Walker finished catching up with his parents, or what his mind conjured up, and simply stared at the fireplace of their home. It was quiet in between the three of them and he felt a bit better after venting to them for a while. He honestly wished they were alive, but he felt that if they were, they'd be worried sick when he went missing. They were the type of people to look for someone until the end of their days, all of his family was like that.
"Do you guys think I'm doing a good job? With handling the Locust?" He asked.
"There are some things you could do differently, but we think you're doing the best you can right now." Richard said.
"You've done more than others. That counts for something." Alexis agreed.
"..." Walker just looked at the both of them before he looked at his hands. How he wished they were alive and well, he wanted to see their faces somewhere other than a picture or in his mind. A dull throb of pain hit him and he held his chest before letting it fade away.
"You ready?" Richard asked.
"No. I don't think I'm ever ready. There are times I want to just put my reigns up and call it quits..." Walker said as he stood up and started to walk around. That one question made him hesitate for the first time in a while. He didn't know if he was ready to say goodbye to them yet. A part of him didn't want to because he felt like this would be the last time he would see them.
"..." Neither one said anything and simply watched him pace around.
"However... I can't find it in me to go through with it. I've never gave up that easily before..." He shook his head and sat back down. Despite wanting to finally pass away and leave the rest up to everyone else, he couldn't bring himself to do it. People were counting on him and he didn't like letting people down.
Blake, Red, Jaune, and everyone else needed him. Not to mention Dead-Echo and his younger brother and grandfather were waiting for him at home. Could he really let them down in the end?
"Take your time." Alexis said and rubbed his shoulder.
"The last time I took my time, I let you guys down." He mumbled as he rubbed his face. The smack on the back of his head didn't even hurt at this point, but it was enough to snap him out of his depressed state momentarily.
"Our deaths weren't your fault, so don't you dare take responsibility for them." Richard said sternly.
"It's just-" Walker started.
"It's just nothing. Son, Imulsion couldn't be fought with guns alone. It ran too deep within our bodies and there are some things you can't do anything about. You need to accept that." Richard said as he put his hand on Walker's other shoulder.
"..." Walker just stayed silent and let his head drop a bit. His dad was right, there was nothing he could've done to possibly save them from the damn Imulsion and he had to accept that. All these years, he blamed himself for not being smart enough to help them in some type of way.
"We don't blame you and we never had. Were you a pain sometimes? Yes, you were... but we wouldn't trade you for anything else. The same applies to Ajay as well." Alexis said.
"Take a walk with us, son." Richard said as he stood up and gave Walker's shoulder a few brief pats. Alexis followed suite and Walker stared at the living room one last time before standing up as well, following them out the front door.
A bright light blinded him and he cautiously stepped through it before seeing that they were on the beach of Azura. The only difference was that it was at night and the sand was black. Bioluminescent algae made the waves glow a relaxing blue as the moons provided enough illumination for them to see clearly.
Just the sight of this alone was enough to make him relax and fill him with a sense of peace. He looked down to see his chest armor was gone, and he wore his regular combat pants with greaves to protect his shin. His heavy boots made deep imprints in the sand with each step.
His parents were wearing more relaxed clothing. His father wore comfortable white linen beach shirt and pants while his mother wore a long, white dress. They looked so peaceful in their clothing and he wondered if this was what they wore in the afterlife... if there is one.
"It's a nice night out." Richard commented as he started to walk along his wife.
"It is." She agreed and looked back at Walker.
"..." He just stared out at the horizon of the water, listening to the waves crash against the shoreline. The stars dotting the night sky and the two moons made him realize how beautiful it actually was.
"You coming?" She asked after several seconds.
"Yeah. Just... admiring the view is all." He nodded and made his way towards them, walking in between them. The sifting of the sand beneath his boots met his ears and he hummed idly as they continued to walk along the endless shoreline.
None of them said anything and simply enjoyed each other's company. He didn't know how long they had been walking but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was be at his parents' sides for as long as he could until he was ready. This was the last chance he would get to spend with them until he kicked the bucket eventually.
"So keep telling me about these girls." Alexis smirked and looked at him.
"Mom..." He groaned and rubbed his temples.
"Come on, Walker. I want to hear more about them." She said as she shook his shoulder a few times.
