It was a Sunday morning as Nora arrived with Pyrrha at the women's locker room and began changing into their swimwear. Instead of relaxation and enjoyment, she had convinced Pyrrha to return the pool to help her fight her fear of drowning. If it did not work, Pyrrha would have no other choice but to seek professional treatment. It could be the end of her hunter training. Yet, as they stood before a moment that could forever change her life for better or worse, they were both willing to give it their all.

Nora was anxious about what the outcome would be. She did not want her dear friend to leave the academy and everyone she held so dear behind. Unbeknownst to Pyrrha, she had in secret prepared a daring plan, which she hoped she would not need to use.

"Liking your new bikini so far?" asked Nora as she playfully nudged Pyrrha.

Pyrrha looked down on her red bikini with yellow piping. "Yes, I do. It feels good to be able to breathe properly again without needing to worry about the clasp snapping open," she said, chuckling softly.

They left the changing room and stepped out into the academy's swim hall, where the rectangular swimming pool was located. Once again, there were no others in the vicinity. Nora assumed it was because few students knew about the pool's existence. The faculty had never officially informed them about it.

She remembered how she had accidentally found the pool. During her first days at the labyrinthine academy, she became lost while exploring. She had passed by one of many corridors and caught the familiar scent of chlorinated water. After excitedly following the direction it was coming from, Nora had found the pool's location. She was careful with only telling the right people about its existence, not wanting the place to get too popular.

"You ready?" Nora asked, placing a hand on her tall friend's shoulder. I'm proud of you. Simply coming back here is a victory of its own.

Pyrrha rubbed her own arms, her feet fidgeting. "I'd rather lie in bed and continue reading the novel I borrowed from Blake. I stopped right after a gripping cliffhanger."

"Nice try, but no backing out now. Gotta do your homework before you get to read the next chapter," said Nora with a giggle. She led her closer to the edge of the pool and asked, "How you wanna do this?"

"I was hoping you would know. Hmm…," replied Pyrrha before her mind drifted off. "How about… we start things slow? Step into the shallow end and walk around for a bit?"

Nora nodded. "Works for me." She stepped into the shallow part of the pool where the water only reached up to above her knees. A sigh left her lips. The warm water felt as pleasant as always. Hopefully Pyrrha could see it that way, too. "Come, the water's fine," she said and waved with her hand, beckoning Pyrrha to come down, too. She saw her standing on the edge, visibly hesitating. It was not a good sign, but she understood why.

Taking a breath, Pyrrha slowly put down one foot into the water, exhaling the moment she touched the bottom. The other foot followed more easily. The first step was done, but many more waited.

"Sweet! Nicely done!" Nora tried to fill her with as much confidence as possible. She was going to need it. The real challenge was still ahead of her.

Pyrrha walked slowly through the shallow water as if she was wading through thigh-high mud. She looked around nervously.

She's still on edge. Gotta distract her.

"So, hey, wanna tell me about the book you're reading? Is it one of Blake's naughty ones that she keeps hidden from her teammates?" Nora chuckled as she recalled the moment when she had gone through Blake's book collection (without permission) and found a particular, dirty novel well hidden behind many other books. Blake had blushed so hard it looked like all her blood had gone to her face.

Pyrrha lowered her gaze to look into Nora's eyes. "N-no, not at all! It's a thriller, about a man who has for a yet unexplained reason two souls. He's a good person, but his second soul is tainted, which causes him to sporadically carry out cruel deeds. He later discovers that he has a twin sister who also has two souls. Unlike him, his sister is a malicious criminal whose second soul is pure and compels her to instead sporadically carry out acts of kindness."

"Hmm, so one's good but with a tiny bit of evil within, while the other's the opposite? What a clashing family relation!" Nora tried her best to feign her interest, and asked, "What was that cliffhanger about?" As she kept talking, she noticed Pyrrha starting to walk more smoothly through the water, as her anxiety was becoming less gripping

"Oh, you sure you want me to spoil it for you? You don't want to read it for yourself? It's really good!"

"I prefer comics. Books only make me sleepy. Go ahead, spoil away!"

