Author's Note: I hope you find this long chapter to your liking.
I want to thank Gorsouul and Aceofaces for helping me go through this chapter and for giving me some great feedback. Gorsouul is currently writing a WhiteRose fic called "Chivalry & Spelling Errors." Check it out if you're a WhiteRose fan.
Anyway, I've kept you waiting long enough. Let's get the story going again!
Clattering dishes, clinking utensils, and multiple voices resonated throughout the academy's dining hall, as Pyrrha ate breakfast together with Jaune and Ren. She had not had much appetite ever since Nora confessed her feelings to her. The food and drinks had all tasted plain and dry, and felt as indigestible as concrete. Today, however, she was hungrily enjoying the flavors and aromas of her breakfast, consisting of crispy, freshly made waffles with fruity strawberry jam topping, and a glass of cold milk.
First time I eat waffles for breakfast. It must've been something I've gotten from Nora.
Whether that was true or not, she felt no regret as she was eating half a dozen of them. Despite having had trouble sleeping last night, Pyrrha had felt surprisingly rested in the morning. It was likely thanks to the brief, yet meaningful nocturnal talk she had had with Jaune out in the corridor.
Were her rested body and her renewed appetite signs that she was starting to feel better, less doubtful about Nora's love confession? She still did not have a final answer, and she was not sure if she would ever find one. She could continue searching for it, but she believed it would come to her on its own. When that would happen, she did not know. Hopefully, sooner rather than later. As much as she disliked keeping Nora waiting, Pyrrha did not want to rush with making an important decision that might not only change her life, but Nora's as well. It was not only a question whether she loved Nora or not, was she capable of loving someone of the same gender at all?
As she finished the last of her waffles and put down her utensils, Pyrrha smiled with delight of having eaten herself full. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten the last one… she thought, as she barely managed to hold back a small burp. She looked at Ren and Jaune, and noticed how they were silently glancing at her with raised eyebrows.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, her gaze jumping back and forth between them. Is it because of my uncharacteristic appetite? I can't blame them for that.
"Uuh, you have some jam on your cheek," mentioned Jaune and pointed at his own cheek to show her where the stain was.
"Oh, thank you for telling me." Pyrrha picked up her napkin to wipe her mouth and cheeks clean. After doing so, she reached for and opened her Scroll. She quietly sighed. Still no new messages… She had not heard from Nora since yesterday morning, and was hoping that she was doing alright. Pyrrha wished she could have gone with her. If Nora needed emotional support, someone to hug, a shoulder to cry on, she wanted to be there for her, just like she had been there for her. But she respected Nora's wish to go by herself. That was likely for the best.
"What do you think? Pyrrha?"
She blinked in response to Jaune's inquiring voice mentioning her name. "Huh?" She raised her gaze up from her Scroll to look at Jaune for a quick moment before averting her eyes. "I'm sorry, I guess I sort of lost myself to my own thoughts for a moment," she explained, smiling sheepishly.
"It's alright. I understand," he said sympathetically, knowing fully well what kinds of thoughts were troubling her. As Jaune paused, his blue eyes curiously glanced at the Scroll in her hand. "You've been looking at your Scroll a lot this morning. Are you expecting to hear from… someone?" Pyrrha understood who he referred to.
"Uhm, no... I mean, yes." She cleared her throat to rid the awkwardness in her voice before she began to explain. "I tried to call Nora yesterday to check up on her. She didn't answer, so I sent her a message instead. She hasn't called back or responded yet. That's not like her at all."
"She's probably misplaced her Scroll. It wouldn't be the first time," said Jaune. "Maybe her batteries have died, and she hasn't realized it yet. It happened to me once, just when I needed to make an important call. Just my luck." He chuckled and shook his head at his own forgetfulness and misfortune.
Pyrrha knew both reasons were plausible, especially with Nora. She smiled as she remembered how Nora had actually once misplaced her Scroll. The energetic girl had in her frantic search almost turned the dorm upside down, as if a powerful, miniature thunderstorm had passed through. Eventually, the Scroll had been found inside Nora's rocket locker, much to her happiness and embarrassment.
Pyrrha's smile faded as she saw something unusual with her dark-haired teammate in front of her. Ren was looking away, his typical, stoic expression appearing to be in deep thought. She was accustomed to Ren being the least talkative in the team, but he had barely said a single word this morning.
"What are you thinking about, Ren?" she asked out of curiosity, but also concern.
Ren looked at her, and answered, "A misplaced Scroll, or empty batteries, might not be the reason why Nora's not answering…" He did not attempt to dismiss her question or lie to her. He was always honest to his friends.
His vague answer made Pyrrha's stomach tense up, and her eyes widen. "Do you think… something has happened to her?" she asked carefully, afraid of what he might say next. She had not considered the possibility until now, and the very thought of it sapped the warmth from her face.
Ren gave her a reassuring shake of his head. "No, that's not what I meant. It's possible that meeting both her parents did not go as well as she hoped it would. Maybe she needs some time for herself. I messaged her, too, and she hasn't responded to me either."