"They're alright." He said.
"I'm gonna need more than that." She said.
"Ignore your mom. She always was a sucker for romance novels and such. Sometimes she can't differentiate reality from fiction." Richard said.
"Stop downplaying these things." She slapped Richard's shoulder lightly.
"They're just good friends, alright? Nothing more." Walker shook his head. The look he was given made him turn away from her and scratch his cheek. He didn't need to see the look on his mom's face to know that it was smug.
"Fine... I'll stop. You two aren't any fun." She huffed and looked ahead again.
It went silent once more and they just continued to walk for a while, he wasn't sure how long but he did it until his feet started to ache a bit. The sand beneath his feet compressed a bit with each step he took and he looked back to see the countless footprints in it.
They started to talk again, falling into an easy conversation and offering him more advice. He was grateful that they were willing to pass this knowledge down and did his best to keep every word inside. Not all of it would be remembered, but the most important stuff would.
What seemed like an hour passed by and they started to head up into a hill, a sense of peace filled his body again and the more they walked, the more he felt content. With each step, he felt the guilt start to fade and by the time they made it to the top of the cliff, he didn't have it anymore.
A lonely tree resided at the edge of it and the cliff they stood on overlooked the ocean. He sat down and leaned against the tree while they sat on his sides, staring out at the horizon. As much as he didn't want to, he knew that he had to say goodbye eventually.
"What is it that you want, Walker?" Richard asked.
"I want a lot of things." He answered.
"You're going to be more specific." Alexis said.
"It's hard... but I want to go home. I want to see gramps and Ajay again; to see everyone else and know that they're alright." He said as he stared out at the horizon with them.
"Do you want to come with us?" Richard asked out fo the blue.
"What?" Walker asked.
"Do you want to come with us? You get to finally let go of all this pain and guilt you've been holding onto." Richard said.
Walker stopped when he thought about the offer. It sounded so tempting that he considered taking it; how relieving it would be to finally be free of all the stress and reunite with his parents. He had done enough in the living world, the people on Remnant had a place they could stay and live a semblance of a normal life while the people on Sera were finally free of all the destruction from the past wars.
As much as he wanted to take that offer, he couldn't. No matter how much he yearned to be by their sides, he knew that his parents would always be together and that was enough for him. He knew that they wouldn't want him to easily give up like this and he'd never forgive himself for just leaving everyone else to the dust. People needed him and he still had to find a way to get home.
"I... I've got some people to take care of." He said hoarsely. His throat was dry at the decision and from the feeling of rejecting his parents' offer.
"It's alright." Alexis said. To his surprise, it wasn't sad in the slightest.
"Once I take care of them, I can finally let go." Walker said as he looked at his parents. Their looks were one of understanding and if he was seeing things correctly, a little proud. They looked somewhat proud that he was willing to try and make things work.
"We got the feeling you would say that. Make it count." Richard nodded and looked back out to the open sea. All three of them did and Walker saw the sun start to peek over the horizon.
It was time to finally let go and wake up.
"I'll miss you guys... but thanks for helping me." Walker smiled at them. They just looked at him and smiled back before they watched the sun rise. It was peaceful and he knew that he made the right choice.
He looked down at his hands and saw theirs in his, squeezing them reassuringly and he brought them close to his face. As much as he didn't want them to leave just yet, he knew that if he didn't let them go now then he never would. It's what he's been doing all these years since they first passed.
They started to fade away and he looked to see them start to fade into the sunrise. He thanked them one last time before leaning back against the tree and closing his eyes. After what he assumed was several minutes, he was filled with peace and finally let go of the guilt he had been holding onto.
He needed to wake up now, a job needed to be done and he had rested long enough.
The Metal Throne was silent as always, the only exception was of the Skull-Drones floating around and the sound of machinery keeping Walker alive. It was night out and the sky was clear, allowing the moon to slightly peek inside.
Walker's eyes snapped open and he looked around to see that he was in a pod, floating up and down gently. He looked down at his body and raised his arms, rotating them and observing the tubes connecting to them. Bubbles from his helmet floated to the top and he looked up to see that he had plenty of room to move around.
