Disclaimer: I do not own the material showing up in the story, as some OC's belong to their respective owners.

The following is a side-story to RWBY Partners in Time.

RWBY Partners in Time is written by Nan the Keyblade Master.

A woman lays on the ever so green grass. She lays there unconscious as each passerby turns a blind eye. She wore a dark grey visor cap with a bright orange stripe, aligned to her closed left eye as it twitches.

As gasped for air as she got up, placing her left hand on her throat as she breathed heavily. After steadied her breath, she got up then dusted her blue open jacket over her dark grey shirt, as well as her carbon grey tights, and ripped jorts. She tapped her red boots for any pebbles that may have snuck their way in, and lastly, fixed the position of her crimson red scarf.

She looked up towards her view, covering the sun's blinding light with her right hand as she squinted. Her vision cleared up as she saw... mushroom houses?

Confusion.

"Okay...?" she mused in her thoughts as she glanced to her left and right to see the same models of houses but in different colors, "Guess some people have odd tastes around here," she commented as she looked around.

After passing by multiple houses,

She could identify the streets to be... nearly empty.

"Hey!"

Emphasis on, nearly

She turned her head to see... two short humanoids with mushrooms on their heads... One had pink spots and was holding a paper bag, while the other had blue spots and nearly tripped himself while running.

"What is it, dear?" the blue mushroom head asked with a tone of voice identifying it as a male... despite how high the pitch is.

"You forgot your lunch!" the pink mushroom head exclaimed, shaking the bag.

The blue mushroom ran over to her as he snatches the bag, "Thanks, love you, sweetie!" he mused as he kissed her cheek leaving a smile from her as he ran off to who knows where he works for a living.

The woman stared at the sight as the pink mushroom went into her house. "...Talking mushroom people..." she emphasized as she creakily turned her head, "...Story of my life..." she sighed as she walked off wandering around the town.

As she wandered, she noticed several establishments. Each of them ranged in variety from clothes to pins to foo-... mushrooms?

She paused as she stared at a store run by a green mushroom head. The store had boxes of mushrooms with dot-like eyes on them, with some ranging from red to green to a mini blue...

"... Does that count at cannibalism or... no...?"

She winced her face as she baffled the thought of "mushroom cannibalism." as she sped up her pacing to forget more about the thought.

~Insert BGM: "I Like It Like That" by Pete Rodriguez~

After passing by some more stores such as;

Fungo Saltato,

A small Italian restaurant, as a table was served a platter of mushroom-

"It hasn't been five minutes in, and yet I still question that logic."

An arcade with a sign of a smiling red mushroom head pointing at the name of the arcade;

Fungi's (Toad) Arcade

"At least they have that around here."

She mused as she strode across a building with a simple sign stating;

Toad Finance

"Hm, must be a credit card company."

She paused as she steps back to see what's believed to be an electronics store.

Shroomtronics

From there, she watches a news report on a mushroom television behind the window.

"What is it with mushrooms here?" she wonders as she focuses on the lavender haired news reporter on the television.

[This is, Lisa Lavender, live at Toad Town Square. Where we are 10 minutes away from the reveal of the latest invention of professor E. Gadd.]

The reporter, Lisa Lavender, stated as an old man with swirly glasses is seen grabbing tools from his toolbox, using the tools on the supposed invention underneath the cloth.

[In other news, General Ironwood made an announcement earlier this morning, regarding his arrival towards the Mushroom Kingdom.]

Lisa reported as an image on who's believed to be this, General Ironwood, in a white suit.

"Either he's from a militaristic nation in a tundra, or he's just trying to look like those stiffs powdered d #&$ from the French Revolution... or was it the soldiers from World War 1?"

she paused after her comment as she realized, "Great... they censor here..." she cursed in her thoughts.

She shook off her thoughts as she heard some toads running off.

"C'mon! The town square is this way!"

A red head-... A Toad exclaimed as he ran in the direction towards the town square as a yellow Toad followed.

"W-Wait for me!"

The yellow Toad stuttered as he panted running.

"'Guess I know where I'm heading to," she thought aloud as she followed the two Toads.

~End BGM: "I Like It Like That" by Pete Rodriguez

8 minutes later

She arrived at the now crowded square as she saw the reporter from the television talking at the camera.

"'Wonder what's under the sheet?" she mused as she leans on a tree to her right.

She heard a noise as she turned her head to see a group of kids in different pieces of clothing.

The kids ranged from a red hood,

a snow princess,

a dark-haired girl with cat ears,

a blonde,

and many others in unique outfits.

As she observed their behavior, the dark-haired one's cat ears flinched as they turned in several directions before the woman herself turned towards the woman by the tree.

She lowered her cap as she hid behind the tree.

