Ozpin pushed open the doors leading into his office a troubled expression present on his face, while things had quieted down considerably since the event involving Miss Xiao Long's kidnapping had passed. The reports of her rescue and recovery had reached the media a few days prior the news had eased the public nerves, though there was still a feeling of foreboding in the air and he was certain everyone could feel it.
Despite their best efforts, the people were on edge expecting the next catastrophe to that would affect the kingdom may be right around the corner. Ozpin sighed as he came to a halt in front of his desk, his tired eyes rested on the tea set laid out across his desk something he had asked Glynda to prepare for him on his way back up from the vault.
Filling his mug with its contents he turned his attention towards the holographic display on his desk as the tournaments roulette system spun up beginning the selection process for today's finalists, followed by the voice of one Bartholomew Oobleck." Alright" he began "It's time to begin the randomization process for the next fight"
Peter's voice followed as Ozpin took his seat "It looks like our first contender is... Penny Polendina from Atlas! And her opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon." The headmaster sipped from his mug preparing to watch, hopefully, the tournament would help improve the public's mood.
/
Despite the Coliseum being the scene of Vale's growing list of narrowly avoided tragedies, the crowds surrounding her still roared with excitement, though that did little to calm Pyrrha's nerves, a look of hesitance slowly began creeping onto her features. She knew once the finals concluded the headmaster would undoubtedly expect an answer from her, she still wasn't sure she had one for him.
Her talk with Alex and Koan a few nights ago had helped relieve some of the stress that had been bearing down on her though as the finals grew closer they' returned with a vengeance. Even if his opinion on Ozpins request was... less than supportive, he hadn't blown up as Koan had. Instead, he'd sat there in silence listening to her words, offering whatever comfort he could when it became too much and when she needed it most had delivered some hard to accept but ultimately necessary truths that had helped open her eyes on the matter.
Her opponent, Ruby's friend Penny stood across from her. They had spoken maybe once or twice while visiting Yang in the infirmary, she was rather amiable and kind if a bit dense at times a sharp contrast to her Partner Ciel's often Monotone and by-the-books personality, the two made for a rather unorthodox pair, though that hadn't seemed to stop either of them.
Looking past the red-haired girl she spotted her teammates, sitting alongside them was the beret-wearing leader and Faunus of team CFVY with Ruby, Weiss, Alex and Blake sat beside them, the young leader of team RWBY was currently on her scroll most likely checking in with her bedridden Sister still confined to the academies infirmary. Yang's team had insisted they stay by her side until she'd fully recovered, although the blond brawler seemed to have had other ideas insisting they attended her fight, with Koan opting to stay with her while the others attended the festival.
Pyrrha took a slow calming breath, her friends had only asked one thing from her before she left this morning. That she wins one for Beacon, and she wasn't about to disappoint them.
/
"Go Pyrrha!" Nora Pumped her fists into the air, before wrapping her arms around her partner pulling him up with her. "Come on Renny, we gotta make sure Pyrrha can hear us!" Ren rolled his eyes at his longtime friend's antics, a small smile spreading across his usually stoic face before he too let out a quick cheer alongside his longtime friend.
A few seats to their left Ruby sat with one finger plugging her right ear as she strained to hear her sisters voice over the roar of the crowd. " Are you sure you're ok with us being here?" She asked.
"It's fine Rubes, besides Koan and Circuit are here with me, the little guys pulled up the fight for us so we're not missing anything." Yang replied her voice muffled slightly by the roar of the crowd. "We'll talk again after the fights over, ok."
"Ok" Ruby replied "... I love you"
"Love you too sis" Yang responded. "I'll see you and the others later, Bye." The call ended there, and Ruby quickly pocketed her scroll turning her attention back towards the fight in front of her.
"Was that Yang?" Weiss asked
"Yeah, I was just checking on her you know." Ruby replied rubbing her arm slightly "It didn't feel right that we came to watch Pyrrha and left her behind."
"Ruby, Yang said she was alright with us going, besides Koan and Circuit are there with her." Weiss replied before placing a comforting hand on Rubie's shoulder offering her leader a small smile. " She's fine."
