Billy: WE ARE SO BACK!
Anon: There has been some difficulties, but yes, we're back
Billy: Anyways, we're back and we're doing a double whammy upload so HIT IT!
Disclaimer/Shitpost Alert: Some of the shit we're about to show the cast MIGHT be inspired by some works, so just saying it now, WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING, not even RWBY.
[COMEBACK SPECIAL LINEBREAK, HERE WE FUCKING GOOOOO]
At the sound of a… school bell, for some damn reason, ringing throughout the Theater, Billy pulled out an oversized pocket watch.
"WELL! Guess it's time for another break!" Billy clapped his hands and in an instant, the Theater became a sleek common room, complete with a bar and some fancy tables and chairs.
Some of the guests stretched in their chairs from the prolonged time sitting.
"Hey, we got another one of those music worlds, right?" Sun asked eagerly, as Anon nodded.
"Yes, much like the last, it's not necessary for all of you to watch. If you like, you can explore the Theater's many facilities." Anon replied, as several robots wearing tour guide outfits appeared, seemingly from the ceiling, and started handing out pamphlets.
"For those that do wish to watch the next Music AU, please come back here in the next several minutes while my brother and I take a break as well." Billy added, as some stood and explored what this Theater of Madness had to offer.
"Does this place have a cafe, or a clothing shop?" Coco asked, half-joking but more so had a serious undertone.
"Well, we do have a clothing emporium, it mostly houses clothes from different universes." Anon replied.
"As for a cafe, our bar provides coffee as well." Billy added.
"Sweet." The fashionista smirked, dragging her team along with her.
[BADASS LINEBREAK]
Jaune Arc sat by his lonesome in the Theater, while the others sat nearby and chatted away. He was deep in thought, contemplating on the situation he and the other guests were in.
As he mused, his mind went to that one viewing with Neptune and Weiss, and especially during the vignette of his alternate self asking the alternate Neptune for love advice, on Pyrrha of all people.
That's not to say he doesn't want to date his partner, it was more that he felt that she was out of his league, that he was just a speck compared to the supposed Mistral champ. Although he knew that Pyrrha wanted to be treated like a normal person, he… huh, guess he doesn't have an excuse for that one.
Well, I could, but… Before Jaune could think any further, lo and behold the Junior Detective Duo approaching him, along with Ren (for he may love Nora- but not love-love Nora, though he doesn't wish to admit it out loud, the man needs a break every once in a while).
"Hey man, how're you holding up?" Sun asked.
"O-oh, uh just alright, I guess." Jaune replied.
"Listen." Neptune started, scratching the back of his head. "I know it's a bit late but, I wanted to thank you for uh… calling me out during the Dance."
"Oh, that? Nah…" Jaune sheepishly waved it off. "I just thought that it didn't make sense at the time."
"I know!" Neptune threw his hands up frustratingly, surprising the other 3 boys before he quickly apologized.
"Sorry, it's just… I know." Neptune muttered before he sighed.
"It's just, I wanted to be cool and all. I mean it worked out fine, sure, but for all that 'cool guy' attitude I tend to have an abundance of…" His voice trailed off, but Jaune caught on.
"It all comes crashing down when someone sees through it and calls you out?" Jaune finished, placing a hand on Neptune's shoulder.
"Trust me, I know how that feels." The blonde knight chuckled humorlessly, which brought a questioning look on Neptune's face.
"Jaune used to do that as well, acting tough." Ren piped in. Sun looked at his fellow blonde for confirmation and the latter nodded.
"So who called you out?" The monkey faunus asked.
"Pyrrha." Jaune replied, which made Neptune remember his promise.
"Oh right, speaking of." Neptune stood.
"Jaune, you called me out on something I genuinely regret doing, and by doing so, you helped me sort things through with Weiss, so thanks. But I feel like thanks ain't enough, so I wish to return the favor."
Neptune held his hand out with a friendly grin. "I wish to help you date your partner, Pyrrha Nikos."
…
…
"E-ehhh!?" Jaune yelled out before cupping his mouth shut. Ren facepalmed.
"I-I mean, I haven't…" Jaune's face grew redder by the second.
