Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MidwayLives]

They didn't.

Every punch he threw was avoided with the least amount of motion possible, as if she didn't want to waste too much energy dealing with this clown. Before this farce could continue, she just released the magnetic grip she held on his weapon, the hook now resuming its flight through the air. The only problem being it hooked his leg instead of hers, yanking him off his feet. Once he hit the ground, that was followed by her shield smacking into the back of his head and a kick to his face. Her attempt to take pity on the guy and stop him from embarrassing himself any further.

"Hah! You're right! I DO talk too much! But that's all part of my plan! To keep you on your....toes...oh."

Well, he hadn't exactly expected to knock her out and save the day. But watching her dodge every punch was a bit damaging to the 'ol ego. "C'mon, too afraid to take one of my punches head on??" He mocked but as this 'fight' went on, he found it harder to believe he'd be conscious for much longer. Feeling Melodic Cudgel's hook wrap around his ankle, he cursed aloud. "Damn it!!" Other people had the neat 'ability' if you could call it that to recall their weapons. Helped avoid situations like this. As he was yanked back as the hook started to recoil back into the cane itself, he was pulled off his feet and he could feel his aura vibrating as Prryha's shield smashed into it.

"Ugh!"

"I'm sorry, Neo. I...I just wasn't hero material..." He thought to himself as the kick to his face sent him flying back, Melodic Cudgel clattering to the ground as his hat flew off once more. He tried in desperation to get up once more but...

He collapsed.

"I...I just can't do it....She's just too good. Can only make a fool of myself maybe, three times at most?"
​

All her posturing went out the window around the same time Cinder and Pyrrha did, and she gasped in horror at the sight of their friend's maimed face. She started towards Cinder's side, but Roman jumped into the fray before she could. She gave him a concerned, unsure frown as he told her to stay out of it and focus on this other loony, but if he thought he could handle it...

It seemed like the other Neo caught her in the middle of that unsurety, but the instant her foot connected with Neo, she shattered, and a a kick came from underneath her doppleganger's flying strike to send her flying airborne the other way as the real Neo reappeared from the side. She didn't know if this person had stolen her semblance somehow or just, somehow, two people with the exact same semblance had run into each other, but all that meant was that she knew how to fight this bitch. Copies would shatter even if all they ran into was another copy, and if a Neo didn't shatter, then the shell game was up, and the next swing was practically free.

She'd had a miserable day, all things considered and had absolutely no outlet for all that frustration. Couldn't go to the tourney, tried to avoid fighting some terrifyingly angry blonde, didn't even fight back against the soldiers that had been firing on her for fear of hurting them.

But whoever this was?

THEY Neo wouldn't feel bad about tearing apart. She may, perhaps, even have enjoyed the thought of it.

She lowered her foot from her kick and very slowly and deliberately leaned down to brush some imaginary dust off her boot before she stood back up and twirled her parasol to rest across her shoulders, a cocky, unconcerned smirk on her face as she twisted one palm up to wave the other Neo forward, daring her to make the first move again.

As she was kicked, NotHis!Neo worked with it and backflipped onto her feet, glaring absolute daggers at her enemy.



If they were anything close to being similar then she assumed her other would have understood. Her time with Roman had been all well and good but sometimes, you needed change. Whether or not that change involved trying to ruin/steal your life, well who could say?? Neo had gotten out of rougher situations than the one she'd left her counterpart in. Figure it out and let her be! But then she supposed even if it felt weird to be beating up on someone who looked almost exactly like her, minus the clothes and admittedly just as cute features, she could have another outlet for her...'tendencies' this way! Ren had barely managed to put up much of a fight! Maybe she could have one with her counterpart...

Twirling Hush around and closing it up, Neo prepared to straight on rush the other before she caught what was happening out of the corner of her eye.
​

At least until she saw that. Her smirk was consumed by a gasp of distress, and she narrowed her eyes at the other Neo in a moment of indecision. She didn't get what this girl's motives were. Maybe she was trying to get close enough to Roman to kill him rather than just... no that didn't make any sense. None of the answers she could dredge up in her brain in the few moments she was allowing herself to think on this made any sense.

But what made even less sense was letting Roman fight the most dangerous person here while she worked out some grudge match with herself.

"....!!!"

Who did SHE think she WAS?! More importantly what did Roman think he was doing?! The Roman she knew usually always fought with her as a team! They were a package deal! Counting out the one time where that damn 'Red' opened up Hush and got Neo hauled away by mother nature, their teamwork was incredibly in sync! Nobody could touch them! Feeling all the anger and annoyance that had been laserfocused on her counterpart for the past few moments swelling, she turned it directly upon Roman's attacker. To tell one the truth, Neo couldn't have cared less what happened to this Cinder. Seeing her knocked out actually gave some small satisfaction. Even if wasn't the one who treated Neo like she was just some hired thug. The idea of her being some kinda 'hero' both disgusted and amused her.

But no matter the place, no matter what was happening around her...

She wouldn't lose Roman again.

As he was knocked back by Prryha's kick and her counterpart rushed in, Neo couldn't resist. Making her way over to Roman's downed form, she gingerly helped him sit up. "Oh, hey Neo..." He murmured although it was obvious to anyone, Neo even more so, that he was exhausted. "Sorry I kind of got my butt kicked out there...But I looked cool didn't I?" He may not have been a criminal mastermind like the Roman she'd known but she could still feel bits and pieces of him poking through. Nodding her head with a smile, Roman returned it and winced. Gripping onto Neo's hand he looked into her eyes.

"Look, ugh, I'm not gonna pretend I understand what's happening here. Why these guys are attacking, what it all means, why there are two of you. But if you're really the Neo I know and..." Roman trailed off before reaching the last bit of that sentence, something that didn't go unnoticed by Neo. "But if both of you really care about me, you'll stop fighting and help eachother take HER down." Pointing at where his actual Neo was fighting for his sake, he chuckled weakly. "I'm sorry I told you guys to fight. Part of me thought it'd be entertaining, another part of me just...wasn't sure...who was who. But then it clicked to me."

"Save the day, Neo. Save Beacon..."

Roman then shrugged his shoulders.

"Or try, y'know? At least the history books will say we 'tried' and that's all I can hope for..."
​

She broke away first, dashing for Pyrrha, Cinder, and Roman's brawl. If the other Neo didn't interrupt her shift in priorities, Pyrrha found herself suddenly charged by a tiny ice cream warrior, whipping her parasol for her head-

which shattered, as the Neo appeared from the other side with a low sweeping kick-

-that also shattered, before the real Neo came down in a flying kick for the shoulder, intending to send the mistralian champion tumbling forward as Neo pivoted on Pyrrha's shoulder and twisted herself into a pirrouette to bring her boot straight into Pyrrha's chin, completing the spin with a graceful landing with one hand on the gorund for balance, her parasol conspicuously absent.

Sparing the briefest of giggles at Roman's last comment, Neo patted him gently on the back before rising to her feet. What he'd just said felt like the total opposite of what this Neo had been through, what she'd lived through. Save the day? SAVE Beacon when she'd been a big part of it's fall in the world she came from? Almost felt like Fate if such a thing did exist had a sick sense of humor. Still, as she spared a glance at Roman's bruised and tired form, she noted something that he had in common with the other. That shield + kick to the face was definitely going to develop into a black eye.

Hmph.

'Rest Roman, I'll-...no...We'll take it from here.'

Her time with her Roman had been nice, even barring on great at times.

Other times? When they were bad, they were BAD...

"...."

But she wasn't going to let that happen. Not this time, not ever again. Bending over and handing Roman his hat back with a warm smile, she then turned her attention to the battle in front of her and that smile turned into a warped and devious grin. Something Roman hadn't quite noticed with the whole getting the tar beaten out of him. If he had, he would have just chalked it up to Neo hyping herself and that was totally fine. A lot was riding on this fight and more importantly?

Game recognized game.



If her other's strategy went off without a hitch, the Neo that Roman had been talking to rushed forward to where this armored bimbo was likely stumbled. If she had to give her counterpoint props, it was the excellent form on the foot to the face! Amazing! Lashing out with a knee to the stomach to unsteady her, that Neo shattered soon afterwards, with the 'real' Neo lunging forward to grip onto Prryha's face and slam her into the ground headfirst. Milking as much sadism as she could out of it! What? Who said she couldn't have a bit of fun too?~
​

 

[MyrtenRose]

She broke away first, dashing for Pyrrha, Cinder, and Roman's brawl. If the other Neo didn't interrupt her shift in priorities, Pyrrha found herself suddenly charged by a tiny ice cream warrior, whipping her parasol for her head-

which shattered, as the Neo appeared from the other side with a low sweeping kick-

-that also shattered, before the real Neo came down in a flying kick for the shoulder, intending to send the mistralian champion tumbling forward as Neo pivoted on Pyrrha's shoulder and twisted herself into a pirrouette to bring her boot straight into Pyrrha's chin, completing the spin with a graceful landing with one hand on the gorund for balance, her parasol conspicuously absent.

