*Y/N POV*

After leaving the Herbologist, or should I say after he disappeared into the hole, we escaped. Right now, we're in greenery near the garden, running away. After about three minutes of running, I think we've reached a safe distance.

(Y/N): "Ruby," I pant. "Slow down; we are far away" Ruby slows down, and I approach her. "Just, let's take a moment to think, okay?"

Ruby: "Sorry... I just... I want to be as far away from that place."

(Y/N): "You... what did you see? Was it your past self?" Ruby wants to answer me, but our feline magic friend cuts me off.

Curious Cat: "Well, it's good that I found you when I did. And you're all still you. That's not always the case in the Ever After."

Mako: "We would never be in this mess if you didn't abandon us!" he chastises the Cat. "And we wouldn't be stuck in a crazy mushroom house of havoc!"

Weiss: "You mean the mushroom which had the crazy bug guy that drugged us before the hole in the ground swallowed him!"

Curious Cat: "Ah, yes, yes. Alyx had a very similar reaction to yours. She was the same when she saw someone return to the Ever After. But it's not what it looks like... Well, maybe it does a little bit. But not how you think if you're just going to do the same as Alyx. But, it seems to be too late for that" it jumps some mushrooms and finally lands on a path. "Ah ha, we're here!"

We hesitantly follow it until we come across a large pond before them. Several gigantic lily pads slowly float on the water, but we all head to a giant lily pad with a tall flower on top, what looks like levels or floors, and different colors.

Sam: "What... what is this place?"

Curious Cat: "If I were you, I'd hurry up. Or maybe you want to be left behind." Ruby and I start running, finally jumping on our new form of transportation.

Yang: "So, cat, care to tell us how a giant caterpillar falling into a hole in the ground isn't what it looks like" Ruby puts all of our shrunken friends back to the safety of her hood

Curious Cat: "... When we wear out or break, or simply complete our roles, we are called back. But Herb, his heart was hurt. Too weak to listen. So, I gave him a little bit of mine to help him out."

Ryze: "So... you mean he kicked the bucket? Did he go belly up? Does he bite the dust?" Cat looks at him, not understanding. "Oh fuck..." he murmurs, "Is he dead?" The Cat shakes his head.

Curious Cat: "Oh, no, not like that. Well, maybe a little bit, but not at all,"

Yang: "Ugh! Which is it?" Cat gets less amused.

Curious Cat: "Ahem. Now that Herb has been properly called back, he'll be healed and brought back to the Herb he wanted to be before losing himself. And when he comes back, he can find his purpose. Could be the same purpose as before, or an entirely new one."

(Y/N): "So, reincarnation. Got it"

Curious Cat: "I'd say that's close enough of a right answer. He never completely died, but when he returns, he'll be alive again. Just as he was before, though not entirely the same."

Ruby: "When he comes back... will he remember anything?"

Curious Cat: "Hahaha," it lies down, laughing, and then it turns to us. "What would be the point in that?" and now he's stretching. "You people sure are slow on the uptake. I understand that things are fairly different back in your world, and some things... die there. But it's not the same here. We're not like you, and this world doesn't exist on the same plane of rules as yours does. We don't die; we ascend. When Herb ascends, he will have a purpose again."

Weiss: "That's impossible. Things have to die someday... right?"

(Y/N): "Normally, should have. But there is Ozpin, who has reincarnated Oum knows how many times, and Salem, an immortal witch who theoretically 'can't be killed' or hasn't been killed just yet. Weiss, just if you didn't notice, we're not on Remnant. Rules here are different from those in our world. We can't keep thinking like we're back in our world. If we do, we would only end up in so much trouble, like Alyx did last time.

Curious Cat: "Indeed, you're right. It's just a matter of perspective. We don't 'die' here. Though I suppose there is a creature... No, no, that's not the sort of thing you talk about in polite company..."

We arrive at our destination shortly after and get off a giant lilypad. We look around, seeing more strange characters walking around, discussing their business. Some have even set up stands and little shops to sell whatever counts as merchandise in the Ever After. As we progress, Blake asks.

