"S-So... how do the Maiden powers work?" Pyrrha asked, her eyes still fixed on the unconscious girl resting inside the metal sarcophagus.
"The power of a Maiden passes from one host to the next when the previous host dies," Ironwood explained. "However, there are a few very specific conditions."
"Very specific and very complicated," Qrow added with a roll of his eyes.
"First, the next host must be a woman no older than thirty years of age." He smirked at Glynda. "So unfortunately, Professor Goodwitch doesn't qualify anymore."
Glynda simply rolled her eyes.
"Second," Ironwood continued, ignoring Qrow's joke, "the person must be in the previous Maiden's thoughts at the moment of her death."
"And if that person isn't a woman... or isn't a suitable successor?" Pyrrha asked as she turned to face them.
"Our jobs become a whole lot harder," Qrow answered with a sigh.
"As you can see, the current Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked." Ironwood gestured toward the unconscious girl inside the machine. "For the first time in recorded history, the Fall Maiden's power has been split in two. We're keeping her alive with this equipment, but... it's unlikely she'll survive much longer."
Pyrrha lowered her gaze. "S-So... why do you believe I'll inherit her powers?"
"You most likely won't," Ironwood answered honestly. "The truth is, there's no reliable way to predict where the remaining power will go."
"If the power chooses someone at random, things become far more complicated," Qrow continued. "But that's extremely unlikely. Right before Amber fell into her coma... there was one person in her thoughts."
Pyrrha's eyes widened.
"...Her attacker."
Realization quickly dawned on her.
"Is... is that why you keep the existence of the Maidens a secret?"
Ozpin tilted his head slightly. "What makes you think that?"
"I mean..." Pyrrha looked back at Amber. "If people knew the Maidens were real, there would always be those who wanted their power."
She paused for a moment.
"People like whoever attacked Amber."
Qrow let out a small chuckle.
"Told you she was smart." He folded his arms. "Yeah. That's exactly why the Maidens remain nothing more than a fairy tale to the rest of the world."
Pyrrha slowly nodded before asking the question weighing on her mind.
"Then... how can you guarantee that I'll receive the power?"
"We can't," Ironwood admitted without hesitation. "But we can try to transfer what the power is still attached to."
Pyrrha frowned. "What it's attached to?"
Her eyes slowly widened.
"You mean... her Aura?"
Ironwood gave a silent nod.
"I-Is that... even ethical?"
"It's not a decision I'm proud of," Ironwood replied. "But Atlas's finest scientists built this machine for exactly this kind of emergency. If we have to move the Maiden's power before it's too late, this gives us our best chance."
He looked directly at her.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Mrs. Nikos. We need to know whether you're willing to do this."
"I..." Pyrrha couldn't find an answer.
"Pyrrha Nikos," Ozpin said gently. "We're willing to give you time to decide, but we need your answer before the Vytal Festival comes to an end."
"Given the uncertainty of the situation," Glynda added, "and the possibility that Amber's attacker is somewhere on the academy grounds searching for her, we can't afford to wait much longer."
"If Amber dies," Qrow continued, "the remaining power could return to its missing half... or worse."
He glanced toward the sleeping Maiden.
"If she's still thinking about the one who attacked her, then the rest of the power could go straight to them."
"I... understand." Pyrrha lowered her head. The weight of everything she had learned settled heavily onto her shoulders.
Ozpin stepped forward and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I know this is a great deal to ask of you." He spoke softly. "So don't answer us now. Take the time to think. Think carefully about whether this is truly what you want."
Pyrrha slowly reached out, placing a hand against the glass of Amber's sarcophagus as she quietly looked at the unconscious Maiden.
"I will." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I'll think about it."
"Don't rush your decision," Glynda said. "You need to consider whether this is truly the path you want to take. There may be consequences we can't predict, both from accepting the Maiden's power and from the method we're using to transfer it."
She paused for a moment. "It could change who you are."
"Please," Ozpin said. "That's all we're asking. Take the time to think it through. We'll have your answer after the tournament."
He turned toward the elevator.
"For now... I believe your team's final match is coming."
Pyrrha gave one last look at Amber's sleeping figure before quietly following the others back toward the exit.
...
"And here we are! The ONE-ON-ONE FINALS!" Professor Port exclaimed at the top of his lungs.