"I know, I'm just a little worried." Ruby responded
"Don't be. With all the security the General put in place, especially with Rook and Ben keeping an eye on Beacon, it wouldn't be worth it to even try to attack her again." Blake explained sending a small smile her leader's way "Try to enjoy yourself while we're here."
"I guess." Ruby shrugged
"It's just the one fight, once it's over you can head back to see her ok." Alex said nudging Ruby's shoulder.
"Ok" Ruby replied
"Hey, there starting" Jaune called out to them, all eyes turned towards the fighters below as they approached the center of the arena.
/
"Sal-u-tations Pyrrha Nikos, it is good to see you again." Penny greeted earning a small smile in response from Pyrrha
"Likewise, Penny" She replied with a friendly nod to the red-head.
"I've heard much about you and must admit, I'm honored to be your opponent." Penny's comment stabbed at Pyrrha's heart causing her smile to falter slightly, once again someone thought her above them, they thought she was their better due to her reputation.
"As am I" Pyrrha replied respectfully pushing those thoughts aside.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Penny gushed in anticipation.
Pyrrha reached up drawing Miló and Akoúo̱ from her back shifting her stance slightly preparing herself as Oobleck began counting down.
"3!"
Within the stands, James Ironwood leaned forward in his seat watching as the competitors readied themselves, a few rows away Alex alongside the Members of JNR and RWB cheered on their teammate and friend.
"2!"
Across the arena Emerald leaned forward in her seat, her cold red eyes focusing on the Mistral champion.
"1!"
Time seemed to slow down for Pyrrha as her muscles coiled like a spring ready to react at a moment's notice whether it be to dodge an oncoming attack from Penny or thrust forward with her own, the world around her seemed to fade away as her eyes focused on the red-haired girl across from, Penny's gaze locked with her own, her eyes flashing a vibrant Green with her gentle smile turning vicious a second later.
Pyrrha's eyes widened in response a single tear falling from her eye. "No..." she whispered, they... they couldn't have.
"Begin!" Oobleck announced followed by the roar of the crowd.
Penny's backpack opens deploying a dozen swords, following Penny's gestures the swords hover around her before she launches a small volley of swords towards Pyrrha. Overcoming her shock and horror she charges forward leaping between the blade's and deflecting any that came to close. The swords changed direction mid-flight flying back towards her once again.
It couldn't be true, this had to be some sort of Nightmare. She and Penny had seen each other, spoken with one another only a day prior and yet that unnatural glow in her eyes, it was something she'd seen only once before in the playbacks of Yang's fight against Psycho yellow while she was still disguised as Yazmin.
Returning Akoúo̱ to her back Pyrrha twirled Miló blocking each of the swords sent her way by Penny. Penny's eyes narrowed as one of her swords dipped slightly lower than the others, with Pyrrha's attention focused on the remaining elven she failed to notice as the other broke through her defense delivering a swift slash across Pyrrha's abdomen forcing her to drop her weapon as she somersaulted away.
"My word!" Port stated in awe "What a tremendous display from miss Polendina!" The crowd erupting in cheers soon after unaware of what was truly transpiring in the field below.
Pyrrha's hand lashed out towards her javelin a black glow surrounding her hand, as the weapon flew back into her grasp. Her jaw clenched as her eyes zeroed in on Penny the small unnatural smirk she wore making Pyrrha's grip tighten on her weapon as her eye hardened like diamonds, anger and grief present in her gaze, though the first steadily began to outweigh the latter.
Once again, those monsters had struck taking away another innocent soul, as they had done to Yazmin and her teammates, as they had attempted to do to Yang and had now done to Penny so that they may achieve whatever horrific goal they had planned... She wouldn't allow it, they had already taken the life of an innocent that day, the life of a friend.
Her gaze drifted back to her team to her friends who continued to cheer her and 'Penny' on, she would not let them take another, not while she still breathed. Pyrrha rushed forward leaping onto an incoming sword, leaping from blade to blade she closed in on 'Penny' bringing her weapon down on the girl, with her semblance adding some extra force to the blow.
Several of Penny's swords move in front of her halting the blade, though the force behind it pushing Penny down onto one knee, Pyrrha's semblance spread to the swords as they attempted to push back keeping her opponent pinned." Give in and accept your fate monster, you've already taken the life of my friend this day and I will not allow you to have another." Pyrrha growled through gritted teeth.