His eyes trailed forward and saw the Onyx Guards standing still, doing their duty and keeping his body safe from outside threats. The liquid he was submerged in was warm and he closed his eyes before opening them again and breathing deeply. Bubbles made their way up to the top and burst with an audible pop.
He raised his hand to the glass and punched it once, causing the guards to jump slightly in surprise before spinning around towards him. They saw his arm lower and he moved his head around, as if he were looking around the room. He saw one of them quickly get on the radio before stepping up to the glass.
"Boss, you've been out for a while." One of them said. Their voice was slightly muffled, but he understood them for the most part.
"..." Walker surprisingly couldn't speak no matter how much he tried. Everything was still coming back to him so it would take a minute to finally get his bearings straight.
"Smith, go get the Tech-Heads." An Onyx Guard ordered and a younger one nodded quickly before rushing out. It was silent for several minutes and he just allowed himself to finally get situated.
"Where?" Walker managed to struggle out. His hoarse voice was amplified through the mask, giving it a somewhat robotic tone to it. It echoed across the entire building and he kept looking at the church-like appearance of the place.
"Inside the Metal Throne." An Onyx Guard informed.
"Status on the war." He ordered, his voice travelled across the room and seemed to shake the air. The Onyx Guards updated him on the war and the base, not keeping a single detail away from him. Some things he didn't like but was willing to look past, particularly the building they had built, but them worshiping him blindly wasn't what he wanted.
He had no problem with being respected, but putting him on top of everyone else and labeling him a god-like figure sickened him. He wasn't a god or some otherworldly deity, he was a man like the people next to him. The flesh, bones, organs and everything else was the same as the people he protected and he wouldn't treat them any differently. That kind of treatment led one to believe they were on top of the world, and he often stayed away from that.
As he bobbed up and down, he looked at his fists then clenched them tightly, feeling the pins and needles in his hands from the lack of use. He looked up when he saw the blue-robed individuals walk up to the tank. There were more this time around and they carefully tended to his tank.
"We'll have to keep you inside the tank for several more days, Lord Commander." One of them said.
"Seeing how you're awake, it would be best to update you on the current status of the war." Another one said as she checked his vitals.
"Tell me then." He said calmly, making them fall silent and nod. Despite the Onyx Guards, specifically the ones guarding his body, not being on the mainland, they were caught up due to the intelligence they received. So everyone present started to fill him in more, not keeping a single detail from him.
They told him how they were managing, cutting into some of their own supplies to assist the VDF. He just silently listened as they then told him that they were making some progress towards coming up with an offensive against the Locust and how they were dealing with the Glowies. All he did was nod in approval at their effort and managing to keep everything in working order.
"Unfortunately, Atlas is continuously sparking conflicts and we fear that one day it will get out of hand." An Onyx Guard said.
"Who specifically?" Walker asked.
"Ace Ops. Their behavior is starting to get out of control." The Onyx Guard answered.
"..." Walker just waved his hand and motioned for them to continue. It was hard to talk so he needed to get used to it again. His throat was dry and judging by the tube next to his mouth, it was meant to administer nutrients to him. He wondered how many times they cleaned this thing because it looked brand new.
"We've had numerous incidents where they've targeted either the Gears, BSS, and even the VDF." They answered.
"..." He just nodded and had them update him on other events. They apparently managed to barely save Atlas at the cost of Mantle and he expected that, it was a pyrrhic victory at best. The iceberg holding the water had managed to flood the Locust tunnels but didn't seem to kill millions like he hoped. Still... it was better than what could've happened had they done nothing.
Each one of them updated him on how Jaune had taken up the leadership role, doing his best to copy Walker when it came to managing their home. He appreciated the fact that Jaune looked up to him, but mentally scolded him for trying to be exactly like him. If anything, he wanted Jaune to be different from him. However, he was proud of him for stepping up when the time called for it.
Blake was still doing her job as the Director of Intelligence, but she also was doing her best to keep everything in check. He appreciated her for doing her job and checking up on him every so often.
When they got to Red though, he frowned. It was her fault for bringing that scum to the safehouse and corrupting the others, but it was also Ironwood's. That wasn't why he was frowning though; it was simply due to the fact of what she was doing. To feel guilty about his condition was one thing, and he knew she was doing everything in her power to fix her mistakes. However, that didn't mean he wanted her to recklessly throw herself into danger for a scrap of his forgiveness.
