The gardens of Beacon were as tranquil as they could be, with the birds chirping, the bees humming, and the old gardener who was likely older than the dirt he was shoving hummed a merry tune. It was about as peaceable is it could get at the school. That was until a trio of troublemakers showed up.
“This doesn’t look like a secret lair at all!” The green eyed cat Faunus named Emerald exclaimed several decibels higher than was necessary. She was immediately shushed by one of her companions, the tiger Faunus named Shiro.
“Not so loud Emerald! It’s supposed to be a secret!” Shiro said with a sigh. “Just hold on a minute we’re almost there, sheesh.” Emerald just put a smile on her face and continued to follow, her eyes following a bee than crossed her field of vision before she refocused on the task at hand.
“Thing about secret lairs, you can’t really be giving tours if you want them to stay secret.” Lauren who despite looking the calmest of the three, with her hands behind her head and the slightly bored expression on her face, was probably more excited than Emerald to see this lair of Gren’s. If it turned out to be as incredible as Shiro was making it out to be then she’d so be snap chatting her team.
“I-It’s not like I’m telling everybody!” Shiro said defensively. “If I didn’t tell anyone about something this awesome I’d go crazy! Just…don’t tell Gren, he’d skin me alive!”
“Don’t worry Shiro I won’t tell a soul!” Emerald was promptly shushed again by both her companions.
“Oops sorry! I’ll use my quieter voice…” She put a finger to her mouth.
“Well here we are…” Shiro gestured towards what was Gren’s garden, which looked suspiciously normal as far as gardens go, with its flowers and vegetables and whatnot.
“Well it’s certainly ecofriendly as far as secret lairs go.” Lauren quipped, looking around the garden for anything that wasn’t carbon based.
“It’s laaaaame that’s what it is!” Emerald exclaimed, looking at Shiro with a frown.
“Man you have like no patience at all…” Shiro said with a sigh. “Now where is that button…” He felt around the flower bed until he found a flower that looked a bit too plastic to be a flower. He pushed on the center and something clicked.
The ground began to shake as the earth itself seemed to open up from just behind the flower bed, revealing a stairway that led down to who knew where.
Lauren gave out a long whistle.
“Who did Gren hook up with to get that? I want to know those people!”“OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZ-" Emerald was quickly silenced by Shiro’s hand covering her mouth.
“Emerald shhhhhhhh! If Gren finds out, we’re here he’s gonna kill me!” Shiro then slowly took his hand off, Emerald responded with a pout, but otherwise behaved for the moment. Then Shiro responded to Lauren’s question. “All Gren told me was that he recently inherited a rather large sum of money, he didn’t tell me any details though…” Shiro looked around the garden, making sure there was no one else in sight. “Let’s go inside…there’s no way someone didn’t hear us.” The other two pointedly looked at Emerald for a moment, the cat Faunus responding with an innocent grin before they headed down the stairs.
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“Wow, this is a lot of stairs…how far does this go down?” Emerald asked as the trio
descended the staircase, Shiro in front leading the way.
“It’s pretty deep, but were almost at the bottom now.”
“I mean I have to admit; this is pretty damn exciting…I was expecting some old warehouse or his mother’s basement. Some creepy ass stairs down to who knows where? That’s the shit. How did he build this without anyone noticing?” Lauren asked.
“Well hardly anyone actually comes around the garden honestly. I only found out about this because Gren is my teammate and I noticed he wasn’t around as much and that bothered me…so I uh…followed him one day and stumbled upon this heh…” Shiro rubbed the back of his head.
“Wait…does Gren even know that you like…know about this?” Emerald asked, looking at Shiro curiously.
“Well yeah, he wasn’t that upset about me finding out…and he never said I couldn’t show anyone else…I mean he never said I could either but…”
As they reached the bottom they found themselves in a rather large room, it was dimly lit and filled with endless amounts of computer equipment and various other devices that did who knows what. It looked like the sort of place you’d expect a mad scientist to live, with its flashily inventions with unnecessary sharp points on them that made a lot of whirly sounds. Shiro was quick to start pointing out the things he found cool, but Emerald found herself wandering around on her own, taking it all in. She thought her brain would explode there was so much stuff.
