Hadrian Goodwitch's POV:
I am much happier again.
Now that the whole wizarding fiasco behind us, we can put all of our focus on competing in the Vytal Festival again. The only thing that's keeping me from completely kicking back are my instincts, which are blaring at me, warning me that something bad is about to happen.
After we successfully returned to Beacon in one piece, we return to living in our separate dorms and return to the floating coliseum to watch the first match of the double rounds. After my team got seated a row up from Team RWBY and JNPR, the announcements saying that the round is officially starting, and the roulettes to determine who's going to start the round off starts spinning.
When the 2 sets of roulette-type holograms stop spinning, it is revealed that the first combatants are the rather ominous combo of Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai against Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi. I heard that they fought really valiantly in the first redemption match and are back in the tournament.
After the 4 people gather on the arena, the two sides begin the battle, with Emerald running into the forest field while Coco gave chase. Yatsuhashi and Mercury fought out in the open, legs and sword clanging together. After a few minutes of battle, Mercury gave a rather cleverly placed kick to Yatsuhashi who went flying into the water biome. His face lands into a hole that spewed an intense amount of steam up. The beating from Mercury and the steam forced him to be knocked out again. Meanwhile, Coco is going to town with her chain gun, mowing down trees and chopping up grass in an attempt to hit Emerald. After a few more minutes of fight, what I saw next should be impossible. I saw Yatsuhashi running to Coco, who blinked then he's gone. He seemed a little fuzzy too, like an illusion that wasn't that great. "You saw that, right?" I whispered to my teammates.
Tommy looked utterly confused at what I'm talking about, but Theodore and Perseus nod in agreement. I needed to figure out what's going on with that. A crash brought our attention back to the battlefield, where Coco had gone flying into the air and lands next to Yatsuhashi, also unconscious and her sunglasses cracked a little. Once again, the buzzer went off. Team CFVY got knocked out a second time in the tournament. That couldn't be healthy for their egos. After a quick 15-minute break, the next match starts.
This time, it's me and Tommy vs. two members of Team Indigo, who also won their redemption round. Once the starting buzzer goes off, we begin the fight. Unfortunately for Team Indigo, Tommy was able to keep them at a distance with his energy blasts while I spin the air, my green sunglasses flashing in the light, and disarm Dew Gayl before she can use her tornado abilities and electrify her enough to knock her out. Unfortunately, Nebula Violette got past Tommy's blasts and sending him flying into the air, knocking him out of the arena and the match. Afterwards, it is me and my sword against Nebula and her blade. We hack and slash at each other really quickly, unable to gain an advantage over the other, until I send a current into her arms, activating the nerves in her body. She shouted in pain, giving me the opening I need to get into her defenses and give her a giant upward slash. The result is my team winning the doubles round. A lot of people cheered for me as and Tommy as we are escorted off the field. When all 4 of my team's members, including myself, go to the locker room so we can debate who's going to go to the finals. In the end, and after much arguing, we agreed that I shall represent Team HTPT in the final round.
After another brief break, the final match before the finals start occurs. It's Yang and Weiss vs. some oddball musicians from Atlas. While they were fighting, me and my 3 teammates are talking to Coco. "Then, in the middle of the match, I saw Yatsuhashi running to me. I blink and he's gone." Coco concluded. Her teammates were looking at her with concern.
"Like a hallucination?" I ask.
"Yes, quite like that, actually." Coco agreed. She sat back down and watched the match. Her team still shot concerned glances Coco's way.
"That's really interesting." Theodore whispers in my ear. We nod in agreement and watch the rest of Yang and Weiss's match go down. I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen. Something that's going to involve that hallucination.
After I cheer loudly for Yang, she uses her semblance, the musicians were quickly defeated, rocketing Team RWBY into the final round. I really hope Yang is selected for that round. I want to have a nice, friendly match between the two of us to see who paid more attention in class.
Now's time for my plan to start. I put on a tired face and join the crowd that's walking out of the stadium. I tell Tommy and Theodore to stay behind to tell Team RWBY that I'm going back to our dorms to rest from a long night I had. I have a medical needle in my jacket, ready. I almost always keep one on hand when I'm not fighting. Hey, I go prepared.
When I notice Emerald right in front of me, I silently walked up to her and prick her arm, getting enough blood to perform the test to confirm my suspicions.
Emerald obviously noticed the prick and whirled around. She noticed me and said, "Hi."
"Hi," I reply, giving a yawn.
"Are you OK?" Emerald asked, looking concerned.
"Oh yeah. Just spent too much time up last night. The adrenaline I got in my match has left me." I answer, giving another yawn. For greater effect, I wobble and am about to fall only for Perseus to catch me.
"Whoa, there buddy. Let's get you to your dormitory." Perseus said and began hauling me off to one of the Bullheads that will be take me back to Beacon. The trip didn't last long before we arrive at our dorm and I crash onto my bed. Once all my teammates walked in, Theodore closed the door.
"Did you get what you are looking for?" asked Theodore. I nod, lifting up the medical needle that has a small amount of blood.
"Why did you get that?" Tommy asked incredulously, slightly flustered he isn't a part of what I'm up to. Feeling a little guilty about it, I get out my scroll and attach a very exclusive attachment I invented for the scroll to my device. Using the device, I can get IDs on anyone on Remnant in all 4 kingdoms that are registered using their fingerprints or blood.
"I'm suspicious of that girl Cinder's team. I also want to know what Emerald is capable of if I ever fight her." I reply, dropping the blood onto the attachment.
A picture of Emerald appeared on the screen with full name, public description, semblance, everything. I looked at the semblance and my suspicions have been confirmed. Emerald Sustrai has a hallucination semblance. I make a folder out of it and study it, just in case I have to fight her in the tournament.
The next day was when everything in the tournament went downhill.
The finals began at night where all the finalists went down to the field that represent the 4 kingdoms. The first match was Yang vs. Mercury. I'm kind of surprised that Mercury was picked to compete in the finals.
The finalists returned to the stands where our friends and teammates waited for us. The match that went down is brutal. Yang confessed to me one time that she's not the best fighter against fighters who use kicking. She's right as Mercury held the advantage in the fight for several minutes.
Until Yang used her semblance again and the pure power and speed beat down Mercury. Yang had won! However, it went wrong when Yang began walking off the field, Mercury stood up. Yet he looked fuzzy. "You're not going anywhere, Blondie." He snarled and lunged at Yang. Understandably, she punched his leg to defend herself.
To my complete horror, 4 Atlesian Knights surround Yang and proclaimed her under arrest.
"Now we know what our instincts have been warning us about." Perseus said, looking stricken at the degrading the people are now giving Yang.
"I think it's time I submit my suspicions to the General and try to get Yang out of this mess." I reply angrily, practically forcing myself to watch the medics haul off Mercury.
Yet I couldn't help but notice a glint of metal under the fallen man's pants and think, 'This guy's also a masterful actor.'
AN: Hi everyone! Today I'm feeling very happy and I'm going to give you an earlier than usual update.
Anyway, see you next time!
Thanks for all the support!