Hello everybody, it's back! After a month and a half, it's time to begin the second arc of Stark Contrast! This time, we're focusing on Rose now... Hee hee. Fun times ahead in the next few chapters. Seriously though, thank you all for your support, and I hope to see the popularity of this story grow. On another note, I updated the cover of this story a while back using an art program I got during Christmas, and it looks nice (in my opinion).

One final thing... oh my god Volume 3 of RWBY... Shit got real really fast.

'Nuf said. Presenting, Chapter 12: A Rose by any Other Name...

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Edit: 12/5/17- Clean up. No major changes.

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Alternate Remnant
Twelve Days previously...

"Well Schnee, what did you make that is so important you called me here?" Rose inquired as she walked into the Dust Workplace in Beacon Academy. The workplace at the moment was abandoned save for her wonderfully submissive partner. Weiss Schnee had been working almost the entire week on some project that she wanted to surprise her Mistress with. Rose really didn't care and let her have her fun, just making sure that she was present when required, both for the school and for her needs.

Schnee liked experimenting with Dust, probably stemming from her family's company. She needed to have some sort of hobby, just like Rose's happened to be weapon design amongst others.

Schnee looked up from her workbench and her eyes lit up, both in eagerness to please, and minor anger and fear. As it should be. "Mistress, I made a new Dust Crystal that you might like to use…" Blue eyes blinked as she saw two others walk in past Rose's black cloak. "I… didn't think you'd bring the rest of the team Mistress."

"Well tough luck," Yang Xiao Long said, being, unfortunately, Rose's half-sister. "We're here snow bitch, what'cha gonna' do about it?"

"Ohhh, so many things, Whore," Schnee said as she unhooked Myrtenaster.

Rose sighed internally. Xiao Long just loves to grate on other people's nerves. I know because I have to live with her for some goddamned reason. "Xiao Long," she spoke, holding her arm out to stop the blonde's murderous march, "lest you forget, we're in a Dust storage room. Unless you want to blow yourself up, save it for the field. There are enough Grimm and people for you instead of targeting our team…" Rose glanced over at Belladonna, "Or save it for bed."

Xiao Long grunted and took a swing at her, which Rose dodged easily, not even using her Semblance this time. "Sloppy," was all she said in response.

"Wasn't trying," Xiao Long shrugged.

"Now that that is out of the way," Belladonna walked with obvious feline grace into the workshop.

"Right," Schnee said as she calmed down from Xiao Long's abrasive behavior and put back her weapon. "Anyway, I've been prepping for the Vytal tournament and future missions by trying to make new Dust combinations." She gestured to the table. "This is what I've accomplished." The table was littered with ground Dust, a sealed box, a bag, and dead crystals. On the side of the workbench was one of the Schnee Dust compressors, which looked like it had been used a lot recently as there were soot marks all over it.

Schnee went over and picked up something that was wrapped in a cloth and handed it to Rose. Intrigued, Rose opened the cloth, and then quirked an eyebrow. Inside was a perfectly cut Dust crystal, but what made it unique was that it was a pure combination of red and black. "A Red-Black Dust crystal? Impressive," she admitted.

"Thank you Mistress," Schnee said, "though I do believe the nature of each Dust color changed when they were combined. I am… unsure of the effects it will have."

"So you gave me something that may just blow up in my face then, Pet?" Rose deadpanned.

Schnee tried to find the right words as she panicked momentarily, ignoring the chuckles from the other two members. "No no! I highly doubt that it would do that Mistress. It's… I already tested it and couldn't get any reactions. I even tried White Dust and that didn't work, but I suspect that may be the key." She looked up and met her eyes. "I'm sorry. If you want I can try again Mistress, for you."

Rose smirked, loving it when she groveled, especially when her collar was even more visible around Schnee's neck when she begged. "No. That will be fine. I'm curious and want to try it myself now," she said as she held it up, the red parts of the crystal casting a glow on her face from the overhead lights.

Closing her eyes, Rose concentrated on channeling her pulsing Aura into the crystal. She could feel it activate and start drawing on her Aura, but after a moment, nothing happened. Frowning, Rose tried again. She could feel the crystal absorbing her Aura, sucking it up like a dry sponge, but it seemed to do nothing except glow brighter.

"So you made an impressive glow stick, good job," Belladonna commented dryly.

