Chapter 3

Given her lack of funds, Nora was reluctant to eat anywhere that was not free. She put up some resistance but Ren insisted, and now they sat in a nice little steak place in Vacuo City. It was a bit of a walk from the Olympic Village, particular for Nora's injured knee, so Ren hired a car service, another expense to which Nora was opposed. But Ren kept insisting. He had a day job, one that paid pretty well, and he wanted to spend some of that cash to celebrate Nora's silver medal. Nora felt like silver was not worth celebrating, but if Ren thought so, well, she could go along with it.

Nora ordered a big steak with some fries and rice, hardly the healthiest meal. It was delicious, but she was having trouble eating it. "Are you feeling alright?" Ren asked. He had already finished off his much smaller, much leaner steak. "You don't normally eat your food so much as inhale it. Are the painkillers making you nauseous?"

"No, nothing like that." Nora replied. "The food's great and I feel fine but...I'm just worried."

"What about?" Ren asked.

"About...about what happens when the Olympics are over." Nora sighed. "When we go home...I don't want to lose you."

"Well, where do you live?" Ren asked.

"Vale City...uh...636 Beacon Ave." Nora answered.

"I only life a few blocks from there." Ren said. "Distance won't be an issue. We can still be together."

"But you have a job, and training, and…" Nora started.

"I'm a martial arts instructor." Ren cut in. "My job is my training for the most part. I spend a little extra time working out, but there's plenty left over for you."

"Yeah?" Nora said. "That's good. That's great! This is such a weight of my mind!"

"You know a thing or two about weights." Ren said with a smirk.

"You told a joke!" Nora exclaimed and laughed hysterically. People started staring and Ren gestured for her to lower her voice. "Oh, sorry, indoor voice."

"What are you going to do once we get back to Vale?" Ren asked.

"I'm going to keep training." Nora declared. "I will be back in four years, better than ever. Oh, and I guess I'll get my knee fixed up first." She laughed uneasily. "I almost forgot. How about you?"

"I'll go back to my job, keep training." Ren replied. "Maybe I'll be back in four years too. It would be nice to win a medal. But I'll take things as they come. It's always good to keep your options open."

"I wish I had options to keep open." Nora sighed. "I kind of just do the weightlifting thing. I get 15,000 lien from the Vale Olympic Association for winning the silver, and the Vale Weightlifting Union will pitch in a bit more. That should get me through another year or two."

"You don't have a day job?" Ren asked.

"Me?" Nora laughed. "Do you really think I could hold down a normal job?" Ren stared at her. "Oh my God, you do. Come on, you've seen the way most people treat me."

"Maybe you could work at the gym where I teach." Ren suggested. "We're always looking for personal trainers. Hmm...you could even be a weightlifting instructor."

"But if I screwed up it could mess you up too." Nora said. "I don't want to take that risk."

"I'm not worried about you screwing up." Ren said. "I'm worried about you living a happy life. Without a job, what do you do all day?"

"I sit at home mostly." Nora shrugged. "I don't really have any friends. I have my own weights, and I watch a lot of TV. Sometimes I go to the gym where the other weightlifters from Vale train. The only real travel I do is for competitions. Whenever I'm feeling bored I lift more weights. I guess that's sort of how I got here. It's not so bad really."

"I won't force you to do anything." Ren said. He paused. "You should probably finish your steak before it gets cold."

"Oh...oh yeah." Nora laughed. "I almost forgot."

After dinner, Ren and Nora headed back to their room. Nora pulled Ren onto her bed and they lie side by side. "After I lost...when I was freaking out...I asked you for sex." Nora said. "Why...why did you refuse?"

"I didn't want to take advantage of you." Ren replied. "You were in a bad place. And a situation like that, it's not right for our first time. Our first time should be a celebration, not a drowning of sorrows."

"Oh...that makes sense." Nora said. "I thought maybe you didn't find me attractive. I know muscles aren't for everyone."

"I love you for who you are, not what you look like." Ren said. "That said, I find you quite physically attractive."

"Yeah...really?" Nora asked. Ren nodded. "Well then, want to do it now?"

"Uh...I...alright." Ren said. "I have to warn you, this is...um...my first time."

"How?!" Nora gasped. "You're hot and nice and...who wouldn't want you?"

"I've never been in a romantic relationship before." Ren admitted. "Not that it was much of a focus for me. I was always more concerned with Judo."

"This is a terrible injustice!" Nora declared. "It must be corrected!" She sat up, and with a single, swift, smooth motion, one she had no doubt practiced, she was topless. Ren stood up. "Where are you going?"

"It's easier to undress if I'm standing." Ren explained. He took off his shirt and tossed it onto his bed.

"Mmm...nice abs." Nora said, licking her lips.

At once Ren slipped off his jeans and underwear, throwing them beside his shirt. Nora stared blankly at his groin. "Uh...is something wrong?" He asked. She produced no response beyond a slight squeal. "Nora!"

