RWBY Reloaded Volume 9-6 A world of Allusions.
She could fell her muscles filled with power. Striking, blinding power that vibrated every cell in her body. Her silver eyes burned with malice. As she plunges. A fist deep into the chest of her younger self, disintegrating the illusion instantly, however. All the smoke disappears, and Ruby comes back down. She didn't know what came over her. Only a blinding fury similar to the one she used to take down Cinder. The young Rose pants as she collects her friends and runs. She grabs Crescent rose, strikes again, and the door opens. She runs, she runs, she runs. Her mind was frantic all over the place. What did she see? Was it real? Was any of her rage even real? That power, it was something. She just couldn't tell what it was. Was it slumbering inside of her? Or was it merely just the illusion? Her tiny teammates look at her concerned.
Cat: I'm so glad the four of you are still the four of you.
The curious cat had been able to tag along. Ruby watches them jumps from mushroom top to mushroom top.
Cat: Not always the case in the Ever After.
Weiss inhales sharply getting ready to cuss out the cat.
Weiss: You're the one who left us there in the first place. Which, by the way, is how we ended up in that Mushroom House to begin with!
The other girls looked unamused.
Weiss: You know where that delirious Caterpillar guy tried to drug us and was swallowed up by a freaking hole in the ground?
The cat really didn't seem fazed licking It's blue paw.
Cat: ah, yes yes. Alyx had a similar reaction to the time she saw someone return to the ever after. But it's not how it seems. Well, I suppose it is. But not the way you think if you think like Alyx.
The cat goes jumping off.
Cat: Which it seems like you do.
The so-called Cat continued to display a whimsical tone about the situation. The girls look at each other. And then looked at little as the cat skips across the mushrooms until it finds an opening.
Cat: Ah hah! We're here.
The cat trots off deeper into the forest. Ruby and Co follow them around the bend and are then flabbergasted by the site. Such beauty laid before them. In the center, what looked like a pink Lotus was extending. Very far into the center of a lake, there seemed to be various Lily pads on which you were able to get to the center. Various souls were there all congregating on the pads, hoping to find whatever it was they were looking for. The casual humming of Insects, the slow drip of water, can be heard in the background as Ruby marvels at the splendor before her as does her team.
Cat: Better run.
Ruby jumps onto the Lily pad the cat was standing on. This proves to be enough force to set the Lilypad adrift going forward towards the large pink Lotus.
Yang: So, cat? Going to explain to us how a giant Caterpillar disappearing into a hole Isn't how it seems?
Ruby puts the rest of her teammates back on her shoulders sitting on the gap between her bare flesh and her cloak. Her other teammates haven't followed suit with removing the pieces of fabric that make them all sweat yet.
Cat: When we all break or wear out or simply finish what we were made to do. We are called back, but Herb his heart was too week to listen. So, I gave him a little bit of mine.
Blake looks down, contemplating.
Blake: Is he dead?
Cat: Oh, no, no. Well, maybe a little bit. But not at all.
Yang was put off by this answer. It would so vague needlessly.
Yang: Ugh. Which is it?
Cat: Now that herb is properly returned. He'll be fixed up and made into the herb he wanted to be while he was still herb. Then he'll come back and find his purpose. Could be the same as before. Or maybe not.
Ruby stairs at some of the other passengers on different lilypads.
Ruby: When Herb comes back will he remember anything?
Cat: What would be the point of that?
The cat jovially asks as it lays on its back, grinning all the same.
Cat: Just like Alyx, you lot. I know, I know. I know where you're from, things die But we're just not like you at all. We ascend. Herb will have a purpose again.
The former heiress rolls her eyes.
Weiss: That's impossible. Things have to die one day, right?
Cat: What? Goodness no.
The cat turns around to ponder.
Cat: Though I do suppose there is a creature. No, no, that's not the sort of thing you talk about in polite company.
Blake then ponders.
