Boop (A Renora Fanfiction)

Renora: Reunion

Ren woke to see Nora's sleeping bag empty, and her hammer gone. He got to his feet, awakening Jaune, who was a light sleeper. Jaune shook Ruby awake, who immediately sprung to her feet, Crescent Rose in hand. "What? What's going on?"

Ren pointed to the empty sleeping bag. "Nora's gone." Ruby's eyes widened. "What? We have to find her, she could be hurt, or..."

She clamped her mouth shut as Ren nodded. "Come on, let's pack up and search the forest."

After a few minutes of searching, they found an old, abandoned barn that was in ruins. Jaune noticed a dent in the ground, about as big as Nora's hammer could create. He waved the rest of his team over. "Guys!"

While they were examining it, Ren heard a laugh come from behind them. He spun around, looking towards the barn. A figure emerged from the shadows, and Jaune gasped. "Emerald? What are you doing here?"

Ruby's shoulders tensed, and she spun around, pointing Crescent Rose in gun form at the girl. "Emerald! What did you do with Nora? Is Cinder here?" Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "How can you live with yourself?"

Ren touched the tense girl's shoulder. "Ruby. Threatening her isn't going to help Nora."

Ruby lowered her gun. "Fine. If she makes a move..."

Emerald watched them, amused. "Relax, Ruby. I'm not here to fight you."

Ren glared at her. "Then why are you here?"

"I'm here to introduce you to someone who is."

As she said that, she stepped aside, and Ren's heart sunk. Stepping over the ruins of the barn, clutching her weapon, was Nora.

She looked at Ruby, whose face was one of utter shock and grief. "Nora? Why would you..."

Nora's eyes were hollow, and Ren noticed they were no longer the bright blue they once were. They were extremely dark blue, almost black. She glared at Ruby. "Why didn't you stop her?"

Ruby stepped back in surprise. "What? Who are..." Then it dawned on her. "Pyrrha... Nora, I can explain..."

Jaune was looking at Ruby now too. "Ruby? What is she talking about?"

Nora pointed an accusing finger at her friend. "You could have saved her! You were there, and you didn't do anything! You wanted this to happen!"

Ruby's eyes filled with tears. "Nora...I got there too late! I'm sorry!"

Jaune inhaled. "Ruby... you were there?"

Nora's attention turned to Jaune. "You could have stopped her! You had the power to stop her, Jaune Arc, but you didn't! Did you really care?"

Jaune gasped. "What? Nora, I couldn't have stopped her, no one could!" His voice cracked. "Of course I cared...I wanted to stop her, Nora..."

The girl's eyes filled with tears, but she turned to Ren. "Ren...do you really care about me, or am I just that poor orphan that needs your help?"

Ren's own eyes were filled with tears, but he spoke in a clear voice. "Nora, I don't know what lies they put into your head, but you need to know that none of that is true. You aren't just the orphan Nora, you're so much stronger than that, and you don't need my help to survive."

Nora looked overwhelmed, and she stepped back. "I...no. Lady Salem told me what I have to do to prove myself to her, and I'm going to do it."

She hefted her hammer as Ren met her eyes, searching for something. "Nora...you're still in there, I know it."

"No!" Nora's voice rang out through the clearing, but it was shaking. "I don't need your pity, Lie Ren!"

Emerald walked up beside Nora, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can do it. He'll give you a fight, but you're prepared."

Nora nodded. "Thank you, Emerald."

The thief nodded and stepped back, melting into the shadows.

Ren stepped forward. "Nora...I want you to come back. This isn't the real you, this Lady Salem must have done something to your mind. Please come back."

Nora closed her eyes. "Ren, I have to prove myself."

As Ren's eyes widened, Nora jumped into the air, swinging Magnhild. Jaune ran forward to help his best friend, but Ruby held him back with surprising strength.

Ren was sent flying backwards into the forest, landing on his back with a painful thud. Nora jumped up again, landing in front of him and readying to swing.

She paused. "Why aren't you fighting back?"

Ren looked up at her sadly. "I won't fight you, Nora. No matter what."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Wh...what?"
Ren smiled weakly. "Nora...Whatever Salem said, it's not true. I..."

He took a breath while Nora stood frozen, trying hard not to break.
"I do care about you, Nora."
Magnhild fell out of the girl's hand. "Ren..."

Nora slipped to the ground next to her hammer and felt tears start to run down her face. "I'm so sorry, I should have known that they were an illusion, I..."

She felt Ren's arms around her, and she smiled sadly. He turned her towards him and met her eyes. "What did they do?"

Nora winced as she remembered. "Salem...told me she could take me to see my parents. She kept her promise, but..."

Her voice broke, but she smiled at Ren. "My parents weren't really there. I know that now. They were just illusions, and they said some...terrible things about you guys, and I...I believed them! I shouldn't have believed them, I hurt you..." Nora broke off into rambling that none of them heard.

She felt Jaune and Ruby's arms around her as well, and Ruby's voice reassuring her. "Nora...we forgive you. We knew that wasn't you."

Nora sniffed. "Thank you guys." Then she turned to Ren. "You really...care about me?"
Ruby and Jaune exchanged a look and pulled away. Ren helped her up and wiped a tear off her cheek. "Yes."

Ruby could barely hold back a squeal as Ren leaned in and kissed Nora.

Jaune locked eyes with her, and he waved his hand. "Go on, squeal."

As Ren and Nora pulled apart, Ruby let out a high-pitched fangirl scream that echoed through the whole forest.