Authors Note: Don't forget to review and let me know what you think once your done.

There were a few more questions from everyone, which Yang tried to answer to the best of her ability. SImple things like who had the power before her and where it came from. Some answers were more satisfying than others but after a few minutes they started to relax just a little bit more.

Her team was still hurt, scared, but… they didn't try to take it out on her. Blake and Weiss alternated between asking questions about what the power was supposed to be able to do and what they knew about the people who were after it.

She told them how the running idea seemed to be somebody backed by Salem, which nobody bothered debating. Why wouldn't the queen of the grimm want such a power? In her hands that power might have been enough to kill countless people or turn the tide in the "secret war".

Mostly the questions were a means to distract everybody from the weight of her actions. It worked for a time, but it didn't last.

A soft knocking on the door heralded the arrival of the person she had feared speaking with the most. Not because she hated Ozpin, though she could admit to some animosity, but because she dreaded him sending her friends away to speak in private.

To call the tone of the room awkward would have been an understatement. The second he opened the door all eyes had focused on him, a mix of glares and hatred, along with a mix of betrayal.

Ozpin bore it with the same expression he always had.

"Miss Xiao Long, I trust you are feeling well? There were no complications?" He didn't bother trying to veil his words. He knew that she had told them, she just couldn't tell what he thought of it.

His expressions had always been so hard to read. She shook her head to dispel the thoughts, focusing on his question.

"I'm myself, mostly." She didn't miss the panicked looks in her friend's eyes but she tried to force herself on in the hope they wouldn't ask. "I didn't have any trouble remembering my friends or team aside from some initial confusion upon waking up." She left out what exactly that confusion was.

"Good," Ozpin smiled. "Then it seems our worst fears have not come to pass."

Yang smiled back but said nothing.

"I've actually come to talk to all of you." Ozpin spared a glance around the room. "I believe Miss Xiao Long has filled you in?" He waited a moment for them to nod before taking a deep breath. "Then I believe it would be best to get straight to the point." Despite his words, he paused a moment, allowing them the time to speak if they chose.

The room stayed silent.

"Miss Xiao Long can not be allowed to compete in the tournament." There were no objections. "Obviously your team will be allowed to continue through the tournament but the risk for her is too great."

Yang felt her shoulders slump. She knew she would likely be barred from fighting but hearing it still upset her. Ruby nudged her shoulder, offering her a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"She will also have training sessions with Miss Goodwitch to help her learn to control it." Ozpin raised a hand to stop them from interrupting. "You will all be allowed to attend and watch."

Again, nobody spoke.

Ozpin sighed. "The details will be sent to your scrolls. Your first session shall be later today, so long as you feel able."

"I'll be there." Yang said. "I feel fine just… strange."

Ozpin smiled. "I can understand. You are the first person in the history of Remnant to have their aura tampered with in such a way." Yang spared a glance for her friends, trying to gauge their expressions.

A mix of glares and neutral expressions, far too neutral to be natural. Jaune was the hardest to read. He tried for the same expression as the rest but she could see something else just beneath the surface. His eyes flicked with an emotion she didn't quite recognize.

"I want you all to know I wish it hadn't come to this." Ozpin tapped his cane on the floor, resting both hands on gently on top of it. His eyes were closed. "I know that likely means nothing to you now but I truly am sorry."

She believed him. She wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the emotion behind his words, a subtle thing she hadn't realized she'd noticed, or the uncharacteristic twitch under his eye.

Despite her current situation she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She felt she should have been angry but… she didn't believe for a second that Ozpin would put them in danger if had the option not to.

He wasn't cruel so much as desperate.

Yang had interacted very little with the man but… she felt like she knew him. She didn't dare ask why, nor did she bring it up.

Ozpin turned and left, nobody saying a word. As she looked to her team, she didn't fail to notice how none of them could quite meet her eyes.

She tried to not let it show how much that hurt her, they had the right to be upset with her, but she doubted she managed to hide it all. Jaune squeezed her hand, confirming that he'd noticed.

The crowd's cheers were nearly the loudest sound Yang could remember hearing. Second only to Nora's current cheer that bordered on screaming. Despite how hard she tried to be louder, it was a losing battle. Still, Yang cheered all the same.

Ruby and Weiss had won the doubles match.

It had been a bit of a risk sending them, Blake being the second strongest straight up fighter in their group had been the first choice. The issue was that her style didn't mesh well with anybody aside from Yang.

She was an agility based fighter, reliant on hit and run tactics and giving ground. Weiss, as talented as she was, needed somebody who could hold their ground to buy her a bit of time to utilize her summons to the best of their ability. Or at the very least strong arm their way through their opponent and rush to her aide.

Blake was a methodical fighter, preferring to chip away at her opponent rather than take risks.

