Six had decided to spend some time with Myne while Maaya was at work. It would be his way of being there for her before he had decided to leave for the next kingdom. He had returned early in the morning and managed to catch them before they actually entered the guild. Like always, she rushed up to him and hugged his leg while he just stood there. He nodded and let her tiny hand grasp his cloak before walking next to him. In her hand was a book that he had observed before handing it back to her. Nothing short of an educational book for her.

She talked about how she was feeling recently and he just quietly listened to her. The two of them just walked around the settlement, drawing eyes from many, and continued about their day. Their first stop was the convenience store to pick up some supplies. She gazed at all the sweets while he just observed canned food items, gauging how much it was before selecting it. A small tug on his cloak made him look to his right before seeing her with a handful of candy, dropping some of it before picking it up.

"Oops." She whispered.

"That is too much." He said.

"Can I have it though?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Why?" She asked.

"It is not nutritional." He answered. She puffed her cheeks and put it back while he just stared at her before picking up some more items up. He stopped when he saw a can of peaches and picked it up before going to the counter with all of the items, paying for it and stuffing them in his bag. The two of them walked to their next destination, which was the blacksmith in town and entered the building. She had to lean up on her toes to see over the counter as he rung the bell, hearing nothing for a few minutes. He saw her try to reach it and grunt a bit before sliding it over to her. She smiled and hit the bell a couple of times before he slid it away from her; there was an annoyed comment from the back and he saw they saw the blacksmith.

"I see the young lass is here. How are you?" He asked.

"Good..." She said quietly.

"I'm glad. What can I do for ya, you big golem?" He asked to Six.

"I need more throwing knives." Six answered as he browsed a catalog. His interest was suddenly on some throwing knives infused with Dust, bringing about several effects.

"Ah, I see you're looking at those. They definitely will get you out of a situation or two." The blacksmith said.

"How much are they?" Six asked.

"A good bit. This is one of those situations I can't give you a discount on. Settlements been losing some funds lately and I need to keep business flowing in order to stay afloat." The blacksmith said.

"Why is the settlement losing funds?" Six asked.

"I ain't got that much of a clue, but the guild might know more. That guild girl that everyone talks to seemed stressed about it the most. Saw her looking pretty down one day and I couldn't for the life of me fathom why." The man said as he scratched his scraggly beard.

"I see..." Six said.

"Otherwise, it's gonna be three-hundred lien for twenty." The blacksmith said.

"What type of Dust does it use?" Six asked the shorter man.

"Well, we currently have fire, ice, lightening, and gravity." He answered.

"Give me five of each." Six said and put the certain amount of lien on the counter.

"Alright, it might take a few hours to a few days. I guess it's not so different from what you usually do. So farewell to the both of ya." The blacksmith said.

"..." Six nodded as Myne waved before gripping the back of his cloak and following him out the door. For the most part, she had tuned out the conversation and read her book while they just exchanged. She didn't like talking as much anymore ever since the incident. Every face to her could be another bad person in her eyes and she didn't want to experience that ordeal again. As the two of them walked and the day seemed to slowly drone on, he noticed she clutched his cloak tighter than usual as more people started to crowd around them. Her eyes darted around and he could faintly hear her heartbeat start to quicken and she began to hyperventilate.

It was getting too loud for her and he started to guide her towards the guild; making sure to avoid people on the way. As the two stepped inside, he waited for the few people in line to finish their deed before he stepped up to see Maaya's eyes widen a bit.

"You're here earlier than I expected." She said.

"Where are Myne's headphones?" He asked.

"Is she having an panic attack?" She asked worriedly.

"Her heart rate was elevating and she was holding onto me more than usual." He said. She nodded and sighed before reaching in the drawer and pulling out a pair of black headphones, then handed them to him. He grabbed them and bent down to Myne's level before slipping the headphones on her ears and watching as she visibly relaxed. His sensitive hearing picked up her heart rate return to its normal level and her breathing slowed. She looked up at him and he noticed that some tears brimmed in her eyes a bit.

"Sorry..." She apologized as she slipped them off momentarily.

"Do not apologize. It is not needed." He said. Just as she was about to say something else, a gentle hand gripped hers and she looked up to see Maaya. She felt the older woman guide her behind the counter and sit her down on the pillow. A sense of ease filled her as time passed, throwing her into her own little world.

"Thanks for bringing her here before it got too bad." Maaya said.

"How often does this happen?" He asked.

"I don't know how to give you an accurate answer. It happens at random times and I'm doing my best to find out the frequency. She doesn't feel comfortable talking to people and usually stays quiet when someone addresses her. I think the only people she really talks to is you and I, but you're gone half the time so there's that." She explained.

"... I will find a solution." He said.

"I'm sure you will." She nodded. Her eyes went back to her papers and went back up to him when she saw him looking around the guild, noticing that there was barely anybody inside. Even the assistant was gone.

"Where is everyone?" He asked.

"Most are relaxing, and some decided not to come today." She sighed.

"Why?" He asked. His eyes followed her fingers when she pointed to the board. There were bounties, as usual, but no one had taken them for some reason.

"The Headmaster of Beacon is forcing us to keep numerous bounties for the students when they drop by. He also managed to get the council to cut our funds... it's gotten worse over the years though and the outer settlements are beginning to become fed up with the treatment." She said.

"..." He just stared at her while she sighed and continued her work. This was a problem. Ozpin's meddling with the livelihood of the settlements has gotten out of hand at this point in time, just to get into contact with him. In time, he needed to be handled...

"What?" She asked when she noticed him staring at her.

"Why are you working while everyone else is gone?" He asked.

"I've had to work during times like these before. Plus, I'm training another person soon so my workload should decrease a bit. With me taking care of Myne now, I've decided to not work so much in order to make time for her." She answered.

"When do the students arrive?" He asked.

"In two days." She answered.

"..." He just went to the board and picked several close bounties up. A part of him didn't care if these were reserved for the Beacon students, the Grimm were a problem and he wouldn't have the settlement in danger because the Headmaster pulled some strings. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips when she saw him place the bounties on the counter. She should have known he would do something like this.

"You know if you do these then I can't reward you, right?" She asked.

"I do not care for a reward. The Grimm are in close proximity to the settlement and could potentially become a problem." He answered in his usual tone. She just shook her head and stamped them before watching as he folded them up and placed them in his bag. He had meant what he said about not caring if he received a reward or not, half the time he wasn't looking for one anyways. While he was here, it just meant it gave him something to do and killed time until the throwing knives he requested were done. It also gave him the opportunity to find some nearby herbs.

If the settlement was losing funds then he would just give them a gem or two in order to generate some revenue. Not only would this give them some currency, but it would also bring up moral and give them a reason to keep the Grimm at bay. Plus, it really wasn't that big of a deal giving the gems up, he didn't use it for anything else but trading. He had some that he's kept for years as rewards or finding in the world, but never had anything to do with them.

This would be a mere act to keep them in their current status. Maybe someday they would finally break from the clutches of the city.

It took longer than what he had originally expected to complete the bounties. While they were near one another, each one had to planned out carefully and be executed with precision. It actually took three days to finally get each one done and he figured it would be a good time to head back to check up on everything and grab his new equipment. The pouches on his bag were an addition he added over the years to accommodate for the large amount of items he had acquired.

