Chapter 7: The Rage of Sorrow, The Disparity of Confusion!

A rush of pain washes over you as your senses finally return. You open your eyes and groan at the groggy feeling. "Ah... where am I..?" You look around the room – your room. "Huh... did I dream that?" You lift your upper body off the bed and scratch your head. "I was at the village... and..." You throw the covers off and get out of bed, stretching your muscles out after so much rest. "Maybe I should check there... just in case. Man, I don't know what happened to me. Everything's so hazy."

You grab your pants and slip into them, making sure your tail pokes out of the custom hole you made. With said tail, you snatch your black t-shirt and toss it over you. It perfectly falls onto you, showing you've done that same skit before. You glance at wrist guards, belt, and orange top you also normally wear and shrug. This is one of those times you'll go without. You finish up with your boots, pat yourself down, and run towards the window. In a flash, you fly across Beacon's grounds and head to your destination.

"Yang and them were with me... maybe I should have checked there first," you turn yourself around but still fly forward. "Well, whatever. No need to bother them if I'm wrong. But man, do I feel sore," you roll your shoulder.

Going faster than your average flight, you reach the village in no time. You stop over it and are completely shocked at what's there. Holes in the ground, smoke rising from the destroyed buildings and the patches of destruction in the forest.

"Everything's... gone... what happened? Crystal? Lucent!" You scream, zooming down to their building.

Despite being in ruins, you throw bits of stone and wood away as you claw your way to the ground. Your method is rushed and shaky, mostly because your arms aren't relaxed. Every muscle in your body is tense... you're scared.

"I was right... something happened, it had to, the Shen, Tao, that turtle Faunus was here! RWBY too, an-" You stop when your feel your hand grab hold of something foreign. You pull it out of the rubble and stare at Weiss' rapier. "Her weapon... if she doesn't have it then something happened to them! Something happened and I can't remember!" You drop your knees and slam your fist into the ground. You slowly let your fingers spread out as your frustration dissipates. "Okay... wait... I sense people," you look to your right. "Five? Yeah, they're close. Maybe they know!" You burst off your foot and start running across the debris.

You keep Weiss' weapon to give back when you see her again. You enter the forest and run through some bushes, pass by some trees, and eventually reach a small clearing with a large stone. Five people – four women and one man – are carving something into the stone. You stop at the edge of the clearing, smiling at the sight of familiar faces. One of the women you know fairly well – Dianna. She's a farmer who sells the best fruits and vegetables around. You and Lucent always bought from her and it was always worth it.

You run towards the group and slightly focus on what they're doing to the stone. You stop dead in your tracks when you read the first few lines.

"Names... I recognize- wait, Lucent? Crystal? Hey, what's going on?" You shout.

The five turn around and instantly go pale.

"You..."

Your confused and ignorant expression would be cute to most, but given the context, is insulting to them.

"What's wrong? What happened to the vil-"

"YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER!" Dianna screams. "YOU KILLED THEM ALL! GET OUT OF HERE YOU FAUNUS FILTH! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" She wails, throwing the knife she held at you.

You easily catch it but your expression doesn't change.

"You've... never called me that. You never cared who was a Faunus or not. I-I didn't kill anyone!"

"You killed everyone... I hope you burn in hell... I hope the Grimm rip you apart," the man quivers. "Get out of here... you insult their lives with your presence."

"We should have killed him when he was a baby."

"Crystal and Lucent," you barely whisper. "Crystal and Lucent... are they..."

"We're all that's left," one woman responds. "Please... leave now."

"LEAVE!"

You turn away from the people but can't muster up the will to move. A tear slides down your cheek and drops to the ground.

"I... didn't kill them... did I?" You bring your hand to your head. "I can't... remember. Yang... Weiss," you look down at the sword. "They'll know. I need to see them now. They'll know I didn't do it!"

You blast off into the air like a shining white bullet. You blast through clouds, leaving a clear trail of where you've been. You descend to Beacon and head right for the dormitories. Without any thought, you fly in through RWBY's window. You slide to a halt and look around the room. It's eerily empty... as if nobody's been here for some time.

