The journey to Patch was quick, not as quick as he would have liked seeing how he had to walk a majority of the way there, but the ride on the boat was quick. He had waited until night before he got off the boat unnoticed, taking in the area around him before heading to the objective. The sky was littered with stars and they dimly reflected off of his visor before he turned his attention to the road ahead. He ignored the sounds of the wildlife as he stepped into the forest, letting the branches of small trees and bushes drag against his cloak.
The dirt underneath his boots would kick up in certain spots, sticking to the bottom of his cloak before falling off shortly after. His feet carried him for the next few hours, his mind running at the thoughts about the facilities. From what he understood, there were two in the other three kingdoms. Vale was an exception due to the main facility being located there, though when asked about that, the Monitor merely replied it was for research purposes and that the climate was just right for experiments. Forerunners were still a mystery to him, but that just made them more interesting in his eyes. It wasn't to the point where he'd drop everything just to study them, but he would try to learn about them in his downtime. Something the Monitor was ecstatic to talk about.
Eventually, he set his bag down and began to set up a temporary camp. Traps were set in the surrounding area and his cloak was spread out, his contents organized neatly on the tattered cloth. Checking his inventory was always relaxing at times, just like maintaining his weapons were. He carefully dismantled his shotgun and cleaned it thoroughly before doing the same to his DMR. Despite his weapons gaining years on them, he always kept them in top shape. His armor was the next thing he took off and cleaned with care; he managed to finally rid a stain on his helmet that had been bugging him for the last few weeks.
Even when he was in the UNSC, maintaining his armor was mandatory at times when he wasn't doing anything and it was better to be safe than sorry. Plus, doing this kept him busy and would keep complications from happening in the future. It took him about an hour to finally get everything cleaned and checked before he put everything back on, rotating his head when his helmet was the final thing put on. Running a diagnostics check, he nodded in approval when everything was the same as always. His armor was like his second skin, and he'd do anything to keep it from falling into the wrong hands, regardless if it meant sacrificing his life.
He shook his head of these thoughts before thinking about Patch; from what some of the townsfolk said in the settlements, it was safe enough to raise a family. A hum escaped his lips at that, but remembered that Grimm still infested the island, which was to be expected. Nothing on this world was completely safe, there was always danger lurking around. His eyes turned back to his supplies and noticed that his food was starting to dwindle down a bit, a slight concern but it could be handled. He didn't know if there was any animals in the area, but if that was the case, he could just head into town an purchase some more. He had stopped near one earlier and it wasn't that much trouble to backtrack a bit to get more.
It was fortunate in his case that there was nothing to actually dissuade him from getting to the facility. His mind wandered to the next objective on mind, which was heading to Mistral to get the facilities up and running there; after that it would be Vacuo. Atlas would be last so he could let the heat off of him die down a little; the military would be troublesome enough, he didn't need them interfering with his objectives. They were already annoying enough with their vain attempts to capture or kill him. From the radio, he could hear them call him a reckless killer, something that made him shake his head. Atlas was foolish to think he sought them out, when in reality he avoided them half the time. He didn't wish to kill the personal, but if they crossed him then he would eliminate them swiftly.
His items were placed neatly in his bag and it was set near him. His cloak was slung over his shoulders and he leaned against a tree, looking up at the sky once more. In time, he could finally get back to the UNSC and do his job once more, report what he had experienced and hope they could get something useful out of this planet. Although, he did promise Maaya that he'd take her up there one day. Chances were low that they'd allow her to see what it's like up there, but at least it was an interesting thought.
Maybe he was getting too attached...
The next morning was spent going around and looking for a town. It would be beneficial for him to find supplies before continuing his journey across the island, that way when he finally activated the facility, he could just go back and forth if he wanted to. Maybe he could start storing supplies at the main facility just in case, it certainly would be a wise thing to do.
Clouds seemed to cover the sky and the sound of thunder in the distance met his ears. He looked up at the sky before turning his head back to the path ahead, walking calmly as the sky darkened. It took a few hours, but he eventually found a town and saw people start to speed up as droplets of rain fell from the sky. He ignored the looks he was given as his eyes swept across the area and located a store after several minutes. The bell above chimed loudly and he was greeted by the cashier before looking around for food. Several items were carried and placed on the counter while the cashier just scanned them. He just stood silently before taking the items and placing it in his bag, leaving shortly after.
The rain was pouring heavily now and he went back to the wild, heading towards his objective. It was still quite a ways away from his current location and he didn't want to waste anymore time. He let his feet carry him while his mind wandered once more; the rain just pelted against his cloak and soaked it, the moisture dripping down onto his armor. The minutes turned to tens of minutes and eventually that turned to an hour, before long hours had gone by as he walked towards his destination. The rain would go off and on at certain points.
Pretty soon it was late evening, turning into night. The rain had picked up once again and he had decided to make a makeshift shelter from the current onslaught. It didn't take him long to set it up actually, at most it took seven minutes. The rain had stopped shortly after his initial setup, much to his slight annoyance, but he brushed it aside. His bag was brought in front of him and he fished through it for a few seconds, grabbing the cloth that held the handles and stared at them. When he got to the facility, he'd request the Monitor to use Forerunner metal for the blades, give the two knives to Ren and Nora.
They had grown in his opinion, it was expected that they be rewarded for their efforts. Their attack pattern could use work, as well as their attitude when fighting an opponent or two. He saw their expressions when they attacked that girl; he had seen it many times in people. The look of murder, something they must have not realized until it was too late. That needed to be checked before they could continue forward, getting that angry and killing a fellow student would land them in several unfortunate situations, some he did not wish to see. If they got too angry, then the enemy would take advantage of that; there was also the fact that they attacked recklessly. Their attacks needed to be smooth and purposeful, yet unpredictable to their opponent, not vicious and bloodthirsty.
