Electromania

      The class was being taught by Professor Port. According to the curriculum, he was supposed to talk about the peculiarities of fighting the Grimm in the Vacuo environment. However, Port began recounting stories from his youth, detailing his journey through the sands of Vacuo and his battles with the Grimm there. One could, of course, glean useful information from his stories, but, frankly speaking, Port's storytelling was unengaging, focusing more on himself than on the Grimm in the narrative. Many students were starting to doze off.       Team JNPR was sitting in a row, each listening in their own way. Lie Ren and Pyrrha Nikos were the most diligent students. Of course, they also felt like falling asleep during the lecture, but they continued to take notes, skillfully extracting information about the Grimm of Vacuo. The same couldn't be said for Jaune. He tried to emulate his teammates, but his notes didn't even fill one page, while Pyrrha and Ren were already on their third or fourth.       Jaune tried to be a good student and justify his place at Beacon, but at this moment, he desperately wanted to shut up Professor Port and his self-aggrandizing blather. Jaune involuntarily glanced at his neighbor, Nora. He didn't know why he looked her way, as he wasn't planning on whispering to her or anything, but he felt an urge to look, and now he understood why. Jaune saw an unusually twitchy Nora. She wasn't known for diligence or calmness, but she usually managed to sit still during class. However, Jaune noticed something strange about her now. She was actively tapping her fingers on the desk, her left leg was subtly but actively bouncing, and her gaze suggested she wasn't truly present in the classroom. Despite her outward appearance resembling a hyperactive crusher on a sugar high, Jaune knew her better and could tell that she could concentrate when she wanted to. While this didn't save her from needing extra study sessions with Ren to keep up, Jaune still felt Nora's lack of focus was unnatural.       Nora suddenly began scratching her head vigorously, clenched her teeth, and lowered her gaze to the desk, as if beetles were actively scurrying under her skull, causing an unbearable tickle. Nora abruptly and sharply slapped the desk with her hands, leaping up from her chair and shouting:       "Professor Port, may I be excused to the restroom!"       "Of course, but you should ask more quietly," Port paused his tirade, motioning for Nora to be more restrained and gesturing to the class, who were startled by the sudden noise.       "Yes, sorry," Nora smiled awkwardly and bolted out of the auditorium.       "Well, where was I? Ah yes, I was carrying my faithful friend..." Professor Port continued his story, but Jaune stopped listening.       "Uh, Ren, Pyrrha," he addressed his friends. "I think something strange is up with Nora today. She was twitching so much during class, like she was having a fit."       "Maybe she just needed to go to the bathroom?" Pyrrha noted distractedly, as she continued writing her notes.       "If she just needed the bathroom, she wouldn't have acted so weirdly. She's not the type to be shy about basic needs or voicing them out loud," Jaune countered, convinced that something was wrong with Nora.       "Jaune, trust me, she's fine," Ren told him, without looking up from his notes. "It might seem strange to you, but for Nora and me—it's normal."       "Uh, okay, I guess?" Jaune accepted his friend's words.       "Mr. Arc, I see you have something to share," Port addressed him publicly. "What is it that you find more interesting than my autobiographical account of my youth?"       "Oh..." Jaune groaned, realizing he had just earned himself extra homework.