The snow princess noticed as she tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, Blake?"

She called the dark-haired girl, now identified as, Blake, now giving attention to the snow princess.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh..." Blake stammered as she turned back to the tree, seeing the woman now gone. "It's nothing, Weiss."

"Well, it didn't look like it was nothing."

The princess, known as Weiss scoffed as she turned to the tree to see nothing.

"..."

"So-"

"Not a word."

Weiss cut Blake off as she lifted her hand in front of her face.

During this, Blake looked around to find someone missing.

"Hm, that's odd... Jade isn't here." Blake noted as she looked toward E. Gadd, "Her grandfather is, but not her..."

Weiss, who now lowered her hand, answers her.

"I think I heard they had to be pulled off from the event." she recalled, "Ozpin needed to see them about something."

"Oh look! He's ready!"

A man in a red plumber outfit with a mustache exclaims as he points towards the professor.

As the others turned their attention to the presentation, the woman stepped out of the tree as she watched while keeping her cap down.

"It looks like the professor is about to reveal his latest invention."

Lisa Lavender reports to the camera as she turns to the professor.

"Ahem."

The professor coughed as he grabs the cloth.

"Behold!" he pulls the cloth off, revealing his latest invention, "The Time Machine!"

As he presented his invention, the audience gaped in awe at the contraption, causing many reactions from the audience.

"Oh wow!'

"By Boogity!"

"Cool!"

"Meh, I've seen better."

Ignoring that last reaction, the professor went on with his presentation.

"This wonderful creation of mine is fueled not by Dust, but by this!" he exclaims as he holds the object that fuels the machine.

He held a star. One that appears to be glowing brightly as it gave the appearance of a crystal. With five prisms surrounding a small green star-shaped stone, forming a star.

"Hm..." The capped woman hummed as she observed the object.

She pulls out what appears to be a smartphone from her pocket as she starts tapping with her thumb.

As she tapped typed her phone while watching, Blake's ears act up as she turned to see the woman by the tree.

"Who-"

"Alright, we have three volunteers!"

Blake's thoughts were caught off as she turned to see the Pink princess, Peach, a pink "Toad" with white spots, Toadiko, and a blue "Toad" also with white spots, Toadbert.

The three of them entered the time machine as Peach typed the codes, as directed by E. Gadd, to the Mushroom Kingdom of the past.

Once complete, the Time Machine started shaking as it soon levitated, opening a time portal of sorts as the Time Machine enters, closing the portal when it passed.

"That's my cue." The capped woman mumbled as Blake turned back to her as she blinked.

She vanished.

Blake looked to her left and right to try to locate her as Lisa Lavender signed off her report... as well as Toadsworth's wailing.

As Blake searched, the capped woman was located atop a house as she sat on the back of a semi-invisible creature.

A creature with a monkey head, a body of a raccoon dog, tiger legs, and a snake tail.

As she looked down at the Town Square, she dialed a number on her phone.

She placed the phone up to her ears as it rang.

She tapped her finger on the creatures back as it turned behind her, giving it a head pat, with it replying to her with a smile as it purred.

As she listened to the dial tone, she heard a click as she began.

"Hey, it's me."

[...]

"Yeah, when are you?"

[...]

"I know what I said. And yes, it's what I meant."

[...]

"Just look around."

[...]

"Really? You sure you're not-"

[...]

"Okay, fine, got it."

[...]

"Me?... Let's just say... I'm doing my job."

[...]

"Hm, so we're thinking the same."

[...]

"What? Why?"

[...]

"Alright, alright. I'll try contacting him."

She accepts as she tries to make a threeway call, to only get through, but with static.

"Rust! You there? Answer your phone!"

[...]

"Damn it... he probably has no sig-... of course it broke..."

[...]

"Nope, nothing... Nothing... just a-"

[...]

"Heh, you ass."

[...]

"...Just be careful... Okay?"

[...]

"Yeah... thanks."

[...]

"Alright, good luck."

[...]

*BEEP*

She then dropped the call as the creature tilted its head at her.

She gave a sweet smile as she held on to the creature.

"Let's go."

She commanded as the creature jumped off from some houses towards a castle in the distance.

"...I wonder what he's up to?"

"GAH! FLAPPY BIRD HAS A KNIFE!... LIKE ACE HARDWARE BEING STABBED AT HIS LEGS!"

A voice snored aloud as he dropped his hand on the ground.

As he snored, a mosquito landed onto his nose, preparing to suck blood-

*SPLAT!*

He slapped his nose, killing the mosquito as he awoke.

"Ugh!"

he groaned as he rubbed his eye with his tattered sleeve from his brown coat with a small black hooded cape.

