Six had found a small bandit camp and watched from his spot in the bushes. His eyes scanned the area and he learned their rotations for the next three days. It was late at night when one of the guards approached his position, unbuckling his belt to relieve himself before Six sprung up and covered his mouth. He bent down and sank the blade into the man's heart, ignoring the muffled scream and the fearful look he was given. After several long seconds, the victim slumped down and he plunged the knife into the side of their neck before approaching the camp silently. He remained on the outer part of the camp and threw his knife into the next guard on patrol, it entered her neck and he caught the body as she gurgled before dragging it out of the way.
He threw it into a nearby set of bushes before entering the camp. The tents were dark and he could faintly hear the occupants sleeping before he entered one of them, flipping his knife in a reverse grip and approaching one of them. His hand covered their mouth and their eyes snapped open before he sunk the knife into their trachea then twisted and ripped it to the side. Blood leaked profusely from the open wound before he moved onto the next one, cutting their throat open then exited the tent. Four dead bandits were left before he went to the next one.
Pools of blood leaked out from the tents and began to spread along the ground. When he finally reached the leader's tent, he dragged them out and threw them in the middle. His right foot stomped on their left leg with all his force and he felt the snapping of their bone before seeing it break out of the skin. He didn't care how much they screamed or pleaded for help, he wanted information and he'd get it; even if it meant he would be here the rest of the night. It didn't take long for the bandit to break, spilling everything they knew before Six dragged his knife across their throat, tilting his head as he watched them bleed out.
The bodies were scattered and hung up far away from the camp before he left to move onto the next one. Killing the occupants after stalking them for a significant amount of time before getting rid of the bodies. There was some fragile form of hierarchy within the bandits of Mistral. Usually the weaker bandit tribes didn't survive too often or would act like vultures and pick off the scraps. In the past two months he had been here, he's managed to eliminate two weaker bandit tribes.
Days and nights slowly started to go by as he stalked and eliminated camps. He often hid the bodies after squeezing whatever information out of the poor sod that was left. By the time he moved onto the next one, the camp already had him inside with their occupants dead. As the weeks slowly passed, people started to slowly notice the slow descend in bandit activity. Rumors started to spread that something was killing them and giving the weaker settlements some breathing room. Some called it an unseen hero, others called it a demon that stalked the woods.
Six had heard more rumors circling around him, but he paid them no mind. So long as they didn't interfere with him and his objective, then he'd ignore them as usual. The settlements were more hostile than the ones in Vale, though he supposed that was needed in this type of environment. There were times he needed to pull out his map countless times since several of them he had visited in the in the past were destroyed. Although, the one he received his book on herbs was still up and running. The shopkeeper that provided him with free stuff should he come back openly greeted him. Six barely remembered his name and face, but it was clear the man remembered him despite not being there for years.
Whatever supplies Six needed, the man provided to the best of his ability. Food, lubricant for his weapons, medical supplies, and information regarding Mistral's status. He hummed when the man said he knew some things, but not a lot. It was better than nothing to be honest. An hour of just listening to the man give him information and he was off to do a bounty, looking at the board before spotting one that peaked his interest. He plucked it off the board and saw five pictures of bandits and a rather hefty reward for either their capture or elimination. Bringing them in alive was worth more, but he didn't want to run the risk of them breaking out.
He walked into the sheriff's office and set the bounty poster on the desk, waiting for the man to look at it.
"You're going after the Brandy gang?" The man asked.
"..." Six barely gave a nod, just letting his silence be his answer.
"Pretty bold of you to be honest. I'll pay you the same amount as if they were alive if you bring them in dead. Nothing but a bunch of murdering thieves to be honest." The sheriff said.
"Where was their last location?" Six asked.
"Last I heard, around stone creek. If you bought a map recently, you should know it." The man said.
"..." Six nodded and left the office. He ignored the stares directed at him and walked out of the settlement, his mind already focused on his task. Walking for a few hours, he stopped to read up on the information regarding the gang. Apparently, they were notorious for pillaging unsuspecting travelers and trucks that had no protection. They had managed to evade capture for years and considered themselves invincible.
It would take some time to actually get to their current location, that's if they were still there. He knew bandits never stayed on one location very long, they were like pests at certain times, always scrambling around to find the next source of nourishment. Walking was often tedious at times and sooner or later he'd have to find a better means of travel. The wind blew, rustling the leaves above and making his hood fly off as he reached the edge of a cliff, staring at the landscape below.