The unsettling smile on Penny's face only grew. "We already have" Penny whispered back "And your little boyfriend is next."
The words sparked a fury inside her "Shut up!" Pyrrha bellowed using her resemblance to roll her shield down her arm, with the added strength of her semblance she pushed Penny's swords aside and slammed her shield into the side of Penny's face. "You won't touch him."
Penny reacted well dropping her Blades ash she rolled back into a crouched stance keeping her eyes her opponent's spear as it thrust towards her chest. Penny's blocked it although that allowed Pyrrha to followed up with a swift knee to the abdomen that launched the small girl into the air, resulting in a massive cheer from the crowd.
As 'Penny' reached the peak of her flight Pyrrha launched her shield towards her opponent, several swords burst out from behind Penny three rushed forward batting Pyrrha shield back towards its user while the others embedded themselves into the concrete bellow pulling Penny back to the ground. Penny thrust her hands forward sending a barrage of swords towards her opponent.
Pyrrha's eyes narrowed as the swords drew closer her eyes catching a faint glimmer of light on a set of wires attached to the blade, acting as a cheap imitation of 'Penny's' semblance. Pyrrha moved forwards dancing between the first two blades cutting through one wire and then another one of the swords flashed by her but Pyrrha deflected it off her shield, then brought her weapon down on the wire rendering it useless as she moved closer to her opponent, with now only half of her blades remaining Penny moved back opting to use her weapons ranged variant.
Pyrrha huffed as if she would allow that "This ends now"
/
Rubies hand gripped the railing in front of her. The fight was Brutal, Beautiful and filled with unbridled aggression that even the blindest in the audience could feel radiating from the Mistral champion. Whatever words had crossed between them, Ruby could see they had influenced Pyrrha, who had increased the tempo of her attacks and wouldn't give penny even the slightest opening. Still, there was something about this situation that made her grip on the metal bar tighten. something that made her mouth run dry.
"Something wrong " Jaune said wincing as Pyrrha ducked into Penny's guard her elbow slamming into the red-haired girl's cheek "something isn't right about this"
"What do you mean?" Velvet's asked her eyes flickering over to the blond
"Pyrrha isn't normally like this." Jaune continued "Look at her, that's way too much aggression even for the tournament."
"Jaunes right." Ren spoke up " I've never seen her fight like this in the past. Her opponent looks both confused and concerned, but Pyrrha hasn't reacted in the slightest."
"Pyrrha's strong." Weiss said it was a fact, and no one among them could say otherwise. "I spared against her before in class, but it's nothing like this. She's so quick, so relentless so..."
"Angry" Alex finished. "Pyrrha's losing control and If things keep up like this for much longer it isn't going to end well for anyone."
"I don't get it, Pyrrha's usually so level-headed in spars she'd never go this far." Jaune said his partner had been nothing but kind to the people around her, even after he threw his lot in with Cardin she'd forgiven him without so much as a second thought. But the way she fought Penny, the sheer amount of ferocity in her strikes was worrying.
"Wait, let me try something." Velvet said
The Rabbit Faunus's ears twitched slightly as she strained to listen over the roar of the crowd, despite how many people had tormented her in the past for the fluffy appendages attached to her head her ears had proved time and time again to be one of the greatest advantages she had as a huntress, there had been a few times in the past where her advanced hearing had saved the lives of her teammates from a surprise attack when they were out in the Grimm infested territory surrounding Vale.
Velvet narrowed her eyes as Penny leapt back from her opponent her swords retracting into a defensive line as she spoke, velvet could just pick up the two girls words over the roar of the crowd.
"Pyrrha. "Penny said the look of terror on the young girls face struck a nerve in Velvet. "I do not know what I have done to cause this, but I am sorry, please this isn't like you."
"Wipe that damn smile off your face!" Pyrrha leaped towards her opponent swatting Penny's swords aside "You were a fool to show yourself and after what you and the rest of your kind did to Yang. You'll find no mercy in me!" She bellowed stabbing her spear forward past the girl's guard, penny moved to the side at the last second the tip of Pyrrha's spear slicing through her sleave.
"Yang" Velvet whispered in horror realization dawning on her. "... She thinks Penny's one of them."
"Velvet?" Coco asked shaking her partners should.
