Halo, it's time for the newest chapter. Enjoy the reading.
- Hey, kitty! - Lance desperately searched for Curious Cat in the red grassy fields, hoping that he could lead them to the Tree. - Kitty! Come back! - Unfortunately, he couldn't find the Cat anywhere and he was starting to get a little desperate. - Come, kitty, kitty, kitty!
- The lower half of a cat! - Little peeked out from Lance's helmet that he attached to his belt.
- Finally! - Lance grabbed Cat's tail and lifted him up, but when he saw that the lower body didn't have an upper body, he was scared and his words faltered.
- Would you put me down?! - Cat's upper body appeared in the grass behind Lance and Little hid back in the helmet.
Lance put Cat's lower half down and its upper body walked towards him on two legs as if it was so natural and the two halves were connected.
- Well, you don't see that every day. - Lance just shook his head in confusion, but the Cat didn't pay any attention to him. - Curious Cat? - The Cat turned to Lance at the sound of his name. - How should I call you, Curious or Cat?
- Oh, they don't call me that and I don't use names. - The Cat just shook his head. - It's to the days that turn into years. But if you ask me what am I, then I'm truly a Cat. The most Curious.
- I see... - Lance didn't understand, so he got straight to the point. - Look, we need to turn my friends back to normal size, find our other friends and get to the Tree. We've gotten nowhere so far.
- I feel like we're getting further and further away from our goal. - Weiss emerged from Lance's helmet.
- Yeah, but it took a lot that we're six inches. - Yang reminded everyone of their recent size change.
- Maybe both. - That was all Weiss added.
- Whatever, - Ruby emerged from Lance's helmet. - Jaune and Neo are still missing, maybe they've gone to the Tree too.
- The Tree! - The Cat just sat down and watched the newcomers curiously. - Tree, Tree, Tree, Tree... - He repeated it playfully and thought, then something came to mind. - Of course... That's completely impossible. - He started wagging his tail, then walked around trying to catch it. - You don't have to go to the Tree, because the Tree will come to you on its own, unless you're me. - He stopped and pointed at them with his tail. - Do you understand?
- F*ck no. - Yang just shook her head.
- Well, - The Cat just tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. - that's your problem. - He sighed. - I'm afraid the future is quite uncertain.
- Now then, - Lance wanted to clarify something. - can you lead us there or not? If you've been there once, then maybe you could take us.
- Then why would I want to return? - The Cat objected, disgusted and worried. - Yes, - His eyes sparkled again. - I'm glad we understand each other. There's no point in meeting someone you know will harm you. - He smiled comically and looked at the girls in the helmets. Suddenly, a yellow butterfly flew past him and immediately switched to hunting mode, started chasing it.
- Please, - Blake didn't give up. - you did help Alyx when...
- Alyx?! - Hearing the girl's name, the cat stopped hunting and raised his head in shock. - Alyx? - He began to think slowly. - Alyx? - He rose into the air and hovered in front of Lance's face. - How do you know her? - He spun around excitedly. - Are you her friends? Or her sworn enemies? - He leaned back and tried to figure it out. - Wait, don't tell me! - He turned back and grabbed Lance's face with both paws. - Okay, tell me!
- We don't know her personally, but... - Lance tried to explain that everyone read Alyx's book as a child.
- She wrote a book, - Weiss joined in. - about her adventures in the Ever After.
- A book?! - The Cat looked at Weiss this time and excitedly wanted to know more. - Is it a famous book?!
- Almost every child's favorite storybook, at... - Blake explained. - where we came from.
- Yes! - This piqued the Cat's curiosity. - Please, I need to know more about this! What did she write?! How did she portray me?! And... - He suddenly stopped and started sniffing. - do I smell a mouse?
- Uhm... - Blake immediately stood in front of Little, she and Yang tried to hide him and instead changed the subject. - Like one cat to another, can you give us a minute?
- Oh, - The Cat lowered his head in disappointment. - If that's what you want. - His enthusiasm quickly returned. - Okay, but please hurry. - He landed on Lance's shoulder and stretched. - I have so many, many questions. - He jumped to the ground and started chasing the butterfly again.
- Are you sure he's not the Constantly Annoying Cat? - Weiss was really annoyed by the Cat.
- That was nice! - Yang agreed. - You totally burned him!
- Thank you.
- So is he our only hope now? - Lance sensed something sinister about the Cat.
- Come on, - Blake was the only one who was with the Cat. - the Curious Cat was described as an ally who was hungry for information. Just because he doesn't want to go back to the Tree doesn't mean we can't lure him there.