"Neptune buddy, you didn't expect this reaction from him, did you?" Sun laughed.
"Oh I did, sort of." Neptune's face remained unchanged. "Still, I wanna help you, it's the least I can do."
Jaune hesitated for a moment before giving it much thought and finally, he stood and shook his friend's hand.
"Not sure what I'm getting myself into." Jaune smiled awkwardly.
"Trust me Jauney, you're in good hands." Sun threw his friend into a headlock. "'Cuz ol' Nep here's a smarty pants when it comes to this!"
"Ow! The hair!" Neptune complained, earning laughs from his friends, old and new.
Watching from another table was Winter Schnee, who eavesdropped on the whole conversation. At first, she was a little upset that this Neptune was the same one who rejected her little sister because of something as insignificant as "not knowing how to dance".
…Okay, make that very upset. But as she listened to how the conversation went, her respect for Neptune Vasilias went up just a bit and even more when he promised to help Jaune Arc, another of her sister's admirers, of whom she was more fond of despite his initial insistence towards dating Weiss, she was glad the blonde boy dropped it entirely.
As they chatted, something told Winter that she needed to have that talk with Mr. Vasilias sooner than later. For now, she would watch and wait…
[BADASS LINEBREAK]
In a hallway, as Billy was about to prepare for the next Music AU, he turned a corner to a fax machine popping out of nowhere right in front of him.
"WOAH, what the fuck?" Suddenly, the machine whirred to life.
WHIRRR
BEEP BOOP
PRINTING SOUNDS GO BRRRR
Ripping the piece of paper from the machine, Billy pulled out a pair of comically large glasses and started to read.
"...Something, something… "Read at your own risk", bla, bla, bla… AH, here we are." Billy said, finding the important part to read. 'Cause nothing says bureaucracy like NOT reading the fine print properly.
As Billy read through whatever it is that's important, he suddenly turned the paper around, and slowly lowered his large glasses, as well as his shades to reveal widened eyes of… terror?
What the fuck's going on in Detroit?
Shakily, the Host pocketed the paper and bolted, frantically screaming for his twin's name.
[OMINOUS LINEBREAK, OoOoOoOoo]
Back in the Theater, Teams RWBY, JNPR and SSSN, as well as Oscar and Penny came back for the Music AU.
"And I said, "Try and see Xiao Long can you last in the ring against me!" and then I punched his face in!" Yang concluded one of her stories to pass the time, which of course, involved a damn pun.
And as to be expected, groans could be heard, although there were some, like Sun, Oscar, and Penny, who were simply impressed and in awe more by the magnitude of her tales of fighting and less of the puns she made.
But regardless, Weiss looked to Anon with a look of desperation and irritation… more likely the latter.
"Please, tell me your twin is coming soon?!" She asked, a tick on her forehead.
"Well, he's on his way in 3… 2…" Anon counted down on his pocket watch and then pointed towards the Theater doors, just in time as Billy came barging in with a look of sheer terror, something which didn't go ignored by the youths in the room.
"Now."
"ANONNNN!" Billy screeched as he latched on to his twin dramatically before letting go and stepping away.
"Okay, what's going on? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost-"
"FUCKING- LOOK AT THIS!" Billy shoved a piece of paper on his fellow Host's face.
With a sigh, Anon read through the piece of paper. He turned it around and after a while, he too, had a wide eyed look.
"Oh, shit." He simply said as the others were equal parts curious, and worried.
"What's it say? I'm pretty sure it's not that bad." Sun piped up.
"Well it must be, if it got one of our Hosts rather freaked out." Weiss crossed her arms.
"If you're sure." Anon gave the paper to Yang.
"You do the honors, Miss Xiao Long. I think someone with your optimism can stomach this… I think." Anon muttered the last part with uncertainty.
Billy, meanwhile, is fiddling with a tablet of sorts, muttering curses as he did.
"Eh, I do have a sunny personality." Yang punned, winking at Sun, who facepalmed in amusement.
"Just read it already." Blake said dryly, getting tired of her partner's shit.
"Alright, alright." Yang laughed before clearing her throat and started to read.
"To whom it may concern,
If, somehow, this letter has reached someone, ANYONE, and if you, the reader, have somehow stumbled into this letter, then I thank you, for I don't think there are any Gods out there to thank.