He put the handles back in his bag and reached inside it again, taking out a can of food and opening it. The only sound that met his ears was the scraping of his spoon against the can and the wildlife. Droplets of water fell from the leaves above and some landed on him, but he paid no mind to it. All he did was wipe if away every so often when too much would fall on him. The next several minutes was spent reading his book on plants and eating, seeing an interesting section on some of them from Patch. There was one species that caused the organism who ingested, or was injected, to have horrifying hallucinations. It is rumored to be extremely dangerous and not to be taken lightly when collected. This would be a good way to extract information from more stubborn individuals.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he put the book away and discarded the can. He sat in his spot and closed his eyes, steadying his breathing and letting the time around him slip by. A few hours had passed and dawn was starting to break, making him stand up and dismantle the camp. His bag was slung over his shoulder and he walked through the forest once again, eventually finding a dirt path that would lead him towards his destination quicker. The mud stuck to his boots slightly as he walked on the path for a few miles, raising his TACPAD and sending out a signal, receiving one back shortly after and leading him in the right direction once more.
The clouds above seemed to disperse and the sun peeked through them. Time passed by and the sun was out, shining brightly across the land and basking it in warmth. He continued to walk alongside the path and noticed that the ground was dry at this point. Every once in a while he would adjust his bag and continue walking. There was a sound in front of him and he looked ahead to see a yellow motorcycle speeding towards him. It got closer and closer and he just watched it become bigger, before zooming past him without paying attention. He saw Summer's daughter, Ruby, in the back and presumably her sister driving it. His head looked over his shoulder at them and noticed Ruby tap her sister's shoulder before pointing back at him.
When the two of them stopped and looked back, he was no longer on the trail, disappearing in the trail of dust that was left behind. Ruby stared at the spot a bit longer before turning her head forward again; she knew she saw him, but she wondered why he didn't want to be seen. After a few more seconds, the motorcycle sped off once more.
Six just waited until they disappeared down the road some more before stepping out of his spot, staring at their retreating figure before continuing on the path. He didn't have time to hold a conversation with those two, nor did he care. As close as he was to his objective, he couldn't afford to stop and talk to them. A part of him honestly didn't think he'd see them again. That raised some questions as to why they were here; most likely the school year had ended at this point in time, so it was safe to assume they lived here. A sigh escaped his lips, that just meant Summer lived here also and he really didn't want to deal with her shenanigans. He'd get the facility up and running, store food and supplies there, then head back to the frontier and do some bounties before heading off to the next continent. His objective was set and nothing would get in his way.
Time seemed to slip by slowly as he continued to walk towards the end of the path, eventually going back into the forest again. The signal was getting stronger as time had passed, he estimated that he was nearing the middle of the island before he came across an odd cave. The overgrowth covering it was brushed aside and his vision was engulfed in darkness. It was unnaturally dark and he pulled out his DMR, firing twice when two Beowolves lunged at him. He moved out of the way when their bodies landed near him and watched as they disappeared slowly. He put it away then pulled out his shotgun instead, constantly scanning the cave for any more Grimm.
A split in the cave system was met after a few minutes of walking and he brought up his arm, sending a signal and waiting for a few seconds. There was a ping to his right and he started to walk down the path. Minutes passed by and he noticed that the walls began to look more metallic. Ten minutes of walking went by and there wasn't a trace of rock left on the ground, walls, or ceiling. His hand brushed against the left side of the pathway and the walls seemed to glow dimly.
He came across a large door and observed it, looking around before he saw a panel at the right of the door. His shotgun was put on his back and he touched the panel, waiting for it to react to his contact and open up. It lit up brightly and he looked at the holographic screen and took the biggest button, placing his fingers on it and rotating it to the right. The screen suddenly turned off and the panel snapped shut before retracting into the floor. There was a hiss and the doors split into three sections, opening up and letting him in. He walked inside and looked back when the doors snapped shut, ushering him to continue walking forward.
Each step he took down the long hallway seemed to slowly light it up. He walked for two minutes and by that time, the complex was lit up and he came across an atrium, not as large as the main facility, but large enough to hold several dozen people comfortably. Just like the others, there were numerous halls leading to different sections of it, something he would explore at a later date. In the middle of the atrium was a platform that seemed to float there, below it was just an endless abyss like the other one. He stepped up to another panel and pressed the button, watching as the hard light bridge materialize and he walked across it.
The final panel was like the others and he placed his hands on it, bracing himself for the pain and grunted when it skyrocketed through his system. His shields blared loudly and he breathed a bit as the pain subsided after a few seconds. He looked down at his hands and flexed them a few times, before hearing his shields recharge with a dull hum that he was so familiar with. The sound of machinery started up and after a few minutes, the entire complex was flooded with light. Sentinels seemed to come out of their confines and tend to the complex.
He looked up to see the Monitor's chassis float down and bounce around in joy. She seemed rather ecstatic like always, something that made him raise an eyebrow.
"Another facility up and running, Reclaimer!" She beamed.
"Why are you so eager about this?" He asked evenly.
"You have managed to get this entire portion of the Installation underneath my control! I will be able to record much more data on the wildlife now!" She answered as she floated around; testing bridges, opening doors, etc. He shook his head and had her direct him to the nearest communication's station, sending another signal and waiting patiently for a signal. This process was repeated several times before he shook his head and went back to the main atrium, noticing that there was a rather large map floating in the middle.
"What is this?" He asked.
"This? It is a detailed mapping system of the current continent, or kingdom as the inhabitants call it. Since you have managed to get this area completely up and running, it has provided a detail map of the section of the Installation." She answered. He went up to it and extended his arm, noticing that it was similar to a touch pad and moved it around. True to her word, it was in great detail. He moved it around and noticed every aspect of the kingdom of Vale; the mountains, prairies, settlements, and even the city to a certain extent.
"How are you able to get this information?" He asked.
"When you activated this facility, it had synchronized with the other one and the main one, sending out drones into the sky. From that point on, these will provide me with data." she answered.
"..." He just stared at her for the next few minutes before sighing.
"On an unrelated note, I feel like you would enjoy this." She said, catching his attention.
"Enjoy what?" He asked.
