LillyPillies

Imagine the team just fell. RWY and Jaune find each other, but Blake is nowhere to be found. Yang is mildly freaking out, so they all decide to try and make it to the tree and see if they can find her.

Most of the events play out as normal, with the chess match, and the Curious Cat, except that Yang is slightly more impatient to actually find Blake.

Finally, they get to the Night Market, the Jabberwalker ambush happens, and in comes The Black Cat, the mysterious masked magician from the book. (Meant to be an allegory for the Mad Hatter, so they have a cool top hat with golden feathers in the sash to symbolise Yang (ofc I made them sad what do you want from me)) They were a notorious fugitive of the Red Court and a mentor to Alyx in the book, and the team specifically remember their friendly rivalry with the Curious Cat, with each of them accusing the other of stealing their brand.

The Black Cat does their thing, using a mix of magic and an Afteran black katana to fight the Jabberwalkers. Another appears, they yell out, "What? Two!?" and then there's three and four and five. They make the wise decision to get the fuck out of there. The magician tells RWY+J to follow them, the Curious Cat causes a distraction, and they all end up in the centre stalk of the Night Market.

They're all feeling pretty shit because of the ambush, but The Black Cat's presence helps them calm down. Yang goes all fangirl (like Blake would over the Rusted Knight in canon), except that... the magician isn't engaging with them. They pace around, muttering to themself and occasionally glancing at the group of them, then back at the ground. Then, finally, they ask, "Are... are you all real?"

RWY+J are confused asf, because like... huh??? They decide to just say yes, and hope that works out. The Black Cat ends up almost collapsing with relief and heartbreak, and the group are baffled at hearing them start to sob. Then, they take off their mask and hat, and...

They're met with black cat ears and golden eyes.

It's Blake.

The Black Cat magician from The Girl Who Fell Through The World is Blake.

After the reunion is done (read: after Blake and Yang pounce on each other and refuse to let go), Blake starts explaining what exactly happened when she fell.

She did all the same things Jaune did in the show, like walk around and find the clock tree. It didn't take long for Blake to realise where she was and her role in the story, and while it sounded insane at first, she eventually accepted it. After enough years passed, Blake got fully accustomed to living in the Ever After. She made allies and enemies, got new clothes and a new weapon (she lost Gambol and currently has its' ribbon tied around the hilt of her katana, as a way to honour it (she grieved it because I imagine hunters' weapons are a part of their souls. imagine how Blake would feel after having it broken AND lost in the same WEEK)). Also, she learned how to perform Afteran magic, which is where she got the whole "magician" thing from (not quite sure how overpowered I'll make the magic yet, but I imagine it's basic stuff like sleight of hand and being able to teleport with purple sparkles or smth (that's only because I want a scene during the ambush where The Black Cat is behind Ruby and Yang, puts a hand on either of their shoulders, and teleports them both a bit away lmao)). (I know the Curious Cat and the Punderstorm stuff is meant to happen here but I haven't quiteee figured that all out yet. there are some details in the extra notes tho so keep reading!!!)

Instead of going to the Paper Pleasers, Blake leads them to a cave she was staying in (also in a different Acre, probably one that's stone/rock themed). It's pretty trashed, and dirty, and honestly looks a bit like a drug dealer's apartment. RWY+J are... concerned, but they let her be because apparently she's been down here alone for over a decade, so she probably isn't doing too well with personal care. I imagine that her arc in this (like Jaune's "I have to save everyone" arc with the Paper Pleasers) is that she feels like she's regressed back to her V1 mindset, back to that angry, abused teenage girl, like all the progress she made is just void. Of course, it isn't, but the idea of it leads to her acting more closed off and quiet (like her V1 self) and not wanting to admit how horrible her mental health is currently. And, boy. It is horrible. She regularly hallucinates and hears voices (which is why she had to make sure RWY+J were real.... she hallucinated them during that decade and sometimes she still needs to make sure they're not a figment of her imagination again :((( MY BABY), and it becomes a plot point once the others find out. (that's when they have the whole "Blake needs us, and we need her, we just... can't count in her") conversation. At the end of the day (and the volume), Blake realises that all the healing she did isn't completely gone, and she finally accepts her true strength in going through the things she did and still coming out the other side.

and that's that! most of the late v9 events are the same as canon (like the Tree stuff, the Gods stuff, The Blacksmith, and Blake's relationship with Alyx is pretty much the same as Jaune's in canon), but I have a rough idea of the details, so here's a few notes on specific stuff:

- In the intro part, instead of the Rusted Knight(/Jaune) looking straight ahead, then tilting his head down slightly, The Black Cat(/Blake) is turned away from the camera and looks over their shoulder, then tilts their head down a bit.

- When Blake and the Curious Cat meet, the group originally expect their same friendly rivalry as in the book (they maybe make a one-off joke about it), and are surprised when the rivalry is anything but friendly (Blake immediately gets pissed and the Cat riles her up).

- I have NO clue how the bees scene is gonna go considering the age difference, but I want it to be kinda the same (but Blake has more knowledge on the Punderstorm, realises that she and Yang are separated from the rest of the group because they have "something bigger to work out", and has a big Oh. moment.) Idk on this one let me know your thoughts 🤷‍♂️

- Blake and Ruby still have a huge argument. I just need them both to get their complicated feelings out (Blake believing in and trusting her first leader after Adam (especially since she briefly goes back to that mindset from when she was fresh from Adam's abuse), and the complex feelings when said leader fails and then snaps ("I trusted you!" type shit)/Ruby feeling pressured by Blake's constant support, like she has to be a good leader no matter what ("You put me on a pedestal I don't deserve." kinda thing)), and if they do it by screaming at each other and saying things they don't mean, so be it. (also also they're literally "The Fox and the Bird" by OK Goodnight TRUSTTT)

- When the Blacksmith changes Blake back to her younger self, she gives her a wooden carving of her top hat (like how Jaune got Juniper) to remember her time as The Black Cat. And yes she does get greyish purple streaks in her hair.

okay FINALLY here's the designnnnn (and the reference because I cant draw bodies for shitttt):