After reuniting with Penny and Jaune, X-49 and the others were still processing what they were seeing.
Jaune: It....It's really you, right? When I saw you in the market...
Jaune hesitantly pauses and looks down. X-49 and Team RWBY look at each other before looking at Jaune.
Ruby: Jaune. It's us.
Penny: Your eyes do not deceive you, Jaune.
Ruby: P...Penny.....
X-49 smiles while Team RWBY warmly hug Jaune. Little, who appears on top of Jaune's head, also hugs him. Jaune smiles with tears of joy.
Ruby: How did you find us?
Blake: How are you the Rusted Knight?
Yang: And when did you get so....
Weiss: Mature.
Ruby, Blake, and Yang all stare at Weiss as she blushes and collects herself.
Yang: Penny....how did you get so old?
Penny: It's a long long story, Yang.
Ruby: What...what happened in Atlas... after the rest of us fell?
Jaune: I, uh....Guess we've all got a lot of catching to do....
Penny and Jaune then leads the group through the Garden Acre. As they does so, they everything that has happened to him when he landed. As Penny and Jaune explained everything, they arrive in a flower field.
Ruby: She's... got two Relics now?
Yang: And with Cinder, the ability to get another.
Blake: She doesn't know where the Beacon Relic is!
Weiss: Well there's that to be thankful for at least.
And we managed to get most of the refuges to Vacuo. Let us hope the others are doing well.
As the group speaks of this, Ruby sits on a small rock.
Ruby: We lost Atlas and the relic...
Blake: But we got everyone out safely. Penny and Jaune said so.
Weiss: We've risked their home to save the Relic... And we failed.
Blake: Getting everyone out has to count for something.
Ruby: What good is saving anybody if Salem just destroys the world anyway?
Everyone was taken aback by this. Yang places her arms on her sister's shoulder and leans in. X-49 then speaks up.
X-49: We can't afford to think like that, Ruby. Those people still need our help. If we lose ourselves in despair, then everything we have done here will have been or nothing.
Penny: Not only did you save those people, but you saved my life. If it weren't for you, that virus would've consumed me and I would either be dead or under Salem's control. You've done more good than you give yourself credit for.
Ruby: Do you really think we can stop Salem after this?
X-49: I do not know, Ruby. But we won't know unless we try.
At this point, the group decided to carry on. X-49 soon became even more concerned about Ruby. It was clear to him that everything that had happened began to take it's toll on Ruby.
Yang: So...Where're we going again?
Jaune: My village. Heh. I still can't believe you made it all the way from the Crimson Keep on your own.
X-49: Fairy Tale world or not, we know how to handle ourselves.
Blake: Not on our own. We had help. The...Oh I hope the Cat is okay.
Jaune: What Cat?
As Jaune said this, the Curious Cat rejoins the group.
Curious Cat: Oh! Woo! I found you. Why is it you always find the thing you're looking for in the very last place you look, hah!
The Cat notices Jaune with X-49 and Team RWBY.
Curious Cat: Jaune! Oho-my! It has been an indeterminant amount of time hasn't it? So, how've you been?
Weiss: Wait. You two know each other?
Ruby: Well, they'd have to. From the story.
Jaune angrily unsheathes his broken rusted Crocea Mors sword. Blake and Yang stop him.
Yang: Whoa, Jaune!
Blake: I think there's a misunderstanding. The Cat can get us all out of here.
Jaune: We don't have time for this! We've got to get to my village! Don't worry, we don't need a guide.
Curious Cat: But your friends wanted to go to the tree.
Jaune: That's where you're letting them take you?
Blake: Well, yeah. That's... that's how... Alyx got out. Right?
Jaune: You didn't tell them anything.
Curious Cat: No, that's simply not true. I told them plenty of things. A few any things and lots of somethings.
Weiss: Can somebody please make sense?!
Jaune: That tree is death.
Ruby and Weiss turn to Jaune. X-49 kept his eyes on the Cat.
Jaune: It absorbs you, takes your memories, and turns you into something else. If you go there, it's going to erase you! They call it "Ascension" here. That's really what it is.
Ruby: Wait. The tree is what causes the Ascension?
Blake: That's what got the Herbalist. The roots of the tree.
Yang: Pretty curious that you neglected to mention that, Cat.
Curious Cat: Excellent pun-manship. But, you are not from here. It won't do that to you guys!
Jaune: Oh yeah? Then what happened to Lewis?
Ruby: Who?
Jaune: Alyx's brother.
X-49 and Team RWBY looks at the Cat in disbelief over the shocking revelation.
X-49: Blake? Did that story ever mention a brother?
Blake: No. That... That can't be right.
Yang: She had a brother? Why didn't you mention him?
Curious Cat: Well, you never asked, silly. It was always "Alyx this" and "Alyx that".
Weiss: We've been following the story the whole time, and it's not even true?
Yang: So the Cat's been screwing with us this whole time?!
Curious Cat: I answered all the questions you asked. You simply didn't specify.
X-49: What else are you hiding, Cat? You haven't exactly been honest with us every since you got involved.
The thunder returns the third time, louder than the previous as the wind begins to pick up.
Penny: We should get moving. We don't want to get caught up in that storm.
Jaune: Let's go. I've got a plan.
Curious Cat: A lot of good that's done after... what? How many years?
Ruby: Can everyone please stop! This is a lot to take in....
X-49: Ruby's right. We'll deal with the Cat later. We need to keep forward. We still need to find a way back.
Curious Cat: Huh. Looks like we're stuck at a crossroads then....
Jaune: No!!!
Suddenly, a flash of light engulfs the entire group. When the flash was over, the group was no longer in the grass fields.
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...