"If you have nothing helpful to say, then stay quiet." Rose hissed, shutting up their resident cat Faunus. I don't want to deal with their comments right now. One false move and I can reduce this room to scrap. I can tell it could by the amount of energy this thing is taking. She looked at the crystal and it was glowing nicely, and Rose could tell it was reaching critical mass, but never tipping over it. What do I need?

Casting her gaze about, she saw some White Dust vials nearby. Right, Pet said something about it needing White Dust. She walked over and grabbed one, then tapped the Dust onto the crystal. That should help. Just a little bit more of a boost. She disliked using White Dust as it made her eyes itchy, but its uses couldn't be ignored. She concentrated again, pushing her Aura through the White Dust into the crystal. She ignored Schnee's gasp and the sudden retreating footsteps. I can feel it. It's almost enough. But just not there. I won't be denied.

Growling to herself, she forced one last bit of Aura into the crystal. That finally broke through and tipped the balance. The crystal in her hand started glowing even brighter than before. She ignored the warnings and shouts her teammates were giving. The crystal let out one giant burst and shattered, releasing the Aura inside and activating the crystals effects.

A bright flash shone through the room and the last thing Rose felt was her knees hitting the ground before she blacked out.

Remnant Prime

"-by! Ruby!" The call from a girl's voice was the first thing she heard as she started coming around. Then her other senses started returning to her, touch, feeling, smell.

Ow, my head. What did that Dust crystal do? Drain my Aura?

"Ruby! Are you alright? Are you okay?" Rose rolled over and cracked open her eyes to a curious sight. Xiao Long was kneeling over her, her now lavender eyes shining in… concern? Her eyes are their original lavender… what made her so scared or surprised they changed back? It couldn't be me. Rose snorted internally, She probably was scared that I had died and she couldn't kill me herself.

"I'm fine Xiao Long, now back off and give me some room," Rose spoke coolly, causing Xiao Long to blink in surprise for some reason, her eyes still not changing back to red. But the blonde did as told and backed up slightly. Rose shook her head and did some mental exercises and tests to see if there was anything wrong. Aside from residual soreness and tiredness there was nothing unusual.

Aura feels fine, if low, but it's coming back. The tiredness isn't muscle related, it's mental. Concentrating a bit, she brushed off the proverbial cobwebs through some self-taught exercises and could feel her mind returning to normal thought processes, the tiredness pushed aside until she could rest fully later.

Once she was done she looked around and got a good look at her team. And blinked in confusion. Then again.

Xiao Long's vest was now less revealing and tight, her boots were a different color scheme, but the major difference was the dragon tattoo she got on her right leg when she turned fourteen was gone. That was one of the special things their father did when he managed to get time away from the council. And when they weren't training.

Belladonna had some ridiculous ribbon bow covering her Faunus cat ears that shouldn't fool anyone. The only other differences were minor ones in clothing and accessory choices.

Schnee however was a different story and had more differences, like Xiao Long. Her skirt was now shorter and wider, and had a different look in her eyes. There was no devotion or fear in them, only mild concern. Last, her neck was bare, her slave/ownership collar gone.

Rose groaned and stood up, brushing away the hand that was offered. Are my senses being thrown off, or did that Dust crystal cause me to start hallucinating? Running another quick mental check, she thought, Okay, maybe it is a hallucination. "What happened? What were the effects of the crystal?" She enquired, staring at Schnee.

"W-well," she stuttered, shifting a little under the intense stare of her silver eyes, "I thought that the crystal was going to explode or something, so I tried to stop you… but that apparently startled you to add in a last bit of Aura. There was a bright flash… and then you fell to the ground…"

"And now look different," Belladonna finished, looking at her with analytical eyes. "There was a flash, but that was it. It must have affected or changed you though."

Rose just narrowed her eyes at the cat Faunus. "You best mind your tone, Belladonna." She was rewarded with a slight flinch, though there was a strangely hurt look in it as well. "Besides, the Dust didn't change me, but it possibly is causing me to see and hear things differently. That must be the reason why you think a little bow can fool everyone into thinking you aren't a Faunus…"

"Hey, just because there was an accident doesn't mean you should be so rude to Blake," Schnee interrupted. Rose's ire was turned on her now.

"Quiet Pet, and I see you've seem to have forgotten what I've done for and to you. Then again, you love reminders don't you? Beg for them quite often," Rose finished with a leer.

"What?" Schnee seemed taken aback and more than a little confused from the, all things considered, normal rebuke. A bit of momentary familiar fear crept into her blue eyes.

