A/N: This story started as total crack so updates will be sporadic at best - this story will also be Enabler though probably quite slow burn so consider yourself forewarned.
Enjoy!
Chapter One
-X- -X-
For Yang Xiao Long the week had started off on a high note.
She'd woken up feeling fresh, polished her newly upgraded gauntlets in celebration and headed into town for some shopping, getting home just in time to learn her baby sister would be going to Beacon with her.
She'd left for Beacon and, barring a certain situation involving an airsick boy that couldn't keep it down, things had been nothing but good and getting better; Ruby had already made a new friend, the initiation was underway and she'd already landed like a badass.
All that was left was getting a partner.
As if on cue a blur of red blasted through the brush and the blonde jumped forward, arms outstretched to catch the hyperactive bundle of teenage girl.
"Yang!"
The name was spoken with such happiness that she couldn't help but grin. "Ruby!" She returned, beaming as she nearly crushed her tiny baby sister in her arms.
Things were definitely going her way.
On the other side of the forest a blonde girl dashed through the undergrowth, grinning widely as she slammed a yellow gauntleted fist into the skull-like mask of an Ursa grimm.
For Yang Xiao Long the week had started off on a high note.
She'd woken up feeling fresh, polished her newly upgraded gauntlets in celebration and headed into town for some shopping, getting home just in time to learn her baby sister would be going to Beacon with her.
She'd left for Beacon and, barring a certain situation involving an airsick boy that couldn't keep it down, things had been nothing but good and getting better; Ruby had already made a new friend, the initiation was underway and she'd already landed like a badass.
All that was left was finding a partner; she'd have preferred to get that step out of the way first but at least as it was she got to strut her stuff and vent against some, admittedly weak, grimm. "C'mon, is that all you've got?" She taunted, cocking Ember Celica.
Across the clearing another girl cackled, whirring like a bright yellow top as she threw another of the troupe of Ursa she'd found herself against across the floor, slamming the bear-like beast into a tree and sending an arc of black through the air.
"Nice!"
Well, looks like she'd found her partner.
High above on the cliffs overlooking the forest the man known to the world as Ozpin furrowed his brow, taking a sip of his coffee as he watched his students.
"Sir?" Glynda Goodwitch had been the headmaster's aide for a great many years now and if there was one thing the woman had learned it was that when the man reacted as he was it meant something either terrible or bizarre was either about to happen, was already happening or had happened.
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. Glynda, remind me; how many applications did you 'erroneously' receive from Taiyang's girl?"
The woman paused at the question, lips tugging into a frown at the memory of more paperwork. "Three, sir." She grumbled.
Ozpin looked away from the screen briefly to acknowledge her words. "And you… Approved all three?" He queried.
Glynda couldn't remember telling the headmaster about Yang Xiao Long's applications however she didn't mention that aloud, instead nodding once primly. "Indeed, sir. It wouldn't do for clerical errors to ruin a young woman's chance at becoming an aspiring huntress." She paused. "Is there a problem, sir?"
Ozpin hummed, turning back to the screen and flicking to another camera. "…No, no problem." He assured her, absently tapping an errant finger against the edge of his cane. "No problem at all."
On the screen a golden blur blasted through a tree, sliding to a halt and hastily rolling away from the lumbering foe before her.
For Yang Xiao Long the week had started off on a high note.
She'd woken up feeling fresh, polished her newly upgraded gauntlets in celebration and headed into town for some shopping, getting home just in time to learn her baby sister would be going to Beacon with her.
She'd left for Beacon and, barring a certain situation involving an airsick boy that couldn't keep it down, things had been nothing but good and getting better; Ruby had already made a new friend, the initiation was underway and she'd already landed like a badass.
Now all she needed was a partner, so naturally she'd done what she always did – Ran straight towards the nearest, largest commotion she could see and started punching everything that moved. "Come on! You can do better than that!" She laughed, swinging towards the huge Ursa before her in a swift uppercut.
The grimm's head shot back and the rest of it followed soon after, tumbling across the floor and landing in an uncoordinated pile against a tree; the beast had scarcely a second to wonder if it should have stayed home before the blonde huntress-in-training was throwing a straight that sent black mist spraying across the clearing she'd found herself in.
"Nice!"
Yang smirked, throwing her hair back out of her face and turning dramatically. "Why thank y-you…" She trailed off.
Opposite her Yang stared back, amethyst eyes widening. "Uh…"
The two stood there, staring at their doppelganger with the same stunned confusion and slowly the one that had just been complimented smiled. "Oh, I get it. This is a dream, huh?" She chuckled.
Yang's brow furrowed as she took in the copy's words and she frowned as she pinched herself, hissing at the sharp shock of pain that raced through the spot.