He entered the guild and as usual, ignored the glances, before going up to the counter. Maaya glanced at him and sent a friendly smile while he nodded in return before leaning over the counter and looking at Myne. She gasped in delight when his shadow caught her attention and she rushed around the counter to hug his leg. While he was used to her giving him affection, him locking up would always remain. It just wasn't as bad as before with her.

"Maaya, can I go with Six for a while?" Myne asked.

"That's alright. Just be back before I get off of work. We still have dinner to look forward to." Maaya nodded.

"Okay." Myne nodded. She tried to pull Six but failed when she realized he was looking at Maaya.

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

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They took up one of the bounties that was a bit of walking distance. I think it's about half an hour walk from here to the destination." Maaya tapped her chin.

"..." He nodded and turned around, walking to the door and opening it quietly. Both him and Myne walked through it and she clutched his cloak, talking to him while he just nodded at each thing she said. It was good for her to be talking to him about certain topics, a way to relieve stress from her system. In time, he would come up with a solution to help her. The only downside is he didn't know how long it would take.

That familiar tug on his cloak made him look down to see her looking up at him, making him bend down into a crouching position to be at her level.

"Can we..." She hesitated a bit as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. A few seconds went by and they started to fall silently. Several sniffles were heard as she tried to wipe away the tears and apologize for crying so much. He didn't understand why she apologized so much, letting out her anguish was considered healthy and he'd rather have that than what he did.

"Myne." He called out, making her look up at him with puffy eyes.

"You do not need to apologize for crying about their deaths. I will not be bothered by you doing such an action." He said.

"Okay..." She sniffled.

"Finish your sentence." He said.

"Can we... go see the graves?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded. She gave a wobbly smile and wiped away the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand before grabbing his cloak and leading him to the grave. The walk took a couple of minutes, but he knew where it was when they entered a familiar area. Just outside was a small path that held an equally small area surrounded by cherry blossoms. It was nice in his opinion, a nice place to have their gravestone in the middle. He watched as she walked up to it and stared at their names carved on the elegant gravestone. Tears started to slip and drip onto the ground below her. For a while, he just stood there and let her cry quietly before he sat down next to her.

All he did was just silently sit there staring at it. He had no tears to shed. The concept of death was so familiar with him that it was like second nature at this point in his life. It was cold, unflinching, and it did not discriminate who it took. That would be the best way to describe him whenever he dealt with enemies. This location though... it was pure, warm like the sun if he dare say. Although the family was gone, they would never be forgotten. In his eyes, they weren't truly dead. All three of them would be remembered by the people who cherished them. He was no exception.

Life would continue on though. It had to, for others.

The two of them sat there for a while, neither one breaking the sweet silence that was basked upon them. She wobbled in place a bit and eventually leaned against his left leg and slowly started to drift off. All he did was continue to stare at the grave for the next half an hour, reminiscing about the three of them. Not long after, he nodded his head at the grave and carefully scooped Myne up into his arms. He took his hood off and set it onto his left shoulder before placing her head there, providing enough cushion to where she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Although he didn't feel much while visiting, he wouldn't say that it was a bad thing. It brought a sense of comfort to him to finally see their graves, even if it was empty.

The next time he visited them, he would take them on a journey. He would finally take Maaya out for once and take Myne to spread the ashes. Not only would he give Maaya the chance to experience the world a bit, but it would also provide him and Myne a final goodbye to the family. They had spent longer that what he had expected since the sun was beginning to go down, and he still needed to pick up the knives.

His walking speed wasn't slow, but it wasn't quick either. It was just that calm, controlled pace that made him feel at ease. He felt her arms squeeze around his neck slightly whenever he adjusted her a bit. People looked at him, but like always he ignored the stares. He went into the weapon's shop and opened the door, making a knocking noise to capture the older man's attention.

"Alright, alright, hold your damn horses-" He suddenly stopped when he saw Six standing there with Myne sleeping in his arms. His eyes widened at the sight of his helmet but he quickly calmed down and his facial features softened. The older man chuckled a bit before shaking his head.

"About time you got your shit. I'll keep it brief since she's sleepin' and I know how you are." The older man said.

"Thank you." Six nodded.

"Anytime. Now get on out of here so you can put that girl to bed." The blacksmith shooed as he handed Six a cloth wrap full of the knives. The Spartan nodded and wrapped his hand around it and exited out the door. His walk to the guild was quiet, even when he opened the door and saw Maaya finishing up her work with the assistant. Everyone else had begun to leave the establishment and eventually the assistant did too, but not before bidding them a goodnight. He saw Maaya smile at the two of them and she nodded before gently taking Myne into her arms.

The three of them walked out of the guild and walked on the sidewalk quietly. She informed him that Ren and Nora, along with their teammates had completed the bounty and were currently staying at the inn for the night. He nodded and walked to the apartment, taking Myne into his arms and waking her up to get her ready for bed. While she was happy he was near, she was too tired to actually comprehend that he was the one putting her to sleep. Once she was asleep, he closed the door quietly and sat down in the living room after spreading his cloak out.

"Are you going to be here when she wakes up?" Maaya asked.

"No." He answered.

"So the same as usual?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." He answered curtly.

"One day you'll have to stay the night, you know?" She asked.

"I am aware." He nodded. She hummed a bit and turned on the TV. The constant surfing of the channels made him look up before it eventually landed on the news. Both of them watched the events that were happening in the city without much care. It seemed his purging of the White Fang branch had stirred up a bit of civil unrest. His attention was fixed on the mural that the lower class seemed to have painted of him on numerous walls. Maaya's eyes widened then she looked at him staring at the TV. All he did was shake his head and go back to his items, creating some medicine.

"Six... you were in the city, weren't you?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just continue to create medicine. A quiet sigh escaped her lips when she already knew the answer judging by his silence. She wasn't mad to be honest, a little disturbed, but not even remotely angry with him. The White Fang were as much of a problem as bandits and someone needed to do something.

"Where did you go with Myne today?" She changed the subject.

"We visited the graves." He answered.

"How was it?" She asked.

"She cried. I did not." He said.

"I didn't expect you to." She rolled her eyes. "I mean how was it? Like, did it make either of you feel better?" She asked.

"... It was more beneficial to her than me. My current status is not important." He answered.

"It's okay to feel something every once in a while. I may preach this numerous times, but I mean it each one time... you're human. Despite you acting like a machine when you work, you feeling something for the people you grew close to is a human thing to experience. No one deems you weak for mourning for their deaths." She tried to explain.

"..." He nodded and turned his head back to the TV. They just watched the news for an hour before she got into more comfortable clothing before returning to the couch. She had decided to let her hair run loose and lied down on the couch. Eventually, she started to drift off and fell asleep. He looked down at his hands and clenched them before reaching up to his helmet and pulling it off. It was gently set next to him and he just stared forward. Taking his helmet off at times felt relaxing and it was nice to feel the air against his face. His eyes caught sight of her shuffle around in her sleep and he put his helmet back on before grabbing a nearby blanket, covering her before collecting his things.

Just like before, he left in the middle of the night and shut the door with the faintest click. Instead of finding a nearby cave to reside in, he decided to go the the grave and think. The walk there was quicker since he knew where it was this time, but he took his time actually getting there. As soon as he made it to the area, he noticed that the trees seemed to glow a bit in the moonlight. He sat down in front of the gravestone and took off his helmet, setting it down next to him.

