Author's Notes: I want to clear something up. I don't know where people are getting the idea that Jaune has been in the Ever After for hundreds of years. Roosterteeth has confirmed that Jaune has been there for nearly twenty years. The Ever After clearly messes with time, as evident by the rewind clock and the Blacksmith sending RWBY-J back to Remnant months after they left.
A Cat Most Curious
*Outside the premises of the Crimson Castle…
RUBY: Kitty! Kitty! Kitty! Wait! No, no! Uh… Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Oh… c'mon, kitty.
LITTLE: (yelps) Eek! (cowers in Ruby's hood, whispering) The cat's hindquarters!
The Curious Cat's tail can be seen sticking out of the tall grass on the side of the path.
RUBY: Um… Excuse me?
CURIOUS CAT: (pops out) You're excused!
Ruby gets startled and notices the Curious Cat is behind her.*
"How—?" Willow exclaimed.
"Well," Raven replied, "We already know he can seemingly detach his head, or, at least make it disappear. It's like that children's trick with the saw and the box, but taken literally."
*Little gets scared and hides inside Ruby's hood. Team RWBY watches the Curious Cat walking without their hindquarters.
RUBY: Uh… Hello, uh, cat.
The Cat then joins both of their body parts together.
RUBY: (shakes her head) Curious Cat? Which one do you go by?
CURIOUS CAT: Oh! I don't go by. That belongs to the days and the years. But if you are asking what I am, I am indeed a cat, most curious.*
"Oh, great," Ilia deadpanned, "We've got a jokester. So not only is he going to be asking constant questions, but he's going to be joking about it the entire time."
"When did Mercury get here?" Emerald muttered to herself. Sure, the Cat wasn't exactly Mercury, but the attitude felt reminiscent.
*RUBY: Of course. (slightly laughs) Look, my friends and I really need to get to that giant tree, and so far, nothing we tried has gotten us any further.
WEISS: It looks to me like we're even farther!*
Nora gave a short cackle, "Probably-"
*YANG: Yeah, I think that's because we're six inches tall.*
Sun chuckled at the 'show' beating Nora to the punch.
*WEISS: It could be both.
CURIOUS CAT: The tree… Tree, tree, tree, tree… (gasps) Of course. That is most definitely impossible. You do not go to the tree, the tree goes to you. Unless, of course, you're me, you see.
YANG: (unimpressed) Not even a little bit.*
And the audience agreed with Yang.
*CURIOUS CAT: Well, that's your problem. It's a matter of perspective, I'm afraid.*
"Jerk." Emerald deadpanned.
*RUBY: But, uh, couldn't you take us then? You'd been there before.
CURIOUS CAT: So why would I ever want to go back? Yes, I'm glad we understand one another. No sense it seems a sight seen.
The Curious Cat notices a yellow butterfly and pounces at it.*
"This cat really doesn't want to go to the tree." Tai exclaimed.
"But he does have a strange point." Willow replied, "If he went there before, and it'll be just the same as it was when he first went there, then why should he go there again?"
*BLAKE: Please. You helped Alyx when she was–
CURIOUS CAT: Alyx? ''Alyx'' Alyx? How do you know her? Are you friends of hers? Lifelong nemeses? Wait. Don't tell me. (short pause) Okay. No, tell me.
RUBY: Oh, well, we don't know her personally. Just uh…
WEISS: She wrote a book about her entire adventure in the Ever After.
CURIOUS CAT: (surprised) A book? Is it well-liked?
BLAKE: It's kind of a childhood favorite of everyone's, where we're from.*
"Man," Sun exclaimed, "That has to feel weird. To know your part of a story told to thousands of people around the world."
"Even more weird," Emerald added, "That you're considered a fictional character."
"Right?! I mean, imagine if all our adventures, all our struggles, were told as a fictional story?!"
"Okay, kiddo," Qrow intervened, "Let's leave the existential crisis for after we get back, okay?"
*CURIOUS CAT: Yes. Oh, please. I simply must know more. What did she write about? How was I portrayed? And… (sniffs) Do I smell a mouse?
Little quickly cowers behind Yang. Blake quickly shields Little from the Curious Cat.
BLAKE: Umm… From one cat to another, could you give us a minute, please?
CURIOUS CAT: Oh… so they're spoken for. Well please, please hurry, I have so many, many questions.*
"Well done, Blake Belladonna, for overcoming your urges."