Her opposite smirked as she repeated the gesture however the expression dropped as she felt the same pain she'd just witnessed. "Ow." She intoned dully, staring blankly at herself.
Both blondes stood there, unsure of how to proceed until, finally, Yang decided to bite the bullet.
"So, you-" "Well, thi-" Their standoff began anew. Yang slowly licked her lips as her clone narrowed its eyes and pointedly opened her mouth. "I…" She paused, perking up slightly when the other… Her? When the other her didn't interrupt. "…Like to start my day with a Yang, but this is ridiculous!"
Those big violet eyes widened in stunned disbelief, lips parting in shock as she took in the words of wisdom she'd just imparted upon her. "…That's true. I'd say you must be my evil twin but that's totally something I could see myself saying."
She grinned. "Is that so? Well I have been known to dubble in punography."
"Well, that's good at least; I guess no matter how long you take you won't need to copy me."
"I've got time, it's not a race." She paused. "But if you're trying to outpun me you're not nearly as twice as you look."
Was this heaven?
Meanwhile, across the forest, Yang Xiao Long was having trouble keeping up with her own partner. "Ruby, stop running!"
"Come on Yang!" Ruby laughed as she dashed towards the stone circle ahead of them.
Nearly two hours of fighting Beowolves, Ursa and even a few king Taijitsu hadn't worn the huntress-in-training down a single bit and she grinned as she spied the chess pieces sitting atop their respective pedestals.
"Ruby please, slow down." Yang sighed, brushing her hair back away from her forehead and trudging uphill after her sister. The blonde still had plenty of energy to throw around but she had to admit that trying to keep up with the redhead was almost an exercise in futility; regardless of how fast she went she found that the younger girl just somehow got faster. "It's not a race!" She twitched, unsure at the déjà vu she suddenly felt.
For Ruby Rose the week had started off on a high note.
She'd helped foil a robbery, met an actual Huntress and then been invited by the headmaster of Beacon itself to attend a whole two years early and to top it all off she'd both made a friend and got on the same team as her sister.
Yeah, Ruby was feeling pretty good right about now.
Her gaze roamed over the pieces on display before them but before she could choose Yang casually meandered past, swooping in and lifting one of the small golden horses. "We get the cute little pony." She smirked impishly at her younger sister and Ruby pouted, eyeing the other pieces.
She paused. "Hey Yang, aren't some of the pieces missing?"
Yang looked over the other pieces, noting the absence of several black relics as well as both the rooks and their pieces duplicate. "Huh." She tsk'ed, gaze flitting over the other pieces. "Welp, guess our teammates are already out there."
Ruby blinked, tilting her head adorably. "What, you think they'll put us in teams based on the relics we get?" She voiced, scrunching her nose as she recalled professor Ozpin's way of putting them together for the rest of their time at Beacon. "I… Guess I can see them doing that." She admitted.
As in on cue a rumble shook the ground and the two of them looked around, spying thick plumes of smoke rising in the distance. "I wonder if that's them?" Yang voiced, absently scratching at her neck while she watched a series of flashes light up the horizon.
Ruby furrowed her brow, shaking her head as her sister continued to stare. "Yang, let's go!" She finally ordered, huffing as the blonde jolted.
"R-Right!" As the redhead dashed off Yang grimaced, a low groan escaping her. "Not again!" She whined, arms pumping as she made to follow.
-X- -X-
Ruby grinned as she dashed past the tree line, sliding to a halt and taking in the colossal structure before her.
Thick, arcing spires loomed overhead and as she glanced down she could see just how far she would fall if she wasn't careful. "Okay, maybe slow down a little." She finally acknowledged her sister only to blink as she realized that the blonde was nowhere to be seen. "Oh. Uh… Oops?"
"Ruby!"
A familiar voice drew her attention and she spun on her heel, taking in the girl running towards her in surprise. "Yang? Whoa, you got here quick. I thought you were behind me?"
Yang's brow furrowed. "What? No, never mind that. Or… Nevermore that." She grinned and an ear-piercing squawk resounded through the area.
Ruby's face fell and slowly she shook her head. "Yang… No, just no." She sighed as the older girl pouted. On the other side of the massive crumbling tower ahead she could see Jaune fending off a Deathstalker and she would have dashed over were it not for the colossal bird looming overhead, swooping between the spires of each building with a casual grace. "So," Yang spoke up once more. "You got a plan?"
Ruby stared, shooting her a look and then watching as the bird continued to weave around the tower. "A plan?" She repeated. "How about go around, get up the cliffs and shoot it? 'cause I really don't wanna fight it here."
The redhead emphasized her point by gesturing towards the massive drop they faced should they slip up and Yang's face fell, the prospect of avoiding a fight foreign to the older teen. "But… Oh, alright." She relented. "I'll get my partner and we can get out of here."
