With Every Step Forward (Neglected/Abused Boosted Gear Reader x RWBY)

Chapter 24: Consequences and Conviction

(A/N I decided to skip the chapter where Cinder remembers how she met Emerald and Mercury and how she stole Amber's power since it didn't have anything to do with Y/N.  If you want to see it, I'd go watch RWBY Volume 3, Chapter 7.  This picks up with V3, Chapter 8.)

Team RWBY's POV
Team RWBY Dorm

Armed guards are standing inside of Team RWBY's dorm.  Ironwood's inside explaining the consequences of her actions.

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

Yang:  "But he attacked me!"

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

Weiss:  "But Yang would never do that!"

Ruby:  "Yeah!"

Ironwood sighs as he's pacing throughout the room.

Ironwood:  "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.  But I believe, and hope this to be, nothing more than the result of stress and adrenaline."

Ruby:  "I know that's not the case!  Y/N knows it too!"

Ironwood:  "What does Y/N know?"

Ruby:  "I don't know exactly, but...

Flashback

Y/N stood there looking around the arena.  He locked eyes on something, then looked back at Yang while she was walking round Mercury after she won.  He called her name, but it was too late.

Y/N:  "Yang!"

Yang punched Mercury in the knee, breaking it.  Emerald rushed to his side, to make sure he was alright.  Guards surrounded Yang as she looked around confused.  Ruby looked back at Y/N as rage covered his face.

Y/N:  "EMERALD!"

Ruby and Summer had to hold him back.

Ruby:  "Y/N!  Calm down!  What does Emerald have to do with any of this?"

Summer:  "Y/N!  Get a hold of yourself!  Yang's going to be okay!"

Y/N eventually calmed down as the people around him were looking at him.

Flashback end

Ruby:  "...He said that he was going to Professor Ozpin's office and I haven't seen him since."

Ironwood:  "Is that so?  Well, in any case, it doesn't matter if it was an accident or assault.  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're disqualified."

Ironwood leaves the dorm as Yang is sad and confused about the events that led them there.

Yang:  "You guys believe me, right?"

Ruby:  "Duh!"

Weiss:  "You're hot-headed, but you're not ruthless."

Yang:  "Blake?"  She turns to Blake, who hasn't answered.

Blake looks down, not wanting to look Yang in the eyes.

Blake:  "I want to believe you."

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

Yang's surprised at this and starts to tear up.

Yang:  "Blake?"

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