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.

Glimmer: Has anyone got some fish or a laser pointer?

Luke: You know it doesn't work like that.

Glimmer: Like you and your sister have cat ears. So cat likes tuna.

Blake and Luke: Hey, I resent that!

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, Glimmer, and Rex gets startled and notices the Curious Cat is behind them. Little gets scared and hides inside Ruby's hood. Team RWBY, CRMS, and REBL watches the Curious Cat walking without their hindquarters.

Rex: Okay, another weird thing... Hello, 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.

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!

Yang: Yeah, I think that's because we're six inches tall.

Elena: We're the size of a pencil.

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.

Rin: (facepalm) In English, please?

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 in seeing 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...

Glimmer: I've never met her before in my life.

Weiss: She wrote a book about her entire adventure in the Ever After.

Curious Cat: (surprised) A book? Is it well-liked?

Crim: It is, actually.

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 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.

The Cat proceeds to chase after the butterfly into the grass again.

Weiss: Are we sure they're not called the "Constantly Annoying Cat"?

Briana and Crim: (laughs) Damn!

Shane: Shots fired!

Yang: Got 'em, totally roasted. (points finger guns)

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.

Shane: Meaning, the word 'ally' means Alyx, so he helped her get back up to Remnant in the book. It also said that it loves new information.

Yang nods in agreement.

Elena: So we fill its curiosity while the Cat guides us to the tree.

Crim: So it's a win-win situation.

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.

Ruby: WHAT?! No! No! No!

Ruby frantically looks around, but Rex manages to find the Cat when they pounce on the butterfly.

Rex: Found it.

Ruby: Whoa, wait up! Didn't you have questions for us? We'll be happy to answer them.

Rin: ... Please, just give us an answer.

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.

Rex: Real funny.

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!

Ruby: (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, and they take 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!

Rex: Well, what do you know?

Weiss: Hook, line, and sinker.

Ruby smiles.

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?

Team RWBY, CRMS, and REBL 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.

Curious Cat: (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.

Luke: 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 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.

Shane: It's like each 'acre,' are like different puzzle pieces.

Yang: 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?

Elena: Well, not really. Each Kingdom has a different culture and setting, but it's far more complicated.

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 Growgurt Parfait. Just don't go talking to anyone without me. If you're not careful...

Blake: We might get our heads cut off.

Crim: Or worse...

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... Saleem? 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?

Rex: Rosebud, you good?

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?

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!

Little: You know, I bet you could find a goldfish in one of these ponds.

Weiss sighs and facepalms at the comment.

Glimmer: Let's just try to fi-

Suddenly, a deep humming can be heard.

Glimmer: What was that?

Yang: Hey... Do you hear that?

Ruby, Glimmer, and Rex turn 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?

Crim: No clue.

A pile of leaves rustles in front of them, and they stop cautiously. Three eyes can then be seen opening inside the pile.

Three-Eyed Creature: What are you?

Rex: Seriously? That question is tiring me.

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.

Yang: What are you?!

Glimmer: A caterpillar?!

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. They look up at the giant mushroom.

Herbalist: Well? Are you coming in? Or aren't you?

Ruby: You can make us a Growgurt Parfait, right?

Rex: Can you turn our friends back to their normal size?

The Herbalist sighs. Rex, Glimmer, and 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... Huntsman and 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?

Blake: Huntsman and 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?

Ruby tries to answer, but hesitates.

Rex: I say we are good. We've helped so many people and kept living. The ones not good enough usually don't live too long.

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.

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. Rex and Ruby follow but Rex stopped Glimmer.

Rex: Not you, Glim.

Glimmer: Huh? Why not?

Rex: Just stay here, alright?

Glimmer: Oh, fine.

There are shelves of bongs all around the room. The Herbalist is seen smoking from a large hookah. Rex carries Rin, Luke, Shane, Elena, and Mason in his hands as Ruby carries Crim, Weiss, Briana, Blake, and Yang in her hands.

Herbalist: Please... take a seat.

Blake: Actually, I think... Maybe we should be going! (nervously smiles) Right, Ruby?

Luke: Yeah, I think we should split.

Shane: I've got a bad feeling about this.

Herbalist: This won't take long.

Ruby: Umm... (turns around)

Suddenly, the door behind them closes, and Team RWBY, CRMS, and REBL gasps in shock.

Glimmer: (muffled) Guys?! Guys! Hey, open the door!

Herbalist: Just... answer the questions.

Rex and 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 Team RWBY, CRMS, and REBL. Ruby and Rex start to cough violently, falling to their knees. Their shrunken teammates fall out of their hands.

Ruby: No! (coughs again)

Rex: (coughs) What the fuck?!

Herbalist: (echo) Are you sure you know? You have to be sure what you are, and of what you're going to be...

Team CRMS, REBL, Weiss, Blake, and Yang get up, but the smoke is too thick for them to see, and they are separated.

Crim: Hey! Shane! Weiss! Twins?!