There was smoke in the distance and he focused his vision on it, bringing out his DMR and scanning the surrounding area. A couple of Grimm roamed around, but he paid them no mind and eventually his sights set on rising smoke. A quiet hum escaped his lips as he slid down a more stable part of the mountain, rocks kicking up the faster he went. His feet dug into the ground beneath him and he set his left hand behind him, slowing him down a bit. Once he was finally at the bottom, he made his way towards the smoke, silently killing any Grimm that got in his way.
The sky started to darken and ominous clouds started to roll over the sky. Time seemed to slip by and he barely noticed the rain pelting his body before he took cover behind a rock. There was the group he was hunting sitting in the middle of a tent, laughing without a care in the world. From his spot behind the rock, he just silently watched them, carefully ignoring the rain to listen to their conversation. His eyes narrowed when he heard one of them speak of a powerful bandit group. The need to acquire that information was his ultimate objective of this, not to mention killing the group seemed to be the best course of action.
The more he listened to their conversation, the more it sealed their fate. Apparently the group had managed to kill a couple of traders recently, crippling them and leaving them to be ripped apart by Grimm. The group seemed to stand up after talking for several more minutes and began to do their own activities. One of them flinched when the sound of thunder rumbled far in the distance before a loud crack came right after.
Slowly creeping away from his position and into the bushes, he went low to the ground and started to crawl around the perimeter, silently making his way towards the one by himself. They had decided to use flashlights and lanterns to illuminate the area, keeping their eyes out. Six picked up a nearby rock and threw it against the tree, watching as the loner went to check on the noise. He crawled towards them quietly, eventually making his way up to them while using the rain to mask the little noise made. Spinning his body around, he kicked the back of their knee, making them give a brief cry before he wrapped his arm around their neck and dragged them off.
His knife was placed against her throat as he leaned against a tree.
"Your superior mentioned something about a powerful tribe earlier, who was it?" He asked.
"I don't know, let me go-" She suddenly stopped when his arm wrapped around her neck tightly.
"Speak, or I kill you and move onto the next." He said calmly.
"..." She just glared in place before widening her eyes when he sunk the knife into her neck. Her arms pitifully struck his and tried to fight but he just ripped the knife out and squeezed her neck tightly, before violently jerking it to the side. A sickening snap was heard and he set the body against the tree and crouched down. He quickly made his way to the next person, kicking the back of his knee before throwing his hand over his mouth and plunging the knife into the back of his head. It easily went through and the body went limp instantly.
The body was dragged out of the way and dropped into the shadows. Six estimated that he could kill maybe two more before the rest started to notice, possibly more if he moved faster. He stuck to the shadows and avoided their line of sight before slipping inside one of the tents, his motion tracker caught some of them moving away and he grabbed the loner. His knife was stuck in their throat and he quickly got out of the tent and hid behind another one, flicking his knife into another one's skull and catching their body.
Five of the gang members remained and he brought out two throwing knives, flicking them at two of them and killing them instantly. This drew the attention of the remaining three and he brought out the Boltshot, watching it configure quickly before firing twice. Ionized particles entered two of their skulls and exited just as quickly, their bodies crumbled to the ground with a dull thump.
"What the fu-" The leader didn't get to finish when Six rushed up to him and slammed him into a tree, firing the Boltshot into his leg once before slamming his foot on the wound.
"You spoke of a powerful bandit tribe earlier, who was it?" Six questioned, ignoring the agonized scream.
"Fuck you!" The leader cried in agony.
"Who?" Six asked calmly as he stepped on the broken leg some more, creating a series of audible cracks and a pained gasp from his victim. All he got was more screaming and slurs sent his way, but he ignored them and kept prodding for information. The rain made his figure more imposing as he leaned down in front of the man and stared at him blankly.
"Why do you care so much anyway?" The leader asked.
"None of your concern. Now tell me who you came into contact with and it'll save you from the pain." Six said, before gripping the man and lifting him by the throat with one hand. His grip tightened and the man in his hand started to gasp for air.
"Fine... it was some bitch named Branwen. We did a couple of raids with her and managed to score good this time around." The man gagged.
