The Knights of Grimm - Act 4 - Whispers of Arkhonex

Chapter 41 - The Knights of Grimm

Ruby

Argus might be a very beautiful city, however once you enter the back alleys it suddenly looks quite intimidating. Trash thrown everywhere, showing that the pretty clean streets on the surface are actually just dumped between the buildings where only the homeless survive. One of which they can see, sat against the wall with an old trash bag wrapped around him like a sleeping bag. A thick beard filled with lice and dirt stuck to his face, bags hanging under his exhausted eyes, bloodshot from either lack of sleep or heartbreak.

This city may be nicknamed the Sleeping Angel of Remnant, but it is completely known that the city has the highest unemployment and homeless levels in all of the cities of Remnant. Vacuo has less homeless people than Argus even before the attack that killed millions of people that day, infected by the disease. Pyrrha looks at the man and she smiles, crouching down and she pulls some lien from her pocket and she puts it in the man's hand. He looks at the money and then at her with a truly appreciative smile on his face, like he is about to smile. "Thank you so much...you are better than most." The Homeless Man says to her with a grateful smile on his face.

"Please, find a soft comfortable bed to stay for the night. And if you can find an Employment Centre..." Pyrrha requests and he smiles, weakly standing up. His body frail and almost bone-like due to how little nutrition he has been getting. The man looks so happy and grateful for her gift – for it was enough to keep him going for around a month. He leaves and Pyrrha smiles, her heart warmed by his reaction.

Ruby looks back at Pyrrha, she loves how kind the red headed Spartan is...yet...Ruby saw the man, and completely side-lined him. Did not even notice him, or did she? Did she even care for the poor unfortunate man, she does not realise it, but her kindness is slowly stripping itself away? That kind girl would have once helped him up and taken him to the nearest homeless shelter where he could be safe, but she did not even seem to care. They may have more important matters at hand than just the welfare of a homeless man they have never met before...but it worries her that her compassion is slowly fading away.

Oscar's hazel eyes focus on her as she walks away from them, straight past Jaune who waits for Pyrrha. He looks at her, but Oscar follows her as she keeps walking ahead. "Ruby." Oscar calls out.

"No time to wait, let's go." Ruby says, still quite visibly shaken from what she learned and experienced inside of that Insane Asylum.

"Ruby, stop." Oscar asks her.

"No, we need to get to the tower." She repeats.

Oscar reaches out and grabs her hand, she spins round and stares at him after hearing him have to raise his voice so then she actually listens to him. "Will you just stop and look at me?" He exclaims as he spins her round. Pyrrha and Jaune both look at the couple as they have a small argument with each other, glancing at one another.

"What?" She questions him, staring right back at him with her last remaining silver eye.

"You can't keep marching off on your own like that, you're gonna get yourself killed." He reminds, remembering the countless times she has pulled a stunt like that.

"When have I ever done that?" Ruby questions argumentatively.

"You stormed off when Weiss got mad at you, nearly getting killed by Neo and Salem. You ran off to try and save Gray, Vos and Serena – alone – and almost got killed by Death. You went after Fennec, alone, and nearly got killed by Corsac. You keep shooting off without waiting for backup!" Oscar lists with frustration in his voice, since Ruby looks like she is about to do the exact same thing once again.

Ruby sighs with annoyance at him as he holds onto her, not tightly but tight enough so then she does not walk away. Both Pyrrha and Jaune keep their boundaries as they witness the two of them arguing. "Alright...alright...what's your point?" She questions.