The atmosphere inside Team RWBY's dorm room was suffocating, the air thick with the residue of a nightmare that refused to end. Yang Xiao Long was pacing the small space, her movements jagged and desperate, while General Ironwood stood by the window like a statue of cold, uncompromising authority.
"You have to believe me!" Yang pleaded, her voice cracking as she turned toward the General. "I saw him! I saw it with my own eyes, Ironwood! He was standing there, he looked me right in the face, and then he jumped at me! I was defending myself!"
Ironwood didn't turn around immediately. He stared out at the floating stadium in the distance, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with a tired sort of pity. "I'm sorry, Miss Xiao Long. But the footage... the eyewitness accounts... they've left us with no other choice."
Yang flinched as if he had struck her. She slumped back onto her bed, falling silent as the weight of the world's judgment crashed down on her. Blake was instantly at her side, sliding her hand into Yang's and squeezing with a strength that said more than words ever could. Across the room, Ruby and Weiss sat on the edge of Weiss's bed, watching the General with grim, expectant faces.
Ironwood let out a long, weary sigh. "You all seem like exemplary students. The staff here at Beacon—Ozpin, Glynda—they are fully aware that you are not the type of person to lash out without provocation." He began to pace the room, his boots clicking rhythmically on the floorboards. "Under normal circumstances, I would agree. But I believe—and for your sake, I truly hope—that this was nothing more than the result of extreme stress and a massive spike in adrenaline."
He paused, looking Yang directly in the eye. "When you are on the battlefield, your judgment can become clouded in an instant. The mind plays tricks. Sometimes you see threats that simply aren't there, even after the heat of the moment has passed. It is a tragedy of the profession."
He straightened his coat, his expression hardening. "I am sorry to inform you, but Team RWBY has been officially disqualified from the Vytal Festival. You are to remain in your quarters until further notice."
The silence that followed was absolute. Ironwood didn't wait for a response; he turned and exited the room, the door clicking shut behind him with a finality that felt like a prison cell locking.
Yang sat frozen, staring at the floor. "You guys believe me... right?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Ruby and Weiss exchanged a look. Ruby was the first to stand, her silver eyes glowing with a fierce, protective light. "Of course we do," she said firmly. She walked over and knelt in front of her sister. "I may not have known you for as long as I should have... because I was taken away when I was just a kid..."
Yang let out a soft, pained whimper at the mention of their lost years.
"But," Ruby continued, her voice gaining strength, "I know you well enough now to know that you wouldn't be reckless without a damn good reason. You aren't a monster, Yang. You're a hero."
Weiss nodded solemnly. "I agree. It makes no sense. You've shown more restraint in the face of actual insults than what we saw on that screen. Something is wrong with the world, not with you."
Yang looked up, her gaze shifting tentatively to the girl holding her hand. "...Blake?"
Blake hesitated. For a terrifying heartbeat, her mind drifted back to the shadows of her past—to Adam Taurus, a man who claimed to be a hero but hid a psychopath's heart. She remembered the way he had manipulated her, shattered her spirit, and used her love as a weapon.
But then she looked at Yang. She looked at the girl who told terrible puns just to see her smile, the girl who had stayed up late into the night to comfort her through her night-terrors, the girl who had looked at a "monster" from the White Fang and saw only a friend.
"I believe you," Blake said, her voice ringing with certainty. She squeezed Yang's hand even tighter. "We're going to figure this out. Together."
Yang took a shaky, shuddering breath and leaned her head against Blake's shoulder. "I think... I think I just need to rest. My head is spinning."
"Okay," Blake whispered. "But call us. The second you need anything."
As Weiss and Blake stepped out into the hallway, Ruby lingered in the doorway. She looked back at her sister, her expression darkening. "Yang..." she whispered. "Be careful. I have a feeling that this... is far from over. Someone is playing a game, and they just made their first move."
Leaving Yang to her rest, Ruby joined her teammates in the hall. "This is a complete mess," Weiss muttered, rubbing her temples.
A door across the hall creaked open. Jessica peeked out, her expression full of concern. "Is she doing okay?" she asked softly. Behind her, the rest of Team JNPR stood in their doorway, their faces etched with worry.