"These." She said and waited for a Sentinel to come out with a box, it clicked open and revealed four box-like devices with pyramidal protrusions on each face. It glowed a dim orange-red color and he took the box before picking one up, inspecting it carefully.
"What is it?" He asked.
"This is the Z-400 Pursuit Disruption Grid Generator, more commonly known as a splinter grenade. It is an multipurpose, area-denial explosive that was used to combat the Flood parasite. It is one of the programmable settings to the Z-040 Attenuation Field Generator/Localized, otherwise more commonly known as the pulse grenade." She answered.
"What is the significance of the splinters?" He asked, attaching two grenades onto himself and placing the box small box in his bag.
"The splinters are used as an offensive and defensive measure. Upon detonation, the grenade releases a ionized cloud of sparks that will detonate when something enters its field. The sparks disintegrate the unfortunate victim and are able to release an electromagnetic pulse." She explained.
"Hmm..." He nodded. A thought popped into his head and he looked around then back at the Monitor.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I have two requests. First, are you willing to to craft me ammunition?" He asked.
"Yes. I will need to know what kind you request though." She nodded her chassis up and down, waiting for him to pull out a DMR round and a shotgun shell.
"Second, are you also willing to add blades to these handles?" He asked as he bent down and fished in his bag, pulling out the cloth and unwrapping it. She floated closer to the handles then looked back up at him.
"I will need a length and mass of the blade, there is also the material I will need to worry about. Would you like hard light or the same type of alloy the Forerunners would use on occasions?" She asked.
"The alloy." He answered calmly as he sat down and drew the design for each blade. Ren and Nora's were similar while his was just a standard kukri design, it wasn't anything special.
"Alright, I will have the blades done in no time." She bounced up and down, ordering a Sentinel to grab the cloth and disappear down one of the halls. He nodded and turned back to the map, noticing several small dots on it, making him look closely at it. The Monitor floated next to him and saw him zoom in on one of the dots.
"What are these and what is the purpose of them?" He asked.
"They are transport beacons. It is meant for me to send supplies to the Forerunners on the field." She answered.
"Why are some of them blank?" He asked.
"Throughout time, they have been buried and no one has uncovered them. The buried ones are able to be dug up and activated, effectively marking a location for me to send you supplies or assistance." She said.
He stared and let his thoughts run for a bit. If getting these beacons set up around the Installation was possible and not too cumbersome to him, then he could possibly have several means of acquiring supplies throughout his journey to get the Installation up and running, eliminate this woman, and get back to the UNSC. Although there were numerous blank beacon locations, he noticed that they were spread out. He wondered if there was a way to plant more.
"Is there any way to plant more beacon locations?" He asked.
"Unfortunately, no." She shook her chassis.
"Why?" He asked.
"Those locations are where the strongest signals reside, it is easier for me to send supplies and some sentinels forces." She answered truthfully.
"..." He nodded and sighed before looking back at the screen some more. His map of the frontier of Vale was pulled out and he held it up to the holographic map, noticing that there was a beacon that seemed to be a few miles away from it. At most, it was twenty miles; at least, five.
"I take it you are eager to get back out and continue your deeds?" She asked.
"..." He looked at her then nodded, making her bounce up and down a bit.
"I see. Seeing how you managed to activate all the facilities in this region, I will leave you to your own business. I will inform you when your blades are done." She said.
"How?" He asked.
"Oh, right... I never did sync myself with your communications. Will you allow me to?" She asked. He went silent for a while and stared at her for the next few minutes, making her give an involuntary shudder. Somehow, despite being made of flesh and bone, he seemed more robotic than her. It seemed he was mulling over the countless possibilities of what could go wrong, and she didn't blame him, it's the same thing she would do. To her, he was a valuable ally that she would never betray, unless he threatened the Installation. He had shown no ill intent towards her and she didn't either.
After several minutes, he nodded and watched as she pulsated a few times, backing up to give him some space. Overall, he didn't feel any different.
"Nothing changed." He said.
"Did you expect me to give you power or something?" She asked.
"..." He just stared at her.
"Right, I forgot you do not like humor at times... anyways, I have synced myself to your communications. Your data pad on your forearm will ping whenever you are near a deactivated beacon." She said.
"I see..." He lowered his forearm before slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking towards the exit. It would take some time before his knives were complete and he figured he would collect some herbs from Patch, some are in season and he wanted to collect some just in case the occasion called for it.
He had traveled across the island, finding areas that held a certain plant species. It was the one that caused hallucinations in the consumer, based on the state of mind it could have several varying side effects. He had read in the book that they started out pleasant, before slowly turning into horrifying visuals and eventually made the user feel as if they were dying. Bending down to observe it, he noticed that it was an alluring purple color and picked it, reaching inside of his bag to store it in a little container. It was around noon and the sun was high in the sky, basking the land in a comfortable warmth.
Slinging his bag back around his shoulder, he stood up to his full height and walked around, just enjoying the wild. He must have walked for several minutes before he came across an opening, one that seemed to be used for camping. This would be a good location to sit down and take inventory of his belongings, crafting different items and checking his gear. It was one of his personal enjoyments; to just sit down and observe his things whenever he wasn't doing anything.
Before he could actually start bringing out his items, a red blip appeared on his motion tracker, making him bring out his shotgun and aim it to his right suddenly. He pulled the trigger when an Ursa barreled towards him, blowing off one of its legs. It roared in agony before he rushed up and gripped the back of its head and snout, twisting it violently and listening to its neck snap. The body crumbled to the ground with a loud thump and disappeared shortly after, flowing in the wind like pollen. He breathed and scanned the area a bit before putting his shotgun away.
It was silent for a few minutes and he was about to take off his cloak before he heard the sound of running, a couple pairs of feet actually... eight feet in total. He looked over his shoulder to see Summer and her family stare at him, looking around for any Grimm. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he stared at her before turning his back to them. His ears picked up the sound of running and he quickly turned back to them, moving out of the way when Summer skyrocketed towards him. He watched as she unceremoniously skid across the ground, looking awfully hurt or agitated after sliding for a meter.
