It took some time before Six was even near the settlement Maaya and Myne were at. Almost a month and a half of walking in the wilderness and doing some bounties for the other settlements. The soil underneath his boots seemed to compress a bit whenever he took a step and left a small imprint. The clouds overhead seemed to cover the entire sky and he looked up to see it about to rain, hearing thunder in the distance. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he continued to walk forward, after several minutes of walking, it had begun to rain. At first, it was calm and relaxing; then it started to pick up as did the wind.

He let his mind run while his legs just continued to take him to the very settlement he had come to enjoy so much over the years. The rain would only let up for several periods of time before picking back up again. It continued on for the next couple of days until he reached the settlement. His large body lumbered through the wilderness and eventually came across the path; after a couple of hours, it was suddenly on the path. He stopped when the guards noticed him before letting a small smile adorn their faces. He was their savior during times like these, something he didn't bother to comment on.

Each of them sent a glance at one another when he walked past them when they brought up Myne's family. It was still a rather sore topic for him, and it was something he didn't wish to discuss with anyone. Puddles beneath him splashed a bit whenever he stepped in them on the cobble road as he walked towards the guild. The storm clouds had gotten darker and he moved to the side when a couple of people exited out of the guild, barely catching sight of him as he walked inside. He looked around and saw the usual patrons talking with one another, some were just talking about the different bounties they had taken up while others discussed some other things. As the door closed loudly, all the eyes were suddenly on him and the whole establishment went quiet.

Everyone just stared at him, only quiet whispers were heard. Some of the usual comments while others were about the family, which was ignored as usual.

He saw Maaya working at her usual spot, but there was a little chair next to her. Myne was sleeping quietly and he sent a glance at her before turning his gaze back to the older woman.

"Six, are you okay?" She asked.

"..." He nodded at her and started to fish in his bag.

"Did you catch the person who did this-" She asked, only to stop when a pair of bloody pincers was thrown onto the counter. She flinched at the sudden noise it made when it hit the wood, as did everyone else. Some crowded around to get a better look at it while others seemed to stay in their spot. While a few had their doubts about him actually finding the killer, the rest knew for a fact that he had actually done it. Judging by the amount of blood coating the thing, he didn't bother being clean with the kill either, and he brought it back as proof that the man was gone.

The air suddenly felt tense when they realized that he was able to succeed in areas no one else was. The way he walked in the building, how he presented the bloody pincers, to the way his metaphorical aura felt, something seemed wrong with him. Everyone noticed this, but they couldn't tell what exactly. Nothing about him radiated that quiet, comforting nature. It was only that cold, unflinching precision that a machine could carry. It scared a few of them to be honest.

A few weeks after he left, the settlement found out that the man was a crazed serial killer. They feared for their lives should he ever come back, but seeing the bloody weapon of the man seemed to lift their spirits up a bit. The fact that he managed to kill him made them both respect and fear Six at the same time.

Maaya noticed how he didn't seem all there, like his mind was somewhere else. To be honest, she was more scared about his current state than the fact that he killed the man. She didn't need for him to tell her that the deaths were still on his conscious, and that he would forever be engraved into his mind. Searing into it like an awful branding on an animal. She and everyone else noticed him look at board for a few minutes, before taking ten bounties. He went up to the counter and placed them on it, waiting for her to stamp them.

"I know what you're doing. It's against the rules to take this many, I'm limiting it to four." She said.

"..." He nodded and separated the more urgent ones and put the rest back on the board. She sighed and stamped them then watched as he went to a high table and just stood near it, being still as a statue. Several of the members glanced at one another worriedly then at him before continuing with their day.

Six ignored the whispers directed at him, he was used to people talking about him underneath their breath. Years of such treatment had made him build up indifference towards it. He also knew the people were slightly afraid of him now, something that didn't concern him too much. Some people were afraid of Spartans just as much as they viewed them as angels. His mind went back to Reach, during his time when New Alexandria was falling. How Kat's death was so sudden that it almost felt like a sick punchline to a joke.

He remembered carrying her corpse and hearing the absolute distraught in some of the civilians voices. A part of him understood why though; seeing the corpse of a Spartan was like seeing a guardian angel suddenly fall in battle. It was the single worst thing that could happen in a civilian's perspective. It opened their eyes when they realized that even Spartans could die in battle in the span of a second. Her death was just another reason he shut himself off from his emotions, to avoid feeling anything.

Maaya, Myne, and her family made him feel emotions again. Not to the point where he would bawl his eyes out, no... tears were non-existent with him, but they did make him feel like a human. They made him content with himself and actively looked forward to seeing them again. When the family had been murdered, he was right back to square one.

The hours around him seemed to slip by and he continued to stand there, just thinking. He figured he'd lie low for a few weeks then move onto the next kingdom. Vale was completely done, with the exception of the supply beacons, and it was time to be on the road again. A small tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne holding it while rubbing her eyes a bit. He bent down and stared at her, suddenly tensing up when she hugged him tightly. He could tell she was crying judging by the sniffles and he just held his arms out awkwardly, before setting a hand on the top of her head.

She began to childishly scold him for leaving without saying goodbye and he just nodded. He knelt down to her level and looked her in the eyes. There were times when he had forgotten how small she was. With one hand, he took the wolf necklace off of his neck and placed it on hers. She looked at it and noticed that all four pendants were on the same strap. Her eyes watered when she looked at them then back at him.

"I already have one. I think it would be better if you had kept them in your possession." He said.

"... Thank you." She whispered.

