At the docking bays down the main avenue and under the floating Amity Colosseum, Ruby walks up to the end of the line waiting to get in the transport up to the Colosseum.
Ruby: ("Okay, Y/N should be here any minute now.")
Upon saying this, she spots Y/N quickly approaching her before stopping his track.
Y/N: "I'm here, Rubes."
Ruby: "Made it just in time."
Y/N: "Shall we go?"
Ruby: "Yep!"
They start walking into the line, spotting both Brawnz and Nolan from Team BRNZ talking outside the line. And beyond that, Sun walking away with his gun-chucks over his shoulder, with a familiar rabbit Faunus snapping photos of him.
Y/N: "Velvet?"
Ruby: "Let's go say hi to her."
Y/N: "Sure, why not."
Ruby and Y/N steps out of line and approaches her from behind as she continues taking pictures with her camera until she notices who's behind her.
Velvet: "Oh. Ruby, Y/N, how you two doing?"
Ruby: "Hi, Velvet!"
Y/N: "What're you up to?"
The rabbit Faunus roll her eyes happily.
Velvet: "Oh, you know. Just working on my photography. Do you wanna see?
She then offers her camera to Ruby and Y/N, looking extremely delighted. They immediately notice that Velvet didn't even get all of Sun in her picture, cutting out his head, feet, and one his arm. Ruby step away as she grins in forced approval, while Y/N keeps examining the picture.
Ruby: "That's... better."
Y/N: "It needs some improvement."
Velvet: "You think so?"
Y/N: "Eh, just some minor tweaks here and there."
This makes Velvet giggle at his remark.
Velvet: "Sure. Thanks for the feedback."
Velvet's expression to a happy one to a concern one as she asks Ruby and Y/N.
Velvet: "I'm... sorry to hear about Yang. Is she doing okay?"
Ruby: "Yeah, she's fine, heh. Thanks."
Y/N: "For the most part, yeah. She's not letting it get to her."
As Velvet put away her camera in the box on her back, she continues.
Velvet: "I think it's just awful what people are saying about her. Yang's such a nice person."
Y/N cross his arms before responding.
Y/N: "Yeah, well, from what I heard, they already drawn their own conclusions. It's irritating but... nothing we can do.
Ruby laughs a little as she rubs the back of her head, turning her attention to Velvet.
Ruby: "Well, I'm glad someone thinks so."
Shaking her head, Velvet goes to cross her arms.
Velvet: "It doesn't help with the extra slander coming out of the news, especially from Ash Autumn's article about this incident."
Ruby: "Wait, article?"
Y/N: "I thought the cameras were cut off when it happened."
Velvet: "I'm just as confused as you guys are."
Y/N: "Ugh, great. It wasn't just the audience inside the Colosseum who saw that."
Velvet: "Well, regardless, most people don't know what it's like on the battlefield. I mean, even experienced fighters can get scared and start seeing things. If it happened to Coco, it could happen to anyone."
Her remark makes Ruby tilt her head to the side and Y/N's eyes widen a bit.
Ruby: "Coco?"
Y/N: "Care to elaborate, Velvet?"
Velvet: "Well, she swore she saw Yatsu with her in the forest during the fight with Emerald and Mercury, but he never even made it out of the geyser fields. Stress-induced hallucinations, apparently."
Ruby: "Yeah..."
Y/N: "I see..."
Y/N begins to ponder over what Velvet said.
Y/N: ("That's exactly what Qrow told me already. Hmm...") "Hey, Velvet. Was there anything else Coco told you?"
Velvet: "Well, she said Coco was fighting Emerald, she saw Yatsu, found out that Yatsu actually was defeated, and then she turns around to see nothing."
Y/N: "Uh-huh..." ("Emerald was also there when Yang supposedly broke Mercury's leg as well. Which means... no... no, it can't be...")
As Y/N ponder to himself, Ruby turns her head away, lost in her own thoughts.
Ruby: ("There's something going on with the tournament...")
She looks back at Velvet after a quick flash startle her and subsequentially Y/N too. Velvet lowers her camera from her face, smiling apologetically to them.
Velvet: "Oh! Sorry."
Ruby: "No, it's fine."
Y/N: "It was nice talking to you, Velvet, but Ruby and I need to go to watch the next match. Come on, Rubes."
Ruby: "Oh, yeah. See ya, Velvet."
Y/N then grab her hand as he led her over to the line to the next transport to the Amity Colosseum. As they walk off, Velvet can't help but stare after them, more specifically the two of them holding hands. The rabbit Faunus feel quite a little envious at the sight of it only to shake it off and goes back to her photography. Meanwhile, Y/N glances over to Ruby, while taking her to the line.
Y/N: "You think it's strange too, right?"
Ruby: "Eh?"
Y/N: "Yang's match and Coco's match..."
Ruby quickly nods to him.
Ruby: "Yeah. Something is definitely going on here. The question is... what?"
Y/N: "We'll figure this out, right Rubes?"
Ruby offers a big smile.
Ruby: "Heck yeah!"
(Amity Colosseum)
Once Y/N and Ruby made it inside, they see people are heading to their seats, cheering and ready for the upcoming match. Walking out of one of the hallways, leading to the arena's seats, they run into Emerald, who is on her way to find her own seat. Upon seeing them, Emerald is wordlessly surprised. After a few moments of standing in silence, Ruby speaks up.
Ruby: "H-Hey, Emerald..."
Emerald: "U-Uhm, hey, you two."
Immediately, Ruby bows a little to the green-haired girl, much to Emerald's and Y/N's surprise.
Ruby: "A-As Yang's team leader, I-I'm so sorry for what happened to Mercury. I really am."
