The Knights of Grimm - Act 3 - Shattered Memory

Chapter 2 - Pursuing the Tracks

Kassius walks inside and he approaches the campfire. He stamps on the flames to put it out, smoke rising into the sky and he kicks dirt onto the charred logs that they burned. Nora slowly opens her eyes and she looks at Kassius as he stands there, Jaune walking into the room as well. She yawns loudly, so loud that it actually wakes up Ren. He sighs, sitting up with her still grappled onto him. "Sleep well?" Jaune asks them, crouching down in the corner, setting Crocea Mors down on the wall beside him, pressing his hand against the floor. Nora smiles.

"Oh yeah..." Nora says with a smile, looking up at Ren and he raises an eyebrow.

"What did you dream about me this time?" Ren asks fearfully.

"Oh nothing." She lies, making him even more afraid.

"I'd rather not know." Kassius chuckles, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"Suit yourself." Nora says, winking at Ren, and he just sighs and rolls his eyes, looking away from his beloved.

Jaune's eyes peer over to the bag that they have brought with them and he opens it up. They did find something, something that is an interesting clue to her being nearby. A photograph of Pyrrha walking around this area of woodland by a Hunter who was out looking for food for his village. He picks up the picture, and he gazes at her where she walks. She is not wearing the same outfit he last saw her in, she must be blending in. This is simply because she is wearing a black hoodie, one with the Pumpkin Pete's Bunny Rabbit face in the centre of the jumper. Her hair is still long and red as always, but she must have been on the road for a long time due to the state she is. She looks so much thinner, and she was always quite slim. She has dirt on her skin as well and a couple of cuts and bruises. She wears a black beanie hat on her head as well, along with a pair of torn jeans and some trainers. It is strange for Jaune to see her wearing clothes such as these; she never wore stuff like that. She was always so regal or just always wore her armour wherever she went.

Jaune sighs, setting the picture down on the floor and he just looks at her. Ren looks at Jaune, seeing the pain in him; he just wants to hold her again. To see her true face, not the one that the Onyx Phantom took control of. Or the forms that Loss and Fear keep on showing him when they fought them. "We're gonna find her, Jaune. That's the best lead we've had since Mistral." Ren tells him, because they once had a very strong lead that nearby Mistral someone saw her looking around her hometown, seeing what had become of it. She is clearly trying to come to grips of everything that has happened to her, everything she has missed. She clearly has memory troubles right now.

A shattered memory.

Jaune picks up the photograph, and he walks away from them, though. They all look and Nora goes to follow him, but Kassius places his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Let him think..." Kassius advises and she looks up at him and she sighs, nodding her head. Kassius has always made sure that he would never be added to their team since Pyrrha will always be the P in their team. Nobody else could replace her at any moment; he has always made sure that he was never going to be replacing her.

Ever since Kassius lost his team...

He never wanted to be a part of a team, just to be friends with other teams. Nora returns to Ren's side and they start to get ready, to find what they can on this lead. It is the best that they have. Kassius looks back at Jaune as he wanders off into the woods.

Jaune walks almost aimlessly, gazing at her face in the picture. Five years have passed after his realisation that she is still alive, and he still cannot believe it. From the way that Ruby told him how she passed; by being incinerated by Cinder after being shot in the sternum by an Obsidian Bow and Arrow...he thought his life was over. Nothing but self-hatred passed over him because he did not show his love for her until it was too late...