"She's doing the best she can," Ruby said. Her voice sounded strange—detached and hollow. Beneath her combat skirt, the black veins in her legs began to pulse with a low, rhythmic thrum. The "beast" inside her was feeding on the collective frustration and injustice in the air, its growl vibrating in the back of her throat.
"I heard part of Mercury's team already rushed back to Haven to be with his family," Blake noted, leaning against the wall. "They've effectively cut off any chance of questioning him until they land. It's all very... convenient."
Ruby rolled her eyes, a cynical spark dancing in her silver gaze as she listened to the "official" reasoning. She knew a cover-up when she smelled one.
"If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask," Ren said, his calm demeanor providing a small anchor in the chaos.
Ruby stayed silent for a moment, her eyes glazing over as she wrestled with the darkness inside. Then, she blinked, shaking her head as if waking up. Her bubbly, optimistic mask snapped back into place. "Alright then! If that's the case... Pyrrha?"
Pyrrha, who had been sitting quietly on her bed, looked up. "Hmm?"
"You'd better be sure to win one for Beacon, okay?" Ruby said with a wide, toothy grin. "Since we're out of the running, someone has to show them what this school is made of."
Weiss smiled faintly. "It's what Yang would want. She'd be furious if an Atlas student took the trophy now."
Pyrrha gave a small, graceful smile. "I'll do my very best."
"I'll be sure to watch you tonight in case you're picked for the next round!" Ruby added.
Pyrrha's smile faltered, her gaze dropping to her lap as the weight of the Maiden's choice and the General's secrets pressed down on her.
"Sorry," Blake said with a weary sigh. "But I think I've had enough fighting to last me the rest of the year."
"Ditto," Weiss agreed.
Ruby rolled her eyes, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "Weak," she teased.
"Dolt," Weiss retorted, hitting Ruby softly in the arm. She turned to Blake. "Coffee? I think I need enough caffeine to stop my heart."
Ruby leaned in close, pulling Weiss toward her and whispering something low and scandalous into her ear. Weiss's face instantly turned a brilliant shade of crimson, her mouth falling open in a silent "O."
Ruby grinned mischievously and skipped away toward the elevator. Blake cleared her throat, a knowing giggle escaping her. "Well, I think I'll have tea. Weiss? You coming?"
Weiss blinked, her brain still rebooting from Ruby's whisper. "H-hey! Wait up!" she squeaked, her usual icy composure completely shattered as she hurried after her team.
Back in the JNPR dorm, Jessica closed the door. Nora immediately rounded on Pyrrha, throwing a training dummy into the center of the room. "You heard the lady, Pyrrha! We've gotta get you battle-ready! No slacking!"
"You got it, Nora," Pyrrha said. She tried to match Nora's energy, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Nora began a frantic workout routine, trying to force-feed Pyrrha a glowing, neon-green "protein shake" of her own invention. Ren simply sighed, stepping in to help Pyrrha with her form, trying to provide some semblance of normalcy.
Jessica watched from the corner, her eyes fixed on her friend. She saw the way Pyrrha's hands trembled, the way her eyes kept drifting toward the window. The "Champion" was drowning in a decision she hadn't asked to make.
Stepping forward, Jessica interrupted Nora's lecture on bicep curls. "Hey, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha looked up, her expression one of immense relief. "Yes, Jessica?"
Jessica offered a warm, steady smile. "Why don't we take a little walk? Just the two of us. Get some fresh air before the sun goes down."
Pyrrha nodded gratefully, standing up and grabbing her cloak. As they headed for the door, leaving the chaotic energy of Nora and Ren behind, the silence of the hallway felt like a sanctuary.
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The heavy, metallic silence of the dormitory was finally left behind as the two girls descended to the ground floor. After a few minutes of walking through the winding, stone-paved paths of the academy, Pyrrha and Jessica found themselves standing in the center of the grand courtyard near the school's main entrance.
The evening air was crisp, carrying the scent of blooming night-jasmine and the distant, hummed vibration of the floating stadium still hovering in the sky. The courtyard, usually a bustling hub of student life, was eerily quiet now; most of the student body was either at the Colosseum or huddled in their rooms discussing the tragedy of the afternoon's match.