""Partner"?" Ruby squinted up at the blonde however before she could ask Yang was already dashing across the bridge back towards the tower.
"Ruby!" Yang burst onto the edge of the cliff with a sharp gasp and Ruby stared. "Don't run ahead like that!"
Ruby continued to stare, slowly turning to where her sister had dashed away and her lips twitched. "Wow, Yang. That's actually really cool!" She acknowledged.
Another shriek echoed across the cliffs and she jumped, locking eyes with her sister and as one they turned their eyes to the sky.
"I hope you're hungry!" A flaming golden figure's voice drifted down to her and Ruby swung her scythe, switching to its sniper form as she looked through the scope.
Long blonde hair, violent red irises and of course she recognized the gauntlets currently slamming into the Nevermore's mouth. Another yell sounded and she barely had time to adjust her vision before what looked like a yellow comet smashed fist first into the flying beast, the girl in its mouth barely clearing her position as the bird plummeted.
Yang fell from the mouth of the Nevermore, sliding down the side of the building and running across one of the spires as a makeshift bridge.
"Okay, what?" Her sister spoke and she jumped, turning to look between the two blondes with wide eyed confusion. "That-That's not me. That's badass," Yang acknowledged begrudgingly. "But it's still not me."
The other blonde slid to a halt, eyeing her strangely before, with a snort, she shrugged. "Trust me, you get used to it."
"Used to it?" Ruby piped up and another blonde flipped over the edge of the cliff, landing in a four point landing and pretending that she didn't feel the jolt of pain that ran through her knees at such a position.
"Used to it." She nodded.
"So there's three of me now?" The new Yang sighed and Ruby furiously pointed at her, swinging her finger between the other two look-alikes. "Great, this'll be easy to differentiate."
"Don't even." The other Yang huffed, running her hands through her golden locks. "I'm having nightmares already."
"No seriously, what?" Yang continued to watch her two doppelgangers warily. "Ruby, am I going crazy or-"
"There are three of you." The redhead interrupted.
"…I thought so." Her sister sighed, shaking her head as both copies just shrugged. "Okay, so there's three of me. Two fakes." "Yup." "Pretty much." From their tones the two clearly didn't view themselves as the fakes and Yang was torn between groaning and punching the imposters in the face.
"Also, don't punch me in the face, 'cause I will punch back and you know I have a mean right hook."
The girl on the bridge nodded along with her cliff-side copy's sentiments and Yang groaned.
A distant squawk sounded from the mist far below and the three shared a look. "We should probably move. That thing's gonna be back and I don't think it's too pleased right now."
Reluctantly Yang nodded at her clone's point, turning to her sister and coughing at the girl's blank-eyed stare. "C'mon Rubes, we'll sort this out once we're back at the cliffs."
Ruby blearily nodded along, allowing herself to be pulled along as she stared at her sister's back. Er, backs.
-X- -X-
"-From this day forward you will work together as team Juniper."
Ozpin continued to announce the teams as though nothing were wrong and all three blondes shifted awkwardly. It was pretty obvious what was wrong yet nobody in the hall seemed willing to address it.
Of course, to the unknowing students in the crowd nothing was really wrong; they just looked to be a group of triplets that were lucky enough to be placed together. Still, Yang was sure she wasn't alone in her confusion at the fact that Ozpin hadn't noticed one of his students seemingly duplicating themselves. "Led by Jaune Arc." Or perhaps the old geezer really hadn't been paying attention when they were all launched.
"And finally," Yang straightened, positive he was about to address the elephant in the room. "Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Yang Xiao Long and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward you shall work together as team Rye."
The crowd mumbled their confusion and Yang choked on air as he still didn't even seem to notice anything off.
"Uh, professor Ozpin?" Ruby frowned, shuffling on the spot as she suddenly seemed to notice that an entire crowd was watching her. "Isn't there something… Off? About-"
Ruby's courage failed her at the last second however Ozpin merely nodded as though he'd been expecting it. "The team names don't necessarily have to be colours." He offered after a second of thought and all four stared. With a short hum the headmaster turned back to the crowd. "Led by Yang Xiao Long."
Wait, what? "Which one?" Yang voiced their collective confusion and Ozpin hummed once more.
"Yes." The man offered by way of an answer and all four teens shared a look of stunned disbelief. "Looks like things are shaping up to be an interesting year." He noted.
"Oh, what the fuck." Yang sighed even as her other two doppelgangers shared an enthusiastic yet confused high five.
With team announcements out of the way the crowd below began to disperse and Yang pointedly ignored the interested looks some of the male students and even a few girls shot their way. "So..." Ruby squeaked, swallowing as three pairs of amethyst eyes turned her way. "…I got nothing."