Ren facepalmed as Sun cackled at Nora's joke.
*The Cat proceeds to chase after the butterfly into the grass again.
WEISS: Are we sure they're not called the "Constantly Annoying Cat"?
YANG: Got 'em, totally roasted. (points finger guns)
WEISS: (smugly smiling) Thank you.*
Qrow snorted, "Seems your sister, Ice Queen, doesn't know sarcasm."
Winter rolled her eyes, "More likely she's not going to start an argument, and take Yang's words as a compliment."
*BLAKE: Guys, the Curious Cat was described as an ally, with an appetite for information. Just because they don't want to go back to the tree, doesn't mean we can't lure them there.
Yang nods in agreement.*
RUBY: Okay, yeah! We just need to keep their attention along the way. That shouldn't be too hard. We know all sorts of–
YANG: The cat's gone.
Hearing this, Ruby panics.*
"Well that didn't take long." Emerald deadpanned.
"If he didn't already have a name, I'd call him the Elusive Cat." Sun quipped.
*RUBY: WHAT?! No! No! No!
Ruby frantically looks around, but manages to find the Cat when they pounce on the butterfly.
RUBY: Whoa, wait up! Didn't you have questions for us? We'll be happy to answer them.
The Cat pops out from the red grass. Ruby gives a big sigh of relief.
CURIOUS CAT: I sense a "but" approaching.
The Cat's hind legs then rejoin their front half.*
"Okay, you can hate my jokes," Tai said, "But, you have to admit, that was kinda clever for a bad joke."
"It was pretty funny." Kali replied. Qrow dragged a hand down his face.
"Don't validate him, Ma'am. It'll only make things worse."
*RUBY: No, no! Uh, I mean… we do still need to go to the tree, but that'll take ages, right? Plenty of time to tell you all the stuff from our world. (chuckles nervously) Look! (pulls out her Scroll) Ever seen a Scroll before? Oooooh!*
CURIOUS CAT: Luminous rectangle! (takes the Scroll from Ruby) Ooh! What does this button do? (the light from Ruby's Scroll flashes)*
"Ruby," Nora said, "You have no idea what you've unleashed."
Ilia chuckled, "Yeah, I don't think she's going to get that Scroll back anytime soon."
*CURIOUS CAT: (Takes a few more selfies) Why is it painting tiny flat versions of me? Is that what I look like when smiling? I've so many more questions, how exciting!
WEISS: Hook, line, and sinker.
Ruby smiles.
Later…
CURIOUS CAT: So the old man and the boy share a body? Ooh, that's got some uncomfortable implications.*
"Okay, wow," Emerald stated surprised, "Looks like Ruby and the gang just told them their entire story."
"That couldn't have been a short story," Saphron added, "Any idea how long they've been traveling?"
"None," Qrow replied, "And, even if we did, with how this place works, I doubt distance would really matter."
"But," Ghira interjected, "The cat's words do lead me to wonder. Oscar, with Ozpin…do you have any private moments?"
"Sometimes. He can go 'silent' which means I can't tell what he's thinking. Luckily, he's assured me that he can 'look the other way' for moments when I want to be alone. However, recently, it's becoming harder for him to do that. A…," Oscar sighed, "A sign of our merging."
Ghira flinched, ashamed he brought the subject up.
*CURIOUS CAT: Who thought that was a helpful way to reincarnate? The same people who put a city in the sky? Ooh, speaking of Atlas, did that Ciel girl from the Vytal Festival ever come back in a notable way? Hoo hoo! There's just so many characters to keep track of! Wait, what was my original question?
YANG: (exhausted) Blake… It's your turn.*
Most of the audience laughed at how dejected the two looked.
"Hey," Emerald exclaimed, "You girls were going to answer all his questions. You only have yourselves to blame if you don't like it!"
*BLAKE: (exhausted) You asked about the origins of Remnant.
CURIOUS CAT: That's right! Ooh, those Two Brothers! Talk about a god complex, am I right? (sighs) All in all, a rather entertaining summary, though I felt some of the character voices were a bit uninspired. (to Weiss) Looking at you, wise huntress.
WEISS: Again, it's Weiss. Just Weiss.
CURIOUS CAT: (chuckles) Apologies. To your credit, you lot certainly know more about the beginnings of Remnant than Alyx did, and that girl could barely see past her own nose.
RUBY: Oh, what do you mean?