***

      Jaune ended up being assigned a 10-page essay on the peculiarities of fighting the Grimm in the territory of Vacuo. But that was the least of his worries right now. He was currently watching his teammate, Nora, who was sweetly smiling at Pyrrha, discussing girl things as the whole team walked to the next lecture hall. It was as if her classroom twitching had never happened, as if he had imagined it, but Jaune wouldn't forget it that easily. Jaune felt with every fiber of his being that something was wrong.       "Nora, how are you doing?" Jaune asked, as if casually.       "Hmm?" Nora was slightly startled by the sudden question. "Oh, good, even great," Nora replied, giving her leader the same radiant and wide smile. "Why do you ask?"       "Well, you suddenly asked to go to the bathroom. I thought maybe you had indigestion," Jaune explained.       "Ew, Jaune, you can't ask a girl about that in a public place," Nora replied playfully, pretending to be embarrassed as a girl, though in reality, no such thing was happening. "No, I'm fine, I just..." Nora suddenly dragged out, as if trying to recall a memorized lecture during a teacher's quiz. "...I drank too much liquid. I was so thirsty this morning. So I overdid it, without thinking to use the restroom before class."       "I see. That happens to me too," Jaune nodded, pretending to believe her.       Jaune caught Nora in a lie. He knew perfectly well that when Nora tried to lie (consciously), she usually hesitated, thinking up her falsehood. How did Jaune know so much about psychology? He had eight sisters, for goodness sake, and Jaune was neither the youngest nor the oldest. He had learned to sniff out deception and lies from both the younger and older ones. His chocolate disappeared from the fridge? Jaune would sniff the mouth of every sister to find out! Yes, it sounded gross, but the bigger the family, the lower the bar for squeamishness.       When Nora and Pyrrha entered the lecture hall, Jaune was suddenly stopped by Ren, who pulled him aside slightly.       "I told you, she's fine," Ren said calmly, but a slight anger could be felt in his voice.       "What are you even talking about?" Jaune asked, playing dumb, which was easy because he was inherently a goofball.       "Don't pretend, Jaune," Ren wasn't fooled, narrowing his eyes. "Don't bother Nora with your interrogations, even hidden ones. She's fine, you don't know her like I do."       "You know, some smart scientist once said you can't judge a system while you're inside it."       "Jaune," Ren sighed and looked at his leader with a pleading look in his eyes. "Please, don't dig into this, okay? Everything is under control, trust me."       Jaune couldn't help but feel the weight of his friend's gaze. His eyes weren't puppy eyes like Jaune's younger sisters or Ruby's, but they conveyed sincerity and trust in Jaune.       "Alright. I won't interfere in your business," Arc agreed, but quickly added, "However, if I notice things getting worse..."       "I assure you, they won't. I'll control it, it's not my first time," Ren assured him. "Now, let's go into class, the lesson is about to start."       "Well, let's go," Jaune agreed, entering with Ren, yet he had a heavy feeling that something would happen.

***

      Jaune ignored Nora's periodic twitching, as Ren had asked. He endured, he truly endured. For a couple of days, Nora actually behaved normally (as much as that word could apply to her), and Jaune might have even forgotten about the incident in Professor Port's class. But soon, Jaune noticed Nora twitching in class again, counting every second until the end of the lesson. While her previous notes were chaotic but at least somewhat grounded in reality and readable, now, when Jaune peeked into her notebook, there were no words, just scribbles mimicking words. Nora was going to the restroom, to walk around, or to the roof for some air more and more often. A month passed, and Jaune himself was starting to get unnerved by it all. He clearly understood that none of this was right, that he had to do something, but Ren's pleading eyes prevented him from taking a step.       "Jaune?" Pyrrha addressed him, stopping their nightly training session. "Are you alright?"       "Yeah-yeah, everything's great," Jaune snapped sarcastically, still lost in thought.       "Jaune, something is clearly bothering you. Tell me, I'm your partner and friend," Pyrrha approached him.       "It's just..." Jaune drew out, feeling his nerves revving up. "It's Nora that's bothering me! She's acting unrealistically strange! She can't sit still, like she's being cut up from the inside. Her grades are barely staying afloat, like a flimsy fishing boat during a heavy rain. And she sneaks out of the dorm every night, thinking no one notices, but I notice, and I keep silent only because..."       "Ren asked you not to interfere," Pyrrha finished the sentence with sorrow in her voice.       "You... noticed too?" Jaune asked in confusion.       "Jaune, she's my friend. I would be terribly blind if I didn't notice any of this," she pointed out. "I'm not the only one troubled by Nora's behavior, but Ren convinced me that everything is fine, that he'll handle it himself..."       "'It's normal for them'," Jaune quoted Ren.       "You have no idea how hard it is to pretend everything is normal," Pyrrha said with deep sadness and helplessness. "But what can we do?" Pyrrha asked.       Jaune pondered Pyrrha's words and looked at her with certainty and determination in his eyes.       "We interfere," Jaune stated firmly.       "But Ren asked us not to..."       "I don't care if it's their personal business or not, they're part of Team JNPR. I'm their leader, you're their colleague. If we don't intervene, we're worthless as a team and as friends!"       Pyrrha froze for a moment, but instantly her gaze filled with the same certainty and determination.       "Any thoughts on where to start?" Pyrrha asked her leader.