"Here we will determine our champion, who will take home this year's grand prize and decide which Kingdom will host the next Vytal Festival!" Dr. Oobleck continued excitedly. "The rules remain the same as the previous rounds. However, there is one major difference. There will be no biomes for the competitors to hide in. Every match will take place on the central arena with the entire world watching! Now then, without further ado, let us begin the random selection!"
The board began cycling through the names before finally slowing to a stop.
"Yang Xiao Long of Beacon versus Mercury Black of Haven!" Port announced.
"YEAH! Go break a leg, Sis!" Ruby shouted from the stands.
Meanwhile, Tsutsumi simply sat in his seat, quietly eating a plain sugar donut while waiting for the match to begin.
The remaining finalists stepped away from the stage, leaving only Yang and Mercury in the arena.
"Three... Two... One... BEGIN!"
The moment Port gave the signal, Yang threw a straight punch while Mercury answered with a spinning kick. Their attacks collided with a loud boom before both of them slid backward across the arena floor.
Tsutsumi only watched for a few seconds before lowering his gaze and pulling out his phone.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Pyrrha, where are you?
A few moments later, his phone vibrated.
[PyrrhaNikos]: I'm on my way back. Professor Ozpin just wanted to talk to me about something.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: I see.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Don't be late, okay? You wouldn't want to miss my match.
A few seconds passed before another reply appeared.
[PyrrhaNikos]: Hehe... I wouldn't miss it for the world. ❤️
His eyes lingered on the tiny heart at the end of the message. Without realizing it, the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. Just as he was about to put his phone away, another message appeared.
[PyrrhaNikos]: Can I ask you something?
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Sure.
[PyrrhaNikos]: What do you think about... obtaining power from an outside source?
Tsutsumi blinked. That wasn't a question he had expected.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: That's a pretty random question.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Where did that come from?
The typing indicator appeared... Then disappeared. Appeared again... Before another message finally arrived.
[PyrrhaNikos]: It's nothing.
[PyrrhaNikos]: I was just curious what you thought.
Tsutsumi looked at the screen for a long moment. She was hiding something. Normally, Pyrrha wasn't the type to ask vague questions like this.
Still... If she wasn't ready to tell him, then forcing her to explain wouldn't help.
He leaned back in his seat, thinking.
Power from an outside source...
He was probably one of the few people who understood that better than anyone. Many Riders drew their strength from darkness.
Ichigo had been turned into a cyborg by an evil organization before breaking free and using that very power against them.
Kuuga's strength originated from the same power as the Gurongi he fought to protect humanity from.
Ryuki fought using the power granted by a Mirror Monster to stop other Mirror Monsters.
Blade wielded the power of the Undead to seal away the Undead themselves.
There were countless examples. But it all traced back to a similar conclusion.
Power itself had never been the problem.
The problem was whether the person wielding it could remain themselves.
Many Riders had lost themselves to that strength. Some became monsters, some paid terrible prices, some never came back.
As someone who is already knee-deep into that pit, Tsutsumi felt that he didn't have any right to call himself a hero. That's why he stuck with the title of Masked Rider: Decade.
He isn't some hero in a cape or a white knight in shining armor, but he also isn't some demon lord wishing to take over the world or a monster that only knows how to kill.
He was simply a traveler passing through countless worlds, retelling their stories so that they wouldn't be forgotten.
After thinking for another moment, he finally began typing.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Power is just a tool.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: It doesn't matter where it comes from. What matters is the person using it.
He paused before continuing.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: But... some kinds of power come with a price. They can slowly change you if you're not careful.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: So if you ever find yourself in that situation...
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Promise me you won't lose yourself.
The typing indicator appeared almost immediately.
It stayed there for several seconds, a bit longer than usual.
Finally...
[PyrrhaNikos]: I promise.
Another message arrived right after.
[PyrrhaNikos]: Thank you.
[PyrrhaNikos]: Somehow... hearing you say that makes me feel a lot better.
Tsutsumi looked at the message for a second before replying.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: Whatever happens... You don't have to carry everything by yourself.
He hesitated before sending one last message.
[TsutsumiRyoko]: You still have me. And I still have you.
On the other side of the screen, Pyrrha stopped walking.
She stared at those four simple words.
A gentle smile slowly formed across her face, but her vision became blurry as tears quietly gathered in her eyes.