"Why did you move again?!" She asked.
"Why are you trying to hug me again?" He asked.
"I wasn't going to hug you, I was going to kick you for once!" She shouted.
"..." He stared at her for a few seconds, his muscles slightly tensing up.
"..." She stared at him back, fist clenched before slowly going slack. Her body relaxed when she realized that he was on the defensive and any further attacks would provoke him.
"Why?" He tilted his head.
"Why do you think?!" She screeched.
"That is why I'm asking. I do not know." He said evenly.
"When I said look after the girls, I didn't mean traumatize them!" She stomped up to him, going to poke his chest but he just smacked her hand away at the last second. He looked down at her then at her family, who just observed the whole interaction in silence.
"That was not my intention." He said, backing up and setting his bag down.
"I can't tell whether to kick you or greet you." She sighed after several moments of tense silence.
"I would appreciate it if you did not attack me, Mrs. Rose." He said calmly. She threw her hands up in exasperation and watched as Six opened his bag. A large part of her was pissed off at him, more about the part that he managed to traumatize her daughters than anything. She felt heartbroken when both of them came home sobbing when they realized their childhood hero killed an entire train full of White Fang. To them, they had felt like they had been lied to and part of that was her fault. She should have explained to them that he wasn't completely benevolent; that sometimes heroes kill.
"Hey, Summer... you going to introduce us?" The blonde man asked.
"Yeah. Six, this is my husband, Tai." She cleared her throat and ushered the blonde man forward. He stuck his hand out in a friendly manner and just waited. All Six did was stand at his full height and stare at the man, taking in his features. Everything went quiet for a while as Six just observed the man in front of him before extending his hand, shaking it firmly before pulling his hand back immediately.
Tai winced slightly at the grip and chuckled uncomfortably; he felt a state of unease just looking at the giant in front of him. He had heard stories about the guy, how he was basically some legend within the frontier. Countless people that visited Patch would describe some person who would go around helping people, giving them hope and doing dirty work that others were afraid to do. Whenever Qrow would stop by, he would always say how wary he was of the guy, that someone like him was dangerous. Tai agreed, but he wasn't completely against the guy. After all, he had managed to save his wife. The only thing that made him completely wary of the guy was what he supposedly did; massacring an entire train full of White Fang and supposedly killing three hundred in the city.
It was something only trained killers could do without being caught. As much as he didn't want to believe it, he had a feeling the man in front of him was the one who committed this massacre. Although, the more he observed him, the more he noticed how defensive the guy was. It was like he was expecting an attack to happen at any moment. It... unnerved him.
"And these are my daughters, who you traumatized." Summer said sarcastically.
"I have met your children, Mrs. Rose." Six said.
"Oh great, that just cements the idea that you made them witness your little killing in the Mount Glenn." She said.
"As I have stated before, that was not my intention." He said.
"Alright, alright. I'm going to let this slide, but I'm going to remember this." She said.
"Noted." He nodded then took off his cloak. Ruby, Yang, and Tai's eyes widened when he did and spread it out. Sitting down, keeping them in his sight, before taking his contents out and spreading them out neatly. From what Summer had described, he wore armor, but they literally didn't expect him to be a walking tank that was built for war. Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle and she quickly zoomed up to him, momentarily forgetting her initial fear of him. She backed up immediately and went back to her family when Six suddenly stood up and went tense. They watched as his fists clenched tightly and it looked like he was going for his weapon, only to relax slightly after a few seconds. His eyes scanned them carefully before he sat back down and turned to his items.
"Sorry." Ruby murmured.
"..." He didn't say anything and just picked up the new herb, combining it with another before setting it back down. The others looked at one another and sat down at a distance, close enough to where they could hold a conversation with him comfortably, but far enough to where he wasn't tense. It was times like these did Summer forget that he often roamed the wild and expected an attack, so Ruby suddenly rushing up to him due to her childish glee made him uncomfortable. This was like trying to get close wild animal and expect it to trust you.
They tried to hold a simple conversation with him, nothing too personal, but enough to keep him engaged. He was quiet, much more than the girls had actually anticipated. They expected him to be cool whenever he spoke, but he just seemed distant in a sense. His voice never wavered or rose above it's normal apathetic tone and it made the family look at one another whenever he said something odd. One would mistake him for a robot judging by the way he actually spoke, only to be assured he was a human.
Yang had been unusually quiet despite being next to her childhood hero for more than two minutes.
"Ms. Rose's sister..." Six called out, making her flinch.
"Yeah?" She blinked.
"You are uncomfortable." He said, cleaning one of his throwing knives before setting it down.
"Yeah, somewhat... how could you tell?" She asked.
"Your heart rate increases when talking about some topics. Both of your eyes divert when you are addressed, and your facial expression falters when the topic of death occurs at certain points. I can tell you have questions, so I would advise you tell them." He said. Everyone just blinked and went silent for a while, which didn't bother the Spartan in the slightest. This was merely a break from their constant questions, something he viewed as pointless somewhat.
"I uh... wanted to ask you about... down in the tunnels." She muttered.
"It was not my intention to expose you to that sight." He said.
"That's not it... well, it is. I mainly wanted to know why you did it..." She looked away.
"The White Fang were a problem and were jeopardizing the lives of civilians, they needed to be handled accordingly." He said evenly. The girls felt a pit form in their stomach; the way he said that was disturbing. It was like he just didn't care about their deaths.
"Wasn't there a way to, I don't know, knock them out?" Ruby asked.
"Then what?" He asked.
"Uh... call a Huntsmen or Huntress, or maybe wait for the authorities?" She guessed.
"No authorities are available past the city walls, and Huntsmen and Huntresses are spread thin throughout the kingdom. By that time the White Fang would have already done their deed." He said.
"There's always a choice." Yang said.
"Not always. The world is cruel, not every situation will bend to your favor. Some lives need to be taken in order for innocents to live, that is something they need to teach you. Not every person is willing to give up or change, and some will just harm others for the sake of it." He explained.
