"A Place of Particular Concern"[1] is the first episode of Volume 9 and the 107th episode of RWBY. It premiered on Crunchyroll on February 18th, 2023.
Summary[]
As Ruby, Blake, Weiss, Penny and Yang are about to enter the portal to Vacuo from the Central Location, an explosion rings out behind them and Ruby turns around just in time to see Cinder Fall attacking innocent civilians. While intervening against Cinder, Ruby is attacked by Neopolitan only for Yang to take the hit and be thrown off the edge. After Ruby loses Crescent Rose, she and Neopolitan are thrown off the edge by Cinder. After a failed rescue attempt by Penny and Blake, Ruby, Neo, and Blake all fall into the void.
Some time later Ruby awakens to find that she is falling through a black abyss dotted with intangible glowing orbs. She is briefly attacked by Neopolitan before managing to put some distance between the two of them, then passes out again.
The next time she comes to, Ruby is alone on a strange beach. After scanning her environment she begins making her way towards the large tree in the distance, eventually becoming frustrated after repeatedly passing through the same location despite moving in a straight line. Ruby settles down and begins to cry right as it begins raining.
Ruby notices a mouse struggling to pull a vegetable from the ground, and picks the cheese for it. The mouse offers to assist Ruby as thanks, and after overcoming her initial shock at a talking animal, Ruby gives the mouse a name, "Little." After Ruby explains that she is looking for her friends, Little suggests that they return to their village as they may have encountered them.
Elsewhere, Weiss and Blake have found each other and are looking for the rest of Blake's Gambol Shroud, which fell separately. Blake asks Weiss what happened after she'd fallen, and Weiss refuses to answer until they find Ruby and Yang. They come across Gambol Shroud, which has become stuck in a strange cluster of vines, and get tangled in it themselves while trying to free the weapon. A large group of mice swarm the two, celebrating the success of their "trap".
Ruby and Little walk in shortly after Weiss and Blake's capture, and after Little explains the situation to their tribe, the prisoners are let go. Blake asks the Mouse Leader if they had seen Yang, to which they shake their head. Ruby suggests that they go to higher ground to look for Yang, and Little offers to accompany them as a guide.
On their way to the cliffs, Ruby asks Weiss what happened after they fell, and if anyone else was down there. Weiss deflects, saying that she doesn't know if anyone else is down here with them and says that they need to find Yang first. At the top of the cliff, the group encounters a strange creature that is searching for something, which then attacks them. Yang, sans-arm, appears and intervenes, and the creature retreats. Once the danger has passed, Yang is distraught to find the others are now down there with her. As Ruby tries to comfort Yang, Blake tackles her partner into a hug. With Team RWBY reunited, Weiss begins to tearfully explain what happened after Ruby and Blake fell, revealing that Penny sacrificed herself. Ruby faints before Weiss even finishes that sentence.
When Ruby wakes up, it is raining again. The others had been discussing what happened in the Central Location and what their current situation here is. Blake suggests that they find Crescent Rose and Yang's Prosthetic Arm before searching for a way home. Weiss questions if it is possible to go home and Yang suggests that they could be dead. Blake rebuffs these concerns and suggests that they may have found themselves inside a fairy tale.
Transcript[]
Narrator: This is the story of a girl, who had a lot of problems…
The screen remains black, sounds of an explosion are muted before eyes blink to Ruby Rose's point of view of what happened in the Evacuation Central Location. Team RWBY and Penny Polendina turn to find an explosion caused by Cinder Fall. Ruby panics as the evacuees run in fear before quickly blinking, transitioning in black.
Yang: (off-screen) Ruby!
The scene transitions to Neopolitan attempting to attack Ruby, but she was tackled out of the way by Yang, who took the brunt of Neopolitan's slash and broke her Aura. Ruby then constantly blinks in a panic as she watches Yang being thrown backward, tumbling bodily over the platform. Later, Ruby helplessly tries to reach Crescent Rose, but watches it slide over the edge and falls into the abyss. Later, Ruby is clinging onto Neo's ankle as Cinder glares down on them. Ruby’s Silver Eyes are seen glowing faintly.
Cinder: (echo) And you… should have never been born…
Cinder uses the Staff to smash Neo’s hand, causing her to lose her grip and fall. Ruby starts to fall with her, and the glow from her eyes disappears. After Ruby falls down, Blake Belladonna holds Ruby while swinging Gambol Shroud to back up to the platform, but its ribbon gets burned off by Cinder. Ruby helplessly watches Blake fall before disappearing into the abyss.