The smoke flows around him and changes into his image of himself.

Crim: What the hell? This is trippy.

Past Crim: Tell me about it, man.

Crim: Okay, now this is some trippy shit.

Past Crim: So tell me, have you ever thought of something about being famous or being the best Faunus in the world? Either way, you're a good dude.

Meanwhile in another space...

Yang: Blake! Ruby! (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 prosthetic arm and holds it.

Yang: What? What are you talking about?

In another space...

Past Luke: Trying to be good while still enjoying doing the bad things?

Luke: What the hell are you talking about?

Past Luke: I'm just saying, maybe you should start anew. Figuring out the bridge between humanity and Faunus-kind.

In another space...

Past Blake: (smiling) It's simple, really. You could just be human, or just a cat,

Past Blake: 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 Rin: How does it feel?

Rin: What do you mean?

Past Rin: I mean, how does it feel to be without your brother? He's always getting stronger and you feel like you're getting left out.

In another space...

Past Shane: After everything that's happening to you, we should just... I don't know.

Shane: What's that supposed to mean?

Past Shane: I'm talking about you feeling any fears at all. Afraid that, when you lose something, all your hopes and dreams will be coming to an end. Just let the world crumble and let the bad guys win.

In another space...

Past Mason: You know Grandma trained you a lot more better.

Mason: I know she did, but-

Past Mason: You don't know the half of it. How about I offer you a solution to your problem?

Mason: What solution?

Past Mason: Changing your Semblance into something more incredible! New Elementals, like, Dark, Ice, Light, any kind! So what's your answer?

In another space...

Past Briana: It's been a long rough road.

Briana: What makes you say that?

Past Briana: Think about all the times you've done in the past. Growing up, starting violence, picking fights. Are you proud of that feeling?

In another space...

Past Elena: Are you feeling that you're not good enough for the team? Especially your own sister? Scared that you're better off without her?

In another space...

Past Weiss: (smiling) The Schnee name. Why bother, anymore? What even stands for now?

Past Weiss: 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?

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 because I haven't found it yet. And the only way to do that is to keep going.

Crim: You think I care about being all these kinds, no! I don't have time to overthink things! (draws out Ascalon) Hell, I could still be anyone that gets in my way! And not doing other people's dirty work is totally my thing!

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.

Rin: That's not true. Ever since the Fall, the day when I thought he was dead, I've changed. Rex and I never broke a sibling bond. (draws out Laevatein) The bond that we share, it won't be destroyed!

Luke: I... do like that, sure, but I am always figuring how to balance humanity itself. (draws Arondight) I swore to protect people who felt betrayed and untrusted!

Shane: No way. Like I believe you. Every world has its end. I know that's kinda sad, but... that's why we gotta live life to the fullest in the time we have. At least that's what I figure.

Mason: Sorry, but no... I'm sticking with the Elements that I already have. I worked so hard achieving my ultimate goal. Everything I've done, everything I worked for, I don't need any replacement!

Briana: Look, I may have been a tough girl to crack, but let me tell you this. My destiny is to protect my twin at any harm. Besides, I am the opposite of her.

Elena: No, I'm not. Ever since my friends became Team REBL, they were always there for me when I needed a pick-me-up. One guy that helped me that he doesn't care that Faunuses are good or bad. I'm the brains of the team!

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,

Weiss: and I am a Huntress!

Blake: I am a Huntress!

Yang: I am a Huntress!

Rin: I am a Huntress!

Luke: I am a Huntsman!

Shane: I am a Huntsman!

Crim: I am a Huntsman!

Elena: I am a Huntress!

Briana: I am a Huntress!

Mason: I am a Huntsman!

Meanwhile, Rex stands opposite his past self, standing face to face.

Rex: I really looked good in that hoodie; too bad Shane threw it out.

Past Rex: Always easygoing, huh? And that's a badass scar, by the way. I can tell you're almost not feeling right, and so does Ruby.

Rex: Isn't it obvious? At this rate, she's losing it big time.

Past Rex: And what about you? You just don't know what to do with yourself. What about Ruby? Your sister? You two are inseparable. And yet, you lost Penny twice, you died once, and Rubes found out Salem is an immortal bitch who killed her mother. Tell me, did you protect her from all this?

Rex: (looks away) You're right. I failed so many times... (Looks at his past self) I failed to protect Rubes, I failed to save Pyrrha, but... did that stop me before? No. I have a promise to keep and I won't let that promise be broken! I will get up and keep moving forward! I'm just a guy that loves adventures! I'm Rex Venti, and I am a Huntsman!

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?

Past Ruby: 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, Rex needs 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.

Glimmer: (coughs) You think?! Remind me to never smoke this stuff! It could really mess your head!

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. Team RWBY, CRMS, REBL, and Glimmer looks on in shock. Little comes out from Ruby's hood.

Little: (yawns) Oh! I found the Cat!

END OF PART 109