The long shadows of the towering Beacon cliffs stretched across the grass like reaching fingers. Pyrrha walked toward the edge of the terrace, her fingers trailing along the cold stone balustrade. She stopped and looked out over the emerald expanse of the forest below, her silhouette framed by the rising moon. The quiet was a double-edged sword; it provided the peace she had craved, but it also left her alone with the echoing voices of Ozpin and Ironwood, reminding her that the fate of the seasons was resting on her shoulders.
Jessica stood a few paces back, giving her friend the space she needed, but remaining close enough to offer a steadying presence. She watched the way the wind caught Pyrrha's crimson hair, noticing how the "Invincible Girl" seemed to be carrying the weight of the entire world on her back.
The golden hour was fading, casting the courtyard in a palette of deep violets and bruised oranges. Pyrrha stood by the edge of the stone overlook, her eyes fixed on the horizon, though she wasn't really seeing the view. Her mind was a battlefield of "destiny" and "duty," the weight of Ozpin's request pressing down on her like a physical shroud.
Jessica stepped up beside her, leaning her elbows on the cool stone railing. She didn't push for words immediately; she simply existed there, a grounded anchor for Pyrrha's drifting thoughts.
"It's a lot, isn't it?" Jessica asked softly, her voice barely louder than the rustle of the leaves. "The world feels like it's getting louder every day, but the silence between us right now... it feels heavy, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha's breath hitched. She wanted to scream it all out—the machine, the dying girl in the pod, the terrifying prospect of having her soul tethered to a stranger's power. But the memory of Ozpin's grave warning held her tongue captive. The secret must be kept to prevent panic.
"I just... I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads," Pyrrha finally whispered, her voice trembling. "And I'm afraid that no matter which path I choose, the girl I used to be won't make it to the other side. Everyone talks about my destiny as if it's a foregone conclusion. As if I'm just a weapon being polished for a war I didn't start."
Jessica turned her head, looking at Pyrrha with eyes that held a depth of understanding that went beyond their years. She reached out, placing a warm, steady hand over Pyrrha's cold fingers.
"Pyrrha, listen to me," Jessica said, her tone shifting into one of gentle but firm wisdom. "People look at you and see a champion. They see the 'Invincible Girl.' But I see a friend who is trying to carry a mountain on her own. You've always put the needs of humanity, the school, and your team above your own heart. That's what makes you incredible, but it's also what makes you vulnerable."
She paused, making sure Pyrrha was looking at her. "Wisdom isn't always knowing the right answer; sometimes it's knowing that you're allowed to be afraid. You don't owe the world your soul, Pyrrha. Whatever choice you're facing—whatever this 'crossroads' is—it shouldn't be about what everyone expects of the Champion. It should be about what Pyrrha Nikos believes is right."
Pyrrha felt a tear prick at the corner of her eye. "But what if I'm not enough? What if the choice I make leads to disaster?"
"Then we face that disaster together," Jessica replied, her smile small but radiant with sincerity. "You aren't a solo act anymore. You have Ren, you have Nora... and you have me. We aren't your fans; we're your family. Don't let the fear of tomorrow steal the person you are today. You're more than a title, Pyrrha. You're a person. And that person is allowed to take a breath."
Pyrrha let out a long, shuddering sigh, the tension in her shoulders finally beginning to dissipate. She hadn't told the secret, and she wouldn't—not yet—but the crushing isolation of the burden felt lighter. Jessica's words had acted as a balm, a reminder that she wasn't just a cog in a cosmic machine.
"Thank you, Jessica," Pyrrha said, her voice finally regaining some of its melodic strength. "I... I think I needed to hear that more than you know."
Jessica squeezed her hand one last time before stepping back. "Anytime. Now, let's head back before Nora decides to come looking for us with another one of her 'energy' concoctions. I think I saw her eyeing a blender and some lightning Dust earlier."
Pyrrha let out a genuine, soft laugh—the first one in hours. "Gods, anything but that."