Ren's elaboration hardly helped Pyrrha relax. She could to some degree understand that Nora might not want to talk her, as she might not want to disturb her while she was thinking about her dilemma. The fact that Nora had not even messaged back to her childhood friend, however, was troubling.
"Has she ever done that before?" asked Jaune to Ren. "You know, not answering you on purpose?"
Ren nodded slowly after a second of hesitation. "She has."
"I hope she's alright." Pyrrha put the Scroll away. She would wait a few hours, and if Nora had not responded until then, she would try calling her again.
All Nora had ever wanted, was for her father to accept her for who she was. Now that he knew the truth about her sexuality, she presumed that he hated her, probably no longer even acknowledging her as his daughter. Despite all her efforts to prevent it from happening, her one true fear had in the end become reality. It was a sad and cruel irony that the only person who could truly frighten her, was none other than her own father.
Nora knew she had only her own stupidity to blame, her childish naivety that things would end well. She had listened to her heart and confessed her love to Pyrrha. Instead of happiness and mutual feelings, her beloved friend had responded with doubt and confusion. After having recently listened to her heart again, she probably no longer had a father. She had through two irreversible mistakes learned that it was best to never listen to her heart's desires, no matter how much it may scream and howl within her. It had only caused her pain, and ruined two beautiful and precious relations for her.
She would never confess anything to anyone ever again. It was best to keep her thoughts and feelings smothered, lest she only bring more ruin and misery to herself and others. She would force herself to adhere to a new creed when it came to matters of the heart: Silence is golden.
Nora sniffled in her bed, holding her Grimm Ursa plushy close to her chest. Hours of crying had turned her pink pillow damp, and her dry, bloodshot eyes itched and burned from dehydration. She had not bothered changing into her sleepwear last night, and was still dressed in yesterday's clothing. She could not recall if she had caught even a minute's worth of sleep. Sleep, unconsciousness, any means to escape the nightmare, was something she could not find.
Where am I supposed to go? I could get kicked outta the house any moment!
She was worried about her future. As a student, Nora could live and stay at Beacon Academy for about three more years. Where was she supposed to go after graduating? As far as she knew, she no longer had a home to return to, a loving father to welcome her with a strong hug and a warm smile. She figured Ren's caring parents would let her stay with them for a while until she could find something better, but she did not want to feel like a freeloader. They lived in Vana, too, only a stone's throw away from her father. She did not want to awkwardly avoid eye contact every time she passed by him in the streets.
Maybe she could live with her mother instead, wherever that was. Surely, Jorda would not decline her homeless, heartbroken daughter a place to stay.
Maybe I can ask to stay with mom, wherever that is. She won't say no to me, right?
On second thought, Nora was not sure if she even wanted to be with her mother anymore. The way she saw it, it was Jorda's fault that her father had turned into a hateful bigot. If her mother had never run away, then Nora would have been raised by both her parents. Her father would never have turned into a homophobe. He would have accepted Nora for being gay.
Nora gasped quietly as she suddenly heard a gentle knock on her door. "Nora? Can I come in?" asked her father calmly.
She said nothing, hoping that her silence would be an answer of its own. She wanted to be left alone. As soon as he leaves… I'll pack my things and leave without saying anything. It feels like I'm following mom's footsteps…
She blinked as the door opened behind her. She lied still with her back turned toward the door, pretending that she was asleep. Her father's heavy footsteps approached her, each one making Nora increasingly more tense. She felt like a defenseless, crippled huntress with no Aura left, being approached by a pack of bloodthirsty Beowolves. Her heart thumped so strongly and rapidly within her that it felt like it would explode. The Grimm plushy was hugged harder against her chest, as she silently prepared herself to receive another, hateful scolding.
This is it… Now he will disown me, tell me to leave the house and never come back. She felt her mattress shift as he sat down next to her. The seconds passed, but her father remained silent. That, however, did not take away any of Nora's tension. This was likely only the calm before a hellish storm, waiting to blow her away.
Her mouth trembled as she finally shattered the silence between them by crying out with a strained voice, "I'm so sorry, Daddy! For everything!" Her throat ached after hours of crying. "I'm sorry for being such a disappointment to you! I didn't mean to break your heart! Please, don't hate me!" As she felt another wave of tears fall from her eyes, she buried her face into the pillow and whimpered. She wished she had the guts to tell him to leave her alone. She did not wish to be seen in such miserable state.
"Nora…"
The softness in his voice surprised her. What surprised her even more, however, was the large hand he gently placed on her small shoulder. His unexpected behavior made her curious. Slowly, she craned her neck until her eyes met the gaze of his single one. His beardy, masculine face was not set in a deep, angry scowl. Instead, she thought he looked... remorseful.
"I'm the one who's sorry, for yelling at you," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to."
His apology did not make Nora feel much better. She was not sure what to feel at all. She looked away again, and kept her back turned to him.
She felt Brunn's hand tighten its grip on her shoulder. "I wasn't angry at you. When you told me that you're... gay, I got scared. Please, forgive me."
