Chapter 13

October 4th. Early morning.

The clouds looming over the city of Vale were almost sinister. Pitch black and heavy, their very presence-existence-seemed to sap the world of its color and good will. In fact, this morning seemed more like a terrible night-time, no, nightmare, as even the air felt to be different, perhaps even wrong when compared to the semblance of normalcy every other morning possessed. It was brooding, tense and ironically enough, suffocating, but above all else, it was filled with unmistakable flow of energy. Something quick and snappy, maybe even electric or something else, but of similar nature.

And yet.

In spite of all this, there was a lone figure with a pair of bright, emerald green eyes who seemed to be mostly impervious to the wrongness of her surroundings.

It's a good thing that I'm back. Penny though with a wisp of relief as she was done with her exploration-or at this point-walk around the Vale. However, just as she was making her way across the campus, someone interrupted her.

"Stop!" A voice cracked with a might of thousand thunderbolts.

She stopped. But not just because someone told her to do it, but also since she recognized that voice. She then spun around, her eyes darting about the place, and soon, she spotted her friend standing atop of the Beacon's tower. "Hello!" She happily greeted her with a big wave of her hand.

"…"

However, her greeting was met with a silent stare of Nora's. After all, she wouldn't consider a sudden lighting strike ripping through the looming clouds a greeting. So they continued to stare at each other, before Nora decided to make a great leap, and then plummet down to the ground.

Thud!

She made a heavy landing, as the ground beneath her feet cracked upon the impact.

Penny gave her a worried look. "You didn't injure yourself, did you? That was a great drop you just managed. I hope your legs are okay!"

"…"

Her friend still refused to speak. Fortunately, it didn't seem like she had injured herself as she rose to her full height in a slow, but untroubled manner. Her eyes then locked together with hers, and she still refused to utter a word for a while. Before finally, she did.

"My rival."

Penny blinked. "Rival? Me? Rival at what?"

"Let's meet at my dorm-room after the classes. We'll settle our business then and there."

"Business? What business?"

"Until then, my rival," Nora said, and then turned around just as another lighting strike ripped through the ceiling of clouds, and seemingly split the sky itself in two.

And then.

...She walked away. Menacingly!

Penny ever so slightly cocked her head to a side. Hmm. I'm not really sure if I understand what all of that was about, but it sounded exciting! I cannot wait to find out! She thought to herself, and was so looking forward to the end of her classes.

…

JNPR dorm room. After the classes.

It was an awkwardly tense atmosphere in JNPR dorm room which was felt by everyone except for Penny. Penny was just confused. Excited, but also confused.

"My rival." Nora spoke to her. Every word of hers carrying the weight of her resolve.

"Um, yes?"

"You are my rival."

"Suppose I am! I only wish I knew at what!"

"You defeated me, but ever since then, I prepared myself to correct my defeat."

Penny finally seemed to connect the dots. "Wait. Are you talking about that arm-wrestling match we had on 19th of September?"

Nora clenched her right fist. "Today's the day we'll find out if I was supposed to be defeated, or if you simply got lucky." She spoke slowly and deliberately as Penny continued to ask some more questions in the background. "Yes. Today is the day," She said with a great sense of purpose, and then placed her elbow down on the table. "Ren." She only said his name. She knew he'd understand. He did.

"Fine." He didn't even try to argue. He didn't even sigh. He understood his role in this, and would follow it accordingly. Hence, he patiently waited for Penny to get hold of Nora's hand. When she did, he said, "Are both of you ready?"

"Yes." They answered, and for a moment, he glanced at the two of them.

"…"

They did seem ready.

"Go!"

Nora locked her breath in place. In an instant, great many veins popped on her bicep and forearm alike. Her eyes narrowed and hardened, her face came to be a bundle of deep, deep wrinkles as the strain she put herself through was just incredible. Every bit of resolve, guts and self-belief sped through her as if she was a highway, and-

-And nothing. Just like that, she came to realize that nothing had changed, and then, it all happened in a form of a slideshow she merely viewed from the sideline. Familiar images unfolded before her, and in a span of moments she couldn't pinpoint the length of, the back of her hand touched the table's surface.