The sudden motion at the corner of her eye made Pyrrha much more alert, the redhead leaping back away from Roman as the small girl lunged forth. Nikos raised her shield up to force the incoming parasol up as well in a parry, but upon contact the attack shattered. Bits and pieces rained down upon a temporarily taken aback Pyrrha, but that didn't stop her from jumping into the air to let the sweep swing by harmlessly underneath. Unfortunately, that faux attack left her in mid-air and unable to change position as that flying kick came in from above, pushing Pyrrha down to the ground once more with enough force that Pyrrha's boots cracked the ground upon landing. Before she could counter, Neo had already pirouetted into a follow up chick that cracked against Pyrrha's chin. The blow made her stumble back a few steps but in no time at all, she had moved back into a proper stance. Despite the successful attacks, Nikos couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "Now that's more like it."​

If her other's strategy went off without a hitch, the Neo that Roman had been talking to rushed forward to where this armored bimbo was likely stumbled. If she had to give her counterpoint props, it was the excellent form on the foot to the face! Amazing! Lashing out with a knee to the stomach to unsteady her, that Neo shattered soon afterwards, with the 'real' Neo lunging forward to grip onto Prryha's face and slam her into the ground headfirst. Milking as much sadism as she could out of it! What? Who said she couldn't have a bit of fun too?

But wait, it got even better! The other one was joining in too! That kick intended for her stomach was instead simply blocked by that shield, Pyrrha waiting to see...yes, there it was. The same shattering trick. Pyrrha's eyes shifted from that fake over to another eagerly lunging in, and the outstretched arm reaching for her face was forced down to the side with a parry, catching hold of nothing but air. The same could not be said for that Neo's face, who caught a shield bash right to the nose before Pyrrha sidestepped and let Neo's overeager momentum shoot pass her. That was immediately followed by a kick to the back of the head, aimed to drop that Neo to the street and let her chew on the asphalt for a while.

Oh yes, this is so much better than the two on one fight up there was. Come on, girls. Give me the fight that your tired golden-eyed friend could not.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Hey so- whoa, so uh- yeeee, HEY SO MAYBE I COULD DRIVE!" she finally managed to get out between the ship's listing back and forth. Blake had been stashed in the co-pilot's chair and buckled in, rather than letter her get tossed around in the ship, so Yang was gripping onto Qrow's chair for balance as he did his best to keep the ship level.

"I mean, I've never actually flown one, or anything, buuuut driving a motorcycle's gotta be closer to flying a plane than using-"

Her eyes shot wide as another jostle made Blake groan and stir, but after a few seconds of staring from where she was frozen in place, the faunus' shifting stopped, and the tension that had briefly left Yang's shoulders ramrod stiff started to fade.

"...than using wings, right?" She finished while she resumed scanning the chaos below for any sign of her sister.

"You think I can't drive a motorcycle?! Who'd you think got you into that stuff, Tai?!" He barked without any real bite, a bit preoccupied with his de-facto pilot duties. He grimaced as the ship rocked more viciously than anything before it, the inside of the hull suddenly filled with a griffith's shriek as the offender latched onto the side, snapping and snarling its head towards those within.

A moment later its head was the only thing left of it, relieved of its body by way of collision with a building the bullhead flew too close to as Qrow slowly brought them back up for a sweep near where the dragon had been struck from.

"You see anything?"

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"You think I can't drive a motorcycle?! Who'd you think got you into that stuff, Tai?!" He barked without any real bite, a bit preoccupied with his de-facto pilot duties. He grimaced as the ship rocked more viciously than anything before it, the inside of the hull suddenly filled with a griffith's shriek as the offender latched onto the side, snapping and snarling its head towards those within.

A moment later its head was the only thing left of it, relieved of its body by way of collision with a building the bullhead flew too close to as Qrow slowly brought them back up for a sweep near where the dragon had been struck from.

"You see anything?"

"Do you even still have your driver's license, birdman?" she shot right back, before she pulled back a fist to cock ember celica in surprise as the griffith landed on them. She gave a sigh of relief as it was scraped off and there was a very quiet, begrudging mumbling under her breath that that may have been some impressive flying as moved to push her head against the windshield to get a better view.

"if I was a badass little huntress with a penchant for finding trouble, where would I..."

"What is--"



"Darn it!" Ruby yelled in frustration, stumbling backwards more from the blinding light than the force of whatever kind of crazy flashbang thing that had been. She had no idea where she was stumbling now. She swung out with Crescent a couple times on instinctual reflex when she thought she heard her double approaching, but hit nothing except air. However, whatever that thing had been, its effectiveness clearly wasn't built to last. Already she could see her vision balancing out--



"..." Something warm splattered all over her face, temporarily keeping her blind for the couple more seconds it would take her to react like a proper huntress and wipe it away from her eyes-- "oh no its in my mouth ew ew ew gross what the heck did you hit me with?" Ruby stammered, coughing a few times to try and spit it all out. That distraction was all her double needed.



Ruby lost her grip on her weapon and hit the ground like a sack of confused potatoes, Crescent Rose clattering to the ground without her holding it up. She couldn't see but she could feel, and realizing that her double was on top of her, Ruby gathered all the blood and saliva she could before spitting where she imagined her counterpart's face was.​

Was... that... was that her sister fighting her... sister?

"...Oh. oh I hate that Down there, right there lets go lets go lets go-!" She yelled as she jabbed her finger towards the two red blurs that had just ceased their whizzing about, a frantic urgency in her voice that she was gonna have no idea what to do with once they got down there.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

The sudden motion at the corner of her eye made Pyrrha much more alert, the redhead leaping back away from Roman as the small girl lunged forth. Nikos raised her shield up to force the incoming parasol up as well in a parry, but upon contact the attack shattered. Bits and pieces rained down upon a temporarily taken aback Pyrrha, but that didn't stop her from jumping into the air to let the sweep swing by harmlessly underneath. Unfortunately, that faux attack left her in mid-air and unable to change position as that flying kick came in from above, pushing Pyrrha down to the ground once more with enough force that Pyrrha's boots cracked the ground upon landing. Before she could counter, Neo had already pirouetted into a follow up chick that cracked against Pyrrha's chin. The blow made her stumble back a few steps but in no time at all, she had moved back into a proper stance. Despite the successful attacks, Nikos couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "Now that's more like it."



But wait, it got even better! The other one was joining in too! That kick intended for her stomach was instead simply blocked by that shield, Pyrrha waiting to see...yes, there it was. The same shattering trick. Pyrrha's eyes shifted from that fake over to another eagerly lunging in, and the outstretched arm reaching for her face was forced down to the side with a parry, catching hold of nothing but air. The same could not be said for that Neo's face, who caught a shield bash right to the nose before Pyrrha sidestepped and let Neo's overeager momentum shoot pass her. That was immediately followed by a kick to the back of the head, aimed to drop that Neo to the street and let her chew on the asphalt for a while.

Oh yes, this is so much better than the two on one fight up there was. Come on, girls. Give me the fight that your tired golden-eyed friend could not.​

Pyrrha didn't get a moment of respite as the moment one Neo left her side the other was in her vision, charging forward just as the sound of a piece of rubble being nudged came from behind Pyrrha as the first leaped up in a rising knee strike to the gut; that turned out to be the real Neo, the phantom sound being a rock tossed with her semblance to be invisible. She bent backwards in an almost alarming display of flexibility to grab Pyrrha's ponytail and with a grunt of effort whipped her up and over her head to send her flying through the air towards the other Neo

 

[MidwayLives]

But wait, it got even better! The other one was joining in too! That kick intended for her stomach was instead simply blocked by that shield, Pyrrha waiting to see...yes, there it was. The same shattering trick. Pyrrha's eyes shifted from that fake over to another eagerly lunging in, and the outstretched arm reaching for her face was forced down to the side with a parry, catching hold of nothing but air. The same could not be said for that Neo's face, who caught a shield bash right to the nose before Pyrrha sidestepped and let Neo's overeager momentum shoot pass her. That was immediately followed by a kick to the back of the head, aimed to drop that Neo to the street and let her chew on the asphalt for a while.

Oh yes, this is so much better than the two on one fight up there was. Come on, girls. Give me the fight that your tired golden-eyed friend could not.

As the shield came in, Neo grimaced and nearly lost her footing. That...

Shaken from her thoughts, Neo grit her teeth and as the kick came in, Pyrrha would have seen nothing but glass shatter with the real Neo jumping a fair distance away. Truth be told, she'd been expecting another brawler on the level of that blonde brute she'd fought a couple of times. Wonder if she was a bad guy here too? Oh, hold on a second. Her thought from earlier had returned.

That last hit....HURT!!!

She was going to pay for that! Attacking and hurting Roman had been her death sentence and the double scoops here were going to be her executioners. Well, one of them anyway, the other didn't seem as down for the killing and maiming. Her loss, really.
​

Pyrrha didn't get a moment of respite as the moment one Neo left her side the other was in her vision, charging forward just as the sound of a piece of rubble being nudged came from behind Pyrrha as the first leaped up in a rising knee strike to the gut; that turned out to be the real Neo, the phantom sound being a rock tossed with her semblance to be invisible. She bent backwards in an almost alarming display of flexibility to grab Pyrrha's ponytail and with a grunt of effort whipped her up and over her head to send her flying through the air towards the other Neo

Oooh, this was perfect! Maybe she'd been wrong her other! Sure, she got the impression that Roman and her were on team 'good' this go around. Which still didn't exactly sit well with her but Neo couldn't deny how stylish her 'Other' looked! As Pyrrha came flying in, Neo bent backwards and placed both hands on the ground. If she didn't do something, it'd seem as though Pyrrha would simply fly over her. But as the distance closed, Neo squinted her eyes and pressing both soles of her feet against Pyrrha's back, she launched that bitch into th air. With that done, Neo snapped her fingers to get her other's attention and made a ''serving' gesture as if they were playing volleyball. Figuring her 'other' got what Neo was going for, she rushed towards her and jumped and was hopefully(?) served into the air.



Grinning down at Pyrrha, Neo closed both hands together and swung them down to spike Pyrrha down onto the ground.