"Okay then. At the end of the chapter that I just finished, the two siblings wake up in a room with a dead person they don't recognize. One of them has apparently killed the stranger, but they don't remember anything what just happened. They have done bad things before, but never murder. At first I thought about which one of them could've done it, but then I began to wonder if it was perhaps both or neither of them." Pyrrha balled her fists and fidgeted. "I really want to continue reading!"

Pyrrha went on to talk about the book and its mystery, suspense, and intriguing characters. She then talked about her own theory as to why the two main characters have two souls instead of one.

After a brief moment, Nora decided it was time to pick up the pace. "Right! Wanna head to the deeper end? You say if things get scary, 'kay?" she asked.

"Okay."

Side by side, she and Pyrrha walked together on the slanted bottom of the pool. With each step, the water level climbed higher as they headed toward the deeper area. Pyrrha slowed down as the water reached her waist. She closed her eyes, her hand reaching for Nora's and squeezing it.

Nora took notice of what was happening, and acted quickly before Pyrrha's hesitation could grow into fear. "Relax," she reached up and placed the palm of her free hand on her cheek, making her look at her. "I gotcha," she said. As she gave her a comforting smile, she felt her soften her grip.

As they continued walking into even deeper water, the height difference between them began to become a bit of an annoyance to Nora. Argh! Curse these tiny, stubby legs of mine!

She stood with water up to her neck, whereas it only reached up to below Pyrrha's breasts. A few more steps and Nora would need to tread water, while Pyrrha could still walk on the bottom.

Instead of doing that, she decided to remain where they were and let Pyrrha try something. "Think you can dip your pretty head below the water, even for a quickie?" she asked.

"I'll… try." Pyrrha slowly kneeled and brought her head closer to the water, stopping as soon as it touched her chin. She stood up again and shot Nora an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I-"

"It's alright. Go on."

Pyrrha tried once more. This time, she managed to bring her mouth below the surface, stopping there.

Nora heard a familiar, rapid, and muffled drumming. She believed she knew where it was coming from. She put a hand on Pyrrha's sternum. "Yikes, Pyrrha! You gotta calm down before your heart jumps outta your throat!"

Pyrrha squirmed in the water, trying her best to submerge herself fully. She stood up again, saying, "I can't do it. I… just can't. I'm not ready," she said weakly, sounding ashamed of her failure.

Nora nodded sympathetically. She remembered Pyrrha telling her that her face was extra sensitive to water. She pondered about how to proceed next.

She has enough guts to go neck deep into the pool, which is super awesome and all. But all her efforts mean little if does not fully submerge. I can be her friend and cheerleader to support her, but it's still up to her to truly fight her phobia thingy. Guess I gotta make use of my secret plan after all…

"Wanna have a break?" Nora asked. Pyrrha nodded.

After they got out of the pool, Pyrrha went to sit down on a nearby bench. Nora, however, remained standing.

"Be right back! Gonna fetch something! Don't go anywhere!" said Nora before she went back inside the locker room. It was time to carry out her secret plan.

While she waited for Nora, the burden of defeat weighed heavily on Pyrrha's spirit. Despite everything that had happened, she did not regret returning to the pool. On the contrary, she was now convinced that leaving the academy and signing up for professional treatment was her only option. She did not want to leave her friends behind, but sometimes the right choice was the most painful one. She planned to visit them as often as she could. There were ways to maintain contact even if she lived on the other side of the world.

Will I lose contact with anyone over time? Who will be the first? Jaune? Nora? Ruby? Pyrrha let out a deep sigh. Am I condemned to watch my friends become fully trained hunters while I receive treatment from therapists? This is not how I expected to huntress path to end.

If she could not become a huntress, she would need to look for alternative, similar professions where her fighting skills could be useful. A dependable bodyguard? A mercenary loyal to whoever could pay her the most? If she joined Mistral military, she would be able to continue fighting the creatures of Grimm to a certain degree. She liked that idea the most.

Hopefully, my parents will still be proud of their only daughter being a common soldier instead of an honorable huntress.

She heard Nora return, bringing something odd with her: a cinder block. She placed it down near the edge of the other side of the pool, careful not to accidentally crush her bare toes. "Alright! I'm back. Did you miss me? Of course you did."