Blake: So what happened to Herb? Is that what happened to the king?
The cat soon confirms it
Cat: it was all very sad. The Red King couldn't cope when he lost to Alyx. A crying mess.
The cat then dives off into the trees somewhere.
Cat: thankfully he was called back and fixed up and now he's the Prince you met.
Ruby: Fixed up? The Prince was worse.
Cat: the Prince isn't supposed to be nice. He's meant to play the game and win no matter what.
Whatever this process for. The storing the creatures of the air after was it clearly took something from them and made them much different from the king. It took his wisdom, power and stature and took him into a tiny, arrogant little Prince. Who else has undergone such a radical transformation from being in the Ever After? Though the nonexistence of death perturbed Ruby Rose, she had remember hearing the story about how Salem wanted to cheat death. How she begged the brother gods to return Ozma. Seeking to do exactly what the ever after was doing. Break the cycle of death and life But knowing that. Who made this place? If such a system of reincarnation was intact. It couldn't have been the brother gods, could it have been?
Blake: SO, that's why he cheats, when the Red King didn't. but that didn't explain why the red prince was so much meaner.
Cat: While the prince may not remember Alyx's deception the heart can always tell.
Blake: But, there was nothing about Ascension in the book…?
The cat riding on someone's back responds gleefully.
Cat: of course not! Exposition is so boring. Even this conversation, on the whole, was rather tedious.
Blake looks back at her other teammates that are tiny.
Cat: I wonder what else Alyx left out?
(Garden's edge, Red Castle)
The Prince is busy piecing his domain back together. The guards that managed to rebuild themselves after Ruby's rampage. Standing there, memories gone of whatever that human girl had done to them. The Prince was still fuming. He sought revenge, and he knew just who to call to get his revenge. Thunderous booms echoed throughout the castle. The wooden guards tremble and twitch as a hulking man enters the room. He's shrouded in darkness and thick armor. They can't really make out a face or anything. The Red Prince looks please, grinning from ear to ear. The man bows in fealty to the Prince.
Red Prince: Why hello there, Obsidian Knight. I have called you here in order to rid myself of beasts most foul. They call themselves humans. They've ruined my game and they chopped down my guards and that Red Caped one almost took off my head! As such. I want hers.
A dark smile etches across his porcelain features. He had gone back on his agreement with the Curious Cat. Normally he probably wouldn't have done this, but it seems that Team RWBY's presence altered The Red Prince's behavior. A malicious fire seemed to be burning in his heart.
Obsidian: It shall be done, my liege.
The man in black armor felt out of place, yet, perfectly natural The wooden guards avoid eye contact with him, feeling a dangerous vibe emanating from him.
(lotus location)
Ruby had been tasked to head to the third level to find the teapot woman. Ruby heard the sound that made her recoil, and fear of metal striking metal over and over and over again didn't help that the darkness scene. To encroach on her, almost swallow her whole. She wanted to use her powers to beat back the darkness, but, couldn't find the will to summon it. and almost blinding light appears from the side, Ruby arm to shield her eyes from the godly light that seems to be emanating. Once the light dies down, she goes to the corner. She spots a weapon that sort of looks like it was from Remnant. It was an Axe. It almost mimics a huntsman's weapon a seemingly impossible feat. No, that can't be here. Not of all places. The only people she knew to have such a weapon were herself. Qrow and…she pauses. Her mother. What was a weapon like that doing down here, of all places? She takes the weapon off the rack and inspects it. Just like the Orange sword before it seemed to show Summer's face it, shocking the girl.
Blacksmith: you seem to be carrying a heavy burden
Ruby: I'm fine i can handle it
Blacksmith: If you change your mind, you may choose any one of these you like. Set your burden down.
Ruby looks down at the weapon. It can't be her mother's, can it? No, that was impossible. She'd been told Summer Rose was dead, battling Salem, even Salem herself confirmed it. This was impossible. She then inspects the dagger, seeing the fates of. Who she assumed to be Alyx, glaring back at her. Emotionless, cold, staring.