CURIOUS CAT: Don't you know? Just hilariously concerned with trivial things.
BLAKE: Yeah, but she learned her lesson in the end, right?
CURIOUS CAT: I'd certainly say so.*
"Interesting." Pietro muttered, leaning forward.
"What?" Ren questioned.
"The Cat's words might imply something…ominous. In the story, Alyx got home relatively fine, just a changed person. But the Cat might be saying that isn't how it happened."
"But," Whitley injected, "How would he know? Alyx returned to Remnant, so how would he know she learned her lesson anyway?"
"Mr. Schnee," Tai replied, "I think we've already established that the story isn't what we all thought it was. I mean, the book never mentioned that land of darkness the Jabberwalker went to, or the Red King's son."
"So, the story is like an unreliable narrator?" Sun questioned.
"That might be the best option." Willow answered.
*CURIOUS CAT: Oh, would you look at that. The edge of the Garden's Acre.
Multiple leaves fall from the night sky. Ruby becomes amazed as she continues walking. The Cat plays with one of the leaves.
YANG: This entire world is put together like a bunch of mixed-up puzzle pieces. How does everyone make sense of this?*
"Thank you, Miss Xiao Long!" Whitley exclaimed.
*CURIOUS CAT: Each acre is made specifically for its inhabitants and their roles. Is it not like that on Remnant?*
"Of course not," Ilia said, "I mean, we don't have a swamp next to an icy tundra, that doesn't make sense!"
*YANG: N…No?
CURIOUS CAT: How strange. It never even occurred to me to ask that before.
WEISS: I have a question I'd like to ask. How much longer before we're back to regular size?
CURIOUS CAT: Not long at all. The garden is just down this path, and is sure to have all the ingredients we need for a lovely Grow-gurt Parfait.*
"Ah," Tai stated, "There's the fairy tale logic from the book."
Glynda groaned, "I swear, half the puns you make are because of that book."
"Well, it's not that unbeelie-" Tai got an elbow to the face from Qrow.
*CURIOUS CAT: Just don't go talking to anyone without me. If you're not careful…
BLAKE: We might get our heads cut off.
CURIOUS CAT: That is how we met, isn't it? (chuckles) Ooh, you Remnant folk are such troublemakers.
WEISS: (putting her fingers on the bridge of her nose) Well, I'm sure we'll cause a lot less trouble once we're back to normal.
CURIOUS CAT: Bah. I don't see what all the fuss is about. Some of my best friends are six-inches tall. If I were you, I'd be more worried about… Oh, who was that scary sorceress you mentioned? Uh… Salim? Salem? How many more Relics does she need to end the world again? (chuckles) How are you even supposed to stop her now that Atlas is gone?*
"On that note," Sun exclaimed, turning to the others, "What's the global response to Salem's reveal? I know Ruby's message was probably heard by the entire world, but…"
Glynda began, "Vale's Council is going to be sending scout ships to Atlas and Vacuo to confirm Ruby's claims. Grimm activity has spiked, and they're hoping that Ruby was wrong. Despite my words, they want a second opinion."
"Whatever ship is heading to Atlas," Qrow replied, "Send them to Argus. What's left of Atlas's military has regrouped there, after we picked up Pietro and Maria. Cordovin is a little shell shocked from the whole thing, hasn't made one snark to Maria, but she's focusing on figuring out what's left."
"What about Amity?"
"We crashed into a mountain," Pietro replied, "Ironically, it would've done more damage if we crashed onto the flat ground. Cordovin was talking about getting the stabilizer fixed. It'll take time, but, while we can't use it as a communication tower, we can use it as a mobile fortress."
Winter nodded, "Then we at least have some ideas when we get back to Remnant."
*Ruby stops walking. Ruby looks at the Gardens path and shuts her eyes.*
"And it's a good thing we already have plans," Emerald states, "Because it looks like Red might be starting to feel the pressure. The real pressure."
*YANG: Uh, hey, Rubes?
RUBY: I…uh…
BLAKE: Maybe we shouldn't worry about home right now. We got enough problems to–
YANG: The Cat!
RUBY: What?! (yelps) Oh no, I wasn't paying attention! (sighs) Where did they go now?
LITTLE: Oh! They saw a bug.
YANG: And you didn't say anything?
LITTLE: It was a very interesting bug?*
"Damnit," Sun exclaimed, "That was their chance to realize Ruby needed help!"