The cinder block made Pyrrha frown. She had seen identical ones at the nearby construction site within the academy where a new building was being erected. Had Nora stolen one? "Why did you bring that thing here?" she asked.

"Funny story. Might tell you later. Bet you're gonna wet yourself from laughter. Oh, you're gonna need this," she said and tossed an object toward Pyrrha that landed close to her feet.

As she picked the item up from the floor, she looked at a black, ceramic kitchen knife. She took the knife out of its sheath and ran her fingers across the edge. The blade was surprisingly sharp and lightweight for having been made from a non-metallic material.

"Use that to cut the thingy. Better do it quickly after I begin."

Pyrrha crooked her eyebrows even more. "Cut what exactly? What are you going to begin?" she asked, trying her best to makes sense of Nora's 'props'.

"You're about to find out." Nora giggled nervously and kneeled down by the cinder block, fiddling with something behind it. "I'm scared, but I know you've got more guts than you think. If I don't make it, I want you to know that I think you're the most awesome girl friend ever!" As she stood up, she had finished tying a rope around her knee and the cinder block. With a grunt, Nora picked up the cinder block again. "See ya, Pyrrha, and good luck." She smiled, as if silently saying good-bye.

What is she planning? Is she going to… no, she wouldn't… No!

A wave of dread washed over Pyrrha at the realization of what Nora was about to do. She sat up and took a step forward, quickly uttering, "Wait!" Time dropped to slow motion as she watched in horror how Nora jumped into the deepest end of the pool, bringing the cinder block with her. "NORA! NO!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Pyrrha ran over to the edge and looked down at the ripples and bubbles, seeing the vague shape of her friend trapped at the deep bottom. "Noo no no no noooo! Please don't do this to me! I'm begging you! Not like this!" Pyrrha hysterically gabled. "Help!" she cried out. "Anyone?" The only response she received was her own echo. She whipped her head back and forth, desperately searching for anything that she could use. The ladders were metallic, but could not be budged by her Semblance because they had been screwed tightly into the wall. A sudden pain from her fingers tensing up around an object in her palm reminded her of the ceramic knife.

Pyrrha shivered while she looked at the water. I'm scared that I will drown… but I'm even more scared of my friends dying! Hold on, Nora!

Taking a deep breath, Pyrrha dashed on shaky legs and dove forward, struggling not to scream as she fully submerged. The shock threatened to overwhelm her, but she managed to fight it by keeping her gaze focused on Nora. Every instinct within told her to succumb to the fear. She imagined the shifting, dark spots along the edges of her vision to be shadowy, water ghosts whispering to her how futile her efforts were. She felt the water constrict against her ribcage, the blood pounding within her head. Yet, despite all odds, she pressed on.

As she reached Nora, she realized her eyes were closed and that she was not moving. She made haste and brought the ceramic knife to the rope tied around Nora's leg, severing it easily. Pyrrha embraced her and placed her feet on the bottom. With a powerful kick, she propelled quickly back toward the surface, taking Nora with her. As soon as her head resurfaced, she took a quick breath, coughing and gagging. She hurried to push the limp form of Nora out of the pool and up on the floor.

"Nora?! Say something! Please!" said Pyrrha frantically, her lower lip trembling. Her terrified mind tried to remember the procedure of CPR. As she reached to check for a pulse, Nora suddenly flung open her eyelids and spread her lips into a wide grin.

She poked Pyrrha's nose. "Boop!" she said and sat up, showing no signs of trauma.

Pyrrha was at first dumbstruck by her friend's unexpected recovery, before she was overwhelmed with joy. "I thought you had drowned," she said, embracing her.

"Nah! I took a handy treasure with me to the bottom." Nora opened her palm and presented what looked like a miniature gas cylinder with a stubby, chromed valve.

Pyrrha recognized the cylinder and its function. Instead of compressed air, it contained a small, wind Dust crystal that created breathable air through the valve when someone with an Aura tapped into it. Elite Hunters specialized in killing aquatic Grimm apparently used similar devices. Her confused gaze shifted between the cylinder and Nora. "But… where did you get that?"