Slowly, Nora sat up next to her father, her body feeling weak from hunger and lack of sleep. She wiped her teary and puffy eyes, giving herself a short, yet necessary moment to collect her scattered thoughts as well as she could. The flow of tears stopped, for now.
"I… I didn't choose to love girls, Dad. It's just… who I am. If you can't accept that…," her frail voice trailed off as she looked down at her fiddling hands in her lap, "Then it's probably best if I pack my stuff and move outta here, forever."
"I don't want you to leave, Nora," Brunn gently replied. "This will always be your home. You're my daughter, and I love you. I just…," He paused briefly, trying to find the words. "I just need a bit more time to process this. The past few days have been hectic, for both of us."
I understand that… all too well. Her mother's unexpected return had thrown her whole life around, and she was still struggling to process it and regain her footing. She had, to her great shame and regret, angrily lashed out at Pyrrha after she tried to calm her down. "Look, I get what mom did was wrong, but you mustn't let her... 'mistake' make you hateful of other people. She left because she wasn't feeling well, and because someone took advantage of it."
Brunn nodded sagely at first, and then turned his gaze away from her. "Truth be told, Nora… she's not the only reason why I have this… negativity toward homosexuals."
"Hm? What do you mean?" Nora asked and looked up at him.
"It's about your grandfather."
"What about him?" She had, at more than one occasion, curiously asked about her father's parents, whom she knew almost nothing about. To her disappointment, and even more curiosity, Brunn always had all kinds of excuses for not wanting to talk about them, especially his father. Her instincts had told her that her questions tore up bad memories for him. It was out of respect and love that she had decided to stop asking completely, and wait for him to explain whenever he was ready. That, however, was many years ago. She now knew barely anything more than what she did back then.
Brunn took a deep breath, and began to explain with a troubled expression on his face. "I know all too well what it feels like to be abandoned by someone you love. Jorda wasn't the first one to do so." He sighed and dropped his wide shoulders. "I was just a boy when my father left me and my two brothers for... another man. Our mother had to take on two jobs to provide enough money. She nearly worked herself to death."
Her father's sad revelation pulled at Nora's heartstrings. She now understood why he had reacted so angrily yesterday. He must have feared that she was going to leave him like his father and her mother had. She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a soft squeeze. "Sorry to hear that. I didn't know."
Brunn looked down at her hand squeezing his, his lips curling ever so slightly upward. "You were just a baby when Jorda left, but I remember all too well when I saw my worthless father step out of the door. Since then, I haven't heard a word from him. I'm not even sure if he's alive. I don't really care," he said with a shrug of his wide shoulders.
Nora wondered if she should tell him that he could see if his father was still alive, so that the two of them could reconcile, just like Nora and Jorda were trying to. She kept the suggestion to herself as she realized the time was not right. "What about your mom? Where is she?" she decided to ask instead.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Nora, but she passed away a long time ago."
"Oh…" Nora partially regretted asking. Knowing that she would never meet her grandmother made her sad. At the same time, she was glad that she had finally been told about what had happened to two of her grandparents. Maybe my mom's parents are alive. I'll ask her later.
"You did get to meet her, though you were too young to remember," added Brunn. "She held you while you were a baby, and said how beautiful you were. She was proud to have become a grandmother. I should be able to dig up some old photos of you and her together."
It was not much, but that was comforting to know. "I guess beauty runs in the family, huh?" Nora jested, trying to raise the mood for them both. She partially succeeded as she felt her own lips spread into a small smile.
"Your smile…" said Brunn, the sudden change of subject surprising his daughter.
"My smile?"
He put the thick tips of his right index and middle finger on each corner of her lips, widening her smile a bit. "You're more similar to your mother than you think, Nora. You smile and laugh just like her. You smile not only with your lips, but with your entire face, your very soul. I can see and hear her so clearly in you," he explained, sounding nostalgic. Nora's smile lingered as he withdrew his fingers. It was hardly the first time she had been told how similar she was to her mother. She had however, recently seen those similarities with her own eyes.
Her smile faded, however, as she heard her father let out a heavy sigh. "I could've stopped her… I could've saved her," he said, staring down at the floor.
"Who? Mom?" asked Nora, to which Brunn nodded.
"Shortly after she had been diagnosed with her depression, I received a phone call from her while I was at work. She was panicking at home, and begged me to return right away, because she needed me."
Nora gulped. She had unwittingly learned from Pyrrha how a panic attack could look and sound like, how a strong and brave girl could be rendered into a screaming and trembling victim, unable to act or think. "Why was she panicking?" she asked, not feeling sure if she wanted to know the answer.
Brunn hesitantly explained, "Because of you... You were crying, and she felt she was a bad mother for not being able to make you stop. She was scared you had become sick because of her."