For the next several minutes, he just let his thoughts run about the family. He reached into his bag and pulled out the little book Myne and her sister made for him, sifting through each page carefully. Remembering them was about the only thing he could do for them at the moment.

He gathered his things and patrolled around the settlement and went out into the wild for a few hours. Nothing out of the ordinary and he decided to go to the guild to pick up some bounties. As soon as he entered, he saw that it was more crowded than usual. He heard Maaya announce that there were new bounties available and a wave of cheers bounced off the walls. All he did was go in the back and wait patiently. There was bustling chatter and he just stood at the usual tall table while everyone else gushed about the bounties. He could tell they were eager to work and get paid.

Minutes droned on by as everyone received their bounties. Some were in it for the money and challenge while others saw it as a way to keep their home safe. For the most part, he was just in it to buy them breathing room and give him something to do. As the crowd started to disperse and the board was slightly more open, he walked up to it and stared at it. He noticed that some bounties weren't close to the settlement and that didn't bother him too much. This might also give him the opportunity to find one or two beacons.

As he observed the board, the door to the guild suddenly opened and he heard an excited squeal. He suddenly moved to the left before a body crashed into the board, knocking some of the bounties off of it. A thump on the ground made him look down to see a familiar head of orange hair and a groan met his ears. He shook his head and sighed before bending down and picking Nora up off the ground, dusting her off.

"Six!" She cried out excitedly and suddenly hugged him. He locked up a bit before sighing quietly.

"Hello, Nora." He nodded.

"You never said you were in town!" She said.

"I never do." He said. She let go of him and stuck her tongue out, ignoring the countless eyes that were on them. To everybody else, it was like spotting a rare creature seeing someone actually make physical contact with Six without either being thrown or him going on the defensive.

"So what have you been up to?" She asked.

"Work." He said.

"So the same as last time?" She asked.

"Yes. Where is Ren?" He asked.

"He had to finish doing some stuff in the inn. I think'll he'll be here in a minute." She said. Almost immediately after she said that, the boy walked through the door and widened his eyes when he caught sight of Six. He didn't rush, but his pace was quicker than what some would expect.

"I didn't know you were in town." Ren said.

"A lot of people don't." Six said.

"That's a lie and you know it." Maaya commented from the desk. He chose to ignore this and keep his attention on the pups. All they did was glance at her then turn back to him. Both of them began to tell him about what had happened the last time they saw him, to which Nora told for the most part while Ren occasionally made comments. They had said they had been improving steadily, but he knew they were only giving him their side of the story. He knew they were making mistakes, everyone did. He was more concerned about their little situation with the Vytal festival and almost killing that girl.

Just before he could ask them about the topic, the guild door opened and he saw their teammates come inside along with several other individuals. He recognized Summer's daughters along with their teammates from the tunnels. As he observed them for a few moments, he caught sight of Goodwitch looking at him while tightening her grip on her riding crop. His eyes narrowed a bit before he turned his attention away from them to the board. There weren't any particularly close bounties, a few that were about a day's walk away, but nothing he couldn't handle.

He listened to Nora begin to talk rapidly while everyone else just listened in the back. This went on for a few minutes and he sighed quietly before looking at her.

"Calm down." He said. Almost instantly, she did, much to the shock of Goodwitch and RWBY. They had never really seen her follow orders on the spot and it showed how much respect she had for him. To them, her and Ren were always ones who didn't like being told what to do by anyone. The only reason they followed Jaune's orders was because he was their team leader.

"Professor, can Ren and I go with Six?" Nora asked.

"No." Glynda said instantly.

"Why not?" Ren asked.

"He's dangerous, you two know this." She answered.

"What? No he's not." Nora argued.

"He is, Ms. Valkyrie. I will not have my students associate with someone so dangerous." Glynda said.

"He isn't that dangerous!" Nora screamed. Her fist clenched tightly the longer they stared at her professor. Everyone's eyes were suddenly on them, but they didn't care. Neither of them were willing to back down.

"With all due respect Ms. Goodwitch, we're aware Six is dangerous but he isn't the type to directly harm us. Despite him being absent in our lives for years, we've heard enough to know he isn't willing to put us in harm's way directly." Ren said. As usual, he was the voice of reason between him and Nora. He understood why she was so willing to defend Six; he was possibly the only father figure she had in her life and defending him came natural. While he was quick to defend Six also, he preferred to calm himself before anything escalated out of control.

"It doesn't matter, he isn't someone we need to trifle with or associate with. You two are already on thin ice after the Vytal festival and insubordination you have been displaying. Do not escalate it even further." She said.

"..." Six just stared at them and looked towards Maaya, who was tugging at her jabot. Whenever something unpleasant happened in the guild, it wasn't uncommon for her to tug at it. It was her way of alleviating stress. Although she had most of the authority in the guild, she usually wasn't one to budge in conversations, especially if it meant two outside parties. She saw him looking at her and nodded before reaching down, presumably to put the headphones over Myne's ears.

"Enough." He said. It was a decimal louder than his usual tone, but it held enough weight to silence everything in the guild. His tone held no room for argument and nearly everyone froze in place. A few of them shivered at the feeling that radiated off of him.

"Six, tell her you're not-" Nora started, only to fall silent when his gaze swept over her. She shivered in place for a second before he gazed at Ren, who did the same. Neither one of them decided to speak up before his gaze swept towards the others.

"Outside." He ordered. Ren and Nora nodded quietly before obeying him and heading outside, followed by the others with the exception of Goodwitch. She just stared at him with distrust while he did the same. The weight of the room seemed to increase and some people felt so uncomfortable that they felt the need to leave.

"Ehhhh..." Maaya just nervously held her hands up in order to placate the two of them.

"Why are you here?" Glynda asked towards Six.

"My reasons are my own. I'm not here to create a conflict and I hope you are not here to do the same." He said calmly. There was a hidden weight behind his words that Glynda picked up. Should she cause any trouble, then he would be there to swiftly take her out. She didn't know why she was acting so hostile towards him; perhaps it was the need to protect her students, or it was the fact that she witnessed what he could do. He was a monster that hid behind a tattered cloak. The literal embodiment of death.

The two of them were brought out by their stare down when Myne shuffled towards him nervously. She tugged on his cloak while staring at Glynda. The weight of the room seemed to lift instantly as he knelt down to her level.

"Are you leaving?" Myne asked.

"Not at the moment." He answered.

"Are you going to tell me when?" She asked, wiping her nose a bit.

"Possibly. Why are you wiping your nose?" He asked.

"Oh... I think I'm sick again." She answered.

"... Did you not take your medicine?" He asked.

"I didn't like it. It was gross." She stuck her tongue out.

"You are not meant to like it. When Maaya gives you your medicine, you take it." He said, fishing in his bag and handing her a bottle. She nodded and shuffled towards the desk, bumping into the corner and wincing before climbing up onto Maaya's lap then slipping her headphones on. It wasn't before long did she pick her book back up and start reading it.

"Six, there are some bounties available." Maaya said.

"Hmm..." He hummed quietly before looking at the board and taking a few. There wasn't a reward for some of them, but he picked them up anyways.