"From yesterday's shopping. This thing pays for itself! Gonna use it when I go snorkeling this summer." Nora demonstrated by putting her lips around the valve. A muffled, hissing noise was heard as air was released into her mouth. "Someone should flavor the air in these though. Think candy air could be a thing?" she wondered.

"Why didn't I see you holding it earlier?" asked Pyrrha.

"I hid it somewhere safe," quipped Nora, stuffing the cylinder between her breasts until only the tip was sticking out.

"But, what about the rope? You intentionally trapped yourself with no means to escape," stated Pyrrha, trying to understand the full extent of Nora's plan.

"What? You think I'm crazy?! I could've pulled the flimsy rope off easily. I didn't need to, 'cause I knew you would save me, my hero!" Nora took a step closer with her arms open, ready to embrace her savior again.

Pyrrha, however, gently pushed her away. Her feelings of relief that Nora was safe began to change into something else. "Nora, how…,"she began, her voice laced with controlled anger, "how could you do something so recklessly stupid?!" She asked, glaring accusingly at her

Nora was visibly surprised, and intimidated. "I… I did it to help you. I-"

"Help me?" snapped Pyrrha back at her. "By luring me into the water, using yourself as bait? We both could've died! You waited there on the bottom with your own air tank, ready to escape whenever you wanted. What about me? What if I had panicked and drowned? Do you even know how to do CPR, Nora? Many things could've gone terribly wrong! You gambled with our very lives!" Her words came in short and powerful bursts that bombarded Nora. She did not let herself explain herself. Pyrrha groaned loudly and walked away toward the changing room.

"Where are you going, Pyrrha?" asked Nora hesitantly.

"Away from you! I want to be left alone," she replied before she slammed the door behind her shut.

Inside the locker room, Pyrrha struggled with deciding whether she should forgive Nora or end the friendship. As a girl who saw herself as calm and collected, anger was something she only had little experience of. It felt strange to her. She wanted none of it, yet she could not simply throw it away. She took a couple of deep breaths in an attempt to compose herself.

I know Nora meant well with her recklessness… but… I shouldn't forgive her so easily. She needs to be taught that even actions done with good intentions can have negative consequences.

She tried to see past her emotions of anger and not let them blind her from reason. Ending the friendship might be a tad drastic. Perhaps it would be more ideal for us take a short break from each other, and only talk when necessary? The new and upcoming partner switches could be used for that. I hope I can convince Ren to leave the academy with me and go on another two-man mission.

While Pyrrha began to collect her thoughts bit by bit, she looked back at what she had done just minutes ago. I hesitated… but I did dive in. Even though she had done so in order to 'save' a friend who was not in any real danger, Pyrrha could not stop herself from feeling a bit of pride. The fear had attacked her relentlessly. Yet, her courage had endured just enough for her to not panic.

Would I be able to do it again, even without Nora 'drowning' herself?

Pyrrha looked at the shower stalls. I must get rid of the smell of chlorine out of my skin and hair. Looks like have another sponge bath to look forward to, unless…

She approached one of the shower talls. With a wave of her hand, the metallic faucet turned, causing a fine spray of hot water to pour from the shower head above. The sight and sound of running water threatened to make her feel nauseous, as it had done before. Now, however, she experienced no such thing.

She stretched her arm out and let it touch the falling water. As expected, her limb tensed up, but then relaxed surprisingly quickly. The effect made her curious to try something else. Steeling herself, Pyrrha stepped into the stall, gasping softly as the water splashed against her head, running down along her face. Her heart rate and breathing increased slightly, yet she tolerated standing beneath the running water without wanting to back out.

Having been yelled at by a dear friend had been an unpleasant experience for Nora. She was used to sharing smiles and laughter with others, not be on the receiving end of their anger. What went so wrong? Was it something about how I explained it? Had I not planned my idea well enough? I only wanted to help.

She had acquired the cinder block by bribing a worker at the nearby construction site, stashing, and hiding it in a nearby room. No one noticed one missing block. She had bought both the ceramic knife and the Dust powered rebreather yesterday.