Ruby was a better choice to partner her but that still had flaws. Her sister was a fast paced fighter, faster than what most people could keep up with, and thanks to her weapon she was adaptable. She also sucked at holding ground, a side effect of having a semblance that encouraged you to go rushing around all the time.

So in the end, they had decided it best to not send Blake at all.

Ruby and Weiss had flaws but their synergy was unmatched. Despite how much the Ice Queen had railed against it at the start of the year, the two of them had become close friends and could speak without words.

Blake and Yang had something similar but those two took it to another level. Combine their semblances and the two of them were a seriously deadly pair.

It had been a risk for sure, but it had paid off, and now team RWBY would have to decide who was to go on to the single bouts.

Yang felt her happiness dim a bit, despite her effort to ignore it.

That should have been her. She was the most well rounded and she had the best chance for beating Pyrrha. It wasn't fa-

Yang chook her head, dispelling the thoughts as swiftly as they had appeared. Instead, she focused on the display and the girls displayed on it.

Ruby's smile was bright enough to blind the grimm and Weiss was fighting to maintain her composure.

She could hear the words now. To show such happiness would be below her station! or something along that line. Still, for those that knew her, her joy was obvious. The heiress' eyes had a spark to them that was practically begging to be praised.

Team JNPR followed Blake and her down to where the competitors would be exciting. Not a second later a cloud of rose petals collided with her, throwing her to the ground.

"Yang!" Her sister squealed. "Did you see that! We won!" Yang smield but was unable to get a word in as the team leader launched herself up off the ground and directly into an unprepared Blake. Promptly bulldozing her to the ground as well.

She took the chance to get up and dust herself off, just in time for Weiss to come running through the door Ruby had just exploded from. Running may have been a bit of an exaggeration, a Schnee did not run, but for Weiss it may as well have been.

Again, Yang noted the look in the girls eyes. Though she didn't ask for it, she was hoping for their approval.

"You two did amazing!" Yang stepped forward and pulled the heiress into a hug. Her resistance was weak, a testament to how overjoyed she was.

"Of course we did you dolt! Now let me go!" Despite her protests, she actually pulled her a little closer, offering the most sorry excuse for a hug Yang had ever heard of.

She couldn't help but laugh. A second later though Weiss' attempts to flee turned aggressive, making it more akin to holding a beowulf.

"Ruby! No don't you-" Whatever she planned to say was cut off as a cloud of petals smashed into them, once again dragging her to the ground. Her laughter grew louder and seemed to spread to those around them.

She could hear Ren trying to stop Nora from jumping in and it was probably the threat of that happening that brought the sudden group hug to an end. Death by Nora hug wasn't quite how any of them wanted to go.

The two groups slowly made their way out towards the food stalls, knowing they would have some time before the next rounds started. Pyrrha and Nora had yet to fight and so they didn't want to stray too far since they would have to be back in the arena in case the two were up next.

Yang's scroll beeped in her pocket and as she pulled it out her good mood came to an end. Jaune was the first to notice her shift.

"Is something wrong?" He whispered it in an attempt to create some semblance of privacy but the entire group turned to her.

"It's Miss Goodwitch." Yang swallowed. "We have a training session in half an hour."

She didn't miss how the groups shoulders sagged, the joy and distraction having come to an abrupt end.

Jaune didn't miss a second. "I'll come with you."

"Jaune, your team is just about to go fight." Yang smiled softly. "I can't ask you to miss that."

"She'll have us." Ruby spoke softly. "Sorry we'll miss your guys' fight."

Jaune looked conflicted but smiled a second later, turning to look at her team. "Don't worry, I'm sure Nora will recount all the details for you." He turned back to her, a slow blush working its way onto his cheeks. "Blake, do me a favour and cover Ruby's eyes please."

Her partner did so without hesitation, much to Ruby's confusion.

A second later she felt Jaune grasp her arms and pulled her in. She wasn't exactly sure when his lips met hers, her mind failing to register anything for several long moments. The kiss reminded her of their first real one the night of the dance. The strange mix of a new exciting feeling along with some sense of familiarity.

A whistle from nearby had the two of them break apart.

"Nora!" Everyone said.

Ruby finally broke free of Blake's hold. "I missed it!" She turned on Blake immediately. "Traitor! That was prime teasing material!"

Yang fought back her blush as best she could, watching as Jaune was pulled back by Nora and back towards the stadium.

"You totally need to teach Ren how to do that!" Yang failed to hear the rest of their conversation as the team made their way back towards the way they had just come from. Yang could only stare.

A snickering from beside her snapped her from her daze.

"Um… W-we should… go." Yang gestured in the direction of the Bullheads which would take them down to Beacon. She attempted to hide her blush by looking away but judging by the laughter and sound of pictures being taken she had failed in that regard.