"I'm sorry if some of these don't have a reward." She apologized.

"It is not a problem. I take it none are of within proximity to the settlement?" He asked.

"No, a lot of the newer members took the ones that were close to the settlement, so you don't have to worry. There is one that might become a problem in the future" She said and handed him one from one of the drawers.

"I see..." He nodded before taking it and placing the selected ones on the counter.

"Are you going to teach Ren and Nora like last time?" She asked.

"Yes." He said.

"No." Glynda said instantly, making him look at her.

"..." He just silently stared at her before walking to the door.

"I never gave you permission!" She said.

"I never asked and I don't care." He responded before walking out the door. She just fumed in place while Maaya just shook her head.

"The nerve of that man." Glynda said heatedly.

"I would say that he's like that with other people, but then I would be lying to you." Maaya said.

"What?" Glynda turned to her.

"You're from Beacon. Nearly everyone in this settlement isn't too fond of individuals from that place. It was a miracle the mayor even allowed you all to come here." Maaya said.

"I know." Glynda sighed.

"Although, despite you all having pretty much free reign due to your connections, you have no choice but to listen to a higher ranking member for this bounty." Maaya said calmly.

"It's not needed." Glynda waved and turned to leave.

"You seem to forget I'm the one who issues bounties in this establishment. We already are not too fond of you all, so I would advise at least take this into consideration." Maaya closed her eyes and smiled. The undertone she was using wasn't one she used too often, but it did get the point across whenever someone thought they knew better. It was as cold as a tundra and held the weight of the world.

Glynda had to suppress a shiver as she stared at the woman.

"Fine, who is the higher ranking member?" She sighed.

"Six." Maaya answered instantly.

"Him?" Glynda blinked.

"He's the only one available at the moment and he has experience." Maaya said.

"I thought he didn't work for you all?" Glynda asked.

"He doesn't. Everybody here knows he doesn't work for us, therefore he can't simply be bought for his services. People come to him for advice and he usually gives it if he's in town." Maaya said.

"... Are you sure there's nobody else?" Glynda asked.

"Everyone else left before you all could take the bounties. You're welcome to try and look for someone else, but I would suggest Six on this one." Maaya said and turned back to her papers. From that point on, she ignored Glynda's sighs and heard her exit out of the guild.

There was a small tug on her jabot and she looked down to see Myne looking at her.

"Can we get food?" She asked.

"Sure. I think we have some leftovers at the apartment." Maaya smiled before taking her hand and walking out of the guild. It was lunch time anyways.

Six watched Glynda exit the guild and stop in front of him, staring at him while he did the same. His attention snapped to Maaya and Myne exit out shortly after, giving a wave to him while he nodded. He ignored the stares he was given and opened up his bag, sifting through it before grabbing a bounty. It wasn't anything special, just a simple Ursa Major that could be handled easily. Just before he started to leave, he went to the gunsmith to rent two hunting rifles before slinging them over his shoulder. A couple minutes later, they left.

He just walked behind all of them as they made their way to the location of the bounty. Glynda tried to get behind him, but he just kept stopping until she was in front again, but she kept sending glances at him.

"Hey, Six, what are those for?" Nora asked as she hopped up on a log and started to walk on it.

"Hunting." He answered.

"Why use those when you already have a gun?" Ren asked.

"They are not for me, they are for you two." He answered.

"What are we hunting?" Ren asked.

"Whatever is in the area." Six answered.

"Are we doing it now?" Nora asked.

"No." He answered.

"So, are you going to teach us too?" Ruby asked quietly.

"It depends on if you are willing to learn. If not, then no." He answered curtly.

"Why not?" Weiss asked.

"It is wasting my time." He said. It went silent after that. Nora and Ren made small talk with Six, and he answered some things but was silent about others, but otherwise they all just listened to the sound of the wild. Glynda and RWBY noticed that he was unnaturally quiet, so much that they sometimes forgot he was behind them. It was disturbing to say the least. Someone that big and quiet was an odd combination that didn't fit well with one another. Everyone else noticed how Nora and Ren seemed content with being close to him, the look of admiration they both held was something nobody had truly seen in their eyes before. Weiss and Blake were the furthest away from him, the latter due to fear while the former was due to distrust.

The minutes droned on and eventually turned into hours of walking, everybody's feet starting to ache a bit. Each time they looked at the map and realized they weren't close, he just told them to continue until they were at a decent distance. He ignored them even as they complained and the sky started to darken a bit. If they couldn't handle this then it wasn't his problem. Nora and Ren seemed fine though; while they were tired, they could keep going for another hour or two.

"Um... sir?" Ruby raised her hand.

"..." He just looked at her and nodded, indicating his attention was caught.

"Can we stop for a bit?" She asked. He looked around and heard the sound of water rushing before instructing them to follow him, to which they did. All of them walked for several minutes before coming to the edge of a river. He found a small clearing and sat down, telling the students to get some stick to start a fire. JNPR listened to him while RWBY listened after some coaxing from the sister team, which left only him and Glynda.

"My feet..." She sighed uncomfortably and sat down on a nearby rock.

"I would advise not to bring such shoes in an environment like this in the future." He said.

"I don't any comments from you." She snapped.

"Then do not blame me if your feet have complications later on in life." He said. A sigh escaped her lips as she took her shoes off and messaged her feet. There was a sound to their left and she looked to see the students return with wood. The sky was almost pitch black at this point and the fire was started after a few minutes, making him take off his cloak and spread it out. He ignored Glynda's eyes widen considerably but looked when he saw Weiss and Blake back up in surprise, the later showed more fear than anything.

The three didn't expect him to be a walking death machine. His armor had scrapes from the years but it was clear he kept it maintained the best he could. All he did was stare at the two Huntresses-in-training before sitting down. Just as before, Ren and Nora sat down next to him as he took inventory and crafted some items. Everyone else just watched him curiously.

"Hey, Six." Nora called out.

"Yes?" He didn't turn away from his belongings.

"Did you see us perform at the festival?" She asked.

"I did." He answered.

"What did you think?" Ren asked.

"I was not impressed by your performance." He answered instantly.

"W-What?" They blinked.

"I do not believe I misspoke. I said I was not impressed by your performance." He said.

"What didn't you like about it?" Ren asked.

"Numerous topics. You two are not entirely at fault, it also falls on your teammates." Six said calmly, making the other two flinch.

"W-What did we do?" Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.

"You wasted time. Although I did not hear the audio, you wasted time during one of the rounds. Keep in mind Mr. Arc, it falls on you to lead your team with efficiency. Not every enemy will give you time to argue and settle your differences." Six explained.

"We just had a disagreement, that's all." Pyrrha chimed in.

"That is not acceptable. As I have stated before, not every enemy will give you the time nor care if you have an argument. Such actions can be the difference between life and death. I would advise you improve upon that." He said.

"Got it." Jaune said quietly. It went quiet for a while before Six spoke up again.

"I also wish to know why you aimed to kill that girl." He said to Ren and Nora.

"We uh... we didn't-" Nora started to lie, but instantly fell quiet and looked down when he stared at her. Ren did the same and neither were willing to talk before flinching when his hands gripped their heads. The tension in the air was thick enough that everyone couldn't do anything but stare. It wasn't that they didn't want to, but they knew interrupting something like this wouldn't end up well for them.