“This is like the coolest place ever…with all the computers, dangerous looking weapons, and the pictures of maids everywhere…” Wait, maids? What was that about? Whatever, it clearly wasn’t important. Emerald quickly forgot about all that as she saw the coolest thing yet in the center of the room, there was a giant mechanical archway, it appeared to be offline, and what it actually did was a mystery, but it was obviously something awesome.
“Holy crap! It’s a stargate!” Emerald exclaimed, running up to the structure to get a better look. She had no idea if it was actually a ‘stargate’ but that was first thing it reminded her of. Curiosity ate at her as she wondered what it did, she looked for a control panel.
Luckily there was such a panel not far off from the archway itself, it was however covered in stick notes that all said ‘SHIRO DO NOT TOUCH’.
“Well it’s a good thing I’m not Shiro!” Emerald exclaimed cheerfully, pushing the biggest button she could find. The machine began to hum to life as electricity began to surge through the archway.
Meanwhile Shiro and Lauren realized in horror that they had left Emerald to her own devices. “EMERALD NO!”
Of course it was far too late to stop what was about to happen, even as they ran towards the archway, the machine became fully charged, and soon the inside of the arch was glowing with a bright blue, which promptly pulled the trio towards itself. Then there was a bright flash, and it all stopped, the glowing was gone, along with the three students.
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Emerald groaned, slowly opening her eyes as her blurry vision began to slowly clear. She shivered as she felt how
cold the stone floor was that she was lying on. She heard a quiet giggle that sounded eerily familiar as she rose to a sitting position.
“It’s about time you woke up, sleepyhead.” Emerald’s eyes widened as she quickly found the source of that voice. Across from her was…her reflection? She shook her head and looked again. No…that couldn’t be her reflection, she didn’t mirror her movements at all and she looked too mature for her tastes and…and…was wearing a maid outfit? But why!?
Emerald jerked back as her doppelganger started to giggle again, only to find that her arms and legs were restrained by chains. Panic started to set in as she realized that whatever this other ‘her’ had in mind for her probably wasn’t good.
“Who…who are you!? Where am I!? Where are my friends!? HEY SAY SOMETHING!”Her copy closed the distance between them with surprising speed, harshly shoving a hand over Emerald’s mouth to silence her.
“Shut up you annoying brat! This is MY world, not yours! Know when to hold your tongue or I’ll just might have to remove it! Clear?” Emerald trembled a bit, but slowly nodded. Her copy slowly removed her hand, but stayed uncomfortably close to her face.
“Good, you were reminding me way too much of uh...well us. It’s rather unnerving you see?” The copy rolled her eyes.
“Since I’m feeling like such a GRACIOUS host I suppose I’ll answer your questions…a little monologue is good for your mental health anyway…” She cleared her throat.
“You see Emerald, I’m you, an older, smarter, and prettier you, but you all the same.” Emerald stuck her tongue out at her, but her copy pointedly ignored her and continued.
“I’m not sure how it all works honestly…I’m not a scientist, but I believe this place is what you’d call an alternate universe, one which YOU created Emerald.” Emerald gasped.
“What!? I don’t know how to do something like that! How could I have made it!?”
“You pushed that button on that ‘stargate’ and activated it...” Emerald’s mouth made a little ‘O’ shape.
“Ohhhhhh...that’s what that does….”Her copy nodded.
“Yes, you inadvertently created this awful medieval castle, me, and my associates that reside here. And don’t even ask why we’re all wearing maid outfits…I think your Gren is to blame for that one.” This raises as many questions as it answered them.
“Okay…that explains quite a bit but…where are my friends? And why am I in chains?”“Oh your friends are dealing with their own versions of themselves…as for the chains…” Her copy smiled darkly, sending shivers down Emerald’s spine all the way to the end of her tail. “
You see…this place kind of sucks…there’s literally nothing outside this gloomy castle, nothing! However, it’s impossible to leave this place…at least normally.” She bopped Emerald’s nose.
“But thankfully you and your friends are here! Which makes it possible for us to…trade places so to speak.” The maid Emerald grinned, which Emerald didn’t like at all.
“Basically you and your friends are going to stay here instead of us. I have all your memories, so with costume swap and a bit of acting I can easily take your place at beacon.” “NO WAY! I don’t want to be a maid! And this place is way too tacky!” Emerald started to thrash about, struggling against her restraints. Her captor just laughed darkly, which didn’t seem to match the face it came from at all.