Blake: "Wait, then what happened to Herb... is that what happened to the king?"

(Y/N): "Remember what the Herbalist said. 'This is how a king ends up as a prince.' The King must've ascended when Alyx beat him for the first time; he broke his purpose. And then he became the Red Prince."

Curious Cat: "Oh, it was truly a sad sight. The King could not come to terms with losing to her before. He became such a crying mess" it moves up the tree. "Thankfully, he was called back. He was fixed up and thus became the Red Prince whom you had the pleasure of meeting."

Mako: "Fixed? He was worse. He cheated in the game, threw a temper tantrum and then tried to chop our head off."

Curious Cat: "The Prince isn't supposed to be nice or noble. His purpose is to play the game and win... no matter the cost. It was simply his role."

Blake: "So, the Red King would play fair to win, but the Prince cheats to win no matter what. But that still doesn't explain why the Prince was so mean or cruel or... how he was when we met him."

Ryze: "He made typical rich spoiled brats look like angels."

Curious Cat: "While the Prince may not remember losing to Alyx due to her deception, the heart sometimes has difficulty forgetting. The pain from that loss remained."

Blake: "But... Alyx never wrote anything about ascension in the book."

Curious Cat: "Now, what would be the point of that? The exposition is so boring, wouldn't you say? Heck, even this conversation has had its dull moments, far too tedious."

Sam: "If Alyx didn't write about that in the book... what else didn't she write about? How much or how little of the story do we actually know about?"

(Y/N): "We will think about it later. Now, let's focus on getting you guys back to your size."

Curious Cat: "Well, to make a Grow-gurt Parfait, one needs a bushel of grumpy ivy, one good-sized spicy potato, the lint off a griffon's sweater, and a few other things. Luckily they should be close by each other."

Ruby: "I'll never be able to remember all of that." The Cat laughs.

Curious Cat: "Oh, don't worry. I can procure all of that myself. However, we will need one other ingredient, which can only be found on the third level. The nose hairs of a leprechaun" Girls get gross out." While I get the rest, you go for that ingredient,"

(Y/N): "Yeah, sure. We will take care of that."

Curious Cat: "Wonderful! Just look for the teapot lady. She's sure to have it. Off you go now." it wanders off, only to soon be distracted by a flower held by a bird-like creature. The Cat flies over to check it out. Yang groans.

Yang: "Ugh, I think I'd better stick with the cat, so it doesn't get distracted and take hours to find a few ingredients,"

Blake: "I'll go with you."

Sam: "It might be better if all of us little guys stick together to get those things" Mako nods

Ryze: "What about you, (L/N)?"

(Y/N): "What do you think? I'm going with Petals." Ruby sighs and gets near the Cat.

Weiss: "Oh no, you're not going to wander off on our watch," she jumps on top of the feline's head. "We're coming with you." the rest of the shrunken group follows her, coming with Curious Cat to find the items, while Ruby and I head in a different direction. Little crawls on top of Ruby's head.

Little: "Onwards!" it points... before falling asleep yet again, making Ruby giggle

(Y/N): "I think I found Little's purpose" I smile. We head up to the third floor searching for 'leprechaun nose hair' "So, Petals, can you finally tell me what's happening in your head?"

Ruby: "Huh?"

(Y/N): "You can't lie to me or try to shrug it off. I know you, sweetie, and I know something is wrong. Spill the beans."

Ruby: "I- uh... I'm sorry (Y/N)... it's all my fault" I notice the surrounding atmosphere is changing. "I-If not for me and my constant tries to," she sniffs. "To save everyone. Why am I the lead-" I cut her off.

(Y/N): "Who told you that?" I look at her, my silver eyes into hers. "Was it your past self?" Ruby nods. "Rubes... the thing is, not everything would be like the books or stories our parents told us about their job. They... they didn't tell us everything, obviously. Imaging telling your six years old son a story about how his dad 'massacred an entire nest full of Beowolfs' or 'I had to deal with a Huntsman gone rouge, and I sliced him in half' That would definitely scare me away from choosing this line of work" I chuckle "Don't worry if anything, I'm sure Penny is not lost yet" I smile, confusing Ruby.