"..." A simple nod was given in return and he looked around, only to see everyone gone with the exception of Maaya. He walked up to the counter and waited for her to finish her work before marching to the door.

"Wait!" Maaya called out as she put a stack of papers in the drawer. He watched as she quickly stood up and picked up a small raincoat. She went up to Myne and put it on her gently, pulling the hood over her head before grabbing an umbrella. They headed out of the door shortly after. The soft noise of the rain hitting the ground was relaxing to hear and it visibly calmed him. He ignored the rain as it hit them while they walked back to the apartment, listening to Myne talk about how she was growing up. It was clear that she was still heartbroken about the deaths, but she had grown used to Maaya's presence.

Maaya would talk about the little things as usual and he would just listen silently. She would talk about how Myne was slowly adjusting to her apartment and that a bed would be arriving soon. He just nodded and looked down to see Myne stomp in a small puddle of water and shake his head a bit. The three of them had just walked at a comfortable pace and after a couple of minutes of walking, they had arrived at the apartment complex and entered the building.

All three of them entered the elevator and waited for it to ascend before the doors opened. They walked down the hall and entered the apartment, the two shaking their coats and putting it on the rack near the door while he just stood there. Everything was the same, which was to be expected; he was only gone for a month and a half. The only difference was the amount of toys in certain spots. He barely remembered seeing an actual toy that was in his possession. The only times he had actually seen one was in the arms of a deceased child. Another moment that had hardened him at the sight of death.

A tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne staring at him a bit before smiling. That innocent smile that seemed to banish some of the cold darkness and bring about a small portion of warmth. It reminded him of Nora.

"Are you going to stand there forever?" She asked.

"No." He shook his head, taking the cloak off and opening the door, flicking it harshly to rid itself of any residue water. The door shut with a soft click and he turned to see Maaya come out with more comfortable clothes on. It was a simple pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. He just put his weapons near the door and hung his cloak on the rack. Myne noticed him still standing in the same spot and tried to tug him towards the living room, only to fail and slump down.

"Why aren't you moving?" She tugged some more.

"I do not wish to dirty the carpet." He answered.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Maaya turned her head from the kitchen sink.

"..." He looked at her and nodded. She rolled her eyes and smiled a bit before going down the hall and bringing out some old towels for him to step on. She had spread them out in the living room and gave him enough space to sit down cross-legged. He adjusted himself every so often and stared ahead before shaking his head when she asked if he was hungry. She eyed him worriedly before setting some of the food in the fridge.

Myne scampered up to him and wormed her way onto his lap, letting her legs dangle over his and lean back against his chest. He looked down at her and noticed that she had drawn a picture of her family. It was a crude drawing, but it was clear she did have some talent for it.

"Did you draw this?" He asked.

"Yeah, Maaya said it would help me feel better." She answered.

"Does it?" He asked.

"Kind of. It's weird... I feel sad when I start but I feel better when I'm done." She said. He could see the conflict on her face and brought her closer to him. Just him being there was enough to make her feel a tad bit better. She gripped his thumbs with her tiny hands and squeezed them, making him gently engulf her hands in his. The two of them were like one another. Both lost their families at a young age and had to bear witness the fallout of it. The only difference between him and her, was that he sharpened himself to an unflinching blade. She was just confused and conflicted about things. He didn't know how much he could be there for her though. Maybe more than what he was with Ren and Nora since he had more experience.

As much as he would like to stay with Maaya and Myne, he still had a mission to complete. He figured periodic visits would be enough until he could find a more beneficial solution.

"Hey, Six..." She looked up at him.

"..." He just looked down and noticed her looking into his black visor.

"Did... did you catch the man who did this?" She asked, tears slightly brimming in the corner of her eyes.

"I did." He answered instantly.

"What did you do to him?" She asked. It went quiet for a while and he just carefully mulled over what he should tell her. He couldn't just tell her that he tortured the man for days on end, breaking him down into a sniveling, wasteful sack of flesh that he was. It would haunt her for the rest of her life, she was already scarred enough as it is.

"He won't be bothering anyone anymore." He answered.

"Did he disappear like the Grimm?" She asked.

"... Yes. He faded like the Grimm." He nodded. There were times when he remembered he wasn't talking to an adult or a fellow Spartan; he was talking to a civilian child, one that he had promised to look after. It was odd when he thought about it; if it were him several years ago, he'd decline and leave the child in another person's care without a second thought. Now though, he promised he'd at least keep an eye out.

Maaya just watched the two bond a bit and smiled as she washed the dishes. Usually, she'd be bathing Myne and getting her ready for bed since it was nine-fifteen, but she'd let her stay up a bit later. Her schedule was starting to change also; since it was Friday, she had to leave later, but every other weekday she left at six-thirty. She also got weekends off, but she chose to stay and work to earn some extra income. Though, throughout the three months, she really only worked one weekend so far.

She remembered when Myne sobbed when she found out Six had left, the absolute distraught on her face almost broke her heart. It took about three days for Myne to stop crying so much for her to explain that he'd return. From that point on, she just let Myne warm up to her at her own pace and didn't push. She'd say she was doing a decent job for someone who didn't know a thing about parenting. It took a while for her to get guardianship over Myne, but between her and some others, she was glad the girl chose her.

Her thoughts were cut short when Myne asked a question.

"Hey, Six... what's this?" She asked while pointing to his trauma kit.

"It is a trauma kit." He answered.

"What's trauma?" She blinked.

"There are three main types of trauma; acute, chronic, and complex. To simplify things, this is for physical." He answered.

