A Living Myth RWBY X Child!Dragon Faunus! Male! Reader

Chapter 44: A Cat Most Curious

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Chapter 44: What You Are, What You Were

"Wait!" Ruby screamed as she and her two brothers chased the cat.
"Come back, Mr Kitty!" Baby (Y/N) yelled.
"Here, kitty, kitty!" Timid (Y/N) urged.
"Eek!" Little suddenly yelped, pointing at the tall red grass. "The cat's hindquarters!"
Catching the neon tail peeking out from the foliage, Ruby slowly approached, as if the feline would bolt if she made any sudden movements.
"Um, excuse me?"
"Hmm?"
The boys grabbed either side of Ruby as the upper half of the cat peaked up from behind them, completely separate from the lower half, all the while, Little kept squeaking in fear.
"Uh... hello, cat?" Ruby tried to process as the upper half ignored them and walked towards the lower half.
"I don't like this place anymore." Baby (Y/N) said.
The cat thankfully pulled itself together as Timid (Y/N) cleared his throat.
"Um, Mr Curious Cat?"
"Which one do you go by?" Ruby asked.
It smirked. "Oh, I don't go by. That belongs to the days and years. But if you're asking what I am, I do suppose I am indeed a cat most curious."
"Of...course." Ruby said unsure. "Look, my friends and I really need to get to that giant tree and so far, nothing we've tried has gotten us any closer."
"It looks to me like we're even farther!" Weiss pointed out.
Yang shook her head. "Yeah, I think that's because we're 6 inches tall."
"...it could be both."
"Tree." The cat repeated. "Tree, tree, tree, tree, tree. Of course! That is most definitely impossible. You do not go to the tree, the tree goes to you, unless of course you're me, you see."
"Not even a little bit." Yang deadpanned.
"Well, that's your problem. It's a matter of perspective, I'm afraid."
"Uh, but, couldn't you take us then?" Ruby pointed out. "You've been there before."
The cat turned up its nose. "So why would I ever want to go back? Yes, I'm glad we understand one another. No sense in seeing a sight seen."
The creature then pounced after another butterfly as Blake flattened her ears.
"Please, you helped Alyx when-,"
The cat's head shot up.
"Alyx? Alyx, Alyx?" He floated to Ruby's eye level. "How do you know her? Are you friends of hers? Lifelong nemeses? Wait, don't tell me...okay tell me!"
"Well, we don't know her personally." Ruby admitted.
"Mama read us her story!" Baby (Y/N) explained.
Weiss clarified. "She wrote a book about her entire adventure in the Ever After."
"A book?!" The cat said, delighted. "Is it well liked?"
"It's kinda a childhood favorite of...everyone's where we're from." Blake said as the cat's grin grew.
"Yes! Yes, oh please, I simply must know more! What did she write about? How was I portrayed? And...do I smell a mouse?"
"No!" Baby (Y/N) said sharply, causing the cat to flatten its ears. "Little is a friend, not food!"
Blake stepped in front of the cowering mouse with a nervous smile. "Um, from one cat to another, can you give us a minute, please?"
"Oh, so they're spoken for. Well, please hurry. I have so many, many questions."
The neon creature then slinked off with a meow.
"Are we sure they're not called the Constantly Annoying Cat?" Weiss asked.
"Got 'em!" Yang encouraged. "Totally roasted!"
"Thank you."
"The Curious Cat was described as an ally with an appetite for information." Blake reminded them. "Just because they don't want to go back to the tree, doesn't mean we can't lure them there."
"Okay." Ruby relented. "Yeah! We just need to keep their attention along the way. That shouldn't be too hard. We know all sorts-,"
Timid (Y/N) tugged on her cape. "Ruby, the cat's gone."
"What!?" She yelped as she searched. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!"
"There they are." Baby (Y/N) pointed out as a flurry of butterflies flew out of the tall grass.
Ruby snatched up the boys and chased after the feline. "Wait up! D-didn't you have questions for us? We would be happy to answer them!"
The cat emerged, much to the hooded girl's relief.
"I sense a but approaching."
"Yours." Baby (Y/N) pointed out as the bottom half the cat emerged and refused with them.