"We have to stop her" Velvet whispered before turning to her partner eyes wide with fear. "We have to stop Pyrrha."
"Whoa, whoa!" Coco said attempting to calm her frantic teammate, while the others looked at one another wearily." Vel, slow down. What did you hear."
"It's Pyrrha something wrong, s-she thinks Penny's one of them." Velvet stammered "A Psycho rangers"
"You're sure?" Alex asked
"I don't know" The rabbit Faunus responded. " Penny was trying to make her calm down, but from how she reacted it sounded like Pyrrha heard something else entirely."
Ruby's eyes widened "Like how Coco heard her teammate call out to her even though he wasn't there." The red-cloaked girl pointed out, ushering the group into a tense silence.
"You think it's the same thing?" Alex asked, "You think Pyrrha's being hit with whatever made Coco see those things during her fight."
"You did warn us to watch out for something like this." Weiss responded her eyes scanning over the crowd for the one who could be responsible for this. "And the similarities between this and Coco's fight, are far too coincidental."
"Then we need to stop the fight." Coco said, " Whatever this is, it's far worse then what happened to me, they're riling Pyrrha up and eventually she's gonna snap." Rising to her feet the fashionista placed her foot against the railing ready to dive into the fray below, Alex reached out pulling her back from the edge.
"Hold up, we can't just jump down there." Alex said "If this anything like what happened to you no one else can see what's going on down there. We need to think this through before rushing in, there's nothing to prove this is even happening. We need some kind of evidence or we'll be the ones seen as being in the wrong."
"We don't have time for that." Coco shot back. "We can't just leave Pyrrha down there."
"We're not going to" Ren spoke uprising to his feet he pointed across the arena. "The last time something like this happened only one team benefited from it."
Ruby followed Ren's finger, in the stands opposite to them was a familiar green haired girl she had once thought of as her friend. "Emerald" Alex muttered under his breath. The green haired girl was sitting alone her teammates nowhere in sight, her attention focused entirely on the match below, her dark red eyes narrowed as she whispered something under her breath.
Nora rose up beside her partner, she didn't look pleased "Break. Her. Leg's" The red-haired bomber growled warping the metal railing with her iron grip.
"Uh, uh. She's mine" Coco said dodging Alex attempt to stop her she began pushing her way through the stands towards, the green haired girl a fire burning in her dark brown eyes.
"Is this safe" Jaune asked. "If we're wrong then we could all get in serious trouble."
"Coco might be a little rash at times, but she isn't an idiot" Velvet responded watching as her partner moved through the crowd, towards the almost deserted area Emerald sat in. "Whatever it is, I'm sure she has a plan." Coco stooped down snatching a soda can from one of the Haven students who cried out in response, Coco paid them no mind as she lined up her shot and tossed the can through the air.
Emerald was too focused on the battle below to see it coming. Sailing true the soda can struck Emerald in the back of her head, earning a cry of both shock and slight pain from the green haired girl, the impact was accompanied by the cold liquid splashing all over her causing her to gasp as she grasped the back of her head the back of her head in pain.
She stood up attempting to find the one responsible, but another soda can strike her in the face knocking her back and over her seat. Velvet gaped at her partner as did several other students "Or she could do that" Alex said before turning his eyes back towards the arena below. "We need to get down there, now."
/
Pyrrha thrust her spear forward clashing against the two swords, Penny had attempted to shield herself with. The tip of the Pyrrha's spear pushed past Pennies swords edging closer and closer to the girl's throat. Pyrrha snarled glaring into the imposters glowing green eyes, as her spear grew closer to its mark Penny's face began to flicker.
The girl's mocking sneer and fluorescent green eyes vanished, the whispers of threats and insult that had fed her rage were replaced by the visage of a terrified girl begging for her life. "Pyrrha, please!" Penny said as the tip of her spear hovered over her throat "Whatever I have done to cause this, I am sorry, truly I am. Please, please stop!"
Pyrrha stumbled back, clutching the side of her head in pain as Penny's form continued to flicker between the two before finally settling on the terrified girl standing before her three swords raised in front of her defensively. 'What?' Pyrrha wondered Penny's almost instantaneous transformation had caught her by surprise. No, it hadn't been almost it had been instantaneous. One moment she had been cruel and mocking, the next terrified beyond all belief.
