The scene opened on the outside of Team RWBY's dorm, with two Atlesian Knight-200s guarding the room.
Ironwood: I'm sorry, but you've left us with no choice.
Yang: But he attacked me!
Ironwood: Video footage and millions of viewers say otherwise.
Weiss: But Yang would never do that!
Ruby: Yeah!
Ironwood turned around as Yang sighed and placed her head in her hands.
Ironwood: You all seem like good students, and the staff here at Beacon are fully aware that you would never lash out the way you did... under normal circumstances. +continues as Ruby sits back down, the entire team looking despondent* What I believe and hope this to be is nothing more than the result of stress and adrenaline. When you're out on the battlefield, your judgment can become clouded in an instant. Sometimes you see things that simply aren't there. Even after the fight is past... (with that last statement, he looks to the right while rolling his right shoulder)
Yang: But I wasn't-
Ironwood: *angry stern* That's ENOUGH! *when the room falls silent, he goes on* The sad truth is, whether it was an accident or an assault, it doesn't matter. The world saw you attack an innocent student. They've already drawn their own conclusions. And it's my job to inform you that... you are disqualified.
Yang's shock turned into miserable understanding when she looked to the ground, and Ironwood left the room. When the door clicks shut, she turned to her friends.
Yang: You guys believe me, right?
Ruby: Duh!
Weiss: *shakes her head* You're hotheaded, but not ruthless.
Yang: *when she realizes one of their number hasn't spoken* Blake?
Blake turned her gaze away, earning a shocked look between Ruby and Weiss.
Blake: I want to believe you...
Ruby: Huh!?
Weiss: What's that supposed to mean?
Yang's eyes widened with tears forming instantly as she said in a hurt voice:
Yang: Blake?
Weiss said when Blake looked up at Yang, then back down:
Weiss: How can you say something like that? Yang would never lie to us!
Blake: *glances at Weiss, then takes a deep breath before starting* I had someone very dear to me change. It wasn't in an instant, it was gradual - little choices that began to pile up. He told me not to worry. At first they were accidents, then it was self-defense. Before long, even I began to think he was right. *pauses* This is all just... very familiar. *Yang looks up, tears now falling down her face* But you're not him. And you've never done anything like this before. So... I want to trust you. I will trust you. But first, I need you to look me in the eyes and tell me that he attacked you. I need you to promise me that you regret having to do what you did.
Yang: *wipes her eyes of tears* I saw him attack me, so I attacked back.
Blake let out a deep breath as she closed her eyes and smiled, then looking back up at her partner.
Blake: Okay. Thank you.
Yang: *still looks down* I think I'm gonna rest up.
Blake stood up with Weiss and Ruby, all of whom were smiling.
Blake: We'll get out of your hair.
Outside the room, where Ruby was closing the door, pausing only for a second to see Yang slumped forward before shutting it completely. She joined Weiss and Blake in the middle of the hallway.
Weiss: *shakes her head and sighs* This is a mess...
Jaune followed the sound of an opening door as he peeked out of Team JNPR's room, with his team peering around the edge in concern.
Jaune: She doing okay?
Blake: She's doing the best she can.
Ruby: I heard Mercury and his team rushed back to Haven to be with his family. So, until they land, no one can really question him about what happened.
Ren: If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask.
Ruby: *looks down* All right then. If that's the case... *turns her gaze up again* Pyrrha?
Pyrrha: *looks to Ruby* Hm?
Ruby held her clenched hands up as she tried to put on a grin.
Ruby: You be sure to win one for Beacon, okay?
Weiss nodded as she and Blake also smiled sadly.
Weiss: It's what Yang would want.
Pyrrha turned her head away before coming back with her attempt at a confident look.
Pyrrha: I'll... do my best.
Ruby: *excited*) I'll be sure to watch tonight in case you're picked!
Pyrrha's smile dipped down into worry as she looked away.
Blake: Sorry but, I think I've had enough fighting for one year.
Weiss: *nods once* Ditto. *a moment passes* Coffee?
Blake: *smiles* Tea.
The three members of RWBY walked down the hall, and Jaune only closed the door when he saw Ruby disappear behind the corner. Pyrrha continued to look forlorn, until...
Nora suddenly got up in Pyrrha's surprised face, grinning madly.
Nora: You heard the lady! No more moping around!
She backed away to the other side of the room, now clad in pink workout clothes and sweatbands, as she pointed to Pyrrha.
Nora: We gotta get your butt in shape for the big fight!
Nora started doing random exercises - running in place, pushups, jumping jacks - while she spoke.
Nora: It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be the most important fight of your entire life!
She culminates this demonstration by lifting a barbell tipped with 1000 pound weights on each end, holding it in the air and sweating profusely before falling backwards.
Pyrrha: *smiles a little in bewilderment* Um...
Ren: Nora's right.
Pyrrha looked to him in his pink apron reading "PLEASE DO NOTHING TO THE COOK"*
Ren: You can't let your concern for Yang hold you back. You need to focus. You'll be defending the honor of Beacon Academy.
Pyrrha: *nods* Of course. I-
Ren cut her off as he held a glass filled with a green liquid making bubbling noises in front of her face.
Ren: This blend of herbs and vegetables is filled with nutrients vital to your body's well-being.
Pyrrha: Oh, that's-
Ren: *steps away, smiling* Please, there's no need to thank me.
Nora: *looks at her partner with a disgusted face* Thank you? Ugh, that looks like slime from a lakebed!