"So what's that mean?" She asked.

"This is meant for a variety of injuries. Lacerations, abrasions, lesions, contusions, and etc." He answered. It went quiet when he said that and she just blinked at him owlishly while Maaya came into the living room and sat down at the couch.

"What he means is it's for different types of injuries. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, injuries on your insides, and etc." She simplified.

"Ohhhhh." Myne nodded in understanding.

"Yeah. Why don't you go grab your towel so we can give you a bath and get you ready for bed." Maaya said as she set her hands on her knees and leaned forward.

"Do I have to?" Myne whined a bit.

"Keeping a healthy hygienic routine is beneficial, Myne. It is also good to have a dedicated sleep schedule as well. Go." Six picked her up and set her on her feet. She pouted a bit before standing in place and puffing her cheeks.

"Tell you what, I'll read you a story if you do this." Maaya promised.

"My favorite one?" Myne asked.

"Your favorite one." Maaya reassured.

"... Okay." Myne nodded before going towards the bathroom. Six just watched the two go and let his mind ponder for the next several minutes. He felt uncomfortable to be honest. The attachment to another individual made him feel a rather heavy state of unease and it bothered him. He was the reason a good family wasn't among the living anymore and he didn't wish for that to happen to Maaya or Myne. The same could be said for Ren and Nora too. Keeping himself at a distance from them was the best way for them to be safe in the end. He figured that he was just an unlucky individual, but ruled that out as soon as it came.

Being a machine felt more comforting at certain times, and right now would be the perfect time to feel like that. Though... when he saw Myne's smile that reminded him so much of Nora, it made him feel a state of ease. The human side of him enjoyed that a bit, to feel wanted by someone other than his fellow Spartans. These thoughts clouded his mind for the next fifteen minutes before he was brought out of them by a small nudge on his arm. He turned to see Myne standing next to him with a stuffed rabbit in her hands and a set of blue pajamas.

"Maaya said I should say goodnight to you before I go to sleep." She said.

"I see. Have a good night's rest." He nodded.

"Goodnight, Six. Are you going to be here tomorrow?" She asked.

"That is a possibility." He answered.

"Good." She beamed a bit. It didn't have that usual glow like he was used to, but it beat seeing her depressed face any day. She hugged his arm and he locked up before awkwardly patting her head and nudging her off. He just sat in silence for the next half an hour before standing up and going to the room, peering inside to see both of them asleep. All he did was silently enter the room and put Maaya underneath the covers and place the blanket over her before backing up. He looked at them for a few seconds then exited out of the room.

The lights were shut off and he grabbed his cloak, bag, and weapons before putting them on him. With barely a noise at all, he opened the door and closed it with a soft click. It was better for someone like him to sleep outside. He felt the isolation slowly comfort him as he exited out of the settlement.

He went back in the settlement and started to do some errands, noticing that the ground was dry despite the heavy downpour yesterday. His first stop was to collect some more supplies and see if he could make an antidote from the poison. He'd use one bottle for that, maybe two, and keep the last one in case he needed to use it. His second was to get more ammunition and throwing knives, and his final one would be to stop by the guild. From that point on he'd complete his bounties and possibly spend more time with the other two before leaving for the next kingdom.

Mistral would probably be a good kingdom to wander around, then possibly Atlas next, and Vacuo last. It didn't particularly have to be in that order, he just wanted the heat to die down a bit. It was also because he wanted to eliminate this Salem woman's subordinates before finally going after her. He had a goal in mind and now it was time to execute it. To be honest, he'd probably spend at least three weeks or the month at this current location before moving on. That would give Myne enough time to spend with him before he took his leave. It also proposed a higher chance of encountering Ren and Nora should they be sent on an assignment with their team.

As he completed his errands, he thought about them and Beacon. He didn't know why Ozpin was trying so hard at this point in time, it had been seven years since he's declined his offer and it wouldn't change. Getting caught up with his shenanigans seemed troublesome on its own and he really didn't feel like dealing with whatever the man had in store for him. Plus, he didn't care. It was starting to become a problem now; several times settlements were losing funding or were denied assistance to draw him out, which left him to assist them instead.

The people of the settlement had more faith in him than Huntsmen and Huntresses. There's also the fact that he agreed to teach them skills to survive against a Grimm or bandit attack. Most settlements greeted him with open arms and could often tell when someone tried to impersonate him, usually by the height and actions. Nearly all of them knew he barely spoke and when he did, it was straight to the point. He had suspected certain individuals would attempt this, and he was rather glad the settlements had enough common sense to tell the difference between him and a fraud.

For the most part though, he didn't care.

He shook his head as he entered the gunsmith's shop and waited for the older man to notice him. When he did, he gave him his usual gruff greeting.

"Huh, you're here sooner than I expected." The man said.

"Elaborate." Six said.

"Usually, you come around every four months. People around here usually anticipate your arrival at times." He said.

"Why?" Six asked.

"Son, people around here enjoy you being here. While I wouldn't go as far as calling it your home, we do see you as one of our own at times." The gunsmith said.

"Don't." Six merely commented.

"Too late, we already do. All jokes aside, I take it you came to get some more ammo?" The man said.

"..." Six just nodded and waited for the man to go in the back and grab him some. He returned with a container and Six started to load his magazines with each round and put as many shells on him as possible.

"Word is that you caught the bastard who killed the family..." The gunsmith said after some time. Six stopped loading for several seconds before continuing to do so.

