Yang sat alone in her dorm room, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the ceiling. Images of the attack from a few nights before flooded her mind: the chaos, Velvet's broken wrist, and the panicked faces of her classmates. She closed her eyes, trying to block it all out, but the weight of it seemed unbearable, dragging her down. Tears slipped down her cheeks as the memories resurfaced, unbidden.
Flashback to the day after the attack…
Velvet lay in the hospital bed, her arm encased in a cast. She stared at it with a defeated sigh, her face shadowed by exhaustion and lingering fear. Coco sat beside her, her usual confident demeanor replaced by a quiet worry as she tried to comfort her friend. But Velvet only turned away, her head facing the wall.
Yang watched from the doorway, with Blake standing beside her. They both sensed the tension between Velvet and Coco, who looked crushed by her friend's reaction.
"She blames Coco, doesn't she?" Blake murmured, her eyes downcast.
Yang shook her head slowly. "I don't know if it's blame exactly. I think Velvet just… feels like the party shouldn't have happened. She didn't want to be there. And now Coco's blaming herself, even though she was only trying to help."
Blake sighed. "It's hard to know how to help someone who's suffering. But if you're going to try to be there for Velvet, Yang, just… be careful."
A sudden shout interrupted them as Velvet's voice echoed through the hospital room.
"Just leave me alone, Coco!" she screamed, her voice filled with frustration and pain.
Yang and Blake both watched as Coco's face fell. Slowly, with guilt written all over her face, Coco stood up and walked out, glancing briefly at Yang and Blake before disappearing down the hall.
Back at Beacon, Weiss sat with Ruby in their dorm room, talking softly. Weiss looked over at Ruby, her eyes full of concern.
"Ruby, about last night… the way you yelled at Adam. I've never seen you like that," Weiss began gently. "You seemed so… angry."
Ruby looked away, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Weiss. I just—he's hurt Velvet before. And last night, he did it again, and it was like he didn't care. He always does it with that awful smirk, like he's proud of hurting people." Her fists clenched. "And I just couldn't hold it in."
Weiss placed a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Velvet's safe now. Her wrist will heal. But we need to be careful about our anger. We can't let it control us. That's not what you would want, right?"
Ruby looked up, remembering her own words about protecting others without losing herself. "Yeah," she whispered. "I don't want to be like him."
Weiss offered a gentle smile, patting Ruby's shoulder. "You're a good person, Ruby. Promise me you'll stay that way."
Ruby returned the smile, nodding. "I promise."
A couple of days later, Velvet was finally discharged from the hospital, her cast still wrapped around her arm. As she stood by the entrance, reaching for her Scroll, she heard the low rumble of an engine. She looked up to see Yang pulling up beside her on a worn, beat-up car.
Velvet tilted her head, confused. "What… what are you doing here?"
Yang smirked. "I'm your escort back to Beacon. Can't let you take off alone, can I?"
Velvet hesitated, glancing down at her Scroll. "I was just going to call someone."
"Coco, right?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not sure she's too eager after, well… you know."
A pang of guilt crossed Velvet's face as she looked away. She hadn't meant to yell at Coco, but she couldn't erase the words she'd said. Yang's voice softened as she continued.
"Look, Coco was just trying to help. She wanted you to feel normal again. But… things went wrong, and now, I'm here offering to help you instead. We've both been through a lot since the Battle of Beacon, so maybe it'll help to have someone who understands."
Velvet sighed, her guard finally dropping. "Alright, Yang. I'll… I'll take the ride."
Yang grinned, gesturing toward the car. Velvet raised an eyebrow, eyeing the beat-up vehicle with a hint of doubt.
"This is really your car?" Velvet asked, trying not to laugh.
"Hey, it's a classic!" Yang chuckled. "Besides, it was a favor from a friend."
With a small smile, Velvet got in, and they started the drive back to Beacon. Yang focused on the road, the silence between them settling into a comfortable rhythm. After a few minutes, Yang glanced back at Velvet in the rearview mirror.
"First thing when we get back, you're apologizing to Coco," Yang said, half-teasing, half-serious.
Velvet nodded, her face clouded with regret. "I will… I just want to sleep first."
Yang laughed. "Fair enough, as long as you follow through."
As she continued to drive, Yang turned her head to ask Velvet a question—just as a truck came barreling toward them from the side. The collision was brutal, the impact flipping the car over and sending it rolling down a steep embankment. Yang, not wearing her seatbelt, was thrown violently around inside the car, while Velvet held on desperately as they tumbled down the hill.
When the car finally came to a halt, Yang groaned, her body aching from the impact. She found herself in the backseat, dazed and in pain. Velvet was slumped over, unconscious, her seatbelt still holding her in place.
Panic surged through Yang as she struggled to sit up. "Velvet! Velvet, wake up!"
She tried to reach out, but before she could move, she heard footsteps approaching. The door was wrenched open, and Yang felt rough hands grab her, dragging her from the wreckage. She fought back, but a swift punch to her face sent stars flashing before her eyes.
As she regained her senses, she was forced to watch as Velvet was pulled from the car. A cold chill ran down her spine as she looked up to see a familiar figure approaching, his face obscured by a mask.
Adam Taurus smirked down at her, his red blade gleaming in the fading light. With a look of pure malice, he raised his foot and brought it down hard, sending Yang's vision spinning as the world faded to black.