- You're right! - Ruby's eyes lit up too. - We just need to distract him somehow! It shouldn't be that hard. We know a lot of things that...
- He disappeared. - Yang noticed that the Cat had a cold spot.
- What?! - Lance didn't even notice that the Cat butterfly had completely disappeared while hunting. - Cat! Where are you?! - Suddenly a bunch of colorful butterflies took off from the tall grass and Lance immediately ran towards it, hoping to find the Cat. - What about the questions you wanted to ask?! We'll be happy to answer them!
- I feel a "but" coming. - The Cat split in two again and its upper body emerged from the grass. Suddenly its lower body emerged and joined its upper body, then sat down.
- Well... - Lance knew that the Cat clearly realized that they were just trying to trick him. - Yes, but... if you say that's a lot of time, then there will be enough time to answer all your questions.
- Hm... - The Cat thought about it, knowing that the team wanted to get to the Tree at all costs.
- Maybe... - Lance thought about showing him his Scroll, but he remembered that it had been soaked by seawater when it fell and was ruined and thrown away. - Have you ever seen a weapon like this? - He took out his pistol.
- Is this some kind of... magic device? - The Cat examined the weapon curiously.
- A gun. - Lance fired it and shot one of the trees. - I'm guessing there's nothing like that in the Ever After?
- Interesting. - The Cat's attention was piqued by this.
- And that's nothing compared to our weapons! - Ruby joined in. - If we regain our original size, we'd be happy to give a demonstration.
- He hooked. - Yang whispered and saw that the Cat was completely obsessed with their weapons.
The plan worked, as the RWBY team and Lance convinced the Cat to help them regain their original size and lead them to the Tree, hoping to find Jaune and Neo along the way.
The only catch was that the Cat had literally a million questions and kept asking questions about Remnant, its history and their adventures. The sun was setting, but the Cat's curiosity and enthusiasm weren't.
- So, the old man and the little boy are now in one body? - The Cat asked about Ozpin and Oscar's situation this time, while Lance hovered around and talked to the girls. - This must have some unpleasant consequences. Who would have thought that this would be the surest way to be reborn? The same one who raised a city to the skies? Oh, speaking of Atlas, is there a chance that girl Ciel will return from the Vytal festival in some form? And what about the Bounty Huntres who kidnapped your friend? Will you clash with them? There are so many characters in your stories that I can barely keep up. Wait a minute, - The Cat remembered that his attention had wandered a bit. - what was my original question?
- Blake... - Yang yawned and shook her girlfriend. - it's your turn.
- You asked about Remnant's origins. - Blake replied, but she was already blinking flats.
- That's right! - The Cat turned gratefully and energetically to the helmet in which the RWBY team was traveling. - Those two brothers! - He floated in the air excitedly. - It's not worth talking to them about the god complex! Overall, an entertaining ending. I felt like there was some desperation in the voices of some of the characters? - He turned to Weiss. - Like you, White Huntress.
- I repeat, - Weiss was just as annoyed by the Cat as everyone else. - my name is Weiss. Just Weiss.
- Apologize. - The Cat just laughed and they could see how much fun he was having. - It's surprising, but you know a lot more about the founding of Remnant than Alyx. - they could feel some contempt in his voice when he spoke about the girl. - That girl couldn't see further than her nose.
- What do you mean by that? - Ruby's curiosity was piqued.
- Oh, you know, - The Cat continued to float and talk. - just ridiculously worried about insignificant things.
- Yes, - Blake remembered the book a little differently. - but she learned her lesson in the end, didn't she?
- I wouldn't exactly say that. - Again, the Cat spoke of Alyx with contempt. - Look! - Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he saw the bridge ahead of them, leading out of the Crimson Forest and into a dimly lit mushroom forest. - The edge of the Garden Moon.
They looked up at the starry sky as the wind blew and a pile of rainbow-colored leaves flew towards them. One of them caught the Cat's attention so much that he stopped talking for a few seconds and played with the leaf instead.
- This whole world is like a weird puzzle. - Yang, although she found the phenomenon beautiful, saw no sense in it at all. - What's the point of all this?
- Each acre is designed specifically for its inhabitants and their roles. - The Cat replied. - Isn't it the same on Remant?
- No, - Lance shook his head. - the inhabitants had to adapt to the world and not the world adapting to them.
- How strange and cruel. - The Cat found this arrangement incredible.
- But it made them stronger. - Yang added.