He stopped rubbing as he couldn't feel his eye until he realized he was wearing his goggles.

He pulled up his goggles to his forehead, revealing his dirt brown eyes.

Then he proceeded to rub his eye with his tattered sleeve revealing some parts white by the ripped rims.

"...What a nice dream."

He joyfully sighed as he got up to stretch as he wiggled his black and white sneakers and shook his leg as he wore a pair of black pants. While he stretched his arms, revealing some black bandages on his arms under his sleeve.

He looked to his left and right as he looked at the sky.

"HELLO?!"

He called out.

"ANYONE HERE?!"

His voice echoed as some birds flew off some trees.

"Oh... my... God..."

He gasped as he fell to his knees as he stared at the sky and made a quiet and calm-

"I'M STRANDED!"

...Nevermind...

"Welp, time to-"

*Answer your phone, b#$%&.~*

He puffed up his right cheek as he dropped his backpack and opened it as he started digging through his bag.

He pulled out a flare gun.

"Nope."

He tossed the flare gun as he pulled out a HAM radio.

"Not hungry."

He threw the HAM out as he brought out a-

"Can we just get to the part I get my phone? 'Cause I think you're running out of ideas for what's in my bag!"

...

"..."

...Ok, fine.

"Thank you!"

He says as he pulls his cellphone out of his bag as he answers the phone.

"YYYYYYYYYYello!"

"...Rust***... Ar-... there?"

"Hello? Hello!"

"Ans...r ... Y..ur...hone!..."

"Marilyn?"

He called her name as only static came through.

"Marilyn!"

He called once more, to no avail as only static came through.

"... F#$' D*&% it!"

He shouts aloud as he smashed his phone to the ground.

"Now I'm gonna have to reenact the entirety of the movie, Cast Away!"

He growled as he scratched his messy brown hair.

He then stops as he closed his bag and throws it onto his back.

"Welp... time to start looking!"

He mused as he skipped along his, "Path?" across the strange volcano built with angry faces all over the island.

"Hum dee dum!"

He started singing as he remembered something.

"Hm... I wonder where Mono is?"

He wondered as he tapped his chin with his forefinger.

"...Nah, he's probably fine."

He shrugged off as he skipped along like an overly happy camper.

"He's probably sleeping under some snow in a holiday village."

Snow.

In a Holiday themed town, lays the supposed "Mono."

...

Oh yeah, right. I forgot he's buried under the snow.

Time for Plo~t.

*BZZZZ* *BZZZZ*

...

*BZZZZ* *BZZZZ*

A pile of snow breaks down, revealing a smartphone vibrating.

"Ugh..."

A pile of snow vibrated as a groan coming from a man beneath the snow sat up.

His eyes remained closed as clumps of snow slipped off his head as he scratched his brown two-block cut hair.

As snow rested on his shoulders, he grabbed the vibrating phone from the pile as he fell back with his dark blue military jacket as his rolled-up sleeves rested upon the snow along with the skin of his elbows.

"Hello?"

[Hey, it's me.]

"Hey, Marilyn. Good to hear you still got your game face on."

He joked as he let out a cheeky huff.

[Yeah, when are you?]

"...What?"

He paused as she stated.

[I know what I said. And yes, it's what I meant.]

"Uh..."

He dazed as he drooped his left arm.

[Just look around.]

"Aight."

He acknowledged as he threw himself off the snow to stand on the ground as he landed his camo-themed tactical combat boots, ruffling his sandstone orange cargo pants.

He opened his eyes as he scanned the area to be... nearly empty.

"I'm in some kind of snowy holiday village."

He spoke lazily as he stretched his back, revealing his steel grey shirt.

"And by the looks of it."

He darts his eyes to his left as he hears a strange noise.

"... I got company."

[Really? You sure you're not-]

"Marilyn, you oughtta remember our line of work. You know what we deal with back at Bridge... Remember?"

He asks as he ducked as he saw a creature turn to him.

[Okay, fine, got it.]

"Ey, I'm just reminding you."

He reminded as he glanced behind a wall to see a purple mushroom creature with white spots on its head.

"So, how are ya?"

He listlessly asked as he avoids the ever staring eyes of the purple creatures.

[Me?... Let's just say... I'm doing my job.]

"Gathering info to figure out where we are and identify a rendezvous point in the present."

[Hm, so we're thinking the same.]

She joked

"Heh, well as they say-"

"Let me go!"

A scream cut off Mono as he peeked behind some rubble as he witnessed a holiday dressed Toad get shot by the purple creature's ray gun.

"Let me go! Let me GO!"

Pleaded the Toad as he was lifted by what seemed to be a UFO off the ground.

"...Call, Rust."