Damn it. She would have to make him pay for that.

"Again."

Yang groaned under her breath but fell into a low stance, waiting for the signal. A second later Miss Goodwitch blew a whistle and Yang accessed the power of the Maiden as she lunged forward, extending her arm out in a sharp movement. Stopping just short of the chair that was acting as her target.

A slight breeze knocked it back a foot but nothing else. It was a sharp contrast to the gale she was trying to summon.

Yang growled and grit her teeth. She launched her other fist forward, achieving much the same result. She could feel her eyes flick red as she was about to break the chair with her hands, only to be stopped last second.

"Why don't we take a break." Miss Goodwitch didn't sound annoyed. Somehow that made her even more mad.

"No, I've got this!" She snapped, turning back towards the chair and once again preparing to assault it.

"Miss Xiao Long, rest. This is not something you can simply fight your way through." Miss Goodwitch explained. "Patience is required."

Yang sighed but managed to get her anger under control, her eyes flashing back to their normal lilac.

"Right, I-I'm sorry." Yang moved over to a nearby seat. Her team had been watching from a little higher up for the last hour or so. They kept their distance, allowing them to practice, while still being close enough to watch.

Miss Goodwitch approached but chose to stand. "You have nothing to apologise for, you've done nothing wrong."

"I just-" Yang bit her lip, taking a glance back at her team. "I just thought it would come a little more naturally."

Miss Goodwitch's mouth curled up on the ends in the closing thing to a smile she had ever seen from the woman.

"Magic is not the same as a Semblance or aura, one must know how to direct it before they can even begin to utilize it."

"You know a lot about this kind of stuff for somebody who doesn't have any." Yang murmured.

Again Miss Goodwitch smiled, only this time there was something more to it. "I was the one to train the previous Fall Maiden."

"You trained Amber?" Miss Goodwitch nodded. "What… what was she like?"

The professor spared her a glance but seemed to ponder the question for a moment.

"She was intelligent, a passion for learning." She said. "Amber was unfortunate enough to be given the powers from a young age… but she handled it remarkably well. She never liked to focus on the negative. She had a good heart and the world is lesser for her loss."

Yang swallowed and looked away. That had been… a far more personal answer than she had expected.

Glynda always put off an air of confidence and professionalism, it was easy to forget just how human she was. The stern facade masking any sign of weakness.

Still, she was always the kindest of the group. Treating her more like a young girl than a Maiden. Ozpin always tried to but he neve-

Yang clenched her eyes shut. That wasn't her memory. She rose from her seat, taking a stance across from the target.

She focused on the power she knew was within her. It took a moment to find it but she felt the slightest… tug on her aura as she did. The Maiden powers were like that from what she could gather.

Subtle and unnoticeable, like they belonged there and had been there her whole life. Whether that was typical or merely a side effect of how she had been given the powers Yang didn't know.

Deep breaths. Focus on it. She felt the tug change into an ember before growing to a spark. She ignored how that thought made no sense. She willed the spark to grow and grow fueling it with a force she didn't understand. As the power built up she lunged forward and directed the force forward.

The chair moved back several feet falling off the arena this time.

Yang groaned and slouched. That hadn't been what she wanted but… it was progress she supposed. She went to reset only to nearly stumble back as the exhaustion finally became too much.

It was a strange sensation. Physically she was fine and her Aura was still in the green but something else within her was depleted. She felt like she hadn't slept in days.

"I think that is enough for today." Miss Goodwitch stood and gestured for her team. "You need rest. Try to relax and enjoy the festival, tomorrow marks the beginning of the semi-finals and if I'm not mistaken your team has quite the chance at making it through. Try to enjoy it, we can come back to this after tomorrow's fights."

Yang wanted to argue but something about the professor's words made it clear it wasn't a suggestion. She swallowed and nodded. Her team joined them a few seconds later.

"Thank you, Glynda… for everything." The Professor smiled but said nothing. Yang turned and allowed herself to be led from the training hall and back in the direction of their rooms.

She flopped down on her bed the second they made it back. Her body was sore and it wasn't. She was drained and yet bursting with energy. The duality was exhausting in its own right. Thankfully sleep was quick to claim her.

She hadn't remembered it being so difficult.

Authors Note: When I started this chapter I was originally going to do a LOT more but quickly realised that wouldn't work. I really did try to get some stuff done this chapter though, I swear, but in the end I had to split it and have it be two chapters.

Writing Maiden stuff is… strange. I have literally zero reference for how this shit would work and what it would be like. It's not something that they can really touch on in the show and so I kinda just made it up the best I could. We know it takes training to use the powers to their fullest, case in point the Winter Maiden being immensely more powerful than any other we've seen, but again, I have zero reference for what that training would even look like.

Overall I hope you enjoyed and as always I encourage you to review and let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely SE