"But-" Ruby started.
"Ruby..." Summer said quietly, making her look at her.
"He's right, kiddo." Tai said in the same tone.
"What?" She blinked.
"Six is right. Although I don't agree with how he handles things." Summer shot the Spartan the stink eye, to which he ignored. "He is right about the world. I should have had this talk with you girls a long time ago about this. There are people in this world that are evil and will do anything just for the sake of it. Sometimes you don't have a choice in certain situations." She explained.
"..." Six just ignored their conversation and tended to the concoction, only snapping up when he heard something in the distance before going back to his devices. A few more minutes and he could leave, head back to the frontier before going to the next destination. He didn't care if Summer's kids didn't like him, a lot of people didn't, and they were no exception. There was a small ping on his TACPAD and he looked at it, seeing a message from the Monitor stating that his blades were done, along with the sheaths.
He started packing his belongings in his bag, drawing the eyes of the others. The most they spent was twenty minutes in this spot, why was he leaving already?
"Where are you going?" Summer asked.
"I am departing." He answered curtly.
"You just sat down." Tai said.
"I am aware, but I am taking my leave." Six said, throwing his cloak over his body and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Just like that, he looked like a phantom again.
"Well... are you going to come back to Patch? I'm sure people here would love you." Ruby said.
"No." He said, then began to turn around. It went quiet for a few seconds before Yang stepped forward a bit.
"I wanted to ask you something..." She said hesitantly.
"..." He stopped and looked over his shoulder, staring at her from underneath his hood.
"Ren and Nora. I... I want to know why they look up to you so much. Are they aware you're going around killing all these people? Why are they willing to defend you so much even though you haven't been in their lives for years?" She asked.
"Perhaps they do know. As for defending me, they have no need to, it is not bothersome if someone speaks ill about me. I do not know why they are willing to defend me to that extent." He answered.
"Our friend said that Nora listened to you instantly, that must mean you have some control over them." She said.
"No, they are their own people so there is no controlling them." He said and started to walk away, not bothering to answer anymore questions.
The look on her face dropped a bit at the answers she was given. That just brought up more confusion in her opinion. The bridge between her and the two had burned slightly when they attacked Blake, someone she viewed as a sister, and didn't apologize. Now that she actually met their surrogate father, she had hoped that some answers could be revealed, only to be met with more questions. Despite them saying he was their father, he acted distant towards them.
Summer and Tai saw this too, but they saw it in a different light. They doubted someone like him would have children due to being on the move all the time, but they weren't ones to judge so quickly, there were worse parents in the world. That also begged the question of who would be patient enough to settle down with him, which a thought did occur when she thought about that girl at the guild. She noticed that Six seemed to relax around her and his tone often changed from one of complete apathy to a calm, collected one.
"Jeez, when you said he was quiet, I didn't think he was this quiet." Tai commented.
"Yeah, even when I met him he was like this." Summer shook her head.
"Quiet and secretive?" Ruby asked.
"Pretty much. Six never really stays in one spot very long, I'm actually wondering what he's doing on Patch." Summer said. It went quiet for a minute before he spoke up.
"...Should we tell Oz? From what Qrow said, he won't shut up about the guy." Tai said.
"No. If we tell Ozpin then we'll just create a bigger issue than needed. I for one, don't feel like dealing with him at the moment. He's becoming more and more irritating as time passes." She shook her head.
"Why shouldn't we tell the Headmaster, mom?" Yang asked.
"... Ozpin is rather... fanatical when it comes to Six, for reasons even I don't know why. Did you girls notice anything strange about the Headmaster when he asked you what happened in the tunnels?" Summer asked. While she didn't mean to press about that experience, it was important that she knew the details regarding the Headmaster's interactions with her daughters.
"He seemed rather... eager. I didn't really say much to be honest, it made me uncomfortable and Professor Goodwitch had to escort us back to our room after a while. She didn't seem too happy with him. I mean, he apologized, but it didn't seem all that genuine." Ruby answered truthfully. A sigh escaped Summer's lips and she nodded, looking at Tai and sending him a certain look that he knew all too well. It would be a good time to explain to them about life of a Huntress, and to keep this whole encounter under wraps. The last thing they needed was Ozpin flying down to Patch and interrogating them about any information regarding Six. The four of them didn't need that.
Plus, Ozpin's obsession was starting to get out of hand. He started making mistakes he never made several years ago and it was causing more settlements in the frontier to turn Huntsmen and Huntresses away. If the girls were to have a chance at being Huntresses, then they needed to learn everything they could without being pushed away by the people they were supposed to protect.
Six watched them from his hidden spot in the brush, only leaving when they departed. He had decided to listen in on their conversation to see if Summer or her family would sell him out. Fortunately, it seemed she was rather quick to keep his presence under wraps. This just proved she was slightly more trustworthy than he had actually originally thought. Her daughters were a different story. It wasn't like he didn't like them, it was more along the lines of he didn't trust them one bit. They are pursuing a rather dangerous career, yet they cannot handle the sight of dead bodies.
What did they think would happen if they came across a destroyed town? Grimm didn't need to eat their victims, and half the time bodies littered the ground or in destroyed homes. If they couldn't handle that, then they didn't need to be Huntresses. Maybe it was his apathetic nature, but his viewpoint did have some truth to it. They should have a backup plan if they can't stomach the sight of death.
He shook his head and let himself run on autopilot. The walk back to the facility took no time at all, a day at most, and even then it didn't feel like it. As soon as he entered the main atrium, the Monitor had floated next to him and greeted him like always, striking up a one-sided conversation with him before calling the Sentinel over. He took the cloth from it and unwrapped it, seeing the blades gleam when light reflected off of it. She then explained that it held the same type of material the Forerunners would use for their blades before using hard light.
Ren and Nora's knives were simple serrated edge survival knives, nothing special. His though... his was almost an exact replica of Emile's kukri. From an outside perspective, one would assume Emile and him didn't like each other, but both of them did. Throughout his time with Noble Team, he viewed Emile as a brother-in-arms, the same with the others. One would say he opened up a minuscule amount, but still retained his loner personality. After their deaths though, he shut himself off from feeling human. In Six's eyes, it was better to feel like a machine rather than human if it meant keeping himself in check.