Ruby: "You saying-" I cut her off

(Y/N): "I'm not 100% sure, but there is hope. And remember, where is hope, there is resolve," I smile, but my smile quickly changes to confusion as more streetlights turn off. "Ruby, you see this?"

Ruby: "Hey, where is everyone?" The music in the background comes slowly to a stop. Darkness surrounds us, engulfing everything around us except for a few buildings. I activate my Semblance on my arm, creating a torch.

(Y/N): "I don't think Ever After has power outages. Ruby, stay close, don't wander-" I look to my left as Ruby walks towards a stall with weapons. One of the blades is the same as the one we stole from Jinxy. I walk to the Rose and chuckle. "Heh, you may be eighteen this Halloween, but some habits stay as they-"

Ruby: "(Y/N), not now" Ruby pick Penny's blade up as a fire in front of us grows while our background fades to the darkness

???: "Does that one interest you?" We look forward,  seeing a woman with a metallic body of sorts standing next to an anvil before a window of flames, her face hidden from us.

'A blacksmith?'

Ruby: "I... I thought I lost this. That I might never see it again. How did you get it?"

Blacksmith: "Nothing, or no one, is ever truly lost. It can always be found again" Ruby and I look at the crystal blade, only to see Penny's reflection and get spooked for a second.

(Y/N): "W-what was that?"

Blacksmith: "And what about you two? Are you two lost?" she turns around, holding a hammer and a pair of pliers with half of the butterfly wings, hot red from the fire.

(Y/N): "We are not lost, actually. We're searching for an ingredient for Grow-gurt Parfait, was it? Our friends are looking for the rest."

Blacksmith: "So, you're doing this, just the two of you?" Little wakes up, and as it looks around, it gets scared.

Little: "Ruby, (Y/N), I don't think we're supposed to be here."

Blacksmith: "Are you her guide, little one?"

Little: "Yes, Ruby is my friend, and I want to help her return home with her friends. Even if I'm not sure how to get there." The blacksmith hums before it starts hammering the butterfly wings again.

Blacksmith: "You seem to carry a conflict," it turns to me. "A fire of emotions inside you has yet to be put down. It hasn't gotten worse, but it has yet to heal either."

(Y/N): "I can control fire, so I'm fine" The Blacksmith then turns to Ruby

Blacksmith: "I see. And you, child. I feel a heavy burden from you. A large burden that you have been carrying for some time."

Ruby: "It's not a big deal. I can handle it" The Blacksmith turns back to us.

Blacksmith: "Well, if you ever change your mind, you may choose any of these you like. Set your burden down, or let your fire die out."

'Let my fire... die out? Sure, I'm fiery, but it doesn't mean... a conflict, hmm?' it got me thinking.

Ruby then notices how Penny's blade, which she still had in her hands, suddenly changed into a dagger without us noticing. She stares at the flat end of the edge.

Ruby: "I already have a weapon... My Crescent Rose" she looks at her weapon.

Blacksmith: "And yet, here you are, searching for something else you don't even know you're searching for. Or searching for a way to end the conflict within you."

Ruby puts the dagger on the table. Then she notices a weapon on the rack, sitting to her left. I look there too.

(Y/N): "Wait... isn't that?"

The weapon looks like an axe, but the staff seems like a gun while the blade is on the end of the grip. Ruby stares at the edge.

'It's Summer's...' I clench my fist.

(Y/N): "How did you get that?"

Blacksmith: "Perhaps you, too, find something for yourself" I get to the rack... and notice a well-known sword.

(Y/N): "No, thank you, I will stay with Mortem. How the heck did you get our parents' weapons? How did you even..." I look at Ruby. "Ruby, hey. Petals," she still looks at the blade. "What did you see?" however, nothing gets to her.