Ren: *turns away from her, cradling his creation* Algae contains numerous spectacular properties. See for yourself. *lifts it towards her mouth*
Nora sipped it down and immediately regreted it, face turning the same sickly green as the healthy sludge and went straight over to the waste basket and dunks her head in, getting all of the liquid out while continuing to make disgusted noises until she turned back around to Ren.
Nora: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? Ugh...
Ren: *gestures* Me? You're the one that wasted perfectly good juice.
Nora: We're supposed to help Pyrrha, not poison her!
Ren: There was absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Nora: If it looks the same coming up as it does going down, then there's something wrong!
Neither of them noticed Pyrrha's smile at their antics faded once more, though their leader does from the doorway.
Jaune: *comes over and places a hand on their shoulders* Hey, how about we all get some fresh air?
Pyrrha looked up at Jaune, who grinned at his troubled friend.
When the twilight sky was to see outside, in Team AMB's dorm room, Byleth was sitting on his bed, still looking depressed. Azura and Maira already started to get worried.
Maira: Were you even listening? We think that Yang had been framed. Don't you care?
Azura: Byleth, what's wrong?
Byleth: *looks up* Did you know? About the Maidens and that Amber was in a vault under the school the whole time? That she had been attacked and is about to die?
The two females looked shocked.
Byleth: So it's true...
Azura: How?
Byleth: Don't try to deny. Ozpin, Goodwitch, Qrow and Ironwood told me and Pyrrha the truth about the Maidens and how their power transfer to the next host. *stands up* And what about you two? Has Ozpin tasked you to keep an eye on me so I won't leave and search the assailant?
Maira: He was only worried about you.
Byleth: *laughs humorless* Worried. Or afraid to lose an useful pawn who can use magic?
Azura had enough and slapped Byleth hard on the cheek. Byleth looked at her with widen eyes and holds his red cheek.
Azura: That isn't true. You never was a pawn. He saw potential in you and wanted to protect you and me and Maira. *sighs* You're not from Remnant, right?
Byleth: What?
Azura: I think we can't keep it as a secret anymore. I'm liike before Azura, but not the daughter of Ozpin but once a princess of a kingdom of Valla.
Byleth: You were once a princess?
Azura: Yes. We suffered a lot from a silent dragon named Anankos who provoked two kingdoms to fight against each other in a war. This pendant here *points at the pendant* has magical power. When I sing a special song, I'm able to perform miraculous feats but the cause is that it harms my body.
Byleth: *holds her hands woth his own * Then don't do it. *Azura looks at him surprised* I'm angry at you two that you kept it from me but I don't want to see you in pain.
Azura looked shocked at him. That reminded her of a certain princess who didn't wanted that either. That made Azura close her eyes and then looked at Byleth with a smile.
Azura: I'll try.
Byleth: Don't try, do it.
Maira: Okay, then I think it's my turn. I'm-
Byleth: You're a Nabatean, right?
Maira: How?
Byleth: If you came from Fodlan, I was there too.
Maira: That explains why you have such a mysterious aura around you. Yes, you're right. But the last thing I remember was this terrible day in Zanado. I fought but got gravely injured and fled. I somehow landed here and put myself into a deep sleep. One day, Ozpin found me and took me in. Very cowardly from me, I know. Was it always like this, that your heart don't beat?
Byleth: That was since my birth. I don't know how that happened again. But back to start. What have you find out?
Maira: Okay since you weren't there. Yang won a match against Mercury, but then we saw that Mercury was calmly going to her and then she attacked him out from the nothing.
Byleth: Yang would never do something that reckless.
Maira: I'm not finished. Yang said that he attacked her. So, how come that we see different things?
Byleth: *thinks before speaking loud* Someone must have the Semblance Illusion/Hallucination.
Azura: This Emerald girl?
Maira: Possible. We can't trust them but we still don't know what... they... Do you think the same as I?
Azura: Do you mean?
Byleth: Amber. But that can't be the only reason.
Maira: We should go back to the arena and look for Emerald.
They all ran out the coming fight. Back in the Colosseum, people were back in the stands cheering and ready for entertainment as Ruby descended down the steps to an open seat. Despite everything that's happened, she was smiling widely, looking around at the assembled crowds... until her stupefied eyes saw a familiar, glaring face on the other side of the arena.
Ruby: Emerald's... here?
As if sensing she was being watched, Emerald leaned forward to glare at Ruby, who suddenly got up with a worried expression and ran towards the exit tunnel. Checking to see if no one's around, she entered a door labeled with a yellow maintenance sign and founded herself inside of the Colosseum. She walked forward with determination as the announcers' voices were heard, muffled behind the brick walls.
Oobleck: All right, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!
The sound of the roulette was heard faintly, but what made Ruby stop in her tracks was the sight of another unexpected "friend" stepping out from a nearby tunnel, completely unharmed and definitely not going home.
Ruby: Mercury?
Port: It looks like our first contender is... Penny Polendina from Atlas...
Ruby: What are you doing?
Port: And her opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!
Ruby's head dipped in thought until she realized the awful truth.
Ruby: No...
Mercury: *puts a hand to his chin* Ooh, polarity versus metal. That could be bad.
Ruby glared at her new opponent, reaching back to grab Crescent Rose, only to remember she doesn't have it on her. Mercury simply grinned maliciously and set himself up in a fighting pose.
Outside, when Team AMB arrived and split up to find Emerald, the arena's center was lifting back into the air, and an oblivious Penny was grinning wildly, with her fellow redhead Nora cheering excitedly from the stands, even getting Ren to let out a reluctant "Yaaay..." The screen faded to black as Pyrrha, face and body still filled with depression, looks to the ground while the stage finishes being set up.
TBC