"Where's her current location?" Six asked.
"I don't know, I swear. She was always so paranoid about some imposing motherfucker on her ass. She could kill any one of us, but whenever someone brought the guy up, she went quiet." The man choked out.
"..." Six went quiet and let the man dangle in his hand while he mulled over his thoughts for a bit.
"C'mon man, I told everything I know. You gotta let me go." The man pleaded.
"Your reason for robbing and killing travelers... what was it?" Six finally asked.
"They were easy pickings. We were low on supplies and they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." The man answered truthfully.
"I see..." Six said after several long seconds of silence. He found a sharp broken branch and gripped the back of the leader's head, ignoring the terrified cry before slamming his face onto the sharp wood harshly. Blood and brain matter splattered against the ground and his cloak while skull fragments flew in the air. Six backed up and let the body dangle and watched it twitch violently once before going still. The mud seemed to turn a dark crimson color as blood leaked into it, the rain doing its job in mixing the two together.
Raven Branwen was in the kingdom, and he had a new target to hunt down.
He returned to the settlement with the necessary evidence. Needless to say, the sheriff was disturbed a bit and handed Six his reward. The Spartan left shortly after and started to gather clues on the whereabouts of Branwen. He knew she stayed out of Vale like the plague since those were primarily his hunting grounds, but a new area was a welcoming sight. Who knew what ruins could be discovered, people to come across, or items he could acquire.
Whenever he saw several dead civilians with sword or bullet wounds, he immediately chalked it up to either White Fang or bandits. The evidence seemed to lean more towards the latter since it was this far out. It started to make his brows furrow even more and a frown adorn his face when he started to see the frequency in attacks. A sudden feeling made him look back towards the trees and stare at a certain spot for a moment.
"Reclaimer..." Auspicious said.
"What?" He asked.
"There is someone trailing us." She said.
"I know." He commented before bringing out his DMR.
"I have placed a marker on the spot they are located at." She said. He nodded and aimed at the spot before pulling the trigger near the assailant. It was nothing more than a warning shot, but it was enough to make them jump from their position and out in the open. A female voice met his ears and he saw the person rubbing their rear while wincing, making him lower the rifle. A sigh escaped his lips when he saw that familiar white cloak once more.
"That's how you greet someone?" She stood up quickly.
"Why are you following me?" He asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Summer said heatedly.
"..." He just stared at her calmly and it made her shuffle in place.
"Okay, I was in the area and I was assigned here anyways." She finally answered.
"..." He just turned and began to walk to the nearest settlement; his supplies were beginning to run a bit low now. It's been a week and a half since he collected his reward from the extermination of the Brandy gang. Settlements in Mistral were spread thin, the ones that were actually welcoming that is. The rest just put him on edge and he killed a few residents of the more violent ones in self defense. Most of the time he wasn't even looking for a fight, he just needed supplies and possibly information.
"You know, you cause a lot of ruckus here in Mistral." She walked by him.
"I'm aware." He said curtly.
"I don't really think you do. A lot of settlements are grateful for you clearing out bandits, but some are out for blood. You should watch your back." She advised.
"I'll take it into consideration." He said. It was quiet for a while and the two of them came across a stream. He knelt down near it and collected some in his canteen before throwing a few tablets inside. She just watched him find an area to sit down and check his inventory, noticing the rather strange weapon near his other ones. In all her years of being a Huntress, she has never seen something so alien before.
"That some new Atlas tech?" She asked, staring at the Boltshot.
"..." He just looked at her before turning back to his equipment, grabbing the Forerunner weapon and putting it on him. She noticed he seemed more on guard than the last time, looking around every so often before his gaze fell on her for a few seconds.
"You okay?" She asked.
"You never answered my question." He said after a while.
"As to why I was following you?" She asked.
"..." He just nodded.
"Would you believe me if I told you I just wanted to visit you?" She asked cheekily.
"..." He was still silent and just stared at her blankly.
"Such a buzzkill..." She murmured.
"You are dodging the question, Mrs. Rose." He said flatly.
"Okay, fine. I just wanted to say thanks for killing that scorpion faunus. Not to mention I was assigned here anyways." She said.
"... Why?" He asked.
"He was the one who almost killed me years ago." She said.
"I see..." He nodded before turning back to his own devices.