Dad: 'Perhaps she sees her mother in it,' I hear my father whisper to my subconscious. 'It's tricky here, son, be careful.'

'Great, thanks, old man, as if I didn't know that,' I roll my eyes. Then there is a flash, and we suddenly find ourselves back on the path; everything returned to normal, well, as normal as Ever After is.

???: "(Y/N)? Ruby? Hey Ruby!" a shout catches our attention, and we turn to find the others, with the Cat holding a basket with the rest of the ingredients.

Curious Cat: "Who are you talking to? Are you guys alright? Did you find the nose hairs?"

(Y/N): "No, not yet."

Weiss: "Come on, we've already collected the other stuff."

Ruby: "I, uh, I'm sorry" she gets her head down

(Y/N): "Great. Weiss, if you want, blame me. I wanted to see what they have here. I didn't think you would get back so fast," Ruby gasps as I wink at her and whisper, "You don't need to carry the burden alone, I'm here, and your duty is my duty too. I'm a 'silver-eyed warrior' too, Petals." I smile and hug her from the side, and somehow, Ruby's mood cheers up.

Blake: "Nothing happened, guys. Let's find the teapot lady and... wait, there she is!" she points to a life-sized teapot behind a stand, with a blade void and a pair of eyes in between the pot and the lid. We walk up to the stand.

Teapot Lady: "Oh, welcome, welcome; how may I help you?"

Curious Cat: "Oh, we're just looking for nose hairs. No, not the ogre ones. No, not this either." it knocks the merchandise around, much to the lady's chargin'.

A loud bang goes off, and we see fireworks exploding in the sky

Yang: "Woohoo, a festival." The screaming starts going off.

???: "Jabberwalker! It's a Jabberwalker!" he screams, and everyone freaks out and runs.

Ryze: "I don't think it's a festival, Sunny Dragon." The teapot lady starts sucking up her merchandise, but the Cat fights to hold onto the nose hairs.

Ruby: "Wait, please! We need those nose hairs!"

Teapot Lady: "No time! We have to leave now!" Ruby looks around but then gets an idea and pulls her emblem off her belt.

Ruby: "Here, you can have this. It carries a mother's promise." I look wide-eyed.

(Y/N): "Petals, are you sure?"

Ruby: "You have any better idea?!" I shake my head. Teapot Lady eyes Ruby's emblem and gasps.

Teapot Lady: "Take it!" she sucks the emblem. "Run!"

Curious Cat: "This is very, very bad."

Blake: "Wait, what's a Jabberwalker?"

Curious Cat: "It's a truly terrifying creature. Everyone here fears it. If the Jabberwalker EATS one of us, we do not ascend!" I look around, Mortem out in my hands.

(Y/N): "So you can die here, noted"

Yang: "Okay, how about the parfait thingy? How do we make it?" Cat opens up the vile.

Curious Cat: "Place everything in here. But be careful. Eat too much, and we'll have to shrink you all down. And that will take a completely different potion, which we do not have time to make!" Ruby gets to work as I stand guard. Once it's done, everyone small runs up and takes a bite. They start to grow, but only a little bit.

Blake: "It's not enough" Just then, the Jabberwalker slams through the stand, sending everyone scrambling, including the parfait. The parfait hits the Jabberwalker in the face before hitting the ground.

(Y/N): "Here it is... the fuckening..."

A/N: STOP!!! WRONG UNIVERSE (Y/N)!!!

Thanks to the parfait, the Jabberwalker gets bigger, much bigger.

(Y/N): "Okay, we need to act fast. Rubes, help the others get big again. I'll hold it off!"

I put Mortem on both my hands and set aflame its blade. Swiping it, I send a fire wave. Flame damages the creature and steers its attention toward me. The Jabberwalker charges and swings its claws around. I jump back and bounce off one stand. Swinging my scythe, I try to at least immobilize the creature by concentrating on its limbs. I succeed, and the Jabberwalker stumbles. I then go for a kill, hooking my scythe on its neck. But before I could do that, the Jabberwalker's tail swings around and knocks me aside through a stand.