"..." He just barely nodded, his hood making the faintest movement indicating the man had guessed right.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but someone has to say it. I'm glad you did, the bastard was a monster. Slaughtering an innocent family and some guards trying to keep us safe. Some of the members at the guild wanted to go after him, but always ended up dead or hurt." The gunsmith continued.

"He is not a problem anymore." Six merely said.

"Glad he isn't. The father always came around the shop at times..." He said.

"..." Six just looked up at him, seeing his eyes turn a bit foggy.

"Always helped out despite not getting anything in return. Believe it or not, he looked up to you and wanted to do more. I think that's why he became a guild member and was also a guard at the gates. He worked so hard to provide and everyone saw him as a good person." The gunsmith said, small bouts of tears threatening to leak from the corners of his eyes.

"...Why are you telling me this?" Six asked. He wasn't being rude, but rather curious as to why the man was telling him this.

"I don't know, got a little emotional I guess. Always happens when you're around." The man chuckled sadly as he wiped the tears away.

"I apologize for making you feel that way. It was not my intention." Six said calmly.

"Don't worry about it, son. Are you okay though?" The gunsmith asked.

"I am fine." Six nodded.

"I ain't gonna force you to talk, but I can see you're troubled. That's what you are, a troubled person. You've been through a lot. Haven't you, son?" He asked.

"..." Six just stared at him silently before backing up and taking his leave. He heard the man say a sincere apology and he nodded before heading out of the door. His feet just carried him through the street and he avoided a truck coming in with supplies. Since it was an outer settlement, they didn't have very many vehicles, and often relied on carriages. The use of fuel was distributed in other things. He avoided talking about himself for several reasons. Sometimes his superiors didn't care and brushed it off, other times it was irrelevant to his task. For the most part it made him uncomfortable.

He never really had people to confide in or worry about him. To them, he was a mere weapon and over the years that's what he viewed himself as. His duty was to protect humanity whatever the cost, and he'd gladly do it if it meant its survival. Emotions and personal feelings were irrelevant and could be thrown out like a piece of trash. It's what the ONI spooks drilled into him whenever he did a mission or voiced his opinion. They did it at a young age too, so they knew what they were doing to him; they just didn't care. He was an asset, a valuable one at that. To them, he was their personal Grim Reaper and it showed now.

Noble Team seemed to view him as an asset at the start before eventually warming up to him. They viewed him as a brother-in-arms and actually gave a damn about him. It was shown when they completed more missions together. He earned their respect and a spot on the team, viewing him as one of their own. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and grabbed Emile and Jorge's tags, letting them dangle and sway in his hand. Emile would probably just scoff and give a dry, but not ill intended, remark and Jorge would just pat him on the shoulder. Kat would just roll her eyes, but deep down she would find it humorous while Jun would just remain in the back. Carter would comment before going back to this mission.

He was brought out of his thoughts when a tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne.

"You said you would say goodbye when you left, silly." She said.

"I am not leaving at the moment. Where is Maaya? Why are you unsupervised?" He asked as he knelt down to her level.

"She's over there. I ran over here when I saw you and I got really excited." She twisted her foot. He looked up and saw Maaya walk over to them and grip Myne's hand before kneeling down to her level.

"Goodness, you run fast when you're excited." She said.

"I run super fast! I bet I can beat Six in a race." Myne said.

"That is not possible." He said. Realistically speaking, he could run almost the same speed as a Spartan-II. Through constant training, it enabled him to run at the same speed as them. He didn't know about now since he wasn't even one of the faster ones. Compared to other Spartans, he was about average.

"It is, I'll beat you in a race one day." She said.

"That is not possible." He countered.

"Blep." She stuck her tongue out. He heard Maaya stifle a laugh while he just quietly sighed and bent down to her level.

"What is your status?" He asked.

"Status?" She tilted her head.

"He means how are you feeling." Maaya simplified. She had been helping Myne understand more complex phrases and words so she understood the world better. Through reading, her vocabulary was improving.

"I'm feeling good. Maaya took the day off so we can do stuff. When I saw you standing there, I got really excited since I thought you left." Myne said.

"I am not leaving for the next few weeks." He answered.

"Yay!" She cheered. He stood up and walked with them for a while. He noticed how she was clutching Maaya's hand and smiling up at her while clutching his cloak. Although she was young, she knew he wasn't one to show affection towards others so grabbing his cloak was the best option at the moment. When he looked at her, she seemed content despite her current situation. This was... a different experience for him.

Numerous people glanced and either sent smirks and shook their heads or just continued on. It was wise not to stare at the Spartan too long since he was able to find out who was doing it and stare back.

"So, Six... what's on the agenda today?" Maaya asked.

"I am completing my current tasks." He answered curtly.

"I hope you're taking it easy at least." She commented.

"From that point on, I will complete my bounties. I have already found out the location of some of them." He continued.

"How?" She asked.

"I went patrolling around the settlement last night. The guards had managed to get a good night's rest and give me some information." He informed.

"I take it you are too?" She raised an eyebrow.

"..." He didn't say anything and just kept walking forward.

"You aren't. How many times do I have to tell you not to push yourself so hard?" She placed a hand on her hip.

"Numerous times." He answered truthfully.

"That was a rhetorical question." She sighed. He just looked at her and continued to walk with Myne still clutching his cloak in one hand and Maaya's hand in the other. It was an odd feeling indeed. To be wanted that is.

"Have Ren and Nora stopped by the settlement?" He asked.

"No. Although, I did receive word that some Beacon students were going to be stopping by here in the next week or so." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Something about hands on experience. It's September and you did leave in June, so that's to be expected. I guess the academies are trying to step up their game and get people's trust back in Huntsmen and Huntresses." She answered.