"Ruby, maybe we should-" Xiao Long tried, but Rose didn't hear any of it. She dares use that name?... Oh, she's testing me, but she's forgotten I bite back in this case.

"Xiao Long, are you trying to test my patience?"

She blinked, "Ruby, wha-"

"Or maybe that Dust Crystal did some things to you, scrambled the parts of your already small mind that aren't filled with images of your girlfriend?"

Xiao Long frowned. "Okay Ruby, this isn't funny."

"Don't. Call. Me. That." Rose snarled, causing Xiao Long to flinch back. Rose calmed herself. No use getting angry over this. Remember what father said, 'focus your emotions, don't let them control you. Control them.' Granted he was talking mainly to Xiao Long, but it still applies. Rose took a breath, "We've been over this before, dear sister, but maybe this time I'll forgive you. The Dust crystal obviously did something. From who's point of view remains to be seen."

"Well, from our point of view the crystal did something to you," Belladonna pointed out.

"Oh really?" Rose questioned, raising an eyebrow in a condescending way. "Pray tell what has changed about me?" In some way I actually am curious. These three seem to not be at each other's throats all the time. It's… intriguing. Might as well see how this goes for as long as it lasts.

"Well, your cloak and leggings have swapped colors," Schnee started, bringing Rose's attention to her, "you're wearing eyeliner now… and are those skulls?" She suddenly frowned, looking at her pins holding her cloak.

"Yes they are," Rose said sardonically. "I've made you unpin them enough times for you to know that."

"This is just too weird," Xiao Long commented. "Let's go to the infirmary and get you checked out Ruby-gack!" The blond was cut off when Rose blurred and grabbed her by the neck, practically vanishing from where she was standing, only a few black rose petals drifting ominously to the ground.

"Do not call me by my first name," Rose hissed in Xiao Long's ear, taking pleasure in the fact that she was chocking her unfortunately half-sister, and also that same half-sister now had fear in her eyes which Rose hadn't seen in years. "The only ones who have that right are Mom and Dad, and the Supreme Commander. Mutually like how you don't want me to call you by your first name, Xiao Long."

"Wha-gurk-Ruby-"

Before anything else could happen, Rose felt herself violently tugged away from Xiao Long and would have skidded on the floor pathetically if she hadn't used her semblance to quickly land on her feet. She looked up to see the white glyph fade away, its purpose finished. She glanced over to Schnee who slowly lowered her hand, a look of shock on her face. From what though was up for debate.

"So you've decided to side against your Mistress, Pet?" Rose asked softly, fully knowing what was about to happen. I'm going to enjoy this. She reached behind her and pulled out Bloody Rose and transformed it into Rifle mode, and got ready for the fight.

The other three members of her team looked at her weapon as if they've never seen it before. Schnee looked between Xiao Long and her, and then came to a decision and stepped in-between her and Xiao Long. "You're not yourself right now. That Dust did something to you, and we need to get it out of your system. I know the doctors here at Beacon can do that. Let's not fight."

Rose frowned. I was expecting an attack from a dog that had a taste of freedom and wanted to keep it, and I was fully prepared to remind the bitch her place. This… wasn't what I was expecting. She blinked, then again. Then she shook her head. No. The Dust is affecting them, not me. This is too much of a personality change, even if they were acting… which they're not.

"We'll go to the infirmary, not for me, but for you three," Rose firmly stated, pointing at WBY.

"We're fine." Schnee said. "You're not. Things are different about you. Aside from the clothing changes, your personality seems…" she seemed at a loss for words.

"Callous, adversarial, like you want to fight… not to mention extremely rude," Belladonna said, adding the last one in for herself.

"Well I've been described as worse," Rose said, nonchalantly agreeing with the Faunus' description.

"What?" Belladonna said, seemingly taken aback at her reply. Rose shrugged, not offering an answer. Almost everyday, sometime multiple times, mainly by you three. Belladonna shook her head, "Put away Crescent Rose. There's no need for violence."

Rose looked at the three of them. They definitely seem like they aren't ready for a fight. Only Xiao Long has her weapons on her. And what's Crescent Rose? She slowly put away Bloody Rose, distrust painted across her face, ready for an attack anyway.

Belladonna frowned, clearly thinking. "Something is out of place; we're not seeing something."