"Not here... where are they? Damn..." You lightly toss Weiss' weapon onto her bed then turn to run and jump out the window. You land outside the dorms and start walking.

"-all came, yeah. I heard RWBY was totally beaten," a female voice whispers.

You look over at a group of girls gossiping on a bench. You sprint over to them, all of them being surprised by your sudden presence.

"What do you want?"

"Shut up, he's the one who came back with RWBY."

"You sure?"

"Mhm, except he wasn't hurt. That's what I heard, anyway."

"RWBY was hurt?" You ask.

"You didn't know? All of RWBY is in the infirmary! Tell us w- hey!"

You run off towards the medical wing, not even remembering you can fly. Your speed is more than enough to get you there. Many students feel your breeze as you pass but fail to register you. It's a sudden gust that scares some while giving others a nice view. You turn the corner and spot the building ahead. You dash off your back foot and glide over the ground, dust bellowing behind you. You slide to a halt just before the door, using the momentum to open the door and run in.

There's a desk with a middle aged woman working on her computer. She looks up at you the second your hands land on her desk.

"RWBY! Are they here?"

She looks down at her computer and gets to work. Her fingers dance along the keys, showing how much experience she has.

"Down the hall, right, up the stairs, second floor, straight, left, third door on the left."

"Uh... could you repeat tha-" She hands you a small note with the directions. "Oh, thanks."

You start to run around the desk but she stops you with words.

"Are you (Y/N)?"

You stop and turn around. "Oh, yeah... why?"

"Hm... You better have a good excuse, boy. From what I heard, you're being put on trial for this."

"What?" You rustle your hair in a panic. "Trial? But I didn't do anything!"

"Mm... I'll let Ozpin know you're here. Don't be surprised if he shows up."

You sigh. "Yeah... okay, thank you!"

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"-and having such a dangerous individual in Vale will cause panic. You do know what happens if there's panic, Ozpin," a fierce, older voice says over the speakers.

"I'm well aware, but I don't believe the people will panic. We already spoke to the survivors and they acknowledged the danger of spreading panic," Ozpin calmly responds, his eyes glaring over at all the teachers

"That's not the point, Ozpin! You've seen the footage! He could destroy Vale!"

"It's unwise to dismiss him. We have yet to speak with (Y/N) or team RWBY. With all due respect, they will provide more information than scared civilians."

"If I may," Glynda steps forward. "We have all taught (Y/N) and learned his behavior. While it is true that he's practically obsessed with fighting... he's never shown any signs of ill intent. Stupidity, perhaps, but never anything malicious. None of us believe he's an intentional threat to Vale or Beacon."

The rest of the teachers affirm her words with single words or quick sounds. The man on the other side of the call sighs.

"Ozpin... we can't just brush this off like it's nothing. Clearly, there is something different about the boy that we must figure out. Thus... we have contacted Atlas. Their top scientists are willing to study him."

Ozpin taps his coffee cup as he thinks. "First I want to speak with him and team RWBY... after, I will accompany him to Atlas."

"Very well, Ozpin."

The headmaster lets out a quiet sigh of relief. "Thank you, Councilman, now," he looks down at his scroll and the message displayed on it. "I have some business. It was a pleasure speaking with you," he finishes, ending the call there. "You're all at ease," he looks to the teachers. "However, if you spot anything strange please let me know."

The teachers shift out of the way for Ozpin to reach the elevator.

"You know something, don't you?" Glynda speaks out.

"I know that a transformation like that would not happen naturally, which means someone forcefully triggered it," Ozpin stops in the elevator and turns around, facing the teachers again. "At least, that's my speculation," he ends with a smile before the elevator doors close.

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You slide to a halt in front of a door and burst through. The door's handle slams into the wall, locking it in place. You take a few steps in and take in the four beds, four girls, all broken and recovering. Bruises, casts, medical equipment everywhere. You clench your fist and grind your teeth.