"*giggles smugily~*"

Match set~​

 

[MidwayLives]

"..." Something warm splattered all over her face, temporarily keeping her blind for the couple more seconds it would take her to react like a proper huntress and wipe it away from her eyes-- "oh no its in my mouth ew ew ew gross what the heck did you hit me with?" Ruby stammered, coughing a few times to try and spit it all out. That distraction was all her double needed.

"It's my blood!"

Once she had her 'Other' pinned, Ruby grimaced. "Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of underhanded tactics like that. But if the time with those bandits taught me anything?" Ruby straddled her double and sought to smash her fist right against her stomach, aura be damned. "Do whatever you need to win!" Another attempted gut-punch.
​

Ruby lost her grip on her weapon and hit the ground like a sack of confused potatoes, Crescent Rose clattering to the ground without her holding it up. She couldn't see but she could feel, and realizing that her double was on top of her, Ruby gathered all the blood and saliva she could before spitting where she imagined her counterpart's face was.

Normally, Ruby carried herself with a degree of seriousness. What would people think if they knew that THE "Red Masque" preferred talking to having to murder everybody. But it wasn't often you had your own blood plus some of your own(in a way)'s spit thrown back at you in a messy gob which splattered right on her face.

"..."

Despite everything that she'd been through, everything that had hardened her, she was still the same age as Ruby. Just far more prone to a lot more violent outbursts. Her left eye twitched as she pulled back her mechanical arm and slammed it down on Ruby's stomach. "UGH!! YOU AREN"T SUPPOSED TO SPIT IT BACK! YOU WICKED LITTLE..." Who knew if this had bacteria or anything in it?!

"JUST PASS OUT ALREADY!!"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Pyrrha didn't get a moment of respite as the moment one Neo left her side the other was in her vision, charging forward just as the sound of a piece of rubble being nudged came from behind Pyrrha as the first leaped up in a rising knee strike to the gut; that turned out to be the real Neo, the phantom sound being a rock tossed with her semblance to be invisible. She bent backwards in an almost alarming display of flexibility to grab Pyrrha's ponytail and with a grunt of effort whipped her up and over her head to send her flying through the air towards the other Neo

Pyrrha did turn as anticipated, clearly believing the charging Neo was yet another fake and the sound behind her signifying where the actual one was. As it turned out, the opposite was true, a fact that Pyrrha became painfully aware of. The blow disoriented her for just enough time for that grab to go off without a hitch, Nikos ending up flung over in the direction of the 2nd real Neo.​

As Pyrrha came flying in, Neo bent backwards and placed both hands on the ground. If she didn't do something, it'd seem as though Pyrrha would simply fly over her. But as the distance closed, Neo squinted her eyes and pressing both soles of her feet against Pyrrha's back, she launched that bitch into th air. With that done, Neo snapped her fingers to get her other's attention and made a ''serving' gesture as if they were playing volleyball.

Who was quick to capitalize, sending the redhead skyward at a considerable velocity. But that move gave Nikos a bit of readjusting time and she in turn capitalized on it. Twisting in mid-air, her sword shifted into its javelin form. Her eyes tracked one of the Neos as she got served up, and at the apex of the maneuver that Neo was even higher in the air than she was, looking down at her with a wide smile. Pyrrha grinned back. As those hands came down, Pyrrha's javelin wasn't thrown but more shot forward like a bullet thanks to her semblance, striking that skull at the exact same moment Neo's hands hit her.

These illusions were a handy trick, to be sure. But as useful as they were, from what she had seen so far they couldn't actually strike her. They were nothing more than distractions. If either Neo wanted to inflict damage, it had to be the real one attacking. So it simply came down to a matter of timing her attacks at the opportune moment to ensure she was hitting the real ones.

Pyrrha got knocked back down to the street below, the seasoned warrior adjusting her fall enough to land in a classic three-point landing stance. As she straightened up, her hand raised into the air, and her javelin got tugged down to comfortably sail back into her grip. Instantly it shifted into rifle form, and she braced it up on her shield before opening fire on the Neo still on the ground.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"It's my blood!"

o.O "That is disgusting, why would you even--"​

Once she had her 'Other' pinned, Ruby grimaced. "Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of underhanded tactics like that. But if the time with those bandits taught me anything?" Ruby straddled her double and sought to smash her fist right against her stomach, aura be damned. "Do whatever you need to win!" Another attempted gut-punch.

"UGH!! YOU AREN"T SUPPOSED TO SPIT IT BACK! YOU WICKED LITTLE..."

A fist slamming into her stomach interrupted her serious question, and her mouth opened to try to finish it but before she could, another punch struck in the same freaking spot. But in her counterpart's angry tirade after getting some of that blood spat right back at her, Ruby could tell a third blow was following. Instead of hitting her, that robotic hand struck the ground instead. A trail of rose petals led to where Ruby now stood a few feet away. With her eyes blinded so, it was risky to run too far, but this distance was enough to let her escape and give her some time to rub at her face with her sleeve, wiping the blood away and restoring her sight. "Yeah, well. You reap what you sow." Ruby wisely remarked back at her double's frustration. It was followed by a not so wise:

Another burst and she had her Crescent back in hand, the sound it made when she cocked it was music to her ears. The shots she fired after, even more so.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

The knock up was done via a backflipping kick, Neo landing with a a slide of her feet as she looked up to see the fruits of her labor, which ended up being the other neo getting a full on rocket of a javelin to the face.

No matter how much she didn't like that girl's existence, even she had to wince at that one.

When Pyrrha landed, the real ( : | ) Neo didn't immediately make any moves, her hands clasped behind her back and moving at a lackadaisical pace as she took a few steps to the side while Pyrrha's javelin was zipping back to her hand. When the warrior first pulled her sight across Neo, the little student gave her a wink, before the first shot was ducked to the side, the second with a twist the other direction, and the third clipped her shoulder in a flare of aura as she dashed forward straight through it, weaving through the fire as best she could, till when she was a few steps away she leaped up into the air in a graceful arc- the clone shattered at the same time Neo slammed her boot on the barrel of Pyrrha's rifle aiming to snap the butt of it straight in Pyrrha's cheek, snatch it out of the air as it spun, and turn the tables with a cluster of shots from Milo before Pyrrha inevitably yanked it back

 

[Gus Gungus]

Was... that... was that her sister fighting her... sister?

"...Oh. oh I hate that Down there, right there lets go lets go lets go-!" She yelled as she jabbed her finger towards the two red blurs that had just ceased their whizzing about, a frantic urgency in her voice that she was gonna have no idea what to do with once they got down there.

"...I haven't been drinking enough for this."

He remarked mournfully when he spotted what Yang was going crazy pointing at, a sentence that got a lot sadder the more you thought about it. The swoop he plunged the bullhead into was far from smooth as he did a pass over the roof, Blake being jostled around like a ragdoll where she was strapped in.

"I'll land this thing and get your gal pal, just go help whoever's less crazy!"

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...I haven't been drinking enough for this."

He remarked mournfully when he spotted what Yang was going crazy pointing at, a sentence that got a lot sadder the more you thought about it. The swoop he plunged the bullhead into was far from smooth as he did a pass over the roof, Blake being jostled around like a ragdoll where she was strapped in.

"I'll land this thing and get your gal pal, just go help whoever's less crazy!"

Yang gave her uncle a comforting squeeze on the shoulder and was already striding unsteadily towards the side hatch, grabbing onto the handle above it and waiting for Qrow to activate the door when he gave the orders and-

"My what??? No, we're just, its a partners thing and, its just, and that's not even MY Blake, n-not that Blake's anybody's and, ugh never mind, just be careful with her!" she huffed back at him as the hatch slid open. She briefly made sure we was steady on her feet for the very important task of slapping her cheeks a few times to make sure she wasn't divebombing into what was probably gonna be YET ANOTHER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE for the night while blushing like a twelve year old.

"It's my blood!"

Once she had her 'Other' pinned, Ruby grimaced. "Normally, I'm not the biggest fan of underhanded tactics like that. But if the time with those bandits taught me anything?" Ruby straddled her double and sought to smash her fist right against her stomach, aura be damned. "Do whatever you need to win!" Another attempted gut-punch.

Normally, Ruby carried herself with a degree of seriousness. What would people think if they knew that THE "Red Masque" preferred talking to having to murder everybody. But it wasn't often you had your own blood plus some of your own(in a way)'s spit thrown back at you in a messy gob which splattered right on her face.

"..."

Despite everything that she'd been through, everything that had hardened her, she was still the same age as Ruby. Just far more prone to a lot more violent outbursts. Her left eye twitched as she pulled back her mechanical arm and slammed it down on Ruby's stomach. "UGH!! YOU AREN"T SUPPOSED TO SPIT IT BACK! YOU WICKED LITTLE..." Who knew if this had bacteria or anything in it?!

"JUST PASS OUT ALREADY!!"​

o.O "That is disgusting, why would you even--"




A fist slamming into her stomach interrupted her serious question, and her mouth opened to try to finish it but before she could, another punch struck in the same freaking spot. But in her counterpart's angry tirade after getting some of that blood spat right back at her, Ruby could tell a third blow was following. Instead of hitting her, that robotic hand struck the ground instead. A trail of rose petals led to where Ruby now stood a few feet away. With her eyes blinded so, it was risky to run too far, but this distance was enough to let her escape and give her some time to rub at her face with her sleeve, wiping the blood away and restoring her sight. "Yeah, well. You reap what you sow." Ruby wisely remarked back at her double's frustration. It was followed by a not so wise:

Another burst and she had her Crescent back in hand, the sound it made when she cocked it was music to her ears. The shots she fired after, even more so.​

Right after Ruby's first shot, the street was hit by a meteor. cloud of dust it kicked up was slowly to clear, the clearest warning of what was inside being the faint yellow glow of flames. When it finally settled, a sight that was very familiar to both of them was standing in the middle with a calming grin and an easy stance, holding them both at gunpoint. Finger gun point. She glanced between the pair, and despite both of them clearly being a Ruby, it was pretty clear which was which. Her sister was the one who went on that anime binge with Penny before deciding on a new huntress uniform, and the one who was probably working with the Blake in the Bullhead was the one who looked like a feral Hot Yopic threw up on her. And ate her arm. Oh.