Ruby: I already have a weapon.
She muses as her hand touches Crescent rose. The weapon she built herself.
The blacksmith turns to Ruby.
Blacksmith: And yet, here you are.
What stood out the most, however, from the array of swords was in a discarded basket. A blade melted… She could almost make out…it couldn't be Jaune's. That would mean he would have to have come here. Asked for a new weapon to be made. Someone would have seen him. He would have had to go through the mice village. He would have had to fight the Red Prince. He would have had to be guided by someone, right? Then what was that of his?
Searching for something else you do not even know.
She looks at the bladed weapon again. Eyeing it's fine artistry, the elegant blacks and slight maroon accents, all with metal, unmistakably from remnant. Soon she would be snapped out of her trance as the weapon seemed to dematerialize, just like the hallucination before as she looks around. Then she looks down at the cat calling her name.
Cat: Ruby, what's wrong? Did you get the nose hairs of the leprechaun?
She looked around, very confused. The world had seemingly returned to an instant. Two illusions that she had been down here. What was this world? What was reality? She just sheepishly rubs the back of her head.
Ruby: N-Not just Yet…
Weiss responds in an annoyed tone.
Weiss: Come on Ruby, we've got everything else.
The young huntress looks at her teammate, confused, touching her arm a bit.
Ruby: I-I'm sorry.
Blake notices something and points to the side, completely distracting from Ruby's behavior.
Blake: Is that the teapot lady?
She points, and sure enough. There was a lady or something poking out of a teapot peddling their wares on a table. The group walks over as the teapot gives a friendly greeting. The cat jumps on the table. It starts knocking things off. Like a human house cat would behave. It's all searching. For the leprechaun nose hairs, but it's damaging the inventory of the teapot lady. This causes great ire. In the teapot lady and then a large explosion is heard in the sky. Team Ruby looks over at the explosion. Fireworks, huh? That's pretty weird. Why? Why would there be fireworks here?
Yang: Woo Hoo a festival.
The people start to scream uncontrollably as words in the fireworks echo out danger. These weren't mere fireworks, they were warning signal to be heard and seen throughout the complex. That danger was afoot, akin to an early warning system, to those who then would evacuate. One lowly soul screeches out the name Jabberwalker.
Yang: or not?
The people begin to flee en masse, running for their absolute lives. The teapot lady becomes fearful, sucking in all of the goods, however, fearing that. Said ingredient that they need would be lost forever. Ruby Rose tried to persuade it into giving it up.
Ruby: Please we need those leprechaun nosehairs!
The woman of the Teapot steadfastly refuses.
Teapot: No time!
It tries adamantly to suck in the contents, but the cat holds firm. Ruby thinks of smashing it, and that would get it to stop, but her pale hand drifts to her emblem, she takes a deep breath and detaches it.
Ruby: Here have this. It contains a mother's promise.
Despite all the panic in the area, the teapot seemed an opportunity and took it, sucking up Ruby's emblem and giving the leprechaun nose hairs to the team. It then hops away as the crisis rolls on.
Cat: this is exceedingly bad.
The cat looked fearful, almost as it had been dumped in a gallon of water and held there for a while. It frantically looked around, searching for the creature. Blake jumps out of the basket.
Blake: wait, what's a Jabberwalker?
Cat: it's a truly terrible creature. If the Jabberwalker eats us, we do not ascend.
Yang, in a panic, pleads with the cat.
Yang: how do we make the Parfait thing?
The cat, sensing an opportunity, knows off the top of the lid.
Cat: put everything in here.
Ruby starts to frantically combine the ingredients.
Cat: but be careful eat too much and we'll have to shrink you back again.
Ruby combines the rest of the ingredients as a pink cloud of smoke emerges but dissipates quickly.
Cat: That's a different spell entirely.