"Was it me..? I don't remember hurting them... I don't remember hurting anyone... wait, my senzu beans!" You happily exclaim, turning to the door again. "I can ask the- gah," you smack into someone, falling onto your butt. "Hey... oh, Ozpin!" You get back up and lock eyes with the older man. "I... eh... man, I've never had so many weird emotions at once," you say, rubbing the back of your neck. "But I can heal them! I have-"

"(Y/N)... you are suspected of murdering the majority of a village, a Huntsman, and nearly killing a group of students," he starts, setting up a grim atmosphere right away. "I need you to tell me everything you remember. Everything."

You cross your arms and sigh. "Fine... but can we at least walk to my room while we talk?"

"Of course..."

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"And that's it, I swear. This weird ball appeared in the sky and..." You grab the handle of your door and blankly stare ahead. "It all went black..."

You unlock the door and enter the room. Ozpin stays behind in the hallway, taking in everything you said.

"I see... it's as I expected. Thank you, (Y/N). I promise, nothing bad will happen to you."

You leave the room, closing the door behind you with a brown pouch in hand. "I... did I do it, Ozpin?"

Ozpin sees the hints of fear in your eyes. It's clear what you said earlier was true. Anyone would be sad or confused in this situation, but the honesty he can feel from you moves him ever so slightly.

"I... don't know, (Y/N). I don't think so... none of us think so," he affirms.

"Heh... I guess. I've never really lost anyone before... and I can't even remember Crystal or Lucent dying. It's... really weird. I can't let RWBY die too," you say with a sharp tone.

"They won't. Come, let's deliver these to them."

"Wait, do you know Senzu beans?"

"Hm, of course," he replies with a smirk. "I'm well connected, you know."

"I guess a headmaster would be."

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You and Ozpin return to RWBY's room. All the girls are the exact same as how you left them – laying on their beds, recovering from their wounds. You grab four beans from the pouch, handing two to Ozpin.

"Here, I'll give them to Yang and Ruby."

You walk to the left side of the room where the sisters reside. You start with Ruby, placing the bean on her lips.

"Ruby... eat this. It's yummy, I promise." Her mouth slightly opens, allowing for the bean to fall in.

She starts chewing, thus you move onto Yang.

"Hey, eat this. You'll feel better, I promise," you whisper, placing the bean at her lips.

Like Ruby, she allows it in and chews it.

"Yang!" Ruby shoots up from her bed, quickly changing to a confused state.

All her team members regain consciousness too, their wounds healing instantly, Auras refilling completely.

"Wait, where am I?" Ruby looks around the room, her senses taking in too much at once.

She sees her teammates, she realizes she's in the medical wing, she ponders what happened at the village, and lastly, she sees you. Her eyes widen as she remembers the terrifying red eyes that shook her to the core.

The others experience the same fear as their eyes land on you. Your roar still echoes in their ears, you impact still shakes their body. All the feelings of fear, anger, hopelessness, and hatred project through their eyes, locking you in place from sheer intensity. They all recognize their healed bodies and... that they no longer have to be here.

"Guys... you're kinda freaking me out," you end with a weak snicker, looking around to all of them.

They all, in different fashions, get out of their beds and leave the room. Blake and Yang pass by you, making sure to avoid contact.

"G-Guys?" You softly call out, but they all leave you behind, not even addressing Ozpin.

You stare out the door long after they've left, confused. "Ozpin... did I say something wrong?"

Ozpin shakes his head, genuinely feeling bad for your situation. "No, (Y/N)... you didn't. You're dimissed. You may... do whatever you wish. But please don't leave Beacon. That's an order."

"I... okay. Ozpin, I didn't do it! Why are people so mad at me? Why wouldn't they-"

"Take some time, (Y/N)," he sharply replies, taking his leave.

You cross your arms and turn towards the open window.

"I know I didn't do anything... I know it," you tighten the grip on your sleeves. "Why can't I understand..."

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Hours have passed since team RWBY recovered. Ozpin, after giving them some time to collect themselves and re-dress, requested each of them to give a detailed report on what exactly happened. In the dark room with merely a table and two chairs, Ozpin interviewed each girl one by one. Patterns arose from their stories, solidifying Ozpin's pre-existing theories.

