Chapter 4:
"So Ruby," Weiss asked as they walked through the Forest of Forever Fall. "Tell me again how much you actually believe Nora's diagnosis?"
"Weiss..." Ruby sighed. "I'm not going to pretend that Nora's diagnosis is in no way weird. But I really don't think we have anything else to go back on."
"Ruby..." Weiss tapped her forehead. "I don't dislike Nora at all. But she is seriously more daft than a concussed Ursa. I mean, Melpox? Really?"
"C'mon Weiss." Ruby groaned. "She's just really concerned about Ren. And besides, you know we can count on her. She's saved our skin loads of times."
"I would never doubt her in a fight Ruby." Weiss huffed. "But there are other things in which I have my second thoughts."
"But that hasn't stopped you from trusting her. Right?" Ruby chirped. She gave a slight smile as she continued. "Remember how she made your day when you almost missed the due date for those books you borrowed?"
Weiss frowned as she thought back to that one time she had actually forgotten to return at least three books from the library. She had been going about her normal business when Nora suddenly bounced in front of her with a huge number of books in her own hands.
"Hi Weiss!" Nora had said in greeting. "Whatcha doing?"
"Nothing really..." Weiss had replied.
"Great!" Nora smiled. "Let's go speed dating!"
"What?" Weiss had said, utterly baffled. "What's speed dating?"
"I dunno." Nora blinked. "But it'll be fun!"
"Nora..." Weiss had frowned. "I doubt you'll have a lot of fun with something you don't know. Besides, I'm not..."
"Well, if you change your mind, I'll be in the library!" Nora hadn't waited for her to finish before dashing off. As Weiss shook her head, the girl's sudden remark had reminded her on the books due by evening that day.
Weiss tore through the halls in an attempt to return the library material punctually, which she did, though it meant a new challenge in attempting to avoid Nora's speed dating offer.
"Okay." Weiss smiled at Ruby. "I admit, I would've been in a lot of trouble if not for her. Still though, I would have been more grateful were she not so adamant about me saying no to the speed dates. What are they by the way?"
"Well..." Ruby started. "It's kind of like talking to a bunch of boys really quickly to see if you like them and if they like you. It's very on-the-surface."
"But how does that open up a relationship?" Weiss frowned. "I don't get how people think they can find soul mates without more in-depth interaction. True love needs to be built on a strong foundation of mutual trust and respect!"
Ruby blinked. "Where'd you get all that? Have you been secretly reading Blake's books?"
"I just believe there should be a more direct connection with you and whoever you like." Weiss stated matter-of-factly. "There needs to be..."
"Um, Weiss?"
"A, a bond! An understanding of character! Openness of heart and mind and..."
"Weiss!"
Weiss turned to look at Ruby, who now looked at the very large Ursa major that had emerged from the trees.
"Uh oh..." Weiss gulped, quickly drawing Myrtenaster. Unfortunately, the Ursa charged at full speed at the same moment.
"Move!" Ruby grabbed Weiss by the hand and ran full speed into the trees, rose petals billowing past Weiss's face. She spared a glance behind. The Ursa was barely just keeping up with Ruby's speed, knocking down anything in its path.
"Ruby! We have to get out of here!" Weiss yelled over the clamor of falling trees.
"I'm trying!" Ruby replied. "But there's just trees everywhere!"
"Get to that cliff!" Weiss said, pointing to Ruby's right. "Hurry!"
Ruby quickly changed direction, narrowly avoiding a tree and sped toward the stony outcropping, deploying Crescent Rose. With a single shot, she had propelled both herself and Weiss to the top.
The two girls glanced down at the Ursa, who now sniffed the air and, with a frightened growl, left hastily.
"That was strange..." Ruby frowned. "Why'd an Ursa run away?"
Something moved. With dread, Ruby and Weiss looked to see they had not managed to go onto a cliff. Instead, the 'cliff' was cracking apart from all directions. A huge tail with a yellow stinger burst out of the ground beneath.
"Jump!" Ruby screamed as she leapt into the air. Weiss had flipped off the rock, using an air step to break the fall.
The camouflaged Death Stalker now roared, shaking off the rocks it had used to hide itself against unsuspecting prey.
"So, any ideas?" Ruby said.
"I was thinking you had one..." Weiss gulped.
"What do you think Yang and Blake are doing?" Ruby asked as she twirled her scythe.
"Possibly better than us..." Weiss replied just as the Death Stalker swung its massive claw.
Blake swatted another fly that came close. She glanced down at her stockings to find them clogged with mud.
"Great. More washing..." Blake frowned. Somewhere to the left, Yang squelched through wet mud and puddles.
"Well, I suppose we should have come with swamp gear." Yang muttered.
"You suppose?" Blake stared.
"Okay, okay. We should have." Yang grumbled as she wrenched her foot out of thick mud. "I'm already getting sick of being stuck in mud."
"Well, you were the one who picked this particular one." Blake replied. "Guess we have to live with it."