***

      Ren was walking down the hallway on his errands. He didn't have many plans, but they required him to walk around Beacon. He needed to go to the library and return a couple of books he had borrowed for homework. Then he had to go to the workshop and fix the dulled and slightly dented blades on his StormFlower, and it would also be advisable to correct the muzzle, as the bullet spread was too scattered. And only after that, he would go to the alley and meditate in silence. Although his semblance helped him control his emotions, meditation helped him relieve stress, especially because of the recent events with Nora...       "Well, well, well, if it isn't Jauney boy's buddy," a voice familiar and unpleasant to Ren sounded out.       "What do you want, Cardin?" Ren asked stoically without turning around.       "Just wanted to say hi," Cardin stretched a smile, approaching him and putting an arm around his shoulder.       Ren wanted to simply ignore him and continue with his errands, but he became curious about what Cardin wanted. Ren was well aware of his own dullness compared to others, so it was a mystery to him what attracted Cardin. Although Ren was a stoic, he was also susceptible to curiosity.       "Didn't Jaune tell you to leave us alone?" Ren reminded him, showing no emotion.       "I don't want to bully you, I have another matter," Cardin clarified.       "What matter?" Ren grew even more curious, raising an eyebrow.       "Can you give me some advice?" Winchester asked.       "What, seriously? Advice?" Ren was taken aback, losing his stoicism and phlegmatism. "What kind of advice, especially from me?" Ren was genuinely surprised, losing concentration and giving partial control to his emotions.       "Heh," Cardin chuckled, which didn't inspire confidence in Ren. "Advice on how to approach your partner, Nora."       "What?" Ren's face looked as if he had been sprayed with ice water and slapped with a fish.       "I like Nora, and since you're her partner, you probably know her best," Cardin explained. "So, what do you say?"       "I-I..." Ren was completely flustered.       "Or is she taken? By you, perhaps?" the bully asked with feigned surprise.       "No, we're just friends," the Mistralian automatically denied. "We've just been friends since childhood, nothing more."       "So you wouldn't mind if I made a move on her."       "I advise you not to do that," Ren advised, although it sounded more like a threat than advice. "She'll turn your face into a paste."       "Only with her chest," Cardin replied vulgarly. "With her milking cows, while I flounder in them, while I pinch her butt from under her skirt..." Cardin couldn't finish his sentence, as Ren punched him in the face with all his might.       Ren wasn't a good hand-to-hand combatant, but he had enough strength and anger to jump on him and start turning his face into pâté. Cardin, surprisingly, didn't fight back, only trying to cover his head with his hands, which was atypical for him. However, Ren was too furious to think about such details.       "Mr. Ren, what do you think you're doing!"       Ren suddenly stopped and looked toward the source of the voice. He already knew who the voice belonged to, which made him even more terrified when his guess was confirmed.       "Fighting at Beacon is only permitted in the arena, according to the schedule," Glynda Goodwitch, Beacon's Vice-Headmistress, threw an angry and disciplinary look at Ren.       "Miss Goodwitch, I can explain everything," Ren stood up and tried to justify himself.       "For the record, I didn't fight back; I only took the blows," the battered Cardin pointed out. "As you taught me, defense is just as useful as offense," Cardin quoted Miss Goodwitch's words.       "In any case, both of you will come to my classroom and explain what happened, and I will decide what to do with you," the senior Huntswoman instructed them, giving them a look that made the boys not think of any response other than...       "Yes, Professor Goodwitch," they both nodded.       The Combat Professor led the two students away, while Jaune and Pyrrha watched the whole thing.       "I feel so ashamed that we set up Ren," Pyrrha murmured.       "It's for the good of the team," Jaune countered, trying not to think about the torment he had subjected his friend to.       Jaune and Pyrrha had come up with an ingenious plan yesterday to uncover the truth. The first step was to get rid of Ren, the main wall between them and Nora. They convinced Cardin to instigate a fight with Ren, and he only agreed if they did his homework for three weeks. Jaune and Pyrrha reluctantly agreed to these terms.       Next on the plan, Jaune returned to the dorm room, where Nora was lying on her bed, listening to music on headphones and reading a magazine. Jaune sat down at his desk and began doing Cardin's homework, while keeping an eye on Nora. The two of them sat in the room until Nora started feeling uncomfortable, as if she had an itch.       "I'm going for a walk," she took off her headphones and put the magazine aside. "I won't be long. If Ren comes back, tell him I'm taking care of my business," Nora requested.       "Yes, of course," Jaune nodded to her.       "Thanks, you're the best leader," she smiled at him and left the room.       "Maybe I'm not the best, but I'm definitely a responsible leader," Jaune whispered to himself when Nora left. "Pyrrha, she's out," Jaune sent an audio message to his partner.       "Copy that," she replied with an audio message as well.       Although Pyrrha wasn't as stealthy as their friend Blake, she could also boast of her stealthiness. No, she hadn't trained in ninjutsu or anything of the sort, but she had acquired this skill when she tried to walk through a shopping mall without attracting the attention of fans.       Thus, Pyrrha was able to follow Nora to the restroom. Not just any restroom, but the farthest and least used one. Nora was clearly trying to hide what she was doing as best as possible. Nora entered the restroom, letting the door close on its own, but Pyrrha's timely placed foot prevented the door from completely shutting. Then Pyrrha slipped her finger into the gap and let go of the door, not worrying about it slamming shut.       Nora, accustomed to never being followed and confident that this restroom was safe, neglected caution and didn't see Pyrrha watching her with one eye through the gap. Nora pulled a stun gun from under her skirt, which surprised Pyrrha, as she didn't think Nora carried such a simple (by Huntsmen standards) civilian self-defense weapon. But she was more surprised by the next sight: Nora tested the stun gun with her finger to see if it worked, and when the device shocked her finger, Nora chuckled widely and then abruptly struck herself on the shoulder with the stun gun, trembling all over from the jolt.       "Ooooh yeah..." Nora moaned with pleasure, as if on a vibrating massage machine.       Pyrrha didn't know what to feel. She was confused and shocked. Pyrrha knew perfectly well that Nora had a unique Semblance—the absorption of electrical charge—which effectively gave her immunity to electrical attacks. But she never imagined Nora using her Semblance in this way.       But her thoughts were interrupted by the next scene, as Nora slightly lifted her T-shirt, exposing her side, where a bruise stood out. Pyrrha was horrified by the sight of the painful bruise. A bruise usually didn't last long for Huntsmen, but if it remained, either Nora had severely shocked herself in that spot, or she was applying current to the injury too often, or perhaps both.       Nora continued like this for another five minutes. Pyrrha couldn't watch any longer and simply walked away before Nora could notice she had been followed.