"I didn't know what to do," Ruby shakes her head. "One second we had a plan and the next... everyone disappeared."

"I'd never seen a creature so powerful," Weiss recollects. "Nobody could have stopped him... I don't even know how we're still alive... but I know it wasn't thanks to him."

"Professor, he's not normal. No Faunus transforms like that. He had to have done it on purpose. I thought it might have been the strange ball in the sky but I felt nothing. I didn't think he was like that... I don't want to think it," Blake shakes her head adamantly. "But there's no other option. He... tried to kill us."

"He's so gentle... so innocent. He gave me a laugh at how clueless he could be. I never thought he could be so terrifying... I never want to relive that again," Yang's hands shake on the table. "I really think he could kill us all... destroy this whole place."

"We couldn't do a thing! I didn't know how to react, what to tell Weiss and Blake!" Ruby continues. "I wanted to find Yang, and then Weiss was hurt, and... I was so scared..."

"I never thought I'd have to watch my teammates fall like that... I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it," Weiss' eyes fall to her intertwined fingers.

"I don't know what happened to those other men who attacked that place... but they're not nearly as dangerous as him. At first, I thought it was a good thing... but... well, not anymore."

"I'm just glad Ruby is okay," Yang nods her head. "We're all alive... which is more than I can say for those poor people. I... I don't know what to think, Professor. In the infirmary, he seemed so confused, but I can't forget those eyes... that ferocious nature he had... and the people he killed."

Ozpin shuts off the recording then sets his head on his hands. The reports have all been sent to the Council and the teachers of Beacon. You're a high profile target now, known across all of Remnant... yet he knows you shouldn't be. Ozpin stands up and grabs his cane as he walks by it. He has one more place to visit before the day is done... one person to thank.

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The trip is short... extremely short, but that's only because Ozpin is a resourceful individual. He stands on a floating platform high above Remnant. There is very little on the surface – a few trees that are lined in specific areas along with a temple acting as a focal point. Ozpin smiles at the... somewhat familiar sight. It's a calming place, at least, one unaffected by the horrors of the planet.

He starts walking, clicking his cane every step with a little more force than usual. His eyes lock on the temple, waiting for its inhabitants to reveal themselves. Of course, they do when Ozpin reaches the halfway point. A large being steps out of the temple starts approaching Ozpin. The most distinguishing feature of this person is their skin. He's mostly green aside from pink and red markings on his revealed arms. His ears are long and sharp at the ends, mimicking his eyes which would strike true terror in anyone he faced. His head, for the most part, is covered by a white turban with a purple tone on the top. He also dons a large cape that falls around his ankles, though it also largely covers his shoulders and his neck. His other attire is a purple gi, bearing loose similarities to yours, with a blue belt. He finishes with red arm bands that barely cover his wrists and brown, pointed shoes that still show a silver of his leg.

"As welcoming as ever," Ozpin says with a warm smile.

"Anyone who knows I'm here doesn't need a warm welcome," his deep voice replies. "What is it that you want, Ozpin?"

The two stop before each other, Ozpin having to look up at the incredibly tall man.

"I'm here to thank you. Without your intervention, my students would've been killed."

"I didn't do it to save your students. He was a threat to the planet in that state, as I told you long ago."

"Well, I'd say he's not so bad now. It's his... well, primal instinct."

"His Saiyan blood, you mean? The thing you're hiding from everyone else."

Ozpin smiles before turning away and walking towards the edge.

"Come, Piccolo, might as well have a better view while we talk."

Piccolo begrudgingly follows Ozpin to the edge of the lookout.

"You know why I've kept that secret. The Grimm are still a threat to humanity... they don't need to know there's more to the universe. The panic it would cause... well, you know."

"Of course I know. If you had let me kill him when he first arrived then we wouldn't have this problem, to begin with."

Ozpin turns his head to Piccolo, his eyes housing such intensity that makes even Piccolo sweat.