"Say, why are you in Mistral? It isn't like you to move kingdoms." She said. He just looked at her and she sighed when she remembered who she was talking to. This was the man that literally moved every two weeks and never really stopped for anything or anyone. Although, from what Qrow had said, he seemed to stop by every four months at a certain settlement for a certain set of people. She should probably tell him about Ozpin though, how the man's obsession with him was becoming more erratic as the years droned on.
"Ruby and Yang had said they met you again and did a bounty with them." She said.
"So it would seem." He said.
"Why is it so hard to strike up a comfortable conversation with you?" She sighed to herself
"I am not good at holding one. I prefer to get to the point and leave it at that." He answered.
"That was a rhetorical question." She deadpanned. It went silent for a while, neither one of them bothering to break it either. The only sound was the chirping of the birds above and the swaying of the leaves in the wind.
"Ozpin's been hounding for you." She said finally.
"About what?" He asked, his tone shifting slightly.
"Your whereabouts, deeds, the same thing he's been obsessing about over the course of several years." She waved.
"He is becoming an issue." He said.
"I know. Every time I go out, he's always questioning me or the girls about you." She shook her head.
"I assume you don't tell him anything?" He asked, but she felt the weight of his words slam onto her shoulders. His tone went from slightly calm to borderline defensive in an instant.
"I don't. At least not anything new." She said, noticing him relax slightly.
"His meddling with the outer settlements is a problem at this point." He said.
"That's what Glynda's told him before. Fun fact, she doesn't really see you in such a good light." She said.
"I don't care for her opinions. Her job is to teach her students, not worry about me." He said.
"You two are so alike, it's not even funny." She laughed in her hand.
"It's not." He said instantly, making her stop.
"Jeez, I can't even get you to laugh or something. You're such a grump." She huffed.
"So I've been told." He commented.
"Ugh..." She lied down on the ground below, staring up at the trees above. It was calm for once, and there weren't Grimm roaming around this area. She sat up and saw a picture of Maaya and Myne, instantly making her eyes sparkle.
"Who're these two?" She asked, grabbing the picture and flipping it over reading the content quickly before he snatched it from her hand and stuffed it into his bag.
"Nobody." He said instantly.
"Is someone embarrassed?" She teased.
"No." He responded in the same tone. It went quiet for a while and she just sighed a bit before thinking for the next several minutes. In truth, she knew who both of those girls were, and she felt nothing but sympathy for the little one. Qrow had told her how Tyrian butchered the family then left, how Six tracked him down and tore him to shreds like the rabid animal he was. She had to suppress a shudder when she thought about the images of the faunus' corpse. It was horrifying to say the least, and Ozpin was toying with the man who did it.
Ozpin would get his comeuppance one day. The man had a knack for digging his nose into certain things, thinking he could bend them to his will against Salem. While she knew Six knew about Salem now, she almost felt a sliver of pity for Ozpin.
"Why was Tyrian after you?" He asked.
"I was a target. He would've succeeded in killing me had you not been there." She answered.
"His employer, do you know who it was?" He asked.
"A woman that's more dangerous than Grimm." She whispered.
"..." He just narrowed his eyes at her and analyzed her carefully. She wasn't telling him the whole story, but he didn't care in the slightest. He already knew who she was talking about; that woman named Salem. The more he thought about her, the more his hate for her grew. She was the one who sent Tyrian after not only the family, but countless others as well. That's not to say she hasn't had operatives in the past to do her dirty work.
The Monitor detached from the strap on his bag and hovered in front of him, making his eyes narrow.
"Inform me more about this woman." The Monitor hovered closer to Summer, making her lean back a bit.
"Six... is this an AI?" She asked carefully.
"Why are you showing your presence? You realize you could cause us more complications?" He ignored Summer's question.
"This woman could potentially give us valuable information." She answered.
"..." He just stared at her while she did the same. Neither one willing to move before the Monitor turned back to Summer.
"It's not really something you can speak about out in the open like this. Six, you never answered my previous question-" Summer stopped when she noticed him gone from his spot. A gulp worked its way down her throat the longer she stared at the construct.
"I suppose introductions are due. Greetings, I am 046 Auspicious Spark. Monitor of the Remnant Installation." She greeted cheerfully.
"I'm Summer Rose, nice to meet you." Summer greeted back.