He raised his hand once to get them to stop and they did. When he talked with Red again, he'd set things straight.
His eyes narrowed when he heard about Ozpin trying to strike a deal with Brock and Simon. The man was a thorn in his side but he wasn't willing to do anything drastic, the same applied to Ironwood. Despite him having no form of respect for them, they were still leaders in their own right and to take them out of the picture was a stupid thing to do.
That didn't mean he'd just let them walk all over him. Neither one could control him and he was willing to bet they wouldn't do anything either considering how much power the Gears and BSS held. After the fall of Mantle, Ironwood had a glimpse at how ruthless the Locust were.
His thoughts drifted to Scorn, how different he was from the other Locust he's faced in the past. It wasn't hard to tell that he was their leader, but he was smarter, more vile than any Grub he's come across. The fact that he had means of controlling Grimm was another reason to find a way to put him down.
"Something on your mind?" One of them asked.
"Thinking..." His robotic, amplified voice responded and he looked around again. The helmet he was wearing made him seem more imposing than what he thought. It would take some getting used to being awake again after so long, but everything would come back to him sooner or later.
"We'll inform the other three." An Onyx Guard said.
"No." He shook his head and they stopped.
"Is there any reason why?" Another one asked.
"I need to see... how they're doing... without me... at least for now..." He managed to get out.
They looked at one another and nodded, while they didn't quite understand why he didn't want them to find out he was awake just yet, they weren't willing to argue all that much. He'd watch over his Gears in the background, because if he were to actually die or when he left Remnant, he wanted to see how they would operate.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them and was left alone. He didn't know how to describe how he was feeling. Was it wisdom or just the mere fact that he rested was enough to allow him to have a better grip on things? He didn't know, but he did know was that he felt better.
He'd have them connect several machines to him to allow him to actively watch his Gears on missions and send messages.
Theresa entered the Metal Throne with Michael and they saw more machinery hooked up to Walker's life support. Screens both large and small connected to the top and more cables seemed to connect to his helmet, making them wonder if something was awry. There had to be a reasoning for this but all they were met was with silence and it made them have a sinking feeling in their guts.
Both of them turned when they heard the doors close loudly, the sound echoing across the complex. The Onyx Guards faced their backs to the doors and guarded them, gesturing for the two to go forward a bit. They turned back and saw Walker's pod was dark for some reason and his body wasn't visible in it and they felt a bit of dread build in their systems even more.
Neither one said anything and all was quiet before his pod started to illuminate and his body was seen floating in the tank. A dull hum reverberated across the area and made the air rumble a bit. The sound of electronics booting up was heard and each beep made them falter for a second. After they had managed to evacuate Pietro Polendina, he had offered his knowledge regarding technology as a show of gratitude.
After receiving a message during their time in the bakery, they made it their priority to see him. They were taken aback when they saw his arm twitch and hands clench into fists before he started to move around in the tank.
"Walker!" Michael exclaimed as he rushed up to the tank with Theresa, only to be stopped by the Onyx Guards. Even though they knew the two, Walker's physical wellbeing was their priority and they were just doing their jobs.
"It's fine..." Walker's voice echoed a bit, making the two of them stop. It was a deep, robotic bellow that seemed to shake the ground below them. In some ways it felt powerful enough to intimidate some people.
"You're finally awake." Theresa said.
"I am." He nodded and bobbed up and down in the tank.
"You've been out for a while. A lot has happened since you've been in a coma." Michael said.
"I know... I woke up last night and was caught up." Walker said, raising his hand and rotating it. He curled his fingers several times to get the feel for everything.
"How do you feel?" Theresa asked.
"Stiff and odd. Everything's coming back to me and it'll take a while to get back into shape." He answered.
They talked to him and gave him an idea from their perspective about recent events. From what he understood, they were assisting people that had managed to contract the Glowie infection. Theresa was doing her best to try and come up with a solution with some of the other researchers and medical staff while Michael provided the technology to do so.
Both of them assumed that he would be irritated but he was quite the opposite. He just nodded in approval that they were doing something about the new threat instead of letting it get to the point where it was too late to do anything. If there was one thing he valued, it was beneficial partnerships and they didn't know why he would be even the slightest bit disappointed.