The Parfait is presented complete to the girls. Yang takes the first bite and grows a little bit.
Blake: it wasn't enough.
Just then, they could hear the Jabberwalker rampage in the background.
The girls have no choice, they have to fight this thing. Ruby looked at them, they were still small. She had to make sure nothing touched that cup. She put her hands on her weapon and deploys Crescent Rose, the metal blade dragging against the ground as she started to speed up, rushing towards the Jabberwalker.
Ruby: Hyaaaaah!
She gets a slice in it, expertly dodges its counterattack. Its head twitches as it mutters something probably derogatory towards the girl. It continues to writhe in agony and attack Ruby again. She slices It once more, it dodges better than any grimm, it seems more evolved. It jumps up into the air, then back down, slapping the ground with its tail. The rest of Team RWBY was enjoying their parfait. Ruby watches as their team grows to life. And then soon, the rest of Team Ruby joins. Through a coordinated attack, they should be able to stand a chance. The four huntresses rush the enemy as it effortlessly knocks Blake and Yang to the side.
Yang: it's strong.
She mumbles, activating her semblance or rushing towards the beat only to be thrown like a ragdoll against the main complex. The structure cracks as her aura flickers from the impact.
Yang: Ghh! No way…
Weiss and Blake attempt to subdue the animal but Weiss runs out of dust for her weapon. Just then they can hear something in the distance. Hopefully it's something to help them, but, there wasn't anybody else down there who could really fight. These woodland creatures didn't possess the capacity for battle. But soon they see a creature….. looking like a rabbit or a deer…it runs towards them with the fabled Rusted Knight on the back. Blake smiles, but Ruby rushes the creature hoping to at least wound it. She slices off one of the horns, which surprisingly turns to dust like the grimm. But this wasn't a grimm, was it?
The Rusted Knight looks like he's about to deliver the killing blow. Yet Yang sneaks in and delivers a powerful uppercut to the jabberwalker, smashing its head off of its body. It disintegrates into fire and ash as the Knight looked confused.
Rusted: Wait…t-that wasn't…!
However; It's not over he can feel something. A presence he had felt ever since he got there. Soon, like a meteor It smacks down right there. It cools off, as the dust settles, plated in al black armor, the obsidian knight emerges.
Obsidian: Well, if it isn't the Rusted Knight?
His voice was deep and gravely, he moves to charge at the other male. Yang rushes in to stop him from hurting the Rusted Knight. Her hair glows like a furnace and her bright red eyes burn crimson. She charges at him to knock him down. Dodging quickly, he hammers her in her gut, knocking the wind out of Xiao Long. She looked exasperated as she attempted to gain the upper hand, rage filled her mind, ballooning her power. She uppercuts him, smirking as she does so. He scoffs, using his elevated position to kick her in her throat. She sputters, falling on her back, grasping her throat. This enrages Blake who attempts to help beat the Obsidian knight. The Rusted Knight uses this chance to rush his opponent, slamming his shield full force into the black plate armor.
Rusted: get to the top, now!
He was directing the girls to a safe location. Yang doesn't want to go, but after Blake places her hand on her shoulder, the huntress powers down. Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang run upwards towards the inner bud of the lotus. The Rusted knight soon is able to get control of the fight, beating back Obsidian. The other seemed to be a mirror of him, but the girls simply couldn't see the results. Obsidian knocks Rusted back before the white knight charges full speed ahead, knocking the other down four floors. Exhausted, the Rusted Knight rides his beast into the lotus. He sheaths his blade and walks over to the corner.
Rusted: You did good, Juniper.
Blake, obviously happy to see her childhood hero before him, bounces up and down.
Blake: I can't believe it. The Rusted Knight! It's you.
He takes off his helmet, revealing his long blonde ponytail, and turns around.
Rusted Knight: Team RWBY. you finally made it.
The girls faces turned to shock. Jaune
(End of Volume 9 Chapter 6)