"Now, about this woman you claimed is more dangerous than Grimm, care to elaborate?" The Monitor asked.
"Again, that would be a bad idea. It's something you usually say in a secure location, and these woods aren't exactly secure." Summer said. She watched as the Monitor hover in the air before scanning the area, then hover back to her face.
"There is not a human nor faunus soul for miles. The only exception is the Grimm that is-" The Monitor stopped when a gunshot rang out. "That is now currently terminated by the Reclaimer. Our current position is secure." She finished. A few minutes went by and Six came back, leaning his shotgun against the log he was sitting on before getting out the kukri and scraping it against his arm. He now understood why the Spartan always did this, it was relaxing at times.
"Now that the Reclaimer is here, I would like to hear more about this woman, Salem." The Monitor said.
"How do you know that name?" Summer blinked.
"I remembered her name after the reclaimer performed a task for me." The Monitor answered, making him look at her for a few seconds before going back to the scraping.
"She's... someone of everyone's worst nightmares. The literal embodiment of evil, from my brief encounter with her. Everything she touches ends up dead or corrupted some way shape or form." Summer started.
"..." Six just continued scraping before looking at her.
"Tyrian was just one of her few operatives, I don't know the others but I know they're lurking in the shadows somewhere on Remnant. Always scheming something sinister." She continued.
"Do you have a location?" He asked.
"No. I don't remember ever going to her domain. Ozpin told me that countless people die at a certain spot in the world. It's known as the deadlands since Grimm are strong enough to rip apart a bullhead with ease. That's not including the elder ones that have been around for centuries. I got close, but only made it away due to these." She pointed to her eyes.
"You are part of the silver-eyed clan. It seems your complete annihilation was false." The Monitor chirped.
"Our complete annihilation?" Summer blinked, it unnerved her how jovial the construct sounded.
"About a millennia ago, nearly all of the silver-eyed clan was wiped out. I had recorded that data and left it at that, after not seeing any for so long. It seems I am able edit my research a bit." The Monitor said happily.
"Six... what is she?" Summer asked.
"..." He looked at her for a second before shrugging. He wouldn't tell her that she was technically the keeper of the Installation. That her job was to maintain and ensure that it was able to keep running. There was a chance that Summer would go off and inform Ozpin that he now technically had an AI that was older than nearly everything on the Installation. He didn't need the Headmaster hounding after him even more.
"Back to the topic with Salem... what else do you know about her?" He asked.
"You never really gave me a clear answer as to what the freaky AI is. She isn't your typical AI either, there's something strange about her." She shivered.
"I assure you, there is nothing wrong with me. Reclaimer, is there something wrong with me?" The Monitor asked.
"You talk too much sometimes." He answered truthfully.
"I'm wounded." She feigned.
"No, you're not." He rolled his eyes before turning back to Summer, looking at her for an answer. She nodded and told him what she knew about Salem, how dangerous the woman was and how he should be wary of her influence. He nodded before letting his thoughts mull over for the next several minutes.
Summer trusted Six more than she trusted Ozpin sometimes; for numerous reasons actually. The former saved her life and let her see her family again, the latter simply filled her mind with responsibilities that had the weight of the world and never once saved her life. The latter has been known to manipulate people and rarely give information that would have been beneficial. It wasn't always like this, she once trusted Ozpin with her life, but his obsession with Six was slowly bringing him down a slippery slope. One that would lead him straight into the abyss.
"..." He stood up and grabbed the Monitor, ignoring her protests before clipping her to his bag strap.
"You're leaving?" Summer asked.
"I need supplies." He answered curtly.
"By the way, I ate some of your food." She said.
"Why?" He asked flatly.
"I was hungry, why else?" She asked back.
"You're a child, Mrs. Rose." He said truthfully.
"I'm literally forty-three." She deadpanned.
"Yet you still have the mind of a child." He retorted.
"And you're a prude." She shot back.
"So I've been told by you before." He said. She stuck her tongue out at him and he just flicked her forehead without taking his eyes off the path ahead. The two of them just continued on in silence before eventually coming across a settlement. He made her pay for some of his food that she decided to eat; throwing her into a colorful tantrum, full of equally colorful words.
For the most part he ignored her, only listening to her when she said something of interest. Which was barely a portion of their conversation.