Yang merely scoffed, continuing through the swamp. Finding a Congall eel proved harder than they had originally thought. Of course, a body of water would do, but they had been in the swamp for at least an hour now and had yet to find a pool of any kind.
"Seriously, do you think that Nora was being serious about this Melpox thing?" Yang frowned.
"The same way she was serious in combat class?" Blake smiled. "I remember something very funny happening to you that day."
Yang thought back to the time she finally squared off against Nora. Both of them were really strong and could take a punch. It was a contest between who could handle the other first.
Yang had powerful close-up attacks that could rattle an Ursa. Additionally, she was fast and agile. Nora however had enough to blow a wall of the class down.
The battle had been a nail-biter. Yang would attempt to get close with Ember Celica. However, Nora would just swat her off with Magnhild and follow up with a grenade shot. Yang would dodge it and repeat the process again, hoping to catch Nora off guard.
For what appeared to be a whole hour, the two girls sparred, neither giving in. In fact, they seemed to be enjoying the trade of blows. Yang would constantly spare a grin at Nora, who returned it with a toothy smile.
Eventually, the match was settled, but in the most ridiculous way possible. Nora had decided to charge in close to Yang, who decided to accept the offer by charging in as well. Whether it was fatigue or a misstep or just a thought by whatever force wanted the match to end already, both Yang and Nora had slipped forward, their heads crashing together and knocking the both of them out for three seconds.
Everyone had laughed as the match was concluded, Yang's and Nora's the loudest of all. That day, Yang realized that if there was anyone who she definitely would hang out with besides her teammates, Nora would be the one. She was funny and ditzy in so many ways, but she was someone you definitely did not want to mess with.
Besides, it made the rest of team JNPR quite happy that they had someone who could match Yang in bringing the pain.
"Hell, I replay that one every day in my head." Yang smirked.
"And as far as I know," Blake continued. "Nora and you have never once beaten each other. I guess what I'm trying to say is, Nora may be quite odd, but if there is something you can count her for, is that she'll be there. Whether it's for kicking someone's ass or making sure you don't die from Melpox."
"I suppose." Yang grinned. "Would've been nice if she could help us more with the eel."
"Well, she has to... AAAAH!" Blake shrieked as she slipped, her face falling into mud as she skidded down the slope.
"Blake!" Yang cried, running after her teammate, resulting in her also slipping down the same way Blake had.
The two girls tumbled through before landing in a small murky pool.
Yang burst out of the water, gasping for air. "Blake!" She called out while wading in the muddy water. "Where are you?"
Something burst out of the water behind Yang. She turned and saw Blake with a strange blue-spotted eel in her mouth. It's tail flicked about as Blake attempted to spit it out. Yang merely gaped as Blake failed, the wriggling of the eel causing her to swallow it whole instead.
Blake cupped her mouth, eyes going wide after realizing what she had done. Yang stared for a few seconds before chuckling.
"Good kitty! How's the fish? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yang roared.
Blake merely glared. "Not a word Yang. Got it?"
Pyrrha and Jaune had finally found the Rhotian mushroom. To be honest, they had been worried that it would be the most difficult to find due to its tendency to grow in dry areas. Still, apparently a stroll in the Emerald forest did the trick.
What the real challenge now was that the dry area the mushrooms have decided to pick was the side of a mountain.
"Well..." Jaune gulped as he stared at the forest about a hundred feet below. "This is a problem..." The mushroom lay just beyond his reach.
"I guess life is filled with lemons." Pyrrha chuckled. "So, any ideas?"
"I suppose I could just hold you by your legs and you might be able to reach it." Jaune offered. Pyrrha stared at him before looking down on the ground.
"Uh, I don't think that would be a good idea." Pyrrha said, her face turning red.
Jaune blinked for a second. He then realized that Pyrrha wasn't exactly looking at the ground. She seemed to be looking at herself in general, her right hand fingering her skirt. Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"Oh... Uh, right. Sorry." He looked away, flushed with complete embarrassment. What were you thinking idiot? He berated himself.
Pyrrha chuckled behind him. "Still, it sounds like a good idea. I could hold you and you could get the mushroom."
Jaune turned and saw Pyrrha smiling at him wryly. He felt a rush of heat flow through his face. "R-right. Uh, shall we get started then?"
"On your go fearless leader!" Pyrrha knelt down, hands outstretched.
Jaune gulped as he remembered the long drop below. Just don't think about it... He told himself. He had a feeling it wouldn't work.
Then again, in times where nothing seemed it wouldn't work, he always had his teammates to stand by him. Pyrrha always had his back. Ren supported him all the way and Nora...
Nora was just good at being Nora. He remembered the time when he had no idea how to write down an essay for Boarbatusks. Nora had instantly jumped in and rambled for hours on how she and her dad once trapped dozens of them and sold their tusks for a hefty price.
It was then that Ren said that he was also there, and they had only worked to capture one.
Jaune had laughed at the revelation, but had finally found a new direction to take the essay. It didn't get a high grade, but it was still acceptable, at least.
Heh. I wonder what kind of story you have for this situation Nora. Would it have made me feel better? Jaune wondered. At the same time, he already did.