- Now I want to ask! - Weiss snapped. - How long will it take for us to grow back to our normal size? - She found it quite inconvenient that she had to travel with the others in Lance's helmet all day and talk to a cat.
- Not long. - The Cat assured her. - The Garden is on the other side and here you will find all the ingredients you need to make a delicious Growgurt Parfait. Just don't talk to anyone without me. - He continued ominously. - If you're not careful...
- They could even cut off our heads. - Blake finished.
- I see, since that's how we met! - The Cat remembered as they crossed the bridge. - You Remnant people are quite the troublemakers.
- I assure you, we won't be such a problem once we regain our original size. - Weiss was already burning with the desire to grow again.
- Oh, I don't see what's so wrong with that. - The Cat waved. - A lot of my friends are also six inches tall. If I were you, I'd be more worried... - He suddenly thought. - Who's that scary witch you mentioned? Salim... Salem... How many more relics does it take to destroy the world again? - Lance and Team RWBY felt a prick of doubt at Cat's question. - How are you going to stop her now that Atlas has gone? - Lance paused, not knowing what to say. - And you, - He turned back to Lance. - must have been disappointed that all your teammates were gone and you were the only one left. - He just chuckled. - It must have been a disappointment for you, because... I wouldn't say we can still call yourselves team captain without your team.
Cat reminded Lance that his team, the LLMM, was gone for good and there was nothing he could do to bring them back.
- Hey, - Ruby noticed the boy's sadness. - Lance?
- Maybe it would be better if we didn't think about our losses right now. - Blake tried to distract him. - We have enough problems. and...
- The Cat! - Yang shouted and the Cat disappeared again.
- God dammit! - Lance looked around nervously at the huge mushroom forest, on the trunks of which more luminous mushrooms grew, but he couldn't find the Cat anywhere. - Now, where could he be?!
- He saw a bug! - Little, after the Cat disappeared, he finally emerged from under the helmet.
- And why didn't you say anything?! - Yang scolded him angrily.
- It was a very interesting bug. - Little tried to apologize, but in vain and hid back in the helmet.
- Of all the characters, why did we get the Cat?! - Weiss was already climbing the wall, the Cat was either disappearing or just talking non-stop. - Why couldn't it have been the Lively Carpenter or the Rusted Knight?! One was cute, the other was handsome and neither of them had the same concentration as a goldfish!
- You know, - Little tried to stay positive and looked at the lake by the road. - you can find a goldfish in a lake like that.
- Hey! - Yang suddenly heard a humming sound in the distance. - Do you hear that?
The humming sound was getting louder and louder and came from deep in the mushroom forest. Lance started walking and they came to a smaller, glowing mushroom garden, behind which stood a large, blue mushroom.
- Do you think this is the Garden? - Lance looked around curiously.
- Well, it looks like a garden. - Blake was sure. - But where is this humming coming from?
Lance stopped in front of a large pile of fallen rainbow leaves that started to rustle and as they all looked at the pile, it was clear that the humming was coming from there. The pile of leaves shook and three blue glowing eyes flashed out of it.
- What are you? - A hoarse voice came from the pile of leaves.
- Okay, - Lance just shook his head. - this question is really not funny anymore.
- What kind of question? - A giant, beetle-like creature emerged from the pile of leaves, with four arms and stunted, malformed wings. The creature had a sack in one of its upper right hands, while in its upper left hand, it held a rake carved from wood.
- What are you?! - Yang asked in disgust as Lance raised his shield defensively.
- Yeah, that's the question. - The creature emerged from behind the pile of leaves and the group saw its large, caterpillar-like lower body, which it was slithering along on. - Isn't it obvious? - He spread his lower arms. - I'm an Herbalist. The Herbalist. At least... - He turned and thought about how to phrase it. - until I wasn't anymore. - As soon as he finished, he began to rake the leaves together.
- Great, - Yang just rolled her eyes. - that answers all our questions.
- Look, - Lance hoped that this strange creature could help them. - Sorry to bother you, but my friends need help. - He approached the raking creature. - We need to get to the Tree and...
- Help you get to the Tree? - The Herbalist finished and closed his eyes. - Ah, yes. Everyone needs help these days. - He sighed wearily. - Everyone. - He turned and started to slide towards the large, blue mushroom, with Lance following him.
As he reached the mushroom's trunk, it simply parted like a door and surprisingly, there was a furnished apartment inside and the creature continued on.
- Are you coming or not? - The Herbalist came back, as Lance couldn't help but be amazed by what he saw.
- Could you make us a Growgurt Parfait? - Lance asked, but the Herbalist didn't answer, he just sighed tiredly, then turned and went to his workshop.
