NF45

Lavender smiled as well, but her eyes trailed to the side, looking off into the distance. Suddenly, she gasped – drawing everyone's attention. "Mom!" she cried. She held a hand out, and her eyes grew wide.

Yang looked ahead but saw nothing.

"Lav?" Sapphire whispered. "What is it?"

"I saw Mom," the younger girl hissed. "She looked sick and she was holding her stomach. She went around that corner." Lavender pointed. "She looked like she was in pain!"

Yang and Blake shared a wide-eyed look. "Isn't she pregnant?" Blake asked.

"Yes." Sable bit her lip. "Seven and a half months, if I recall. She's had dangerous births before." Her eyes slid to Lavender. "Are you sure it was her, Lav?"

The sickly girl nodded.

"Why wouldn't she be with Dad?"

"I didn't see him. Maybe he is with her."

[...]

Lavender rounded the corner a few moments later, her pace far slower. The moment she did, her eyes widened. "MOM!"

What? Yang looked head again, but there was nothing – only an empty patch of grass with some trees around it. The entire area was devoid of life, the crowds all being in the main stadium. "I don't see anything- whoah!"

"I'm coming, Mom!" Lavender cried, pushing Yang aside. She rushed ahead, stumbling once or twice.

"Lavender, wait!" Sapphire called and chased after her. "I don't see anything. What are you talking about?"

"Yang…?" Blake whispered.

"I don't know. There's nothing here. You?"

"Nothing."

Lavender paused as she reached some unknown destination. She fell to her knees and reached down, as though to check on someone. When her hands hit cool grass, however, she froze. "Mom?" Her hands spread out, eyes growing wider as she felt around. "She was here, I swear. She was right here – unconscious on the floor!"

"Lav, there wasn't anything here," Sable whispered. "Are you okay?"

"But Mom… she was right here. I heard her call out for help." The girl began to breathe heavily. "She was right here. She vanished when I touched her."

Yang strolled up behind the three, eyes fixed on the grass. There hadn't been anything there. Never had been… but she could see the honesty on the younger girl's face. She believed it. She really did. And she had no reason to lie. "I think we should move on," she whispered. "Something isn't right here. There's something going-"

"Yang! Move!"

Blake's warning was followed by the sound of breaking glass. Yang's instincts kicked in, but not fast enough for her to get out the way. She'd only half-turned when she saw the danger – a silvery blade that rushed for her throat.