"He is not to be harmed, do you understand?"

"Y-Yeah, I got the message the first time."

"Perfect," he ends with a smile. "Now, did you discover who used the power ball? Was it another Saiyan?"

"I'm not sure," Piccolo crosses his arms. "After seeing it I know I could replicate the technique, so assuming it's another Saiyan is premature. They also covered their tracks well..."

"Do you think..?" He looks back to his large friend.

"No... if it was a plot from Salem, what would she gain from it? Unleashed a Great Ape in a remote village does nothing. I think someone was confirming whether or not a Saiyan was here... and they got their confirmation."

"It wasn't the other Saiyans... we would've detected their arrival... which means whoever the culprit is, they've been on Remnant for some time."

"Seems like it. But there's one thing I wanted to discuss."

"Yes?"

"His tail..." These words make Ozpin look back to the skyline. "It's a hindrance to him now. If someone's able to trigger his Great Ape form at will, it would cause chaos. I didn't remove it out of respect for you... however, I advise you remove it. It's too much of a liability."

"I understand that," Ozpin nods. "I'll ensure it's removed in Atlas... permanently."

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Coco and Velvet saunter towards the cafeteria for lunch. At least, if Velvet gets her way.

"Come on, there's this cool new place in Vale we could go," Coco harasses her Faunus friend.

"I don't really want to go all the way to Vale, Coco. Can't we just sit down in the cafeteria?"

"Oh, fine... But next time we go!" Coco wags her finger at Velvet.

"That's fair..." Her eyes wander past her partner and spot a familiar face. "Hey... that's (Y/N)!" She points past Coco.

The other girl follows her finger and spots a first year training in the sky.

"Oh, I've heard of him," she leans on her hip, resting one hand on that side. "Really good at fighting, kinda dumb."

"Coco!"

"It's just what I've heard," she shrugs, leaving her hands in the air. "I haven't met him."

"He's nice. Hey, (Y/N)!" She jogs over, waving.

Curled into a ball, you spin down to the ground and open up, sliding across the grass on all fours. You immediately get to your feet, clapping your palms together to form a Kamehameha. Your eyes are fiercely locked on your enemy, the Turtle Faunus who's fight you never finished. However, your image training is void when you hear your name called. You stand up straight, allowing the blast to dissipate.

"Oh, hey Velvet," you respond with a smile. "How's your day? And... you're Coco, right?" You say with a little skepticism "I can't remember if we've met or not. I'm not good at these things?" You end with a chuckle.

"Yeah, name's Coco. I've heard a bunch about you from... well, everyone. You're quite popular around Beacon."

"I... don't think popular is the right word," you scratch your neck. "But thanks. Did you guys need anything? I mean, not to be rude, I was just wondering."

"Do you want to join us for lunch?"

"Oh, it's lunch time?" You scratch your head. "Yeah, sure, I'd never turn down some food. Plus I'm about done for today and I'm not allowed to leave, so... yeah!"

"You're not allowed to leave?" Coco repeats as you three start walking together.

"Oh, yeah, it's nothing. Just, uh, got something to do, you know?"

"Hm..." Coco places her hand on her chin and leans closer to you. "Fine, okay," she backs off.

You dart your eyes between Coco and Velvet, a bit scared of the former.

"Don't worry, Coco's just playing."

"Am I?"

"Are you?"

Your trio enters the busy cafeteria, getting a few glances from closer tables.

"Man, this place sucks," Coco huffs. "Why are we here again?"

"Because I told Yatsuhashi and Fox we'd meet them here, you know, in the place they're usually eating."

"They eat here... they always said they're training..." She raises her shaking fist. "I'll kill'em."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think? Isn't that Yamswemunchi guy really huge? You're... kinda small."

Coco's eyes light with fire, heating up the entire room. "Who's... small?"

"You," your innocent smile only stokes Coco's flame.

"Hey, look, an empty table! We should go there," Velvet interrupts, pushing both of your still bodies to the target.

You take your seats and relax.

"Because I brought you here I'll grab food for all of us," Velvet says, standing at the end of the table. "I'll be back," she waves.

