Corey and Shadow finally made it back to the academy. “I’m going to take a long hot shower after this.” Shadow looked out a flask.

“I'm going to see if Blake wants to go out.” His little bro replied.  “Well Big bro, you have fun.” Corey stretched as he entered the shower room, tossing his jacket and undershirt onto a nearby bench. The sleek purple sleeveless leather catsuit with attached boots that has light purple soles and trim. The catsuit has a high neck with a single short silver zipper alongside matching zippers that run from his thighs to her ankles on the front of the legs. A pair of knee pads, matching color to the catsuit with silver studs on them are attached to the knees of the catsuit. His long, white tailcoat has desaturated purple detailing on the chest, sleeves, sides and collar alongside a dark purple detailing on the back. It has a narrow belt around the collar and a wide white belt loosely secured around his waist through the coat's belt loops. The belt has two pouches attached to the back. The coattails end in a point and the inside lining is vivid purple.

The front zipper of the coat is upside down and extends to the very bottom of the coat, and there are additional zippers along the lower half of the sleeves with a single purple line running between the zipper and her shoulders. Around each wrist is a dark purple belted wristband and has a desaturated purple magnetic backpack on his back, the outfit he wore made him stand out. The white jacket with its sharp black accents and the layered design gave him a stylish yet functional look.

"Man, this thing's not bad," Corey muttered, looking at himself briefly in the mirror. "Blake’s sense of style really does rub off, huh? Not that I'd tell her that."

Turning on the shower, Corey let the hot water cascade over him, washing away the grime and exhaustion from the mission. The steam filled the room quickly, and for the first time in hours, he felt a sense of calm.

As the water poured down, Corey’s mind drifted. Blake’s been distant lately. Maybe I should try to make tonight special—something simple but meaningful. A slight smirk crossed his lips. "A walk through Mantle, maybe? She loves the quiet moments."

The door creaked open behind him, and Corey instinctively glanced back.

Shadow stood there, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, his usual stoic expression intact. "You’re still daydreaming about Blake, aren’t you?"

Corey rolled his eyes, turning back to the shower. "Don’t you knock, Big Bro? Some privacy would be nice."

Shadow shrugged. "You’re loud enough that I don’t need to guess what’s on your mind. Besides, you owe me a drink for covering your ass back there."

"Fine," Corey muttered. "But you’re paying for the second round."

Shadow chuckled softly, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "Just don’t spend too much time here. We’ve got a debrief in an hour."

As the door shut behind him, Corey sighed, running his robotic hand through his hair. "Guess I’ll have to make time for Blake later." He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, drying off quickly before slipping back into his modified outfit.

He caught his reflection again in the mirror. "Not bad, Corey. Not bad at all." With a grin, he grabbed his jacket and stepped out of the room, ready to face whatever came next.

Shadow changed into an elegant and regal appearance, characterized by a blend of modern and traditional design elements. The individual is wearing a long white coat with black accents, which gives a formal and distinguished look. The open front reveals a light gray vest and white pants underneath, maintaining a monochromatic palette. A short black cape with diamond patterns and white trim is draped over one shoulder. It adds an aristocratic flair to the overall outfit.A decorative brooch or flower-like accessory is pinned to the cape, further enhancing the formal aesthetic.The outfit is completed with shiny black knee-high boots, adding a sleek and polished touch. This attire reflects a noble or high-ranking individual.

“Still ditching the Ronin apparel?” A Flamboyant voice asked between a few coughs.

“Really Josh?” Shadow crossed his arms. “I wore that a few months ago. Plus this feels more natural.” He put away his weapons.

“How's the pneumonia treating you?” Corey rolled his eyes.

“Tomorrow, I should be fine to go back out on the field.”

A scream was heard from Team RWBY’s room. The guys run into it. They saw Ruby… kissing her reflection.

“Who Screamed?” Corey pointing Fated Hour around the area.

“Easy, there cat boys.” Ruby's voice told them.

“Cat boys?” Josh tilted his head in confusion. “I'm not a Faunus like these two.”

“What's a Faunus?” Ruby's voice asked them. Her body was doing some strange stretches.

“She's been doing this since she woke up from her nap.” Weiss looked at the others. “It's like she's a different person.”

Corey looked at the window. It was so inviting to him.

“Do it, I'll disable your semblance and Aura.” Shadow warned.

“Fine.” Corey crossed his arms in disappointment. “Why can't I have my long running gags?”