He would forfeit his emotions and seal himself off about their deaths. That didn't mean he would forget them though.
Shaking his head about these thoughts, he had the Monitor direct him to the grid down one of the halls. There was a holographic screen and he swiped twice, picking his location and confirming it. He waited for it to finish preparing before stepping on it, feeling every molecule in his body tugged slightly before everything returned to normal. The facility near Mount Glenn was only a few weeks away from his favorite settlement, as opposed to the main one, which was a couple of months. He walked for the next several minutes out of the facility and eventually made it out, rolling his shoulders a bit and cracking his neck on the way.
Days and nights seemed to drag on as he walked through the wilderness. They felt longer than before and something didn't seem right. Everything felt off the closer he got to the settlement, and he even skipped some of the ones he preferred on the way. A week had passed by and he could tell that something was wrong, that something had happened while he was in Patch. The second week of travel went by and that feeling of dread seemed to fester in his system. It was night, around eleven-thirty, when the settlement came into his view.
As he entered the settlement, he noticed that everyone was looking in one direction. Even the guards at the gate were looking and didn't say anything when he walked in the settlement and made his way to the poorer district. His footsteps barely made a noise as he walked in the street and towards the crowd. The air was tense as he approached and nobody noticed him approaching them.
He set his hands on some shoulders and gently pushed people aside, gaining the attention of several others. They looked at him and he noticed that there were tears in some of their eyes, one pair turned away with a sickened face. All he did was continue to silently push them aside as he approached a familiar house, one that held nothing but a empathetic, humble family. Some of the guild members tried to stop him with pleading arms, trying to coax him away... he wasn't listening to them. They started to get desperate and several of them stood in front of him, trying to push him away. All he did was set his hands on their shoulders and push them aside, making them cast several worried looks at one another as they watched him walk up to the door.
His hand wrapped around the door handle and twisted, pushing it open in an agonizingly slow manner. The small sense of illumination seemed to bleed into the unusually dark house. When the door was wide enough open, a puddle of blood was the first thing he saw on the ground. His gaze started to trail up to the visceral sight ahead of him. His right hand gripped the side of the door frame tightly, squeezing it to the point where a loud crack was heard. Some of the denizens flinched at the sudden sound, but he paid them no mind. All the sound around him seemed to drown out and he only stared at the sight in front of him. His pupils seemed to shrink a bit the longer he looked.
Myne's family was lying there in front of him, in a large pool of their blood. The father had multiple stab wounds in his chest, neck area, and stomach. His stomach was ripped open, spreading his entrails all over the ground. There were signs of struggle around the house, but he just stared at the man in front of him. Each wound were targeted at several sensitive locations, making him die in agony. The mother was the same, countless stab wounds along her chest and neck and she was slumped against a wall. Myne's sister, who was a year older than her, had one stab wound in her chest, and was lying in the opening of her room. From the looks of it, she had tried to run to her room and lock the door... to escape her demise, only to fail in the end.
He entered the house and stared at the bodies. What happened? Why... why did this have to happen to them? A good, hard working family that was loved among the community for their warm nature. Was it because they associated with him? Was he the reason as to why they were lying their in a pool of their own blood? That begged the question, why was Myne not with them? Where was she?
His question was answered when he heard tiny sniffles faintly. It was so quiet that he had to listen carefully in order to hear it. His feet carried to the location where it was at its strongest and his motion tracker picked up a faint, tiny blip. He stepped into the girls' room and opened the door, seeing countless drawings and two beds. The sniffling got louder and he stepped closer to the smaller bed, pushing it aside and seeing a rather small trap door. He opened it carefully and saw Myne curled up in the fetal position, shielding herself with her arms.
Tiny sobs of fear escaped her lips as she awaited her death. His hands gently made contact with her arms, making her look up at him tentatively. She tried to blink back her tears and weakly raised her arms, making him sling his hands underneath them and pick her up. Almost instantly, she buried her head in his hood, letting out more quiet sobs of anguish. His right hand pulled his hood off and he shielded her eyes as he stepped out of the room, keeping his eyes forward to avoid looking at the bodies.
He stepped outside and saw everyone's eyes widen at the sight of her, slowly crowding him and trying to coax her off of him. She didn't budge and instead increased her grip on him, letting out those terrified sobs whenever someone came into contact with her. The air went silent as everyone just looked at him then back at the house, before dispersing slightly when the guild members and authorities came up. While they scolded him for stepping onto a crime scene, they didn't say too much seeing how he found her.
Myne just sobbed for the next several minutes, breaking everyone's hearts. He just stared at the house as the bodies were soon had sheets placed on them and carried out. There was a tug on his hood and he looked to see her look at him, eyes red and slightly puffy from the amount of tears that shed.
"Can I s-stand?" She sniffled.
"..." He nodded and set her down gently, holding onto her when she stumbled a bit. She clutched his cloak tightly and stared at the house, using her free hand to try and wipe away her tears. Pretty soon, tape was placed around the house and the crowd was ushered away. The two of them just stared at the house that once held so many memories and she started to cry some more, but he didn't care.
His mind seemed to imagine when he was found in his home, mother and father slaughtered by the Covenant. It took an entire day for the UNSC to find him in that little space beneath the house; staring through the opening in the hatch as he watched the carnage happen around him. He literally watched his entire world fall apart and was only found due to making noise. The UNSC had found him, a broken child that was nothing short of a husk of his former self.
He looked down when he felt Myne clutch his cloak tightly and looked up to see some of the authorities approach. They must have noticed him tense up because they suddenly stopped, only continuing when he relaxed slightly. Both of them bent down to her level and gently eased their way into answers, nothing short of little questions. He listened carefully for any information that would help find out who did this. Their questions had to end sooner than they would like when they realized they were upsetting her greatly.