"Oh!" Nora gasped. "Sorry. I was just...God you're...huge."

"Am I?" Ren asked.

"So, do you know what you're doing or am I going to have to explain it?" Nora asked with a smirk.

"I have a pretty good idea." Ren said. "But don't be afraid to give me some tips."

Nora giggled, sliding to the edge of the bed. "Oh, you'll be the one giving tips."

Ren and Nora stayed at the Olympics to attend the closing ceremony. It was a wild blur of color, music and dancing, a celebration of Vacuo and the Olympics. Despite her damaged knee, Nora spend most it the event dancing, sometimes mirroring the performers, sometimes doing her own thing. Beyond what must have been a terribly painful injury, Ren was amazed Nora could keep dancing for so many hours without collapsing from exhaustion. When it ended she was disappointed, not ready to stop partying yet, but Ren convinced her to drink some water and rest.

The next day Ren and Nora flew back to Vale. Nora had a doctor's appointment that evening. The news was good. Her knee was not as badly injured as she had originally feared. She would not need surgery. Her ACL would heal on its own. All she had to do was wear a brace and take it easy for a few weeks. That meant no weightlifting that involved her legs, but she could still do all her upper body exercises. Of course, even under orders to take it easy, Nora was not going to stop being Nora.

Ren went back to teaching and training, but now Nora was there too. In the morning Ren taught beginner Judo and Jiu-Jitsu classes. Ren paid Nora's fee and she attended every day. Beginner Judo was mostly non-contact, focused instead on the basic concepts of balance and leverage, so it was not too stressful for Nora's injured knee. In beginner Jiu-Jitsu classes it was against the rules to use leg holds, so again Nora was free to participate. Her movements could be a bit clumsy, and her terrifying strength was a bit of a concern, but Nora had fun and managed to not hurt anyone.

After the classes, Nora would have lunch with Ren before heading home to her nearby apartment. Ren taught classes in other martial arts and at other levels of expertise, then trained late into the evening. It was a lonely time for Nora. She had spent her time in Vacuo with Ren as a near-constant companion, so spending her afternoons and nights alone was an unwelcome change. The pair did go to dinner a few times, but they always parted afterwards, returning to their own homes.

It had only been a little over a week since the end of the Olympics, but already Nora's future was looking a little brighter. For one, her knee no longer hurt all the time. Bigger than that, a vitamin and supplements company contacted Nora. They wanted to sponsor her! All she had to do was pose for a few pictures, lift some weights on camera, and wear their logo when she competed. The deal was worth 50,000 lien a year. It was not a fortune but it was more than she had ever made.

Once Ren checked over the contract to make sure there were no nasty surprises, Nora signed. The first still photos were taken that day. Orders from her doctor meant Nora could not yet lift, but she could still flex. Once her knee was better she could complete the rest of the obligations. But her knee felt fine. No matter what the doctor or Ren said, Nora felt like she was ready to go. She had already done every part of her workout that did not require her legs. It was worth a shot, at least to see how it felt.

Nora put 100 kg on the bar. It was nothing for her. Surely her knee could take it. Nora bent down and grabbed the bar, standing up straight to bring it to her waist. There was a twinge of pain from her knee but nothing too bad. She moved the bar to her shoulders. A little more pain, but still no big deal. Nora took a deep breath, and with a grunt, thrust the bar over her head, holding it there for a few seconds. Her knee hurt some, but she could take it. She dropped the bar, letting the weights slam down. Easy. She could do more.

If she could handle the clean and jerk, surely her knee could handle the snatch. It put a little more stress on the legs but her knee felt fine. Nora stood before the bar, bending over to grab it. With one violent motion, she wrenched it up over her head, bending down to get below it. The next step was to stand, but as soon as Nora tried the pain in her knee spiked. She toppled to the side, the weights clattering to the floor. Her knee throbbed but the pain soon began to subside. Well then...she needed more time after all.

"You can't even snatch 100?" Gwen sneered. "No wonder you lost."

"Gwen...wha...how…" Nora stammered.

"Oh, it'll be so easy to beat you next time around." Gwen laughed.

"But I...my knee…" Nora protested, still in shock.

"You're still broken." Ren sighed. Nora spun around to see him standing over her. "Physically you're not getting better, and forget about fixing your brain."

"Ren...why…" Nora gasped as tears flowed down her face. "But you said…"

"You're pathetic." Ren said. "All you're good for is lifting heavy shit and you can't even do that anymore. You're a hopeless case, absolutely useless."

"I...I…" Nora stammered, choking a sob. "No, you're not Ren. Ren would never say those things!" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Go away! Leave me alone!" When Nora opened her eyes she was alone. She struggled to her feet. Her apartment was empty and the door was locked. Could it all have been in her head? Nora could think of only one thing. She grabbed her phone, fumbling with it as her hands shook before she was finally able to select the desired number.