I was just an innocent, ugly baby back then… and still I feel so guilty, Nora thought
"My hard-ass boss wouldn't let me leave work just yet. I couldn't afford to lose my job. How else was I supposed to provide for my family? After I told Jorda to wait for me... she hung up. When I finally got home a moment later… I found you sleeping peacefully in your crib. I still wonder if she had finally managed to calm you down, or if you had cried yourself to sleep."
"And… where was mom?"
"Inside the bathroom, crying her eyes out. She yelled at me, called me useless, and accused me that I didn't love you or her."
As Nora sat and listened, she saw a single tear fall from her father's eye. The tear rolled down along his cheek, and was absorbed by his short, orange beard. That's the first time I see him cry. Oh, dad…
"I failed her, Nora. I couldn't be there for her when she needed me more than ever. Because of that, she left the house the following evening and met the girl who then convinced her that it would be best to run away. A few days later, she did so. You know the rest of the story."
Nora nodded as Brunn concluded. You've comforted me so many times before. Now it's my turn. She embraced his arm and rested her head against his shoulder, silently telling him that she was there for him. "I don't blame you. It was not your fault. You did what you could." A brief, comfortable moment of silence passed between father and daughter.
Nora then continued. "I'm still struggling to believe that mom's actually back. I still have a lot of anger and sadness in me for what she did to me, to both of us, but I'm still happy to have her with me again. I don't wanna lose her a second time. I dunno what you think about her now, but I don't wanna have to choose between you. For once in my life, I wanna have both my parents with me."
"I can understand that," said Brunn, having composed himself again.
She looked deeply into her father's eye, and carefully asked, "Does that mean you won't hate me for wanting to get to know her? That I'm… gay?" She tightened her hold around his arm. She felt her heart starting to throb as she waited for his response that might change her life.
To her great relief, her beloved father smiled reassuringly. "How could I ever hate my pumpkin? But I guess that means I won't become a granddad."
Nora giggled as her orange hair was ruffled. "Hey, don't say that. Just because I like girls doesn't mean that I can't get pregnant. I promise you'll get to hold my babies, all ten of them! You'll be the best granddad ever!" She then stood up and stretched her arms and legs, sighing as a few joints cracked. "I dunno how much longer I can stay. I gotta leave soon. I've some… unfinished business to take care of at the academy," she said, and briefly thought about Pyrrha.
"You can't leave just yet. Not until you've at least had breakfast. It's a long ride to Beacon, you know."
The very mention of breakfast reminded Nora of her painfully empty stomach, which growled loudly. A wide grin spread across her face. "You know what rhymes with Beacon, Dad? Bacon! Crispy and delicious bacon!"
Sitting by the kitchen table, Nora munched on bacon strips while looking out the window. Her appetite, while limited, was still enough to savor the fried slices of meat. Whereas Ren made the fluffiest and moistest pancakes in the world, her father was the champion when it came to making crispy and spicy bacon. She saw him in the corner of her vision, as he was scrubbing a frying pan by the sink. The words he had spewed at her yesterday evening, hot with anger, had burned her heart. His sincere apology, and explanation, however, had applied a soothing and cool balm on her burns. She believed she could, sooner rather than later, put his verbal lash out behind her.
Alright, time to ask him. This time I seriously want an answer. I need it. He owes it to me. "Hey, Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"What did you and mom talk about yesterday?" She hoped it was not too early to ask him about that. She did not want to wait for a 'better time'. She needed to know something, anything.
The sound of scrubbing stopped behind her, followed by a short, yet noticeable silence. "Well… we talked about a bit of everything. The past, the present, and you especially. She said I did a good job raising you by myself."
His answer made her smile with pride. "She's right, you know? I couldn't possibly ask for a better dad... especially one who can make such delicious bacon!" She gluttonously brought several bacon strips into her mouth. "But what will you two do now?" she asked while chewing noisily.
"We agreed to see each other again at some point, but we don't know when. Best not to rush it. I guess it felt… alright talking to her, but I lost my composure a couple of times. I need more time to let all of this sink in."
Nora nodded, pleased by his answer. She could more than well relate to the mixed feelings that were going through his head. She would have to talk to him later about it, and help him process everything. It would help herself, too. That might be necessary if she wanted her parents to have any semblance of reunion, and a steady enough relation. She did not expect her parents to get together again, but she would not mind if they would see each other from time to time.
It's probably the closest I'll have for a family. Better than nothing, I guess.
She took a look at her Scroll's digital clock, and sighed internally. Her mother had promised to come back in the morning. So far, however, there had been no sign of her. Not even a message had been sent to her Scroll. "Dad, has Jorda called you this morning?" she asked. To her disappointment, he shook his head.
I could call her… but what's the point in that? It's too late now. I'm about to leave. I hope I don't have to wait for another seventeen years for another chance to see her.
"I gotta go soon if I wanna catch the bus back to Vale City," stated Nora before she finished her breakfast. She then marched into her room to pack her bag. "And you, you'll be following your Queen to another castle," she said with a grin as she picked up her Grimm Ursa plushy.
