Today was the big day. Banner was going to be interviewed by Lisa Lavender - the only reporter who thought he wasn't all bad. All of Vale was listening in, no…ALL OF REMNANT. "Live soon," big red words read on the screen.
"Is this a good idea?" Jaune asked Ruby as team RWBY and JNPR sat in front of the TV.
"It's a great idea," Ruby declared defending her friend. "Banner will clear his name. All of Remnant will know the truth. Then, Banner can live in peace," Ruby smiled.
"Then what will he do?" Weiss barked.
"Maybe give you another concussion," Ruby growled. Electricity sparked as Weiss and Ruby glared at each other.
"Guys," Blake snapped getting their attention. "Let's just get through one thing at a time.
"I don't know," Pyrrha said thinking aloud. "Banner did kill a lot of people…,"
"To be fair," Yang shrugged, "Hulk was in control."
"What's the difference?" Weiss smirked.
"What's your problem?" Jaune asked Weiss. Everyone looked at him in surprise.
"Excuse me?" Weiss asked startled.
"You used to tolerate Banner. Now you hate him. What happened?" Jaune asked her.
"You really want to know?" Weiss said looking around at everyone. "The building that Banner destroyed…was owned by my father. Hundreds of staff have been lost and I can only imagine how much my father hates Banner," Weiss said trying to not to cry.
"I'm sorry, Weiss," Jaune said patting her on the shoulder.
"Guys," Nora yelled with a mouth full of pancakes, "It's starting!" Everyone stopped talking and turned their heads as Lisa appeared.
"Hello Remnant. I'm your host, Lisa Lavender. Welcome to the Vale New Network," Lisa said in calm, relaxed voice to the camera. "Tonight, we have a very special guest on the show. He's hated all across all of Vale, Atlas, and nearly everywhere in-between. He's been dubbed, 'The Green Scar' by elders in some villages. Some religions are calling him a message from god. But what I see," Lisa said taking a deep breath, "what I see is a man who needs to tell his story. I welcome Bruce Banner," Lisa said as the camera turned to show Banner. He was covered in chains, with dozens of Atlas soldiers aiming at him.
"Hello," Banner said nodding to the camera. "It's a pleasure," he said sarcastically as the chains lightly choked him.
"We have many topics to cover this afternoon, Mr. Banner," Lisa said tossing her clip-board to the side.
"You're not scared?" Banner asked tilting his head.
"No, Banner, I'm not because you're innocent," Lisa said crossing her arms. "What is your full name? I'm getting tired of people around the world calling you a monster, murder, or something of the sort."
"I was born David Bruce Banner. I'd like to go by Banner, if that's not too much to ask?" Banner asked.
"I think that can be arranged, Mr. Banner," Lisa smiled. "Tell me more about yourself and…the other guy," Lisa gulped.
"The big green monster," Banner sighed. "I've barely been able to study him when I'm…under emotion. All my research tells me is that the other me, Hulk, is about 12 feet tall and weighs at least half a ton."
"You said research," Lisa said. "Are you a scientist?"
"Yes, I was," Banner said looking down remembering his life before the Hulk. "I studied Gamma Radiation and got caught in a blast. It turned me into…we all know," Banner said clinching his fist.
"Have you tried to find a cure for yourself?" Lisa asked.
"Plenty," Banner laughed. "I gave up after months of failed experiments. Now I wander around and just want to be left alone."
"Men," Lisa said getting the soldiers attention, "lower your weapons."
"Are you crazy?" One of the soldiers asked her.
"Maybe I am. But I believe that this man right here," Lisa said waving toward Banner, "is Innocent." All of the Atlas soldiers lowered their weapons and took a step back.
"You really do trust me?" Banner asked intrigued.
"Not quite yet," Lisa said. "Do you want to take off those chains? You look uncomfortable."
"Excuse me?" Banner asked tilting his head. "These chains are pure steel. I can't simply rip them off."
"I'd rather have my guest feeling as comfortable as possible," Lisa said. "Please?"
