Night slowly shifts to day as your group sleeps. Jaune sleeps in his own room while the rest of you sleep on mats. The only one awake is Ruby, who stares at her weapon still in the chest Jaune presented to her.

Jaune suddenly jumps awake and runs into the room.

Jaune: I'm late!

Vice: WOAH! WHERE'S THE FIRE?!

Jaune runs outside as you rub the sleep out of your eyes.

Weiss: What was that?!

You step outside and notice the town on fire.

Jaune: I overslept... I never oversleep! Yesterday... All the excitement! Keep your head together, you can fix it! You always fix it!

He hops onto his jackalope mount and rushes in.

Blake: Jaune!

Jaune: I can't wait! We have to hurry before another-

He's cut off by an explosion.

Jaune: Right on time! I'll meet you all in town!

Little: I'm never this upset when I oversleep...

Yang: What did he mean "right on time"?

Blake: I'm sure we'll find out when we get there. Ruby, where's your weapon?

Ruby jumps.

Ruby: Oh! Sorry, still waking up...

Weiss: Hurry! People are counting on us!

Ruby grabs her scythe and the five of you arrive on the scene.

Vice: Who the hell builds a town out of paper?!

A blue origami star creature walks up.

Creature: Hello. Welcome to our village. We hope that it pleases you. Can you tell us what you are so we may serve you?

Ruby: Serve us?!

Weiss: Your town is on fire!

Creature: Oh... No. We're quite safe! We have our hero!

Jaune manages to put out the fire.

Creature: Three cheers for the Rusted Knight and his white rabbit!

Jaune: Stop! Stop, there's water everywhere, you'll dissolve!

A yellow paper creature waddles up.

Yellow Creature: Hello, water. How may I serve you?

Jaune picks up the creature.

Jaune: Stop that... Ugh... I can't believe that almost happened... It's been ages since I missed the first fire.

Ruby: Um... Do fires happen often?

Jaune: Everyday.

Yang: What?!

Jaune: Oh right... I guess introductions are in order. These are the Paper Pleasers. They're probably the most polite and hospitable Afterans around. Because that's their purpose. When Alyx left me to die, Juniper found help and brought me to them. They got me back on my feet. They work all day, not just serving travelers, but the land they live on too. They're a bit... Clumsy... But that makes them predictable.

He catches a Paper Pleaser from being carried away by the wind.

Jaune: I told you to hold these...

He hands it rocks.

A red one walks up.

Red Pleaser: Hello. I'm the one called Ruby. What are you?

Yang: Hate that...

Vice: Hella creepy!

Jaune: The disastrous lighting of the morning lantern is dealt with. That gives us enough time to strategize before the calming pebble tower crumbles, crushing the koi pond dam and flooding the entire village! So I'm thinking... Quick brunch?

Vice: Are we seriously not gonna address these things probably being named after us?!

Little: I could eat!

As the group eats, Jaune shows off a map of the Ever After.

Jaune: My life's work. Over the years, Juniper and I have been exploring as many of the nearby acres as possible. If you think you've seen it all, trust me, you haven't.

Blake: What exactly have you been looking for?

Jaune: Anyone or anything that could help get us home.

Weiss: And how's that gone so far?

Jaune: Not good... But I have a good feeling about this acre we saw with a bunch of pyramids.

Yang: Just trying to make sure I follow... Do you have any leads? Other plans?

Jaune: This is the plan... Look. I'm sorry I didn't solve all our problems by myself but I can't just run off and let them die. Between protecting the village and looking for you all... Searching for an exit too... We've got a really tight schedule to keep... Or rather... You've got a tight schedule to keep.

Weiss: Excuse me?

Jaune reveals another paper.

Jaune: I can't leave the Paper Pleasers alone for long. I've set a schedule for the catastrophes that happen every day.

You read the long list and notice that several of the paper beings have been named after you and your friends and family.

Vice: Should we say something?

Jaune walks off and the group looks at him in concern.

Yang: This isn't a plan. It's a to-do list.

Blake: He's obviously been through a lot... We can be frustrated later.

Weiss: Well then what does that leave us? We need someone to guide us or we could end up going back in time, or killed by the tree, or worse...

Ruby: Well... If that's how everybody feels-

Purple Paper Pleaser: The tree doesn't kill. That is what we keep trying to tell him.

Weiss: What?