Lance entered the door, and the mushroom's trunk closed behind him like a zipper and he found himself in the workshop. The place was dark, but a few glowing objects gave some light and they could see the shelves, which were full of books, potions, measuring tools, vials, flasks and whatnot.
- I have to say, - The Herbalist was mixing various ingredients in a bowl while talking to the group. - you guys are pretty vague. What did you say you were?
- We are hunters. - Ruby replied.
- And what exactly does a Hunter do? - The Herbalist just turned around curiously.
- Fight monsters... - Ruby replied, a little vaguely. - I think. - She just shook her head and got to the point. - Sorry, but I don't understand what this means?
- And I don't understand that you don't understand! - The Herbalist just nervously slided away from the counter where he was working and went to another counter, from where he took a measuring tool. - I'm the Herbalist! I make medicines and potions for others to help them on their journey! - He took a handful of leaves from a mason jar. - It's me! - He put some weight on one side of the measuring tool, while the leaves on the other side to measure the exact amount. - So, do you know what Hunters are or are you just guessing?!
- Hunters are heroes! - Blake spoke up. - We protect those who can't protect themselves!
- Thank you! - The Herbalist was relieved that he finally found out what he wanted. - Now... - He placed a thin piece of paper on the counter, put the leaves in it and folded it. - Do you consider yourselves good Hunters? - Lance remained speechless at this question.
- Look, can you help us or not?! - Yang was starting to get impatient.
- I'm trying! - The Herbalist snapped back. - But you're making it really difficult, and you really shouldn't! - He took the bundle of papers and slid to the other side of the workshop. - We all have roles! - He stopped at the table in the middle of the workshop and set the package on it. - But in order to become who you should become, you need to better understand who you are now!
- What? - Lance just shook his head.
- Okay... - Weiss tried to find an excuse to leave. - How do we open that mushroom... door?
- This is why we have a Prince instead of a King. - The Herbalist just sighed wearily, as if he were talking to a group of idiots. - Follow me. - He turned and walked through the door covered with strings inlaid with beads. - My work never ends.
Lance followed him into the other room, where there were more bookshelves, but in the middle of the room there was a small campfire burning, surrounded by cushions and blankets, and the Herbalist held a hookah to his mouth and took a long smoke.
- Please... - The creature invited his guests. - take a seat.
- Uhm... - Blake and the others found this situation increasingly creepy. - Actually... I think we should go now. Right, Lance? - She hoped the boy would turn around and lead them out, but the knight didn't move.
- This won't take long. - The Herbalist assured them, but Lance, a little late, turned around, but when he tried to go out the door, it, like the front door, zipped shut. - Just answer the questions. - He took another smoke from his hookah and held a pile of leaves in his other hand. - What... are... you? - He threw the leaves into the fire, causing it to turn rainbow-colored and the entire room to be covered in colored smoke.
Lance began to choke, as did the girls, and soon fell to the ground, his helmet falling from his belt and the girls falling out of it. Lance desperately tried to put on his helmet, which had a built-in gas mask, but in vain.
- Are you sure you know? - The Herbalist's voice came from behind the smoke screen. - You must be sure of what you are and what you will become!
Ruby found this situation strange, standing there in the thick smoke, talking to her own younger, more enthusiastic self.
- Tell me, - Young Ruby looked at her older self eagerly. - You've become a Huntress? Like the ones you read about in books?
- No. - Older Ruby just shook her head. - Those Huntresses aren't real. They're just made-up stories that adults made us believe in.
- But they always save the world, don't they? - Young Ruby continued to try to cling to her childhood fantasy. - And they always know what to do.
- No. No one knows what's right and anyone who says so is a liar. - Ruby was no longer the naive little girl who believed in fairy tales and strived to be perfect.
- But in the end, they still win. - Young Ruby still lived in a fantasy world.
- No. Sometimes the Huntresses make mistakes and lose. - The older Ruby has already tasted real war, where it's not about moral goodness that counts, but about how strong, smart and supported by her friends. - Either because they made a bad decision or because they were betrayed, or because their opponent was smarter. Life is not a fairy tale.
- That's right, that's why you have to make the world a better place! - Young Ruby still believed this. - It's all up to you! Your sister and your friends need you! The whole world needs you to fight forever and ever against an invincible monster who took your mother from you!
- This fight won't last forever! - Ruby declared bravely. - There's no such thing as invincible! We'll find a way to defeat Salem, no matter what we have to face!