"I see..." He said, making her look at him. His intervention with completing bounties and generally helping settlements did put more trust in him than the so called protectors of humanity. Truthfully, he didn't care about Huntsmen or Huntresses, so long as they left him alone then he had no problem with them.

"Are you eager to see them?" She asked.

"I wish to see Ren and Nora again, their teammates I don't care about." He answered.

"This is the first time I've seen you look forward to seeing somebody." She commented.

"I look forward to seeing you and Myne." He said calmly. She had to stop for a second and just look at him while he continued forward with Myne. The only reason he stopped was when he noticed she was just standing there with a blank expression on her face.

"Maaya, are you okay?" Myne asked.

"I'm fine. Just a little shocked is all." She reassured with a wave of her hand.

"Six, who are Ren and Nora?" Myne asked.

"They are people I know and have been taking underneath my wing." He answered.

"Are they cool?" She asked.

"I fail to see how temperature or composure has anything to do with this." He commented.

"She means are they interesting?" Maaya corrected. There were times when she forgot Six wasn't one to use more relaxed words. He was always straight to the point and didn't beat around the bush for anyone, it's why she valued him as a friend and a trustworthy individual. She knew he was a soldier judging by the way he moved and spoke, but she didn't know where he actually originated from. He didn't talk about his past to anyone, not even her, and that was okay in her book.

"Oh..." He merely said. The three of them just spent the next few hours with one another before he had bid them farewell. It was time to do the bounties and patrol around the settlement. He figured he'd keep himself busy with these until Ren and Nora arrived then leave for his next destination. Something made him stop and he looked down to notice Myne dive into his cloak and clutch his leg tightly when a stranger approached them. She was still distrustful to anyone but him and Maaya. She was content with just being next to her older caretakers than anyone else.

When out in public, if she wasn't in close proximity or holding onto either him or Maaya, she went silent. Nobody could get a word out from her and it usually lasted until either they left or she started to tear up and had Maaya come grab her. It's why Maaya began taking her to work instead of keeping her at the daycare with the other children. He didn't know this until he heard her bring it up during their walk.

That odd feeling returned when he was out in the wild. It was like an everlasting blanket of comfort that seemed to shine on both sides. When he was with them, he was fine with their company. Although, when he was out in the wild by himself he was fine also. The only time he wasn't fine was when he was surrounded by people he didn't know or didn't trust. Nothing but unease filled his body and he didn't like it one bit.

Soon, the feeling faded and he felt nothing as usual. Sometimes this was the best thing and it suited him.

He was gone for an entire week before he returned to the settlement. Despite the bounties being in close proximity to one another, that didn't meant they were close to the settlement at all. The first one was the easiest since it was nothing but a simple Beowolf bounty, the second was an Ursa major that lasted two days, the third was a Creep den that lasted an entire day, and the final one was a Nevermore that took him the remaining days to track.

As he walked on the trail, he saw there was a bullhead nearby the settlement in an open area, making him stop and observe it from a distance. After a couple of minutes of looking at it, he continued forward and stopped at the gate. He waited for the guards to greet him and let him in before they shut the gates shortly after, making him look at them. They informed him that they usually did this when new faces showed up and it's always been a custom. He supposed this had happened when he first started to come by the settlement; they shut the gates when he did and let him out when he announced his departure. Throughout the years, they just opened it when he dropped by more.

He walked throughout the settlement and decided to stock up on supplies before collecting his rewards from the guild. As he walked inside the store to grab some food, he was greeted by the cashier and nodded when she asked if he found everything alright. Over the years, she had started to compile a list as to what he usually got and always managed to keep some in stock for him. He exited the store and started to make his way to the guild, opening the door and closing it behind him. As he walked towards the counter, he noticed Maaya looked rather stressed. He walked up to her and stopped at the counter.

"Hey." She said.

"Why are you in a distraught state?" He asked.

"It's nothing, just some newer members angry that their friend died during the bounty." She sighed.

"Don't feel bad for their actions. It was them who made a mistake during it and it cost them dearly." He said.

"That somehow makes me feel worse." She said.

"You are not responsible for the death of the member. They know how dangerous it is since it is the frontier." He said.

"I'll just let it blow over like always." She said.

"I see..." He nodded.

"I take it the Grimm are gone?" She asked.

"..." He nodded and placed the bounties on the counter, making her take them and organize them before placing them in a cabinet. She went to the back and counted the lien before going back and paying him. He counted it before putting in a small pouch then putting it in his bag. He leaned forward and saw Myne sitting on a large pillow with a book in her hands and headphones on.

"They're noise cancelling headphones. She doesn't like it when some of the guild members get too rowdy and laugh too much. It reminds her of the incident." She said.

"Is there not a place she can stay while you are at work?" He asked.

"The apartment, but otherwise, no. Parents usually teach their children at home and the daycare would only upset her more." She answered.

"I see." He said. He never really had to worry about that with the UNSC. They gave him psychological evaluations from time to time, but for the most part he kept to himself and learned how to deal with his inner turmoil. He was brought out of his reminiscing when he heard Myne stand up and look around before setting her eyes on him. They brightened up and she went around the counter to grab onto his cloak, making him kneel down a bit.

"When are you coming back?" She asked.

"That is undetermined, possibly either tomorrow or later tonight." He answered.