"So, you train a lot, huh?" Coco starts up a conversation.

"Huh, yeah! I really like getting stronger. Fighting is just a lot of fun for me."

"I've heard. You're the top fighter for first years, right?"

"I have no idea," you shrug. "I just kinda fight. I don't pay attention to stuff like that."

As you and Coco converse, a different topic is spoken of at a different table. A young man with mostly brown attire to match his hair and eyes, moping with his friends.

"Seriously? Everyone died?" His friend shakes his head in disbelief.

"I know... I... it wasn't even the Grimm... it was some type of monster," he rests his head on the table. "Here, take a look," he grabs his scroll from his pocket and slides it on the table. "One of the survivors sent this to me... said it gave some closure or... revenge or something. I don't think they were supposed to, but... it's there."

His three friends gather around the scroll and watch the video. It's clear, showing a group of people huddled together, fearful for their lives. The video focuses on two people, one flying and one on the ground, hovering over a hole.

"Hey... that one on the bottom... isn't that a kid who goes here?" Someone whispers.

"Looks like... what the..?"

The video shows your near disturbing transformation onto a giant monkey. You smack the other man around before blasting at the crowd. The scroll holder barely manages to move out of the way, but it's shown that only a handful of people escape that blast. The video ends afterward, leaving the viewers shocked and confused.

"That's... hey, bro, the one who changed... I'm pretty sure he goes to Beacon."

"What?" His head raises.

"Yeah... he beat me up the other day," the man looks around the room. "Maybe he's here... wait, hey!" The scroll is taken from his hand as the sufferer walks away.

"So that little thing transforms, huh?" You closely examine Coco's purse. "Whoa... that's weird. My pole just extends."

A light shade of pink washes on Coco's cheeks. "Your... what?"

"Yeah, grows as long as I want it! It's awesome! Do you wanna see it? I think it's in my room."

"Uh... okay, I'll give you this – that's the boldest offer I've ever heard."

"It... is?" You tilt your head to the side. "I guess nobody else has what I have, so..."

"Okay, you are an interesting one," she pats your shoulder. "I might actually take you up on that offer."

"Oh, cool! Let's go, then," you say as you hop off the seat.

You feel an intense feeling coming from somewhere in the room. You shift your gaze from Coco to the vast room. Almost immediately, you spot a man approaching you with a powerful purpose. Coco looks between you and the man, recognizing the same feeling you are.

"You... what's your name?"

"Uh... (Y/N)," you say with a shrug. "What's you-"

"Shut up."

"Hey, that's a little rude, don't you think?"

He slams a scroll down on the table, making sure it's oriented towards you and Coco, to an extent. You lean over and check out the scroll. Your eyes immediately widen in surprise at the scene of you staring up at the sky.

"Hey, it's you... who were you... whoa!"

You both watch in shock and horror as you transform and slaughter the villagers.

"No way... (Y/N)... was that you?"

The video keeps repeating, showing you transform into a monster you've never seen before.

"I want you to say it... I want you to say it was you... I want you to tell me why you did it!" He shouts, grabbing your shirt. "WHY'D YOU KILL THEM? WHY? WHY GODDAMNIT!" His angry shouts morph into weeping as he starts throwing weak punches at your chest.

His outburst draws attention from the other students. Most are confused, few know exactly what's wrong. RWBY is that group that knows what's happening, considering the look on your face.

"It... wasn't me... I didn't do it."

"IT'S RIGHT THERE! DON'T LIE TO ME, YOU MURDER! YOU MONSTER!" His punches become stronger, but nothing that bothers you. "WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?"

"Hey, get off him!" Coco steps up and pulls the boy back. "He doesn't know what you're talking about," Coco says in an attempt to calm him down.

Like RWBY, Coco can see the utter confusion and sorrow in your eyes. You keep watching over and over as you transform into a massive ape and kill all the people you used to know... including Crystal and Lucent.

