Walking through the phantoms left Ruby with a small tingle of unease, which shot up her spine as her skin failed to register physical force of any kind; there was just something so inherently creepy about not feeling things you clearly see yourself touching.

Regardless of the disturbed state she found herself in - and visibly hid from the others - Ruby pressed on through the crowd; it wasn't a new feeling, but it was still disturbed her. There weren't too many paths to take as no matter how she looked at it there was only one main road swirling across the impossible landscape. Sure there were several side paths, but each of those very quickly cut off just some distance from the central road, as if they were roots that hadn't finished growing.

"So... what now?" Duster asked. His voice was as gruff as usual, yet Ruby could hear a small clink within the tone. The man was wary of anything that could jump out, something she noticed with all of them.

Ruby allowed her eyes to scan the area. The road quite jarringly followed the wall straight up, and despite the sudden ninety-degree warp of road the ghostly population had no trouble seemingly stepping onto the wall and continuing their journey. There didn't appear to be any other ways up to the roof, and while windows were present on the buildings they took the same tone as the bleached stone itself, looking to be carved directly into the material, as if the structure were merely a sculpture for show rather than an actual abode.

"What 'cha thinking?" Prim's question was directly aimed towards Ruby, however unlike the other two who's voices held a more guarded air Prim's let out a small bit of hidden excitement. Even though everything was so gut-twistingly bizarre the woman had a childish mischief littered all throughout her voice. Ruby, after taking a moment to observe a bit more, decided to see if she could make use of the stupidity of the situation.

"Up." She spoke as one boot placed itself firmly against the wall, and with a held breath Ruby leaned back as the second removed itself from the ground below. She stumbled for a moment as balance temporarily left her.

A whistle wrapped itself around her ears. "Damn, now ain't that something."

Ruby focused on Prim, with her own waist right next to the pirate's head. Prim appeared - from Ruby's own perspective - to be standing on the wall behind her. Ruby however knew better, and taking a second to truly look around she felt a small bit of awe in just how the world looked with it's gravity seemingly switched.

So the old rules and logic don't apply. Ruby looked down, tapping the new ground below with her boot. Is it the path that swaps gravity, or is there some other factor at play?

She didn't really have time to think about it as soon enough the others had done the same as her, and minus Gasket who nearly tumbled over entirely they all stood along the building turned ground in a newly tilted world.

"It's... impossible." Gasket spilled out as he waved his hands slightly around him. "I expected only our boots to stick to the wall, and yet it feels as if the world itself has turned. Gravity feels as though it has tilted."

"Only one way to find out." Prim spoke as her knees buckled, and soon enough covered in the wide eyes of her two crewmates she leapt up in the air, or perhaps sideways depending on how one would look at it. She landed again and dusted off her hands. "Yep, gravity is now officially-" She pointed to her feet. "That way."

"Don't... do that!" Gasket sucked in a breath as he appeared to calm himself. "What if it only worked while we stood on the road?!"

"Then I'd fall, like, here." Prim knocked her knuckles against the old ground, making sure to smear the kicked up dust and dirt around as if to prove her point. "Even an egg would fail to crack from such a short tumble."

"That's not the point-" Gasket drew in a deep breath, as if doing his best to avoid blowing a gasket. He exhaled, and with it his nerves seemed to ease somewhat. "Whatever, just don't try anything so reckless on the spot again, or at least tell us first so we can be prepared if anything goes wrong."

"Suggestion taken into account." Prim turned once more to face the golden sky. "Now let's move!"

Ruby rolled her eyes, and yet she followed along as always. Something small however had caught her attention, and had her a little bit worried. Pebble's gaze had changed, and as they walked along it seemed to fluctuate to an extent. She realized then he must have seen something they hadn't again.

This time though it appeared to be close by.

.

.

Pebble remained in Ruby's arms even as she stepped onto the wall. Sure the change in gravity was weird, but he didn't really get the chance to focus on it as he was too busy keeping an eye on the entity that appeared to be following them.