"Are you going to stay the night?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Oh..." She whispered. He tilted his head when she reacted like that; while he did know she enjoyed being around her and he was content with being around her, he didn't understand why she was so sad about it. There were often times when he didn't understand human emotions at times. Despite him seeing in different scenarios, he had a hard time grasping some aspects of it. Kind of like how he had a difficult time conveying them. Maybe it was due to his lack of interaction with civilians and their way of life. Emotions led to poor judgement calls at times and that led to mistakes, something he didn't enjoy making too much.

That's not to say that he was perfect, he was far from it. Mistakes were often welcomed at times if it meant avoiding them in the future.

"Myne, why don't you go back to reading? I'm almost done with work so we can go back to the apartment soon." Maaya said.

"Okay..." She murmured. He watched as she disappeared behind the counter and he observed her before noticing the air went from relaxed to uncomfortable in an instant. A part of him understood that it was him that created this feeling, but the other part was her. He figured keeping at a safe distance was the best chance to keep them safe.

The hours seemed to slip by slowly when he left to run some errands and do patrol around the settlement. When he returned, he saw the waiting for him and he started to walk back to the apartment with them. The three were quiet, especially Myne, and it made him look at them from the corner of his eyes. They stepped into the complex and the elevator before going up and exiting before entering the apartment. Maaya's, and the family's, homes were the only residence he would actively go into willingly. Unless he had no choice, he wouldn't go to someone's home within a ten foot pole. It also helped that he had known her for several years and considered her a close friend, his only friend really.

He sat down in the living room after spreading his cloak out and began to take inventory. He leaned back a bit and let Myne sit on his lap while he did so, being mindful that she was near him. Several minutes seemed to go by before that eventually turned into an hour and a plate of hot food was set next to him. He nodded his appreciation before gesturing Myne to get up to go eat at the table while he mixed medicine in his mortar and pestle. The only sound for the next fifteen minutes was silverware against the plates, the grinding from him, and the tap water being turned on and off.

They put their dishes in the sink and rinsed them off before placing them in the dishwasher for later. He stopped when Myne hugged his arm tightly before wishing him a goodnight, making him bid her a goodnight as well. Slowly but surely, he stopped finding something to occupy himself with and just sat there in silence. What was he doing, getting attached to things like these? Getting attached to people? The last time he got attached to people, they were ripped away from him as quick as a sniper round. Could he really be the reason more innocents died because he decided to let his guard down?

His thoughts were interrupted when Maaya sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, setting it to a low volume.

"She's asleep now." She said.

"Hmm." He hummed quietly.

"Why did you say you won't spend the night?" She asked.

"I won't. It would put you two at risk of an attack should someone see me come to this apartment. There are people in the world who would take advantage of such things." He answered.

"Six, we'll be fine." She tried to reassure.

"This is the way." He said.

"What is the way? You slowly distancing yourself thinking we wouldn't notice?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just turned back to his items. To be honest, he never really had a conversation like this and it confused him as to what to do next.

"Six... why are you distancing yourself from us?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I do not wish for you two to have a target on your backs. As I have stated before, there are people who would take advantage of these types of things." He said calmly.

"We'll deal with them. You're worried about us, which goes to show you care about us." She said.

"That is not what I am saying." He said.

"That's what you're implying. You don't trust anyone, but me and that's fine. You promised the family you'd look after Myne which goes to show you aren't completely emotionless." She said.

"..." He just stayed silent like before.

"That just makes you human. Despite what some say, that you're more machine than man, you go around helping people without asking too much in return. You don't go around flaunting your skills or trying to brag that you've taken down Grimm larger than buildings. The most you do is your task then be left to your own devices. People respect you for not only doing things some of us can't fathom to do, but also giving us hope in these dark times." She continued.

"I do not understand." He tilted his head.

"What I'm trying to say is finding something to personally protect makes you human. I can tell you're a soldier judging by your manner of speech and the way you operate, but sometimes you move like a machine. You caring for this little girl who lost her family goes to show that there's something good underneath that armor of yours. A machine cares about getting results and doing its tasks. A man cares about the ones he fights for and the ones he's sworn to protect." She explained.

"I... see..." He said with uncertainty. She smiled a bit and decided it was a good time to go to bed. While she didn't want to leave him just sitting there confused, she knew he would figure it out sooner or later. He was smart. She meant what she said though, that he was more human than machine. Back then, when she first met him, that's all she saw. Now, he was just a quiet man who operated like a machine when the time called for it.

Six just sat there, motionless in the dark living room. He let his thoughts mull over a bit when she explained that to him. There were times when he felt more human and it was when he was here. Every time he saw them, a little part of him felt less robotic and more flesh and bone. Though, he just assumed that was due to the lack of human interaction he's had within recent years. He didn't want to get too close for two reasons.

First, he didn't want to be the reason his only friend and the one he was supposed to take care of died. The second reason was that it felt unnatural at times. That feeling slowly dissipated as time passed and he stood up before collecting his things and leaving the apartment quietly. They may not like it, but keeping himself at a certain distance was the best way to keep them safe. Something about getting close to them and having their lives ripped away from him didn't sit right at all.

After all, he did promise he'd take them out to see the world someday.

Glynda knew something was wrong the moment she stepped into Ozpin's office. That dreadful feeling was almost second nature to her during times like this and it only got worse when she saw Qrow there. He looked haunted in a sense, like he had managed to witness one of the most cruel acts in the world with his very own eyes. A part of her was almost afraid to ask. Ozpin didn't look even remotely bothered by the current situation.

"Ah, Glynda, so glad you could make it." He said warmly.

