Concerned optimism

Elma POV

"And that's about it" I finished

"So not only did you let the lieutenant go off on his own but he managed to save the archive unit? We really hit the jackpot with this guy!" the commander said with his usual tough optimism. I was happy that we managed to save a third of human history but… Six was beginning to concern me with how he was behaving.

"Ms. Elma if I may" L asked a silent question which I answered

"Go ahead L" he left along with Lin and Vahndam, leaving just the director general, Nagi, and me.

"Elma, you only stay behind if something is bothering you, care to speak?" the captain asked

"Always observant aren't you Nagi but yeah, it's Six, something about him just doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… look at the footage and pictures we have. Have you ever seen anyone even come close to resembling him? It's like he's from a different world but he's human."

"His armor and weapons are things we've never seen before and the fact that his armor appears to have a shielding system is even more suspicious." The director general added

"For what it's worth I'm not worried about him betraying us, rather I'm… concerned about how he views himself. He sees himself as an animal to be unleashed rather than a human. Out in Noctilum, when the ganglion creature said it was their calling to destroy us, he responded with 'my duty as a SPARTAN is to defend humanity whatever the cost'.

The room was silent

"He also seems to have a case of xenophobia but I'm not going to judge him just yet. I need to know more before I can do that."

"Well I trust him" Vahndam said "That guy has done nothing but get the job done time after time, it would be stupid to question his service, even if he did seemingly come from nowhere."

"Like I said, I'm not worried about him betraying us, rather I just don't want him to see himself as a tool"

"Then it seems you should go have a chat with him personally." Nagi suggested

"Yeah perhaps I should, thanks" I said my goodbyes and made my way down the tower and toward the barracks. The alleys were mostly clear except for one blade in armory alley… who happened to be the hulking blue SPARTAN I was looking for. He seemed to be talking with… L?

'Odd, maybe I shouldn't call him Xenophobic just yet.' L then began to walk away which allowed me to approach Six. "How you holding up Six?"

"Fine ma'am, just needed to refill on ammo that and L helped set up my credit account, how he got that information concerns me but I'll let it slide."

"Are you free now?"

"At the moment, yes."

"Good, come with me, I want to talk to you."

"I'm not much of a talker ma'am."

"You don't need to, I just need you to listen" he didn't protest and followed me into the barracks. I sat down on one of the couches in the living room but Six refused to sit down

"Why don't you-"

"My armor's weight would crush the couch"

I knew better then to question that and I wasn't going to ask him to take off the armor. I could tell that it was more than just a suit of armor to him.

"Something on your mind ma'am?" he asked

"Yeah and it's about you, before you say anything, I want you to know that I trust you and you've been a massive help since you came here. I've never been one to question someone who helps me and I'm not going to start now. But I'm worried that you're trying to shoulder this by yourself" he said nothing. He then took off his helmet, revealing his short, messy, black hair and pale white skin. His eyes were odd because they had two colors, ember orange and ash gray. His expression was mostly blank but I could tell that he was thinking. "What about you? What's on your mind?"

"That freak had some nerve to try and turn me, I should have put her down…"

"I hear a but coming."

"I missed, I lowered my aim, she could be dead anyway but I gave her a chance to live, to send a message to anyone else who threatens humanity. She asked why is it my duty? Because someone has to do the dirty work."

"Six, it's not just your duty. We all have a duty to protect and serve humanity. We're fighting to survive and forge a new life and we need everyone to do their job. Just know that you don't have to do it alone" he went silent and look me strait in the eyes before turning to the helmet in his hands. He seemed to be at a crossroads, like he wanted to tell me something but couldn't.

"It's not that easy Elma, I've been through more than you can imagine… and I know what it's like to have others shoulder my responsibility. It almost never ends well."

"I'm not asking you to change now, these things don't happen over night but maybe, when you feel comfortable, come find me and I'll listen to everything you're willing to say."

He looked back to me and after a few seconds he nodded and put his helmet back on. He was about to walk out the door when I called out.

"Hey Six" he turned to me "Since I forgot to ask, what do you mean by you let the wolf take over?" He paused but then spoke.

"It means I let my raw battle instincts take over, I become entirely focused on combat." I could tell he was cutting out some pieces but he wasn't lying. Of course that was a guess because it was almost impossible to get a read on him with that helmet on.

"Okay, just don't completely give into that feeling, otherwise you might forget who's friend or foe." He simply nodded before leaving. Suddenly I felt like that talk just amplified my worries. 'God forbid I ever find out the truth about him… or he finds out the truth about me.'