It felt deeply uncomfortable that her own prosthetic was the one pointing at that Ruby, but she was already commited to the pose.

"Alright, nobody move! Hey sis!"

She shot her Ruby a warm smile before she turned towards the other one, and did everything she could to keep that same warmth. She'd always been so proud of Ruby. Not just because she was a super smart and brave ultra huntress that made most licensed adults look like chumps, not just because she had an actual pure heart of gold and a moral center that even Yang was jealous of, but because she was all of those things despite all the horrible things that had happened to them. She'd lost her mom in a way that couldn't ever be fixed, she'd seen her family come so close to falling apart, and despite all of that, all she wanted to be was a hero. And she was so awesome at it Yang was so proud ;~;

But while it wasn't a world Yang could have ever really imagined until tonight, she supposed the whole reason she was proud was because it would have been so easy for Ruby to... not be that. To have her mom and superhero die so young, and to take all the pain from that and none of the inspiration. To get the wrong voices guiding her along, that beat her down and dragged her to the wrong life instead of trying to uplift her and make sure she walked the path she was most definitely born to. To end up like, well... like this Ruby, who looked so wild, and angry, and maimed.

...

Yang suddenly knew that if this world had two Rubys, then it probably had another Yang out there as well. And if it did?

Yang was absolutely going to kick the ever loving shit out of her for letting this happen.

"...Hey sis. Any chance you'd be willing to stand down?" She eventually asked in a tone as gentle and genuine as could be

 

[Gus Gungus]

Yang gave her uncle a comforting squeeze on the shoulder and was already striding unsteadily towards the side hatch, grabbing onto the handle above it and waiting for Qrow to activate the door when he gave the orders and-

"My what??? No, we're just, its a partners thing and, its just, and that's not even MY Blake, n-not that Blake's anybody's and, ugh never mind, just be careful with her!" she huffed back at her as the hatch slid open. She briefly made sure we was steady on her feet for the very important task of slapping her cheeks a few times to make sure she wasn't divebombing into what was probably gonna be YET ANOTHER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE for the night while blushing like a twelve year old.

"WHOA, WHAT'D I SAY? ARE YOU AND BLAKE NOT FRIENDS?" He shouted with bemused confusion, voice raised to cover the howling winds once they entered through the open hatch. If Qrow even had any idea what his niece was blustering about he was clearly playing it coy, grip steady on the controls but not exactly sure how to make this thing hover on an even level without kind of awkwardly banking it back and forth.

"REMEMBER, WHEN RUBY'S CHARGING SHE ALWAYS-" Were the last words she heard before the wind ripped her away from them.

 

[MyrtenRose]

Right after Ruby's first shot, the street was hit by a meteor. cloud of dust it kicked up was slowly to clear, the clearest warning of what was inside being the faint yellow glow of flames. When it finally settled, a sight that was very familiar to both of them was standing in the middle with a calming grin and an easy stance, holding them both at gunpoint. Finger gun point. She glanced between the pair, and despite both of them clearly being a Ruby, it was pretty clear which was which. Her sister was the one who went on that anime binge with Penny before deciding on a new huntress uniform, and the one who was probably working with the Blake in the Bullhead was the one who looked like a feral Hot Yopic threw up on her. And ate her arm. Oh.

It felt deeply uncomfortable that her own prosthetic was the one pointing at that Ruby, but she was already commited to the pose.

"Alright, nobody move! Hey sis!"

She shot her Ruby a warm smile before she turned towards the other one, and did everything she could to keep that same warmth. She'd always been so proud of Ruby. Not just because she was a super smart and brave ultra huntress that made most licensed adults look like chumps, not just because she had an actual pure heart of gold and a moral center that even Yang was jealous of, but because she was all of those things despite all the horrible things that had happened to them. She'd lost her mom in a way that couldn't ever be fixed, she'd seen her family come so close to falling apart, and despite all of that, all she wanted to be was a hero. And she was so awesome at it Yang was so proud ;~;

But while it wasn't a world Yang could have ever really imagined until tonight, she supposed the whole reason she was proud was because it would have been so easy for Ruby to... not be that. To have her mom and superhero die so young, and to take all the pain from that and none of the inspiration. To get the wrong voices guiding her along, that beat her down and dragged her to the wrong life instead of trying to uplift her and make sure she walked the path she was most definitely born to. To end up like, well... like this Ruby, who looked so wild, and angry, and maimed.

...

Yang suddenly knew that if this world had two Rubys, then it probably had another Yang out there as well. And if it did?

Yang was absolutely going to kick the ever loving shit out of her for letting this happen.

"...Hey sis. Any chance you'd be willing to stand down?" She eventually asked in a tone as gentle and genuine as could be

"...….." Her attention had been so hyperfocused on dealing with the dark reflection of her that she hadn't seen so much as a hint that something like that was incoming. Ruby instantly recoiled, one arm preemptively rising up to shield her eyes from the sudden cloud of dust, her other hand tightening her grip on Crescent in case whoever this was that literally dropped onto the scene was another bad guy she'd need to handle.

It wasn't.

When the dust settled, it revealed a comfortingly familiar sight pointing a finger gun over in her direction, her prosthetic practically glinting in the moonlight. "...Yang." The expression on her face in that moment was so honestly, earnestly grateful that she felt she was barely a step or two away from letting out tears of relief. This whole situation so far was so messed up. After waking up here, with the very first recognizable person she ran into sharing a face with the arrogant sadist who murdered Pyrrha right in front of her eyes...having to stand side by side with that person...even having to deal with a version of herself that didn't even care about who she had to kill to get what she wanted, or rather what he wanted...

It really was so nice to see her.

If the situation wasn't as serious as it was, Ruby would probably have sped forward and tackled Yang in a glomp in pretty much the same way the rebuilt Penny had tackled her when she reunited with them after so long. But unfortunately, it was that serious, so instead Ruby just stepped up until she was standing next to her older sister. "I already asked. She refused." Ruby told Yang, a hint of sadness evident as she relayed that information. Though she didn't continue attacking either, just standing there waiting to see how her other self would react. If there was anybody that could get through to her...well, Ruby sure would have bet good money on that one person being Yang.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

She bet the blonde just loved that. Seeing her vulnerable. Watching her crawl. More than that, she knew she did. She could try to cover it up with as much of a patronising front of decency and as many shows of puppy-eyed concern for Blake as she wanted; it was in the way goading her brought a smile to her face, how she seemed to relish every strike she landed on the faunus right up to the kick she used to put her out, casual and dismissive. Like the kind you'd give a dog.

It might've been pitiful to Yang, seeing a prideful and accomplished warrior reduced to base instinct and impotent determination in her efforts to stop her, but it wasn't as if this was anything new. No, while it was true it had been a few years, some of her most formative memories involved her being forced to similar lows by whatever greedy Schnee foreman wanted to remind her who she belonged to that week, whichever off-duty guard came back after happy hour to smack some respect into the faunus whelp who kept giving them lip. It was the kind of thing humans liked to tell themselves was 'outlier behaviour', because it was always easier and cheaper than actually having to admit there was a problem. But she'd seen it often enough; She'd seen it tonight. Nobody enjoyed beating on someone that much without a reason. Most of the time, the reason wasn't a good one. She'd been battered and branded. Tormented and degraded.

The one thing she had never been was someone who stayed down for long.

No matter how many times someone forced her into the dirt, she would rise like a phoenix with triple the righteousness and triple the resolve to be the person the faunus needed her to be. The person she wished had been there to rescue them when she was little. She liked putting it nobly like that, because anything else would be to admit the reserves she drew on to endure past her pain threshold were nothing so courageous or selfless; It was spite, plain and simple, hatred and resentment for all of it. Her way of railing against the foremen and guards, against the world itself and the hand she'd been dealt in it.

It didn't matter. All that mattered was, no more than a few minutes after Yang and Qrow left her there, Eve's eyes flared wide open, and there was surprising vigor to her movements as she pulled herself to her knees using Wilt with a few short, deep breaths, before slowly raising a finger to her ear.

"Call in an aerial sweep. I need locations for every congregation of huntsmen and huntresses in the city. I'm looking for three in particular..."

It wasn't a favourite tactic of hers, but when driven to her knees and left with no other options there was usually an advantage or two to be squeezed from playing dead.​

 

[MidwayLives]

A fist slamming into her stomach interrupted her serious question, and her mouth opened to try to finish it but before she could, another punch struck in the same freaking spot. But in her counterpart's angry tirade after getting some of that blood spat right back at her, Ruby could tell a third blow was following. Instead of hitting her, that robotic hand struck the ground instead. A trail of rose petals led to where Ruby now stood a few feet away. With her eyes blinded so, it was risky to run too far, but this distance was enough to let her escape and give her some time to rub at her face with her sleeve, wiping the blood away and restoring her sight. "Yeah, well. You reap what you sow." Ruby wisely remarked back at her double's frustration. It was followed by a not so wise:

"Ugh!" Ruby angrily wiped the bloody spittle from her face. Her eyes went wide as she saw just how quickly her counterpart recovered. "NO!" She screamed as she lunged at her. But it was simply too late by that point. Shots smashed against her aura. One in particular chipped the paint off part of Ruby's prosthetic as the bullet's trajectory was knocked off course. As she staggered, struggling to keep her footings, she glanced over at her doppleganger with the most horrified expression imaginable. As she made the face, she realized it was the same one she'd made back when Qrow told her that no matter how hard she trained with him, no matter what she accomplished. It wouldn't bring her mother back from the winter cold clutches of death.