She had received inspiration for the idea after having listened to Yang's story about how she had helped Ruby with her fear of spiders. The crazy idea had sounded less crazy in her head. Maybe Pyrrha is right. I'm too reckless, a danger to myself and others…

She heard the door to the locker room open up behind her, Pyrrha's footsteps coming closer to her. Expecting to be yelled at again, Nora kept her gaze on the floor. She did not wish to look into Pyrrha's piercing glare ever again. "Sorry for tricking and putting you in danger. It was so stupid of me," she said with a low voice that carried shame.

Pyrrha said nothing at first, and sat down next to her. Rather than berating her, she calmly replied, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. You do understand why I did it, right?"

She nodded. Pyrrha's apology made her relax a little. "I was an idiot. Typical Nora," she self-reproached. A hand was placed on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Pyrrha smiling at her. There were no traces of anger in those vivid green eyes of hers.

"Relax, I'm not as upset as I was earlier," Pyrrha reaffirmed.

Nora nodded again. "You were slipping away, and I was desperate to stop you. Didn't want you to quit your training."

"I understand. I'm grateful that you've been so patient and supportive. I just like it better when you help by talking and listening to me. So please, don't you ever try anything like that again."

"I promise!" Nora paused briefly before asking, "Wanna go back to the dorm?" It seemed to her they were done for today. She wanted to say more, but she assumed Pyrrha had decided to put the whole thing behind them. If so, she was okay with that.

"Not yet. I want to try something first." Pyrrha walked up to edge of the pool and sat down, dipping her calves into the water.

"Pyr-" Nora began, but was interrupted by her friend raising her finger in a preemptive manner.

"Shh, please. Just watch," said Pyrrha. Taking a breath, Pyrrha jumped off the edge and fully submerged herself, much to Nora's surprise. She resurfaced immediately and quickly climbed up without asking for Nora's help. Pyrrha's expression was on a fine balance between excitement and fear. "Did you see that?" she asked Nora, grinning with eyes wide open. She trembled slightly, but that was possibly from the adrenaline rush surging through her.

"I totally did! That was awesome! How do you feel?" asked Nora, nearly screaming from pride. By having willingly submerged herself fully into the water, Pyrrha had proved to her that the grip of fear had lessened. It had not been defeated, but it was a decisive victory that raised the morale to the roof. In a matter of minutes, there had been more progress than what there had been in days.

"I feel... great, actually!"

"What does all this mean to you? Things are gonna change for the better?"

Pyrrha pondered while the adrenaline rush began to subside. "Well, this is all new to me, but I've been thinking. If I can shower and jump into a pool without panicking, I should be able to handle rain, lakes, and rivers, too. Maybe I don't need to leave Beacon after all."

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! As hope was renewed within, she threw herself at Pyrrha and embraced her. This time, Pyrrha did not push her way, and instead hugged her back.

"However, I mustn't relax and celebrate yet. I'm still going to talk to Ozpin tomorrow. I want him to set up a meeting with a therapist for me. But for now, let us walk out of here with our heads held high as victors."

As they were about to enter the changing room, Pyrrha suddenly stopped and asked, "Wait, what are we going to do about the cinder block on the bottom of the pool?"

While making their way back to the dorm, Nora was retelling her fight against Cardin and Sky from yesterday. "Bam! Pow! I punched Sky so hard right in the kisser he began begging for mercy! Cardin grabbed me from behind so I threw him against Sky, and then Russel and Dove wanted a piece of me, too so I threw myself at them going all hyaaaah!" While energetically babbling, she made wild swings of her limbs, mimicking punches and kicks.

Humored by the exaggerations, Pyrrha listened without interrupting. When they reached the door of their dorm, she unlocked it with her Scroll and stepped inside.

Nora continued, nearing the end of her story. "And then Russel went all 'Nooo!' but I ignored his tears and prepared to deliver a Queen's judgement upon his face." As she formed her hand into a fist and reared her arm back, her grinning expression suddenly turned into a grimace. "Owee!" She whined, her other hand reaching up to rub her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked with apparent concern.

"Beating up so many bullies at once must've hurt my poor shoulder. I should punish them again for that!"

Having lifted that heavy cinder block is more likely why, Pyrrha suspected. "Do you want me to rub your shoulders?" she asked. "It can soothe the pain a bit and speed up the recovery."