There was no change in her expression, no shift in her emotions, just a blink and everything changed. It shouldn't have been possible.
"You said..." Pyrrha shook her head pushing aside the robbing feeling in the back of her skull so she could focus "You said you would hurt the others."
"No." Penny said taking a tentative step back watching the emerald spartan warily. "They're my friends, you're my friend, at least I think you are. I would never try to hurt them."
But...she'd heard
"The illusions" Pyrrha whispered Alex and Blake had warned them about the possibility of someone influencing the fights, was this their doing. Penny narrowed her eyes taking the chance at Pyrrha's distracted state she sent two of her swords forward towards the action pulled Pyrrha out of her thought, clumsily raising her shield she batted the attack aside before attempting to put some distance between the two of them.
"Penny, wait!" Pyrrha called out of the girl. "Somethings wrong."
"I am aware" Penny replied sternly though there was some worry in her gaze. "Your heart rate has altered drastically in the last five minutes, and your previous state leads me to believe you have suffered from a Psychological issue" The red-haired girl surmised raising her remaining swords towards Pyrrha "I understand you are in a delicate state at the time being and as such I will attempt to restrain you, for your own safety and others."
Penny's sword lashed out towards Pyrrha who dove aside "Damn it" Pyrrha growled clenching her teeth she pushed two more swords aside with her semblance, parrying the next blow she closed in on Penny driving her shoulder into the young girl's chest when she was open knocking her back, the distance between them would give her time to think, however brief it was.
The illusionist, the one responsible for her actions, the one Alex had asked Blake to warn them about while he dug deeper in hope of uncovering their identity.
Why influence her with illusions, what possible purpose could it serve?' They were trying to make me angry. They threatened my team, my friends... Jaune. Something they knew would force me into a fury, but why?' It wasn't like, the fight would have continued once penny was defeated, would it?
Instead of seeing a defeated foe once the battle had concluded, would she see her opponent pressing on and in her anger strike her down without a second thought believing in doing so she would protect her friends, no, her family at Beacon and in doing so achieve their goals for them
They wanted her to strike down her opponent for whatever reason they may have had, she didn't know, nor did she want to. But whatever that may have been she knew she wouldn't allow it.
"Stop the fight" Pyrrha grit out. Penny continued her assault her strength unwavering with each blow, she would admit pennies endurance was impressive as was her discipline in combat, the red-haired girl showed no signs of growing tired, her breathing was even as ever a sharp contrast to her own heavy gasps as she dodged another sword "Someone used their semblance on me!" Pyrrha yelled. "Someone's trying to control the fights."
"I sense no such thing. Pyrrha this is for your own safety as well as other, please stop resisting, I do not wish to harm you." Penny replied.
"Penny I'm not lying to you." Pyrrha growled, catching pennies sword on the flat of her own Pyrrha whipped the blade to her side, spinning in a circle ensuring her opponent's sword was wrenched from her grasp. There were still more, many more. Penny moved her arms in an arc crossing over her chest the eight swords surrounding her quickly converged on Pyrrha's position.
A black aura surrounded Pyrrha's hands as she thrust her arms out to the side, the same aura surrounded Penny's swords pushing them aside and into the concrete around here " Penny this is serious, it could very well involve the security of the entire kingdom."
The wires attached to the gingers backpack began retracting propelling the shorter girl towards her opponent. Acting quickly Pyrrha raised her shield bracing herself, Penny slammed feet first into the bronze shield the impact generating a small shockwave never the less Pyrrha held firm against the attack, following up with a horizontal slash with Miló.
"General ironwood has that under control" Penny replied as she stepped out of the path of Pyrrha's weapon "You needn't worry about that."
"I beg to differ." Pyrrha responded pressing one foot against Penny's chest and kicked her away before the girl could react Pyrrha launched her shield with an underhand throw "Catch!"
And so, she did Penny's hand lashed out stopping the bronze shield in its tracks, glancing down at the bronze surface she replied "You missed"
"No," Pyrrha said raising her hand a familiar black glow coating her limb "I didn't" Whipping her hand down the shield was brought down to the arena floor earning a startled yelp from the girl dragged down with it her right arm pinned to the stone by it. The weight of the shield aided by her semblance made it impossible to move even for her less than natural strength.