'They're going to beat me. She's going to beat me. They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me! THEY"RE GOING TO KILL ME!!!'

As she started to hyperventilate, the last shot came in.

It shattered Ruby's aura and sent her crashing pathetically to the ground in a heap. She was exhausted and even found it difficult to move, let alone get up and continue fighting. As her breaths grew more and more ragged, she could feel something warm running down her forehead. Gripping onto a nearby street pole to pull herself up, she touched her fingers to the right side of her head and pulled them back. Blood. Her aura had been shattered and she was more vulnerable now than ever. Was....Was this how it was going to end for her? 'The Red Masque' brought down by...herself? No, calling that girl 'her' wasn't doing it justice. She was a better her.

And she hated and loved her for it.

Feeling her eyes growing wet, she tried her best to stifle the incoming torrent of tears. If there was to be one last dignity afforded to her, please, let it be that. Whimpers were all the other Ruby heard coming from her counterpart as she attempted to take a step forward, her flesh and blood hand still gripping tightly onto the pole.

'He's going to be so disappointed in me. I let him down....He believed in me and I let him down. I'm so sorry...'

Gripping onto the forearm of her prosthetic arm, Ruby growled and ripped the top panel off and flung it aside. Revealing all sorts of various colored cables and wires. Likely what helped coordinate signals from the brain to Ruby's arm to do x.

'I can't let them take me....I could never look him in the eyes again....He promised me all I could ever want in this world and I lost...'
​

Right after Ruby's first shot, the street was hit by a meteor. cloud of dust it kicked up was slowly to clear, the clearest warning of what was inside being the faint yellow glow of flames. When it finally settled, a sight that was very familiar to both of them was standing in the middle with a calming grin and an easy stance, holding them both at gunpoint. Finger gun point. She glanced between the pair, and despite both of them clearly being a Ruby, it was pretty clear which was which. Her sister was the one who went on that anime binge with Penny before deciding on a new huntress uniform, and the one who was probably working with the Blake in the Bullhead was the one who looked like a feral Hot Yopic threw up on her. And ate her arm. Oh.

It felt deeply uncomfortable that her own prosthetic was the one pointing at that Ruby, but she was already commited to the pose.

"..."

Ruby said nothing at the sudden 'explosion' that occurred near herself and the 'Other.' She was too weak to pay any mind to a newcomer, whoever it may have been. She doubted it was one of her 'allies' come to rescue her like a knight in shining armor. She never asked for anyone's help and in return, she only ever got asked for aid when it was to kill someone or to interrogate someone. Never to sit down and talk or see how the others were doing. Everyone looked at her as though she were a monster. The girl behind the identity of 'The Red Masque' didn't seem to exist for most people and usually she was fine with that. But...not always, she wasn't born with a heart of stone, so ready to cast aside the feelings of others and her own as well.

Given the reaction Blake had when she learned the two of them were to work together, she supposed that view wasn't too far from the truth.

As the dust settled and she could see it blowing away in the wind, she took a few deep breaths and slowly looked over her shoulder to see who'd arrived. Probably another one of her 'Other's 'friends' come to assist her. From wherever it was they crawled out of. Hell? No.

Perhaps somewhere far more majestic and kind. Where things turned out better...for everyone.

With a bloody streak over her right eye, forcing her to keep it shut for now, Ruby's bottom lip trembled.
​

"Alright, nobody move! Hey sis!"

"Yang...?"

No, it wasn't her Yang. It would have been stupid of her to ever believe it was. She dressed differently, matching the appearance that shape shifting woman had conjured up. Which meant that she'd probably been from wherever they called home as well. Turning to face the two sister took a great deal of effort which was obvious enough by the expression on her face. Her shoulders slumped and her hand continuing to hold onto the rail, she exhaled a few more times.

"My....My Yang hasn't called me 'sis' in....years..."

No. It was always 'Ruby' or 'Red' or maybe 'sister' occasionally. Cold, professional, to the point. Not that Ruby could fully blame her. She mostly spoke to Yang these days to pass on orders and that was all. The last time...The last time Ruby remembered being called sis?

It must have been after the Beowulf attack. The one that cost Ruby her arm and yet was her first use of her strange eyes. She could recall it so vividly. She was carried in her uncle's arms, her stump wrapped up in bandages as Yang followed behind but still keeping a fair distance.

"Is...Is she going to be ok, Uncle Qrow? Is my sis going to be ok...?"

She couldn't remember what her uncle said afterwards. But from that point on until Ruby left the bandits behind to strike out as 'The Red Masque', she'd always gotten a certain feeling from her sister. No matter how hard she tried she could never place it. Was it fear that Ruby had killed the creature and stood defiant even after what she'd lost? Was it jealously that she'd gone out to work on her own and then became so close with Ozpin? Ruby didn't know and Yang wasn't saying. Sure, she could have probably beaten answers out of her but they wouldn't have been the truth. They'd have only been what Ruby wanted to hear: that her own sister didn't despise her for ruining her life.

She couldn't fight these two. Not now. She was too weak, tired, hungry. Letting go of the pole and staggering, threatening to lose her footing at any second she drew Crescent Rose from her back and slammed the handle into the ground to right herself. "The truth is....heh.....I don't even know if she hates me or fears me...."
​

Yang suddenly knew that if this world had two Rubys, then it probably had another Yang out there as well. And if it did?

Yang was absolutely going to kick the ever loving shit out of her for letting this happen.

"...Hey sis. Any chance you'd be willing to stand down?" She eventually asked in a tone as gentle and genuine as could be

Ruby's eyes from when she'd fought Neo to her struggle with her 'Other' counterpart were filled with nothing but hatred, anger. Directed at whoever sought to inconvenience her from accomplishing her goals. But as Yang said that, the figurative dam broke. Tears poured freely from Ruby's eyes, mixing in with the blood that currently blinded her right eye.



Her left eye seemed to lose the anger within it and Ruby chuckled.

"Heh....You're not...Not my Yang and yet you're standing here talking me down. You're looking me in the eyes...." She couldn't say her Yang did that for her either. "My 'other' shattered my aura...I'd *cough* be easy pickings if you two wanted to make a fight out of this."

Closing her left eye, Ruby sighed.

"I can't do that, Yang."
​

It really was so nice to see her.

If the situation wasn't as serious as it was, Ruby would probably have sped forward and tackled Yang in a glomp in pretty much the same way the rebuilt Penny had tackled her when she reunited with them after so long. But unfortunately, it was that serious, so instead Ruby just stepped up until she was standing next to her older sister. "I already asked. She refused." Ruby told Yang, a hint of sadness evident as she relayed that information. Though she didn't continue attacking either, just standing there waiting to see how her other self would react. If there was anybody that could get through to her...well, Ruby sure would have bet good money on that one person being Yang.

As the tears continued to come, Ruby looked down at the exposed wires in her arm. "You know, here, I have a moniker...'The Red Masque.' Most townsfolk think I'm a myth, an urban legend. Others think I'm the scum of the world. I honestly couldn't tell you who's right. It's a step up from living with bandits..." She laughed. The effort to do so pained her. "I've had a pretty good run...Until tonight. Nobody has ever cornered 'The Red Masque.' Makes sense that it'd take ME to stop...me!" As her grip on Crescent Rose's handle grew tighter, she looked down at the wires. "Built it myself...Well, the prototype at least. Had a program in it called the 'Cornered Wolf.' "

Ruby's smile slowly turned into a frown.

"Do you know what wolves, or any predators do when they're cornered/trapped? Some of them...Chew their own limbs off for an escape...." At that moment, Ruby bit into the wires and ripped some important looking ones out causing sparks to shoot out from her artificial limb. Spitting them out, Ruby felt herself on the verge of hyperventilating again. "When I had this arm given to me, they told me that they removed that program. Considered it to dangerous. But, tear a few things out, tinker with it a bit and it's still there...It was just hidden..."

Looking over the two sisters before her, Ruby smiled.

"Despite everything I've said? I'm glad to have met you two. I wish things could have been different."

....

"I'm sorry."

*SHUNK*

Crescent Rose was slung safely back onto her back. All while her entire body trembled in pain and a agonizing scream escaped her lips. The chopped off prosthetic started to fall to the ground before Ruby gave it a sharp kick. As the limb flew towards the two, Ruby clutched onto her bleeding stump and began to turn and run. Her aura had been shattered which meant no semblance. With her injuries, she doubted she'd get far but she had to try. As the limb sailed through the air, in between her cries of pain, she called out a key phrase.

"Summer Rose..."

Something inside the arm clicked and light began to circulate from out of the arm....

*BOOM!*

Thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion, her vision-already blurred- grew even worse. She could hardly make out what was infront of her. Just grey and black shapeless blobs. But she couldn't let them take her. Pushing herself up despite her injuries, she kept her hand over her stump, trying to ignore the warm blood oozing over her fingers. She just had to keep running....Running....Running....

....It felt as thought she'd been doing that all her life...