Ruby opens her eyes to find herself surrounded by floating red balls. She looks down to her hand encoated by one of them before it begins floating from her hand. Ruby then sees Neo delivering a punch at her. Ruby tries to defend herself as she grabs Neo by both of her hands. Neo tries to grab Ruby by the neck as Ruby pushes Neo's hand away from her. Neo uses her Semblance to transform into Oscar Pine, and roughly pulls her hands away from Ruby. Neo glares as she transforms into Yang as Ruby defends herself. Neo punches away Ruby's hands and grabs them, again transforming into Penny. Ruby struggles as Neo armlocks her, strangling her. Ruby almost loses her breath but she breaks free from Neo by kicking her legs backwards. Ruby tumbles over and watches Neo in the distance as they both fall through the clouds.
Out of focus shore, beach, trees and cliff stretches into the distance.
Penny: (off-screen) Ruby! (pause) Ruby! (pause) Ruby!
Ruby bolts upwards, panting moments before surveying the area. Large conch shells and six-armed starfish intermittently dot a sand-colored beach that seems to stretch for miles in either direction. In the distance, Ruby sees two very intact moons seemingly orbiting each other as they slowly orbit... wherever she is. Ruby stands up and wrings out the water from her cloak.
Directly in front of her, sits a tropical albeit equally strange forest. The palm trees form odd bulbous shapes, some wrap around each other while others appear to be two or three trees stacked together. The tree in the center, however, is enormous towering over the distance. It stands so tall that only the bottom section of its canopy is visible as the rest. A flock of large birds burst out from the top of the forest, drawing Ruby's attention to a not quite as distant cliff edge on the other side of the forest.
Ruby stares at the giant tree and walks towards the forest.
As Ruby continues to progress through the forest, she squeezes through a group of trees into a clearing. An oddly-colored bird screams as she enters the clearing. Ruby sees the giant tree again in the distance, before proceeding forward and squeezing through another group of trees. In an odd sense of deja vu, Ruby squeezes into the same clearing again, confusing Ruby. The bird from before screams again and starts to babble nonsense. Ruby looks up to the giant tree again, realizing she is not getting any closer. Ruby proceeds forward again, passing by a mouse sleeping on a large seashell. She squeezes through the same trees again, and the bird flies away this time. Ruby grunts in frustration as she walks forward again.
At this point, the mouse has woken up, watching Ruby go through the same thing again and again. Ruby looks up at the tree one more time, before going off to lean and sit at the base of a nearby palm tree. She curls up and starts to sob, causing some thunder to sound and raindrops to fall. Ruby then notices the mouse trying to pull a sprout out of the ground, but to no avail. Ruby then picks up the mouse and pulls out the vegetable with ease. The vegetable is actually made out of cheese. Ruby stares at it in confusion before handing it over to the mouse who wants to eat it. Ruby smiles as the mouse eats its food.
Ruby: (frowning again) Now if only you could help me…
The mouse then looks to Ruby, gulping its food.
Mouse: I could try.
Ruby stares at the mouse wide-eyed for a moment, before suddenly screaming out, startling the mouse as well.
Mouse: Why are you yelling?!
Ruby: (stammering) I. Uh. Because. You. Oh! You’re--
Mouse: Did you wanna share? Oh, I guess it’s only fair…
Ruby: No, that’s-- that’s alright. Uh, I guess, uh… I’ve just never really spoken to, uh… a mouse before?
Mouse: Hmm, well, I guess I’ve never spoken to a… you before. What are you?
Ruby: Oh, uh, I’m a human. (the mouse tilts their head) A girl? (it tilts their head lower) A Huntress? (it tilts their head the third time)
Mouse: That’s a lot of things.
Ruby: I’m… (sighs) I’m Ruby Rose.
Mouse: And to Ruby Rose is… your purpose?
Ruby: No. No, that’s my name. Do you have a name?
Mouse: I’m still young, so… not yet.
Ruby points to her chin in thought.
Ruby: How about I call you… Little, for now. Would that be alright?
Little: Hm, how does one… Little?
Ruby giggles a bit before frowning again.
Little: Huh? What’s wrong?
Ruby: I’m… uh, have you seen other people? Humans, like me.
Little: Exactly like you?
Ruby: No, not… exactly like me. (she puts Little down, who hops off her hand carrying the cheese) I mean, we’re similar, but different.
Little: I’m sure it’ll make sense eventually.
Ruby: Um… one would have long, blonde hair, the other has… well, uh uh… cat ears. (makes a motion imitating cat ears)
Little yelps, hiding behind the cheese.
Ruby: Sorry! I-- I should’ve known. I’ve seen plenty of cartoons.
Little: (steps out from behind the cheese) Well, I’ve never seen anyone who does, or doesn’t, look like you. But, maybe someone in my village has. They’re always out foraging, you know, since we need food and stuff.
Ruby sighs in relief.
Little: Speaking of which… a few more of these wouldn’t hurt!
Little points to more of the cheese sprouts planted in the ground.
