A Grimm Forever (Intermission)
“Truly a lovely home,” Penny smiles as she steps up towards the door of a small and modest home on the far outskirts of Vale, “But why the seclusion? And you’re incredibly far from the school, it must be a hassle to commute every-”
Penny stopped mid-sentence as she notices the solemn look on Ren’s face as he stands frozen with his hand outstretched toward the handle of the door. She felt her chest tighten as Ren turned, his mouth open to respond but painfully remains silent. The moment was heavy, a severe change of atmosphere from the Vytal tournament’s excitable cheers and celebrations. Penny could only drop her stare to the ground; while she wasn’t aware of the reason, and wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted to be, it seemed to pain her colleague greatly.
“Please,” Ren’s voice caught her by surprise, dragging her back to reality as he pushes open the door to his home and ushers her inside, “Come in.”
Ren’s voice itself was shaky, it seemed as though he was uncertain allowing anyone to cross the threshold of his home. His eyes intently followed Penny as she nodded her head in thanks and stepped forward into the dimly lit entryway. Penny stopped and admired the spotlessness of the house as Ren quietly shut the door and locked it. It was almost strange, how clean the home was; it was as though hardly one person lived here, let alone two.
“I see you keep it tidy, don’t-”
“Shh,” Penny’s delighted joking tone was cut short by a harsh whisper from Ren, her eyes shifting from a look of cheerful happiness to one of concern as Ren’s attention drifts up to the floor above, his words are almost inaudible, “There are...things I should tell you, about Nora.”
“Friend Lie Ren,” Penny attempts to reassure him about her understanding, but he raises a hand to silence her.
“Nora is,” Ren’s face appears to be crushed as he bites his tongue, his eyes full of a deep sadness that Penny has learned taints nearly all of the old Beacon students, “Nora is broken. There may be more than just a chance she won’t recognize you.”
Ren looks up to Penny’s saddened face, and traces her long red hair before speaking again, “In fact...there may be a chance she’ll recognize someone else.”
“Ren,” Penny speaks up, pulling her friend from a small trance before it captures him completely, “I have spent far too long away from my friends. Ten years I have spent in Atlas. Many of those years were spent being rebuilt. I jumped at the opportunity to come to the Vytal tournament because I knew there was no other way for me to see those that once accepted and befriended me with no hesitation.”
Penny accepted Ren’s silence as a cue to continue. She placed a kind hand on his shoulder.
“I have seen Ruby Rose. I have seen Yang Xiao Long. I have seen both Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna. I have seen Jaune Arc. I have seen the memorial to Pyrrha Nikos. And I have seen you. I have seen you all, or, what’s left of you all. I have seen the pain in your hearts, I have seen some of you cover it with smiles, some with love, some with humor. Some don’t bother covering it at all. Some aren’t here to prove how they handled their sadness. I would like to say that my visit will not be complete until I’ve seen each one of the friends I had made so long ago.”
Ren remained silent, though gave a quick nod. His eyes met Penny’s and for the first time she saw how truly scarred he was, and she wondered how many sleepless nights he must have suffered over the past decade to appear so. It was only at this moment that Penny realized that they weren’t the only ones in this home and that the faint presence of aura could be felt from the floor above. It was weak and feeble, almost as if it were a small child. Penny’s mind immediately rid itself of the thought that Ren was a father, as it was rare in Remnant for Huntsmen of his caliber to have children before the age of thirty, not to mention the fact that Ren was not the type of man who would spend as long away from his child as the Vytal tournament would require. The only reasonable option was that the aura belonged to Nora, but it was impossible, Penny’s memories of Nora were crystal clear and she recalled how rambunctious and explosive Nora used to be. Was this what Ren implied by saying she was broken?
“Are you coming,” Ren’s question halted Penny’s train of thought, she looked over to see him up a few steps of the staircase looking back towards her, “Please, be gentle though, the fourth step creaks and I’d like to be as quiet as possible.”
Penny nods her understanding and follows Ren up the stairway, carefully applying her feet to each step with robotic precision, skipping the creaking fourth step altogether. In moments they both stood at the top of the stairway looking down a small hall with three doors along the walls. Penny looks around and notes that this part of the house is just as clean as the downstairs, nearly spotless. It seems however that there’s a slight sign of living surprisingly, as the floor from one door to another seems to be slightly worn due to constant traffic, Penny makes the assumption that it’s due to one being the bedroom and the other being the bathroom.
“You wouldn’t be the first to make that assumption,” Ren whispers sadly, his eyes staring down the hall with such a drained expression it brings a tinge of pain to Penny’s mechanical heart, “The room on the left is the master bedroom, while the one on the right is my own. Over the years I have given up mending the floor in that spot, I tend to Nora so often that I spend more time running to her side than I do getting rest.”
“You,” Penny strained to keep her voice as softspoken as Ren’s, “You do not sleep at her side?”
“No,” Ren’s face stiffens, his lips sinking into a frown, “She’s not yet healed enough for that. Not to mention that due to her night terrors, especially during the early years, there’s a constant threat of suffering injuries should you be too close as she sleeps.”