“Well I'm The Star of the stars of the stars, and Grief that's too late, never-ending despair
If the world's like this, I'll just destroy it. Loneliness fuels healing, continue to dream
You design the salvation, in this fleeting, loveless world. Ah many a time, Ah I've seen that
In the Grand Prix, some Desires can't be reached!” Ruby's voice sings.  “Ruthlessly and ambitiously Playing the game. Life gauge lasting till the end,  Will I be the winner, the loser or anything else? Naturally, I would know. Maybe it's fate, maybe it's destiny. But only one winner gets a round of applause. Star Of the Stars Of the Stars, Defeat doesn't suit me. Star Of the Stars Of the Stars,.Shine the spotlight Superficial followers, they are just meaningless numbers dancing around. The Bluff of possibility walks away like it's real. Your wish will come true, like wings for a caged bird. If you sign your name, it'll set the future into motion. Ah many a time, Ah I've seen that, Sincerity and earnestness are precious, but Circumstances and ambitiously, playing the game. Bet on Memory. Eliminate or clear Get your ace, the Coin's inside out. No matter how much you ask, no matter how much you keep searching.  There are still more demands, meaning, you can't escape the game. Star Of the Stars Of the Stars. I won't accept defeat. Star Of the Stars Of the Stars. As expected. Reeling in a faint glimmer of hope. To stay here beyond time. You already know that. I want you to answer me. Some day, Ruthlessly and ambitiously Playing the game. Life gauge lasting till the end. Will I be the winner, the loser or anything else? Naturally, I would know. Maybe it's fate, maybe it's destiny But only one winner gets a round of applause. Star Of the Stars Of the Stars. Defeat doesn't suit me, Star Of the Stars Of the Stars Shine the spotlight!”

Shadow wiped a tear from his eyes. “Beautiful.”

Weiss looked at Ruby's body. “Whoever it is, they are really self-centered.”

“Uyiko, Ace. Most people call me Ace or Kamen Rider Geats!” Ruby's body answer.

Blake and Yang walked into the rooms. “What's going on here?”

“Core,  get away from the window!” Blake yelled at her boyfriend and body double.

He sulks on the corner. “Ruby thinks she's someone named Ace Uyiko and she sang a song about being this thing called the star of the stars of the stars.” Shadow answered.

“Just what we needed.”

Blake pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding in front of her. Yang crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at Ruby—or whoever was currently inhabiting her body.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Yang said, gesturing to Ruby, who stood there with a cocky grin that was completely out of character. "Ruby thinks she's some… Ace guy? And she's singing their theme song?"

"Not just thinks," Weiss interjected, arms crossed tightly. "She's speaking and acting entirely like this ‘Ace’ person. It's bizarre."

Ace—or Ruby’s body, at least—smirked confidently. "Bizarre for you maybe, but for me, this is just another day as the Star of the Stars of the Stars." He adjusted Ruby's cloak theatrically, striking a dramatic pose.

Corey snickered from his corner. "You know, I kinda like this version of Ruby. Finally, someone in this room who appreciates flair and drama."

Blake shot him a glare. "Corey, don't encourage… whatever this is."

Meanwhile, Josh leaned against the wall, his flamboyant demeanor subdued but still present. "I don't know about you, but this has ‘weird magical mishap’ written all over it. And if this Ace guy is in Ruby’s body, then where’s Ruby’s mind?"

Shadow’s ears twitched at the suggestion, his expression growing more serious. "If Ruby’s not herself, we need to figure out who else might be affected. This could be more widespread than we think."

"Agreed," Weiss said, stepping forward. "We need to check on everyone else. Blake, Yang, can you see if Jaune, Nora, and Ren are acting normally? Shadow, Corey, and I will investigate Oscar.”

"And me?" Josh asked, raising an eyebrow.

Weiss hesitated, then gestured toward Ruby—Ace. "You keep an eye on… Ace. Make sure he doesn’t do anything… rash."

Josh gave a mock salute. "Got it, Ice Queen."

Ace stretched Ruby's arms, clearly unimpressed by the lack of trust. "You don’t have to babysit me, you know. I’ve handled crazier situations than this."

"Uh-huh," Blake deadpanned. "And that's why you're singing about being the Star of the Stars while in Ruby’s body."

Ignoring her, Ace waved them off. "Fine, fine, go solve your little mystery. I’ll stay here and… enjoy the ambiance." He plopped into a chair with Ruby’s usual scythe-wielding grace replaced by a nonchalant air.

As the group split up to investigate, Blake lingered for a moment, catching Corey by the arm. "Stay out of trouble, okay?"

Corey grinned, his cat ears twitching. "Trouble? Me? Never."

Blake raised an eyebrow but decided not to press further. "Just… be careful." She left the room with Yang, leaving Corey, Shadow, and Weiss behind.

Corey glanced at Shadow. "Think this is gonna turn into one of those crazy, end-of-the-world scenarios?"