Ren's phone beeped. He glanced at it before accepting the call and holding it to his ear. "Hello Nora." He said.

"H-hey Ren." Nora said, her voice shaky. "Could uh...c-could you come over?"

"What's wrong?" Ren asked.

"N-nothing." Nora lied. "Nothing. It's just...there's nothing on TV, and I'm kind of bored."

"Nora, I can tell something's wrong." Ren said. He slipped on his shoes, grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

"I just...I really want to see you now." Nora said. "I'm lonely. I don't...I don't want to be alone."

"Nora, tell me what happened, please." Ren requested.

"I...I'm sorry." Nora said. "I tried to do some lifting...nothing too much...just to see if my knee could take it. At first it was alright but then...it hurt and I fell."

"It's alright." Ren said. "I know it's hard that you can't do what you're used to doing."

"I...I shouldn't have done it and now I…" Nora started.

"Try to calm down." Ren said. "Try what we practiced. Tell me about all the things you like."

"I...I like the color pink...and breezy skirts...and pancakes…" Nora started, meticulously listing her likes, interests and hobbies. Ren had told her it was a good way to get her mind off of negative thoughts. "...and jogging...and sloths...and…" There was a knock at the door. "Hold on, there's someone at the door."

"Sure." Ren said.

Nora walked to the door opened it to find Ren standing before her. "...and...and...you." Nora gasped. "Ren...is it really you?" She reached out and touched his nose. "B-boop." She looked like a mess, her hair chaotic, her face and shirt stained with tears.

"Of course it's really me." Ren said. "Though, to some degree reality is a construct created by our brains, and true, objective reality may not exist."

"Yep...you're real." Nora said with a sigh of relief. She dropped her phone and wrapped Ren in a tight embrace.

"Nora, why would you ask if I'm real?" Ren asked.

"Well I...the thing is…" Nora struggled, releasing Ren from her hug, pulling back and avoiding eye contact.

"Nora, you can tell me." Ren said. "I won't judge you."

"I...you're right." Nora said. "When I fell I...I saw things. And heard things."

"What kind of things?" Ren asked.

"First I saw Gwen." Nora said. "She...she said she would beat me next time too." She started crying. "Then I saw you...and you said really bad stuff...about me being pathetic and useless and hopeless. I knew it couldn't be real because you'd never say that stuff."

Ren guided Nora to her couch, easing her into a seat and sitting beside her. "Has this happened before?" Ren asked.

"Well...sort of." Nora admitted. "When I trashed the weight room...I...I heard things. It was a voice I didn't recognize, and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, but it said horrible things about me. It made me so mad...I only realized what I was doing when that girl screamed and ran away."

"Everything's alright now." Ren said. "I'm here for you." Nora nodded. "Whenever you need me, just call, I'll come running."

"Okay...but what if you're at work?" Nora asked.

"They'll understand." Ren said. "Everyone has emergencies to deal with."

"I just...what's wrong with me?" Nora asked. "Why am I seeing and hearing things that aren't real?"

"I don't know." Ren admitted. "But we could see a doctor who might be able to help. If you want to get better, that's the first step."

"I know and...I guess I should." Nora sighed. "I've known something isn't right for a long time, but I was afraid to find out what it might be. But now I'm afraid anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. Will you...will you go with me?"

"Of course." Ren said. "Anytime you need my support, I'll be there."

"Thank you." Nora said. She leaned against Ren, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. "So, will you stay?"

"Here?" Ren asked.

"Yeah." Nora confirmed.

"How long do you want me to stay?" Ren asked.

"As long as it takes." Nora replied.

Ren looked around at Nora's apartment. She had never let him see it before, and now he suspected that was because she was embarrassed. It was tiny, messy, and the wallpaper was peeling in places. Curb furniture filled the place, most of it in particularly bad shape. There was a huge, shiny, flat-screen TV hooked up to the latest video game console. In the bedroom Nora had her weights, a professional-quality set. It contrasted starkly with her sleeping arrangements, just a single mattress on the floor.

"Please, stay with me." Nora implored.

"Of course." Ren said. "On one condition."

"Name it." Nora said.

"We need to get you a real bed." Ren smiled.

Ren ended up spending quite a lot of time with Nora over the next few days. There were no major episodes - though there were a few isolated hallucinations - but she was fearful and Ren did not want her to be alone more than was absolutely necessary. Nora saw a doctor about her hallucinations. After myriad tests and scans she was diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia. Nora was saddened by the diagnosis and worried by the stigma attached to it. Ren was encouraging though, and the doctor prescribed medication that was supposed to help, so it was not all bad news.

The real trouble was the side effects brought on by the medication. It made Nora nauseous and tired. It did even out her mood and she suffered no hallucinations, but she was miserable. She and Ren went back to the doctor and she was prescribed a new medication. The start was not promising, as it made Nora sleepy and occasionally disoriented, but with Ren's support she decided to stick with it for a while in hopes that the side effects would clear up.