After meeting with the Curious Cat, the Curious Cat guides the group away from the Crimson Castle. The Curious Cat then The cat teleports them to a field, and asks Ruby many questions. He finds the answers boring, and goes to chase after different bugs. They figure out that this cat is the "Curious Cat" from The Girl Who Fell Through the World, and decide to run after it. As they chase after the cat, they eventually encounter the Cat again.
Ruby: Um... Excuse me?
Curious Cat: You're excused!
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.
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.
X-49: Well...can you help us? We're trying to get to the Great Tree so that we can get back home.
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.
At this point, X-49 tried to ask again, but the Cat changed the subject. As the Curious Cat asks countless questions about the group, the group pause as they take a moment to talk among themselves.
Weiss: Are we sure they're not called the "Constantly Annoying Cat"?
Yang: Got 'em, totally roasted.
Weiss: 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.
X-49: Something tells me that's going to be easier said than done.
Yang nods in agreement. With that, the group decides to use the Curious Cat's curiosity to their advantage. As the Curious Cat guides them through the Ever After, the group becomes exhausted of the cat's non-stop questions, leading them to take turns on who has to answer.
X-49: Does this Cat ever get tired of asking questions?
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?
Yang: N....No?
Curious Cat: How strange. It never even occurred to me to ask that before.
X-49: How much longer until we're back to our original sizes?
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? Ooh, you Remnant folk are such troublemakers.
Weiss: 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? How are you even supposed to stop her now that Atlas is gone?
X-49: We'll stop them. Your questions aren't exactly helpful.
Curious Cat: But fair questions, are they not?
At this point, Lulu begins growling at the Curious Cat. The Curious Cat immediately backs off.
Curious Cat: Alright. Point taken.
At this point, X-49 becomes more annoyed with the Cat's questions. 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....
Yang: The Cat!
It was at this point that the Cat disappeared.
Ruby: What?! Oh no, I wasn't paying attention! 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: 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!
Echo: Het! Let's all calm down! The Cat couldn't have gotten far.
Suddenly, a deep humming is heard.
X-49: What was that?
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: 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: What question?
Ruby yelps.
Yang: What are you?!
???: I am...the Herbalist.
Ruby: Can...can you help us?
Herbalist: Before I can answer that, you all must answer the questions deep within yourselves.
X-49: What do you mean by that?
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?
As the Herbalist posed that question on the group, they were initially silent. What they didn't know was that a new trial awaited them.
YOU ARE READING
The Tale Of X-49: A RWBY Story
ActionWhen a mysterious robot is discovered, Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long take him in as both a brother and protector. In the years that followed, the robot known as X-49 would forge a powerful bond with them that will give the robot a purpose beyond his...