Even though they were allocating some of their resources to that adversary, they still dealt with the Locust seeing how they were the most dangerous threat. The Grubs had went underground and were possibly planning an assault soon; they only popped up to do raids and kidnap or murder any surface dwellers they found.
Times like these made him wish he was never put in this machine, but that also gave him an idea on how Scorn seemed to operate. It wasn't hard to tell that he was their leader, but he fought smarter than any Theron he's ever faced in the past. He was quick, brutal, and knew how to use his intelligence to his advantage.
"You should be able to leave this thing in the next few days." Theresa said as she checked the equipment and tapped her chin.
"There's a chance that we could speed up the process but that would only put your health at risk." Michael said as he stood next to her and looked at the equipment as well.
"I'll stay here for the next few days then." Walker said and went back to thinking. The people that really knew him personally were able to tell that he thought about things a lot.
A Skull-Drone floated in front of the tank and hovered in place before a small screen seemed to extend. Several more did the same thing and Walker saw they were displaying what his Gears were doing on the mission. He silently observed them operate and kept a close eye on their status.
He spoke in a deep, gravely voice and sent an order to retrieve the specimens before the storm kicked in at the Dust Zone. The sudden orders were a surprise to them but they followed it regardless, not knowing it was him. A deep breath was heard from him and he looked down at Michael and Theresa, seeing them talk among themselves and occasionally glancing at his vitals then at the screens.
Having allies such as them was a blessing because they knew the gravity of the situation at hand, and even they were willing to go above and beyond to achieve their goals. People like that were always decent people in his eyes and he was glad they were willing to cooperate, even before things got so bad within the war.
After a while, they bid their farewells and wished for him to have a speedy recovery. He actually liked seeing them next to one another, it was like two people naturally enjoying one another's company and its what he always wished on decent people.
He went back to looking at the screens and narrowed his eyes when he saw a message pop up, regarding Ozpin and he wasn't in the mood to deal with him. Even though it wasn't directly sent to him, the fact that the Headmaster was still trying to establish an unnecessary close relationship put him in a slightly foul mood.
More bubbles floated to the top and he looked back at the screens and simply kept observing. As much as he wanted to get out of this thing earlier than what he wanted, he knew that there may be something wrong with him. Although... he had a feeling some things were not all that it seemed to be.
He looked back at the message regarding Ozpin and sent an order to the Gears and representatives at Beacon. With the wave of his hand, the Skull-Drones dispersed and he closed his eyes, falling back asleep and letting his body rest some more.
When the next morning arrived, people were confused as to why the Metal Throne was blocked off. They knew better than to try and argue with the Onyx Guards, only relenting when they were reassured nothing was amiss. Even though they tried to placate the crowd, they were growing more restless as time passed.
Just before things could escalate, the Onyx Guards stopped when they received an order and looked at one another. They nodded before opening the doors and letting a crowd inside, warning them to be on their best behavior lest they be dealt with accordingly.
It was silent as the mass of people walked inside and saw more machinery hooked up to Walker's pod. As they got closer and walked down the aisle, there were more Guards than usual. In fact, there was more Skull-Drones as well.
Before any of them could speak and demand answers, a loud voice rumbled across the building, seemingly shaking the walls. It ordered them to sit and they did it without a single complaint. Not a single person out of the mass of people uttered a single word as they saw Walker move around and wave his hand.
To see him conscious was like their spirits had been lifted significantly. He didn't waste any time explaining while he was pleased with them, he was also disappointed to hear that they had been treating him like a god-like figure.
While he was grateful for their loyalty and respect, they were beginning to take it too far and he was hear to put a stop to it. He didn't want that in the slightest. So instead of leaving them with blind ignorance, he brought them back to reality and told them he was a normal man at the end of the day. Him being confined in the life support pod was a testament that he wasn't invincible or infallible.
Although he wasn't necessarily a religious man, he understood that some were and didn't judge them too harshly. They needed to understand that religion would only get them so far and he wasn't the one they should look at. He wasn't their savior nor their god.
The Gears understood this completely; they didn't view him in such a light but simply viewed him as their strongest leader. It was the masses that started this and Walker was quick to put an end to it.