"Oooh dear." Ghira mutters, catching the attention of people sitting next to him.
"Ghira?" Kali questioned.
"Blake might've caught on, but she's making the same mistake I did early in life."
"What's that?" Ilia inquired, making others aware of the conversation.
"When I was young, I usually only tackled problems, especially mental ones, after a mission. Nothing is worse during a fight than a moral crisis."
"Naturally." Raven replied.
"However, as time went on, especially after I formed the White Fang, I started treating everything like a mission. Even a simple walk through our camps became a mission to me. So I couldn't tell when others really needed immediate help, let alone myself, rather than just pushing on. Blake might be aware that Ruby needs help, but thinks that getting everyone home will be the best way to help her. When-"
"When it might actually hurt Ruby more." Qrow answered. Ghira added regretfully.
*WEISS: (sighs) Of all the characters from the book, why did it have to be the Cat? Why couldn't we have gotten help from the Lively Carpenter or the Rusted Knight? One was sweet, one was handsome, and neither of them had the attention span of a goldfish!*
"Okay," Nora cried out, "Honest question, how many of you thought the Rusted Knight was also handsome."
"You first." Emerald retorted.
"Oh, I absolutely did. But it was more because I kept picturing Ren underneath the armor."
Ren blushed as Emerald groaned, "Of course you did."
"Blake also had a childhood crush on the Knight." Kali proclaimed.
Saphron raised a hand, "I'll admit a few of my sisters did have crushes on the Rusted Knight. They grew out of it. I do have a soft spot for him, though. Not enough to dissuade me from Terra, of course."
"Winter," Willow slowly turned to her firstborn, "Didn't you have a crush on him?"
Winter rolled her eyes, "Not so much of a crush as much as an adoration. I believed he was the ideal protector."
"Anyone else?" Nora looked around.
"I don't think so." Glynda immediately said, only to turn her head to Raven, who had a knowing smile. The face Glynda gave screamed 'I will murder you.'. Raven merely shrugged, and turned back to the screen.
*LITTLE: You know, I bet you could find a goldfish in one of these ponds.
Weiss sighs and facepalms at the comment. Suddenly, a deep humming can be heard.
YANG: Hey… Do you hear that?
Ruby turns to the direction of where the humming is coming from. They walk further into the forest, approaching a large, blue glowing mushroom. There's a garden in front of it.
RUBY: Is this…the Garden?
BLAKE: It certainly looks like a garden, but… where's that humming coming from?
A pile of leaves rustles in front of Ruby, and she stops cautiously. Three eyes can then be seen opening inside the pile.*
"What the hell?" Sun muttered.
*THREE-EYED CREATURE: What are you?
RUBY: (sighs) I'm getting really tired of that question.
The creature then emerges from the pile of leaves, revealing themselves to be a caterpillar-like being. They are holding a sack and a rake in each hand.
THREE-EYED CATERPILLAR-LIKE CREATURE: What question?
Ruby yelps.*
As did most of the audience.
"This was not in the book!" Saphron exclaimed.
"Yeah," Oscar replied, "Which means we have no idea what he can do. And, given what we've seen so far, I almost don't want to know."
*YANG: What are you?!
THREE-EYED CATERPILLAR-LIKE CREATURE: Oh… That question. Isn't it obvious? I am an Herbalist, the Herbalist. At least… Hmm… Until I'm not anymore…
The Herbalist is raking the multi-colored leaves.
YANG: (sarcastically) Oh good. Well, all questions answered then…
RUBY: Um, sorry to bother, but uh, my friends and I could use some help. See, we're trying to get to that giant tree, but…
HERBALIST: Help getting… to the tree? Ah yes, everyone needs help these days. (ominously) Everyone…
A door leading inside the giant mushroom then opens up, and the Herbalist enters, wiping his hands in the process and putting the sack down. Ruby looks up at the giant mushroom.*
"Okay," Qrow states nervously, "Magic doors…Neat."
*HERBALIST: Well? Are you coming in? Or aren't you?
RUBY: You can make us a Grow-gurt Parfait, right?*
"Didn't the cat tell you not to talk to anybody?" Whitley complains.
"Followed immediately by the cat abandoning them." Ilia retorted, "So this one's on him."
*The Herbalist sighs. Ruby then enters the mushroom, and the door closes behind her.
