The Altar of Pimps

*I know many of you don't think this, but frankly, I have a life. Please do not message me saying I update too infrequently or that I barely update. I am not going through the easiest time, my father has just gotten a surgery and I have to do much of the heavy-lifting for my family while he recovers. Please understand this, and do not pester me about updating more frequently.

Ryan suddenly jumped from Yang's arms.

"What was that?" He asked the man. He looked in the direction of Ryan.

"Ah, you're interested in the altar, huh? I'll tell you all I know…. for a fee." A wicked and triumphant smile came across the man's face. Ryan shook his head, and pulled some change out of his pocket.

"I have some money, but it's from the mainland…"

The man chuckled. "I don't want money. Here, we must discuss this in a more private place." The man stepped of the podium, grabbed a walking stick, and slowly guided his way through the crowd. "Don't get lost, now, travelers!"

Ryan nodded, and gestured for the others to follow the man. Slowly they shadowed the blind man, who seemed to be going nowhere in the sea of people. But suddenly, he stopped dead, felt around, and smiled. He took a sharp right, and walked into an alley. He then turned around to face the others.

"It's safe in here, no one ever comes here." He told them. Ryan shook his head, growing impatient.

"What is it, old man?" He harshly asked. He winced.

"Ouch! Eh, whatever. Look, I heard you guys talking, and from your vocabulary and your accents, I can tell you're from the mainland. I need you to do a favor," He paused for a moment, then continued. "I need you to unlock my aura."

Yang shook her head. "It's illegal, Ryan, we shouldn't-" She began. Ryan silenced her, contemplating.

"Can you not get someone from some sort of black market to do it for you?" Ryan asked. The man chuckled.

"Of course I can. It's damn expensive though, and dangerous, what with the government afraid of citizen rebellions if everyone has an aura. You see, if someone snitched on me about my antics, I would be on the run for the rest of my life." He explained. Ryan nodded.

"I-I'll do it." Ryan stuttered, still not sure of his decision. The rest of the group disagreed with this decision, but chose not to say anything. Ryan hung his head, and placed his hands on the man's shoulders and head.

"Here I protect this man from the very bounds of death, armoring him with a sword and shield. 'For it is in passing that we achieve immortality, through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee.'" Ryan recited. He toook his hands off the man's shoulders, and keeled over. "I'm getting too-too old to do this."

Suddenly the ground came rushing to Ryan.

Ryan woke up in a dirty hotel room, its walls yellow and the floor torn. He lay on a creaky bed, with dirty sheets and a unclean smell to it. He sighed, and propped himself up. Gavin was at the bedside.

"Oh, he's awake!" He yelled into the next room. He turned to face Ryan. "What was that bullshit about 'getting old'? You're only 30!"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know. I feel older than 30, what with all that's been happening." He sighed, and looked around. "Where are the others?"

Gavin shrugged.

"I don't know, thought they were in there," He said, pointing to the door to the next room. "They must've went to get breakfast. They'll bring it up to us."

Ryan nodded, and sat back in the bed. "What happened? After I fainted, I mean."

"The man just ran. He was laughing. Look Ryan, it might not have been a good idea to unlock his aura." gavin replied, pouting. Ryan brushed it off.

"Look, he's not a mass murderer or anything, and he's blind! It'll be fine." He replied. Gavin sighed, still not convinced.

"I don't know, Ryan."

CRASH

The door was suddenly thrown open by none other than Yang.

"Hey, Ryan!" She said, her eyes red.

"Yang? What;s with your eyes…?" Ryan asked nervously. She shrugged.

"I don't know," Her suddenly burst into flames. "MAYBE YOU JUST GAVE A MAN THE RESOURCES TO ATTEMPT A COUP D'ETAT!"
Ryan sunk into the bed. "I didn't mean too…" He excused sheepishly. Yang threw her hands.

"Oh, he's sorry! Look, that man might do some serious damage!" She yelled. Ryan shrugged.

"Or he might not." He pointed out. Yang gritted her teeth, balled her hands into a fist, but then calmed down.

"If he does, though, it is our responsibility to help this country, you understand?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, yeah."

Yang shook her head, and bolted out of the room. Blake chuckled.

"She is pissed!" Blake said. Ryan sighed.

"Yeah, I really don't know why, either." Ryan replied, shocked at Yang's reaction. He shook it off, but suddenly remembered something.

"Damn!" He yelled suddenly. "He tricked us! That must be why Yang is mad! He told us nothing of the Altar!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Good job on noticing…." she muttered. Weiss nodded.

"Yeah, you just noticed? Look, he probably knows nothing of it."

Ryan sat with his arms crossed, his mood now ruined.

"What the fuck…." he kept whispering under his breath, as if it would make it better. "This blows…"

"You got yourself into it, buddy." Geoff said, patting Ryan on the back. Ryan shoved him off.

"Hey, man, calm down!" Geoff shot, offended by Ryan's rudeness. Ryan merely shook his head in frustration. He was very angry about what had just happened, even more than he showed. How else would they find the altar? Even he had been lying…. Ryan would need to research even more. For Edgar.

*Hope you enjoyed. Good night, all.