Enjoy! Here is an extra-long chapter.
Reviews, followers, favorites, comments and questions, are alwaysappreciated.
As soon as Pyrrha opened the door leading into her team's dorm, she heard Nora call out from within, "Bombs away!" A fist-sized, ginger orb flew toward her. With a fast and precise reflex, Pyrrha caught it just in front of her face. To her surprise, the 'projectile' turned out to be a harmless and ripe orange. She looked questioningly at her friend.
Nora was sitting on the edge of her bed. Her expression silently screamed 'guilty'. "Enjoy your citrusy treat! A delicious gift from Yang and Weiss. Met them at the dining hall earlier," she explained.
"Oh? How kind of them. I shall be sure to give my thanks next time I see them," said Pyrrha and walked over to sit down next to Nora.
Nora applauded briefly for her friend's recent display of skills. "That was a nice catch you just did. What if someone throws an orangey hand grenade at you? Would you catch that, too? It would go all KABLOOWEY just as you're about to sink your teeth into it!" she said while making exaggerated hand gestures and mimicking the sounds of an explosion.
The orange that Pyrrha had received was repeatedly thrown from one hand to another. "I guess I should dodge whenever someone throws gifts at me, just to be safe. Did Weiss and Yang have anything interesting to say?" she asked curiously. It had been a while since she last talked to the RWBY girls, other than quick and brief meetings in the corridors. Both teams had their reasons for being busy.
Nora put her fingers on her chin and looked up at the ceiling. "Let's seeeee… I think the Ice Princess is allergic to oranges. Blondie can be a meanie and a nicie to Ruby. Oh!" She snapped her fingers. "Do you know that they have a dog at their dorm?"
"You mean Zwei? He's cute."
Nora crossed her arms and pouted similar to a disappointed child. "It's not fair! Why has everyone but me met him?" she grumbled under her breath. "I love animals more than I love eating sweets and killing Grimm, but daddy wouldn't let me have any pets as a kid."
Pyrrha took notice of something that she said. Hmm, she said her dad instead of her parents? What does that mean about her mother? Best to leave that question for later. Despite their improved bonding over the last couple of weeks, she had never heard Nora talk about either of her parents before.
"We can always go and visit Zwei at team RWBY's dorm once things have settled down a bit," suggested Pyrrha. "By the way, I feel ready to continue my treatment. Should we go back into the bathroom?" The recent talk with Ozpin out in the hallway had reinvigorated her determination.
"How about no?" Nora disagreed in a playful manner. "You think a simple walk is going to clear your thoughts? Think again! Let's head to the city and have fun!" she said with her fists raised.
The sudden change of mind was met with a frown from Pyrrha. "But I thought we had agreed to stay at the academy."
Nora shook her orange-haired head. "Can't spend all your free time locked up inside the dorm, fighting an opponent that only exists in your head. Think about it! Jaune and Ren will return on Monday. Means we'll no longer have the dorm for ourselves! Who knows when we'll get a chance again? Gotta seize the opportunity! It's now or never, Pyrrha!"
She took what Nora said into consideration, and came up with a similar suggestion of her own. "How about we wait for them to come back first? Then, the whole team can go out. We haven't seen Ren and Jaune for over a week. It would be a pleasant way to celebrate the reunion."
"Awww, but I was hoping to be alone with you!" whined Nora. "You know, Girls Night Out… or Day Out, in this case. Hey, maybe Jaune would fit in after all! He did wear a dress at the prom dance."
As Nora reminded her of that particular evening, Pyrrha felt guilty for not being able to hold back a hearty giggle. I still wonder where Jaune got that dress in the first place.
"Pleeeeease?" begged Nora.
"You know, Nora, using those sad puppy eyes on me too frequently is going to cause diminishing returns." She needed more information before she could come to a decision. "If we go, what shall we do in the city exactly?"
Nora shrugged. "Planning only ruins the fun! You know that I'm the type of girl who leaps into things and hopes for the best. Let's decide when we get there. As long as I get to hang out with you, it's all good!"
A brief moment of silence passed while Pyrrha thought. Spending the afternoon together with Nora at the city sounded like welcomed idea. It's an opportunity for me to buy something that I want. "I have one condition," she stated with a raised finger. "We find a women's clothing store and buy a swimsuit."
"Swimsuit?" echoed Nora. "For you?"
"Indeed. It's time for me to have my own. I appreciate you having lent your spare to me before, but it's not quite my size. I'm bigger than you, in more than one way." Pyrrha stood up to place her orange on a nearby nightstand, intending to eat it later.
"That's the harsh truth, isn't it?" asked Nora and stepped up in front of her, looking up at her friend towering over her. "I can't help it for being a shortstack!" With her eyes only reaching up to Pyrrha's chest, the height difference between them was evident. Pyrrha thought her short height only added to her cuteness.
Nora was not the only one having doubts about her height. "I'm not so sure you want to switch with me, Nora. Back at Mistral's combat school, I was at a few occasions teased for being the tallest girl in class. Just harmless jokes. I think my height can be a bit off-putting at times. I've heard that guys don't want girls who are taller than them."
Would being a couple of inches shorter increase my chances to be approached and asked out? She pondered.
"Nonsense!" Nora strongly voiced her disagreement. Slender arms were wrapped around Pyrrha as she brought her in for a hug. The shorter girl cooed with delight while she snuggled her face against the other's chest. Being short did come with some benefits. "You're perfect the way you are, my big and strong amazon!" she said, her voice being partially muffled.