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Yang stood by the window, her forehead resting against the cool glass. Her mind was a chaotic loop of Mercury's smug face, the sound of a bone snapping that shouldn't have been there, and the crushing weight of the world's disappointment.
The silence was broken by the faint creak of the door and the rhythmic jingle of a flask.
"Hey there, firecracker," a gravelly voice spoke from the shadows.
Yang didn't turn around. She didn't have the energy for a mask. "Hey, Qrow..." she replied, her voice sounding small and exhausted.
Qrow leaned against the doorframe, his signature tattered cape swaying slightly. He took a slow, deliberate sip from his flask before tucking it away. "So..." he started, his eyes sharp even in the dark. "Why'd you do it?"
Yang stiffened, her hands curling into fists against the windowsill. "You know why," she said defensively, her voice rising an octave.
Qrow shrugged, his tone frustratingly casual. "All I know is what everyone else saw: you attacked a kid who was already beaten. A helpless kid, mind you. So, from where I'm standing, either you're a liar, or you've finally gone crazy."
Yang spun around, her eyes flashing a dangerous crimson for a split second. "I am not lying, Qrow! I know what I saw!"
Qrow looked down at the floor, exhaling a long breath. "Hm. Crazy it is. Got it." He began to walk toward her, his footsteps heavy and measured.
Yang slumped back against the glass, her fire dying as quickly as it had flared. "Who knows?" she whispered, her gaze dropping to her boots. "Maybe I am. Maybe I've finally snapped."
"And here I was thinking your dark-haired friend was the 'emo' one of the group," Qrow quipped, trying to pierce the gloom with his usual dry wit. He stopped a few feet from her, studied her for a moment, and then turned to head back toward the door. "Get some sleep, kid."
"I saw my mom," Yang blurted out.
Qrow froze. His hand was halfway to the doorknob, but his entire posture locked into place. He slowly turned his head, his red eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"
Yang looked up, her expression a mix of vulnerability and desperation. "I... I was in a lot of trouble. I took a pretty hard hit to the head. But when I came to, the person attacking me was gone. And I thought I saw... her. I saw a sword, Qrow. A massive, curved blade just like the one in that old picture of you and Dad."
The room grew deathly quiet. Qrow let out a sharp, cynical tch and shook his head. "You're not crazy, Yang. That was your mom alright." He walked back toward the window, leaning against the frame opposite her. "Let me guess. She didn't stay for a chat, did she? Didn't say a single word?"
Yang's eyes widened. "How did you know that?"
"I don't see my sister very often these days," Qrow replied, his voice tinged with a bitterness that ran deep. "But she does try to keep in touch. Whenever it suits her needs, anyway."
"Wait... you mean you've actually talked to her?" Yang asked, her heart racing. "That was real? She's actually out there?"
Qrow stared out at the flickering lights of the city below. "Yeah, she found me. She had a 'tip' regarding my most recent assignment—some intel on the movement of the Grimm—and she wanted me to give you a message."
Yang's agitation flared again, her hands trembling. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why keep that from me?"
Qrow shoved his hands into his pockets, looking uncharacteristically somber. "I was trying to wait for the right time, firecracker. And let's be honest, this mess with the tournament sure as hell ain't it. But I guess, after today... you deserve to know the truth."
He turned his head to look her in the eye. "She wanted me to tell you that she saved you once. It was a one-time thing. She said you shouldn't expect that kind of kindness from her again."
The words felt like a physical blow to Yang's chest. She looked down, her hair obscuring her face as she processed the coldness of a mother she had spent her life searching for.
"Raven's got an interesting way of looking at the world," Qrow said, his voice dropping an octave. "It's a perspective I don't particularly agree with, and she's a very dangerous woman to be around. But you're a tough egg, kiddo. You shouldn't let this tournament thing get you down. You had a slip-up—or someone set you up—but bad things just happen sometimes. I say it's time you move on."
"Move on to what?" Yang asked, her voice thick with unshed tears. "I'm disqualified. The world thinks I'm a thug. My mom doesn't want me. What is there to move on to?"
Qrow pushed off the wall and started toward the door again, but he paused, glancing back with a ghost of a smirk. "Well, Raven let some info slip before she took off into the wind. If you ever feel like you're ready to track her down and demand some real answers... I think I might be able to help you find the trail."