It was no different then any of the other ghosts that walked beside them, and yet it's behaviors were frighteningly different. It twisted slightly as it moved, and it would swap paths to stay close to them. Whenever they slowed it slowed, and whenever they turned it did as well. When they had came to a stop it looked to subtlety merge into an opposing group of it's kind, and it would carefully keep switching directions to circle them.

Pebble only saw it because of the aura, as looking at it on it's own had the transparent form invisibly merging with the tides of fake people.

"And who wants to try the next one? Any volunteers?" The much more chipper pirate spoke as she motioned to the edge they found themselves at. All the other walkers did as they always had and seemingly swapped gravity as if there were no change in the path at all.

"Guess I'll give it a go." The older man spoke as he carefully dipped his foot over the edge, and with a sudden movement he pressed himself forwards. The aura continued to circle them at a distance, almost as if intentionally refusing to draw closer; for some reason this frightened Pebble more than the idea of falling sideways off the world.

"I'm fine." The old man Duster spoke as he released a very audible breath. "Seems gravity swaps on the angle, kind of like walking up or down a slope."

"So essentially we'll be drawn to the available surface as if it's always been the ground." The chipper lady said with a small chuckle in her voice. "I wonder if that means we can't fall from any ledges. Maybe we'll be drawn to the nearest surface."

"That might be the case, but I'd argue against it." Ruby spoke as she stepped closer. Pebble watched as the world's pull repositioned up and down again, yet his eyes lay firmly locked on the aura phantom as it's path widened once more.

"And why's that?" Prim asked as she followed after them.

Ruby looked around at the ghosts, seemingly ignorant to the specter circling them. "The spirits only walk the paths. I don't know if they have anything to do with this, but I believe they're showing us the way to go, although I can't say for certain it's intentional."

"Look around lass." Prim spread her arms wide, drawing in the whole of the visibly tangled space, and the ire of Gasket who grumbled at nearly being slapped by the sudden sway. "At what point does anything here make sense? I mean really; we just walked up a wall to a roof. Not climbed, walked."

Ruby looked around, however this time Pebble noticed something. Not only had Ruby appear to focus much deeper than before as her eyes swayed over everything, but a more thorough gaze at Gasket showed something he was sure even Ruby had not noticed. The man had paled visibly. However his expression didn't show any fear or sudden burst of pain, and instead displayed more of a discomforted look. Pebble realized Ruby must have caught onto what he was staring at as she spoke.

"Gasket, is something the matter?" Her voice sunk softly. "Your skin is pale."

The man flinched, but it wasn't only him as Prim twitched slightly on the spot. Ruby's view shot to the woman and Pebble could see the exact moment at which the often playful pirate captain realized she'd been caught. Her lips twisted with a quick jolt, and Pebble could hear how her breath hitch. The boy was slightly surprised as Ruby's grip on him tightened.

"What's happening?" She asked; her voice hid her emotions perfectly, but the slight movements to pull on him told Pebble that she was worried for something. That wasn't all though as the young boy caught something else from the corner of his eye, and soon enough a new wave of fear sprouted from within.

The aura-filled phantom had continued to circle them, only this time it was joined by another, and soon after Pebble saw another make it's way towards them. They were quickly finding themselves surrounded as the silence deafened.

"Alright, let's ease off everything for a moment okay?" Prim spoke as she raised her hands. "I know those eyes, and believe me I know how it feels to be strung up to the rafters when it comes to not knowing. So let's just calm down a bit 'kay?"

"What's going on." Ruby's voice, while low, was stern and left little room for resistance. "You've been hiding something this whole time."

"So you knew huh?" Prim admitted as her form eased slightly.

"Since you first brought me to base." Ruby's grip was still tough, but now her posture was off. Pebble was no professional, but he knew the stance she held as it was one to allow for a quick burst of speed; a stance fitted for escape, and one similar to what he'd learned and used before.