“Ren,” Penny turns to her friend, he responds with silence, refusing to look at her, “There must be something I can do.”
“No,” Ren turns, his voice raising in volume only slightly, his eyes determined and stern, “The only one who can heal her is me, and I will do so even if it kills me.”
Ren begins to step forward before Penny could protest, so she simply follows him towards the door she now knows belongs to Nora Valkyrie. Whether it was the deafening silence of the house and the world around it, or Penny’s hypersensitive hearing she didn’t know, but she could hear the soft and rhythmic breathing of a sleeping person on the other side of the door as Ren slowly turns the handle.
“Please,” Ren whispers, “Allow me to prepare her for company, it’s...been quite some time since she’s been visited.”
Penny nods as Ren slips into the room and gently shuts the door behind him. His footsteps quietly move further from the door until they stop, presumably at the bedside. The ongoing silence afterward seemed to stretch on forever, and Penny could only assume Ren was struggling to bring himself to wake Nora.
“Nora,” His voice was soft and kind as usual, but there was something within it that separated it from how he spoke to his colleagues and students, there was a deep love in this voice, a love that Penny has never before heard, “Nora, you have a visitor.”
“Ren,” a woman’s voice broke the silence, it was shaky, but not from lingering sleep, rather it’s unsteadiness was from fragility, “Is that you?”
“Yes dear,” Ren’s voice softly caressed Penny’s ears, it’s gentle tone relaxing her even as she stood outside the door, “I came to check on you, are you doing well?”
“Mmhm,” Nora’s agreement was almost missed even by Penny’s hearing, “You said there’s someone here?”
“Yes,” Penny could hear the side of the bed compress as Ren sits down, “She’s right outside the door. I’m going to let her come in in just a moment, I’ll call her in and she’ll open the door and walk in.”
“Ahh.”
Penny’s mind flickered with confused thoughts. Just how bad was Nora’s condition? Why did Ren have to explicitly tell her how Penny’s visit would occur? Why, again, was Nora’s aura so...pathetic?
“Come in,” Ren’s voice called out, a little louder this time as he was still under the impression Penny’s hearing was more so human.
Penny reached for the door handle and froze as she gripped hold. Her mind frantically searching for what she would say. What she would do. Maybe Nora wouldn’t recognize her at all? Despite what Ren said earlier. Maybe Nora would want her to leave before she could even say anything. Penny shook her head, all these maybe’s had no place here at the moment, she nodded to herself to boost her confidence and turned the handle. Once fully prepared she pushes her way through the door, walking past the threshold of the room.
Penny’s heart sunk almost instantly and her confidence was shattered as she looked at the bed. Within it was a woman that closely resembled the Nora Valkyrie that Penny met and befriended ten years ago. The only problem was that this woman resembled her too much, yet not in a proper sense. What Penny saw before her was as if Nora Valkyrie aged and grew, yet never enough to fit in with herself. Her body was obviously taller, despite her being bedridden, however, it appeared that she gained no more muscle or weight of any kind. In fact, the more Penny stared the more apparent it became that this woman most certainly weighed even less now than she did ten years ago. Her hair, which was once a blazing orange is now dull and lifeless, and it did little to distract from her sunken in eyes and ghastly face. If it wasn’t for the fact she could distinctly see the weak aura flickering within Nora, Penny would have presumed she was looking upon a recently made corpse.
“N-Nora Valkyrie,” Penny stumbled over her words as she struggled to keep a smile on her face, “Salutations.”
Nora’s tired eyes lit up after a small pause, she struggled to sit up in bed even with Ren assisting her, “Penny...Penny Polendina? You’re alive?”
“Yes,” Penny looks down to the floor, now noticing small splatters of deep stains on the wooden floors, the sight of it did even more to cement her sadness in the situation, “I was thankfully able to be recovered and rebuilt fully...though, I know not everyone has had that luxury.”
“Ahh,” Nora’s face returns to its previous state, “Yes, I must be a sorry sight. Though thankfully you have caught me at one of my better times.”
Nora turns her attention to Ren, and a small smile trembles onto her face as she lifts a shaky hand to his cheek, “It’s all thanks to Ren that I’m still here, he’s given up so much for me-”
“No,” Ren grips hold of Nora’s hand, his own just as shaky as hers, “I have given up nothing. I’ve told you that I shall stay by your side forever, years ago, I will not break that promise now.”
Penny’s certain at this moment that were she human her heart would snap. Despite the years and years of hardships that the both of them went through, their hearts, regardless of how fragile they may be, have remained connected and loving. Penny sees now the source of Ren’s pain, it is not the hatred for another like Ruby’s, it is not the loss and stress that plagues Weiss, it is not the pain of holding secrets from those you love that gives Blake her restless nights; rather Ren’s pain is very much similar to Yang’s, it is the pain you feel when one you love so much hurts so very badly that even you suffer. Even you feel it. Penny looks down at her hands and realizes that she too suffers this pain, she tries her best to stop the trembling fingers but they don’t listen and continue on.