A short moment later, Nora stood in the hallway with her stuffed bag lazily slung over her slender shoulder, ready to leave. "Bye, Daddy! It was awesome seeing you! I'll be back again soon enough before you know it! Don't miss me too much!"
"You're welcome anytime. Just make sure you give me a call first. I sometimes need to leave the house to work in the town," said her father and patted her head.
Nora stepped forward and hugged him dearly, rubbing her face against his warm and muscular chest. She looked up at him, saying, "Oh, I will, 'cause you better have another plate of freshly made bacon ready as soon as I step in! See ya!"
Just as she opened the front door and took a step outside, she blinked, and stopped dead in her track as she saw someone several meters in front of her.
"Good morning, Nora," Jorda greeted her daughter with a warm smile. Her smile lingered as she shifted her gaze to Nora's father standing behind her by the door. "And good morning to you, too, Brunn."
"Morning," he replied, nodding his head a single time.
Nora could neither see nor hear any resentment in him, which she hoped was a good thing. Phew, the last thing I wanna hear before I leave is these two arguing.
Sh looked back at her mother again, smiling cheekily. "Nice of you to drop by. Shame you couldn't do so earlier. But that's never been your strongest side, right?" she said with a sarcastic undertone. It helped her dealing with the situation. "I'm just about to head to the bus," she said with a more normal tone instead.
Jorda gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I wasn't sure when you would leave. I didn't want to come too early and wake you. Can I go with you to the bus stop then, please?" she asked carefully, looking eager, even desperate to do anything with the daughter she had abandoned seventeen years ago.
Nora accepted the excuse. I can't say no. Who knows when next time comes? "Sure! Let's get going then. You better keep up, for my short legs can move pretty fast when needed." She turned to her father and gave him an excited, departing wave as she left.
A few steps later, she suddenly heard him call out to her, "Nora, wait!" She did as she was told and turned around, frowning curiously at her father who approached her. "There's something else I regret telling you yesterday," he said.
"Hm?" Besides him having yelled at her and accused her of wanting to leave him, Nora could not come up with what else he needed to apologize for.
He put his large hands on her small shoulders, his single hazel eye looking deeply into her turquoise pair. "I told you that Magnhild is my life's greatest work. I couldn't be more wrong." As he said that, he pulled his daughter and gave her a bear hug. "It's you, Nora. You are my proudest creation."
Nora's smile could not possibly grow any wider. Of course she knew how proud he was over her, but to hear him express it like that made her eyes feel misty. She hugged him back, hard enough to make him grunt softly, as she almost let her super strength get the better of her. While she had her face mashed up against her father's muscular chest, she felt a third hand on her shoulder, one that felt smaller and softer. She craned her neck around to see Jorda standing behind her.
"Our proudest creation," her mother corrected with a smile. Nora fixated on that smile, and realized something. Dad's right. She smiles just like me.
Nora saw an opportunity to finally feel something she had wanted ever since she was a kid. "Family hug!" she shouted and hooked her arm around her mother's waist, bringing her closer in. It felt awkward, yet also oddly pleasant to hug both parents at the same time. She was sure they thought the same thing. It was a simple, silent gesture that she hoped could help all three of them bond with each other. The family hug lasted only for a short moment, but Nora enjoyed every second of it.
"Right then! It's been fun, but I really gotta go now. See ya, Dad!"
"Good bye, Pumpkin. You too, Jorda." Brunn waved both of them off as they left.
A short moment later, Nora and Jorda were walking together, side by side down the gravel road, having left the town of Vana behind them. Nora wanted to say something, but she was not sure what exactly. She saw herself as a chatty person, and her friends had told her at more than one occasion how she could spontaneously talk about all kinds of nonsense that they did not always understand.
"So, Nora, what are you planning to do when you get back to the academy?" asked Jorda to break the silence between them. Nora silently thanked her for that.
She shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I dunno. There are no classes today. As soon as I step into the dorm, I'll just throw my clothes off and have a looong shower. Then I'll chillax with comics and cartoons for the rest of the day. Maybe I'll ask Ren to give me a magical backrub."
I can't wait to see him again. Feels like it's been an eternity of eternities!
She and Jorda passed by a lush, grassy field where a group of horses was grazing the pastures behind a wooden fence. Nora looked at each horse, and focused on the brown-coated one with black mane standing by the fence. Shifting her feet to the right, she went to rip up a handful of green and tall grass growing on the side of the road.
"Hey, Charlene! C'mere and get your delicious, grassy treat!" she beckoned melodically and waved with the grass in her hand. As the nearby equine approached and took the grass into its mouth and began chewing, Nora gently patted and stroked its muzzle.
"You seem familiar with this horse. Its name is Charlene?" she heard her mother ask curiously behind her.
Nora nodded. "Yup! She loves carrots. Shame I don't have any with me. Her owner usually lets me ride her." She had always wished to have a cat, dog, any kind of pet at home to care for, but her father had always said no. Thankfully, however, there were plenty of farm animals, such as horses, sheep, cows, and chickens.