"Um, I mean, we do still need to go to the tree, but that will take ages, right? That's plenty of time to tell you all the stuff from our world. Look!" Ruby pulled out her Scroll. "Ever seen a Scroll before? Ooh!"
The cat was indeed mesmerized by the screen.
"Luminous rectangle." It took the Scroll from her hand and began to fiddle with it. "Oh, what's this button do?"
The camera flashed, dazing the cat for a moment before they began to take more.
"Why is it painting tiny, flat versions of me? Is that what I look like smiling?"
"Hook, line, and sinker." Weiss said.
(Timeskip)
"So the old man and the boy share a body now? Oh, that's got some uncomfortable implications. Who thought that was a helpful way to reincarnate, the same people who put a city in the sky? Oh! Speaking of Atlas, did you ever meet the other two teammates of that Ciel girl? Hoo hoo! There's just so many characters to keep track of! Wait, what was my original question?"
"Blake, it's your turn..." Yang moaned.
"You asked about the origins of Remnant." Blake answered.
"That's right! Woah, those two brothers! Talk about a god complex, am I right? Ah, all and all, a rather entertaining summary. Though I felt some of the character voices were uninspired." The cat side eyed Weiss. "Looking at you, wise Huntress."
"Again, it's Weiss. Just Weiss."
The cat chuckled. "Apologies. To your credit, you lot know more about the origins of Remnant than Alyx did. That girl could barely see past her own nose."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.
"Oh, you know, just hilariously concerned with trivial things."
Both dragons didn't know why, because even though their voice gave nothing away, they sensed an absolute maliciousness in the cat's words. They didn't seem angry, but something about them...scared the two. Of course, none of the girls noticed.
"But, she learned her lesson in the end, right?" Blake asked.
"Oh, I'd certainly say so."
Again, the boys felt a bitter cold in their spines. Something...wasn't right. They didn't know what, but they just knew. The cat eyed them both, causing them to scurry behind Ruby.
"I'm also curious about those two. However did they come about?"
"Didn't you say they were in pieces?" Weiss asked. "Wouldn't you know what happened?"
"Oh, no. You can hear an echo, but that doesn't mean you know where it started and where it bounced from. That's all they are, just repeats of something that has passed. Though, even the echoes are connected to the whole in some way. Just how many times did this echo bounce off the walls, and how did it change as it did so?"
"You mean how many (Y/N)s are there right now?" Yang asked as the cat smirked.
"The echo can only bounce so long as it has something to bounce off. I doubt a young boy has developed enough aspects of himself to create many pieces. Though, considering the story you told me, perhaps you should be worried less about how many and more so on what was created."
Weiss then tensed up. "The Red Prince said they looked like the monster stalking the castle. You don't think (Y/N)'s...other half-?"
Blake's eyes widened. "What if his feral half is loose?"
"Monster..." Timid (Y/N) repeated. "That's it. The monster that attacked me. I saw its claws, teeth, and eyes...and the eyes were mine, but angry!"
"Oh that's going to be a fun one to pin down." Yang growled. "If it already attacked one (Y/N), how do we know if it's hunting down the others?!"
"We just have to find them before it does." Blake assured her. "Baby (Y/N) has the tail, Timid (Y/N) has the horns, we now know Feral has claws and teeth, that means only one part is missing: the wings."
"So, only one of him is left?" Ruby asked.
"It seems like it." Blake said. "We won't know for sure, but I think it makes the most sense."
The cat seemed amused by their...perplexity.
He purred. "Oh look! The edge of the Garden Acre."
Everyone stopped their conversation to gaze in amazement at the beauty of the glowing forest. Multi-colored leaves drifted in front of them. Ruby smiled as the boys ran to bat the leaves from the air, giggling as they became tangled in their clothes or hair. The cat even joined them with wide pupils.
"This entire world is put together like a bunch of different puzzle pieces." Yang said. "How does anyone make sense of this?"
"Each acre is made specifically for its inhabitants and their roles." The cat explained. "Is it not like that on Remnant?"
"N-no."
"How strange, never even occurred to me to ask that before."
