Chapter Text
Ruby Rose was seventeen years old.
And she was going to die.
"Dammit..." Yang grunted, her metal arm hanging uselessly by her side, yet still on her feet.
Blake wasn't fairing much better, maybe even worse. She was bleeding from the temple, and her grip on Gambol Shroud was shaky at best.
Weiss wasn't even standing anymore, on her knees as if summoning a grimm or knight that can turn the tide, if she had any aura left.
None of them had much aura left.
And facing down a furious Cinder Fall, Grimm arm, Maiden powers and all, Ruby doubted even all their aura would have helped. Suddenly, the long, golden bridge made from Ambrosius's magic seemed much more narrow than she thought.
And the void below even darker than before.
Still, Team RWBY had to stay. They couldn't let Cinder get to Vacuo, not with all those refugees, and certainly not with one of the relics out in the open. Penny had to close the gateway, to keep Cinder and Salem away from Vacuo.
If it meant Team RWBY would fall here, so be it.
"You little brats..." Cinder near whispers, slowly advancing on them, the bridge slowly catching fire with every step she took. "...always have to get in the way, don't you?"
None of them spoke a word, their only answer being the raising of their weapons.
Cinder chuckled, the flames behind her growing higher, and before she could strike-
The portals disappeared. The bridge disappeared.
Penny closed the gateway. Vacuo was safe. Their friends were safe.
And Team RWBY fell, Cinder Fall shrieking in rage.
Ruby felt her teammates reach for her, Yang grabbing her and pulling her close (a desperate attempt for protection or comfort?), Weiss grabbing her arm, and Blake nuzzling against her chest.
Ruby closed her eyes. At least she's with her team. Her family. There were worst ways to-
Ruby Rose was fifteen years old.
And she was going to die.
"I'm going to die..." Ruby repeats out loud, leaning on her mop, probably dangerous with how wet the floor was.
"Oh, stop whining you dolt." Weiss frowns, lightly smacking Ruby at the top of her head. She had her own mop and bucket. "You got one of the easier jobs."
Ruby only groans. "Miss Goodwitch could literally wave her hand and fix everything in five seconds. This is going to take five hours."
"It won't be much of a punishment if Miss Goodwitch did the work for us." Blake points out, a rag and spray in hand for the gunk on the walls. And the ceiling, but Ren was cleaning that part first.
Ruby groans again, but goes back to mopping. Blake did have a point. After RWBY and JNPR wrecked the cafeteria, Ruby expected detention at worst. Instead, Miss Goodwitch flicked her crop, fixed the broken tables, chairs, and holes on the ceiling...
Then brought out a bunch of cleaning supplies and told the eight teenagers to get to work.
At least the Deputy Headmistress was merciful enough to let the two teams deviate their tasks, with Yang and Nora, the strongest in both teams having to rearrange the tables and chairs knocked away in the fight, Ren and Blake cleaning the harder to reach mess from the upper walls and ceilings, and Jaune, Pyrrha, Weiss and Ruby left to mop the floor.
Honestly, there was a lot of floor.
"C'mon, don't look like that Rubes!" Yang says, passing by carrying a table with zero effort. "At least we had some fun, right?"
Ruby sighs, absentmindedly mopping. "I guess..."
"I've had fun." Weiss admits, blushing, then quickly frowns. "But let's not leave such a mess next time! My uniform is absolutely filthy!"
Everyone chuckled, even after Weiss huffed and started mopping the floor angrily. Ruby smiled. Punishment aside, this might be the best day e-
Crash!
Everyone jumped. Looking at the source of the crash, Ruby gaped as she saw a huge hole in the ceiling, dust and smoke hiding the impact site.
Ruby dropped her mop and rushed through the smoke, looking down to see a crater (how fast was the thing falling?) and inside-
"W-What...?" Ruby gasps, stepping back.
"Ruby! Don't rush off next time, who knows what's..." Weiss looks at what her partner was seeing. "That's..."
Yang squinted through the smoke. "Weiss?! Sis?! What's..." The smoke finally cleared up. "Huh?!"
The rest of the teens fell silent. After all, it wasn't every day that your friend's doppelgangers fall from the sky.
The four girls in the crater looked quite a bit different than the girls outside said crater, but new hairstyles and different clothing aside, it was Team RWBY.
Ruby just stared at her clone's face until she (it?) gasped suddenly, silver eyes wild and looking around before finally landing on a pale-faced Ruby.
Everyone was silent, before the Ruby clone smiled, a dazed look on her face. "Aw cute. A lil' me."
Then her eyes rolled behind her head and passed out.
Ruby (the smaller one) fainted. Weiss was tempted to join her.