They departed ways shortly after; her giving him a cheerful goodbye while he just nodded and left. He just let his feet carry him across Mistral, collecting whatever he could that would benefit him and doing bounties. Whenever he did a bounty, he would always request information regarding bandits or any other unsavory individuals across the corrupt kingdom. The days and nights seemed to flow by and before he knew it, a month had passed.
He thought back to the Monitor revealing her presence to Summer, something he didn't approve of.
"Why did you reveal yourself to Mrs. Rose?" He asked.
"She is a trustworthy individual, not to mention a potential ally." She answered.
"..." He stayed silent for a minute.
"You do not trust her?" She asked.
"No." He answered instantly.
"May I know the reason?" She asked.
"There is a chance that she could inform her superior of our presence. The Headmaster is not a trustworthy person and will use anything against us to tip the odds in his favor." He answered.
"She did provide us with substantial information regarding Salem. She would not have given it to us if she did not trust us." She said.
"It may also be because she does not hold information very well." He countered.
"I think you are too untrusting of other individuals." She said.
"I would rather not create complications towards us, especially if it can be avoided from the start." He said. She gave a mechanical sigh and the two of them were thrown into silence, the only sound was the swaying of the leaves above them. This continued on for the next several minutes and she eventually detached from his bag strap and hovered next to him.
"Reclaimer, what is your goal when your signal is answered?" She asked.
"Why?" He asked back.
"I would like to know if you wish to depart or not." She answered.
"..." He just went silent and she took it as a yes.
"Will you miss the Installation?" She asked.
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it." He answered. Once again, the two of them were thrown into silence and he just let his thoughts mull over. He hadn't really thought about something like this; it was a distraction from his goals and it wasn't needed. He'd get the Installation back under the Monitor's control, get back to the UNSC, and go home... wherever that was. The more he thought about it, he didn't really have a home. He was merely just a tool for the UNSC to use before eventually expiring. Retirement wasn't something he ever considered, he didn't see himself actually living into adulthood when he was younger.
In truth, he didn't see himself as a lot of things; and the things he did consider himself, it wasn't good. An expendable copy, a weapon, nothing more than just a body to add to the list of casualties. That's how he viewed himself, not to others. Some people often looked up to him for hope and guidance, others looked at him like he was a monster; because deep down he knew he was one. Nothing short of a demon that stalked, killed, and struck fear into certain individuals.
He had to stop and look at his hand for a few seconds before curling it into a fist. What a troublesome set of thoughts he was suddenly thinking about. Shaking his head, he continued forward after hearing a rather chaotic commotion. He saw a group of bandits robbing a caravan, at least this was something to take his mind off of such trivial thoughts. It was also a way to gain some more information about the whereabouts of Raven Branwen.
Little did he know this was merely a small scouting group for her new set of bandits. How convenient...
Ren and Nora simply sat in their chairs, staring at Ozpin with flat expressions. Both knew they were in trouble for lying about encountering Six, but neither of them cared. He just stared at the both of them while they did the same. The room was thick with tension that even Glynda coughed to try and break it. She knew they lied about Six, and she expected this, which is why she didn't hold it against them too much. Even she swore not to say anything to Ozpin since the man would no doubt be thrown into another obsession filled state.
"Do you two care to explain to me why you lied?" He sipped his mug.
"You asked us to give you a report." Nora answered.
"About a certain individual." He nodded.
"Which we never encountered." Ren said.
"I know you're lying. You both encountered him, your sister team had told me the truth." Ozpin said.
"Another reason they can't be trusted with information, I suppose." Nora whispered to Ren, making him nod.
"It's always good to get the full story. Whether you like the news or not." Ozpin said.
"Suppose we are lying, who all told you besides team RWBY?" She asked.
"No one, just them. Your teammates said they encountered nothing, but I'm guessing you told them to say that?" He asked.
"Uh, no. Fearless leader and P-money know that we're closer than white on rice. If we didn't see Six, then we didn't see him." She said.
"What am I to do with you two?" He shook his head.
"Let us go, we have homework and assignments to do." Ren suggested.
"It can wait." Ozpin waved his hand.