The two looked genuinely scared of Six and it showed that he wasn't one to be trifled with if he could put the fear of the gods within these two.

"Explain... now." He ordered.

"We... didn't like what Belladonna had to say about you." Nora started.

"It's just... we got really angry that our judgment was clouded a bit." Ren added.

"..." He just kept his hands on their heads and prompted them to continue.

"We don't like people talking bad about you. It's wrong despite the things you do for people." Nora said quietly.

"Especially when they don't know you like we do." Ren said.

"There is nothing wrong with defending someone of value, but there is a time and a place for everything. You almost put yourselves in an unfortunate situation all over a negative opinion over me. Did the thought of expulsion and imprisonment cross your minds?" Six asked.

"No." They shook their heads.

"That is something that should have crossed your minds before you did such an action. You are foolish to think otherwise" He scolded. Everyone else just watched in silence as he continued to scold them harshly. A few times they had to wince at some of the words he said, and they even felt pity for the two.

Glynda was about to chime in but then she realized this is the wake up call her students needed at the moment. They hadn't been listening to her or anybody else, so who's to say the one they looked up to wouldn't have a different effect? She swore if they had animal ears, they would be flat against their skulls at the moment. Though... the way Six tore into them was something she didn't want to be the receiving end of. It held no tone for argument, each point struck close to home, and it was like he was talking to adults rather than teenagers. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice him take his hands off their heads.

"I expect improvement. Do you two understand?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." They nodded quietly.

"That is all then." He said calmly. His tone never rose past its normal one, but the two of them knew he wasn't satisfied with them. He didn't care if their feelings were hurt, he wouldn't have the two of them throw their lives away over a negative opinion of him. Numerous people around the world didn't see him in the same light, and not an ounce of care was given. It was better to snuff out this attitude before it took control over them. He wanted them to be confident, not cocky.

It wasn't before long that the party was thrown into silence. No one wanted to say anything and the atmosphere was tense. They watched him fish around in his bag before taking out the grenades, setting them around the perimeter before returning to his spot. At first, he was going to give them the knives and pendants, but they had proven otherwise. If they shaped up the next time they encountered, then he'd give the items to them.

An hour had passed by and JNPR and Glynda fell asleep in their spots, leaving only RWBY awake. They didn't really know what to say to him; Ruby and Yang wanted to know more about him but remembered he wasn't one to talk about himself. Weiss, from what she observed, saw that he was one who seemed more strict than some of the military personal in Atlas. Blake still saw him as a monster, except this time she knew he was built like a tank. The more she observed him, the more she saw that he was one to use everything at his disposal.

"Hey, sir?" Ruby asked nervously.

"..." He just looked at her.

"We never really knew what the White Fang did down in those tunnels. Can you at least tell us what they did?" She asked. To be honest, she was more or less asking for her teammate since she knew the faunus wasn't going to.

"They were planning to breach Vale, which in turn would cause a hole that would be open to Grimm. Which would result in the death of countless civilians." He answered.

"Oh..." She muttered.

"You are still disturbed about the sight." He commented.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Don't dwell on it." He said, taking the DMR apart and cleaning it.

"What, why not?" Yang asked.

"It will only haunt you and cloud your judgment. It is a sight you must learn to get used to if you are to remain in this profession." He said.

"That's kind of a disturbing answer." Weiss said.

"In what way?" He asked.

"It's like you experienced it before and aren't even fazed by death anymore." She said.

"Death is a natural occurrence in everything. If you are going to be Huntresses, then you must learn to come into terms with seeing death. Whether it be civilians, your allies, or your enemies." He said as he stared at the fire. His mind went back to seeing a burning body at one point before returning to the present.

"They were people too you know." Blake spoke up for the first time in a while.

"I am aware, but they are individuals who have chosen that path and are content with causing destruction." He said.

"So that gives you the right to play judge, jury, and executioner?" She asked.

"..." He just stared at her and observed her, noticing that her bow twitched. His eyes narrowed at that, the last time he checked, bows don't twitch on their own.

"You never answered my question." She said.

"No. Yet, nobody seems to do anything about them. Had they breached the wall, then what?" He asked.

"... People would have stopped them." She said.

"What if they hadn't? What if nobody had stopped them and they escaped?" He asked.

"People would have stopped them, like I said before." She said.

"You are dancing around the question, Ms. Belladonna. The answer is that countless civilians would have perished and they would have done the same action to more innocent people." He said.

"Not all of them would, okay?! Some of them aren't in their right state of mind." She said.

"You're saying they're misguided?" He questioned.

"Exactly." She breathed.

"They are not. A majority of them know exactly what they are doing and have no issue killing innocents or people that don't agree with them. Take the ones on the train for example, are they misguided for placing bombs on it with the intention of ramming it into the city?" He asked.

"No..." She clenched her fists.

"What about the ones who have not only bombed countless locations, but also killed innocents trying to escape?" He asked.

"..." She just stared at him.

"What about the ones in the frontier who have caused settlements to fall? Are they misguided also?" He asked once again.

"Shut up..." She whispered.

"No. They are not. You are trying to justify them as misguided individuals, yet seem to ignore the countless crimes they have committed over the years. At first, they had peaceful protests, which is fine in certain locations. Killing innocent civilians is not. It has labeled them as terrorists because that is what they are now." He continued.

"Maybe we're tired of being pushed around? Did that ever occur to you?" She asked quietly.

"There are other ways to counter racism. Becoming a terrorist organization is not the answer, no matter how much you try to justify it." He answered.

"I think we're all tired. So let's try to get some sleep, okay?" Ruby tried to say, only to fall silent when neither one was listening.

"You... you're a monster." Blake whispered.

"You are a faunus hiding in disguise." He said, making her freeze instantly. The other three did as well.

"How did... how-" She started.

"The last time I checked, a bow does not twitch on its own. There is no wind at the moment to move it, and your head wasn't moving either. There is also the fact that your last name is Belladonna." He started.

"What does that have to anything?" She asked. He could hear her heart begin to quicken and her eyes start to widen a bit.

"Ghira Belladonna is the former leader of the White Fang, a once peaceful protest group that turned to terrorism in recent years." He answered.

"W-What?" She blinked fearfully.

"The moment Nora said your name was Belladonna, I assumed it was your last name. There is also the fact that you're quick to defend the White Fang. Either you group them with all faunus or you have been in the White Fang." Six explained. He wasn't stupid, far from it. There weren't too many people named Belladonna that he knew of and he had kept an eye on the one who created the White Fang. It wasn't until the man stepped down from leader to become chief of Menagerie did Six not bother too much with him, but still kept an eye on. There was also the fact that as soon as he stepped down, the protests started to get violent.

People in the frontier proved to be a rather reliable source of information given the right circumstances.

He just stared at her wide, amber eyes. His own scanning her carefully and listening to her heartbeat elevate as well as her breathing. If she didn't kill any innocents, then she had nothing to worry about, if she did... there would be a problem.

"Okay! Bed time, we're getting up bright and early!" Ruby said, trying to break the tension.

"Keep in mind, Ms. Belladonna... not everyone is misguided. I would advise you to take this into consideration." He said.

"If I don't?" Blake asked.