She lost, of course.

"…"

What followed, understandably so, was a period of utter, stiff silence as even Penny remained quiet. She didn't celebrate her victory. She just stared unsure at her friend, and so did the rest of their friends. Hence, this stiff, foreboding silence lasted even longer. A little longer still. Before Nora let out a heavy sigh, and then slammed her face into the table's surface. And then let out a deep groan.

Penny gave her a worried look. "Are you okay-" She barely managed a single sentence before Nora straightened herself in a flash, and then locked her eyes into hers.

"Yep! You're definitely stronger than I am. Now I'm sure of it!" She exclaimed, and then did something incredible. Or at least to Penny it was incredible.

She grinned.

Penny couldn't quite comprehend this. "I can't tell if you're upset or not."

"Upset?" Nora crossed her arms under her chest, her look now puzzling. "What's there to be upset about?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but you did seem very upset just after you lost. But now you don't. Are you upset?"

"Pf, nah, I'm not the type for that," Nora said dismissively. But a moment later, she did wince ever so slightly. "I mean, I am kinda disappointed about this, but…definitely not upset, ya know. Anyways, what matters the most is that now I know out first match wasn't just some fluke. After two weeks of hellish training I did, I know I'm in great shape as I've ever been, but-" She paused for a short moment, and then continued. "I still lost just like I did before."

Upon hearing this, Jaune decided to chime in for a bit. "Wait. Wait a sec. So let me get this straight; all that crazy training you did was just so you'd know you were still in good shape?"

"In great shape, but yea!"

Jaune chuckled dryly. "Seriously? Don't you think you went just a bit over the top with...no, you know what? Forget it."

Nora seemed to be slightly offended at this, if her cute, little pout was anything to go by. "Hey! I had to be 110% sure that I was in great shape!"

"Fine. But going through a 'training arc' seems like an overkill, no?"

"No!" Nora's pout seemed to deepen, and she even looked away from him like an upset child. "At least now I know for sure that Penny's stronger than me!"

He snorted. And then cracked a wry grin. "Oh what the hell, being extreme is exactly what you're best at. I better get used to it." He quietly said to himself, and truth be told, he now found this whole situation amusing more than anything else.

Penny however, still seemed to be unsure above all else. "So you're really not upset?"

Nora waved it off. "I told ya, didn't I? I'm not."

"Hmm." Penny hummed pensively. "From the conversation you just had with Jaune, I can guess that you worked very hard for this. I may not know what 'training arc' is exactly, but it sounds to me that you put tremendous amount of effort for this arm-wrestling match."

"Nah, it wasn't that big of a deal. I just trained hard for like two weeks. Once I was sure I was still in great shape, I challenged you. As you can see, I still lost though, and that's totally fine. If anything," Nora started, and a certain glimmer came to be in her eyes. "It's frikkin' cool to know there are people as amazing as you in the world. It helps to remind me that I can't just slack off if I want to be amazing myself." She explained to Penny, and then even managed a small laugh. "Actually, now that I think about it, I'd have to thank ya if anything!" She exclaimed with exuberance, and then cracked a big, bright grin.

Penny however, seemed to be struck with a sliver of sadness. It's not that I'm an amazing person. Hurtful as it may be, she knew this thought to be true. However, just moments later, that heavy thought was let go off, and she wondered why and how. Before she fully refocused her attention back to that big, bright grin that Nora seemed to own like nobody else in a world could.

She couldn't help but to find it...

"I'd have to thank you as well."

"Me? For what?"

"For being amazing yourself," She said, and even though Nora didn't really understand it, the two of them managed to share a good smile. Before Nora pointed her finger at Penny, her expression turning more serious.

"Let me warn ya! Our rivalry isn't over just yet! One day, I'll challenge you again, Penny Polendina! You best be prepared for that!"

Her friend seemed to consider her words for a moment, before she too, changed her expression to match her friend's.

"Absolutely!" She exclaimed with what seemed to be a determined tone of voice, but then couldn't help herself, but to crack a big, bright grin.