Pyrrha giggled, trying her best not to blush too much. "I thought you said this morning that I'm your dear, brave knight, oh benevolent Queen Nora?"
"Why not both then?" Nora pulled her face away from Pyrrha's chest, but kept her arms around her. "How about... amazon knight? Or, knight amazon, maybe?"
"I think I'll stick to just amazon then." After another giggle, she realized that they had become sidetracked. "Anyway, to go back to the original subject, I've decided to go with you to the city."
The answer made Nora bounce up and down, clapping her hands excitedly. "Awesome! How soon are we leaving?" she asked, fidgeting so badly as if she was ready to kick down the door and rush out.
Pyrrha took out and opened her Scroll to check the air transport schedules. "There's a ship departing for the city in about thirty minutes. Want to take that one?" she asked.
"Yep!"
It was decided then. The two friends spent a few hasty minutes to prepare themselves before stepping out and making their way toward the academy's aerial harbor.
The engines of the airship roared as they came to life before settling in for a smooth and steady humming. The passengers and crew within felt weak vibrations as the transport vehicle was released from the harbor's docking clamps. The handful of passengers, consisting mostly of students, all had their reasons to leave the academy and head to Vale City. Some were going to visit friends and family, while others were planning to go shopping or have fun. Nora was going to help her friend, Pyrrha, find a new swimsuit. After that, they intended to relax in some way. After all the recent fighting, training, studying, together with Pyrrha's newly awakened phobia, the two girls believed they had earned a reprieve.
Traveling across the strait was going to take a short while. To pass the time, Pyrrha was showing a video on her Scroll to Nora. With an excited grin, and intrigue in her eyes, Nora looked at the device playing a recorded video of Mistral's regional tournament finale from last year.
The video, labeled 'Pyrrha Nikos Vs Evan Chalcedony' depicted Pyrrha fighting a teenage guy with light-blue streaks in his dark hair, armed with wrist blades and wearing ice skates. The fight took place at what looked like an ice rink. The slick ice was making it tricky for Pyrrha to move and dodge. For her opponent with the ice skates, however, the ice allowed him to move with the elegance of a dancing, professional ice skater. Nevertheless, Pyrrha, champion of previous tournaments, stood her ground. Neither fighter gained the upper hand. The more Nora watched, the more excited she grew. The sounds of sword and shield clashing repeatedly against wrist blades and ice skates were sweet music to ear ears.
Nora whistled. "Wow, you're doing great, Pyrrha! That guy isn't so bad either." She had sparred with her and fought by her side more than once. To watch her fight, whether it be Grimm or humanoids, was always a pleasure. This is more fun than watching my favorite cartoons!
"That's the opponent I mentioned a few days ago, Evan Chalcedony. He's the reason I sparred on top of the frozen lake," said Pyrrha. "I don't fully understand how his Semblance works, but it seems he can create and shape ice out of thin air. As part of his fighting strategy, he uses his Semblance to cover the ground in slick ice. Even with my training, and the ice cleats strapped to my boots, the ground was more slippery than I had anticipated. I had to ensure every step, dodge and kick I did was done correctly, or something like this would happen. Just watch."
As the recorded fight continued, Evan relentlessly pressed his attacks, forcing Pyrrha back. She jumped upward to dodge a leg sweep. As soon as she landed on the ice again, her right foot slipped, dropping her to one knee and exposing her guard for a split second. Evan was quick to seize and exploit the opportunity. There were two flashes of red in quick succession as Pyrrha's Aura protected her from a slash from each of his wrist blades, knocking her back. Her dark green Aura gauge lost a small portion and changed into a brighter shade of green.
"Ouch!" hissed Nora. It felt painful for her to watch Pyrrha get hit even on a video. Something made her curious. "Why didn't you use your Semblance to push his weapons away, like you usually do?"
"Because, they are not metallic. They are actually ice constructs made by his Semblance. They don't look much, but they're sharp and solid as steel."
Pyrrha in the video began her counter-attack. Soon, it was she who was pressing back Evan. She used her sword and shield in conjunction to knock aside his wrist blades and roundhouse kick him the face.
"Woohoo! You go, girl! Kick his ass!" cheered Nora and pumped her fists.
Both fighters traded blows with each other that steadily chipped away their Auras. Near the end, both Pyrrha's and Evan's Aura gauges were dark orange. Whoever would land the next blow would become the victor of the tournament. Even though Nora already knew the outcome, she still felt tense. Pyrrha ran toward Evan, threw her shield flat onto the ground, and jumped on top of it. The momentum slid the shield and herself forward and quickly accelerated with the power of her semblance. She narrowly ducked beneath a wild swing from Evan and took a swing at him as she passed by. The exact moment her sword hit his Aura, a loud signal indicated that his Aura gauge was now at red, meaning he had been defeated.
Pyrrha chuckled. "It was a good fight. In the end, Evan managed to accidentally land one final hit on me." With just seconds left of the video, as the victorious Pyrrha walked toward the center of the arena, she suddenly slipped on the ice and fell right on her rear.
Nora burst into laughter, her loud mirth attracting the attention of the other passengers. Evan expressed sportsmanship by helping the fallen victor up on her feet. She smiled in a forced way while rubbing her aching rear. They both thanked each other for a good fight and shook hands. The video ended shortly after.