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The airfield was a cacophony of roaring engines and the frantic chatter of spectators eager to reach the Amity Colosseum before the day's matches began. After parting ways with Weiss and Blake, Ruby stood in the boarding line, her red cloak fluttering in the downdraft of the departing transport ships. She felt out of place, a lone figure in a sea of people who were excited for the very event that had just branded her sister a criminal.
Searching for a distraction, her silver eyes landed on a familiar head of rabbit ears.Velvet was a few yards away, busily snapping photos of Sun, who was striking a series of exaggerated, heroic poses near a cargo crate.
Ruby stepped out of line and wandered over. Sensing her approach, Velvet lowered her camera and offered a warm, habitual smile. "Ruby! It's good to see you. How are you holding up today?"
Ruby gave a small, weary wave. "Hey, Velvet. I'm... hanging in there. What are you up to? Still documenting the festival?"
"Oh, you know me—just working on my photography," Velvet said, her ears twitching with a bit of shy pride. "I want to make sure I remember everything. Do you want to see?"
She tilted the camera screen so Ruby could look. Instead of the sweeping landscapes or group shots Ruby expected, the photos were hyper-focused. There were several decent pictures of Sun, but the composition was strange; the lens was focused almost entirely on his staff, capturing the intricate mechanical joints and the way the Dust crystals were slotted into the metal.
Ruby raised an eyebrow, "Huh. Interesting choice of subject matter."
Velvet's cheerful demeanor shifted instantly, her expression softening into something more somber and serious. She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Ruby, I was so sorry to hear about what happened with your sister. It's been all over the news. Is she doing okay?"
Ruby shoved her hands deep into her cloak pockets, her shoulders hunching. "Yeah," she muttered, looking at her boots. "She's... fine. Considering. Thanks for asking."
"I think it's just awful, the things people are saying about her," Velvet said, her voice laced with genuine conviction. She began carefully tucking her camera away into its reinforced carrying case. "I've seen Yang in action, and I've seen her around the school. I know she's a good person. Yang wouldn't just hurt someone for no reason."
Ruby pulled a hand out of her pocket to rub the back of her neck, letting out a long, heavy sigh. "Well, I'm glad someone else thinks so. It feels like the whole world turned into a bunch of mean bullies overnight."
"Most people don't understand what it's actually like on the battlefield," Velvet explained, trying to offer a bit of Huntress-to-Huntress perspective. "The adrenaline, the noise... it changes you. Even the most experienced fighters can get scared and start seeing things that aren't there. If it can happen to someone as tough as Coco, it can happen to anyone."
Ruby's head snapped up, her silver eyes narrowing. "Coco? What do you mean?"
"Yeah," Velvet nodded, her ears drooping slightly. "She was so shaken up after their doubles match. She swore she saw Yatsuhashi standing right there with her in the middle of the forest during the fight against Emerald and Mercury. She even called out to him. But Yatsu never even made it out of the Geyser fields; he'd been eliminated minutes before. Stress-induced hallucination, apparently"
Ruby felt a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. Her hand dropped to her side, her fingers curling into tight, trembling fists. The black veins beneath her sleeves gave a sharp, agonizing pulse, and the "beast" inside her let out a low, predatory purr. It wasn't just Yang. It was Emerald. It was Mercury. The pattern was finally beginning to emerge through the fog.
"Yeah..." was all Ruby managed to say, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy whisper. "Hallucinations. Right."
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The atmosphere inside the Amity Colosseum was electric, a deafening roar of thousands of voices blending into a singular, pulsing wave of excitement. But as Ruby slid into her seat, the cheers felt hollow, like white noise buzzing in the back of her skull. Her senses were dialled to an unnatural frequency; the "beast" coiled within her was clawing at her periphery, sharpening her vision until the world became a hyper-focused tapestry of threats.
She scanned the VIP and participant balconies across the massive expanse of the arena. Her gaze locked onto a flash of mint-green hair. Even from hundreds of yards away, her enhanced eyes—flickering with a faint, predatory silver—honed in on Emerald Sustrai.