Just as Ruby approaches the parfait, the Jabberwalker jumps and lands in her path. However, before it can do anything, it gets tackled by a giant jackalope. Riding upon the creature is a knight wearing rusted armor.

Blake: "It's the Rusted Knight!" I get out of the rubble.

(Y/N): "Ruby! The parfait! Run!" Ruby gets the others to the parfait, and they eat more, finally growing back to normal size.

Mako: "Finally!" he starts his Semblance as spiked metal gloves envelop his fists. Everyone gets ready with their respective weapon.

The jackalope pushes the Jabberwalker back, followed by me, jumping up and punching it with an aflame fist. The Jabberwalker tries to attack, but Weiss pins it to the ground with a black glyph. It swings its tail around, but Mako catches it in his hands while Blake ties her ribbon around it. Just as it wants to move his limbs, Sam ties them down using his Semblance while Ryze pins the creature to the ground using his wind.

Yang: "I told you. I wasn't done with you yet!" Ryze flies up, grabs her hand, and spins her toward the Jabberwalker. Yang engages her Semblance and throws a massive haymaker on the creature's head. However, it suddenly disintegrates, revealing itself as a physical illusion well-known to all of us.

Blake: "No way... Neo?!"

Yang: "What the-" we hear a lot of new noises and see a lot more Jabberwalkers

Rusted Knight: "What? That's not right. There's only supposed to be one" he looks around, seeing us getting surrounded. "Run! This way, now!" he quickly withdraws, running past everyone.

(Y/N): "Sam! Mako! Ryze! Come on!"

Ryze uses his Semblance and creates a vortex, pushing all the Jaberwalkers back, while Sam and Mako tag-team, creating a hybrid wall of flora and metal spikes, cutting the Jaberwalkers way to us. After securing ourselves, we follow the Rusted Knight. We reach the top of the tower, seeing the inhabitants running away in terror and smoke rising from the destruction. As Weiss looks on, she spots the Teapot Lady, crying over her destroyed merchandise. Ruby comes by and takes her hand to escort her away.

Weiss: "I am so tired of leaving places in ashes."

Ruby: "... Me too."

We enter a secret passage into the flower-shaped top of the tower, where it is safe. Inside, we watch as the Rusted Knight sheathes his sword and walks by them.

'Something feels familiar about his shield.'

Blake: "I can't believe it. The Rusted Knight in person!" The Knight walks up to and pets the jackalope.

Rusted Knight: "You did good, Juniper" This caught my team's interest.

Mako: "Juniper, as in Team JNPR?"

Ryze: "Wait a second..."

Sam: "Who the fuck are you?"

Rusted Knight takes his helmet off, and much to our shock... it's Jaune, much, much older and rocking that 'warrior wolf tail' style he always wanted

Jaune: "Team RWBY. Team CRMS. You guys finally made it,"

(Y/N): "... Jaune? What... what the heck?! Why are you so old?!"

A/N: I know I promised a double chapter, but there are no transcripts of EP 6 anywhere. I can't write by listening to an EP; I prefer working with text (Too bad RWBY doesn't have subtitles since moving to CR). So until I find a transcript, Chapter 6 stays as the script. Prepare for some angry Guardians.

*Rip and Tear (Y/N), Rip and Tear ;)*

So, the two teams found an old man Jaune, playing the role of a Rusted Knight. We also know Neo's new ability to clone herself, which Ryze jinxed in Chapter 1. Next, we will see some action from one new pair; I need to come up with a pairing name of...

*Ruby and (Y/N) – Fire Rose

*Weiss and Sam – Ice Vines

*Yang and Ryze - Solar Wind

*Blake and Mako - ??? Yeah, you see, I have no idea. Black Metal? Cococat? Do you have an idea? Why not post it in the comments?

Feel free to vote and comment!

Punkie and Vera out and over!

RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and was created by Monty Oum

OCs belong to me

(Y/N) belong to you (and to Ruby).