***

      "Nora is doing what?!" Jaune exclaimed.       "She's self-harming with a stun gun," Pyrrha repeated the news timidly and guiltily.       Jaune and Pyrrha were in the backyard of the academy near the Emerald Forest. Pyrrha had just told him what she saw, and Jaune was honestly stunned. He couldn't grasp that Nora, their Nora, whose smile shone brighter than the sun, full of energy and positivity, was engaging in such self-destruction. It didn't make sense to Jaune. Jaune understood that there were plenty of people in the world who cut their arms and so on, but he thought that was exclusively the domain of emo teenagers going through a tough puberty.       "Jaune, what should we do?" Pyrrha asked, feeling lost and unsure how to help their mutual friend.       "We... we need to talk to someone..." Jaune answered uncertainly.

***

      Professor DOCTOR Bartholomew Oobleck was enjoying life, coffee, and his students' essays. What more could a middle-aged teacher dream of? Well, maybe money, a girlfriend, alcohol, paid vacation, a non-frowning Glynda... Alright, a middle-aged teacher could dream of a lot more, but right now, he was content with the calm and peace around him.       "Professor Oobleck," two students suddenly entered and shattered his peace.       "DOCTOR Oobleck!" Oobleck corrected them irritably.       "Apologies, DOCTOR Oobleck," they apologized.       "I forgive you. Now tell me, what matter brings you to my office?" Bartholomew inquired.       "Our friend... has a gambling addiction," the girl said with embarrassment and guilt.       "Oh? Addiction is quite a serious problem. Believe it or not, addictions are far more common in the Huntsmen community than one would like to believe."       "But aren't Huntsmen, like... better than ordinary people?" the young man questioned.       "Alas," Oobleck sighed sadly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't want to destroy your idealistic views of Huntsmen, but Huntsmen are just people, like everyone else. And our profession is a constant source of stress and nerves that will either kill you or drive you insane, so Huntsmen are more prone to addictions than civilians might seem. And due to the presence of Aura, the addiction becomes more deeply rooted in the Huntsman."       "Because the health consequences are neutralized by high regeneration?" the student suggested.       "Precisely. Alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction, and also gambling. As difficult as it is to say, it constitutes a huge part of Huntsman activity. But the mass media strives not to show this, to give people hope and not to frighten new students with the grim prospect of becoming a junkie," Oobleck said, knowing perfectly well a couple of friends who had fallen not at the hands of Grimm, but from alcohol and Russian roulette.       "But how can we help our friend...?"       "Well, we have a therapeutic assistance department, but it usually remains inactive, not because the students are psychologically healthy, but because they are convinced that they can handle their problems themselves," the Doctor explained.       "I don't think our friend will agree to see a specialist."       "Most likely," Oobleck agreed. "But you shouldn't forcibly drag her to a therapist. Patients close up more in such a way, and she will lose trust in you.       "Then tell us what to do, don't beat around the bush!" the boy shouted.       "Calm down, young man, I was just about to," the Doctor instructed him. "I understand your feelings and worries, but you must keep yourself in check. If you are aggressive towards her, you will definitely scare her away."       "I... I'm sorry, Prof... ahem... DOCTOR Oobleck," the boy composed himself.       "It's nothing," Oobleck waved him off. "To be brief, your task is to open the door for her and provide support and love. Make her understand that you are NOT judging her, but worried about her. You must convey that you are her friends and you are concerned about her health, not something personal. Try to be as sincere as possible in your feelings for her and try to avoid rational facts and arguments. Those who suffer from addiction are not guided by rational logic; for them, logical arguments are perceived as an attack. Their addiction provides comfort and a sense of control over their lives. Show her that being with you is much calmer and more comfortable than her gambling. That's all I can tell you. Again, I am not a specialist in this field, but I hope my advice is useful."       "Thank you, DOCTOR Oobleck, you've really helped us. We have a much clearer idea of how to approach this problem," the girl thanked him.       "You're welcome, Miss Silver," Oobleck replied.       Indigo Silver and Purp Spectre left the classroom, leaving Oobleck alone. The Doctor returned to checking essays and his coffee, until a minute later, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos walked in.       "Professor Oobleck..."       "DOCTOR Oobleck!"