Elsewhere…
Blake: You really think it’s around here somewhere?
Weiss: I wouldn’t exactly say I’m certain about anything at the moment…
Weiss and Blake are seen walking together in the forest.
Weiss: Gambol Shroud fell after you and Ruby, but before I did. And we found each other, so… what is this place?
Blake: I don’t know. None of my guesses really make sense.
Blake looks behind her, seeing a vine moving on a tree.
Weiss: Blake… (the two turn to face each other) I’m really glad you’re okay.
Blake: (smiles) I’m really glad you are too. (lowers her head in thought) And if we are, then that means Yang and Ruby might be.
Weiss smiles before turning away with a frown.
Blake: Weiss… can you… what happened after we fell?
Weiss pauses for a bit, sighing.
Weiss: We should focus on finding everyone else first.
Blake looks down, frowning, before hearing Weiss yell out.
Weiss: I think I see something!
Blake proceeds forward to join her. They find the katana part of Gambol Shroud entangled in thorny vines.
Blake: I guess it could’ve been worse…
Weiss: Well, good news, I’m low on Dust.
Blake: That wasn’t an invitation, Weiss.
Weiss: Sorry.
The two girls proceed to work on trying to get the katana out of the vines. Blake tries to pull, but to no avail. Weiss then tries to slash through it with Myrtenaster, but the vines immediately grow back, causing Weiss to groan in frustration. Blake then tries to reach for it by leveraging herself from a palm tree. Weiss is seen cheering Blake on.
Weiss: Yeah! Woo!
Blake’s hand barely touches her katana, but suddenly the vines sprout out towards her.
Weiss: Huh?
The vines start to head toward Weiss too, and the two are ensnared in the vines. Suddenly, a swarm of mice emerge, cheering. They stop in front of the trapped Huntresses.
Mouse #2: The trap has been sprung!
The mice tribe leader is then seen running up the vines.
Mouse Leader: Justice befalls our prey!
The mice tribe cheers.
Weiss: Are they… talking?
Blake: (writhing in the vines) Not what I’m worried about right now!
Meanwhile, Ruby continues through the forest, hearing the noise of the mice tribe. Little is snoring on her shoulder.
Ruby: Are you drooling on me? (sticks her tongue out in disgust)
Ruby then stops, seeing Weiss and Blake tied up in vines to wood surrounded by the mice tribe.
Mouse Leader: And on this day, we were not the prey, but the hunters!
The mice tribe cheers again. Ruby stares in bewilderment at the sight, nudging her shoulder to wake Little up.
Little: What’s going on? (noticing the commotion) Oh, hey, it’s your cat friend. (yelps again)
Ruby catches Little in her hands, and the mice tribe notices them.
Mouse Leader: A new adversary approaches! We must liberate our kin!
The mice tribe cheers again.
Some time later, the mice tribe listen to Little’s first encounter with Ruby.
Little: I didn’t know what to do because she looked sad. But then we talked, and she seemed less sad. Then she pulled the cheese out of the ground on her own!
The mice tribe gasp in surprise. A white mouse with red eyes faints. The Mouse Leader runs towards Blake, who is now free from the vines. She kneels down to speak to them.
Mouse Leader: You have our sincerest apologies! Please understand that our kind is a bit skeptical of cats… and snakes… and cats.
Blake: We understand. If… we could ask, have you seen anyone else who looks like us? Long, blonde hair, looks kinda scary but isn’t?
Weiss: But could be if she wanted to.
Ruby chuckles sheepishly. The Mouse Leader shakes its head. Blake stands up to rejoin Ruby and Weiss.
Ruby: (saddened) Thanks anyway… (to Weiss and Blake) Before all of… this, I was trying to go to that cliff over there. (points to said cliff) I figured going to higher ground and getting my bearings would be good.
Weiss: Sounds like the best option for now.
Little:(scurrying up Blake) If you wanna go to the cliff, I can help with that.
Blake gets startled after Little climbs up to her shoulder.
Little: I don’t have anything to do yet.
Ruby: Yet?
Little: I can be your trusty guide.
Little is shown snoring in Ruby’s hood. Ruby smiles at them.
Weiss: Or… (trying to swat away an insect with rocking horse legs) I guess we could figure it out ourselves.
Blake: At least they got us to this path. We need to hurry. Yang’s been down here the longest and we still haven’t found her.
Ruby: Weiss, I was wondering… if you fell, then are there others down here too? What happened?
Weiss is silent for a moment.
Weiss: I don’t know if anyone else fell, no. I think we should find Yang, if she’s even down here. Then we can go over everything.
Ruby: I just--
Suddenly, the three hear a roar in the distance. They run up to the top of the cliff and notice a strange, purple, masked creature twitching.