“Struggling won’t do you any good~ Now be a good kitten and just relax…” The maid took a large looking capsule in the palm of her hand and crushed it, releasing a strange, pink gas. It began to float away from the maid and towards Emerald.
Emerald wasn’t having any of that, her eyes flared as her semblance activated, creating a small gust of wind that blew the gas right back at her doppelganger.
“Keep your second hand smoke to yourself!”“Ack!” Maid Emerald quickly backed away, being careful not to breath in the gas.
“Why you little!” A powerful blast of wind slammed into Emerald, pushing her forcefully against the wall.
“I was trying to do this as painlessly as possible…but you’ve forced my hand!” She marched towards Emerald with rage in her eyes, her hands reaching up to grasp Emerald by the throat.
“One way or another you’re gonna take a nice, long nap you little shi-AHHH!” There was a sudden thunk as the maid let out a cry before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the stone floor in front of Emerald.
“Man, and I thought my double was a psychotic bitch…” Lauren was stood in the doorway of the cell, a long pipe in her hand being branded as a crude weapon.
“You okay squirt?” She pulled a key out of her pocket and began to undo the chains around Emerald’s wrists and ankles.
Emerald rubbed her head, letting out a groan before looking at Lauren sheepishly.
“Yeah I’m okay...I think…”“Good!” Lauren promptly gave Emerald a like bop on the head.
“That’s for getting us stuck here!” Emerald rubbed her head yet again.
“I’m sorry...I just wanted to see what it did!” She pouted.
“Yeah well, next time you want to touch something that looks like it belongs in a science fiction novel, don’t!” Lauren sighed,
“Well we better find Shiro…who knows what his evil clone is doing to him…probably something weird.” “Right.” Emerald replied, and as the two exited the cell and into a hallway that could only be described as the dungeon she asked.
“How did you find me anyway?” “Well like you I woke up in a cell with my doppelganger to greet me…other than looking like me in a maid outfit…” She shuddered, that was so not her look!
“…well she was a total bitch…and not that bright either…she got waaaaay too close and I was able to choke her out.” Lauren branded her pipe as they ran through the dungeons looking for their tiger boy, ready to pound any maids they might come across.
“I took her keys and got the fuck out of there…then I found you and your evil wannabe.” “Wow you’re so cool Lauren! Knocking people out and breaking out of prison! I totally want to be like you someday!” Emerald chirped.
It wasn’t long before Emerald’s acute hearing picked up what was most definitely the sound of Shiro crying out in surprise.
“I hear Shiro! It’s come from this way!” Emerald pointed down a corridor, the dungeon was surprisingly massive, it was like a maze with many twists and turns.
Shiro’s voice became louder and clear till Lauren could hear it as well. But soon their path was blocked by a few dozen maids, mostly armed with kitchen knives and other utensils.
“I’ve got this one!” Emerald exclaimed, reaching her arm out and sending a burst of wind crashing into the maids. The maids’ outfits proved very wind resistant, causing the maids to fly backwards very easily, till they were all on the ground and stumbling over their own outfits. It turned out maid outfits were rather detrimental to combat.
Lauren charged forward, bashing any maids that tried to stop them with her pipe as the duo continued their march towards Shiro.
Leaving a trail of trampled, unconscious maids in their wake they eventually found Shiro in quite the predicament, his doppelganger was practically on top of him and…
“Oh. My. God…evil Shiro is in a maid outfit too, and she’s a girl!” Emerald wasn’t sure what to think, and just kind of stared at the two as Lauren simple bashed the girl Shiro on the head before she could so much as turn around. She promptly slumped over.
“Well it seems his doppelganger pulls off the maid look rather well.” Lauren said with a smirk.
The two girls freed Shiro from his restrains, who was looking more than a little freaked out all considering. “Thanks girls…I uh…let’s never speak of this…ever!”
“I think the other you looked pretty good in a maid outfit, maybe you should try it.” Emerald said, laughing hysterically.
“What did I just say about not talking about it!?” Shiro yelled, his face as red as a tomato. “Let’s just get out of here…the other…me mentioned an archway in the upper levels…that should be our ticket out of here. “I for one do NOT want to become a maid!” He clenched his fists, he blamed Gren for this…this was somehow his fault.
“Well alright…” Emerald looked around and spotted a stairway.