Nora looked at her expectantly, as if she had been offered enough free candy for a whole year. "You wanna do that? For me?"

"I don't mind. Mistral's fighting school taught me more than just fighting." Pyrrha walked over to Nora's bed and gestured at her to follow. "Come. Lie down."

Nora obeyed and sat down on the edge of the bed. To Pyrrha's surprise, she lifted and took off her dark gray t-shirt, revealing her white bra. The t-shirt was tossed aside before she lay face down on the bed, resting her arms next to her head. She looked back at Pyrrha, eagerly waiting. "How about a full back massage instead?" Nora suggested.

Pyrrha nodded. She sat down on the bed and straddled Nora's thighs. "I hope I'm not too heavy for you."

Nora scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please, you're soft and light as a cloud." Her answer made Pyrrha smile. Just as she leaned forward to begin, Nora said, "Wait!" She reached for her nightstand to take something out from a drawer. "Here! Use this!" She tossed her a small, plastic bottle filled with a clear, liquid content.

Sensing a familiar fragrance from the bottle, Pyrrha read its label. "Maple syrup scented massage oil? Seriously, Nora?" I can't believe such thing even exists.

"Hey! Less judging and more rubbing! I can feel my shoulder rotting away."

As Pyrrha opened the bottle lid and prepared to smear her hands with the oil, Nora interrupted her once more. "What are you doing?"

Pyrrha blinked, wondering what she was doing wrong. "I'm sorry?"

"You wanna get my bra all sticky? Take it off, silly. Can't do it myself, 'cause of my shoulder, you know?" she said with a snicker.

Pyrrha hesitated for a couple of seconds, before she unhooked the bra's clasp and placed the now loose straps on either side. She was not sure why she felt uncomfortable with Nora being nearly topless. She had seen her wearing nothing but her undergarments or bikini before.

Can one less clothing really make that much of a difference? We're both girls, after all.

Pyrrha squeezed some oil onto her palm and rubbed it against the other, smearing her fingers. Even as an amateur masseur with limited experience, she thought the oil felt smooth and pleasant against her skin. The appetizing scent of maple syrup reminded her of delicious and freshly made pancakes, ready to be eaten. Not wanting Nora to wait any longer, she placed her open, greasy hands upon her back, bringing them upward over the ribs, leaving a glistening layer of oil behind. Her fingers came to rest on the shoulders, where she squeezed and rubbed the muscles rhythmically.

Nora writhed and cooed with delight. "Mhm! Feels gooood!"

Pyrrha smiled from the compliment. She was uncertain if the basic techniques she had learned a couple of years ago might have grown rusty. Hearing and seeing Nora's reactions told her that she was doing a good job. It felt nice to bring pleasure in the form of a massage to a friend. Motivated by Nora's response, she continued by pressing and rubbing her thumbs against her shoulder blades in circular motions.

"So, are you going to tell me why you have massage oil in your nightstand?" Pyrrha asked curiously, having never seen the bottle before. "Another thing you bought yesterday?"

"Uh-huh! Bought it for Ren. It's been like forever since he massaged me. He's as good at it as he's at making mouthwatering pancakes!"

Pyrrha nodded. She wanted to ask if she was doing better or worse than Ren, but decided it was best not to. She did not want to compare to him. It's all good as long as Nora enjoys it.

"When you become Ren's partner, ask him to massage you, too. You won't regret it!" suggested Nora.

"I will. Maybe he'll also become my very own pancake maker," jested Pyrrha. As she continued the massage, she felt Nora's muscles starting to soften up.

Nora gripped and released the bed sheets repeatedly while moaning. "Ooooh god, Pyrrha! Don't stop! Your fingers must be magical! I feel like I could just melt."

Pyrrha wished Nora could keep her voice down a bit, or the nearby dorms might wonder what the two of them were doing. "Glad to hear you like it. It's my first time doing this in almost two years." Maybe she and Ren could teach Nora the basics and let her massage her in return someday. She enjoyed receiving one after having had a long and intense training session.