She quickly wiped them away before anyone could notice.
[PyrrhaNikos]: ❤️
[PyrrhaNikos]: I'll see you soon.
Before Tsutsumi could put his phone away...
"WHAT A WAY TO KICK OFF THE FINALS!" Professor Port's voice thundered throughout the stadium.
"YANG XIAO LONG WINS!"
Tsutsumi looked up; the match had ended while he was texting.
The scoreboard displayed the final result.
Mercury Black - 0% Aura.
Yang Xiao Long - 16% Aura.
As Yang turned to leave the arena. She suddenly spun around and threw a punch toward the kneeling Mercury. Ember Celica fired, and the shot struck Mercury's leg, sending him crashing onto his back as he grabbed it in pain.
"Heh?" Tsutsumi was surprised.
The entire stadium fell silent. Then chaos erupted. The audience began booing, many giving Yang a thumbs-down as waves of fear and anger spread through the crowd.
In the distance, several nearby Grimm lifted their heads, drawn toward the surge of negative emotions surrounding Vale.
"CUT THE CAMERAS!" Dr. Oobleck shouted. The worldwide broadcast immediately went dark.
"That's what you get for-" Yang never got to finish.
A squad of Atlesian Knights surrounded her in an instant, their weapons trained directly at her while several Atlas soldiers rushed into the arena.
"Yang Xiao Long! Stand down!" one of the soldiers ordered.
Team RWBY immediately rushed toward Yang.
Ruby tried to push past the soldiers, arguing desperately, but Weiss and Blake grabbed her before she could get any closer.
Across the arena, Mercury clutched his injured leg while Emerald hurried to his side, glaring furiously at Yang.
"Why'd she do that?!" Mercury cried through gritted teeth. "Why'd she attack me?!"
"But... I saw..." Yang's words caught in her throat.
Before she could explain, a pair of handcuffs clicked around her wrists. She could only stare helplessly at Ruby as the Atlas soldiers escorted her away.
...
Yang sat quietly in the holding cell, staring down at the cuffs around her wrists.
General Ironwood stood outside the bars, his expression stern.
"What were you thinking?" he demanded.
"I... I saw him attack me," Yang insisted.
"That's not what everyone else saw." Ironwood folded his arms. "Regardless of what you believe happened, I have no choice but to disqualify you from the tournament. Your actions have already caused panic throughout Vale, and that panic is drawing Grimm toward the Kingdom's walls."
Yang clenched her fists. "I know what I saw."
Ironwood let out a slow sigh. "People can misjudge what they see in the heat of the moment. I'm willing to believe that you thought you were defending yourself."
He paused before continuing. "But intention doesn't change the outcome. I still have to hold you responsible."
He turned toward the exit.
"Your uncle was surprisingly persistent about getting you released, so you're fortunate. I'll go bring him over."
The heavy door closed behind him, leaving Yang alone with her thoughts. She lowered her head once again.
A few quiet moments passed before a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Yo. First time?"
Yang looked up. "Tsutsumi?"
She quickly stood and walked over to the bars.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to check on you." His answer was so simple that Yang didn't know how to respond.
She lowered her eyes again. The silence lingered between them until Tsutsumi quietly asked,
"What happened?"
Yang took a shaky breath. "I... I know what I saw. My instincts... It all felt so real."
She slowly looked back up at him.
"Y-You believe me... Right?"
"Yeah."
His answer came without even a second of hesitation.
Yang froze; out of everyone, she expected to believe her, Tsutsumi had been near the bottom of that list. After everything that had happened between them. The distance that had grown between them. She never imagined he would be the first person to simply believe her.
Before either of them could say anything else, another voice interrupted.
"Mind stepping aside, kid?"
Qrow walked over with his usual relaxed posture, but there was nothing relaxed about the way his eyes were watching Tsutsumi.
Between him and his niece stood the newly declared threat to Remnant, Danger Level 7: Tsutsumi Ryoko.
Tsutsumi stepped aside without a word.
The cell door opened, and Qrow stood waiting on the other side.
"Hey there, Firecracker." He gave her a small smile.
Yang did not return it.
Qrow held her gauntlets in one hand, keeping them secured in a case until they were off the ship.
"You really believe me?" Yang asked again, this time looking straight at Tsutsumi.
"I do."