Pyrrha closed the Scroll and put it inside her pocket. "That was so humiliating. My backside ached for a couple of days after that."
Nora was still trying to control her mirth, her laughter having been reducing to a muffled chuckle. "I feel sorry for your poor, cute butt." She tried to find something to help distract her from seeing Pyrrha falling onto the ice repeatedly in her head. She looked out of the window she was sitting next to. The blue ocean below stretched far into the horizon.
If I could, I would seriously leap out of the plane and cannonball down into the water! "The view's incredible! Take a look, Pyrrha."
"No thanks."
"Really? But-" Nora was interrupted by an elbow gently nudging her in the side.
"You know why I don't want to look outside," reminded Pyrrha, staring into her eyes.
Nora looked away, feeling shame swell up within her. "Oh, right! Sorry about that! Once we cure you of your fear of water, we should go to the beach with the whole team! Maybe team RWBY wants to come too. "
After having entered Vale City, their first stop was at a women's clothing store in order to find a bikini for Pyrrha. Just like they had agreed on earlier. In anticipation for the upcoming summer heat, the store was selling swimsuits at a discount. Shifting through the hangers, Pyrrha found a red one-piece that she thought looked good. She took it out and showed it to Nora. "What do you think of this one? I like the color."
Her optimism was shot down by Nora grimacing and shaking her head disapprovingly. "Pyrrha, no! One-pieces are outdated!"
Pyrrha smiled while putting the one-piece back. "I didn't know you were an expert on swimwear fashion."
"I'm full of secrets. Lemme help you pick something." Nora took a step closer and went to check through another set of hanger, mumbling to herself. "Not this… This? No… Maybe… no not that one either. Eww, what an ugly pattern. Then how about… Aha!" she exclaimed and presented a two-piece bikini.
Pyrrha looked at it, flipping around in her hands. It was pink, a color which she knew Nora liked. "It looks… small," she mentioned, sounding hesitant.
"Yeah, that's the point. You can't cover your awesome muscles and curves, Pyrrha. You gotta dare to flaunt them a bit once in a while."
Pyrrha pictured herself wearing the skimpy, pink bikini. The mental image she saw did not please her at all. She shook her head. "I can see your point, but I rather not show that much skin." The bikini was put back. "Let's not give up though. Let's check around some more."
After going through the entire assortment of swimsuits twice, they found a few interesting ones that Pyrrha agreed to try out.
"Can I go in with you to take a closer look?" asked a grinning Nora while they made their way over to the dressing room.
Pyrrha blinked and smiled shyly, surprise by Nora's question. "I… I don't think that would be a good idea. It would be too cramped. The room is meant for one person only. Sorry. I'll show you when I've changed though."
Nora pouted. "Aww, alright."
As Pyrrha entered the dressing room and pulled a curtain to separate herself from Nora, she begun to take off her clothes and put on one of the bikinis. "Hey, Pyrrha, do you… do you like Jaune?" she heard Nora ask from the other side of the curtain.
Pyrrha blinked, not having foreseen her friend's question at all. "Of course I like him. Don't you?" She frowned slightly. Are you about to criticize our friend and team leader, Nora?
"Oh! No!" Nora quickly, but clumsily corrected herself for her verbal blunder. "I-I mean, of course I like him! I meant to say do you like-like him?"
Pyrrha froze just as she was attempting to hook the bikini clasps together. "Like-like? As in… if I love him?" she asked hesitantly.
"Uh-huh! Come ooon! You can tell me! I'm great at keeping secrets!"
In silence, Pyrrha stared into her own vivid-green eyes in the mirror, as if expecting her reflection to speak for her. There was a difference in telling oneself and another person the answer to a difficult question. "Love…" she began, pausing briefly, "that word is too powerful to describe what I felt for him."
Nora suddenly blurted out, "Wait a second! Whaddya mean with what you felt for him?"
"I'm sorry. I'm not sure how to explain it. I think I was interested in him at some point. Jaune kindled a few embers within me. However, when he began to talk, sing, and spend a lot of time with Weiss, those embers turned cold." Pyrrha recalled it was she who had supported Jaune's pursuit of Weiss' affection.
"Didn't you ever tell him? Remember what I told you about 'Practice what you preach'?"
Pyrrha sighed, quietly so that Nora would not hear it, and shook her head. "I wanted to, but I thought there was no point in trying. Jaune had never talked or looked at me like he did to Weiss. He talked to me like I was his friend or mentor, and I realized I was content with that. I didn't want to let my school crush get in his and Weiss' way. It's all in the past now. Besides, Jaune was not my first crush anyway."
"Reaaaaaally? There has been another prince charming? Tell me! Tell me!"
Pyrrha could not stop herself from emitting a brief chuckle. Nora sounded like she was about to burst into the room and shake the answers out of her. "Remember Evan? The guy in the video that I fought? We met a couple of weeks after the tournament. I developed a liking to him, so I gathered my courage and asked him if he wanted to have a cup of tea with me. I thought it went good, until…," her voice trailed off.
"Until what?"
"Until I learned that he isn't into girls."
"Oh! What a shame. So, um, are you done in there, or are you playing with yourself?"
Pyrrha felt her cheeks instantly grow warm. "Nora! Hush! People can hear you."