In panic Penny whipped her blades towards Pyrrha, those too came under the power of her semblance and were crushed into the arena floor, the crowd cheering in response. "It's over," Pyrrha said closing in on her opponent "You've fought well, now surrender and let me speak with General Ironwood."
"No I... I am not defe-" Penny tried to speak before Pyrrha interrupted her.
"Yes, you are" Pyrrha replied increasing the force of her semblance slightly ensuring it was the girl's arm she had pinned by the shield and not her chest, the worst she'd face would be a broken arm maybe a few fractures, though only if she continued to struggle like this. "Penny I don't want to hurt you, you're beaten, if you keep struggling you're only going to hurt yourself... Please"
However brutal it might have seemed at the time it was a necessary precaution, she needed to speak with General Ironwood, they needed to know what had just happened to her and she couldn't waste time, not when the safety of the Coliseum and everyone in it might be at stake. The ginger-haired girl stared at Pyrrha for a few seconds before going still.
"I... I" She struggled to form the words for a moment " I guess this is it. I Surr-"
Gunfire echoed across the arena.
Pyrrha found herself blown off her feet, her aura flaring as the air forced from her lungs.
Her breath came out strained and heavy, her lungs burning as she attempted to clamber back to her feet. She couldn't make out the world around her, only the pounding of her heart in her chest and a distant roar.
"What are you doing!?" She heard Penny scream still pinned to the floor by the weight of her shield "Stop!"
Another blast struck her in the side pushing Pyrrha onto her back, one hand clutched her chest while her head tilted to the side. A lone figure wearing the familiar white armor of the Atlas military approached, his weapon levelled towards her.
He'd... He'd shot her.
"Bomb!" He screamed in alarm" She's one of them! She has a Bomb!"
'A bomb?' Pyrrha attempted to reach for her sword, though her hands refused to stop shaking. This didn't make any sense How could he think she was... The illusions, of course. They'd failed on her and in response had sought out a new target, and the next best thing at that, a soldier. "Stop!" Pyrrha tried to yell, instead, it came out more like a frantic gasp" Whatever you're seeing it's not real, your..."Pyrrha swallowed thickly " Your hallucinating."
Behind the soldier she could see general Ironwood vault over the barrier into the arena below, stumbling as he landed he rushed towards the soldier no doubt to take him down. "It's a semblance" Pyrrha tried once more.
The soldier snarled raising his weapon towards her. "I won't let you harm these people" Her aura was low, from both the fight and his initial assault she wasn't sure how many shots she could take from his weapon before they eventually broke through. Her muscles strained as she tried to move her arm, so she could redirect his weapon towards the ground, she could barely move her arm rather than the weapon.
"Drop it!" The general yelled
"I won't let her!" he cried squeezing the trigger.
Pyrrha clenched her eyes shut waiting for the pain that would follow.
"No!" She heard penny scream alongside a sound similar to rusted gears grinding against one another until finally there was a resounding snap. A shadow quickly covered her accompanied by the crack of gunfire. In the distance, she was certain she heard someone call out her name as the crowd screamed in horror.
She expected pain, agony, all of the above to spread through her body as her life was taken from her, but it never came. "Th-there... is no device" Pyrrha cracked open her eyes staring up at the source of the voice. Penny stood before her left arm stretched out to cover Pyrrha's body, her right laying a good 10 feet away crushed beneath Pyrrha's shield.
There was no blood, no pain present in her voice. What there was, on the other hand, was a large assortment of wires and metal, accompanied by a strange green fluid dripping from the stump just below her bicep. "Are you injured." Penny asked turning back towards Pyrrha
I'm... I'm ok" Though she wasn't so sure about the girl in front of her, several holes were spread across her form from when the bullets had penetrated straight through the young girl's body. "Are... Penny, what are you?" She asked.
"I... I am Penny, your friend" She said extending her remaining hand forward offering to help Pyrrha up. "I believe you may have been right when you mentioned something wasn't right, I am sorry." Tentatively Pyrrha reached out accepting the offer
"I... I don't understand" Pyrrha said rising back to her feet. Looking back towards the soldier, who was currently pinned to the floor by Ironwood his right arm bent uncomfortably behind his back while the general's knee rested firmly on the soldiers back as two more grunts quickly approached from the rear cuffs in hand, the situation apparently under control.