"I have a question I'd like to ask." Weiss said. "How much longer before we're back to regular size?"
"Not long at all! The garden is just down this path and it is sure to have all the ingredients we need for a lovely growing parfait. Just don't go talking to anyone without me. If you're not careful-,"
"We might get our heads cut off." Blake finished.
"That is how we met, isn't it? Oh, you Remnant folk are such troublemakers."
"Well, I'm sure we'll cause a lot less trouble once we're back to normal." Weiss said.
"Bah." The cat scoffed. "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? Selene? 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?"
Ruby froze as the words crashed into her. Just how were they supposed to beat Salem now? Every time it seemed like they were making headway, another disaster would put them right back at square one. Maybe...maybe it wasn't-.
"Ruby?" Timid (Y/N) said worriedly.
Ruby looked on the verge of tears, catching the attention of Yang.
"Hey, Rubes?"
"I...uh..."
"Maybe we shouldn't worry about home right now?" Blake suggested. "We've got enough problems-,"
"They're gone again." Baby (Y/N) announced.
Ruby perked up in a panic. "Wha- no! Oh no, I wasn't paying attention! Where did they go now?"
"Oh, they saw a bug." Little said.
"And you didn't say anything!?" Yang snapped.
Little pointed at Baby (Y/N). "He didn't say anything! And it was a very interesting bug."
Weiss slumped over. "Of all the characters in 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 toddler!"
"Hey!" Baby (Y/N) protested.
"Oh, sorry sweetie."
"Hey, do you hear that?" Yang suddenly asked.
Sure enough, once they all fell silent, they could hear faint humming coming from somewhere. Ruby glanced around, trying to find the source, when she remembered the boys.
"(Y/N), do you know where that's coming from?"
"That way!" They both said, pointing towards a shadowy part of the luminous woods.
Against her better judgment perhaps, Ruby followed the two to the source.
"This is the garden?" Ruby asked, amazed by the glowing flora around them.
"It certainly looks like a garden." Blake said.
"Found it!" Baby (Y/N) announced as he and his older counterpart stopped in front of a pile of leaves.
Three glowing eyes stared at them from within, causing Timid (Y/N) to quickly scuttle behind Ruby as Baby (Y/N) was pulled back.
"What are you?" The creature asked.
Ruby sighed. "I'm getting really tired of that question."
The creature then emerged from its hiding place. It was large and indigo colored. It kinda looked like a butterfly who's metamorphosis stopped halfway. It tilted its head at them.
"What question?" All three answered with yelps. "Oh, that question. Isn't it obvious? I am an herbalist. The Herbalist. At least...until I'm not anymore."
"Oh good." Yang said sarcastically. "Well, all questions answered then."
"Um, sorry to be a bother, but uh, my friends and I could use some help." Ruby said, approaching cautiously. "See, we're trying to get to that giant tree, but-,"
"Help getting to the tree? Ah, yes, everyone needs help these days. Everyone. Follow me."
Without much choice, the gang followed the Herbalist back to his hut, which was embedded into a giant blue mushroom.
"Well, are you coming in or aren't you?" The Herbalist asked, seeing Ruby hesitant at the door.
"You're...going to make us a growing parfait, right?" She asked.
The Herbalist just groaned, walking deeper in. Eventually, they all headed inside. The shelves were decorated by herbs and glowing mushrooms, while a crystal ball was on a nearby pedestal. As they followed, the doors behind them closed, trapping them.
"I must say, you all seem a bit...hesitant." The Herbalist pointed out. "What did you say you were again?"
"We're Huntresses." Ruby answered.
"And what exactly does a Huntress do?"
"Fight monsters, I guess? I'm sorry I don't understand why this matters?"
The bug hybrid circled around her, fiddling with remedies. "I don't understand how you don't understand. I am an herbalist. I make medicines, immunities, to help others on their journeys. It is what I am. So, do you know what a Huntress is or do you guess?"
"Huntresses are heroes." Blake answered firmly. "We protect those who can't protect themselves."
"Thank you." He then pulled out a folded piece of cloth. "Now, would you say you're good Huntresses?"
Ruby didn't answer as Yang narrowed her eyes.
