Everything Stays: Frederic Scorch X Yang Xiao Long

The Herbalist

Fred and Ruby glance around the high grass from the Crimson Castle. Ruby begins to rummage through the high grass.

Ruby: Kitty! Kitty! Kitty! Wait! No, no! Uh... Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Oh... c'mon, kitty.

Fred: Ruby, we aren't going to find him.

Yang: Says the guy not looking.

Fred glances down at Yang.

Fred: I'm just trying to figure out why people keep calling me a 'Demon King.'

Fred takes Yang into his palm, letting her stand on it. Yang leans against his thumb and looks up at him.

Yang: Well, the least you could do is to keep trying to help.

Fred: We know how the story ends. Do we really need the cat?

Yang: It could help. You never know.

Fred cocks an eyebrow at her. Yang rolls her eyes and rests her chin on the tip of his thumb. Her eyes dart down and back up to Fred.

Yang: So..big boy...

Fred: I'm not flirting with you like this.

Yang: Aw, come on.

Fred: Nope!

Yang: Why not?

Fred: It's stupid.

Yang: You're not fun.

Fred: No. I'm practical.

Little: (yelps) Eek! (cowers in Ruby's hood, whispering) The cat's hindquarters!

Fred and Yang turn their heads over towards the other side of the pathway. The tail can be seen sticking out of the tall grass on the side of the path.

Ruby: Um... Excuse me?

Curious Cat: (pops out) 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, Leia, and Fred watches the Curious Cat walking without their hindquarters.

Ruby: Uh... Hello, uh, cat.

The Cat then joins both of their body parts together.

Ruby: (shakes her head) 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.

Ruby: Of course. (slightly laughs) Look, my friends and I really need to get to that giant tree, and so far, nothing we tried has gotten us any further.

Weiss: It looks to me like we're even farther!

Yang: Yeah, I think that's because we're six inches tall.

Weiss: It could be both.

Curious Cat: The tree... Tree, tree, tree, tree... (gasps) 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.

Yang: (unimpressed) Not even a little bit.

Curious Cat: Well, that's your problem. It's a matter of perspective, I'm afraid.

Fred: Explain.

Curious Cat: I already did, Oh Hated Demon King.

Fred rolls his eyes. He steps up to the Cat.

Fred: Then the tree?

Ruby: 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.