After about twenty minutes, she thought Nora had had enough and pulled her hands away. She wanted to rest her fingers a bit, especially her thumbs. She helped her hook her bra clasp back on. "Alright, Nora. All done. Are you feeling any better?"

"Aww, already?" whined Nora, sitting back up on her knees. Slowly, she rolled her right shoulder. "Doesn't hurt as much as before! Thankies!"

"You're welcome." Pyrrha smiled, glad that she had helped. "You should visit the academy doctor and see if you can get some painkilling cream to rub on your shoulder. A hot shower can help, too. Be careful with how you sleep, and don't do any heavy lifting for the next couple of days."

"Thanks, mom," jested Nora before turning away. "Heh… first time I called someone that," she said with a lower voice.

Oh, Nora… Pyrrha was reminded how Nora had grown up without ever seeing her mother. She had for unknown reasons left Nora shortly after she was born. I know I might have issues with my own mother… but I can't even imagine what it would be like to grow up without her.

Nora was smiling as always, but Pyrrha could see traces of well-concealed sadness. As she put a comforting arm over her shoulder, turquoise and green eyes met in a silent, yet expressive look, Nora closed her eyes and slowly leaned her face closer to Pyrrha's. For a second time, she felt the softness and warmth of Nora's lips as she was tenderly kissed. Her cheeks grew warm, and her heart fluttered.

As Nora pulled back, she gave Pyrrha a passionate look before resting her head against her shoulder.

She kissed me… again.

As brief and innocent as the kiss had been, Pyrrha thought it was more pleasant and meaningful than the previous one. Yet, a strange sensation of doubt began to swell within her.

After spending a peaceful moment together in silence, Nora got off from the bed and said, "Thanks again for the massage! I'm gonna go and wash my back now." She picked up her discarded t-shirt and went into the bathroom.

Later that night, after they had gone to sleep in the same bed together, a half-asleep Nora was smiling to herself. It's been just a couple of days, and already I've kissed Pyrrha, twice! Life is goooood! I gotta let her massage me again soon. Her hands felt even better than Ren's! but I shouldn't tell him that.



She realized how unusually spacious her bed felt. Had she unwittingly grown accustomed to sharing the bed with Pyrrha? She hoped not. She emitted a muffled and groggy groan while she stretched her arms outward. Her closed eyelids twitched as her limbs touched nothing except the bed's sheet and coverlet. She realized why her bed felt so spacious; Pyrrha was no longer with her. The surprise made her slowly open her drowsy eyes, her blurry vision gradually growing sharper.

"Pyrrha?" she whispered before yawning deeply. She pushed herself up on her elbows to get a better view of the room. The faint moonlight shining through the open window provided enough illumination for her to see. The other three beds stood empty, their bedding untouched and neatly folded. Except for an owl hooting outside somewhere in the distance, the silence within the dorm was almost eerie.

Nora assumed that Pyrrha had gone into the bathroom, but the door stood open and the light was off. She reached for and turned on the small lamp on her nightstand. She then got up from bed and moved to look inside the bathroom. It was empty. She opened the dorm door and peeked out, seeing no one in the hallway.

Why would she leave the dorm in the middle of the night without telling me? Where could she possibly have gone? This is so confusing. As a last resort, Nora went for her scroll and dialed Pyrrha's number.

She heard a female's voice, "The recipient you're attempting to dial is unavailable at the moment. Please try again later." Pyrrha must have turned off her Scroll. But why?

"Where are you?" Nora whispered. Confusion and worry tore at her from within. She did not know at all what to do.

End of chapter 5

Author's Note: Why do you think Pyrrha left? Where did she go? Her fear of drowning has not been magically cured. She can still get scared, but she does not panic as easily anymore, which is a big improvement. Her fight against her fear is not over yet.

Nora's "trick" at the pool was so crazy I was not sure if I wanted to go through with it. We know she can be reckless and daring, but does she know her limits? I asked some people who have been following my story what they thought of Nora's plan and most of them agreed that it was indeed a "Nora thing". Pyrrha said she would end the friendship if Nora tried to push her into the pool, but Pyrrha said nothing about Nora pushing herself into it!

Also, the reason Nora gave Pyrrha a ceramic knife is because Pyrrha can't move it with her Semblance.