***

      After talking with Doctor Oobleck, Jaune and Pyrrha had a much clearer idea of what they needed to do. He advised them to talk to Ren, since he knew about his childhood friend's addiction but wouldn't let others help her.       Although Ren didn't express strong emotions, he was currently emanating bad mood vibes, which wasn't surprising, as his plans had been ruined, and Miss Goodwitch had punished him for attacking Cardin outside the arena. Of course, she was understanding of Ren's situation after hearing the full recounting of the dialogue between Ren and Cardin, allowing them to fight in the arena under her supervision until Ren stopped when he beat Cardin to the red line of his Aura.       In any case, Ren was displeased and hoped that no one would bother him. He believed this. Nora always gave him space when he was in a bad mood, Pyrrha was the most modest and sensible girl in the academy, and Jaune was a perceptive and smart guy, even if the blonde didn't think of himself that way. Confident in this, Ren calmly took a shower and came out, suspecting nothing.       "We need to talk," Jaune and Pyrrha demanded, not asked.       "What?" Ren asked, confused, being only in a towel. "Oh!" They took his arm and made him sit on the bed, still in just a towel. "Can I at least put on pants?"       "Ren, do you love Nora?" Jaune asked.       "What?" Ren was embarrassed, just like when Cardin hinted at his feelings for his friend.       "Not romantically, but as a friend," Pyrrha clarified, understanding the misunderstanding.       "Oh," Ren noticeably calmed down. "Yes, I love her as a friend."       "Is she precious to you?" Jaune continued the interrogation.       "Yes, very precious," Ren answered confidently, although their conversation seemed strange to him.       "Tell us, are I and Jaune your and Nora' friends?" Pyrrha asked next.       "Of course, you're friends. You're our first and only friends in our lives," Ren replied. "Why are you asking this?"       "Do you think we wish you pain and malice?" Jaune ignored Ren's question, continuing the interrogation.       "You're hiding something," Ren began to suspect, feeling that something was wrong.       "Ren, tell us, it's important for us to know. We're scared," Pyrrha asked pleadingly, looking into his eyes with deep concern in her own.       "I..." Ren gave up his position, reading the emotion in their eyes. "I... I don't think you're capable of hurting Nora and me. You're the best people, in my humble opinion. I trust you with my life."       "Then... why didn't you tell us about Nora's addiction?" Jaune got to the point, looking at Ren not with disappointment or offense, but genuinely seeking an answer.       "You know?" Ren was stunned. "I asked you not to interfere..."       "Ren, you're selfish!" Pyrrha's composure broke. "Nora might be your best childhood friend, but she's OUR friend too. We worry about her no less than you do, we love her no less than you do, we value her no less than you do. Would you like it if I forbade you from helping Jaune if he had a problem with alcohol?"       Ren was caught off guard. It was difficult for him to come up with an excuse or a defense; he had been caught red-handed, not to mention his awkward position being naked under a towel after a shower.       "Ren, let's talk about Nora. I'm not asking as a leader, but as a friend whom you trust," Jaune said.       "Sigh..." Ren heavily sighed. "Alright, I'll share everything with you, just... please let me put on some pants, I'm getting a draft."