After listening to his augmented voice for another half an hour in silence. His speech was slightly slow due to him still getting used to talking again, but they didn't mind in the slightest. Not long after, they left with the weight of an unknown feeling lifted off their shoulders. It was like some sense had been knocked into them and they were grateful that he had set a majority of them straight.
He wasn't angry in the slightest, annoyed sure, but never particularly angry. His own mind was in a better state and he needed the people to have their heads on straight as well. They were at war with a genocidal race of abominations and the last thing he wanted was for the people to be fighting one another over how they saw him. He knew some people wouldn't change, and he had to grimly accept that, so long as it wasn't detrimental towards the survival of their species.
"Lord-Commander." An Onyx Guard walked up to him.
"What is it?" He rumbled out.
"Atlas wishes to speak with us." The Guard responded.
"Who in particular?" He asked.
"Ironwood is the first person, and some of the council members as well as Schnee." The Guard answered as he held up his C-Droid and showed Walker.
"..." Walker just narrowed his eyes before waved his hand.
"Should we let the representatives handle this or will you?" The Guard asked.
"I will in due time." Walker responded. He really didn't want to deal with them and he was half tempted to let the representative deal with the situation, but he knew that Atlas would pull something. There were some things he was going to set straight.
"What about your team?" The Guard asked.
"Once I get out of this thing, I'll speak with them as well. There are some things I need to think about." Walker answered and the Guard understood completely. While the vast majority had gotten over the actions of the three, Walker still needed to set things straight with them as well.
"Understood. Welcome back, boss." The Guard said before leaving as well.
The place was quiet as Walker was left alone and he just basked in the peace of the silent atmosphere. He just let his thoughts run as plans ran through his head. After some thinking, he decided to let the representatives take some of the load off his shoulders when it came to negotiations. They knew that whatever Atlas was offering couldn't be bought or negotiated with.
He already knew that Schnee wanted a piece of the Gears and BSS, it wasn't the first time the man had reached out to him offering to buy a piece of them. People like him were always the first to run when things got messy.
His eyes flicked to a screen that held the prisoners and he narrowed them dangerously when he spotted Reed sitting all alone in his cell. His hands were bound to both the armrests and a mask was placed over his face. He didn't move, and he looked skinnier than the last time Walker saw him.
The fingernails on both his hands were on the floor and faint traces of blood could be seen on the arms of the chair, indicating he had scratched them to the point where his fingernails came off. A bit of dried blood could be seen faintly on the floor and the dim light seemed to mess with his mind. Whatever they did to him, they made sure he never saw the light of day again and Walker wasn't too upset over it. This was considered a mercy compared to what the Locust would've done to him.
Walker looked at another screen and saw Pyrrha sitting alone in her cell. Compared to Reed, her situation was much better. She had fresh clothes, her cell looked clean, it appeared she was well fed, and barely anything was done to her. The only thing that looked amiss was the constant tired look in her eyes, the loneliness seemed to be more present and it was from the lack of communication with other people.
Pyrrha's punishment wasn't nearly as severe since her crime was being an informant of Ozpin. Had she done the same thing as Reed or worse, then her punishment would've been considerably more severe.
After looking at them for a while, Walker turned his head away from the screen and went back to looking at the other ones. He still needed to figure out how he was going to talk to the other three. It was true that he had mostly gotten over the whole situation, but that still didn't excuse some things.
He'd figure it out later once he checked up on everyone.
His thoughts drifted to Scorn, specifically how he was going to counter and eventually kill him. A Locust that intelligent was considered to be the most dangerous one. It reminded Walker of the stories he heard about RAAM. All the Locust had the capability of being leaders given enough time, but those few who actually made it were worse than monsters.
To him, they were considered the very bane of humanity. Their cruelty knew no bounds and he pitied the poor souls that were unfortunate enough to cross their paths. The only difference between him and several others was that he was able to be tended to in time, other people didn't have such a luxury.
When it all boiled down to it, he just got lucky. Any other time he would've bit the bullet and he honestly thought he was going to die that day.
He shook his head and closed his eyes again, letting his mind fade back into a state of unconsciousness. A new batch of Guards entered and took up their spots while guarding his body silently. Until he was out and back in action, they'd continue to do this.
Merry early Christmas because I already know that I won't get another chapter in by that day. All I can say is thanks for reading this, bye.