Ordered Mono who glared at the two creatures as he placed his phone in his pocket while his right eye Aegean blue eye flickered, revealing a neon cyan before hiding back behind the wall.

[What? Why?]

"Just do it."

He answered as he reached to his magnum revolver on his right thigh.

[Alright, alright. I'll try contacting him.]

"Good"

Mono commented as an energy shot flew by his head, leaving a singed mark on the wall in front of him. And another struck the wall, chipping its edge.

As he peeked out, he saw the purple creature pointing his arm at him as other creatures appeared, aiming as he rolled out of the wall before the projectiles struck the wall.

The creatures began to open fire as he rolled out of the fray, not running towards an alley.

When he neared a wall, he ran up one to his side as he vaulted over the towering wall in front of him, aiming his revolver as he nailed 2 headshots while he got the knee of one nearest to him.

He dashed towards the downed creature as the others continued firing at him.

Mono twirled to his left as he dodged a nearby ricochet by his foot as he grabbed its head through the mouth, lifting it off the ground, as he blocked the incoming fire.

One of the purple creatures motioned an order as more of them fired their energy guns at him.

The creature wailed as his "allies" fired at him, ignoring its supposed pleas to stop.

He charged forward with his body shield as he released his grip, in exchange for a kick in the eyes, sending its body towards the others.

He then grabbed one of the distracted creatures as he slammed its face to his knee with his right arm.

As it was knocked out, more of them fired as one pulled out some kind of DS with an antenna.

He threw the creature upward, creating a distraction as they looked up at it.

The creature holding its DS, stared at the flung ally as it crashed to the ground, landing like a ragdoll.

As it tried to activate something with its DS, it turned to realize it disappeared from his hands.

It panicked as the others turned to it, now distracting all of them.

Then-

*Whistle!*

They turned to see their target, Mono, as he kept his hands in his pockets.

He smirked as he playfully showed off the DS in his hands, tossing it in the air and catching it as if it was a ball.

As he pointed his arm at Mono, the others turned to find him vanished, leaving no trace.

Next thing it knew,

he was stepped on.

Mono leaped from the Shroob and landed on the UFO.

The Shroob inside rocked its ship, hoping to get him off.

"'Guess someone's tired of using, "creature" all the time."

Mono thought as he thrusts his fist into the ship's windshield as he pulled out the controlling Shroob, holding him in the air.

He didn't seem to care when the ship spun out of control, causing the ship to crash near the edge.

*BOOM!*

As the Shroobs in town, startled by the explosion, rushed over to the crash while some pulled their DS's out as they called for back up.

Meanwhile, under the ship.

"Al~ley..."

Mono grunted as he lifted the ship's hull.

"OOP!"

He mused as he threw the ship to his right, dusting his hands as he looked to the Shroob on his right.

"Hm... Well, that happened."

He mused as he rolled his shoulders.

His right eye started beeping as in his view, a soundwave appeared on a monitor through his right eye.

[Damn it... he probably has no sig-... of course, it broke...]

"What was that?"

He asked in a strict tone.

[Nope, nothing... Nothing... just a-]

"-A psychotic childish genius, broke his phone and can't hear your "daily stuck-up attitude" as he'd say."

He joked as he mimicked a casual quote from Rust.

[Heh, you ass.]

"Yeah..."

He chuckled as he ended with a sigh.

His smile lowered into a neutral expression as squads of Shroobs, Shrooblets, and UFOs can be seen, readying themselves.

"'Kay, I gotta go. Some Ube flavored mushrooms came by to stick it up with their Stormtrooper blasters."

He smirked as he stretched.

"I'll probably be here for a while. So you best do your job as you said"

[...Just be careful... Okay?]

"Heh, will do sweetie. You be careful 'on finding that rendevous point, you hear?"

He asked as he stopped stretching.

"But most importantly... You got this."

[Yeah... thanks.]

"Hey, don't worry so much. You'll just make it harder if you let it into your head, alright?"

[Alright, good luck.]

"Same to you. Bye."

*BEEP*

He smiled as he cracked his knuckles.

"Alright..."

Mono declared as he rolled his neck, facing a small army of Shroobs.

"Hihi..."

Rust giggled as he held his hands on his hips, his bag on his back, with his bright eyes staring at the view of Thwomp volcano.

"I wonder if I can find a volleyball...?"

He questioned as he cupped his chin with a child-like grin on his face.

"Alright."

Marilyn breathed as she calmed herself before the currently empty Peach's castle.

With its mushroom flag atop the tallest roof of the castle.

Nue purred at it moved its head bellow her hand.

She then pets it as it smiled before fading.

"... Go time."

She said as her scarf hanged lazily by the wind.

Mono grinned as he stood in front of the threat.

"Let's get to work!"