"Your death will not be on my conscious. It is simply your own fault for not heeding the warnings of others." He answered. Everything went quiet after that as he leaned against a tree and stared into space. He could hear their murmurs and whispers, but chose to ignore them. If they didn't learn to grow up, then their mistakes could cost them their lives. Which was fine, it wasn't like he didn't warn them. They were not his priority, nor would they ever be with that attitude.

In reality, he was taking a guess that the Belladonna girl was the child of the former White Fang leader. His hunch was right when she seemed to be fearful when he started talking about the man. He'd have to keep an eye on her...

He woke up earlier than the others and went to the river, filling up his canteen and swishing the cold water around. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon and he went up to each one, nudging them awake with his foot. All the girls in RWBY just slapped his foot away, making him stare at them blankly before dumping the freezing water all over them. All of them shrieked at the cold sensation while he just stared at them.

"Get up. We're leaving." He said and collected his things for the next few minutes before walking to the bounty.

"Hey, wait up! At least let us get our bearings straight and dry off." Weiss said.

"I don't care. You are not carrying anything of value, therefore you should not have any trouble waking up and getting ready." He said flatly.

"The nerve of-" She fumed in place before jogging up to the others to catch up. So far, she did not like the person in front of her. He was completely apathetic to everyone, barely knows how to filter his words, and didn't holds any respect to anyone. She hated how long they had to walk for a bounty, and she hated it more that she had no choice but to listen to him.

The ten of them just walked for a couple of hours, barely taking any breaks to reach their destination faster. Eventually, they all came to the edge of a cliff and saw a cave across the clearing. He just took his hood of and instructed them to go down there and deal with the Grimm while he observed. Each one of them were about to protest but immediately shut their mouths when he stared at them silently. He watched as they went off to the side and followed a trail down that eventually led them to a clearing.

"Ren and Nora... what is their status?" He asked as he pulled out the Binary Rifle. It configured in his hands with a metallic noise and he saw it glow a bit.

"They are troublesome to say the least." Glynda coughed in her hand. She didn't know why, but the rifle he had in his hand seemed unnatural. It seemed alien in a sense and something about it made her feel like she was staring at a relic.

"... Elaborate." He said.

"They don't listen to anybody, they pick fights with people who don't agree with them, and they show little regard for the rules set in place." She said.

"I presume the second topic has to do with me." He guessed.

"For the most part, yes. Someone who hasn't been in their life for years, yet they look at you like some positive influence." She murmured.

"... What else?" He ignored her comment.

"I didn't take you one to care for them." She commented.

"Do not mistake my absence in their life as a lack of care." He said instantly. Almost on instinct, she backed up and stared at him. She forgot this wasn't Ozpin, this wasn't one who she could talk to any kind of way. The man before her was literally a living legend and she needed to watch herself around him. Possibly the smallest word could set him off and end her life in an instant.

"My apologies." She said.

"..." He didn't say anything for a few minutes as he continued to observe the students. It seemed they were doing good against the Grimm, they had flushed it out of the cave to give themselves more leg room. RWBY displayed decent teamwork overall while JNPR did show signs of improvement. They had managed to get rid of the Ursa, but hadn't anticipated it also being a den of Creeps. All he did was watch them deal with the Grimm, but once again barely regard their surroundings.

"That girl... the one with blue hair-" Glynda started. She tried to shed some light on the situation without giving herself away that she knew about the murder.

"She is none of your concern." He interrupted.

"... Is she in a safe environment?" She asked.

"I will not say it again, Ms. Goodwitch. She is of no concern to you, so I would advise you to drop it." He said. This time, he turned to look at her and stare, making her grip her riding crop tightly. Something about the way he observed her felt wrong; it was like he was carefully dissecting her and studying every aspect. Beneath that calm collected tone, was a hidden threat that she instantly caught onto. The gravity around them seemed to increase and she felt like she was suffocating now. The longer he stared at her, the more she felt like the weight of the ocean was bearing down on her.

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

"Your superior is starting to become a problem." He changed the subject. Almost instantly, the weight disappeared and she let out a breath of relief.

"I prefer not to speak about him." She sighed.

"Extortion, funds diminishing over time due to a third party, imprisonment, and the lack of assistance. All which generates negative emotions and may eventually lead to a downfall of a settlement." He said.

"..." She didn't say anything and he took this as a sign to continue.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" He asked.

"I knew you would." She said quickly. This was The Wolf she was talking to; the legend of the wild and individual that nobody knew anything about. He was the one who gave the people of the frontier hope and kept an eye on them. If he didn't hear it from one individual, then he'd hear it from another.

"All to get my attention." He said.

"I'm sure he has it." She said.

"Not the one he sought after. Do something about him or I will." He said. That suffocating feeling came back, only it was greater this time. Just as soon as it came, it disappeared and she almost wanted to brush it off.

"I'm trying, okay? Ozpin's too obsessed with you and it's gotten worse over the years. It's hard to deter the man from his focus on you." She said.

"That is not my problem." He said.

"Then what is?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just continued to observe the students. His attention snapped to one of them screaming before a Creep lunged towards Jaune, making him sigh quietly. Six pulled the trigger on the Binary Rifle and the shot connected with the Grimm. It jerked to the side and flailed around painfully as it started to disintegrate and the ashes scattered in the wind. He saw them all look in his direction with wide eyes while he just lowered his weapon and looked at them.

They all walked towards him for the next several minutes and climbed up the trail to the edge of the cliff. He just waited patiently, keeping an eye on the entrance of the cave. Even when they made it up and stood near him, he kept his eyes on the entrance. None of them said anything for a while.

"We made it up here, you know." Weiss said.

"I'm aware." He said flatly.

"Then why are we still here?" She asked.

"You all missed a Grimm." He answered.

"How? We flushed them out, got rid of the ones that followed us, and were done." Yang said.

"Did the age of them cross your minds?" He asked.

"They all seemed pretty young to me." She said.

"Then you did not go deep enough." He said.

"Why?" Ruby asked. He didn't say anything, but just pointed towards the entrance, making all of them look to see a larger Creep exit out. It looked around the area and started to slowly walk away.

"Your judgment calls are key if you are to be successful on this profession. Situational awareness is a necessary skill to have. Had you all paid more attention, you would know Creeps often use the younger ones as cannon fodder. The older ones observe their victims from within the darkest areas of the cave. They know how to pick out the weakest link of the group then strike when they least expect it." He explained and pulled the trigger once he was lined up. It jerked to the side and flailed around wildly as its body started to break down, rendering it into nothing but ash that eventually scattered.

"Oh." She said quietly.

"Had this been a situation where civilians were involved, they would have perished because you did not check the area thoroughly." He said.

"So... did we fail?" She asked.

"You did. Your job as Huntsmen and Huntresses are to safeguard the people you're sworn to protect. Next time, perform a thorough sweep before you depart." He said as he began to walk back towards the settlement. None of them said anything as they walked for a while. On the way, he gave them scenarios and expected an answer, to which JNPR got some right while RWBY got nearly all of them wrong. He scolded them for being too merciful towards their enemies and claimed that not every one would show the same compassion. Him and Glynda butted heads; she believed that showing enough compassion could turn the tide of a conflict while he just disagreed with her.