“Penny,” Nora’s voice dragged Penny back into reality for the second time in such a short period, “Tell me something, why did you want to visit a broken woman?”
“You’re my friend,” Penny’s words blurted out before she could even properly think, “I needed to see you before I’m made to go back to Atlas.”
“You’re so kind,” Nora gives off a weak smile, “I suppose that’s just a common trait for redheads.”
Penny’s face loosens into a smile as Nora gives off a shaky chuckle, but quickly returns to one of concern as the frail woman jumps into a coughing fit. Penny noticed now that Nora’s clothes were extremely baggy, but due to the quick jerks of each cough the shirt would cling to her ribs and chest. It was a sorry sight truly, Penny ran through her memories and saw images of Nora always being fit and well-endowed, she was the center of attention for several people’s attraction. Even Penny was lost for words the first time she laid eyes upon the “Electric Queen” of Beacon Academy. Now it was obvious those days were far behind her, the ribs poking through her skin made clear signs through her clothing, and her stomach caved inwards in a way that made Penny uncomfortable. The contrast between then and now was almost enough to make Penny want to wipe the past interactions with Nora from her memory.
“Ah,” Nora speaks through several deep breaths as she recovers from her fit, “I forgot to ask, what was it that brought you here?”
“She’s aiding Beacon teachers,” Ren spits out before Penny could even open her mouth, his eyes glaring at the long red-haired woman with a pleading look, “We’ve been a bit slammed due to all the incoming freshmen this year, General Schnee offered Penny’s assistance.”
“Oooh,” Nora smiled over to Penny, though a tinge of sadness filled her eyes, “Yes, I suppose if I were there, doing my duties to the school it would be a bit easier on Weiss.”
“Please Nora,” Ren gently rubbed his hand along her back, Penny tilts her head in intrigue as she notices Nora’s aura flash slightly, “You need to stay here and recover. I will support you as long as I can.”
“Yes,” Penny jumps in, “We can’t have you teaching the next generation of Hunters if you aren’t at your best. Take your time, my friend, I enjoy teaching at Beacon anyways. It’s such a change of pace from the heavy military presence at Atlas.”
“Of course, of course,” Nora smiles and slowly places a kiss on Ren’s cheek, “Ren? Could you get some tea?”
“Anything,” Ren slowly stood up, “Anything for you.”
“I hate to say so,” Penny places her now empty cup of tea back onto its plate, looking up from her seat in a lonely chair at the foot of the bed, “But I fear Ren and I must return to our duties at the school.”
“Ah,” Nora exclaims, giving a nod, “Of course, of course! I had enjoyed the conversation so much I had completely forgotten.”
“I’ll be back as soon as today’s tasks are finished,” Ren promises as he collects Nora’s hardly touched cup of tea, “And to you Penny, perhaps we’ll have to do this again one day.”
“Oh I doubt my stories of Atlas were that interesting,” Penny gives off a flattered smile, “I feel I’ve even spoken too much, I apologize.”
“No no no,” Nora smiled and watched after Ren as he collects Penny’s cup and leaves the room, “You are the first company I’ve had in months. With the last being Weiss. I truly appreciate your visit Penny, it means the world to see people care about me.”
“O-...Of course,” Penny was almost taken aback, of course she cares about Nora. She had since the moment she met her.
“Penny, could you do me a favor and open the window? I’d like some fresh air, if you don’t mind.”
Penny nods and stands from her seat, stepping over to a a shut window that was illuminating the room with early afternoon sunlight. She had to unlock not one, but two locks holding it shut in order to open it up. She wondered why so much security has been added to the home as the locks seem fitted onto the window with careful craftsmanship, the only tell is that the material is much different and modern than the window itself. Penny turns back to Nora after the window has been fully opened, but Nora’s attention was cemented on the world outside.
“It’s time for us to go Penny,” Ren speaks up from the door.
“Of course,” Penny turns to the distracted Nora and offers a goodbye, but it falls on deaf ears.
Penny steps out of the room along with Ren, and in silence they walk down the stairs to exit the home. It wasn’t until they were at the end of the property that Penny speaks up with a question that ate at her since the start of the visit.
“Has she seen any,” A pause comes as Ren turns to face her, his expression almost frightening with its seriousness, regardless she continues, “Any professional doctors? It must be an exhausting effort to care for her all on your own.”
“No,” Ren turns back away from his colleague and they continue walking, “I will heal Nora myself, even if it kills me. I told you this.”
“Yes but,” Penny stopped as Ren raised a hand to silence her.
“There is no argument,” Ren spoke, his voice grave with heartbreak, “Nora will one day have the same smile she once did, and I will make sure that comes true even if I won’t be there to see it.”
A smile spread on Nora’s face as a light flutter of wings comes to her window sil, she slowly sits up in bed and gives out a small cough. The beautiful and pitch black bird sits calmly upon the window, not bothered by the harsh sound coming from within the home.
“Hello little birdy,” Nora’s voice was uncommonly smooth, “Come to tell more stories?”
“No,” a rush of air hits Nora’s face as boots drop to the floor of the room, a woman’s voice continues, “I’m here to learn about that Atlas girl.”