"Ouch, that far back. So why didn't you call me out on it then?"

Ruby shuffled a bit, and Pebble noticed the small alterations to the direction they were facing. "In a place filled with your men? It'd be like burning a bush in a field of grass; I'd be set upon with flame at all sides with no hope for escape."

"True, but we left some time ago so why didn't you bring it up when we hit the road?"

Ruby eased her grip, just a bit as she evened her breathing. "Honestly I didn't think it mattered. I didn't care if you kept secrets from me so long as they didn't get in my way. But ever since we stepped in here things have gotten weird, and not just the scenery. I've got this... let's say 'tingle' at the back of my neck. It was familiar, so I let go of my suspicions I had with you." Her arms tensed around him again. "Although I guess that's changed now, hasn't it?"

"I guess it has." Prim said as she sighed and let her hands drop. At this point Gasket's breathing began to stutter. "Would you believe me if I said we never wanted any of this?"

"People rarely want misfortune." Ruby's gaze narrowed and her tone shifted. "So tell me, what really happened?"

Prim wore a look of fatigue, and yet she spoke with ease. "Some time ago my crew and I were transporting a few goods. It was the usual stuff we'd haul, mainly trinkets we found out on the sands. However as we were flying over Duster here called out to me." She waved over to the man, who had taken on a similarly pale look much like Gasket, only not as severe. "His eyes caught a flash, and deciding we had nothing to lose I called for us to check it out. Unfortunately as we know now this was a mistake. You already know what we found."

"That stone right?" Ruby tried as Prim took on an air of tension.

"Exactly. I picked it up, admiring how odd it was when I heard a voice... well, it wasn't so much a voice as it was a series of moans and growls. The noise however was soft, almost enchanting really, and I couldn't help but be lulled towards it's source: the arc."

"You've been here before then?"

"No." Prim's gaze seemed to steel. "I got close, but as the noise grew louder I heard it whispering my birth name, and I guess that was what stopped me. I let it go, but for some reason it didn't drop, and instead stuck to me. It began to pull me, and in a bid of desperation as we neared the arc I struck it. For a moment as it shattered I saw something wrapped around it release."

"Something?" Ruby's voice displayed her curiosity.

"It was like a tentacle, only dark and edged in teeth; Grimm teeth."

"A Grimm..."

Prim narrowed her eyes. "At that point the gem shattered and fog seeped out onto me. I tried to run but the haze clung to me, all the way to my ship." Her body went ridged. "After that, well... things began to change. It was subtle at first. We found ourselves getting more and more tired, like our bodies were losing the energy to even move. For a bit we wrote it off as hunger due to how similar the fatigue was, yet no matter how much or how frequently we ate the energy just wouldn't come back."

"You're moving along fine now, so I assume that changed?" Ruby proposed as her eyes narrowed. Pebble cast his look back to Prim, and he saw how her form looked to slouch.

"Yes. We went into town in an attempt to find a doctor or medical practitioner of any kind; that's when we first experienced it." Prim placed her fist over her chest, over the place of her heart. "The woman wanted to get a closer look, and at the time I had been the one worse off, most likely due to being the first exposed to the gem. The woman got close, and I felt this overwhelming desire, this... ravenous hunger well up within me. Something about her made me want to pounce." Her hand dropped and swayed limply at her side.

"Hunger." Ruby's voice began to crack as a gravely tone seeped from her words. "Are you saying you ate her?"

"Not quite, but I'd say that's a pretty good way to look at it anyway." Prim did nothing to hide the shame in her voice. "I got a hold of her, pulling her close as if my life depended on it, which ironically it had. I can't quite describe it, but I felt something flowing into me, as if my body was tearing it from her." Prim's eyes looked to shift with the light, and that was when the boy realized her eyes were glazed over. "It was her Aura, I was stealing her aura, but that wasn't all. As you know Aura is powered by the energy of the soul, and when it runs out said soul will slowly begin to replenish it, consequently leaving the body open to danger."