***

      Ren told them how it all began when Nora first unlocked her Semblance. Climbing a tree one day, Nora was struck by lightning, but she didn't feel pain or distress. As she described it: "It was the best thing that ever happened to me." Ren thought at the time that this wasn't exactly the right reaction to a lightning strike, but if Nora was happy, then he was happy, right?       After the lightning strike, Nora became the Nora everyone knows and loves. She was even more hyperactive as a child than she was now, but Ren managed her. Until Nora suddenly started feeling heavy and very sad. She didn't understand where this heaviness in her legs and discomfort inside her came from. Ren tried to provide her with everything he could, but they were orphans, so resources weren't abundant. But the next day, Nora was cheerful and bright again. Ren was curious about what happened overnight, but decided if she was fine, he was fine. No need to interfere if it was working.       This didn't happen often, but it wasn't rare either. It became increasingly difficult for Ren to ignore his curiosity, and he finally followed Nora and was no less surprised by what he saw than Pyrrha and Jaune. Nora was secretly finding electrical outlets and sticking her fingers into them, getting shocked. Ren didn't know what to do; he was a child, with no one to rely on or ask for advice. All he could do was talk to Nora about it. Nora successfully convinced Ren that she was fine, that she was happy to harm herself with electricity because her Aura and Semblance would protect her from fatal consequences. Ren felt this was wrong, but... if she was happy, then he was happy, right?       It wasn't right, and when they entered Beacon and gained access to unlimited resources, things got worse. Nora abused Electrical Dust more and more often. Ren saw the problem, but after years spent alone with Nora, he convinced himself that they could handle it themselves; they were used to living like that. Just the two of them.       Ren now understood that his thinking was completely wrong. He was enabling Nora's addiction; he was deeply disappointed in himself. But this was no time for self-pity; it was time to finally act.       Nora entered the Team JNPR dorm room. She was deeply satisfied, as she had just charged herself to 100%. But instead of the usual sight, she was greeted by her team standing together with a plate of pancakes. Nora adored pancakes; she would sell her mother for pancakes if she weren't an orphan. However, her intuition told her that something was wrong here.       "Uh, is it a holiday today?" Nora asked with a confused look.       "Nora, sit down," Ren asked her, pointing to her bed, which made Nora even more tense, but she sat down, followed by her friends. "We need to talk."       "About what?" Nora asked tensely.       "Phew," Ren nervously exhaled, feeling uncertain.       He had to say it, because he was the closest person to Nora. Lie looked at Pyrrha and Jaune, who nodded encouragingly and gestured to motivate him to take the risk.       "Nora..." Ren addressed her. "We want to talk about your addiction."       "Which addiction?" Nora was flustered.       "Jaune and Pyrrha know that you shock yourself when no one is looking," Ren reluctantly revealed.       "What?! You told them?" Nora asked incredulously, as if she had been betrayed.       "No, they figured it out themselves," Ren quickly explained.       "Oh... I guess I got too relaxed, hehe," Nora forced an uncertain smile.       "Nora..." Ren addressed her again. "I think your habit is wrong."       "Ren, we've talked about this countless times," Nora began to complain indignantly. "I'm fine, the electricity doesn't harm me at all, Semblance, remember?"       Ren felt a terrible urge to give up and let Nora do whatever she wanted, but the supportive hands of his friends on his shoulders gave him the resolve to continue.       "No, you're not fine. You're draining your Aura faster than you restore it. We've all seen your bruises, it's not normal. It needs to stop."       "But... Renny..." Nora whined, tears welling up in her eyes. "But I feel happy when I shock myself. I feel stronger..."       "Nora, are we your friends?" Jaune intervened when he felt Ren struggling to continue the conversation alone.       "Well, yeah, you and Renny are our first and best friends," Nora answered sincerely.       "Then why don't you feel comfortable with us? Do you think we're worse than a stun gun?" Pyrrha continued. "Don't you like being with us?" Pyrrha asked with sadness and longing.       "No, not at all," Nora immediately replied, worried about her friends.       "We worry about you, Nora. You are very, very, VERY precious to us," Jaune explained. "We feel terribly helpless and like bad friends watching you destroy yourself."       "But I'm fine..."       "No, you're not fine, and it makes us miserable!" Pyrrha spoke up. "You're my first girlfriend, a real friend. It's incredibly difficult for me to just believe that you're okay. It hurts me. It hurts Jaune. It hurts REN!"       "Renny..." Nora turned her whining and guilty gaze to her childhood friend.       "Yes, Nora. It hurts me terribly," Ren answered honestly. "Always. Ever since the day I first found out."       "Why didn't you tell me?"       "I... I was afraid," Ren confessed. "Afraid that if I told you what I thought, we would drift apart. That you would stop believing and trusting me. I was afraid, so I kept silent and looked the other way. I thought that if you were fine, then I was fine... but I was lying to myself. I was NOT fine."       Nora fell silent. She simply didn't know what to say or how to respond. All desire to defend her interests vanished the moment she heard everything her friends said.       "I... I'm so sorry..." Nora tried to hold back her tears. "I didn't think I was causing so many problems... I'm terrible..."       "No, no," Pyrrha quickly hugged her. "It's okay. You don't have to know how to act correctly in every situation. We're just students; we're bound to make mistakes."       "But... what should I do... I... I don't think I can just quit my... addiction," Nora admitted that she had an addiction.       "Pyrrha and I talked to Doctor Oobleck," Jaune said. "He told us that Beacon has a specialist therapist for these kinds of issues. He can help you."       "I'm not sure..." Nora was afraid.       "We'll be there," Ren took her hand.       Nora's cheeks turned pink, feeling the warmth of Ren's hand on hers. She felt the warmth radiating from her childhood friend's kind heart. Her own heart seemed to take flight when she looked into his eyes.       "I... I'll go to him... but will you go with me?"       "Of course," Jaune nodded, giving her a smile.       "Absolutely," Pyrrha nodded, happy that Nora agreed.       "Always," Ren answered briefly but resolutely.       Nora wasn't sure if she could overcome her addiction, but she was sure that her friends would always be by her side. Especially Ren.