Purple Paper Pleaser: Sorry if it seems rude but our purpose has been fulfilled for some time now. We've made this land beautiful but we want to create something more resilient. So we wish to return to the tree for that new purpose. We have tried to explain this to our hero but he doesn't want to accept that. So we began doing anything we could to go to the tree.

Y/N: So you're trying to make yourselves ascend but Jaune won't let you.

Weiss: What about what happened to Lewis?

Yang: Jaune wasn't there. The cat wasn't even there.

Weiss: Well... It's clear that he's not... All there.

Jaune: Is... That what you think?

The group goes outside and you try to reason with Jaune.

Y/N: Look, you don't know if the cat was even telling the truth or not.

Jaune: You don't need to listen to that thing about the tree.

Blake: We're not listening to the cat. We're listening to the Afterans.

Jaune: They're doing what they were designed for.

Weiss: Then why do you care so much?

Jaune: BECAUSE I CAN ACTUALLY PROTECT THESE PEOPLE!

There is a noise and Jaune's house collapses, revealing Jabberwalker doppelgangers.

Jabberwalker: Searching... Scouring... Stalking...

Jaune: They found us.

He hops onto Juniper and charges into battle.

Weiss: If those things get down here, the Afterans won't be able to ascend.

Blake: Then we won't run away this time!

You run in and kick one of the Jabberwalkers in the face.

Y/N: Weiss! The Driver!

Your girlfriend hesitates.

Y/N: I'll only use it for emergencies like this! Now isn't the time to debate this!

Weiss nods and throws your Driver. You put it on and hold up the Volcano and Barid Rex stamps.

Y/N: We need more numbers!

Barid Rex!
Volcano!
Combine!

Y/N: Henshin!

Burst Up! Revice! We Are Revice!

Vice freezes a Jabberwalker and you punch it, causing the creature to shatter like glass.

Burst Remix!

You send a T-Rex made of fire and ice at a second monster and shatter it as well. Weiss leaps over you and sends her Knight summon at a Jabberwalker that Jaune was fighting.

Jaune: Thanks.

Ruby is about to be attacked but RWBY's leader is still with a look of terror on her face.

Revi: Ruby!

Volcano Festival!

You leap off Vice's shield and kick through the Jabberwalker, killing it.

Yang: Ruby!

The last Jabberwalker turns into Neo and points a finger gun at Ruby before disappearing.

Blake: The Walkers from the market...

Jaune: I know you may not care about protecting this village but you can at least defend your friends when they're in dang-

He tries to hand Ruby her Crescent Rose but she backs away.

Yang: Ruby? Are you-

Paper Pleasers: Push!

The pebble tower of the village falls and destroys the dam, flooding the village and leaving no trace of the paper people.

Jaune: NO!!! I was supposed to protect them! And they're dead...

Yang: They're not dead... They'll come back. Right, Ruby?

You turn to Ruby but she has a scowl on her face. Her voice venomous.

Ruby: Why are you asking me?

Blake: We just-

Ruby: What? Cause I'm the leader? Because I'm supposed to have something to say? Well I don't. Why do I have to be leader anyway? Why do I have to pick people up? What about me? "No time" right? "Gotta get home!" "Gotta help Jaune!" Gotta find someone who isn't just gonna screw everything up! "Gotta stay positive" right?

She turns to Blake and Yang.

Ruby: Smiles all around! Maybe even get our feelings sorted out! Good for you by the way, we're SO happy for you! And don't think I didn't hear you two last night!

She rounds on Weiss and you.

Yang: Hey...

Ruby: Sorry, is it a bad time?! Are we supposed to be mourning Jaune's make-believe friends?!

Jaune turns to Ruby and storms forward.

Jaune: They're gone... Because of you! The Walkers came for you, because Neo. Hates. YOU! OH and let's not forget we're here because of YOUR plan! What about you?! IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!!!

You notice Ruby's on the verge of tears and you get between the two of them.

Weiss: Jaune.

Jaune realizes what he did and steps back.

Jaune: I-I'm sorry... I-I know I'm not okay... I know I'm not right... But how am I supposed to be? I've been here by myself... For so long! Here... On that bridge... I was the only one that could do it... I was the ONLY ONE! And now... I have to live with that forever... Here... Or back home...

Blake: Guys, I know things are bad but-

Ruby: Shut. Up...

You turn to your silver eyed friend.

Ruby: Don't do that... Just don't...

She flies off with her Semblance.

Weiss: Ruby!

Y/N: Vice and I'll go find her. You three stay here with Jaune...

You run after Ruby, leaving the rest of the group in shock.

End of Part 58