First from her broken home, then from Qrow's tribe, and now from herself.

Her Uncle had told her something way back when and it was starting to come back..

~~~

"Uncle Qrow?"

"Mh, what is it, Ruby? Training's done for the day. Go rest and stop bothering me."

"S-Sorry...It's just that...Uncle Qrow? What do you do when you lose?"

...The unexpected question seemed to have given him pause. Folding his arms across his chest, he motioned for Ruby to come closer.



"It's...a good question, Ruby. For most people, winning or losing can vary in significance. You lost to your friend playing a child's game? No big deal in the grand scheme of things. You lose your money, your home, it's hard but they can be replaced, in time if you're willing to work for it. But to lose a goal that you've set for yourself? That can be devastating."

"....Have you ever lost something, Uncle Qrow?"

"...More than you know, kid." Taking a moment too look upon the sunrise, Qrow sighed. "Ruby. I get it. You don't plan to spend your entire life here. This wasn't your life from the start and it was never going to be. This wasn't just a child's wandering mind. You want to know what to expect out there."

"....Yes..." Ruby admitted sheepishly.

"You're tough. Still a kid but you've gotten up every time I've knocked you down. But, Ruby, there's something you have to understand about the way people like my tribe and I live. Sometimes, life's not black and white. You've got decisions to make. Thinking what you could or should do instead of what you WILL do is going to get you killed. If it's clear you're outmatched, don't throw yourself into an early grave. You'll have wasted your time AND mine. Do what you have to. Understand?"

"....Yes, Uncle Qrow."

"Good. Go get some rest, now."

"Okay..." Ruby turned to walk away before looking over her shoulder. "It's....been fun, Uncle Qrow."

"..."

~~~

As she continued to run, her heart feeling like it was going to burst, she thought of the things left unsaid.

'When I told you why I had to do this? It...wasn't entirely true. I'm not just doing this for the dream he and I share. I'm doing it for her: my mother. Well, I guess, OUR mother. A wicked witch took her away and I've spent every moment that I could afford getting stronger...All to make her pay.'

"*cough* Ugh...."

She rounded a corner, nearly tripping over herself as he did so. The blood from her stump leaving a trail behind her. Something she acknowledged but could do little about.

'I'm sorry I seemed to have caused so much trouble. If you two pursue me, I doubt I'll get too far. I'm too injured, too tired...'

As she stumbled again, she struggled to regain her footing...She collapsed onto the pavement. She dug her nails against the ground and continued to pull herself forward. All while miserable whimpers continued to slip past her lips.

'When I pass out...please....don't wake me. 'Tis only in my dreams that I see her. The one I'd let loose all the monsters and beasts galore to see....Just one more time.'

If Ruby and Yang had indeed pursued her, they would have found her slumped up against a ravaged department store. Her hair a mess and matted with blood. Her sleeve stained as well. But despite all that she'd done...

She had a smile on her face. What could she have been dreaming of?

​

 

[MidwayLives]

Who was quick to capitalize, sending the redhead skyward at a considerable velocity. But that move gave Nikos a bit of readjusting time and she in turn capitalized on it. Twisting in mid-air, her sword shifted into its javelin form. Her eyes tracked one of the Neos as she got served up, and at the apex of the maneuver that Neo was even higher in the air than she was, looking down at her with a wide smile. Pyrrha grinned back. As those hands came down, Pyrrha's javelin wasn't thrown but more shot forward like a bullet thanks to her semblance, striking that skull at the exact same moment Neo's hands hit her.

These illusions were a handy trick, to be sure. But as useful as they were, from what she had seen so far they couldn't actually strike her. They were nothing more than distractions. If either Neo wanted to inflict damage, it had to be the real one attacking. So it simply came down to a matter of timing her attacks at the opportune moment to ensure she was hitting the real ones.

Pyrrha got knocked back down to the street below, the seasoned warrior adjusting her fall enough to land in a classic three-point landing stance. As she straightened up, her hand raised into the air, and her javelin got tugged down to comfortably sail back into her grip. Instantly it shifted into rifle form, and she braced it up on her shield before opening fire on the Neo still on the ground.

*THUNK*

Neo landed with a swift roll to her feet....which quickly wound up with her clutching at her head, her face scrunching up in pain. That hurt...THAT really hurt! What sucked worse than the headache felt coming on was that it was going to turn into a similar injury that her 'Other' had. Ugh!

No wonder her Cinder made sure to kill this one. She'd have been a pain in the ass later on down the line. Neo would have liked nothing more than to have stabbed her, over and over, 'til the job was done. But she'd seen how she'd flung that javelin and stopped Roman's weapon. The knife inside Hush would only get used against her, probably....used to stab herself or something. It's what SHE would have done in Pyrrha's shoes. As it stood, she just wanted to bring. her. down!

Rushing forward as her other did her thing and distracted her, opening Hush up for whatever shots might have been directed her way, she closed it up once she got close enough and swung the parasol to try and crack Pyrrha in the back. Only for it to shatter as the 'real' Neo jumped up to try and smash her closed parasol downwards.

Just. GO DOWN!!!​

 

[MyrtenRose]

When Pyrrha landed, the real ( : | ) Neo didn't immediately make any moves, her hands clasped behind her back and moving at a lackadaisical pace as she took a few steps to the side while Pyrrha's javelin was zipping back to her hand. When the warrior first pulled her sight across Neo, the little student gave her a wink, before the first shot was ducked to the side, the second with a twist the other direction, and the third clipped her shoulder in a flare of aura as she dashed forward straight through it, weaving through the fire as best she could, till when she was a few steps away she leaped up into the air in a graceful arc- the clone shattered at the same time Neo slammed her boot on the barrel of Pyrrha's rifle aiming to snap the butt of it straight in Pyrrha's cheek, snatch it out of the air as it spun, and turn the tables with a cluster of shots from Milo before Pyrrha inevitably yanked it back

The smirk on Pyrrha's face slowly faded throughout that whole exchange, the little huntress-in-training weaving through her gunfire with graceful agility. It...was admittedly impressive, but at this time it was not appreciated. And neither was the small punk using Nikos' own weapon to hit her in the face, that blow followed in short order by a scattering of rounds colliding with her aura. With a loud yell, she reached out and pulled her rifle back, catching it and spinning it in one fluid motion to aim at--​

*THUNK*

Neo landed with a swift roll to her feet....which quickly wound up with her clutching at her head, her face scrunching up in pain. That hurt...THAT really hurt! What sucked worse than the headache felt coming on was that it was going to turn into a similar injury that her 'Other' had. Ugh!

No wonder her Cinder made sure to kill this one. She'd have been a pain in the ass later on down the line. Neo would have liked nothing more than to have stabbed her, over and over, 'til the job was done. But she'd seen how she'd flung that javelin and stopped Roman's weapon. The knife inside Hush would only get used against her, probably....used to stab herself or something. It's what SHE would have done in Pyrrha's shoes. As it stood, she just wanted to bring. her. down!

Rushing forward as her other did her thing and distracted her, opening Hush up for whatever shots might have been directed her way, she closed it up once she got close enough and swung the parasol to try and crack Pyrrha in the back. Only for it to shatter as the 'real' Neo jumped up to try and smash her closed parasol downwards.

Just. GO DOWN!!!

-the other one, a barrage of rounds that only hit that infernal umbrella. That javelin strike hadn't been enough??? Pyrrha leaped back just as that second Neo jumped forward. That attack was avoided entirely but rather than counterattack, Pyrrha glanced between the two Neos in a swift assessment of the situation.

------------------

This...is not going at all how it was supposed to.

That much was clear. Losing the biggest Grimm so easily, so fast...of all the beasts unleashed upon the kingdom from all the negativity, that one was the most crucial. Without it spearheading the Grimm attack, the rest of the hordes were slowly but surely being thinned out by professional huntsmen and huntresses, the Atlesian military troops still standing, as well as the many eager students who jumped to the defense and even the White Fang members that had showed up to assist. Too many of them were emboldened upon seeing the ease with which that ancient Grimm had been vanquished. The beast meant to inspire terror only brought about more courage.

More than that, many of their forces were turning tail and running. With Nora indisposed, as well as her enforcer, the common criminals she had rallied to the cause with promises of great rewards now saw nothing but a losing battle with little to be gained from continuing on. Say what you will about most criminals, but there is nothing they do better than looking out for themselves above all else.

The same could be said for the Shadow Fang. With Blake having gone mysteriously silent, many in their number were abandoning the plan. And who even knew what was happening with the Red Masque. He hadn't heard a thing from her in some time. How??? How had this gone all so wrong? It had sounded so flawless when the plan had been described to him. Jaune lowered the scroll and after a couple more seconds just looking over everything from this vantage point, he quit broadcasting the events. He didn't see much point in it now. No, this was the time to get out before it was too late.

------------------

Pyrrha had slowly come to the same conclusion. If she lingered too much longer, the likelihood of her ending up beaten and imprisoned was high. That brought a frown to her face. She didn't much like retreating from a fight, especially one as exciting as this one, but if it was between running away or ending up in some cell...there wasn't really a choice in the matter. She would do whatever was required to avoid that, if reluctantly.