She looked up at him and made a grabbing gesture, making him pick her up and let her cry into the nape of his neck some more. He looked at the two officers and listened to them; they wanted to meet with Myne in two days to see if she could shed some light on the killer, and that they'd ask around to see if anyone had seen anything. All he did was stare at them and listen intently, coming up with a plan to catch this killer and make him pay. Apparently, there had been two more deaths near one of the gates, two guards had tried to stop the man and perished.
They left shortly after, presumably to help clean up the house. Neither of them tried to take Myne away from him when they saw how protective he became when someone got close. He just watched them leave before walking towards a location, he needed to get her somewhere safe and the clinic seemed to be the best option. Not only would they be able to check up on her, but also get her psychologically evaluated.
Her head slumped against his right shoulder and he could hear the shaky, anguished breaths she was taking. She had ended up crying herself to sleep and he didn't blame her. Pretty soon it was just the two of them on the lonely street. His hood was down and his cloak flowed gently in the wind.
She was a stray, just like two others he found years ago.
He stayed in the clinic with her for the next couple of days, either leaning against the wall or sitting down as she was getting checked on. The only time he really left was to go to the bathroom or get more supplies. Shortly after leaving, he would return just as quick and offer her what little comfort he could muster up, which was nothing short of just being next to her. He didn't have any words to say because that wasn't his specialization; just the mere presence was enough for her. His social skills were still as adequate as before. Providing comfort wasn't something he was used to yet. She only talked to him, even when the doctor had tried to get her to talk, she just remained silent. The same could be said with the authorities, the only reason they had information was because he had to relay it to them. Even then it was barely anything seeing how she was hidden and didn't get a good look at the man.
Her parents tried to defend them while her sister had hid her and tried to lock the door. The only thing Myne could do was curl up in a ball in that little space and hope it was quick, only to hear commotion outside and the man leave shortly after.
The only thing she could get out was that it was male and he laughed laughed, like this was some sick game to him. Just the thought was enough to bring her into another fit of anguish, prompting them to leave. There wasn't much the authorities in the settlement could do seeing how the man escaped shortly after, and the guild members would offer what services they could. He didn't blame them if they couldn't do anything, half of them had tried their hardest and always came up empty handed.
Eventually, she cried herself to sleep once more and that was when he left to find clues. He asked around, only finding the faintest of clues and even then it was better than nothing. The people around the settlement, the ones that knew, gave him whatever amount of information they had. Even the authorities had decided to give him information when they realized that the killer was out in the wild. It was out of their jurisdiction and half of them weren't trained to go out and find the killer beyond the walls. Not everyone in the settlement was capable of going outside the walls; battling against the Grimm, elements, and this killer at the same time.
He was out for four hours, gathering information and piecing it together carefully. From what he gathered from the countless witnesses; the man was pale, appeared to be a faunus, an x-shaped scar on his chest and one on his stomach, a trench coat, and white pants. While it wasn't much, it was enough to start his search for the man. He started to walk back to the clinic, waiting at the desk and walking towards the room she was at when the receptionist let him through. His large body lumbered through the hallways and he eventually came to her room, seeing her staring blankly at the sheets.
There was a bag near the bed full of clothes and other supplies. She flinched when he opened the door but relaxed when she realized it was him, clutching a stuffed rabbit doll closely. He picked up her bag and set it on the bed, sifting through it carefully and bringing out several items. Clothes, hygienic items, some personal belongings, some lien and a note folded neatly. She watched as he opened it and started to read it carefully.
"Six, while we may not have known you for all your life, or ours for the matter, we do see you as someone who is valuable. If you're reading this, then it means something has happened to us and we would like for you to take care of the girls. Now, we know it sounds like we're throwing the entire world onto you, and we apologize for that, but you are the only person we trust. Despite us being cherished among the community, we really didn't talk to a lot of people, and you're one of the only ones we could truly call a friend. Both of us know you like to travel and that you are constantly helping people around the frontier, possibly the world, but it would mean everything if you look after them. If you cannot do it alone, then perhaps Maaya would be willing to help. There is no shame in asking for help.
We also had left some of our savings to help with caring for the girls, so you are not completely starting from the nothing. You're a wonderful person, so don't sell yourself short. You're important to us as much as the girls. Also, if we are dead by the time you read this... scatter us across the land with the girls and let our ashes be carried in the wind.
Yours truly, the parents." He finished reading the note in silence then folded it back, placing it in the bag along with the other items. Myne looked at him and sat forward, letting her legs dangle off the bed. The air was silent and he put his arms underneath hers and lifted her up, setting her on the ground carefully then bending down to her level.
"It would be beneficial for us to go outside." He said.
"Okay..." She nodded, watching as he left the room for her to get dressed. A few minutes went by and she stepped out of the room, clutching his cloak tightly and the two of them walked outside. She seemed to shrink away at everyone's gaze and clutched his cloak tighter while he just walked at a good speed, suitable enough for him and slow enough to where she wouldn't tire out so quickly. The two of them walked around town, getting fresh air and letting the sun encase them. There wasn't a destination in mind and they just merely wandered around, like he did his first years of being on Remnant.
The day started to drip away and he walked to the guild with her, stopping to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way. It took several minutes, but they eventually managed to get there. As soon as he opened up the door and entered, he set her down and countless eyes were on them. She flinched when several people cast her looks of condolences, making her squeak when some tried to approach. He looked down when she wormed her way into his cloak and clutched his leg. It felt safe being shielded from everything at the moment.
Maaya saw him look at the board, as did several of the members. While some could only shake their heads, her and some of the others saw him take several bounties, more than what he usually took. She had guessed it was his way to keep his mind off the deaths. He walked up to the counter, putting them on and waiting patiently for her to stamp them, to which she did, sending him several worried glances after each glance. To the surprise of everyone else, he just went to a corner of the room and sat down, letting his cloak spread out a bit and for Myne to get more comfortable.