"Someone has to keep you in check and Qrow is here, which I assume something is happening." She said as she set a stack of papers on the desk.

"He has recently gotten some information about a current wolf." He said.

"She's not gonna like it, Oz." Qrow said.

"Like what?" She asked.

"Show her." Ozpin gestured. She narrowed her eyes as Qrow sighed and nodded before tapping his scroll a few times and pulling up a series of images before tossing it to her. Almost immediately, she had the urge to vomit as her eyes widened in horror. Each picture was of Tyrian's mutilated body scattered across the forest. Some parts had been decomposing as maggots were infested within the open wounds. The more she swiped and looked at more, the more she wanted to go wash her eyes. She just threw her head in the opposite direction and held out the scroll, making him grab it and put it in his pocket.

"Who was that?!" She demanded.

"One of Salem's pawns. Apparently the guy's name is Tyrian, a well known serial killer over in Mistral and other parts of the world." Qrow answered.

"Which means he's against Salem just as we are." Ozpin nodded.

"Ozpin, are you insane?! I can understand taking an interest in this man, but this is borderline fanaticism!" She said.

"It is not. Glynda, think about it... he's someone who is not afraid to indulge in dirty work and he's completely under the radar. We could use someone like him to assist Qrow out in the field." He said.

"No! He may not be against us, but he's too dangerous to even be let near this place. We're out of our league here, Ozpin. Qrow, how did you find out he was one of Salem's operatives?" She asked.

"Tortured the guy for days. Had to stay a distance away and damn near hide half the time as I listened in and even then had I not been an avian, he would've spotted me. What he did wasn't human, the way he broke someone of that caliber down. From what Tyrian said, he was one of Salem's most useful pawns before the guy shut him up and twisted his own words against him." He answered.

"This is the person you want to be associated with us?" Glynda asked.

"Yes." Ozpin answered instantly.

"You're insane." She said.

"So you've told me numerous times." He said.

"I really mean it this time." She said.

"If I can add something, we're beginning to lose more trust from the settlements. The one that the three of us visited when we first encountered him, they don't really want us to help out anymore." Qrow said.

"Explain." Ozpin said.

"They said that there's no point in hiring Huntsmen and Huntresses when half of the members already do what we do." Qrow answered.

"Interesting." Ozpin leaned forward.

"No, not interesting. That's just one of the many settlements that has shut us off now. I'm lucky I actually managed to get into contact with that settlement before we were completely shunned. It's concerning that they show more trust in someone who barely speaks than us." She said.

"... I will handle this." He sighed.

"If it means forcing them to submit, then that's only going to worsen things. Word spreads fast within the frontier despite the lack of tech out there. They've already shown more trust in the guy like Glynda said." Qrow took a sip from his flask.

"That's not including the matter with the city." She sighed.

"If it is about the Vytal-" Ozpin started.

"That goes to show you haven't been paying attention to the news. People don't trust us or the authorities at the moment and are taking matters into their own hands. I went into town the other day and immediately noticed that there's murals on numerous walls of him." She said. To emphasize her point, she went on her scroll and looked up a few images of it.

They all showed a picture of a cloaked individual standing over fallen White Fang members underneath the broken moon. The longer she stared at it, the more her dread grew.

Ozpin sighed when he remembered going to a council meeting and seeing some of them have ten years added to their faces. The constant stress of the civilians demanding them to do better and the civil unrest of the homeless seemed to take a toll on them. The upper class viewed Six as a monster and a demon, but the homeless and lower class viewed him as a hero that did his job and left.

"That is troublesome indeed." He sighed.

"Oz, he's throwing everything into chaos at the moment. He's got criminals running with their tails between their legs and the White Fang scurrying into the gutters. We're dealing with something else here." Qrow said.

"On top of that, people are starting to view this whole ordeal as a fault in the system. That one man, a complete enigma, had not only managed to dig up an entire White Fang branch, but also scare them into submission. You know some of the ones that were arrested and incarcerated committed suicide? That's the effects he's had on them. They'd rather take their own lives on their terms than have him do it." She informed.

"I get it, you two are displeased with the way I'm handling things." Ozpin sighed.

"I don't care because I'm not going to stop. You need to hear this now more than ever. He has more followers in the poorer districts, and that includes both faunus and humans. A majority of the faunus community either fear him with every fiber of their being or respect him to some degree." She said.

"You might want to chalk that up with the city folk for the most part." Qrow chimed in.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because the faunus of the frontier feel safe around him. I've asked a few of them that have personally met him and they said he doesn't even raise his weapon at them. The most they feel is slight unease whenever he's near them, but otherwise they're fine. He's just quiet I guess." He shrugged.

"That's informative." Ozpin nodded.

"The part about him being quiet isn't. We've known this fact for years. If he has even the worst criminals running scared than that means we're dealing with something far more dangerous than what we had initially thought." She said.

"I am aware that he is dangerous, you two do not need to keep reminding me." He sighed.

"Well, it seems no matter how many times it still hasn't gotten through to that thick skull of yours." She said.

"I'm going to choose to ignore that." He commented.

"Aside from your fanatical obsession, Port and Oobleck finally came back." She said.

"What did they find out?" He asked.

"The town that we first encountered him didn't take too kindly to them trying to purchase the Wyvern tooth. It seems that it's special to them and they weren't too keen on letting them buy it for any price. Plus, it's become a relic to them so there's no hope in getting it now." She said.

"I see. That's quite unfortunate. Anything else?" He asked.

"Ms. Valkyrie and Mr. Ren are starting to display some insubordination to the rules. Ozpin, I don't care if you're the Headmaster, if you don't do something about them then I will." She said.