She didn't want her students to be killers; but he debunked that instantly, claiming that nearly every Huntsman or Huntress was a killer in some way shape or form. After a while of arguing, he went silent, seeing how he was wasting his time with the woman. From that point on, he just stayed silent and continued to walk towards the settlement without even trying to start up a conversation. Nora and Ren stood walked next to him while the others just stayed a good distance away.

Everyone else was completely wary of him. There was something off about him entirely, beneath that suit of armor held something alien.

"Hurry up." He said flatly, throwing them out of their thoughts. Each one caught up quickly and just made their way back, only stopping for a few minutes before continuing once more. This time though, he didn't bother stopping when they asked him for a break. He needed to get back before taking Ren and Nora out to hunt something, plus he needed to speak to them in private.

When they got back to the settlement, they had turned in their bounties. He didn't collect the reward, but he merely brought Nora and Ren back outside, handing them the rifles and telling them to follow him after depositing their weapons. At the very least, he told Glynda he'd speak with them in private, to which she reluctantly agreed with.

"So, what are we hunting?" Nora asked.

"You two are hunting deer." He answered, following behind them as they walked back out of the settlement.

"Which way are we headed?" Ren asked.

"In the direction of the deer." Six said calmly.

"I think I saw some tracks in this direction." Nora said carefully. He nodded and followed them quietly, listening to the leaves above them sway in the wind. The air was getting a little cooler now and it was almost time for him to leave the kingdom.

"Hey, Six... why are we doing this without the others?" Ren asked.

"I wanted to speak to you two alone about your behavior and it would be beneficial to the both of you." He answered.

"Oh..." Ren whispered.

"You two are going to tell me everything, and do not bother to try and lie." He said.

"Yes, sir." They nodded carefully. He listened to them as they told him what had happened in the last year. From how they had been doing, to their behavior. Needless to say, he wasn't very impressed by the way they were acting. To him, they were merely using him as a spring board to feel the need to do whatever they wanted. That wasn't the way they should be acting. He wanted them to act like responsible adults. Arrogance was what they were displaying now and he sought to correct that behavior before it got too bad.

They also told him how Nora bit Jaune for accidentally touching the cloaks he made them years ago. His lips pressed into a fine line when he heard that and he couldn't do anything but just stare at her, shaking his head. He didn't know why they were so defensive over two dirty pieces of cloth. Though... he supposed it was the only thing that had reminded them of him, in hopes that he would return one day. Still, that didn't excuse her for harming her team leader over a piece of clothing.

This hunt would also serve as punishment and a much needed discussion. He knew they were tired from all that walking, but he didn't care. If they felt like they were on the top of the world, then he would be the one to bring them back down to the ground. It was better to nip that behavior now than later.

"Come over here." He said as he knelt down to find some tracks in the mud. They were near the shore and started to head further towards the wild. Both of them knelt near him and observed the tracks before looking at one another.

"These look like deer tracks, what do you think?" She turned towards Ren.

"No, these resemble hog tracks. The toes are spread out more due to them impacting the ground so heavily." He shook his head.

"Good." Six nodded his head and watched them loosely follow the deer tracks. He listened to them tell how to tell the difference between the two. Apparently, they had learned from one of their professors and they hunted with people before. The three of them just walked through the wilderness, feeling a sense of peace as they listened to nature. There was a small opening connected to a small creek, and a fallen tree acting as a makeshift bridge.

A snap erupted from the brush and a buck shot out, landing in the water before looking at them then darting off.

"Found it!" Nora shouted excitedly and took off after it. Ren sighed and started to follow her.

"Slow down. You're hunting it, not chasing it." " Six said from the back.

"Sorry." She laughed sheepishly. He just shook his head and followed them quietly, his cloak blowing every so often in the wind. Several minutes went by and they found the deer again, this time it was feeding on some of the shrubbery. Before he could tell them to wait, they had aimed their weapons and fired. Nora's shot missed, but Ren managed to hit in in the leg. His irritation grew a bit and he snatched the rifles out of their hands when the deer ran away quickly.

"What are you doing? Now it's guard is up and it will be harder to track." He said. Despite his calm tone, they could tell he was irritated with their irrational decision.

"Sorry." They said as they shrank in on themselves. To be honest, they didn't know why they were making these mistakes, maybe it was the excitement of being next to him. Another reason was the pride they hoped to hear in his voice if they got the kill. They didn't think at the moment and they just reacted, something they thought they had gotten rid of.

"Stop apologizing and start improving upon your mistakes. There will come a time when a simple sorry will not fix things." He scolded. They flinched at his words and went to grab the rifles, only for him to jerk them back and nod his head in the direction of the deer. Both of them quietly followed his silent order and followed the blood trail that the deer left behind. It was spread out in a wild manner and several times they lost track, but barely managed to get back on it. All he did was observe them from the back and think about some things.

He was going to give them the knives and pendant, but they had proved undeserving of them. Should they encounter again and improve upon their behavior then he would consider it, but at the moment they didn't. He would not reward an individual for regression, especially when he knows they can do better. At first, he was going to let the others come, but they didn't seem willing to learn and he saw it as a waste of time. He needed to get back to the settlement before he departed. It would be a goodbye to them and to Maaya and Myne.

"Hey Six... can we have the rifles back?" Ren asked.

"You lost your privilege of them when you recklessly fired and didn't think." He said.

"We need a chance to get them back." Nora said as she hopped up on a rock and jumped on another one.

"You had a chance." He said.

"We need another." Ren said.

"Then find that deer and prove that you deserve it." Six said. They nodded and followed the trail for a bit, taking in each detail carefully. For the next several minutes, he just followed them until they came across a little ridge edge and saw the deer. Both of them knelt near the edge and he slung the rifles around and handed them to each of them. They all saw it stand on shaky legs, presumably from the loss of blood and he watched them aim in. He guided them through the steps of taking it down, claiming to think of it as merely a target.

Two loud shots rang out and the deer fell instantly, bleeding out and perishing shortly after. He watched them cheer and look at him with excitement, making him nod and tell them to go get it. They slid down and rushed up to the deer while he did the same and walked towards the body, brushing his hand against its fur before nodding. Despite him approving of their kill, he still ordered them to carry it back, ignoring their shocked faces. He also ordered for them to not use an ounce of aura to help them, claiming it was part of their punishment for acting out.

While both of them were physically strong, they always used a bit of aura to enhance their abilities, so not using an ounce of it proved to be a challenge. Plus, carrying around dead weight proved to be more difficult than what some would expect.

"Hey, Six, are you going to show us how to skin it?" Nora grunted as she helped carry the body.

"Not this time. We will take it to the butcher in the settlement." He answered.

"Do you know how to skin a deer?" Ren asked.

"I do." He nodded. He's done it countless times, not mentioning how he skinned Tyrian's corpse and strung it up like a piece of macabre art.

"Can we get help for the rest of the way?" She asked.

"No. This serves as your final punishment for acting like arrogant children rather than confident adults. Your professor has told me of you misdeeds and I am here to divert you off that path. You are to show respect towards your teammates and superiors. When you graduate, you may have more freedom. Now continue." He ordered, and began to speed up. Both of them jumped in surprise and just dragged the deer across the ground for the next hour and a half. Their muscles started to scream in pain a bit and before they knew it, they were at the entrance of the settlement.