"No it can't, sir. Oobleck has a test tomorrow and we haven't been able to study for it because we've been stuck in here for hours. We didn't see Six." Ren said. Him and Nora wouldn't say anything, even if they had been caught in their lie, not a single word would be said about Six. The only reason they came to Beacon was to become licensed Huntsmen and Huntresses. Worst case scenario, they just drop out and work at the guild. Both of them found themselves liking Maaya and Myne, plus they did enjoy doing bounties.
"They're right, you two may go." Glynda sighed and watched the two nod before heading to the elevator. Once they were inside, both of them glared at Ozpin as the doors slowly closed. It wasn't long before it was just her and him, alone with the tense silence. She just sighed once more and sat down in a chair, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. At this point, she didn't care if she was being polite or not, she was sick of Ozpin's obsession now.
"You're possibly going to drive away two potentially perfect students because of your obsession." She said.
"You're letting any valuable information slip from our grasps." He countered.
"Don't play that game with me, Ozpin. You haven't been to the outer settlements recently. None of them trust us in the slightest and it's awful. Your meddling with their livelihood is not only furthering their distrust in us, but also getting people killed. The only reason they haven't fallen is because of him." She seethed. While she didn't see Six as all that bad, a large part of her didn't trust him. He was different, that was the best way to describe him. She initially thought that he was some quiet, yet egotistical wanderer. That wasn't the case however.
When her students said he was quiet, they weren't lying. Half the time she even forgot he was there unless he did something. Something didn't feel right when she was near him though, like she was standing next to an anomaly. It twisted her stomach into a tight knot and it suffocated her.
"Which is why he's such a potentially reliable person." He said.
"He's dangerous, unpredictable, and his mere presence alone is more appealing to civilians than us. We're supposed to uphold humanity, but we can't do that if they push us away." She said.
"They'll have more hope in us if-" He started.
"Do not finish that sentence, you fool. We're faltering and it's costing people their lives. The council are growing more erratic trying to appease the lower class now that they see him as a hero. The settlements don't need us anymore, and Beacon is losing it's meaning. We're losing our meaning as Huntsmen and Huntresses. Yet, you're too much of a fool to see it because of your damned obsession!" She shouted.
"..." He just stared at her calmly.
"Then you just stare at me like I've lost a few marbles." She rubbed her forehead.
"Maybe you have..." He whispered under his breath. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under with his corpse cut into pieces. She wasn't in the mood for his shenanigans and she wouldn't blame the two students for dropping out, at least it may spare them of Ozpin's constant interrogations.
"Do not toy with me, Ozpin. I haven't been sleeping well due to cleaning up your messes, the students are getting out of hand again, and I refuse to take care of another child because you simply do not wish to grow out of this obsession. Face it, he's not joining us nor will he ever. Stop chasing dreams and accept the harsh reality. We have people in dire need of our help and you're busy going after a living legend." She slammed her hands on his desk and leaned towards him.
The air was tense once more and she sighed harshly before stepping back and exiting the office. Clicking of the clocks above and the sound of her heels were the only audible noise. A couple minutes after she left, he sighed before shaking his head. If she wasn't willing to help, then he'd find someone else to help him. It was times like these did he truly value having James as an ally.
Ringing him up, he waited for the man to answer.
"James, it seems Glynda isn't too on board with us about a certain wolf. Do you still have that specialized team available?" He asked. It was always good to have trustworthy allies, especially ones that had your back through and through.
So, first... I'd like to apologize for this chapter's quality. It's kind of hard stopping something then going back to it on the dime, at least for me it is. Another thing I'd like to apologize for is the length, I know some of you are used to 9k words per chapter, but I don't want to burn myself out. The earlier chapters were actually around this range, so at least I met the quota. The final thing, merry Christmas everyone. I actually wanted to have this out sooner, but I kept rewriting it because I felt like it wasn't good enough. Looking back at it, the earlier drafts were actually a lot worse than this, so at least I didn't completely screw up.
This chapter also serves as a way to get my juices flowing again. I haven't written in a while due to school, work, and life in general. I'm also ashamed to say that I've been hooked on Cold War since it came out. Story was good, the ending was meh in my opinion. Not to mention I've been playing Phasmophobia a lot, which is the only game that actually scares me. Other than that, I've just been trying to improve upon my life, little by little.
So, I don't really have too much to say other than thanks for waiting patiently. I'm sorry I haven't been uploading as much as I used to. Stay safe and warm everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year. Take care, everyone. You guys are awesome.