Son of the Branwen

Chapter 99: The Parfait Predicament

Somewhere in the glowing mushroom fields of the Garden's Arce, Ruby sprinted through the maze of mushrooms, making sure to carefully hold onto her shrunken teammates; as the Branwen sisters chased after her. After deeming  that they ran far enough, the group slowed down to catch their breath, each one of them disturbed by what they had seen only minutes ago. The only one who didn't seem bothered, to nobody's surprise, was the Curious Cat; whom casually hopped along small mushrooms before stopping atop one to look at Ruby.

Curious Cat: "I'm so glad the four of you are still the four of you. Not always the case in the Ever After, isn't that right ladies?"

The Branwen siblings didn't respond to the Cat's inquiry, the four of them seemed too lost in thought, and even a bit distraught, to register what the Cat had said. Though, none of team RWBY had the patience for the Cat.

Weiss: "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: "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, Blake and Yang exchanged glances with each other. The Cat resumed hopping mushroom to mushroom, as Ruby silently watched the Cat, before she glanced down to Little as the mouse placed a comforting paw on her cheek, getting a little smile from Ruby.

The Branwen sisters kept their distance from team RWBY, each one struggling with a sort of realization that had been bestowed to them thanks to the Herbalist. Spring hugged herself while struggling with a state of shock, as Summer and Autumn tried to offer her some support; though they too weren't much better. It was like someone reached into the depths of their minds, to reveal memories that didn't even belong to them.

Winter let out a heavy sigh, filled with guilt and grief from an image that had been burned into her mind thanks to the Herbalist's fog. A moment frozen in time, from what she could only assume from a past life. A grown woman who bore a strong resemblance to herself, was facing down a man whom looked scarily similar to her brother. But that was the only thing she could remember, nothing about what led up to that moment, and nothing of what followed.

Curious Cat: "Ah ha! We're here. Hurry up, you four!"

The Cat's voice shook the siblings from thought, and they quickly followed after Ruby and the Cat. The girls paused to take in the awe when they saw a giant lake before them, with a grand structure that stood in the middle of the lake, with giant lily pads were coming to and from the giant building.

Curious Cat: "Better run."

The girls quickly joined the Cat on a lily pad, no sooner managing to get aboard before it began to glide across the lake towards the towering centre. Spring couldn't help but sit down near the Curious Cat, taking a moment to look around them while lazily gliding her fingers in the water. She was silently amazed to see so many other Ever Afterans, of wide array of species, were either leaving or travelling towards the towering centre.

Ruby felt her eyes gaze down at Spring, her heart aching at the sight of Penny's sword that rested on Spring's waist. Even though she said otherwise, part of Ruby regretted refusing to carry the blade. And yet, a deeper part of her almost resented Spring for being able to find the weapon. Ruby's eyes widened with guilt and quickly shook off those feelings, focusing on the Cat when Yang asked them a question.

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

The Cat seemed somewhat bored at the idea, giving a smile to Spring while answering.