Ruby's fingers dug into the armrest of her chair, the plastic groaning and spider-webbing under the sheer force of her grip. "...Emerald is still here?" she growled, the sound vibrating deep in her chest, more animal than human. "I thought she left... I thought she went back to Haven with Mercury..."
As if sensing the weight of that murderous gaze, Emerald turned her head. For a split second, their eyes met across the stadium. Emerald didn't look afraid; she looked satisfied.
That was all the confirmation Ruby needed. She surged out of her seat, ignoring the confused looks from the spectators around her, and bolted for the exit. She didn't take the stairs; she moved like a red blur, vaulting over railings and sprinting through the sterile, concrete bowels of the backstage corridors.
"Our next randomization for the final rounds is about to begin!" Dr. Oobleck's voice boomed through the stadium speakers, muffled by the thick walls of the hallway.
Ruby rounded a corner near the fighter prep rooms and skidded to a halt. A door creaked open ahead of her, and stepping out into the dim light was a figure who shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone be here.
Mercury Black stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe. He wasn't in a cast. He wasn't on a stretcher. He looked perfectly, infuriatingly fine.
"Mercury..." Ruby hissed. The black veins beneath her sleeves pulsed with a violent, rhythmic heat, and the beast within let out a deafening snarl that only she could hear.
"It looks like our first contender for this match is... Penny Polendina of Atlas!" Professor Port's voice echoed through the halls, followed by a surge of applause from the crowd outside.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and dawning horror. "You're supposed to be hurt! You're supposed to be gone!"
"And her opponent will be..." Port's voice built the suspense, "Pyrrha Nikos!"
The stadium erupted, but inside the hallway, the air went cold. Mercury's lips curled into a slow, jagged smirk. He didn't answer her question directly; instead, he tilted his head toward the arena entrance, his eyes glinting with a malicious light.
Ruby's eyes went wide as the pieces of the puzzle finally slammed together. She thought of Penny's secret—the wires, the metal, the artificial soul. Then she thought of Pyrrha's Semblance: Polarity. Magnetism.
"You bastards!" Ruby screamed, the realization hitting her like a physical blow to the stomach. "You've set this up! All of it!"
"Ooh," Mercury said, his voice dripping with smug amusement as he adjusted his boots—the very weapons that had framed her sister. "Polarity versus a girl made of metal. That could get messy, couldn't it? Talk about a bad matchup."
He shifted his weight into a combat stance, his mechanical legs clicking into place with a lethal, metallic sound. He wasn't going to let her past. He was the gatekeeper for the tragedy about to unfold. Ruby glared at him, her silver eyes swirling with a dark, monstrous energy as she prepared to tear her way through him to save her friends.
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In the heart of the Amity Colosseum, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch. The soaring height of the stadium offered a breathtaking view of the world below, but for the two combatants standing on the shimmering biomes of the arena floor, the world had shrunk to the size of the ring.
Pyrrha stood at the ready, her shield, Akouo, raised and her spear, Miló, held with a steady, practiced grip. Across from her, Penny hummed with a strange, vibrant energy, her green eyes bright with an innocent excitement. To Penny, this was a chance to test her strength against a friend; to Pyrrha, it was a heavy burden of expectation she was struggling to carry.
High in the bleachers, the cheers of the crowd were led by the unmistakable voices of Team JNPR. Nora was practically jumping out of her seat, her hammers swinging in the air as she screamed herself hoarse. Ren stood beside her, a calm but proud smile on his face, while Jessica leaned forward, her eyes locked on her teammate with a mixture of pride and quiet concern. They were a family, unified in their belief that their champion was invincible.
But beneath the cheers and the bright lights, a shadow was spreading.
Unknown to the thousands of spectators, the "randomization" had been anything but random. The board was set, the pieces were in position, and the trap had been sprung. As the countdown began to flicker on the massive monitors above, the air in the stadium seemed to thicken with a sense of impending doom. The heroes, the students, and the innocent were all looking toward a glorious finish, blissfully unaware that the foundation of their world was about to be torn asunder.
The match was no longer a sport; it was the prologue to a massacre.