Emerald: "That's so nice to hear you say that."
Quietly, Emerald tries to walk off and give Ruby and Y/N the cold shoulder but, Ruby persistently continues her talk with Emerald.
Ruby: "I feel really, really bad about what happened and I'm afraid something similar to that might happen again."
Emerald: "O-Oh, you think so?"
Upon saying this, Emerald tries to walk off only for Ruby's voice stop her dead in her track, all while Y/N remaining quiet.
Ruby: "Y/N and I think there's something more going on because Yang has never been a bad sport, right Y/N?"
Y/N nod to his team leader.
Y/N: "If it can happen to her and our friends, then it can happen to more people."
Ruby then turns to Emerald, who has her back turn but glancing over them.
Ruby: "Please, Emerald. We need your help on this. That way, once we found out what's really going on, we can have justice for Mercury and save Yang's reputation as a huntress in training."
Y/N chimes in, still staring at Emerald.
Y/N: "Well, what do you say, Emerald?"
In response to their remarks, Emerald place a hand on her arm, rubbing it and feeling very awkward to even answer back. It doesn't help that she can feel them staring behind her, especially with Y/N.
Emerald: ("Damn it. I was only hear as an extra bit of insurance to make the next match dramatic as possible...")
Ruby: "Emerald...?
Emerald slowly glance over Ruby as her wholeheartedness and begging her for help catches her off guard.
Emerald: ("S-She... reminds me... of... myself...")
As Emerald is somewhat lost in thought, Y/N is looking at her mannerisms.
Y/N: ("She's acting... off...")
Ruby: "Will you help us out, Emerald?"
Emerald: "U... Uhm... I-"
Her words are interrupted by the sudden announcement for the next match from the announcer's box.
Oobleck: "All right, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!"
The sound of the roulette is heard faintly. Thinking on her feet, a smiling Emerald casually turns around to face Ruby and Y/N.
Emerald: "Say, why don't you guys tell me all about it after the match."
Ruby excitedly replies.
Ruby: "Really?!"
Emerald nods to her.
Emerald: "Yeah. In fact, why don't we sit over... ah, over there."
Y/N: "Why there?"
Emerald shrugs his question.
Emerald: 'Because it's the closest seats, duh."
Ruby: "Alright. Let's go, Y/N."
Y/N sigh before responding.
Y/N: Okay. Let's go sit." ("Emerald... she... she couldn't have...")
The three goes sit at the seats Emerald mention, putting them right near of one of those maintenance tunnels. Y/N sitting next to Ruby, and Ruby sitting next to Emerald. As they go to sit down, the roulette stops showing the two images of the two combatants.
Port: "It looks like our first contender is Penny Polendina from Atlas!"
Y/N: "Huh, Penny's first."
Port: "And her opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!"
Upon hearing this announcement, the crowd begin to cheer and applaud loudly. As Y/N applaud, Ruby nudge Y/N a bit.
Ruby: "Hey, Y/N? Is Pyrrha doing okay?"
Y/N stares at Pyrrha, who's entering the arena with the happy Penny.
Y/N: "She seems pretty okay. Why?"
Ruby: "Well, she and the rest of JNPR have been very distant with each other, especially between Pyrrha and Nora."
Y/N: "Don't worry, Rubes. They had an argument but, Jaune told me that they can handle it. So, I have faith that they will resolve their issue soon."
Ruby nod to him, giving him a warm smile.
Ruby: "Okay, I understand. But still, this match is going to be awesome!"
She then quickly turns to Emerald.
Ruby: "Don't you think so, Emerald?"
The awkward Emerald, who is more focus on the match than their conversation, snickers.
Emerald: "Heh, that's some irony. Putting that Polendina girl up to someone who can manipulate metal."
Upon hearing this, Ruby and Y/N share a brief laugh at her remark but, after a few seconds later, they catch up to what Emerald just said. About Pyrrha's semblance and Penny's robotic nature. Ruby slowly turns to look at Emerald, with Y/N already doing the same, staring her down.
Ruby: "Hey, Emerald. What do you mean about Pyrrha?"
Immediately, Emerald soon realizes what she just said to them as she rushes to come up with a good excuse, all while mustering up a casual smile.
Emerald: 'Oh, uh... M-Mercury figures out Pyrrha's semblance a long while ago d-during their sparring match, you know?"
Y/N: "Really? How?"
Emerald: "U-Uhm, it's thanks to his metal legs."
Upon saying this, Emerald quickly places a hand to cover her mouth as her response only allow both Ruby and Y/N put the pieces together.
Ruby: ("No way...")
Y/N: ("Don't tell me... she...")
Trying to change the subject the best she can, Emerald then faces Y/N, still putting on a smile.
Y/N: "Ruby, I-"
Emerald: "Y/N!"
They were taken aback by her sudden outburst.
Y/N: "W-What?"
Emerald immediately bows to him while sitting on her seat.
Emerald: "I-I want to tell you that I-I'm sorry for Cinder's behavior and trying to check on your personal life. She just wants the latest scoop as Ash Aut-"
Once more, Emerald swiftly places a hand to cover her mouth as she glances over Y/N and Ruby. Eyes widen, Y/N slowly ask her.
Y/N: "How... How would you know something like that?"
Ruby: "Ash? Ash Autumn?"
Once the two teammates realize that their "friend" is in on the strangeness of the tournament, the sound of the announcer's box can be heard throughout the Colosseum.
Port: "Okay, everyone! Time to start the match!"
Emerald's and Y/N's eyes toughened, Ruby's eyes widened, and they stare each other down, unbeknownst to the crowd and the two announcers.