moving far too speedily for him to retort.

With furrowed brows, Ren complied, taking the sweet and savouring it quietly. "Thank you, Nora," he murmured. Soon, they found the spot where they were to meet the group. So, they took a seat near a fountain, opening up the spread of sweets. "They're going to spoil our appetite," he said wryly.

She blew a raspberry at him. "I don't care! It's not every day we get to eat this, right? C'mon, live a little!"

He rolled his eyes, but his smile grew, and he began to delicately eat another. She ran off to a nearby vendor and picked up tea for the two of them, and soon, they were laughing and sharing desserts until Nora's spirits were lifted. It didn't matter what that crotchety woman had said- Ren wanted her, and that was all that mattered. Screw tradition, she thought as she sipped her tea, pushing the thought of the dress out of her mind.

The other three finally showed up, eyes shining and grins devilish. Clearly, Oscar had been filled in on their nefarious plans while they had explored the weapons markets. As they giggled and shared their finding, hey managed to find a noodle place able to seat them all in one booth. The rest of the evening was spent sharing stories of past Sunday noodle nights in Vale with Oscar, reminiscing about better times.

It felt good.

Still, they had to return to the manor eventually, and the next day, training resumed. It was surprisingly easy to fall back into the punishing routine. Their days spent in the manor grew mechanical and dull, but over the next two weeks, Ozpin tried his best to ensure they were all engaged. He was a bit reckless, but Nora had to admit- he was indeed a good teacher, at the end of it all.

It was a little hard taking him seriously, though.

"Please do not forget to do your meditation exercises- Miss Valkyrie, what seems to be the issue?" their former headmaster asked one evening, one eyebrow raised expectantly.

Nora, who had been fighting back the urge to laugh, finally let it out. "I'm sorry!" she wheezed, doubling over. "I know it's been weeks, but I can't take it seriously!"

He frowned. "Whatever do you mean?"

She clapped her hands delightedly together. "Little-cute-boy Ozpin's so sewious when he's twying to teach," she cooed, giggling.

Jaune and Ruby merely sighed, long since used to her antics. Ren's neutral expression soured, but it only fuelled her laughter further.

Suddenly, Ruby's Scroll buzzed. "Oh, it's Qrow!" she reported enthusiastically, reading his message. "We have to buy ingredients for dinner this weekend- he's hoping to get all the Huntsmen together then."

"With what money?" Nora asked.

Ruby flashed them all a devilish thumbs-up. "He's loaded up my account. Time to make it rain Lien!"

"Um, Ruby," Jaune chuckled dryly, "I don't think you can 'make it rain' on a grocery store."

She pouted. "Don't kill my vibes."

Ozpin sighed. "Alright. We should only need a few people to go-"

"I'm going!" Ruby insisted, her hand shooting up in the air.

Jaune said, "I can go too. I might as well help carry bags."

Their teacher nodded. "I can't imagine needing more-"

"Um," Ren cut in, "we'll need more. We're all going."

Oscar's young face frowned, confused. "But why-"

"Have you seen how much Nora eats?" Ruby giggled.

"Hey!" Nora protested. She wasn't angry, though.

Opzin shook his head in amusement, then allowed Oscar to take over again with a flash of light. "Shopping, huh?" Oscar said after a moment.

The group nodded and giggled and began planning what to buy, excitement emanating from every pore. They were so close- the end of the month was drawing near, and they'd meet their reinforcements soon. As the five teens bickered and argued and playfully fought over the dishes they'd cook, Nora couldn't help but trade a small smile with Ren.

We're almost ready for the fight.

She was so ready to knock Salem's forces down a peg or three. They'd do Pyrrha proud.