Jorda stepped up next to her daughter. She began to pet the mare, too, hesitantly, as if she was unfamiliar about being so close to such a large animal. "You know how to ride horses?" she asked.
"Mmhm! It's a bit tricky for a shorty like me to get up in the saddle. Riding horses is fun, but not as fun as riding an angry Grimm Ursa." In the corner of her eye, Nora saw, to her amusement, her mother frown at her.
"You ride G-Grimm? You're joking... right?" she asked, to which Nora responded with a giggle. Jorda chose not to pry any deeper. Instead, she sighed and said, "There's so much I don't know about you."
Nora shrugged her shoulders, and indifferently said, "I dunno much about you either. You're my mom, but you're pretty much a stranger to me. That's the sad truth. What's my favorite food? What music do I like? Stick around, and we might learn a thing or two about each other."
"I do know something about you: six point four pounds, and sixteen inches."
Nora frowned at her mother, her mind thinking heavily to make sense of the numbers she had just mentioned. Numbers only gimme a headache… She quickly gave up, and asked, "What was... that?"
"That was your weight and length when you were born."
Nora blinked in surprise and amazement of her mother's memory. "You... you seriously remember that? I can barely remember my own Scroll's number. I've written it down on the backside." She took out and showed the back of her Scroll. "See?"
Jorda nodded and smiled, seemingly pleased to have surprised her daughter. "I was only with you for a month, but I learned much during that time."
"Really? So, uh, what was I like as a baby? Did I... cry a lot?" asked Nora, thinking back to what her father had said earlier.
"Yes and no. You didn't cry often. You slept peacefully throughout most nights. But when you did cry it was... difficult to make you stop." The woman's voice and gaze trailed off. Nora recalled what her father had said about that earlier.
"Sorry for being a crybaby back then," quipped Nora. She took another glance on her Scroll, and realized they had lingered for too long. She pecked the horse's muzzle. "Sorry, Charlene. You're a beautiful and mighty steed befit a queen, but I don't have time to take you out for a ride. Next time, 'kay?" Charlene nickered at her, as if saying good bye.
After Nora and Jorda resumed walking, it did not take long for the latter to speak up again, bringing up a touching subject from yesterday. "Nora... I don't mean to pry, but I just want to say that I hope things will be okay between you and Pyrrha. I remember how sad you seemed when you mentioned her, when you looked at her photo." Her mother sounded concerned, and Nora silently appreciated that.
Nora was reminded of the difficult dilemma she had left her precious friend with. She wondered if being separated from each other for a day had helped Pyrrha find guidance, any semblance of an answer.
A sensation of doubt appeared within her. What if Pyrrha has already to decline my feelings because I had so selfishly chosen to leave when she needed me the most?
"Oh, uuh... I guess I'll see when I get back, right?" answered Nora hesitantly, as if to instill false hope to herself that things would end happily for her and Pyrrha. Maybe Ren's right. Maybe I should've stayed with Pyrrha and supported her in any way I could.
If a close friend would suddenly confess their love to her out of the blue, she would want that person to be close by while she thought about what to answer. She would not want to have doubt and confusion as her only company when making a decision that might change her life. The hindsight caused her stomach to tense up painfully.
I gotta get back to Beacon as soon as possible! I wish I could fly, or just teleport myself over. She picked up the pace. Hopefully, it was not too late to salvage the emotional mess she had left Pyrrha with.
A couple of minutes later, they arrived to the desolate bus stop by the country road. Silence lingered between them again. Nora knew the bus would soon arrive and pick her up any moment.
I'm still glad that I came here... so that I could meet my mom. But when will we see each other day? Days? Weeks? Months even? The remaining, precious seconds of their moment together were ticking away, and she did not wish to spend them in silence.
Nora took a breath, collecting her thoughts as she began to talk, "Mom… listen, I-" she stopped in mid-sentence, and frowned as she noticed her mother was smiling. What confused her even more were the tears in the woman's turquoise eyes. "What's wrong?" asked Nora.
"You… you just called me 'mom'," explained Jorda and wiped her eyes.
"I-I did?" stuttered Nora in realization, and smiled sheepishly. She cleared her throat awkwardly before she continued, "Let's seeee if I can say this without making a fool outta myself. When I read your letter, my first thought was to ignore you and go on with my life. After I met you at the hotel, I got so angry I wished you were dead," she said, watching her mother nod slowly. "Despite what I felt back then… and what I'm still feeling… I don't wanna lose you a second time. We've both missed out on stuff, but that's in the past. We can still have a future, together. I'm willing to try at least, but only if you also are."
Nora could not help but to feel some pride over how smoothly the words flowed out of her. I wished I had an audience that could clap and cheer for me.
"Oh, Nora, you have no idea how much I want that." New tears appeared in her mother's eyes as she said that.
"Lemme warn you though," began Nora and raised her finger, her expression changing into a more serious one, "it's gonna be a rough and long road for both of us, for me especially. You're gonna have to do most of the heavy work. Expect me to cry, and yell at you. I will demand answers to difficult questions. You better be ready for that. After seventeen years of absence, you owe me a huge debt that you might never be able to pay off."
