A/N: First RWBY fic from me. This will be a short fic, under 20 chapters at the most. I say 20 because I am known to draw out plot points xD. Rather sporadic updates as I only have computer access every ten or so days.
Chapter 1: An Unfortunate Side-effect
Ruby Rose was trying her hardest not to fall asleep. After all, Professor Goodwitch was scary when stern and Ruby had heard all sorts of horror-stories about her detentions. But she couldn't help the way her eyes drooped! She'd stayed up until three in the morning reading this awesome comic book, and the Professor was harping on and on about things she already knew- seriously, her Uncle Qrow had told her plenty of times how to properly use Dust in combat! Goodwitch's words flew in one ear and out the other as Ruby struggled to tune into the lecture. When she finally found the strength to tune in, the Professor had stopped talking, and was now walking around placing small piles of Dust in front of each student. Ruby panicked. She didn't know what she was supposed to do!
"The assignment starts now!" Goodwitch stated, making Ruby panic even more. 'What do I do, what do I do!' She looked at the other students, and saw them holding the dust and focusing. A few of the students, one of them being her sister, Yang, were glowing with Aura. They must be trying to activate the Dust with Aura!
"I can do that easy!" Ruby nodded to herself, and picked up a handful of the red Dust in front of her. She felt inside of her for her Aura, and started to activate the Burn Dust, and was pleased when a small fire engulfed the Dust. Professor Goodwitch walked around, and stopped in front of her.
"Very well done Miss Rose. Now try to activate the Ice Dust." Ruby nodded, and carefully let her Aura drain from the Dust in her hand. As she placed it down on the disposal pad and grabbed the Ice Dust, absently sending Aura into it, she felt a tickle in her nose. She took a few deep breaths to try and stop the sneeze that was building up in her, but failed. She let out a huge sneeze, blowing the Dust in front of her everywhere. The other students jumped in surprise, and the few that had Aura still active, glowed brighter in preparation for an attack. Ruby groaned and reached for her nose, just as another sneeze came. "EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Professor Goodwitch called, summoning up her Aura as the suddenly raised amount of Aura in the room ignited the Dust floating around, causing an explosion. Every student responded quickly to her warning, and ducked under their desks. Everyone, except Ruby, who was trying to stop sneezing. "Miss Rose!" Goodwitch got out her riding crop, and pointed it at Ruby, quickly forming a protective glyph. However, Ruby chose that moment to move out of the way of the cloud of Dust that was now floating towards her, and the glyph missed her, just as a large explosion rocked the classroom. Ruby's eyes widened as she was flung back into a wall. Her eyes slid closed as Yang rushed to her after Professor Goodwitch dampened the rest of the explosion.
"RUBY!"
Yang paced the hallway outside of the school infirmary, where Professor Goodwitch had taken Ruby once the explosions had died off. Blake was leaning against the wall opposite of her, book in hand, and Weiss was examining her sword for any damages from the explosion. Yang stopped in front of the door as the resident nurse walked out, clipboard in hand and an odd expression on her face. She looked at the three of them and then down at the clipboard.
"You are all members of Team RWBY right?" She asked, and Yang nodded.
"My sister! Is she alright?" The nurse smiled.
"Your sister is fine. Her right arm is broken and, unfortunately, we cannot use healing Dust on it until all the excess Dust in her system is gone. Other than that... well..." The nurse trailed off, and looked back down at the clipboard. "I... uh, don't quite know how to say this..."
"Allow me to explain to them." Yang nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden appearance of the Headmaster.
"Professor Ozpin!" Yang shouted, resting a hand over her heart. "You almost scared to death!"
"Terribly sorry then, Miss Xiao Long." Ozpin sipped from his mug. "Now, there is something that you must know about your sister's condition right now."
"What is it? The nurse said she was fine!"
"And she is, however, the accident in your Dust class has caused some... changes to occur." Yang frowned. "It is hard to explain. Would you like to see her?" Yang nodded vigorously.
"Yes please!" Ozpin waved the three girls into the infirmary, and gestured to a bed hidden by curtains and shoved into the corner. Yang approached quickly, and tore open the curtains. "Ruby are... you..." She trailed off at the sight of her sister. Blake and Weiss exchanged a look, and started over to the sisters. "Uh... Professor Ozpin? Is this some kind of joke?" Blake pulled open the curtains further, and she and Weiss stepped up to the bed. A small child lay in the centre of the bed, unconscious, with a plaster covered arm. The child looked remarkably like Ruby, down to the red in her hair and bright red cloak laying at the foot of the bed.
"It is not a joke Miss Xiao Long. That child is your sister, Ruby Rose." Yang opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when nothing came out. Weiss frowned.
"But Professor Ozpin, Ruby's a kid, yes, but she's a fifteen. Not this... child. She looks barely four!" Ozpin gave a slight shrug.
"We're not sure exactly how Ruby has come to look like this. There are many things about Dust that we do not yet know. We are certain that she won't have to relive her entire life, however. This is most likely only temporary- a few months maximum."
"Months?!" Yang shouted. "But we have final exams! And we have school! How can Ruby continue to go to school if she's going to be kid again for months!" Ozpin sighed, and looked at the slumbering child.
"That is, unfortunately, why I am here. Ruby will be unable to take the practical parts of lessons, as she would be unable to lift her weapon, let alone swing it around." Blake's eyes narrowed.
"You just mentioned the practical lessons. What about actual classes?" At that, Ozpin smiled slightly.
"Well, even a child can pick up a pen, right? Ruby may continue with written work and studying. When she returns to a normal size, she may take her practicals." Yang sighed in relief, and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "Head off to supper you two." He looked right at Weiss and Blake. Yang was obviously not going to move until her sister was awake, even to get food. "Bring some food back for Miss Xiao Long."
"Let's go." Blake said quietly, and Weiss nodded, following after her as they left the room.
"I will be going now Miss Xiao Long." Ozpin said. "I'll be back when Miss Rose wakes." Yang gave a brief nod, not bothering to look anywhere but her sister's unconscious frame. Her hands, which rested on her lap, clenched into fists.