Both her weapon and her shield were slung onto her back, Pyrrha quickly glancing towards Ren. A second later, that Atlesian mech keeping him pinned was wrenched right off and flung over at the two Neos with considerable force. Nikos quickly capitalized on that distraction, scooping up the unconscious Ren and using her semblance to levitate Nora via the weapon on her back before she just took off running with both in tow. She was making a break for it. She was counting on the fact that they would be too busy tending to their wounded allies to go after her. She had failed to acquire their target, but if Pyrrha had tried to take her...she felt that would have only guaranteed pursuit.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Both her weapon and her shield were slung onto her back, Pyrrha quickly glancing towards Ren. A second later, that Atlesian mech keeping him pinned was wrenched right off and flung over at the two Neos with considerable force. Nikos quickly capitalized on that distraction, scooping up the unconscious Ren and using her semblance to levitate Nora via the weapon on her back before she just took off running with both in tow. She was making a break for it. She was counting on the fact that they would be too busy tending to their wounded allies to go after her. She had failed to acquire their target, but if Pyrrha had tried to take her...she felt that would have only guaranteed pursuit.

Oh.

Neo's irritating confidence in the face of the enemy wasn't completely genuine. Just mostly. It was all part of how she fought people; she wasn't as physically strong or tough as most huntsmen or the kind of criminals they'd be thrown up against on occasion instead of grimm. Frustrating enemies, making them overcommit or making fighting back feel like a hopeless endeavor when she was burning a chunk of her own aura as she was smacking theirs of off of them with liberal use of her semblance, it was all part of the untouchable front she put up.

Unfortunately, you couldn't really fool a ten foot tall hunk of metal, and she wore very genuine panic on her face as she scrambled to the side and dove just in time for the monstrosity to crash into the street instead of, well, still into the street and just making Neo paste between it and the mech.

She stood up just in time to see Pyrrha round a corner, catching her breath and wiping a bit of sweat of sweat off her chin with her wrist as her other hand supported her on her knee. She debated giving chase, but... she was pretty sure she and, uh, herself were the only people still conscious except for Roman, who wasn't exactly in the shape to help anyone else. She settled for giving the mistralian champion the bird as she ran off. She groaned in slightly as the soreness of the night caught up with her , stretching her arms and arching her back, before she took a deep breath and made eye contact with her other half.

"..."

She very slowly raised her fist up towards her for a fist bump, a slightly shy smile on her face

It shattered as soon as the other Neo made contact, the same moment the real Neo's parasol tip jabbed her in the throat, followed by a sweep of the legs that rotated into a rising kick, before the parasol was flipped in its grip so that the curved handle could snatch the back of Neo's shirt, yank her back down, and the rotation completed one more time for the real Neo's ( :|| ) boot to come crashing down on the other one's gut while she was on the ground. Absolutely none of what had just happened changed three very important details; this person had her face, had done something terrible enough for her to be in Atlas' sights as a criminal, and was seemingly trying to get close to Roman for what Neo could only assume was very devious, terrible reasons. Whoever she was, she was dangerous; she had a feeling the reason Pyrrha kept targetting her rather than herself was because she could tell the Neo that wasn't her was the more threatening one; if she was ever gonna have a chance to bring her down it'd be now, after she'd taken a beating from multiple mistralian champion counterattacks. If the aura broke, She leaned over her with that same shy smile, before she gave her a little wave and then a sharp thwack to the noggin with her parasol.

She stood up and took a deep breath, staring at the sky with a content smile, just sort of basking in the moment that, in the midst of all this terribleness, in a brawl of the ages between Vale's most wanted, Beacon's finest freshmen, and literally herself, she was the only one left standing.

Nice.

Then she heard a door slam open as Arthur fell through it and cough up a bit of blood in his efforts to reunite with his team pushing his wounded body way, way too hard, and it smashed Neo's reverie like it was one her clones with a gut punch of guilt as she jumped and started the process of trying to get everyone together and desperately hoping her scroll could contact some sort of medical assistance :' )

 

[MidwayLives]

Pyrrha had slowly come to the same conclusion. If she lingered too much longer, the likelihood of her ending up beaten and imprisoned was high. That brought a frown to her face. She didn't much like retreating from a fight, especially one as exciting as this one, but if it was between running away or ending up in some cell...there wasn't really a choice in the matter. She would do whatever was required to avoid that, if reluctantly.

Both her weapon and her shield were slung onto her back, Pyrrha quickly glancing towards Ren. A second later, that Atlesian mech keeping him pinned was wrenched right off and flung over at the two Neos with considerable force. Nikos quickly capitalized on that distraction, quickly scooping up the unconscious Ren and using her semblance to levitate Nora via the weapon on her back before she just took off running with both in tow. She was making a break for it. She was counting on the fact that they would be too busy tending to their wounded allies to go after her. She had failed to acquire their target, but if Pyrrha had tried to take her...she felt that would have only guaranteed pursuit.

Yeah, that's right. Run.

Such a shame she had a terrible headache and that this one's semblance was magnetism. She really would have enjoyed skewering her through the stomach like the pain in the ass she was. Hurting Roman like that and not finishing Cinder off when she had the chance.

Hmmm....

Neo eyed the downed Cinder and genuinely gave it some thought.

...Nah. Too much risk and her head hurt. Oh and there was also a giant robot being thrown their way. Deftly rolling out the way, Neo stumbled a bit and stamped her foot in frustration at the aching sensation around her general face area.
​

She stood up just in time to see Pyrrha round a corner, catching her breath and wiping a bit of sweat of sweat off her chin with her wrist as her other hand supported her on her knee. She debated giving chase, but... she was pretty sure she and, uh, herself were the only people still conscious except for Roman, who wasn't exactly in the shape to help anyone else. She settled for giving the mistralian champion the bird as she ran off. She groaned in slightly as the soreness of the night caught up with her , stretching her arms and arching her back, before she took a deep breath and made eye contact with her other half.

Oh yeah, her.

Well...She hadn't done a bad job at all. Truthfully, Neo was pretty impressed at how her 'other' did. She pulled off some pretty stylish moves like the gun trick, the diving kick, etc. No broken bones or blood though which was a mark against her. Maybe she wouldn't have to murder her and bury her somewhere Roman would never fnd after all. Giving her a smile back, Neo gave a small wave.
​

"..."

She very slowly raised her fist up towards her for a fist bump, a slightly shy smile on her face

"...!"

Aww, okay that was pretty adorable-
​

She very slowly raised her fist up towards her for a fist bump, a slightly shy smile on her face

It shattered as soon as the other Neo made contact, the same moment the real Neo's parasol tip jabbed her in the throat, followed by a sweep of the legs that rotated into a rising kick, before the parasol was flipped in its grip so that the curved handle could snatch the back of Neo's shirt, yank her back down, and the rotation completed one more time for the real Neo's ( :|| ) boot to come crashing down on the other one's gut while she was on the ground. Absolutely none of what had just happened changed three very important details; this person had her face, had done something terrible enough for her to be in Atlas' sights as a criminal, and was seemingly trying to get close to Roman for what Neo could only assume was very devious, terrible reasons. Whoever she was, she was dangerous; she had a feeling the reason Pyrrha kept targetting her rather than herself was because she could tell the Neo that wasn't her was the more dangerous one; if she was ever gonna have a chance to bring her down it'd be now, after she'd taken a beating from multiple mistralian champion counterattacks. If the aura broke, She leaned over her with that same shy smile, before she gave her a little wave and then a sharp thwack to the noggin with her parasol.

She stood up and took a deep breath, staring at the sky with a content smile, just sort of basking in the moment that, in the midst of all this terribleness, in a brawl of the ages between Vale's most wanted, Beacon's finest freshmen, and literally herself, she was the only one left standing.

WHAT

As she was left flat on her back, Neo could only glare up at her other and mouthed two words.

Two very nasty words.

Then she was out like a light.

"Hahahaha oh man! You totally styled on her! HahahahaohheyNeoi'minincrediblepaincanyouhelpmeup"​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Yang...?"

No, it wasn't her Yang. It would have been stupid of her to ever believe it was. She dressed differently, matching the appearance that shape shifting woman had conjured up. Which meant that she'd probably been from wherever they called home as well. Turning to face the two sister took a great deal of effort which was obvious enough by the expression on her face. Her shoulders slumped and her hand continuing to hold onto the rail, she exhaled a few more times.

"My....My Yang hasn't called me 'sis' in....years..."

"Well.. I don't mind saying it." She said quietly, lowering the most lethal of any bisexual's weapons as the finger guns dropped, still smiling.

"I don't know about your Yang, but I made a promise that I'd never let my sister be alone. No matter what happened. And if you need help, well... You're still my sister, even if you're not my Ruby. Talk to me?" She asked as she slowly took a step forward.

"O-or you don't have to talk, if you don't want to. I can just be here for you, and you don't have to do all of this anymore. I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

The words were warm and genuine, but laced with an anxiousness. It seemed like she could still tell when her sister was having a panic attack even if she was calling herself the Red Masque.

As the tears continued to come, Ruby looked down at the exposed wires in her arm. "You know, here, I have a moniker...'The Red Masque.' Most townsfolk think I'm a myth, an urban legend. Others think I'm the scum of the world. I honestly couldn't tell you who's right. It's a step up from living with bandits..." She laughed. The effort to do so pained her. "I've had a pretty good run...Until tonight. Nobody has ever cornered 'The Red Masque.' Makes sense that it'd take ME to stop...me!" As her grip on Crescent Rose's handle grew tighter, she looked down at the wires. "Built it myself...Well, the prototype at least. Had a program in it called the 'Cornered Wolf.' "

Ruby's smile slowly turned into a frown.

"Do you know what wolves, or any predators do when they're cornered/trapped? Some of them...Chew their own limbs off for an escape...." At that moment, Ruby bit into the wires and ripped some important looking ones out causing sparks to shoot out from her artificial limb. Spitting them out, Ruby felt herself on the verge of hyperventilating again. "When I had this arm given to me, they told me that they removed that program. Considered it to dangerous. But, tear a few things out, tinker with it a bit and it's still there...It was just hidden..."