But I digress, what you're about to read might sound like a bunch of random words and expressions. But if you happen to be one of them, then I think you might understand, at least I hope you're one of them, and that you'd understand.
On the back of this letter, there will be a poem, and DON'T read the poem out loud unless you're SURE you know what you're doing. Please, I beg you, if you don't want to experience what I had to BURY as the most SORE of pains, do NOT read the poem out loud. I don't wish to inflict this burden upon the unwilling.
But if you're either one of them or you are TRULY willing to help this poor soul move on, read the poem out loud in a safe space, possibly not anywhere in this Gods-forsaken world, perhaps somewhere… beyond?
By the time I've written this letter, all of them are dead, those who I cherished the most, the woman I loved- gone… and I think THEY might come for me next, which is why I decided to keep certain things about me and what's at the end of that damn poem behind secret messages.
But I hope this message lands in good hands…
Sincerely Yours,
Envy"
By the time Yang had finished the letter, the room, for a brief moment, felt cold. As if something ran an ice cube down their spine, and not in a good way. Hell, even Yang, the normally bubbly and outgoing, felt anxious for the briefest moment.
"H-hey, d-did someone lower the temperature in here, o-or is that just me?" Jaune asked his friends with a gulp.
"I don't feel so good." Oscar hugged himself, feeling nervous.
"Strange, why do I feel… not so good?" Penny asked herself, blinking rapidly as she was then comforted by Ruby, who herself was shaking a little.
I got a bad feeling about that letter, it's like something's… off. Neptune frowned in thought as Sun spoke.
"Well, whoever this "Envy" guy is, he said there's a poem at the back, right? Why not read it?" Apprehension was evident in his partner's voice, Neptune knew.
"It did say not to read it unless we're sure." Ren said, a little skeptical about all this.
"And I feel like something's really off about that letter." Neptune voiced his thoughts.
"But whoever wrote that letter, clearly he needs help." Ruby retorted, ever so eager to help.
"I wouldn't be so sure, it could be a trap." Blake shot back, knowing well of suspicious letters from before she went to Beacon.
"But-!"
"That decision, I believe, is up to our Hosts." Sage spoke up, cutting off any further argument as everyone turned to him.
"Billy, after all, was the one who delivered the letter. I'd say it's pretty much up to him."
"Wai-huh? OH!" Billy looked up from his tablet and cleared his throat.
"Well… normally, I would put something like this in the shredder. It's not the first time someone sent junk mail to us." Billy began, eliciting a subtle nod from Blake, and a frown from Ruby.
"However, I have a feeling that to do so, it would invite unforeseen, and quite possibly destructive, consequences. Plus my brother and I did promise that we'd see to the restoration of your universe so… why not help another, eh?" Billy's statement turned the rose reaper's frown upside down.
"'Tis indeed, after all, the duty of the Huntsman to not only combat the Creatures of Grimm…" Ozpin's voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a warm torch amidst the cold darkness.
"But to protect their fellow man, whether in the familiarity of their homes, or beyond." Ozpin finished, as the students turned to the doors to see the Headmaster and his colleagues, with himself drinking his signature cup of coffee.
"So regardless of what's gonna happen, you better read that poem, kiddo." Qrow stepped in.
"Uncle Qrow…" Ruby trailed off, turning away to look at her sister, who had a determined look.
"Alright, I'll do it!" Yang turned the paper around to see the aforementioned poem. It was, indeed, weird as fuck.
She breathed deep, the anxiety that she normally would suppress behind a carefree demeanor came back once more, but disappeared the moment she felt the reassuring grip on her shoulder, courtesy of her little sister.
Yang smiled at Ruby, who pumped her fist cutely, yet encouragingly.
And thus, she started to read.
"Out of the meadow,
A figure in black
In its eyes of shadow
There is no turning back
From the Vale Valley town
Where lost souls are found
The truth lies in half to an hour
Six towards the underworld, below holy ground
842823"
JOLT!
That chill from before came back with a goddamn vengeance, it made Yang's breath hitch as she dropped the letter and started to breathe heavily.