Banner sighed as he torn off the chains like tissue. Sweat dripped off the foreheads of the Atlas soldiers.
"Do you need a breather?" Lisa asked as Banner's eyes morphed color.
"No, I'm fine," Banner said stretching.
"Let's continue the questions," Lisa nodded. "Are you safe to be around? An example, could a family be comfortable letting their children play in a park if you were sitting on a bench?"
Banner frowned and thought about his answer. He finally spoke in a clam voice, "I don't need to control my anger…"
Lisa interrupted, "I think that's a stretch…,"
"People just need to stop pissing me off," Banner finished.
"That's a fair point," Lisa said leaning back in her chair. "And how do you propose we stop making you mad?"
"Simple. Leave me alone," Banner said. "For some weird reason, trouble likes to find me."
"And what happens when it does?" Lisa asked.
"The other guy comes out," Banner said taking deep breaths. "Back to the question, Hulk…I wouldn't dare attack innocent people."
"And what if you did?" Lisa asked leaning closer to him.
"I couldn't live with myself," Banner said as his eyes watered.
"Banner…over three thousand lives have been taken by your alter ego. Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Lisa asked putting a hand on Banner's.
Banner looked into the camera and spoke straight from his heart, "To all the families out there, I am sorry. I know you probably want me locked away, or even dead. But, I will try to do right by all of you."
"I believe you," Lisa said. "Next question, can the Hulk be used to be a source of good?"
"I would love for him to," Banner said nodding. "But I don't think so."
"What makes you say that?" Lisa asked.
"The creature is fueled by rage and rage only. Any other emotion will cause him to turn back into me," Banner said crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
"I see. You describe the Hulk as almost an unbeatable force. Is this true?" Lisa asked him.
"Yes and no. I believe that the Hulk has a great chance of becoming the most powerful being on this planet. After a while I'm able to take control and calm him down, or knock him out," Banner explained.
"So he can be beaten? This would be great information to have if you lost control," Lisa said nodding.
"I may have a hypothesis. If you attack him with no mercy and no hesitation when I first lose control, I may not be able to be able to get strength from anger," Banner said.
"Would this work?" Lisa asked unsure.
"Miss Xiao Long was able to last night," Banner said as he felt his chin, remembering her blow.
"This is the last topic we have left to cover," Lisa said. She took a deep breath. "What do you plan to do now?"
"My current residence is at Beacon. Ozpin has instructed me to train, and learn with the students, hoping to turn me into a Huntsman," Banner said.
"Do you think it could work?" Lisa asked him.
"I hope so for all of…," Banner said as the sound of an explosion interrupted him.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN," a crew member yelled as the broadcast was cut off by another explosion.
Lisa was flung against a wall, denting it. She fell to the ground and was on the verge of passing out. "HULK…SMASH," was the last thing she heard before she closed her eyes.
"NOOO," Ruby screamed. She grabbed her scythe and left a rose petal trail as she zoomed out of the room. Everyone fell to the ground from the gust of wind.
"Ruby," Yang yelled toward her sister who was already out of the building. "We've got to do something," Yang screamed at everyone.
"Come on!" Jaune yelled as he stood and ran out of the room. Everyone followed.
"What do you think happened?" Weiss asked as the group ran toward the docking bay.
"Something bad," Pyrrha said. Ruby was boarding a ship suddenly right as Weiss, Blake, Yang and JNPR arrived.
"Ruby," Weiss yelled. Ruby turned and faced all of them.
"I'm the only one who can stop him," Ruby told all of them.
"You can't go alone," Jaune said. "This isn't Banner, it's the Hulk! Let us come with you, Ruby please!"
"I appreciate your concern," Ruby said, "but I need to go." Ruby took a step back, and the aircraft took off.
"RUBY," Yang screamed at the airship headed toward Vale.
"Thank you Miss Rose," Ruby heard behind her.
"I don't trust you, Ironwood," Ruby said turning to face the general. "I will calm Banner down if you don't do anything to him," Ruby growled.
"Of course," Ironwood smiled.