...I figured this concept would be funny and yet cute.
Ruby and Neo fought in the forest fiercely. She wasn't fooled by her illusions at all and most of them just made Ruby angrier. How dare she take their forms?! Neo, meanwhile, was having much more difficulty fighting her: she had learned hand to hand combat and while only basics, she also knew how to fight using her semblance to aid her moves which made it hard to get a hold on her. As they fought, however, they soon found themselves falling again but before either of them could react, they slammed down onto solid ground, their auras depleting... only when they looked up, they saw a rather... angry looking woman.
"Who...?" Ruby began.
"Quiet." She said.
And when Ruby tried to talk, no words came out.
"So... it looks like you guys either fell in here or gramps decided to put more people in here for 'safety' from the world outside. But I already know this was an accident. I've been watching you guys from my crystal ball." She said.
The lady had been observing them since. Neo had found Ruby quickly and stalked her. She tried to disguise herself as Blake when a twig snapped but Ruby already knew who she was. All she needed to do was to ask Blake to say something. When she didn't, Ruby landed a punch and Neo turned back into her regular form. The rest of team rwby were fine for now. Yang was still passed out in a tree, Blake was wandering the forest near the beach, Weiss was further inland looking for everyone, and Jaune was right next to the giant tree, staring off.
"Hmm... while I took a vow to not meddle in affairs of the people from Remnant, I can't just ignore those who fall into my home now, can I?" She asked.
Ruby and Neo looked up and realized that they had fallen from a cliff. Not a very high cliff but high enough to where their auras probably saved them. Ruby tried to talk but no words came out and Neo snickered at her.
"Now you know how I feel." Neo thought.
The lady looked at her and had an idea. It was as if she heard her thoughts.
"No matter, I think I know just the thing to do with you two." She said.
She then caste a spell. Both girls felt like they got forced forward, then over, and then backwards... and it felt like they got forced out of something only to be put back into something. Ruby tried to talk only for a raspy sound to escape her mouth and she flinched. She tried again but nothing, no words came out... she couldn't physically talk. Her vocal chords felt off, as if they weren't moving right or they were damaged... something was wrong. She then looked at her hands... to see white gloves.
"Eh?... Uh? I caa tal!" Ruby heard an off version of her voice say next to her.
She then looked over to see herself. She was startled. Did they...?
"Did we just switch bodies?!" Ruby thought in shock.
Neo then looked to see Ruby... as herself. She then looked at her hands and then her feet. She then looked back at Ruby.
"I switched you souls to each other's body." She said.
Ruby was horrified... but Neo laughed hysterically.
"Hahahahaha! at's hwat ou et!" She laughed, pointing at her.
"Wow, you really have no idea how to talk properly, do you? But then again, you physically couldn't before, could you?" The lady asked.
Neo didn't care, she'd figure it out! It felt like a whole world of possibilities opened for her now! She finally had a voice! Ruby, meanwhile, was panicked. Nonononononono! No! How would her friends recognize her like this?! Was it permanent?!
"Relax, it's temporary. It'll only last four days. But here's the catch: if one of you dies, you both will. Now, this spell has it so that a portion of your aura is still linked with your original body. If it was a total separation, this would be permanent and you wouldn't both die if the other did but I don't hate you kids that much. I don't know your history and I don't care. This was just the best way to keep you two from fighting on my island. Now... go out there and have fun! But I'd recommend you two stay together. This place may not have any grimm but that doesn't mean it's without danger." She said.
Ruby had so many questions but she had no way to ask them... and Neo had no idea how to even properly move her mouth to say anything discernible enough. Before anything else happened, they were suddenly back on the beach again. Ruby fell over from trying to walk in the sand with heels while Neo pouted. She glared at Ruby bitterly and Ruby tried to ask "What is your problem?!" but no words came out and she frowned. She tried standing up but due to never walking in heels properly, much less on sand, she had no idea how to balance. In any other circumstance, especially if she wasn't practically told that she would have to protect her worst enemy on top of her being in her body, she might have laughed at the sight. Neo begrudgingly helped her up and let out an annoyed sigh.
"...at ow?" She asked.
Ruby tilted her head, confused as to what Neo was trying to say. Neo, meanwhile, had no idea how to move her mouth to say anything properly. She knew how to mouth things but never did she have to make the noises... and she tried but nothing more than a rasp would come out every time. She finally caved, pulled out Ruby's scroll, added in her number and texted her own phone. Ruby pulled out Neo's phone and looked to see a message. Scrolls could receive messages if they were close enough to each other, something that never seemed necessary until now.
So... what now? it said.
It took Ruby a moment to think but then she typed.
We find Blake and Yang. she texted.
Neo was apprehensive of that idea.
And see 'me' with 'you'? I don't know if that's a good idea. Neo texted.
They'll listen! Just try to get their attention. Ruby said.
I can't talk properly. Where do I even begin? As much as I love having a voice finally, words are hard. she texted.
Ruby thought for a moment but then had an idea.
Maybe you can practice talking while we search. Ruby texted.
Neo frowned.
And talk to myself? I'll look dumb. She texted.
You'd be talking to me. Ruby texted.
I don't want to talk to you. Neo texted.
Ruby glared and huffed in frustration.
You're doing it now. What in all of Remnant is your problem? What did I do to you? Ruby texted.
Neo glared at her furiously, pulled Roman's hat off and put it on hoping Ruby would get the hint. Ruby looked confused and then texted.
I look weird with that hat on... wait, isn't that Roman's hat? She texted.
Neo stormed off and Ruby ran after her, stumbling in the heels as she did. She never felt so confused in her life. What was Neo so upset about?
End of chapter one. I figured this would be a funny concept to explore.