Shadow sighed. "Knowing us? Definitely."

Corey’s smirk widened. "Good. I was getting bored."

Weiss groaned. "Could we please focus for once?"

As the three prepared to check on Oscar the sound of faint singing echoed down the hallway—this time in a deeper, unfamiliar voice. Corey tilted his head toward the sound.

"Looks like Ruby’s not the only one swapped," he muttered.

Shadow adjusted his weapons. "Let’s move."

The three of them hurried toward the sound, hoping to unravel the mystery before things spiraled further out of control.

They open the door to see Qrow signing to the radio. “Oh come on.” Shadow taking out his flask. “Corey you're buying me more booze.”

“Fine.” Corey crossed his arms. “Qrow tell us what in The world's going on?”

“Simple kid, I was drinking.” He looked deadpan. “Then I heard Ruby singing about being some kind of Star.”

“You mean Ace Uyiko.” Weiss blushes at the thought of meeting this person face to face.

Jaune, Nora and Ren walked towards them. “What's going on? Blake and Yang asked, "Are we us?” Jaune scratches his head.

Shadow sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “I hate to break it to you, but things are a lot more complicated than a hangover, Qrow.”

Corey crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. “Yeah, seems like people aren’t exactly themselves today. Ruby’s body is housing some guy named Ace Uyiko, and now…” He gestured toward Qrow, who was still singing along to the radio with surprising enthusiasm. “We’ve got a drunk uncle with a backup singing career.”

Jaune furrowed his brow. “Wait, Ruby’s not Ruby? And now Qrow’s… what, possessed?”

“Not possessed,” Weiss interjected. “More like swapped. Ruby thinks she’s this Ace person, and clearly, Qrow is acting like someone else too.”

Ren stepped forward, his usually calm demeanor showing a hint of concern. “We should check ourselves to ensure nothing similar has happened. Nora?”

Nora twirled her hammer absentmindedly before suddenly stopping. “Huh? Oh, right! I feel like me. I mean, unless me is secretly someone else, but I think I’d know, right?”

Jaune scratched the back of his head. “Same here. I feel like me… but how can we be sure?”

Blake and Yang caught up with the group, each with a wary expression. “What’s going on now?” Blake asked, glancing at Corey, whose ears twitched nervously.

“Ruby’s not Ruby, Qrow’s singing like a karaoke star, and now we’re checking to make sure we’re all still ourselves,” Weiss summarized quickly.

Yang tilted her head. “Qrow singing? Okay, that is weird. But… I feel like me.”

Corey chimed in. “It’s not just about feeling normal. It’s about checking for changes in behavior. For all we know, Ace isn’t the only one who swapped places with someone. Any of us could be housing a stranger without realizing it.”

Shadow gave him a flat look. “You’re one to talk. You’ve been acting weird since we got back.”

Corey shot him a mock glare. “Weird? I’m always like this.”

“Unfortunately true,” Weiss muttered under her breath.

Qrow, finally snapping out of his singing trance, took a long swig from his flask. “Alright, let’s assume this isn’t just some freak coincidence. What’s the plan, Ice Queen?”

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. “First, we gather everyone in one place to make sure no one else has swapped. Then, we figure out what caused this—”

“—and smash it with a giant hammer?” Nora offered, twirling Magnhild for emphasis.

Weiss glared at her. “Or fix it in a way that doesn’t risk making things worse.”

Ren spoke up. “Where’s Oscar? If something is affecting everyone, we should check on him too.”

Shadow nodded. “Agreed. Corey, come with me to check on Oscar. The rest of you stay here and keep an eye on Ruby and Qrow.”

Corey pushed off the wall with a smirk. “Guess I’m on babysitting duty. Let’s hope Oscar’s still himself. I’d hate to deal with another personality crisis.”

As the group split up, Weiss turned to Qrow. “You need to take this seriously.”

“I am serious,” Qrow replied, though his lopsided grin said otherwise. “I just prefer to deal with chaos one drink at a time.”

Weiss groaned, muttering, “This day can’t get any worse.”

From down the hall, Ruby—or rather, Ace—could be heard shouting, “Who’s up for Desire Grand Prix practice run? I’ll even go easy on you!”

Weiss buried her face in her hands. “I stand corrected.”

“Make Corey buy another round.” Qrow takes out his empty flask.

____________________________________________________________________________

~Desire Temple~

Ruby stood in the middle of the temple, feeling completely out of place. The strange armor she now wore felt foreign, and the Riders surrounding her didn’t look any more welcoming than the bizarre world she had found herself in.