Looking over the two sisters before her, Ruby smiled.

Yang's eyes widened in horror as Ruby did... that. It was like a scene out of her nightmares, except her imagination hadn't of ever been so creative to ever even consider making Yang watch her sister tear her own arm off even if it was fake, and her slow steps became faster as she started to jog for this mirrored version of her little hero.

"No, no, Ruby don't. Stop. Stop! You don't have to do this anymore, this isn't going to bring her back-!"

"I'm sorry."

*SHUNK*

Crescent Rose was slung safely back onto her back. All while her entire body trembled in pain and a agonizing scream escaped her lips. The chopped off prosthetic started to fall to the ground before Ruby gave it a sharp kick. As the limb flew towards the two, Ruby clutched onto her bleeding stump and began to turn and run. Her aura had been shattered which meant no semblance. With her injuries, she doubted she'd get far but she had to try. As the limb sailed through the air, in between her cries of pain, she called out a key phrase.

"Summer Rose..."

Something inside the arm clicked and light began to circulate from out of the arm....

*BOOM!*

She was gonna remember this for a long time. Years from now, even if they ended up back in their own timeline, and the god of light thought he wiped every memory of this little adventure from their minds and soul, there'd be a moment where Yang would be with her sister and her gaze would linger a little too long, and a feeling of vicious inadequacy and failure would well up in her stomach and sit there for hours till she finally quashed it.

Because as the arm exploded, she did what her instincts told her to do, and immediately turned and bundled her real sister up in her arms to make sure that she took the brunt of the explosion, and in doing so turned her back on trying to help this Ruby who so clearly needed someone, anyone to help her.

The blast sent them flying across the pavement hard enough that they bounced once before they landed, and on the second impact Yang's aura flickered and vanished, the blast and fall enough to finally finish what Eve had started. Her back burned with must've been one hell of a scrape, and she could feel a bit of shrapnel digging into her shoulder, but none of that mattered at the moment as she unbundled herself from her sister and sat her up, still far too focused on her to even think about the other Ruby, or hear what she was saying before she fled, another strike she'd count against herself in a few hours. "Are *cough* are you ok?! Let me-" She fussed for a few seconds, looking and feeling her over before she was sure that she'd taken most of the damage, and a long, painful wheeze of a sigh escaped her lungs as she let her hands rest on Ruby's shoulders as her whole body seemed to deflate, a weak, half hearted laugh coughed up after the sigh.

"...Guess she *cough* wanted to give us a hand... wait uncle qrow just did that one, g-gimme a sec and I'll t-think of a different one...ow..."

A few seconds later she gave up on the attempt and just sunk into a deep, deep hug against her sister, snuggling her close with all her auraless might and seemingly never intending to let go after what she just saw

 

[MyrtenRose]

She was content to let her sis do most of the talking for her, trusting that Yang would know the exact combination of words and facial expressions that would--​

"I'm sorry."

*SHUNK*

Crescent Rose was slung safely back onto her back. All while her entire body trembled in pain and a agonizing scream escaped her lips. The chopped off prosthetic started to fall to the ground before Ruby gave it a sharp kick. As the limb flew towards the two, Ruby clutched onto her bleeding stump and began to turn and run. Her aura had been shattered which meant no semblance. With her injuries, she doubted she'd get far but she had to try. As the limb sailed through the air, in between her cries of pain, she called out a key phrase.

"Summer Rose..."

Something inside the arm clicked and light began to circulate from out of the arm....

*BOOM!*

"Oh no." She whispered in quiet shock immediately before the explosive limb detonated. Ruby had turned towards Yang, reaching out to try and grab hold so she could speed them both out of the blast radius but her sister had beaten her to the punch.​

Because as the arm exploded, she did what her instincts told her to do, and immediately turned and bundled her real sister up in her arms to make sure that she took the brunt of the explosion, and in doing so turned her back on trying to help this Ruby who so clearly needed someone, anyone to help her.

The blast sent them flying across the pavement hard enough that they bounced once before they landed, and on the second impact Yang's aura flickered and vanished, the blast and fall enough to finally finish what Eve had started. Her back burned with must've been one hell of a scrape, and she could feel a bit of shrapnel digging into her shoulder, but none of that mattered at the moment as she unbundled herself from her sister and sat her up, still far too focused on her to even think about the other Ruby, or hear what she was saying before she fled, another strike she'd count against herself in a few hours. "Are *cough* are you ok?! Let me-" She fussed for a few seconds, looking and feeling her over before she was sure that she'd taken most of the damage, and a long, painful wheeze of a sigh escaped her lungs as she let her hands rest on Ruby's shoulders as her whole body seemed to deflate, a weak, half hearted laugh coughed up after the sigh.

"...Guess she *cough* wanted to give us a hand... wait uncle qrow just did that one, g-gimme a sec and I'll t-think of a different one...ow..."

A few seconds later she gave up on the attempt and just sunk into a deep, deep hug against her sister, snuggling her close with all her auraless might and seemingly never intending to let go after what she just saw

"Am I okay?? Yang you just lost your aura, I should be asking you that!" Ruby was quick to say back, even as her older sister poked and prodded her like Yang was a fully fledged doc with an official degree and everything. Yet before Ruby could give anything more than a cursory check, Yang wrapped around her in what was undoubtedly the tightest not-aura-fueled hug she'd ever gotten from her big sister. Ruby didn't have it in her to resist the warm embrace after all that stuff went down and so she simply returned it. She even refrained from commenting on or rolling her eyes at that ridiculously terrible pun. Though after a few moments: "Seriously Yang are you okay, you took way more of the hit than I did!!"

...

"And how did you even find me?" : O


​

 

[Gus Gungus]

If Ruby and Yang had indeed pursued her, they would have found her slumped up against a ravaged department store. Her hair a mess and matted with blood. Her sleeve stained as well. But despite all that she'd done...

She had a smile on her face. What could she have been dreaming of?

With one significant amendment.

As Ruby lay there, bleeding, in her final moments of waning consciousness she may or may not have spotted something. The sinister, red-eyed glare of a Grimm, peering out at her from the darkness of the alley across the street with a patience uncharacteristic of the malevolent creatures.

A mystery soon revealed, as a bloodied and tired Eve emerged from shadows like the specter of death, looking down at the Red Masque with distaste thinly veiled as she guided Ruby's chin up with her blade.

"I think it's time the two of us had a chat."

If the parallel Yang and Ruby did eventually catch up, it was to a trail that led only as far as the spot Ozpin's little killer had slumped in, where naught but a pool of blood and a cracked visor of the White Fang were left to meet them.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Seriously Yang are you okay, you took way more of the hit than I did!!"

...

"And how did you even find me?" : O

"O-of course I did, you dummy, that's your big sis' job"

Her voice was hoarse, with a miserable sniffle. She'd held it in for a long time at this point. She even made a conscious choice not to hug her uncle earlier no matter how much she wanted to when he came to her aid as the first actually recognizable face, because she knew herself well enough to know that once she let it out, the waterworks were gonna be a little hard to reign in. But as tough and cool and beautiful as Yang thought of herself, tonight had been... a lot. A lot a lot. So many a lots it'd take up a few paragraphs.

She sat backwards with a huge sniff and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve, figuring Ruby's shirt could only absorb so much liquid before she was in risk of getting a cold or something, and she gestured vaguely up at the sky.

"...Uncle Qrow's here too. We stole a bullhead, and then followed the very subtle, dragon shaped tracks you left" She said, still catching her breath and tears still streaming down her face but a bit of sarcasm allowed to herself, as a treat.

 

[MyrtenRose]

"O-of course I did, you dummy, that's your big sis' job"

Her voice was hoarse, with a miserable sniffle. She'd held it in for a long time at this point. She even made a conscious choice not to hug her uncle earlier no matter how much she wanted to when he came to her aid as the first actually recognizable face, because she knew herself well enough to know that once she let it out, the waterworks were gonna be a little hard to reign in. But as tough and cool and beautiful as Yang thought of herself, tonight had been... a lot. A lot a lot. So many a lots it'd take up a few paragraphs.

She sat backwards with a huge sniff and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve, figuring Ruby's shirt could only absorb so much liquid before she was in risk of getting a cold or something, and she gestured vaguely up at the sky.

"...Uncle Qrow's here too. We stole a bullhead, and then followed the very subtle, dragon shaped tracks you left" She said, still catching her breath and tears still streaming down her face but a bit of sarcasm allowed to herself, as a treat.

"...But not just yours." Ruby replied with a pointed look over. "It isn't a one way street. We can both keep the other safe." Once the hug was released as Yang pulled back, Ruby was quick to scoot over to Yang's other side to see exactly what Yang had endured from that explosive limb. There were definitely burns and there was a thing poking out of her shoulder, but apart from that...well, she knew how tough her sister was. She'd bounce back. That was pretty much her whole deal. Ruby's thoughts turned to her double, head turning to look in the vague direction that her counterpart had fled. "And maybe others that need it too." Ruby added before turning back, a relieved smile emerging onto her face. "Uncle Qrow...heh. Of course."

He had a knack for being around when he was most needed. The accidental stumbling upon Grimm when they were both kids. Preventing Cinder from taking all the power of the Fall Maiden on the first attempt. The first time she had encountered Tyrian Callows. And now...here. Even when they had gotten dumped into some bizarro world, that was still something she could count on. "Did...did you see anyone else?" Ruby questioned.​