"Injuries are common among Beacon. The students must learn to deal with such things." He said.

"Not when Ms. Valkyrie actively put team CRDL in the infirmary and threatened Ms. Belladonna." She said.

"That is something I will personally handle myself. I mean it." He said.

"You better. Otherwise, that's all." She said and began to start walking towards the elevator.

"Yeah, I got nothing else to report. So see ya." Qrow said as he dusted his pants and began to follow her to the elevator. The two of them watched as the doors closed slowly and let out a relieved sigh as the migraine that had began to fester lessened in severity. Both of them were starting to see that Ozpin was slowly falling off the deep end with this man. His obsession was just as bad as Ironwoods and it was beginning to affect the people they were sworn to protect.

"He's starting to lose it." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, he is." He nodded and the two of them were thrown into silence.

"How did you find out about him torturing Salem's underling?" She turned to him. Almost immediately, she noticed that he looked ten years older as he leaned against the elevator wall.

"Oz told me to go to that settlement that we encountered him at. He said for me to just remain in the back and see how often he came around, turns out it's every four months. I was just observing in the back like I was told to and I figured I'd have a little drink, but you know how I am." He said.

"A drunk?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Funny... but yeah. Got a little too into the drinks and saw Salem's little scorpion come out after killing a family. I didn't realize that it happened because it happened so fast, but when I actually realized that it did, it was already too late. The townspeople already had the house sealed off and weren't letting anybody in. I'm pretty sure he was close to that family, Glynda. The way he made his way to there and stepped up made it seem like he really knew them..." He said.

"Qrow... don't tell me..." She swallowed.

"I don't think that he knew that Tyrian was one of Salem's underlings, because even I didn't know. I think that he just went out for blood and wanted his pound of flesh. Glynda... what he did to that bastard is something even I wouldn't wish upon someone, and you know me." He said.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"He tore him apart, and I just don't mean physically. That's something only a monster could do to someone. I watched as he ripped him to shreds and basically made Tyrian spill everything he knew about Salem to him. Miraculously, the little bastard didn't say anything about Ozpin, but he did tell that guy about Salem." He said. She noticed how he seemed to squeeze his wrist tightly. It was something he does whenever he's stressed and he's out of alcohol.

"Is there anything else?" She asked.

"One survivor. A little girl with blue hair and golden eyes. She seemed close to him." He said as he leaned back against the wall and looked up at the lights.

"I take it you didn't tell this to Ozpin?" She asked.

"I had to tell him about the family's fate, but not about the girl. Despite me being a nonchalant drunk most of the time, I know when to keep my mouth shut and fuck off. Us doing something to that little girl means death and I ain't too keen on dying so soon." He sighed.

"You're scared... aren't you?" She asked.

"... I'm not saying. You're not?" He asked.

"Of course I am. I'm terrified of the man. Someone who not only has killed three hundred White Fang, but also two experienced Huntsmen, and an ancient Grimm of that scale is bound to draw some fear." She said. It went silent for a while, even after the two had exited the elevator.

"I didn't tell Ozpin because I know he's going to try to use that little girl to his advantage. Summer's told me how that girl at the guild is I guess his only friend, so there's another factor. He's even got some of the more violent settlements out there shaking in their boots." He said.

"Just in Vale?" She asked.

"Yeah. They've said they're scared of what will happen if a large horde of Grimm come their way, but they're terrified of him. You know it's bad when a person in a cloak puts more fear into you than Grimm." He shook his head as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Are you going back out there?" She asked when she noticed him start to walk towards the bullheads.

"Yeah, duty's calling." He said and started to walk, but stopped halfway through. "Hey..." He called out.

"Hmm?" She hummed.

"Make sure he doesn't do anything to Ruby and Yang, okay? Both Summer and Tai will have my head if anything happens to them." He said.

"I'll do my best." She nodded.

"Good... take care, Glynda." He smirked before turning around and leaving. As she watched him leave, a sigh escaped her lips when she walked down the hall. Next week they had a field trip to get more hands on experience, and she just hoped that the man wouldn't be there. She didn't know what to do if he was there. Though, if he was there then maybe he could do something about Ren and Nora's behavior. Despite them listening to their team leader and her, they still showed signs of insubordination at times.

Why was she the only responsible one at times like these?

So, yes, I am really sorry I haven't uploaded in almost a month. I had to rewrite this chapter like three times because I felt like it wasn't good enough for you guys or it was rushed. While yes, I do want to get the plot going, I also want to have a small filler chapter to show what's going on in the other's perspective. I'm sorry if your guys' reviews aren't answered because there's a lot of them, and I mean more than what I usually see, but that's cool. You guys can review, I don't mind... just please don't review on every chapter, it's just a pet peeve of mine. I've also tried to work on my other stories because I've been having writer's block for all three of them, and this is the only one that I haven't. Also really sorry if this chapter seemed kind of iffy. Some may say that I broke Six's character somewhat.

On an unrelated note, I don't really have a schedule for uploads because then it just makes me rush to get a chapter out when I just want to give you guys a decent quality chapter. So three things: Sorry for not answering or addressing reviews this chapter, I don't know when the next one will be up (probably in the next few weeks, so around this time interval), and thank you all for reviewing.

I'm actually grateful for you guys. Despite some not always being satisfied with the chapter or stories on my account, I truly do appreciate you guys and I wish you all the best. Thanks for giving this guy here something to look forward to the next time and I will see you all later. Goodbye, guys.