HERBALIST: (grinding some herbs in a bowl) Mm, I must say, you all seem a bit, uh… hesitant. What did you say you were again?
RUBY: We're…Huntresses.
HERBALIST: And what exactly does a Huntress do?
RUBY: Fight… monsters, I guess? I'm sorry, I don't understand why this matters.
HERBALIST: I don't understand how you don't understand! (takes out a scale, placing it on the counter) I am an herbalist. I make medicines and remedies to help others on their journeys. (takes out some leaves from a jar) It is what I am. So… (places a weight on one scale, and the leaves on the other) Do you know what a Huntress is, or do you guess?*
"If I had to guess," Ren said, "Every creature in the Ever After knows their role. There is no guessing, so the concept of that might seem foreign to them."
"Guys," Oscar added, "Ozpin might have an idea of what's going on."
"Well…?" Winter states, waiting. Ozpin then takes control.
"I know this might seem strange, but, Glynda, do you remember Bartholomew's report after the Breach two years ago."
Glynda did a double take before cupping her chin with one hand. "Not really."
"What report?" Kali questioned.
"Barty's a workaholic." Qrow answered. "Let me guess: Even after that whole Breach fiasco, he still put in a report on his original mission."
Ozpin nodded. "Yes…including his psych report on team RWBY."
That got everyone's attention, so Ozpin continued.
"Miss Schnee, Belladonna, and Xiao Long all had doubts about what it meant to be a Huntress. But Bartholomew never even needed to ask Miss Rose, because Ruby already knew what it meant. However…" Ozpin gestured to the screen.
"Ruby said 'I guess', like she didn't know." Ghira exclaimed.
Ozpin nodded, letting Oscar back in control.
*BLAKE: Huntresses are heroes. We protect those who can't protect themselves.
HERBALIST: Thank you. Now… (takes the leaves and wraps them in a paper) Would you say you're good Huntresses?*
Glynda leans forward. "I see what you meant, Oz. Blake gave a resolute answer, where before she was unsure. It's…it's like the roles have reversed since Beacon."
*Ruby tries to answer, but hesitates.
YANG: Look, can you help us, or not?
HERBALIST: (putting their hand on their head) I am trying…
Ruby gasps.
HERBALIST: … But you are making this far more complicated than it needs to be. We all have our titles, our roles to play, but in order to help you become whatever it is you need to become, you should really have a better understanding of what you are now.*
"So, what?" Ilia questions, "Is he like a therapist or something?"
"I'm going to with 'Or something'." Raven answered, "Herbalists usually deal with medicine, so it's possible that he heals people. And, in this place, that might mean healing their souls."
"Uuuu," Nora looked on in fright, "Should we be concerned about that?"
"I have no idea," Winter answers, "But I definitely want Weiss and the others to leave."
*WEISS: Okaaay. How do we open mushroom… door.
HERBALIST: (groans) This is how a king winds up a prince… Follow me. My work is never done…*
Everyone was shocked at the Herbalist's words.
"Waitwaitwaitwait," Tai exclaimed, "Is…is he implying the Prince is the King?"
"It would seem so," Pietro replied in shock, "But, how did the King turn into the Prince?"
Whitley put his head in his hands. 'Just when I thought this place could follow some logic.'
"Wait, I GOT IT!" Sun cried out in joy. When he didn't continue, Ghira rolled his eyes.
"Well, monkey boy," Ilia replied, "Go on."
"Okay, right. So, Herbalists make potions, right?"
"Technically medicinal herbs." Kali retorted.
"Potions, herbs, same thing, doesn't matter. Did you notice what he said after the Prince? 'My work is never done.'. So, I think the King, distraught after losing to Alyx, went to the Herbalist, and the Herbalist made a potion to help deal with the pain of losing. That potion caused the King to turn into the Prince."
"But how would that help the King get over losing?" Willow questioned, "It's clear the Prince is a much more horrible person compared to the King."
"But the King likely wasn't thinking about all that," Glynda responded, "All he could think about was losing to Alyx. So the potion turned him into the Red Prince. Remember what the cat said. The Prince's purpose is to win, no matter what. So it's likely that the Prince is better at games than his previous self, but at the cost of everything else."
"Which means…" Qrow finished, "That the Herbalist's role might be to heal people, or make them into someone else if they—," Qrow's eyes widened in horror, "Ruby, get out of there now!"