- Hmm, Mom believed that too. - Young Ruby remembered. - Oh, she was the best, but even she failed. This doesn't seem fair. This whole situation doesn't seem fair.
- Mom... - The older Ruby was forced to admit. - made the biggest mistake a Huntress could make. She fought alone. I won't fight without my friends! We may lose a lot in the coming war, but we won't back down! We won't surrender to Salem and we certainly won't let her scare us! This is my promise! I'm Ruby Rose and I'm a Huntress!
- Ruby... - Lance coughed. - Girls?! - Suddenly she coughed out a cloud of colored smoke that stopped in front of him and took on a human form.
Incredible, there stood Lance's younger self, his slightly shorter, gleaming, red and gold armored self. His helmet had a similar T-shaped visor, but it didn't have a built-in gas mask and the rose crest wasn't there either. He looked down at himself, his much more broken, worn, scratched and dented armor, missing its right shoulder plate. He felt as if he had aged at least a hundred years since Beacon and had fought twice as many battles.
- What the... - Lance had no idea how to react to the sight of his younger self.
- You don't have to go any further, you know?" -His young, excited self just waved. - Why are you toiling and sacrificing yourself for a hopeless mission?
- I oathed, - Lance remembered. - that with my life or my death, I would protect and support Ruby!
- All those oaths... - Young Lance just shrugged. - What's the point? We helped Ruby so much. Don't you think they could have done it without you?
- I'm sure they appreciate our effort... - The older Lance hoped his friends wouldn't be mad at him for not being able to do more to help them win.
- I'm sure they appreciate it a lot, because... - Young Lance smiled under his helmet. - You couldn't protect Mike, Penny and because of you, the RWBY team shrank. Yes, they will surely sing songs to your great achievements.
- F*ck you, - The older Lance balled his hands into fists. - I did everything I could!
- And you achieved so much. - Young Lance just clapped his hands. - Maybe we should have listened to dad and left this whole Hunter thing behind.
- Dad... he... - Lance remembered well that his father had warned him about Ozpin and warned him in advance that something bad was preparing in Beacon.
- And what about Mandy? You slept in the same room with the girl who was responsible for the death of your team. You simply didn't recognize the darkness in her and blindly trusted her.
- Yes, I believed in her... and she betrayed me. - Another wound opened in Lance's heart. He remembered how much it hurt when he found out that Mandy had betrayed them.
- And what about Ruby? - His younger self asked him another delicate question.
- What about Ruby? - The older Lance asked, blushing slightly.
- There's no point in lying, I'm who you want to be. - The young Lance just laughed. - I know exactly how you feel about her.
- I respect her as a leader and a friend! - Lance tried to convince himself with this.
- It's more than that. You want to be with her. You want to hold her close to you, to make her yours and you think a lot about how wonderful it would feel to kiss her.
- Stop it! - Lance drew his sword at his younger self.
- Just say it, - Young Lance just spread his arms. - If you could go back and be with your teammates again, - A younger version of Lynda, Mike, and Mandy emerged from the smoke, as they had been at Beacon. - would you? You could be team captain again and maybe avoid the disasters that had happened. You could prevent the tragedy of team LLMM. And maybe even get back together with Ruby. - He held out his hand to the older Lance, as if making a deal.
- I... - Lance had no idea what he could do, he wanted to see his friends again and he wanted to fix his past mistakes.
- You just have to let go of your oath, put down your sword and take my hand.
Lance lowered and put away his sword and was about to take his younger self's hand when the Curious Cat appeared behind young Lance and jumped over him, turning young Lance into a cloud of smoke.
- Get away from him! - The Cat blew out a huge cloud of smoke and saved Lance and the others.
- Ouch, that was a bit much! - The Herbalist coughed and choked after his spell broke.
- Oh, Herb, - The Cat looked at him with pity. - look at yourself. - He started towards him. - You should have helped others find their way, - He stopped in front of Herb and sat down. - but you lost your own. Please let me help you. - He touched Herb's tail with his paw and cast some kind of spell on it. - Accept a piece of my heart. . The spell crept up Herb's body and landed in his chest.
- I'm so sorry. - Herb seemed to change after that. - I... have always been a bit of a... workaholic. - He looked at the team. - Hunters, right? Strange creatures, that's sure... - Suddenly the ground opened up beneath him and he fell into the depths, then closed and crushed his body.
Team RWBY and Lance just stared in horror and shock as the Herbalist fell to his death and was crushed.
- Hey, - Little, who had slept through the whole thing, looked at the Cat proudly. - Look, I found the Cat!
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