Keiwa folded his arms, his brow furrowed. “So, let me get this straight. You’re saying your name is Ruby Rose, and you’re from a place called Remnant? No Kamen Riders, no Desire Grand Prix, but everyone’s a Huntsman? And they all have these powers you call Semblance and Aura?”

Ruby nodded, trying her best to stay calm under the weight of their skeptical stares. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. This isn’t my world, and this isn’t my body.” She looked down at her armored hands, clenching them. “Whoever this ‘Ace Ukiyo’ is, he’s the one who normally belongs here. Not me.”

Michinaga scoffed, glaring at her with suspicion. “I don’t trust this. For all we know, you’re trying to trick us. Maybe you’re just another player trying to out-fox us and win the Grand Prix.”

Ruby’s silver eyes widened in frustration. “What? No! I don’t even know what the Grand Prix is! I just woke up here, and now I’m stuck in this weird body, surrounded by people I’ve never met before.”

Neon stepped forward, her gaze softening as she studied Ruby. “Hold on, Michi. Look at her eyes.” She pointed toward Ruby’s expression. “That’s not the look of someone scheming. That’s genuine confusion. I think she’s telling the truth.”

Keiwa nodded hesitantly. “I don’t know… she doesn’t seem like a threat. If she were trying to manipulate us, she wouldn’t be so open about not knowing anything.”

Michinaga crossed his arms, still unconvinced. “Fine. But that doesn’t mean we should trust her. Until we figure this out, I’m keeping my guard up.”

Ruby sighed, trying to steady herself. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but if this world is anything like mine, then there’s something—or someone—behind this. We need to figure out what caused it and how to fix it. I want to get back to my team as much as you want me out of here.”

Neon nodded, her upbeat tone cutting through the tension. “Alright, Ruby—or whoever you are—let’s focus on what we do know. You’re in Ace’s body, but you still have your memories, right?”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah. Everything from my world is still in my head. My team, the Grimm, the Fall of Beacon… it’s all still there. But Ace’s body feels… different. Like it’s stronger, faster.” She hesitated, frowning. “And the armor—it’s like something is whispering instructions to me on how to use it.”

Keiwa perked up. “That’s the Desire Driver. It’s what lets us transform into Kamen Riders. If you’re hearing instructions, then maybe you can use Ace’s powers.”

Michinaga snorted. “Great. Let’s hand over the keys to one of the most dangerous Riders to someone who doesn’t even belong here. Brilliant idea.”

Neon rolled her eyes. “Relax, Buffa. It’s not like she’s going to wreck the place. Right, Ruby?”

Ruby winced but nodded. “Right. I just… I don’t want to mess anything up. I already feel like I’m intruding.”

Keiwa stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out together. And hey, if you’re as good at fighting as you say, you’ll fit right in with us.”

Ruby managed a small smile, appreciating the gesture. “Thanks… Keiwa, was it?”

He nodded. “Yep. Kamen Rider Tycoon. Nice to meet you, Ruby.”

Before anyone could say more, a sudden tremor shook the temple, and the faint sound of laughter echoed through the halls.

Neon spun around, her eyes narrowing. “What was that?”

Michinaga unsheathed his weapon, his instincts kicking in. “Trouble. Stay sharp.”

Ruby instinctively reached for Crescent Rose, only to remember it wasn’t with her. Instead, she glanced at the strange device on her waist—the Desire Driver.

Keiwa noticed her hesitation and nodded toward the Driver. “Just follow your instincts. If you’re in Ace’s body, you’ll know how to use it.”

The laughter grew louder, and a dark figure emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with malice. They raised a weapon that crackled with Grimm-like energy.

Ruby clenched her fists, steeling herself. “Alright. Let’s see what this ‘Kamen Rider’ stuff is all about.”

Keiwa, Neon, and Michinaga prepared their Drivers, the tension in the air thick as the group readied for battle. Ruby looked down at the Driver on her waist, her hand hovering over the Buckle.

“Here goes nothing,” she muttered, activating the device.

The fight was about to begin.

“Set!” She placed Boost MarkII onto the driver. Five Boost Logos appears behind her.

Kewia took out his Bujin Sword Buckle. “Set!Black General! Bujin Sword! Ready, fight!” Kewia transforms into his final form.

“Set! Fantasy!” Neon placed her final form buckle onto her driver.

Michinaga took out his Golden Fever and Zombie Raise Buckles. “Zombie! Hit! Fever Zombie!” He stood in his super Form.

“That’s… Girio Uyiko from my world.” Ruby looked at him. “We used to call him Dan.”

Michi swung his Zombie Breaker at The Grimm arm man. “I still haven't gotten my pay back.” He smirked under his helmet.

Ruby struggled with transforming. “How did you guys do that?”

“Just say Henshin!” Kewia striking Girio Uyiko.