Chapter 6
Past and Plans
At Salem's Castle, a bit before Shade escaped the well.
Salem's windows were still shattered but she had "calmed down" since when she found out that Ozpin was back.
Kiryu and Yuki walked into the room and bowed to their queen.
"Rise."
She said calmly while looking outside.
The two stood up as Salem turned around and walked towards them.
"After the mess left in Haven I have a new mission for you two."
"What about Monika?"
Kiryu asked.
"She needs more time to recover after what happened."
"Oh boy does this mean she's getting the same treatment as Tyrion."
Yuki said somewhat excitedly.
"No no, her hand is being reattached,slowly."
Salem said slightly annoyed that one of her best fighters was out of commission.
"Aww."
Yuki was slightly disappointed.
"Enough of that now."
Salem glared at the two.
"I have special plans for you two."
"Oh boy this will be fun."
Yuki smirked.
"Yuki you'll be heading to Atlas with Tyrion and Watts."
"Aww but that's so boring."
She complained.
"Do I need to remind you about your last two failures Yuki?"
Salem looked into Yuki's eyes and this invoked fear that even she wasn't able to handle.
"N N No my liege."
Yuki said nervously.
"Good."
Salem stepped back and looked at Kiryu.
"You on the other hand will be heading outside of Atlas, Watts has located "The Asset"."
"So the time has come?"
"Yes Kiryu, you are to acquire them and bring them to me unharmed."
"It will be done."
He bowed to his queen.
"Good now to begin the next phase."
Salem walked back to the window and looked outside.
Back with the group…
Shade and the rest of the group listened to Maria's story on who she was up till she lost her silver eyes.
He felt the story was familiar to him in some way as his eyes flickered black for a second.
Almost everyone didn't notice except for Dawn and Circa.
'What is the connection?'
Dawn thought to herself.
Qrow explained how he wanted to be like Maria.
The Grimm Reaper.
"Well, I'm nothing but a disappointment. So you're well on your way."
"How can you say that?"
Blake questioned.
"A Huntress and Huntsman is supposed to protect others to the bitter end. But after I lost my eyes, I only ever looked after myself. Even after my surgery, I was too afraid to fight, you shouldn't try to be like me, especially when some of you are clearly stronger already and have yet to give up even against the Apathy."
Maria looked at Shade and Dawn.
"I did what I could to save someone. I didn't even feel what the Apathy was doing to me."
Shade started causing Circa to look confused.
'He couldn't feel the Apathy or was affected by my curse.'
She thought about looking at Shade.
'Maybe this is why I was sent to find him.'
Maria looked at the road behind them.
"It's comforting seeing that your generation seems up to the task of inheriting this world. I'm just sorry I didn't do more to leave it in better shape."
Shade looked at the sky.
"The sins of the past can cause a lot of pain but it's what you do now."
The group except Yang who was driving looked at Shade.
"So tell me Maria what are you going to do now?"
"I'm not sure."
"You can teach me to use my powers the way you did."
Ruby spoke up.
Before Maria could respond Ruby's scroll started to ring.
"It's Jaune."
Yang stopped.
"Uh Shade, I think you have a visitor."
Shade looked ahead and saw Hiroki floating several yards ahead of them.
He lands nearby.
"It's about time you guys got here, I was getting tired of searching."
Hiroki stated before pointing at the city behind him.
Shade smiled a bit before Yang began driving towards the city.
Hiroki sat on the back of Yang's bike to hitch a ride.
It didn't show but he was searching for a bit and flying around a lot so he was pretty exhausted.
Yang stopped at the top of the hill and the group saw the city ahead with a large wall.
"Ladies and gentleman, we have arrived in Argus."
"Never before have I been so glad to not see a field of snow."
Shade stated.
"It's alright."
Hiroki said plainly.
Dawn looked at Hiroki then at Shade.
"We need to tell them."
She whispered to him.
"We will soon."
Shade whispered back
Yang drove into the city.
She locked her bike in a garage they rented and stood near it with the group.
Circa remained close to Shade.
Hiroki noticed her.
"Who's the fanus?"
He questions.
This caused Circa to put her hood up.
"This is Circa, she was looking for me."
Hiroki looked at Circa suspiciously.
"Why though?"
Circa started to speak up.
"Well"
Before she could finish her statement
Nora tackling Oscar distracted everyone.
Ren Jaune and Erika walked to the group.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you all."
Erika said, smiling and hugging Dawn almost immediately.
Dawn hugged back.
"It's good to see you too Erika."
Erika went to Shade before she noticed Circa.
"Oh and who's this?"
She crouched down and looked at Circa.
"This is Circa, she was in the back of the train when it crashed, I've been looking after her since then."
Erika looked closely at Circa.
"Don't hide who you are."
"Huh?"
Erika moved Circa's hood revealing her fox ears.
"Your faunus traits are a part of you so don't be afraid of it."
Circa looked at Erika curiously as she held her arm up.
"Me and my friend hid our traits but we don't anymore and I don't plan on doing it ever again, so don't be afraid."
She smiled at Circa who smiled back.
Hiroki watched the two and began to walk away.
Dawn stepped in front of him.
"Alright what happened?"
"I have no idea what youre talking about, I'm just tired."
"Already using an excuse proves something happened between you and Erika, so spill it."
"Her brother works for the person I want dead and she asked if I would kill him to get to Adam."
Dawn's eyes widened.
"What did you say?"
Hiroki walked past Dawn.
"Nothing."
He left the group.
Dawn returned to the rest of them as everyone got onto a trolly heading deeper into the city.
When the trolly stopped Blake spoke up.
"We should probably start looking for a ship."
Before anyone said anything else.
"Let me take a wild guess and say that's probably going to be difficult."
The group looked at Shade.
"What makes you say that?"
Erika questioned.
"Just knowing our luck it's going to range between difficult and near impossible."
They were all silent as the Trolly started to drive away.
Oscar decided to break the awkward silence.
"So where have you all been staying?"
"Hiroki has been staying at a nearby inn as for the rest of us"
Erika looked at Jaune.
"Uh…"
He chuckled nervously.
"There you are."
Someone said, causing the group to look behind Jaune to see a blonde woman holding a child.
Jaune looked behind him.
"Hey Saph"
Ruby immediately looked at the two and could tell they were siblings.
The group went to Saph's house while the current members of Team SHDE stayed outside not wanting to overcrowd the area.
Circa stayed with them as well.
"So, any idea where Hiroki went off to?"
Dawn questioned.
"Nope."
Erika said simply.
"And I'm guessing I'm right about the ship being hard to acquire?"
Shade asked
"Yep."
"Your team is kinda weird isn't it?"
Circa looked at the three.
"I control shadows, Hiroki controls negative energy, Dawn makes strings, and Erika controls plants. I think weird is a bit of an understatement."
This got a few chuckles out of Circa.
Ruby ran out the door with a plate of sandwiches.
"Eat quickly before someone steals it."
Right before Shade picked one up Circa stole it.
"Did you do that on purpose or are you just that hungry?"
He asked, looking down at her.
Circa did not respond and just ate the food she took.
'There's still so much i don't know about her.'
He thought.
"Anyway we're going to need our strength before we get that ship."
Erika sighed.
"Yeah about that"
The next day most of the group were at a military base when the gates shut in front of them.
AN:Yes i know it's been a while, i've been preoccupied with a combination of working on a project with someone else and irl crap, anyway with Volume 9 eventually coming out i'd like to try and finish this volume sooner rather than later. I promise it won't be too long before the next chapter is released.