"I'm just saying, I totally get it if you want some time for yourself. I remember from the field trip last month when I felt I really needed to go away and-"
"N-nora! Stop talking! I'm done, okay?" Pyrrha pulled the drapes aside, revealing herself to her friend. She had put on a red bikini with yellow piping. The colors matched her hair, and to a slightly lesser degree the bronze armor she usually wore. The design of the swimsuit was suggestive, but not too daring.
While smiling, Nora observed her and her outfit long and hard. The gaze from her eyes went up and down, taking in every detail. She gestured for Pyrrha to turn around a couple of times, and so she did. Nora looked to be beyond pleased.
"How does it look?" asked Pyrrha, eager to hear her opinion. "Truth to be told, I like this one the most. It's comfortable, and the colors are good."
"You're beautiful," said Nora, her cheeks being rosy. "It looks awesome on you!"
"T-thank you, flatterer," said Pyrrha with a shy smile. It's the first time someone calls me beautiful. It certainly felt good.
After having finished their shopping, Nora and Pyrrha were sitting at a comfortable and quaint sidewalk café on the edge of a town square. With the sun providing warm streaks of light, together with the caressing breezes, the weather was perfect for relaxation.
Pyrrha was laughing, louder and longer than she desired. Nora had just told her about a recent and bizarre dream that involved Grimm, sloths, pancakes and a naked Ren. Realizing that she was disturbing the peacefulness for the other people at the café, Pyrrha forced her mouth shut. After calming down enough to talk, she asked, "Oh my god, Nora! Where do you get everything from?"
Nora smiled out of satisfaction for having brought such amusement to her friend. "From my bottomless barrel filled with endless amounts of excitement, lunacy, and positivity, just ready to be fished out."
Pyrrha took a deep breath to recover. "I must say, I really like having you with me," she complimented while wiping away unshed tears of mirth from her eyes. "It's feels so easy to smile and laugh when you're around. But…,"
"But what?"
"Truth to be told, I can't imagine you ever becoming sad or angry."
Nora crooked her eyebrows from the other side of the cafe table. "You think I dunno how to get upset?"
Pyrrha was not sure what to say in response. She could not tell if the question was serious or part of Nora's wittiness. "No, I mean, it's just that, you're always so full of joy and laughter, even while we're fighting Grimm." She felt awkward for having to explain her assortment. Perhaps she should have worded her previous comment better.
"Do tears of joy count?" replied Nora with a smile.
"I suppose they do."
A waitress came and brought them their orders; a pair of large and clear glasses filled with flavored milkshake topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. Crowning the desserts was a ripe cherry. The sight of the milkshake made Pyrrha's mouth water.
It looks so appetizing that it would be a sin to eat it.
She gently pinched the cherry's stem and bit the fruit off. Sweet and sour juices were squeezed out as her teeth slowly chewed it.
Nora, on the other hand, tossed the cherry into the air and let it fall into her open mouth. A comfortable minute of silence passed while both girls sipped from their delicious treats through chocolate straws.
"You know," began Pyrrha, breaking the silence, "Even though we have been in the same team for the past few months, I really don't know much about your past. Would you like to tell me? I'm curious to hear more about who Nora Valkyrie is."
Nora was for the moment too occupied to respond. She gluttonously bit off a chunk of cream from the top of her milkshake. "Sure!" she said, licking away a creamy mustache with sprinkles from her upper lip. "It all started when I was born. Yes, I was actually made the natural way. Whatever rumors you've heard about me having been created in a top-secret lab is just a myth!" She giggled, as if amused by her own joke. "I'm a Vale gal who grew up in Vana."
"Vana?" asked Pyrrha. She recognized the name of a town in the northern part of Vale. It was so small it could almost not be found on the map. "Is that where Ren is from too?"
"Bingo! We've known each other since we were drooling and clumsy toddlers. His house was only a block away from mine. I never had any siblings, so he kind-of became like a brother to me. My dad, well, he's a simple, but good-hearted man. More of a tinker than a thinker, hence he works as a blacksmith. He helped me forge some of the parts that I needed for constructing Magnhild! Best dad ever!"
"He did?" Pyrrha raised her eyebrows in amazement. "That's some incredible craftsmanship he has then!" She had seen Nora's personal weapon up close. The detailed ornaments engraved onto the metallic surface served as a physical proof of the blacksmith's skills.
Nora did not even try to conceal her pride. "I know, right? He made the cylinder, muzzle, handles; pretty much the whole body. The inner work with all those all those teeny-weeny gears, wires and springs required a more delicate, feminine touch by me. The weapon was a family project."
"So, what about your mother? What is she like?" asked Pyrrha.
Nora blinked. It seemed she bought time by taking a lengthy sip from her milkshake. "Ooh, um…, there really isn't much to say about her," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Really? Nothing at all?"
"Nope! She left me and my dad shortly after I was born," Nora explained in a surprisingly casual manner.
The revelation hit Pyrrha like a bullet, almost causing her to spill the milkshake into her lap. "Please forgive me!" she blurted out. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry!" Her chest tensed up so painfully from the shame.
I want to sink through the ground and vanish. I should've never asked.
Nora put up a reassuring smile. "It's okay, silly." Instead of changing the subject to something more pleasant, Nora chose to talk more about her mother. "I dunno why she left. I guess she wasn't ready to have a child. She was about my age when she got pregnant." While talking, she took out her Scroll and pressed a few buttons before passing it over to Pyrrha.