Everyone was initially shocked at Qrow's sudden burst, but, as the words sank in, dread crept on them, especially Tai.
"Oh shit." Sun muttered.
*The Herbalist goes through a beaded curtain into the next room. Ruby follows. There are shelves of bongs all around the room. The Herbalist is seen smoking from a large hookah. Ruby carries Weiss, Blake, and Yang in her hands.
HERBALIST: Please…take a seat.
BLAKE: Actually, I think… Maybe we should be going! (nervously smiles) Right, Ruby?
HERBALIST: This won't take long.
RUBY: Umm… (turns around)
Suddenly, the door behind them closes, and Team RWBY gasps in shock.
HERBALIST: Just… answer the questions.*
"Are these questions the same ones that you asked the Red King," Saphron retorted, "Because if that's the case, I'll pass."
*The Herbalist drops the leaves in their hands into the fire pit in front of them, causing a large amount of black smoke to surround Team RWBY. Ruby starts to cough violently, falling to her knees. Her shrunken teammates fall out of her hands.
RUBY: No! (coughs again)
HERBALIST: (echo) Are you sure you know? You have to be sure what you are, and of what you're going to be…
Weiss, Blake, and Yang get up, but the smoke is too thick for them to see, and they are separated.
YANG: Blake! Ruby! (coughs)
Black smoke comes out from Yang's mouth and it takes the form of her own past self.*
"Okay, NOPE!" Nora exclaimed.
"It's too late, now," Pietro mutters, "I think this is how the Herbalist changed the Prince. Team RWBY will have to confront their past selves, and either endure…or change."
Tai and Qrow looked at each other in dread. If their assumptions on Ruby were accurate, then Ruby was not ready for this test.
*YANG: (confused) What?
PAST YANG: (smiling) You don't have to go forward, y'know? You can go back, back to before.
Yang stares down at her prosthetic arm and holds it.
YANG: What? What are you talking about?*
Raven leaned forward, intrigued by what Yang's response might be.
"This…this is just some trick the Herbalist is using, right?" Saphron nervously asked.
"Maybe," Oscar replied, "Or it could be parts of team RWBY's mind. The doubts they have."
*In another space…
PAST BLAKE: (smiling) It's simple, really. You could just be human, or just a cat, if you wanted. Really, it's up to you.
BLAKE: Why would I do that?
PAST BLAKE: Like I said, it's simple, much simpler than trying to be a bridge between Humans and Faunus. Why struggle with that responsibility?*
Blake's parents, as well as Sun and Ilia, all looked at each other. The struggle of being accepted by humans was different to each of them, but none of them would give up their traits just to be accepted.
*The current Blake frowns. Meanwhile, in another space…
PAST WEISS: (smiling) The Schnee name. Why bother, anymore? What even stands for now? Instead, you could be a nobody. Could you imagine? Not even a single bit of baggage on your shoulders. Isn't that what you want? To be free?*
The Schnees and Klein looked at each other. The 'burden' of the Schnee name is what tore their family apart. It was still damaged, but they hoped that, once they left this space, they could work on fixing it. Especially since they now know Weiss is alive and will be coming back…hopefully soon.
*PAST BLAKE: To be something simpler?
PAST YANG: To be whole again?
Yang gives a serious, yet determined look on her face.
YANG: No. My losses, my failures. Those more than anything are what have shaped me into who I am, showed me how I need to grow. If there's something I'm missing, it's not because I lost it. It's cuz I haven't found it yet. And the only way to do that is to keep going.*
Since everyone was looking at the screen intently, no one noticed Raven smiling.
*BLAKE: A simple life wouldn't be my life! (draws Gambol Shroud's katana) My family, my friends, my culture. I belong to them, just as much as they belong to me. To give that all away wouldn't be simplicity, it would be betrayal.
WEISS: I don't know who you think you are, but let me tell you who I am: I am the granddaughter of a hero and a child of a villain. (points Myrtenaster at her past self) I am a citizen of a fallen Kingdom and an heir to nothing. I will not be defined by my name because I will be the one to define it. I am Weiss Schnee, and I am a Huntress!
BLAKE: I am a Huntress!
YANG: I am a Huntress!*
Blake and Weiss's family would've been proud, and, deep down they are. But they knew exactly who was at the greatest risk here.
*Elsewhere, Ruby is seen despondent and is on her knees while her past self stands over her.*
And the dread was in full force. No one spoke a word, unsure of what to say.
