(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!
Megatron: what the?
(Ruby gets startled and notices the Curious Cat is behind her. 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)
Megatron: this cat is quite interesting.
Blake: so I'm no longer interesting?
Megatron: you know what mean.
(She kissed my cheek)
Blake: I know it just fun.
Ruby: 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.
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!
Megatron: mostly because where about the size of a mouse.
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.
Megatron: chuckles) and he rims i definitely like you.
Curious Cat: Well, that's your problem. It's a matter of perspective, I'm afraid.
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)
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: A book? Is it well-liked?
Blake: It's kind of a childhood favorite of everyone's, where we're from.
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 Megatron. 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.
(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.
Weiss: (smugly smiling) Thank you.
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.
Megatron: a smart deception move Blake. And if the cat want info well we all hav remove them enough to—
Yang: The cat's gone.
(Hearing this, Ruby panics)
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)
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)
Curious cat: Ooh! What does this button do?
(the light from Ruby's Scroll flashes, and they take a few more selfies)
Curious cat: 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.
Later...
Curious Cat: So the old man and the boy share a body now? Ooh, that's got some uncomfortable implications. 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?
(They all have tired looks on their faces)
Yang: (exhausted) Blake... It's your turn.
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. Oh, would you look at that. The edge of the Gardens Arce.
(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?
Curious Cat: Each acre is made specifically for its inhabitants and their roles. Is it not like that on Remnant? Or what was you planner called again Megawatt?
Megatron: it's Megatron and it called cybertron and no this world is unlike anything I've seen and I've bin to many planets.
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?
Megatron: yes I like to be back to fighting size and not this.
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. 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?
(Ruby stops walking. Ruby looks at the Gardens path and shuts her eyes)
Yang: Uh, hey, Rubes?
Ruby: I... uh...
Blake: Maybe we shouldn't worry about home right now. We got enough problems to--
Megatron: The Cat gone again.
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?
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!
Megatron: (thinking this rust knight sounds like Optimus prime)
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?
Megatron: be on gourd.
(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)
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.
Megatron: what in the name of Kayan!
Yang: What are you?!
Herbalist: 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)
Herbalist: Well? Are you coming in? Or aren't you?
Ruby: You can make us a Grow-gurt Parfait, right?
(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! I am an herbalist. I make medicines and remedies to help others on their journeys. It is what I am. So... Do you know what a Huntress is, or do you guess?
Megatron: Huntsmen are heroes. We protect those who can't protect themselves. And save all the people we can.
Herbalist: Thank you. Now... Would you say you're good Huntresses?
(Ruby tries to answer, but hesitates)
Yang: Look, can you help us, or not?
Herbalist: (putting their hand on their head) I am trying...
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.
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...
(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.
Megatron: I don't like this one bit we should go.
Ruby: Umm... (turns around)
(Suddenly, the door behind them closes, and Team RWBY gasps in shock)
Herbalist: Just... answer the questions.
(Ruby turns around. The Herbalist inhales another puff of smoke from the hookah)
Herbalist: (echo) What... are... you?
(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 them. 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...
(Megatron, Weiss, Blake, and Yang get up, but the smoke is too thick for them to see, and they are separated)
Yang: megs! Ruby! Weiss! Blake! (coughs)
(Black smoke comes out from Yang's mouth and it takes the form of her own past self)
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 robot arm and holds it)
Yang: What? What are you talking about?
(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?
(The current Blake frowns. Meanwhile, in another space)
Past Megatron: why wast you time with these weakling we have the power to rule this world.
Megatron: what but why.
Past Megatron: because we are strong we are a gladiator a conquer a lord we take what we what from others and don't look back.
(Megatron look down and think and then back at himself 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?
Past Blake: To be something simpler?
Past Yang: To be whole again?
Past Megatron: To rule over the weak 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.
Blake: A simple life wouldn't be my life! (draws Gambol Shroud's katana) My family, my friends, my culture. My love. 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.
Megatron: you may think I want to but not anymore I may have in a slave in the mines and force to fight for my life in the pit but now I know the true mean of oppression and I will never go back I am not lord Megatron leader of the decepticons or a gladiator of the pit of Kayan (point dark saber at his past self) I am just Megatron and don't fight for glory or to win but form my friends and for my love blake belladonna.
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!
Megatron: I am a huntsmen!
Yang: I am a Huntress!
(Elsewhere, Ruby is seen despondent and is on her knees while her past self stands over her)
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 your 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.
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...
Ruby looks down, seemingly on the verge of despair.
Past Ruby: So, what are you gonna be?
(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)
Herbalist: (coughs heavily) Oh my! That's a bit much.
Megatron: what? What just happened.
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. Huntresses, was it? Hmm. Peculiar things.
(A hole appears below the Herbalist and they fall through it. The ground suddenly closes the hole. They looks on in shock. Little comes out from Ruby's hood)
Little: (yawns) Oh! I found the Cat
Megatron: WHAT THE FU—