What she saw on the Scroll's display warmed and broke her heart at same time. She saw a digital picture of a man and woman who seemed to be barely out of their teens, smiling into the camera. The handsome and tall man with short, orange hair was standing and embracing the beautiful, short woman with chestnut hair and expressive, turquoise eyes from behind. His hands were resting on her large and round belly. There was a handwritten text in the corner of the photo.
'Our angel, Nora, ready to descend from heaven.'
Her sad gaze lingered longer than intended. Though the hair was different, Nora's mother looked very similar to her daughter. They look so happy together. What had gone wrong so shortly after Nora was born?
"Cute, isn't it?" said Nora with a hint of sarcasm. "Two days after it was taken, I popped out, naked and screaming. I hope I get to die like that. Would be a hilariously epic death."
Pyrrha handed the Scroll back to its owner. "Do you know where she is now? Have you ever met her after she left you?" She swallowed hard. It felt difficult for her to ask questions about such a sad subject that was related to someone she considered a good friend.
Nora slowly shook her head. Her gaze turned toward a nearby young mother who was trying to comfort her crying toddler. "Maybe she's just around the corner, or on the other side of the world. Wherever she is, it really doesn't make any difference to me anymore. She's never been part of my life, and she probably never will be. The only good thing that I can thank her for is having pushed me out of her."
"How did your father react?" asked Pyrrha softly.
"Oh, he was devastated, of course. He took it worse than I did because I was too young to remember. He never met anyone else, so it's only been him and me since then. The poor man. Can you imagine trying to raise someone like me by yourself?" she said and snickered. She finished talking about her past by taking a few and loud gulps from her milkshake. "Right then, Pyrrha! That's enough Nora for now. Now it's your turn to talk about yourself!"
"Where shall I begin?" Pyrrha pondered for a few seconds. After having listened to Nora and her past, it felt strange to speak about her own.
"Hmm, I grew up within a gated community just on the edge of Mistral City. It was a modern and safe area where nearly everyone knew each other. Money was rarely an issue for my family. My parents, who are both hunters, worked long and hard to provide everything I wanted or needed. Even while my mother was pregnant with me, she and my father decided that I was to become a better hunter than either of them. I think I was about five, maybe six years old when my homeschooling began. Tutors were hired to teach me in literacy, math, history, geography and more. My parents themselves stood for the combat training. Instead of toys, they let me play with weapons and armor. I had sparring partners instead of playmates."
She paused to take a breath. "When I reached the age of thirteen, they sent me to Mistral's combat school, which was mandatory before I could be allowed to join any academy. It was a big change for me. Up until then, I had lived a relatively sheltered life. I remember initially feeling socially awkward and out of place for being together with so many other students. It was thanks to my parents' training that I became the top student of my class, and won the Mistral regional tournament four times in a row," she explained.
I hope I did not come off as boastful.
"Wow, Pyrrha! That must've made you really popular!" said Nora, excited to learn about her friend's past.
"I was indeed popular, but not the way you think." Pyrrha's voice became less merry as she began to talk about the less positive side about being popular. "I was often surrounded by teachers, students, reporters; fans who praised me for my skills and accomplishments. They saw me for what I was instead of who. To them, I was 'the invincible girl', 'the champion of Mistral tournament', or 'that girl from the cereal box cover'. No one saw me just as Pyrrha, a regular, teenage girl wanting to have fun together with friends."
As she paused, her gaze sank to her half-finished milkshake glass, slowly stirring the straw around. "What I'm trying to say, Nora, is that that until I joined Beacon Academy and met you, Jaune, Ren and the girls from team RWBY, I was a lonely girl."
Pyrrha raised her gaze as she felt Nora take and hold her hand, squeezing it softly. "Hey, don't get all mopey now! Meeting and befriending you is one of the greatest moments in my life!"
The sincere act of friendship brought a warm smile for Pyrrha, washing away her gloom. She squeezed Nora's hand back. "Thank you, Nora. I am grateful for having met you, too."
She was not yet finished talking though. She wanted Nora to hear the rest. "I sometimes wish my parents were more caring and less disciplined with my upbringing. They want me to become a great huntress, but at what cost? I can't remember when they last hugged me, or said that they love me. There are times when I wonder if they wanted a daughter, or a legacy. How much have I unknowingly sacrificed and missed out on to get where I am today? I'm nearly eighteen years old. I've never been out on a date, or been kissed by anyone, or-" She stopped all of a sudden at the realization of her verbal mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. I have been kissed before," she said, smiling at Nora, who returned it twofold.
Pyrrha took a deep and slow breath, as if relieved to have voiced a burden within her. "Wow, that became longer than I had anticipated. I apologize if my story sounded too melancholic. That wasn't my intention. I do love my parents, and I'm grateful for everything they have done for me."
Nora nodded understandingly. "Both of us chose a blue and doomy subject to talk about, huh?" She raised her milkshake and tapped it against Pyrrha's. "Here's to our parents!"
Having spent the afternoon together, the girls had made their way back to the academy when it had begun to get dark. They both had their own and shared reasons to feel satisfied. Pyrrha was glad that she now owned her first bikini. It felt good to have talked about each other's colorful pasts. Their day together was a pleasant and memorable way to spend the end of their partnership. Partners or not, Nora and Pyrrha saw each other as loyal and caring friends. They decided to spend the rest of the evening in relative silence. Nora was watching cartoons on her Scroll, while Pyrrha had begun reading a novel that she had borrowed from Blake earlier.