Jorda nodded slowly as she took in her daughter's warning and explanation. "I promise I'll do my best to mend all the wounds that I've caused you, even if it means taking verbal abuse from you," said Jorda. Nora was pleased with her answer.
As Nora heard the sound of a large vehicle approaching in the distance, she turned around and saw the bus that would take her back to Vale City. She sighed inwardly. Great, another boring, three hour long bus ride to look forward to. "Right, I guess it's time to say goodbye," she mentioned as the approaching bus began to slow down.
"For now, yes. You know you can always call me whenever you want to talk, even for just a short moment."
"I'll try and do that sometime next week. No promises though."
As the bus stopped next to them and opened its doors, Nora took a step closer to her mother and gave her a brief, yet still meaningful hug. "Don't miss me too much! I know you will!" she said to her ear and giggled. She felt her mother's arms squeezing her tightly, making her wonder if she would ever let her go. I wish this hug could last longer… that the two of us could spend just another minute together. But there will be more opportunities soon. For now, I must let go of her and return to the academy.
"Goodbye, Nora. Have a safe trip," said Jorda.
Nora entered the bus and sat down on a free seat next to a window. Mother and daughter maintained eye contact with each other through the glass. The bus began moving again. Her mother waved to her, who waved back just before she disappeared out of view.
Nora let out a drawn out sigh as she leaned back and relaxed into her seat. As her visit to Vana came to an end, she reflected on it. What an interesting and eventful visit to my home, to say the least.
Despite the emotional bumps she had crashed into along the way, she felt satisfied. Even though her father's words from yesterday had hurt her, she believed that had been necessary. She would gladly suffer emotionally for a while if it meant that her father would accept her for being gay.
Ren had once told her that sometimes things needed to get worse before they could get better. She was already thinking about visiting her father again, sooner rather than later. Maybe next time she could visit him without crying. She felt hope had been renewed. She knew the times ahead would be tricky and emotional for her and her parents. Yet, she believed that at the end of the road, they would all be happy.
Now that she was leaving Vana, Nora put her thoughts about her parents aside to instead think about a tall, red-haired, Mistralian girl who meant so much to her. Her newfound happiness and hope could be shattered like frail glass if Pyrrha would say no to Nora's love. Nora yearned painfully to see her again, to hear her voice. It would be hours before she and Pyrrha would meet each other again. That, however, did not mean they could not talk with each other. Nora took out her Scroll...
The cold water flowing from the bathroom faucet washed over Pyrrha's bare hands in the sink below. It vaguely reminded her of when she had stepped through the ice last year. A single misstep, a split second of hesitation, had killed her, and permanently scarred her mind. Even if more than one year had passed, she still perfectly remembered the icy sting of the cold water all over her body, the pain of her air starved lungs on the verge of exploding.
As uncomfortable as it felt to wash her hands in cold water, she wanted it to be a small, yet still meaningful self-treatment. Every step she did was important, whether she fully submerged herself in a swimming pool, or simply washed her hands in a sink. She had checked the weather forecast. There was a chance for rain later today.
Maybe I should head out if it starts raining.
She wanted to return to the swimming pool and dip more than her knees into the water. Hopefully, she would not be 'disturbed' by anyone next time, even though Yang's unexpected company had in the end helped her. Pyrrha, however, could not find the right motivation to go back yet. Nora had still not called back to either her or Ren. Jaune had said it could be because she has misplaced her Scroll, or that she had forgotten to recharge her batteries, as was typical of Nora. Ren believed it could be because she was feeling sad, and wanted to be left alone. Pyrrha, however, worried that something dreadful had happened to her dear friend.
She froze, and sharpened her ears as she heard something that sounded like a distant, melodic ringing. It was difficult to hear it due to the running water. As she turned the water off, she gasped as she realized she was actually hearing a ringtone coming from her Scroll outside the bathroom. With her hands still soaked, Pyrrha rushed out to pick up her Scroll from the nightstand. She smiled, and felt a warm wave of relief wash over her as she saw Nora's name and profile picture on the display.
She put the Scroll against her ear and answered the call. "Hello, Nora." She tried her best to contain the vague excitement in her voice. She heard the sound of a motor engine in the background of the other side of the line.
"Hey, Pyrrha!" Hearing Nora's cheerful voice again was music to Pyrrha's ears. She sounded happy, and that was a good sign. "Sorry for not responding to you earlier. I was busy with stuff, and totally forgot," explained Nora apologetically.
Pyrrha nodded, even though Nora could not see her doing so. "It's okay. I was curious to see how you were doing." She wanted to ask how things had gone with Nora and her parents, but ultimately felt that it was too early to do so. Nora should tell her on her own accord, preferably face to face instead of over the Scroll.
"How are you all holding up without me? Am I missing anything? You better not be having too much fun!"
"Don't worry; we're all alive and healthy here. You're not missing out of anything special." Pyrrha paused as she realized that Nora had actually missed something that she would regret. "Except maybe…" Her voice trailed off, almost teasingly.