"Look, can you help us or not?"
"I am trying! But you are making this far more complicated than it needs to be. We all have our titles, our roles to play, but in order to become whatever it is you need to become, you should really have a better understanding of what you are now."
"Okay." Weiss said. "How do we open that mushroom...door?"
The Herbalist gave them a deadpanned look before sighing. "This is how a king winds up a prince. Follow me, my work is never done."
The Herbalist slinked through a beaded curtain to another room. Inside were several potted plants and a fire pit. The bug man was smoking on a pipe as he motioned for Ruby to take a seat. He then looked at the two boys.
"You two stand over there." He pointed to the far side of the room.
"Uh, actually, I think maybe we should be going." Blake said, now very suspicious. "Right, Ruby?"
"This won't take long." He assured as the door closed behind them. "Just answer the questions."
He took a deep inhale of his pipe and proceeded to blow the smoke over them. Ruby began to choke, coughing.
"What are you?" The Herbalist asked once more as he dropped leaves into the flames, causing plumes to engulf the girls and knock them out. "Are you sure you know? You are sure of what you are and of what you are going to be?"
As the smoke cleared, the girls all seemed to have fallen into a trance. The boys, who hadn't been touched strangely enough, raced over in a panic.
"Don't touch them." The Herbalist warned. "They must come to the answers themselves."
"What did you do to them!?" Baby (Y/N) demanded.
"I gave them the opportunity to answer the question, but in the end, they needed to find that answer first. Hopefully, this will help."
"You...you want them to find out what they are, right?" Timid (Y/N) asked.
He nodded. "Precisely."
"Then, why didn't you do that to us?"
"Because both of you aren't what you are, you are what you were."
"What does that mean?" Baby (Y/N) said with a pout. "I'm (Y/N)!"
The Herbalist nodded. "You are what this '(Y/N)' was. As is he. You are pieces to a whole, and only the whole can say what they are."
"Pieces, the cat called us that." Timid (Y/N) said. "There's one of us that's different, the real (Y/N)."
"Not real." The Herbalist corrected. "Whole. You both are real (Y/N)s, but you are simply not what he is now. You are fragments, frozen images of what was. He will never become you and you will never become the current because you have already done so. You have already changed, you've simply broken apart and need to be put back together. Then you will know what you are."
"My head hurts now..." Baby (Y/N) moaned.
The Herbalist patted his head. "Fortunately, broken pieces tend to be drawn to one another. It shouldn't be long before you find yourselves again. You should ask yourselves why you were torn apart in the first place. It would be a shame if it happened once again."
Timid (Y/N) sat down as Baby (Y/N) continued to complain that he didn't understand. Why did they break apart? Had something happened to the real (Y/N)? He thought back to his earliest memory in the Ever After. He woke up and he ran from the monster...he was running from the monster, right? He knew he was running from something, so that had to be it. Yet, when he thought back on it, thought to the exact moment he woke up, he didn't remember fear, he remembered...sadness?
The Herbalist nodded. "A broken heart is a dangerous thing. Losing heart is like losing yourself, yet a heart that is strong, that is determined in its resolve, and has known and continues to receive true love, with time, will mend, if it chooses to do so. If it's any comfort, I sense the you that is already knows the answers to the questions."
They suddenly heard a small whimper and turned to see Ruby struggling. Before any of them could react, the cat suddenly reappeared, batting away the smoke.
"Get away from her!" He demanded.
The two boys ducked as the Herbalist began to choke on the smoke.
"Oh my, that's a bit much!" He wheezed out as he fluctuated between colors.
The cat's ears flattened as the girls came too with the help of their brothers.
"Herb, look at yourself! You're done. You're supposed to be helping others find their way, but you've lost your own." The cat trotted over to him and placed a paw on his chest. "Let me help. Take a bit of my heart. You'll feel fine."
A stream of light crept up Herb who gasped as it reached his heart.
"I do apologize. I...always was a bit of a workaholic. Huntresses, was it? Hmm, peculiar things."
In an instance, he was swallowed by the earth, leaving the habitants of Remnant to stare on in terror. Little then woke up with a calm yawn.
"Oh! I found the cat!"