"I didn't... I... did?" Your black pupils shake as realization slowly sets in. "I... so RWBY..." You look over to RWBY and JNPR's table, locking eyes with Yang's purple orbs. "I did... that's why... I thought I said something wrong, but..." You look down at your hands and the invisible blood they're lathered in. "I..." You close your fists and recollect your thoughts. "I'm sorry. I did it... I don't remember it, but I did it."

The student stops struggling, instead limping on Coco's arms. "You... don't even remember? They were killed for no reason? FOR NO PURPOSE?" He screeches.

"I... don't know what to say. Coco, sorry for the disruption. I'll see you later," you turn and start walking towards the door, all eyes pushing you further to the door.

"I've never seen him so sad," Ruby comments.

"Were we hard on him?" Blake crosses her arms. "But he-"

"That wasn't him," Yang cuts in. "I know it..." Her mind flashes to your silly smiles, clueless gaze, and even your determination to save even animals. "I know it."

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"Okay, we got a plan," Ruby says as they walk down the hallway late at night.

"We're just apologizing," Weiss shakes her head. "Why make a big deal out this?"

"Because this whole thing is blowing out of proportion," Yang sighs. "It's starting to go around that he killed innocent people, and they've put together that we were there. I don't know how, but..."

"Guys... check it out," Blake points down the hall.

The girls peer down and see Glynda leaving your room.

"Come on, lets see!" Ruby runs past her teammates. "Hey! Where's (Y/N)?"

"Girls... what are you doing..." Glynda sighs as the other three catch up. "Nevermind, it's clear why you're here. I suppose you deserve an explanation. "(Y/N) was shipped to Atlas earlier today."

"What?"

"The council decided the needed to research his... condition, for lack of a better term. Besides, things are getting heated here between the event earlier and your interviews. I-"

"Our interviews?"

"Hm? Well, yes. You confirmed that he did transform with murderous intent."

"But he wouldn-"

"We know," Glynda raises her hand. "None of us are pleased with this outcome, but that doesn't change what happened. (Y/N) destroyed a village and murdered innocents while nearly killing you four. That's not something that just goes away... I'm sorry," she shakes her head. "We'll keep you four posted, I know you're all friends. Now, please, return to your room."

The four slowly mop their way back to their room.

"He's gone... cause of us?" Ruby whispers.

"We have to do something," Yang claps her hands.

"We can't do anything... we just have to wait and see," Weiss crosses her arms. "It's not like we can go to Atlas, anyway."

"Damnit," Yang clenches her fist. "I hope he's okay."

"Me too."

"I agree."

"Same."

Funnily enough, this chapter was intended to be longer. My original draft had extra stuff here... but I'm making a small change. Basically switching the timeline of events to make everything flow a little better. That, unfortunately, meant that this chapter took a hit in length. That's okay, though. I don't like making chapters longer just for the sake of making them long. If it completed its goal then I'm happy! The upside is... next chapter is gonna be awesome. Some people might be a little confused on why some things might happen, but trust me. I'll explain it more next chapter, but everything just works with my new plan.

Thank you, everyone, who's continued to support this story! It's always awesome to see support for new projects. Then again, it's not as bad as trying a completely new fandom (which I may be doing soon, but that doesn't mean this or Crimson Shadow will stop) but still! I'm very grateful for your support! Comments, reviews, likes, all that really makes this worthwhile! Seriously, I mean that.

Anyway, that's my time. I'll you all in the next chapter!

Want to keep up with me? Know what chapter's coming out next and the progress of them? Follow me on Twitter! Twitter . com (slash) Chinsangan

I recently revamped my Patreon to include a few more rewards with a steadier donation price. Things like one-shots, short stories, and full stories are a thing now! Plus there's a Discord reward for a dollar, so that's sort of neat. You can check it out yourself if you're interested. It's completely optional, of course! Pat reon . com (slash) Chinsangan

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Advice? Send me a message! See ya!

A special thank you to Patreon supporters: Manuel Garcia, James Tubbs, MazMan and Sassylemons

Extra special thanks to Ride The Lightning!

And finally thank you to the Beta Reader: TheNameIsntImportant