Nora thought what she had told Pyrrha earlier at the café, Besides Ren, Pyrrha was the first friend who now knew about her mother. It had felt good to tell her, as if she had made a burden within her slightly easier to carry.
Nora smacked her dry lips. Having eaten so many salted chips had made her throat parched. "I'm thirsty!" she complained, and looked at Pyrrha expectantly. "You know if we have any sodas left?" She felt a craving, a craving that absolutely needed to be sated soon. Otherwise, Pyrrha would have to deal with her sugar withdrawal for the rest of the evening.
"Haven't you had enough sugar for one day?" replied Pyrrha.
"Hardly! My poor throat's dry as a desert." Nora walked over and opened her team's miniature fridge. Rummaging through the content, she found butter, milk, a few fruits, but nothing that could quench her thirst and sate her sugary craving at the same time. "D'oh! We're all out! We're gonna die of thirst!" she said melodramatically.
"The stores are closed, but there's the vending machine a few corridors away." Pyrrha reluctantly suggested a solution to Nora's 'distress'.
Nora's face lit up. The salvation to her sweet tooth was at hand. "You wanna go and buy a couple? Take my money. Buy one for yourself, too," she said, tossing a few Lien coins over to Pyrrha.
With a simple wave of her hand, the coins slowed down in mid-air and floated over to Pyrrha's waiting palm. "Why should I do it?" she asked as she closed her hand around the coins. "I'm not the one who's working on developing diabetes and tooth decay," she said.
"Cuz you're the one with legs longer than my entire body! A few steps for you are like dozens for my stubby limbs." She teased Pyrrha about her height, pointing at their legs. "And hey, by accepting my coins you've agreed to do it!"
Pyrrha chuckled and shook her head in defeat. "Alright then. What can I get you?"
"One grape and one coke, please!"
"Right. Be back soon then."
As Pyrrha walked out and closed the door behind her, she sighed to herself. Her obliging personality felt exploited, again. I must learn how to say no to Nora. But after all the recent, troublesome days I've made her put up with, getting her a couple of drinks is the least I can do to thank her.
Wandering sedately through the dimly lit hallway, she enjoyed the peaceful silence. She could turn the lights on, but chose not to. She believed the light-blue moonlight piercing the windows and mixing with the shadows within the corridors formed a strange beauty of its own. A short moment later, she saw the vending machine. Its lit display acted as a beacon of light amidst the darkness. Just as she was about to insert the coins into the slot, the peacefulness was disturbed by heavy footsteps approaching her from behind.
She turned around and gazed down into the dark corridor. "Hello?" she called out.
"Well well, look who we have here." She received a mocking response from a young man, whose voice was all too familiar to her. "Did you enjoy your cute, little 'date' together with that childish imp of yours?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact we did," replied Pyrrha back to the other person.
A tall man in his late teens with broad shoulders and burnt hair combed backward stepped out from the shadows and into the moonlight, grinning at her. "Right, right. I'll never understand why a strong girl like you is drawn to hang out with weaklings," said Cardin Winchester, leader of infamous team CRDL.
"If that was true, Cardin, then I would never leave your side," Pyrrha quipped. After a brief giggle, she took on a more serious expression. "You're talking about my teammates and friends. It doesn't matter if they are strong or weak, as long as we care for each other."
Cardin rolled his eyes. "How useful is your precious 'care' in combat? You expect to kill the Grimm with that? Are you going to suggest we use flowers, hugs, rainbows, and confetti instead of weapons?"
"It's not a question of what kind of weapons we use, but what drives us to use them. It's a shame you'll likely never understand that," she said, shaking her head.
"Speaking of weaklings," said Cardin, his smug grin growing wider, "I'm grateful that you're training Jaune. That little worm can now actually wiggle hard enough to put up some resistance before I squish him beneath my boot. It makes it more entertaining to beat his sorry ass."
Pyrrha nodded slowly. "True, your fighting skill are still better than Jaune's." Ugh, agreeing with him leaves a sour taste in my mouth. She saw how he reveled in it.
But I know how to turn that sourness into something sweet. "However, Jaune's potential is significantly bigger than what yours will ever be. You may become a great huntsman, Cardin, but in the end, I am confident that Jaune will be even greater."
Cardin's indigo eyes narrowed at her, his smile fading. "And what makes you so sure about that?" he questioned, crossing his arms.
Pyrrha couldn't stop herself from putting up a condescending smile of her own. "As inexperienced and goofy as Jaune is, he is nonetheless a quick-thinking leader who cares about his teammates. You on the other hand, see yours as stepping stones and tools to be used. The only thing you and your teammates have in common with each other is the fact that you're all bullies. It's rather tragic, really. I remember how they abandoned you to fend for yourself when you were attacked by an Ursa." It felt good to remind him of that.
The leader of the bullies struggled to maintain his composure. "Don't speak as if your own team is flawless," he retorted.
"There are indeed flaws in my team, too. The thing is, we improve each other's strengths and protect our weaknesses. My two-week long partnership with Nora has helped me understand even better how important friendship and teamwork is. She and I have both grown as huntresses. I know that Jaune and Ren feel the same way."
Pyrrha recalled Ozpin's explanation from earlier. I understand the Headmaster's motives even better now. Thank you, Ozpin.