“This way!”The reunited trio made their way up the stairs, they seemed to go forever. By the time they reached the top they were catching their breath, their clothes covered in sweat.
“It’s so hot up here…” Emerald said slowly between breaths, as they entered the room they found themselves in a
large laboratory. It wouldn’t have been out of a place in an old frankstein film with its alchemy tables, many electric coils, and sharp dangerous tools meant for dissecting.
In the center of the room was a near replica for the archway from Gren’s lair…and there was a large man standing there. He had crazy looking white hair, crazy looking googles, a lab coat, and he looked just like…
“GREN!?”
He cackled evilly, lighting flashing simultaneously through the glass windows.
“Yesss it is I, Dr. Gren! Not the Gren you know of course. My mind is far superior!" He raised his arms in the air for a dramatic pose, but it looked kind of corny to Emerald.
“No…no you’re just stupid. Now turn that machine on and send us back home!”“Foolish girl! Do you not comprehend your situation!?” Gren wield what appeared to be a very large coil gun in both hands, it hummed with electricity.
As if on cue the three doppelgangers emerged from the shadows from behind the doctor, looking about as dangerous as they could behind the outlandish scientist.
“Did you miss us?” The maid Emerald chirped.
“No not really!” Shiro was quick to point out. “How the hell did you get here before us!?”
“We know this castle inside and out, unlike you three…though you’ll will in time…” The evil Lauren said ominously.
“Yeah, you three are gonna be here for a looooong time!” The girl Shiro said, who’s voice made normal Shiro just cringe at how girly it was.
“Well I think that’s enough talking…” The Mad scientist began.
“You can’t possibly beat the four of us…you might as well surrender now and make this easy on yourselves….” As if on que, the archway flare to life all on its own, surprising even Dr. Gren.
“What!?” That was all he managed to say as rocket flew out of newly created portal, hitting the doctor in the chest and promptly exploding, causing damage to much of the equipment in the lab. The doctor himself was nothing but a pair of trousers, the rest of him having exploded.
And who would come through the portal but the original Gren himself, wielding The God Eater.
“Sorry I’m late…I had to fix the damage done to my Alternate Dimension Simulator before I could come fetch you guys…” He glared at the three responsible, but mostly Shiro.
“Oh thank god you are here buddy, now go ahead and do what you just did to those three!” Shiro pointed at the three evil maids.
“I would never lay a finger on a maid! How could you even ask me to do such a thing!?” The three maids, hearing this, took advantage of the situation and made a bee line for the Gren and the portal. If they could just make it to the portal, they would be free in the real world and the others would be trapped in the castle forever!
“Ah hell no I’m not getting stuck here!” Lauren tossed her pipe, which collided with maid Lauren’s head. She in turn stumbled around in a daze, causing the other two to trip over her and themselves in a big heap. Shiro was quick to block their path as Emerald formed a gust of wind that blew the maids through the nearest window into the void outside.
“Yay team work!” Emerald cheered, jumping up and down.
“Wow, maids really are shit at fighting.” Lauren stated, looking out the window.
“How…how could you do that to those poor maids!?” Gren looked like he was gonna cry, which was a scary thought in itself.
“They were trying to keep us here forever! Besides didn’t you just say this is a simulation!? Are they even real!?” Shiro demanded, still wondering why there had been a version of himself as a maid.
“That’s not the point Shiro! And I’m still pretty mad that you brought these two down here, and messed with the one thing that said do not touch!” “W-Well I mean you never said I couldn’t! And…and Emerald was the one who messed with it!”
“I mean let’s be honest Shiro, how could you not know something like this wouldn’t happen when you brought Emerald along?” Lauren pointed out.
“And can we get out of here, this was fun and all but I’d really like to get out of Gren’s wet dream…”Gren cleared his throat.
“It’s not my…it’s purely for research and…n-never mind just follow me…” --------
The archway shut down as they all finally returned to Gren’s secret lair. Gren was busy ranting at Shiro for all the trouble he’d cause and how much equipment he’d have to repair while Shiro complained about having to see himself in a maid outfit. This left Lauren and Emerald to themselves for the moment.
“You know I think I learned a really, really important lesson Lauren…”“Is it not to touch things that don’t belong to you? And that look kind of dangerous? And that say DO NOT TOUCH on them?” Emerald shook her head.
“No, I learned that maids are evil and to never trust them!” 
Forsythe