She saw him just... sit there, not moving and just being there for Myne. When the little girl needed something to eat, he brought out a can of food and opened it for her. Bathroom breaks were quick and he just waited outside until she was done, before the two of them went back to their spot. Nobody in the guild tried to get close, whenever someone did, they would back off after a few seconds. Everyone, with the exception of Myne, felt that suffocating feeling. It wasn't directed at them, thankfully, but it did make several of them shake in their boots severely. To them, it was like they were placed in a box and thrown to the bottom of the ocean.
Hours passed by slowly, several people sent him glances and some whispered but he ignored them. His mind was focused on finding this killer; how he would break him and extract any sensitive information he had, before ripping him apart. Six was literally going to rip this man apart, he didn't care if he looked like a monster doing it. Not only had this man murdered the family, but he had murdered two guards on the way out for no reason. Maybe there was a reason... maybe it was because of him. If it meant distancing himself from Myne to keep her safe, then he'd do it. Though, he did promise to spread the ashes and take care of her. He needed to get back to the UNSC and he would do that regardless, but he would make time to care for Myne.
He would do both. Yes, it would be extremely difficult, but it could be worked around. Careful planning was required in order for this to work. This was a troublesome situation but it would be able to be adapted to.
The sound of shoes met his ears and he tensed up, only to relax slightly when he saw it was only Maaya. She looked stressed, much more than what he was comfortable with, but still held on strong. He watched as she adjusted her clothes before sitting down next to him, sending Myne a compassionate look as the little girl slept. For some reason, Maaya always did take deaths like these harder than most. Every death of people she knew and even of the guild members always seemed to put some weight on her. She seemed to develop a sense of guilt for seemingly sending people to their deaths.
Though, no one blamed her. They knew the risks despite being warned and the only thing she could do was deny them bounties that were out of their skill level. What happened on the bounty was not up to her.
"The authorities had found some clues about this killer. There had been murders like this in the past and after countless cold cases, they managed to find a name." She said.
"What is it?" He asked evenly, listening intently.
"From what the cases say, he goes by several names, but some witnesses say his name last name is Callows. I don't know exactly how much truth is in these though, there are so many variations of him." She said.
"... How did you get this information?" He asked.
"The authorities usually share information to the guild sometimes, cases like these are no exception. It's more or less for people to be aware of the threat and to stay safe. It also gives some skilled guild members authority to go after the person beyond the settlement walls. We're not like the city and can't afford to keep things like these under wraps. Settlements like these, word often spreads fast and it's better to be truthful with people... even if it means hurting them." She sighed.
"... I need your assistance." He said after a while. She blinked at him and nodded a bit, watching as he adjusted Myne into a more comfortable position.
"Sure." She said. It wasn't like him to ask for help, but she realized he wasn't doing this for himself, he was doing it for the girl that had lost her family recently.
"I need your assistance in taking care of Myne. Child care is not my specialty, nor will it ever be. I do believe that if Myne is in a stable environment with an individual such as yourself, she will recover." He explained.
"What makes you think I'm any good at taking care of kids? I can't make any of them listen to me." She said.
"Those are beginning guild members, they are different. I cannot take her outside the walls at the moment, as it is too dangerous. There are several factors I must take into consideration if I am doing my deeds, the most troublesome is caring for Myne. In time, I will work something out." He stared forward.
"... You're going after the man, aren't you. That's why you took so many bounties, isn't it? Using them to get rid of the Grimm and as cover to go after him?" She asked.
"..." He didn't say anything and continued to look forward.
"I'll.. I'll help. My roommate moved in with her boyfriend so I have a free room after all these years." She cleared her throat. His silence just confirmed the fact that he was going after a dangerous serial killer, but she knew he was able to get it done. Despite his calm, collected tone at the moment, she saw through it. She knew he was angry, that mask he put up just covered the hurricane of fury he was harboring, it was so well that almost she didn't see it. A part of her shuddered to think what it looked like if he let his emotions run unchecked.
Nobody in the guild was exempt from feeling the aura of wrath he seemed to keep locked in. It was frightening to think that he was able to keep his emotions in check so well. She was just glad he wasn't diverting it towards just anyone, only the person who did this. That person was foolish enough to evoke the wrath of the Wolf of the Frontier. It was better to leave him alone than to mettle with something so frightening.
"Thank you..." He looked towards her.
"Anytime." She closed her eyes and smiled warmly, tilting her head a bit. He nodded then turned back to Myne, putting his hand on her shoulder when she hiccuped in her sleep. He would let Maaya ease her way into her heart while he hunted this man down in the meantime. From that point on, he would start figuring out a plan for the two while still continuing his mission to get into contact with the UNSC. His objectives were clear, and were going to be put into motion with careful planning. For now though...
The wolf had new prey to hunt. One that he'd rip to shreds violently.
Hey guys, I just want to thank you guys for reading this. I usually would answer your reviews but I think every once in a while I'll skip reviews for a chapter or two. It's nothing personal against you guys, cause I enjoy some of the reviews. Seriously, you guys rock and are great, but it just gives me a slight break. I still read them and will answer questions for the next chapter when it comes out, just not this one. So I noticed that you guys have been wondering about Raven and how Six got here, which is two main issues with the story, but I do have a plan for them. I don't know how I'll implement it into the story yet, but I will try. The former is already being planned out, but the latter is a little tricky. Rest assured, I'll come up with something.
So I noticed that there was a debate about good guys and bad guys in the review section; so I'll just stay middle ground. There aren't really heroes or villains in this story to be honest. Sure Six may be the protagonist, but I prefer him to just be neutral. In some cases he's a hero and in other cases, he's a villain. It's more about perspective with different groups of people. I wasn't really picking sides when I started to expand upon this story or his character. At most, I just tried to paint how a Spartan would be, nothing more or less.
I uh... don't really have much to say other than thanks for everything guys. You guys are awesome people, and don't worry about me. I'm just gonna take it easy for a bit, nothing too serious. Play some video games, study so I can get ahead of the game when school starts up again, try to find some more work, just relax a bit. Anyways, I'll see you all in the next chapter. Take it easy, you guys.