Though that assumption soon proved to be false as a loud static screech echoed through the arena, drawing all eyes towards the main screen hovering above. The logo for the Vytal festival was replaced by a black queen chess piece, the background fading to a crimson red.
"Another tragedy narrowly averted... another disaster caused by the incompetence of the people who would claim to protect us all."
The voice was familiar, and yet for the life of her Pyrrha couldn't place it. The crowd's murmurs began to grow louder and louder, Pyrrha looked towards the stands her team alongside the others stared up at the feed, Alex's hand tightened on the railing as he spoke into his plumber's badge.
"The council, Atlas... the Huntsmen. One need only look back less than a week to see the results of such blind faith in our so-called protectors. A promising student abducted by a creature impersonating as one of their own, all under the watchful gaze of Atlas."
"And what pre-tell have our noble protectors done to root out these pretenders, these wolves in sheep's clothing, nothing? Once their own had been returned to them, safe from harm, they sat idly by twiddling their thumbs as the people turn on one another in the aftermath. "More voices began to erupt from the crowd.
"Now we have this..."
Many of the spectators turned their gaze back towards the scene below. " On this very stage, a weapon of war masquerading as an innocent child, engaging in brutal combat with children. What casual disregard for the safety of the children saw it pitted against them. "The voice chuckled " Or is it because they simply don't care? Afterall they can call upon your children time and time again, a never-ending supply of young fools with dreams of grandeur all willing to give their lives for those who wield power."
"Penny?" Pyrrha asked turning towards her opponent " Is it true... are you a weapon?"
Penny glanced off to the side refusing to meet Pyrrha's eye "No, it's... it's more complicated than that. I..."
"Our academies headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to their power in the name of peace, justice and yet time and time again they fail to uphold it. The white fang allowed to run rampant across Vale, a terrorist attack that unleashed the Grimm into the heart of the city."
The crowd's started to move. People rose to their feet, many discussing what they were hearing, others shouting out in anger, denial, despair. Many more glared down at them, more importantly, the general and those under him, Penny most of all.
"This is what happens when you place your trust, your safety, the lives of your children in the hands of men who claim to be our guardians, but in reality, are nothing more than men." The sheer force of it all was enough to make Pyrrha take a step back, despite the crowd's rage focused elsewhere.
Ironwood tapped his earpiece once more "Shut the broadcast down, now!"
"We can't" The voice of one of the coliseum technicians came back through. The man's voice was frantic, enough so that both Penny and Pyrrha could hear it." We can't control the... Sir, we have reports coming in from squads across Vale, it's the Grimm, our men are being overrun!"
"WHAT!" Ironwood yelled turning his gaze back towards the broadcast, and then to the civilians present in the crowd. The whole thing was a damn beacon for the Grimm "There are too many people crammed into a small space if something were to set them off any further..."
Pyrrha understood immediately, how could she not? The people were angry, afraid and a full-blown riot was a very real possibility at the moment, and all that negativity would act as a beacon for the Grimm. If the negativity from Vale had been enough to draw them all towards the city, then she could only imagine what fifty thousand souls in one place would cause.
"Now it comes to this, the Vytal festival, an event meant to show camaraderie between the four kingdoms, to promote peace and understanding. Instead, an unfeeling machine substituted for a student, a marvel of Atlas's engineering that no person could match, and when one brave student grows close... An Atlas soldier fires upon her. Is victory so crucial, so important that the lives of our children should be sacrificed?"
"Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our kingdoms are on the brink of war and yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark to fend for ourselves. So, I ask you: when the first shots are fired...Do you really know who you can trust?"
The woman speech ended there the screen began to flicker once more before almost in slow motion changed to a bright orange. She saw the words and understood them immediately, as did everyone present. That didn't stop Pyrrha from reaching out as if she could stop it all with her semblance, she could not, and a few seconds later a siren blared
"Alert. Incoming Grimm Attack. Threat Level: Nine." The siren had one purpose, to warn those of the oncoming threat" Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner." With everyone already on edge, the siren provided only one unified reaction.
Fifty thousand people began to scream in terror.
(To be continued)