Pebble looked back to Ruby, only to notice the soft mellow of horror and pity across her face. "It didn't stop there."

"No. When the aura ran out my body targeted the soul instead." Prim collected herself. "Within not even a full minute it was just me and her corpse. No wounds; no visible signs of trauma or stress; no struggle or fighting; just a lifeless husk. Her body simply stopped working as there was no soul to maintain it."

"The hunger is back." Ruby tried as Prim nodded. Pebble felt the grip tighten.

"It's worse now. I was caught off guard the first time, but now after living with this change many of us were able to take control of it. Even if the hunger grows we refuse to let it dictate our minds and bodies."

"So everyone back at base-"

"Is effected, yes. The haze stuck around me, seeping out everywhere I went, and so I locked myself in my room back at base to try and contain it. When it finally stopped and I walked out I came to learn all of my crew were just like me, at which point I eventually grew weak and the meeting with the doctor occurred."

"Prim, tell me honestly: are Pebble and I in danger here?" Ruby's grip was nearly crushing the small boy, but he dared not speak in worry of setting something off. He bared with the discomfort instead.

"No." Prim was shaking now, and nearly stumbled a bit as she continued. "We can control the hunger. Only problem is we're beginning to grow weak. I don't know if it's due to not 'eating' in a while or if it's just this place." Prim looked around. "Ever since we stepped inside the hunger has gone wild, as if it senses we're surrounded by 'food'. But no matter how I look I can't see any. These spirits or whatever they are, they're completely void of Aura; I've been trying to latch onto them since we've arrived but each and every subtle touch, even to just grace their sides, doesn't have any affect."

Pebble knew why, and yet before he could speak Ruby's voice came out. "Void of Aura... that's interesting." She looked around. "That narrows down the possibilities for how this place exists substantially, and combined with the fact that the gem tried to take you here, and what was pulling it..." Her eyes looked to scan over the crowds as they shifted with their usual melody. "Many of these spirits, while similar, are rather unique for the work of a semblance. Even semblances on the extreme end would have a great trouble keeping such a detailed world running."

"There is Aura!" Pebble coughed a bit, his shout coming more as a muffled purr in Ruby's arms. She looked to him, and lessened her grip. Ruby pulled him up a bit as her eyes settled over him.

"What do you mean." It was a calm passing of voice that brought a small bit of comfort, yet still held a minor speck of concern. Pebble was thankful for more air, and repaid the positive change with a greater telling.

"It's everywhere else. The ground, the buildings and clouds." He pointed up. "Even the hole has Aura."

Ruby's eyes widened as she looked up to the black hole piercing the sky. It looked as though it were the sun of this place, and yet Pebble couldn't stop the waves of terror that shot through him as he gazed upon it. Something about that dark orb just felt evil, and for a moment he thought it would fall towards them, solely set on swallowing them whole.

The boy's eyes fell again, and the Aura phantoms had them surrounded to the point where their energy was a near perfect circle of power.

"Is it true?" Gasket's eyes fell, and he lowered himself. "Can we feed from the dirt?" He reached out his hand with a mix of curiosity and thirst.

The ring exploded in movement.

The specters closed in.

Author's note

...

Here we are, and yes, I know a few of you are disappointed.

It wasn't really my intention to have this chapter be solely a single perspective, especially with so many events in the works. My schedule has been a bit weird this week so I haven't really been all that focused.

In all honesty this section of the future Ruby's adventure doesn't really have too many ties to the other half right at the moment either; I mean it does have some part, but that hasn't made itself known yet. Due to this I thought it best to focus on this section for now.

We'll follow the others next time I promise, but for now I hope you were able to take at least a little interest in these parts of the story. Trust me, these sections are essential to the plot, even when it seems otherwise. After all, I like to hide secrets and hints in these sections.

That's all for now though. Hope you enjoyed.

Until next time.