Jabberwalker: Seeking… Searching… Scouring… Stalking… Searching… Scouring… Stalking…
Little gasps and hides in Ruby’s cloak. The creature hears them.
Jabberwalker: Detecting… Listening…
The Jabberwalker turns its head. Blake and Weiss draw their weapons. Ruby tries to reach behind her, but Crescent Rose is still missing. They keep their distance as the creature faces them. It then proceeds to charge forward.
Jabberwalker: DANGER! DEATH!
Blake jumps forward.
Jabberwalker: BITE! RIP! TEAR!
The Jabberwalker swipes its claw at Blake, but she blocks it with Gambol Shroud. Weiss runs forward to assist, but stops suddenly.
Yang: (off-screen) I said I wasn’t done with you yet!
The large rock is thrown at the Jabberwalker, who jumps away from Blake after the rock hits them. Yang heavily pants and looks up, her prosthetic arm is missing. Weiss, Blake and Yang surround the Jabberwalker.
Jabberwalker: Recede… Retreat… Wait… Return.
The Jabberwalker makes their retreat as it jumps high to the next cliff and disappears into the forest. Weiss and Blake run after the Jabberwalker. Yang pants heavily and ends up kneeling, exhausted. Ruby runs towards Yang.
Ruby: Yang! I–
Yang: Dammit! You weren’t supposed to be here…
Ruby kneels down next to Yang.
Ruby: If you thought we wouldn’t come for you, then you must’ve forgotten who raised me.
Yang sighs.
Ruby: What happened to your arm?
Yang: I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you…
Little: Why not? You seem trustworthy.
Yang: (staring at Little wide-eyed) Uh, Ruby? What is that?
Yang suddenly gets tackled by Blake to the ground. Blakes embraces Yang in relief.
Blake: Yang…
Yang embraced Blake back.
Weiss: I sort of thought you’d be a little happier to see us.
Yang: I am… It’s just… It must have gone pretty bad, huh?
Ruby and Blake look at Yang. Blake looks back at Ruby before they turn to see Weiss beginning to break down in tears.
Ruby: Weiss…
Weiss: (tearfully) I… Everything happened so fast. No one came back from Vacuo to help… And Penny! She-- Jaune tried to help, but… she sacrificed herself! (inaudible)
Ruby, wide-eyed, listens to Weiss of what happened, her words slowly being muted out as she continues speaking, but suddenly ends up passing out until she hits the ground.
Yang: (off-screen) Ruby?!
The screen suddenly cuts to black. Sometime later, Ruby starts to wake up. She could hear Yang, Weiss, and Blake discussing their current situation. It’s raining again.
Yang: (off-screen) So, we have no idea what happened to the Relic? Or what happened to everyone in Vacuo? Or where Neo is?
Blake: Maybe everyone else made it?
Weiss: I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling.
Little is fanning Ruby with a small piece of grass as Ruby regains her consciousness.
Ruby: Neo’s here too.
Yang: Hey, are you alright?
Ruby doesn’t immediately answer.
Ruby: She attacked me when we were falling.
Blake: (sighs) Okay. (stands up) Ruby’s weapon is still missing. Yang’s arm was stolen. I think we focus on getting everything back, then we can figure out exactly how to get out of here… Wherever here is…
Suddenly, the rain stops and rays shine on Blake. She walks towards the source of light.
Weiss: But, what if we can’t leave? Or, what if--
Yang: What if we’re dead? (beat) Until you all found me, I thought for sure I was.
Blake: No, I don’t think we’re dead. I know how it sounds, but…
As Blake pushes away the vines a little, she looks to the giant tree in the center of the land.
Blake: (off-screen) I think we’re in a fairy tale.
Peeking over the hill, the giant tree is surrounded by many other unusual environments: a red forest with a red castle, an area of creamy dessert and sweets, a forest with giant colorful mushrooms, among other things.
Characters[]
- Fairy Tale Narrator
- Ruby Rose
- Weiss Schnee
- Blake Belladonna
- Yang Xiao Long
- Neopolitan
- Cinder Fall (Flashback)
- Penny Polendina (Flashback)
- Little (First Appearance)
- Mouse Leader (First Appearance)
- Jabberwalker (First Appearance)
Trivia[]
- The first seven minutes of the episode were publicly released prior to the date of the episode's premiere, through clips at RTX 2021 and 2022.
- The credits music for the episode was reused from "Refuge", instead of using score from the episode itself.
- Little was initially conceptualized to introduce the concepts of the Ever After and give Ruby a companion for the volume.[2]
- The scene where Weiss explains how Penny died was meant to get everyone on the same page about what happened and lead to Ruby shouldering the failure entirely herself, however it was not portrayed as clearly as the writers wanted.[2][3]
See Also[]
Image Gallery[]
- Main article: A Place of Particular Concern/Image Gallery
References[]
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