She expected Cardin to reply with a snide remark or an angry insult. Perhaps his ego was so hurt he would retreat. Instead, he did something that was out of character. He began to chuckle.
"What's so funny?" asked Pyrrha with her eyebrows crooked. I did not mean to humor him.
"I guess now would be a good time to confess something to you," he replied.
Pyrrha tilted her red-haired head. This is turning interesting. "Oh? Go ahead then. I'm all ears." She crossed her arms, waiting in anticipation.
"Did you know that I'm a really terrible listener?"
Pyrrha's expression was evident with disappointment. "That's it?" she asked, as if expecting him to say more. "I was hoping that you would announce that you're going to stop acting like a bully and grow up."
"I'm not done yet!" Cardin spat at her. Taking a breath, he regained his smug composure. "Like I said, I don't listen so well to weaklings, people that annoy me, or to the teachers themselves. However, I am somehow able to hear pieces of information that others tend to not hear or just ignore. It's incredible what I can hear just by taking the same ship as you and Nora over to Vale City."
He was on the same flight as me and Nora? Pyrrha tensed up, balling her fists. What is he getting at? He would never confront me like that unless he has an ace up his sleeve. She saw his eyes shift slightly, as if looking at something, or someone behind her.
Too late did she realize that Cardin was not alone. She craned her neck and saw another person in her peripheral vision. She uttered a hushed swear word and whipped her body around to face Cardin's teammate, Sky Lark smirking at her. Pyrrha's eyes widened when she saw what he was holding with both hands. She wished it were his halberd. At least she could defend herself from that. To her horror, the dark blue-haired bully was pointing the nozzle of a fire hose connected to a nearby, red cabinet straight at her.
"Sky! You-" her words were literally drowned as Sky twisted the nozzle's lever, spurting out a continuous beam of water that hit her straight on. The pressure from the hose was so powerful it sent her staggering backward into a corner, trapping her. "No!" she yelled, much to her attackers' sadistic delight. "Stop it!"
"You say I don't know teamwork, Pyrrha? You're wrong! My leadership and our teamwork lead you straight into our trap!" said Cardin, laughing boisterously. "Vengeance is best served cold! Cold and wet!"
She tried to use her Semblance to steer the nozzle away from her, but was unable to focus or aim it properly. Parts of the nozzle being plastic made it even more difficult.
She heard her two attackers laughing at her. They were enjoying watching her squirm and plead like a cornered, frightened child. Every instinct within screamed at her to give in to the fear. Something stirred within her in response.
No… I won't give them… the pleasure! I will not scream!
Keeping her arms in front of her face, she took a small step forward, followed by another. Slowly, moving one trembling leg after another, she advanced toward Sky.
The two bullies exchanged glances with each other. "Full power!" commanded Cardin. Sky obeyed and twisted the nozzle lever as far as it could go, increasing the flow of the water.
Pyrrha was a strong girl, yet her strength was not enough to withstand the full onslaught of the water beam. Her connected, protective arms were pried apart, exposing her vulnerable face. The water splashed against her eyes with such force it felt she was punched, temporarily blinding her. Water seeped in through her nostrils and mouth, causing her to gurgle and choke. The ember of defiance within her was snuffed out. With a scream, Pyrrha was hurled back into the corner.
"Cardin…, stop! I… I can't breathe!" Her wheezy gurgle was drowned out by the noises of laughter and running water. Even if Cardin and Sky heard her, there was no promise they would stop.
"Leave! Her! Alone!" yelled a girl.
Just as Cardin turned around to see who it was, a sucker punch into his face knocked him down. Sky was too focused to keep the fire hose aimed at Pyrrha to react in time, and was tackled into the nearby wall by Nora. While he was stunned, she wrenched the nozzle out of his grasp and turned the water off. With fast and wide horizontal swing of her hands, she smacked the nozzle across Sky's face. His Aura shielded him from any real damage.
"Screw this, Cardin! You're on your own!" said Sky just before he ran away.
"Coward!" shouted Cardin back at his fleeing teammate. He got up and looked at the orange-haired meddler. "Damn it, Nora! You ruined our fun! Now you'll pay!" He reinforced his threat by slamming his fist against his palm.
Nora grinned like a lunatic at him, as if pleased to hear him challenge her for a fight. "There are two ways for you to leave this place, Cardin, with one or both legs broken. What do you prefer? Jump on one leg, or crawl away?" Her turquoise eyes were narrowed into sharp slits, shooting a menacing glare that could instill fear even into Grimm. "You hurt someone very precious to me. Don't think for a single moment that you're gonna walk away without feeling pain."
To Cardin's mistake, he chose to approach her with his fists at the ready. While he had the benefit of reach, she had flexibility together with the knowledge of how to use her smaller stature to her advantage. Like a giggling dancer, Nora nimbly ducked and dodged all of his cumbersome swings. Every attempt to grapple her failed, for she was always somewhere else.
Rather than striking his torso, the center of mass, Nora fought dirty and targeted a smaller and more critical spot. "Boop!" She jumped and thrust her knee straight up into Cardin's crotch.
Even with his Aura taking the blunt of the blow, the strike had its intended effect, as Cardin let out a loud grunt, his face twisting in pain. She did not offer him any respite at all, and delivered a fast uppercut just as his upper body hunched over. Despite her slender limbs, her strikes packed substantial strength, a necessity to effectively wield her war hammer, Magnhild. Cardin fell unceremoniously to the floor, groaning.