"Yang!" Ruby was quick to rush to her sister's side, along with her friends. With her family rushing in tow.
"I'm okay! I'm okay, no need to crowd me." Yang warded them off as she, with the help of Summer and Taiyang, shakily stood.
The Twins then approached the letter, which burst into flames briefly, before leaving only ashes.
Billy hummed before sticking his hand curiously and soon enough, he felt something.
He grabbed on to it and pulled and sure enough…
"It seems our suspicions were confirmed."
A VHS tape was in his hand.
"What suspicions, exactly?" Ironwood asked, his eyes narrowed.
"The moment we saw the numbers at the end of the poem, we knew something was up." Anon explained.
"And knew something, we sure damn did!" Billy piped in, tossing the tape in his hand before whistling to his guests.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, if you could so PUH-LEASE, be settled on your seats and direct your attention to the front of the Theater! It seems another universe has decided to land right on our laps."
"W-w-wait, so that tape is a whole universe?!" Jaune asked as most of the guests were seated.
"Why nooo, Mr. Arc, ya silly goose." Billy replied, shaking the VHS tape.
"It's a VHS tape, it records stuff. So, by process of elimination…"
"It's a recording of a whole other universe, then?" Ghira guessed.
"Precisely, Mr. Belladonna. But there's more to it." Billy then had a serious expression.
"See, here's the thing about these "Analogue Universe Tapes" or, "AUTs", as I so aptly call them, they tend to be a little tricky."
"Uh, tricky how, exactly?" Taiyang asked.
"Normal universes usually show up on-screen here. But for AUTs, like the one in Billy's hand, there are a few glaring differences." Anon explained.
"Firstly, these tapes usually are sent from a very unstable universe where the intervention of the Hosts are most required. Second, and this is the reason why AUTs are a rarity. Anon?"
Billy gestured to his twin, who nodded.
"Secondly, when the tapes show up at a Host's doorstep, the tendency is that the one who sent it is most possibly an inhabitant of the universe where the tape originated."
That fact alone elicited looks of shock from nearly everyone.
"S-so one of us could've sent that." Oscar gulped.
"And whoever it was, they're probably long gone by now." Qrow frowned.
"Not exactly." Anon corrected. "But I'll save that explanation for later."
"Finally, when an AUT shows up in this plane of existence, it's usually a Host's job to take care of the altercation that's caused said tape to show up. I won't go into specifics but usually, the Hosts go into the universe in question themselves. Seeing as they're not part of the "canonicity" of the universe, what they do won't affect the universe too much."
"There's also the less desirable alternative…" Billy frowned before continuing his input.
"Since AUTs can traverse between realities, it's no surprise that only those made entirely out of Multiranium, such as us, can access its home universe."
Billy then pulled out his tablet from before and tapped on it a few times, before he sighed in frustration.
"However, I'm afraid that the same could somewhat be said for those exposed to Multiranium."
This alarmed nearly everyone.
"Wait, what?!" Jaune nearly screamed.
"You're saying we could be pulled into whatever's in that tape?!" Scarlet asked apprehensively.
"It's a damn guarantee, but fortunately, with most of you being right here in the Theater when Yang read that poem, the worst you've gotten was that sudden chill."
"Which brings us to our next point." Billy piped up before sighing deeply.
"Team CFVY has been pulled into the AUT. We're deeply sorry."
[DUN DUN CLIFFHANGER-LINEBREAAAAKKKKK]
Billy: Well GOD DAMN, this chapter has been long overdue
Anon: Yes, after much conquering of writer's block, and several drafts, WE DID IT
Billy: And what better way to post a comeback chapter than to dabble in a bit of horror?
Anon:Yup. So yeah, we're very sorry that this took WAY longer than it should have. As with my previous statement, writer's block was a bitch and a half to get over, not to mention college, and our time
Billy: But trust us when we say that the times when we do work on this fic is when we start "cooking", as the Zoomers would say
Anon: Indeed, and with that, expect the next chapter soon, hopefully we can post it ASAP. So, how's this chapter of the Theater of Madness? As always, don't forget to Read and Review
Billy: FAVORITE AND FOLLOW
Anon: Stay Cool and Anonymous
Billy: And STAY BOMBASTIC!