"Maybe it's ignorance, or the unwillingness to believe what you see," Rose retorted. "However I'm still banking on the Dust affecting you three, not me. I feel like I always have."

"Alright, whatever," Xiao Long spoke up again, a worried look in her lavender eyes. "Let's just go to the infirmary and we can all get checked out. Will that work Ru-… will that work?" She cut herself off, twitching her neck a bit, which still had finger marks on it.

Blink.

Blink.

Okay, now I know something's affected them. Xiao Long's being reasonable and actually came up with a sensible solution. Rose sighed. There's a time and place for fighting, and this is neither of those. Pick and choose your fights Rose. "Finally using your brains then huh?" She said, but not as loudly as before. Then she returned to normal volume. "Fine. Let's just get the extra Black Dust and go." She had noticed them previously and went to put them in her school bag.

Schnee was the one to speak up. "Why do you want them? They don't do anything. I told you just before this I was going to dispose of them later."

Ruby turned to look at her while putting the Black Dust crystals in her bag. "Surely you of all people would know what Black Dust does." She was rewarded with a confused, blank look. Seriously? "Really? Did the Red-Black crystal do something to your memories as well? You just happen to forget one of the biggest discoveries in a couple hundred years?" Blank looks all around. Rose refrained from slumping, having a bit more self control. "You gotta' be fuckin' kidding me."

"Ruby! Watch your mouth." Xiao Long snapped.

"And control yours!" Rose shot back. And there it is finally, the faint smell of phosphorus burning. Xiao Long's finally calling off the act. Rose could tell Xiao Long was close to getting angry since her hair was starting to smolder. Rose smirked. "Now why don't you drag you girlfriend to your bed and burn off some of that aggression, hmm?"

She was slightly disappointed when Xiao Long incredibly calmed down and instead decided to ask a question, "Girlfriend? I'm not- I don't have a girlfriend. Who are you talking about?" She protested, drawing strange looks from the other two members of the team.

Rose couldn't help it. After a few seconds she started cackling. "Oh this is just too fuckin' good! That Dust crystal definitely is good for a laugh at your expense." She sighed and got her breath again. "But seriously, let's go before something else happens. While I sorta' like these naïve, amnesiac versions of you though, we should get trained doctors to get the Dust out of our systems before the Supreme Commander gets too interested in this. It would not be good for our records. Or us in general."

She brushed past them, going out of the Dust workshop. She missed the looks of concern the rest of her team shared with each other before they followed a little distance away from their changed leader.

Yang shared a look with Blake and Weiss. They all knew that Dust crystal had done something to Ruby, and they were all extremely concerned about her. All of them had very similar thoughts and ideas, but no one knew the truth. It's completely changed her personality, and her clothing and weapon, Yang thought. She seems to think different things as if her own memory's been altered rather than ours. And she hates her first name, and thinks I don't want her to call me by my name. And it looked like she barely tolerated us, almost loathed us.

That crystal was a mistake, Yang decided finally, echoing her teammate's thoughts. I just hope it isn't an irreparable one. I want my sister back, not this… corruption of her. I hope she'll be okay. I want her to be okay. I don't think I can loose you too… not in such a way. Yang took a glimpse behind her at the black and white pair behind her. Both had frowns on their faces, and while Weiss was thinking inward, Blake had her yellow eyes glued to Ruby's back, studying her. Yang couldn't blame her; Ruby now even moved differently, like she was constantly on the prowl for her prey.

Yang shook her head. First the Breach, and now this. What will be next? I just want this craziness to take a break for… I don't know, a year? She sighed softly to herself. I just hope the doctors can do something about Ruby.

The team made their way down the hallways of Beacon to the infirmary, following the billowing pitch-black cloak of their leader.

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Funny story, I was thinking about the chapter name and was trying for what seemed like ages to think of who wrote that, and I was like, "Okay, I know the phrase is from something, and I know I've read it some where, so who- Shakespeare. Right. Romeo and Juliet." I interrupted my own thoughts. -_-

Anyway, apologies if you wanted a longer chapter, but it's how the story will be for the next couple chapters. I actually needed to re-arrange and combine a few chapters in order for some new ideas that I got/ someone suggested to me. Plus I still needed to dial in Rose's personality. This chapter isn't the best for you to get an idea of how she thinks/acts, but it'll make sense in the future. The longer chapters will resume in 2-3 more.

Thank you all for sticking with this, and as always, R.R.F.F

-OrangeGalen