"Except maybe?" echoed Nora curiously.
Pyrrha could not stop herself from grinning, knowing exactly how Nora would react to her answer. "The dining hall served us waffles this morning."
"What?! Nooooo!" Nora yelled so loudly that Pyrrha had to take the Scroll away from her ear a bit. She covered her mouth to muffle her giggle. "What kind of delicious topping did they have? Jam, syrup, or whipped cream?" asked Nora, huffing from frustration.
Pyrrha took a breath, composing herself. Yet, her smile still lingered. "All three, actually. I prefer jam myself."
To her amusement, she clearly heard Nora mutter and grumble. "That's just my luck. Typical. At least I got to eat a whole plate of crispy bacon for breakfast," she playfully retorted. The retort got to Pyrrha, as she suddenly felt a craving for bacon. She almost never ate it, due to it not being the healthiest of meats. She remembered the bacon and pepperoni pizza she had eaten together with Nora at the pizza restaurant a couple of weeks ago (chapter 9). It was a pleasant memory, and not only because of the delicious food.
"What about you then? How are you, Pyrrha?" Nora no longer sounded upset for having missed out on the waffles. Instead, there was now apparent care in her voice.
"I… I feel fine," she replied, being honest to both herself and her friend. She then decided to mention something which she knew would catch Nora's interest even more. "I went to the swimming pool yesterday."
"Wait, what?! You did? By yourself?" asked a caught off-guard Nora, raising her voice in excitement and surprise.
"Yes."
"How did it go? Tell me!" She sounded so eager to know as if she would try to squeeze herself through the Scroll and end up together with Pyrrha on the other side. As Nora paused, the excitement in her voice was turned into concern. "Did you get scared?"
Pyrrha looked down on her legs, remembering how she had, with some minor discomfort, managed to dip them into the water. It had not been much of a success, but it was something at least. The fact that she had done so without Nora's company only added to her small victory. She believed she could have done more, if it had not been for Yang's unexpected visit.
"Well, I only sat down and dipped my legs in. I was a bit nervous, but it felt like I could handle it."
"Hey, don't speak as if dipping your long and pretty legs in is nothing! I'm so proud of you! Mhm! I wish I could hug you right now! Gonna have to let you wait until I get back."
Pyrrha felt some pride for the praise she received. "You're giving me a rain check? I'll hold on to that." She leaned back down on her bed and put her legs up, making herself comfortable. "You know, it's pretty quiet here without you," she said while staring up at the ceiling, listening to the silence within the dorm.
Nora snickered. "Then I'll be sure to cause plenty of noises and mayhem when I get back. I think I'll take Magnhild out for a date in the training room."
"Speaking of which, when will you come back?"
"Weeeell, I just got on the bus that'll take me to Vale City, and then I'll hop onto the first flight to Beacon. I'll see you in four hours…ish?"
Pyrrha was just about to say something, when Nora said softly, "Pyrrha…"
"Yes, Nora?"
"I miss you." Three, short words. Had Nora told her that a few days ago, Pyrrha would have taken them as a friendly gesture. Now, however, she knew the full, true meaning of Nora's words. She felt her face grow warm, and heart beat faster.
"I miss you, too," she replied, smiling while doing so. She believed her answer made Nora smile, too, even wider if she already was.
"Good thing I'll be back soon. Then we'll stop missing each other." Pyrrha heard Nora yawn. "I'm gonna try and have a nap now. Didn't sleep so well last night."
The mention of lack of sleep made Pyrrha think again whether Nora's meeting with her parents had gone well or badly. She bit her lower lip, restraining herself from asking.
"I'll see you soon then."
"Yep! Oh, can you tell Ren that I'm on my way back? My Scroll's battery's about to die. I forgot to recharge it."
"Oh, Nora..." Pyrrha shook her head and chuckled briefly. Jaune, you were right after all.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'll be sure to tell him. Have a pleasant rest, and a safe journey."
"Great! Byeee!"
As the call came to an end, Pyrrha's smile still lingered. It had felt good to talk to Nora again, and she looked forward to see her. Nora had not said anything about her parents. However, if the seeming happiness was of any indication, then things had gone well enough. Pyrrha hoped she would fill her with the details later when she would get back. Nora had also not asked her if she had an answer for her yet...
She idly rubbed and shifted the Scroll around in her hands. A realization came to her: Four hours… I only have four hours left to make a life changing decision not only for myself, but for a dear friend, too.
End of chapter 17
Author's note: There we go. Feel free to leave reviews and tell me your thoughts. The chapter focused quite a bit on Nora, but that was necessary. The two scenes with Pyrrha were partially meant to show that she, her dilemma, and her aquaphobia have not been forgotten. I hope you feel satisfied with Nora's father apologizing, and accepting that she is gay. He was never meant to be an antagonist, but a caring, yet also flawed parent, discolored by emotionally painful experiences from the past.
Next chapter is going to be fun, but also a bit tricky to write.