"Scurry like a frightened dog with its tail between its legs, Cardin. You and your goons better keep Pyrrha's secret to yourselves and not take advantage ever again. Now, begone, or suffer your Queen's wrath!"
Muttering and swearing, a humiliated Cardin got up and walked away.
With both bullies dealt with, Nora turned and ran over to her friend.
A brief moment later, the two girls were back within their dorm. Pyrrha was sitting on the edge of her bed together with Nora who was drying her long, red hair with a towel. She had helped her out of her soaked clothes and put on simple but dry t-shirt and sweatpants.
"Bunch of jerks! They ruined our perfectly fine and fun day," muttered Nora. "I shouldn't have let Cardin leave so easily." Good thing I decided to change my mind about which sodas I want. Who knows how long Cardin would have tortured her if I had not saved her…
The sight of Pyrrha cowering and whimpering in the corner had been uncomfortably similar to when they had gone to the pool.
Pyrrha sighed tiredly, having mostly recovered from the recent panic attack. "It might be possible for Cardin to change and redeem himself, but breaking his legs is probably not the right way to go." After a brief pause, she continued, "Nora, I've come to a decision. Tomorrow, I shall go to Ozpin's office and tell him everything about my fear. I'll ask him to contact a therapist for me to meet."
Nora nodded. She had had done her best to help, but it seemed it was time to call in a professional. "Whatever you choose to do, I'll support you, always" she said sincerely and placed her hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. Pyrrha showed her appreciation by smiling at her. The smile warmed Nora's heart. It always feels so good to watch you smile.
The smile faded shortly, however, as Pyrrha said with a less than merry voice, "It's not the only decision that I've come to." She shifted to sit face to face with Nora. She took both her small hands and squeezed them softly. The look she gave her made Nora worried, that she was not going to like what she was about to hear. "I'm sorry for saying this, but I've decided to leave the academy."
Nora froze, waiting to see if Pyrrha would continue and say that it was a cruel joke. No such words came, to her horror. "Huuuh? Why?" she asked, her eyes widening. Her hands tensed up, squeezing Pyrrha's hands.
"Because my phobia has grown so severe I can't continue my training nor live a normal life anymore. You've seen how I react when I use the shower. What will happen if we fight Grimm outdoors and it suddenly starts raining? You think an umbrella is going to prevent me from panicking? I would not only endanger myself, but my friends as well. In short, I need professional help."
The shock continued hurting Nora's heart so badly it felt like someone was squeezing it. "W-where will... you be going? For how long?" she asked, quietly, her lip trembling.
Pyrrha looked at her sympathetically with her green eyes. "I think it would be best if I receive treatment at Mistral City, close to my parents' home. I have no idea how long it'll take to cure me. I hope that I'll only be gone for several weeks or months. It might take years even."
"Years? B-but… by then it may be too late to resume your training."
Pyrrha nodded slowly and sadly in agreement. "I'm... aware of that. I hope it won't come to it. I should try to look on the bright side. I can go home and see my parents for the first time in six months. I haven't told them yet though. Hmm, I wonder if they'll even let me back into the house," Pyrrha said, her voice fading. She smiled, but it looked forced and brittle, as if a means to hide her sadness. "All that money and effort they've put into my training may have been in vain. I hope they won't disown me, their only child."
Nora did not want Pyrrha to quit the academy, and then go home and face her disappointed parents. She was not ready to give up fighting for her friend in need. There was only one, desperate choice left. "I've heard that traumatized victims can be helped if they go back to the place of origin. We can't go back to the frozen lake in Mistral, especially since we're in the middle of spring. But we can-"
"Go back to the academy's pool?" Pyrrha abruptly finished her sentence. "I've considered it before. But, what's the point?"
"Maybe you won't dare to go near it. Maybe you'll freak out just by dipping your cute little toes in. Maybe, just maaaaaaaybe, you'll learn how to fight your fear better in case you need to leave the academy. It sounds extreme, but gotta take the chance! I don't want you to leave! The team wouldn't be the same without you, Pyrrha. If you must leave the academy, I want you do so knowing that we tried everything to help you." Nora paused before she added, waggling her eyebrows, "You know, it would also be a chance for you to try out your new bikini for real," she said with a strained grin.
Despite having been attacked by Cardin, and wanting to leave the academy to mend herself, Pyrrha managed to giggle briefly. "Oh, Nora, you're too much. You can be really convincing." Before Nora could cheer, she felt Pyrrha squeeze her hands harder. Her green eyes stared intently at her. "I know you, Nora, so please heed my friendly warning. If you so much even think about pushing me into the pool again as a desperate means to help me, I'll end our friendship. Do you understand?"
Nora nodded and gulped. It's probably not a good time to tell you about the daring plan that I've prepared for you. You'll thank me afterward. I'm sure of it.
End of chapter 4
Author's note: The first episode of volume 3 revealed that Nora and Ren are orphans. I just want to say that I'm not changing my story because of that. My story is therefore an AU, where their parents are alive.
Here is some character height trivia in reference to the first scene. Pyrrha is 6'0" (183 Cm), whereas Nora is only 5'1" (155 Cm). That's quite the difference.
I based the name of Nora's hometown Vana of "Vanaheimr", one of the nine worlds from Norse mythology. Nora's character is partially based on it.
I already look forward to see your reactions to next chapter's cliffhanger.