Lethal Protector: RWBY × Yang × OC (COMPLETE)

(RWBY V9) The Parfait Predicament

Somewhere in the glowing mushroom fields of the Garden's Arce, Damian Locke, Goku, Silver and Ruby Rose who are seen running while carrying the still-shrunken Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Watari Yoshisada, Onyx Taurus, Terry Sable and Yang Xiao Long in their hands. Ruby pants, stops running, and looks back. Ruby sighs in relief as Little pats her cheek.

Damian and Silver are also seen taking a sigh with relief. While Goku looks at his son and places a hand on his back.

Damian looks back at him and remains silent, then walks away and this makes his father sad.

Curious Cat: (hopping hopping on top of mushrooms) I'm so glad the nine of you are still the nine of you. Not always the case in the Ever After.

Watari: (fed up): Are you serious right now?!

Weiss: (fed up) You're the one who ditched us in the first place! Which, by the way, was how we ended up in that mushroom house to begin with! You know, where that delirious caterpillar-guy tried to drug us and then was swallowed up by a freaking hole in the ground?!

Curious Cat: (licking their paw) Ah, yes, yes. Alyx had a similar reaction the first time she saw someone return to the Ever After. But it's not how it seems... well, I suppose it is... but not the way you think, if you think like Alyx, which it seems like you do.

Weiss, Watari, Terry, Blake, Onyx and Yang exchange glances with each other. The Cat hops from mushroom to mushroom while Ruby looks on, before looking down to Little. Their attention is then grabbed again by the cat.

Curious Cat: Ah ha! We're here.

The Cat proceeds down the path, and the others follow. Ruby looks with astonishment at a large lake with lily pads carrying various denizens of the Ever After on them. They seem to be heading towards a grand structure toward the center of the lake with a large, pink lotus flower at the top.

Goku: Amazing.

Damian: Truly astonishing.

Curious Cat: Better run.

The gang hurries and jumps over to the giant lily pad with the Cat.

Yang: So, Cat. Going to explain to us how a giant caterpillar disappearing into a hole "isn't how it seems"?

Curious Cat: Mmmm, when we break or wear out or simply finish what we were made to do, we're called back. But Herb... his heart was too weak to listen, so I gave him a little bit of mine.

Blake: Is he... dead?

Curious Cat: (chuckles) No, no! Well, maybe a little bit, but not at all.

Onyx: Enough with the riddles! Which is it?! Is he dead or not?!

Curious Cat: (clears throat) Now that Herb's properly returned, he'll be fixed up nice, and made into the Herb he wanted to be when he was still "Herb". Then he'll come back and find his purpose. Could be the same as before, or maybe not.

Damian: So since he finished his old purpose...

Goku: He will be who needs to be or not be himself at all.

Curious Cat: Correct. Well, more or less.

Curious Cat: (laughs) What would be the point of that? (stretches) Just like Alyx, you lot. I know, I know, where you're from, things... (shudders) ...die... but we're just not like you at all. We... ascend. Herb will have a purpose again.