*PAST RUBY: (smiling) So, are you a Huntress? Like the ones you read about in books?
RUBY: (quietly) I… I don't know…
PAST RUBY: They always saved the day, didn't they? Always knew what to do. Always won in the end.
RUBY: (lowering her head) But… life isn't like a fairy tale…
PAST RUBY: That's right! It's up to you to make things better, isn't it? Everything all depends on you! Your sister needs you, your friends need you, the whole world needs you to keep fighting, forever and ever, against an invincible monster that took mother!
Ruby's eyes widen upon hearing this.
PAST RUBY: Mom was the best… (frowning) …but even she failed. That doesn't seem fair. None of this seems fair.*
Raven clenched her hands tightly. 'No, you dumb kid. If Summer was the best, she wouldn't have asked me to go on her damn suicide mission to begin with.'
*RUBY: But… What am I supposed to do…?
PAST RUBY: You can do whatever you want. Be whoever you want! You don't even have to be Ruby Rose…*
Raven's eyes widened. "This is it." When the others turned to her, Raven's brow furrowed. "This is the moment. This is how the Herbalist changed the King. If Ruby doesn't resolve herself, right here, right now…she's going to change."
Tai's breathing quickened, as he suspected as much.
*Ruby looks down, seemingly on the verge of despair.*
Tai's eyes widened in terror. 'She's going to accept!'
*PAST RUBY: So, what are you gonna be?*
"Ruby!" Tai yelled, hand clutching his head.
*The Cat appears and jumps through Ruby's past self as it vanishes in smoke.
CURIOUS CAT: Get away from her!
The Cat waves their tail, dissipating the smoke.*
Everyone jumped for joy and relief.
"Woooo!" Sun breathed out, "By the skin of their teeth!"
"Man, I love that cat!" Nora cheered.
Qrow chuckled weakly as he patted Tai's shoulder, the man sinking into his chair. "Damn, that cat gave Tai a heart attack."
"I must say," Klein scowled, "You most certainly weren't helping. That was more of a beatdown, if anything!"
"If that cat get's the Remnant," Saphron cheered, "I'm officially going to make him the family pet...Uh, if he'd accept, of course."
*HERBALIST: (coughs heavily) Oh my! That's a bit much.
CURIOUS CAT: Oh, Herb. Look at yourself. You're done. You're supposed to be helping others find their way. But you've lost your own. Please, let me help. And take a bit of my heart. You'll feel much better.
The Cat places a paw on the Herbalist, and parts of themself go to the Herbalist's heart.
HERBALIST: Oh, I do apologize. I… always was a bit of a workaholic.*
"Okay," Ren states, "So the Herbalist wasn't being evil, he genuinely wanted to help them. It's just that he took it too far with Ruby. Thank gods the cat stopped it in time."
"Yeah," Emerald added, "Even if they are the size of mice, I'm pretty sure Blondie would murder that thing if he tried to change Ruby."
*HERBALIST: Huntresses, was it? Hmm. Peculiar things.
A hole appears below the Herbalist and they fall through it. The ground suddenly closes the hole.*
"Uh…what?" Qrow questions.
"Was," Ghira continues, "Was that the Herbalist's doing, or the Cat's?"
*Team RWBY looks on in shock. Little comes out from Ruby's hood.
LITTLE: (yawns) Oh! I found the Cat.*
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE: YES/NO
"Thank you, Little," Nora snarks, "We hadn't noticed."
"Should we take another break?" Oscar asks.
Qrow pats Tai's shoulder. "I think our boy here needs it after seeing that."
"Yes," Glynda agreed, "We should-"
"I…" Saphron interrupted, "I want to watch one more."
The others turned to her.
"I don't know, I just…feel like we need to see one more before we take a break. Is that alright?"
The others looked at each other.
"I don't see an issue." Willow replied.
"Neither do I." Ghira added.
"Besides," Nora said before taking a long sip of her drink, "Pah, I think we might need an explanation on what just happened to Herb."
"Herb?"
"Hey, it's faster than saying Herbalist."
"Mister Xiao Long?"
Tai took a deep breath. "I'll be fine for one more episode."
"Let's just hope," Pietro warned, "That it isn't as stressful as what we just saw."
With everyone in agreement, they continued to the next episode.
Author's Notes: Episode 5 is coming up. As always, leave a review, fav/follow, and I'll see you all next time.