"Why...?" Her voice trembled. "You know what everyone thinks. You know what they're saying. You saw what happened, like everyone else... So why?"
Tsutsumi was quiet for a moment, then he answered honestly.
"Because I know you." His voice remained calm. "Even better than you know yourself."
Yang bit her lip; those simple words hit harder than anything anyone else had said all day.
Someone... Still believed her.
"Thank you."
Her voice barely came out as a whisper.
Before either of them could continue, Qrow cleared his throat.
"Alright, that's enough. You can talk to her later. We really do not have much time."
He gently pulled Yang out of the cell and started leading her away.
Yang turned back once, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something to Tsutsumi, but no words came out.
After they rounded the corner and Tsutsumi disappeared from view, she finally looked forward again.
The two of them boarded the shuttle back to Beacon.
Yang stayed quiet for most of the trip until Qrow finally spoke.
"Firecracker..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I am not saying you made it up. I just do not understand why you are so sure you were attacked. Everyone in the arena saw you strike first."
"I know what I saw, Uncel Qrow," Yang stared out the window. Then she looked back at him. "Tsutsumi believes me. Why can't you?"
Qrow sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because boys do stupid things when they are trying to impress a girl."
Yang immediately frowned. "Tsutsumi is not like that."
The idea was almost insulting.
Tsutsumi trying to impress her? No, that sounded ridiculous.
If anything, it made more sense to imagine him burying her alive than trying to win her over.
"I... I also saw Mom," Yang added after a moment.
Qrow glanced at her.
"Not recently. Right before the Breach happened. I was fighting, and I lost... but when I woke up, I thought I saw her out of the corner of my eye."
"Oh, that was definitely her," Qrow said with a nod. "I still keep in loose contact with your mother. She told me to tell you that she saved you that day, and that whatever goodwill she had left as your mother is gone. In her eyes, she already did her one act, and she is not doing anything else."
Yang looked down.
The shuttle began its descent.
"Still..." Qrow continued, his tone softening a little. "I might have a lead on where she is. If you are up for it, maybe this summer we can finally track her down."
The doors opened.
"For now, just get some rest. I am sure your teammates are eager to see you."
He handed Ember Celica back to her.
Yang took the gauntlets and tucked them away before slowly making her way back toward Team RWBY's dorm.
As she walked, several students looked her way. Some stared for a moment before quickly looking away. Others just pretended not to notice her at all. Even a few people who used to greet her every day now stayed silent.
"Yang!"
Ruby rushed forward and hugged her sister tightly.
Yang returned the hug without a word before pulling back and sitting down in a chair she dragged over.
The rest of her team stood in front of her in silence.
"Yang..." Weiss said at last. "Tell us why you attacked him."
"I saw him attack me," Yang repeated. "I saw him attack me, and I reacted."
"I'm not doubting you, sis." Ruby shook her head quickly. "But we were right there. We didn't see that at all. Maybe it was some kind of Semblance?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ruby," Weiss said, crossing her arms. "The arena has a barrier specifically designed to stop outside interference. But..." She hesitated, then sighed. "I also do not think Yang is the type to throw a blind tantrum for no reason. She does not lash out like that unless something really happened. So I believe she saw something."
Blake, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.
"Do you really think you were right, Yang?"
"What do you mean?"
"You think you were attacked, and you only hit back because you thought he would hurt you first."
"Yes, of course," Yang said, sitting up straighter. "I was defending myself."
Her voice grew firmer as she continued.
"I do not regret what I did, because I know I was not wrong."
Blake closed her eyes for a moment.
"I'm sorry, Yang. I want to believe you. I really do. But... I can't." She shook her head. "Adam was the same way. Every time he did something terrible, he always had a reason ready to excuse it. Humans were dying, and he kept using those excuses to justify what he did. There was a time when I believed he was right, too. I just..." She looked away. "I do not want to go down that road again."
Yang stared at her, stunned.
Tears had begun forming in the corners of her eyes.
"Blake..." Ruby said quickly, turning toward her sister. "Yang is my sister. I know her. She would never lie to us-"
But Blake had already turned away.
"I need some time alone," she said quietly. "I think we all do."
"Blake, wait- Yang would never-" Weiss started, but it was too late.
Blake was already heading for the door.
"I am going to get some tea at the fairgrounds."
Ruby and Weiss both looked like they wanted to follow her, but neither of them moved.