Blink and you'll miss it

Vol. 3 chapter 5: The night they want to forget

Ironwood: "I'm sorry, but you've left us with no choice."

All of Team RWBY sat in their dorm with General Ironwood pacing around the room.

Yang: "But he attacked me!"

Ironwood: "Video footage and millions of viewers say otherwise."

Weiss: "But Yang would never do that!"

Ruby: "Yeah!"

Blake and (Y/n) remain silent.

Ironwood: (sigh) " You all seem like good students, and the staff here at Beacon are fully aware that you would never lash out the way you did... under normal circumstances. What I believe and hope this to be is nothing more than the result of stress and adrenaline. When you're out on the battlefield, your judgment can become clouded in an instant. Sometimes you see things that simply aren't there. Even after the fight is past..."

Yang: "But I wasn't-"

Ironwood: (angrily stern) "That's ENOUGH!"

The room falls silent

Ironwood: "The sad truth is, whether it was an accident or an assault, it doesn't matter. The world saw you attack an innocent student. They've already drawn their own conclusions. And it's my job to inform you that... you are disqualified."

Yang's shock turns into miserable understanding when she looks to the ground, and Ironwood leaves the room shutting the door softly.

Yang turns to her team

Yang: "You guys believe me, right?"

Ruby: "Duh!"

Weiss: "You're hotheaded, but not ruthless."

Yang turns to her partner who has yet to speak.

Yang: "Blake?"

Blake looks away.

Blake: "I want to believe you."

Ruby: "Huh!?"

Weiss: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yang's eyes water at the words of her partner.

Yang: (fearful) "Blake?"

Weiss: "How can you say something like that? Yang would never lie to us!"

Blake: "I had someone very dear to me change. It wasn't in an instant, it was gradual - little choices that began to pile up. He told me not to worry. At first they were accidents, then it was self-defense. Before long, even I began to think he was right.... This is all just... very familiar."

(Y/n) grabs her hand, thinking he knows exactly who she's talking about. She squeezes his hand back.

Yang's tears fall from her face as she looks at her teammate in shock.

Blake: "But you're not him. And you've never done anything like this before. So... I want to trust you. I will trust you. But first, I need you to look me in the eyes and tell me that he attacked you. I need you to promise me that you regret having to do what you did."

Yang wipes her tears and looks at her teammate

Yang: "I saw him attack me, so I attacked back."

Blake: "Okay. Thank you."

Yang looks to the sole male of the team.

Yang: "(y/n)..."

(Y/n): "I know you're not a psycho. I believe you."

He smiles at her in support.

Yang nods and looks down

Yang: "I think I'm gonna rest up."