He turned his head to see them drop the deer before sighing a bit and going over to its body, picking it up effortlessly and throwing it over his shoulders. He heard them follow him closely while looking at the townsfolk wave at him politely. Either he ignored all the attention, or he just didn't care, but he continued to walk towards the butcher's shop.

The two of them followed him as he went around back and kicked the door three times, prompting the large metal door to open upwards. Inside revealed a large man with a bloody cleaver and an apron on. His tusks protruded out from his bottom lip and he snorted when he saw the deer.

"I see you caught another one, looks like a good bag too. Well, come on in and I'll get started." The man said, waving his hand for them to follow him. He nodded and followed the man inside while Nora covered her mouth and gagged a bit at the smell.

"Seems you got two little pups following you around. Looks older than the one at the guild." The man commented.

"..." Six ignored the comment and threw the deer body on the hook and pushed it towards the others.

"Other pup at the guild?" Nora asked, tilting her head.

"You're right about that little miss. Little gal with with blue hair and gold eyes. Speaking of which, how is she?" The man asked as he took a knife and started to skin the new kill.

"She's fine." Six answered calmly.

"Well I'm glad, and before you get all upset and protective, I'm not gonna do anything. Little gal might be more scared of me than anything seeing how I'm the butcher." The man said as he pointed the knife at Six for a second then went back to skinning.

"Why? You don't seem all that scary." Ren said.

"You must be from outside. A lot of kids are scared of me, seeing how I'm always covered in blood. Don't mind it too much anymore, I keep the meet around here good for eating. In fact, big wolf over here always comes by for when he need supplies." The butcher said.

"Do you have anything available?" Nora asked.

"For the most part, yeah. The main reason is my semblance allows me to preserve things longer. Food that should spoil within a few days to a week doesn't spoil for a few weeks to a month. Not really useful for fighting Grimm, but so long as people have meat to eat then that's good enough for me. Not to mention big guy over here brings in some of the freshest kills, barely any damage." He said.

"..." Six just nodded as he toyed with his TACPAD.

"Ah, I take it you two killed it instead of him?" The butcher asked.

"Yeah." Ren nodded.

"I can tell. You struck one of the worst areas. Some areas might be a bit spoiled from where you hit it, but I'll get by. Managed to get by with much worse, so it's all good." The butcher said.

"What would you rate us?" Nora asked.

"Six out of ten. Not quite bad, but not good either. I'd say you need improvement. You shot it in it's lower intestine, some of the waste seemed to have seeped into it. Next time, aim for the heart-lung area with the deer standing broad side. It'll be your best bet." He advised.

"Got it." They nodded.

"Well, alright. Get out of here, ya lot. I got some cutting and cleaning to do. I'll have your supplies ready by either tomorrow or the next day." He nodded towards Six.

"Tomorrow would be preferable." Six nodded.

"I'll see what I can do." The butcher nodded back and went to work. Six just guided the other two out of the shop and back in the street, going towards the market area to buy some supplies. Ren and Nora just walked next to him and simply chatted while he just listened. Although it didn't seem like it, he could tell their attitude was shaping up a little. Perhaps the next time they meet it would.

The three of them walked along the sidewalk while he just let his thoughts run a bit. It was nice for once, to see Nora smiling a bit despite her recent scolding and Ren simply have his calm look. Just their mere presence was enough to bring a sense of peace within him. He simply stood next to them as they found a nearby bench and sat down, sighing in relief while rubbing their feet.

"Hey, Six." Nora called out.

"..." He nodded in her direction.

"Who's the girl that the butcher was talking about?" She asked.

"... Her name is-" He stopped when Maaya's voice rang out from down the sidewalk.

"Myne!" Maaya screamed as she chased the little girl.

"Myne." He finished while looking at the little girl that stopped in front of him, hugging his leg and looking up at him. She gave an excited squeak when he knelt down and stared at her.

"Why are you excited?" He asked.

"I saw you." She beamed.

"I see..." He nodded.

"So is this..." Nora trailed off.

"This is Myne." He finished. He watched as her eyes sparkled brightly and she held her hands up to her mouth, gushing at the sight. As she started to quickly advance, she suddenly stopped when Myne's smile dropped and she locked up tensely while staring at her. Nora watched as the little girl's breathing started to quicken and a flash of guilt spread across her face.

"I didn't mean to-" Nora started.

"You didn't do anything wrong." He said as he placed his hands on Myne's shoulders. His left hand gently guided her face towards his helmet and he stared at her.

"S-Six?" Myne sniffled.

"It is alright. Nora is like you. Her intention was not to bring you harm. Despite her overactive personality, she is not dangerous to you." He explained carefully. She blinked back some tears and rubbed them away before feeling Maaya's hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, sweetheart. He's not here anymore." Maaya said as she wiped Myne's tears away and brought her into a hug. He just stood up and stared at Nora, making her cast her head down. All he did was bring her to the side and explain to her that she shouldn't rush up to people in such a manner. She could tell he wasn't mad since he didn't have that irritated undertone, but it was clear that she needed to improve upon that area. Ren just cautiously greeted Myne after bending down to her level and sticking his hand out, just as Six had years ago.

"I'm Lie Ren, but everyone calls me Ren." He greeted.

"It's okay." Maaya said, gently nudging Myne towards him.

"Myne." She shook his hand before shuffling back towards Maaya.

"Pleasure to meet you." He said before standing up and looking to see Nora still talking with Six.

"How was the bounty with Six?" Maaya asked as she picked Myne up.

"Oh uh... it was good. He wasn't too happy with our performance recently." He said.

"I take it that it's personal?" She asked.

"A little. I mean, he's definitely set us straight before we got too out of hand." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh. Gotcha." She nodded.

"Anyways, I'm sorry Nora acted like that. She was always the more excitable one out of the two of us." He sighed.

"It's fine. I've had to deal with more excitable people at the guild." She waved.

"I bet... Maaya, was it?" He asked.

"Yes. You're Ren, one of the only two people Six actually talks about." She said.

"H-He talks about us?" He blinked.

"He does." She smiled and nodded.

"What does he say?" He asked.

"He mainly wants to know if you've stopped by. Despite him not showing it, I know he cares about you two." She said.

"I figured he did... at least a little bit." He said quietly. It was silent for a while and the three of them just enjoyed the silence before she broke it again.

"I take it that he scolded you two?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. We've been... getting out of hand recently. It's Nora's fault as much as it is mine." He sighed.

"Well, it's a good thing he's here to help you improve." She said.

"Yeah. It's just... half of the problems is because we don't really like people talking about him. I know it's selfish to call him ours, but some of the things people say about him is just..." He trailed off.

"Disrespectful and unneeded?" She finished.

"Yeah." He sighed.

"I'd say there's nothing wrong with defending him to a certain extent. If it's of any reassurance, he doesn't really care what other people think of him. He just likes to be left alone to do his job and leave. Nobody stops him and we value him for doing that." She said.

"Does he do anything else?" He asked.

"Countless other things. Going from helping out, to patrolling, or just doing bounties without a rewards. It's pretty much things that everyone knows about him just from him being here. You two, and Myne, are the ones he cares about despite not showing it. Although, if I would put my input, don't recklessly jump into certain situations. It's always good to think before you do something." She said.

"Got it. I'll take that advice." He nodded.

The three of them looked to see Six and Nora approaching, the latter looked regretful but understanding. She went up to Maaya and Myne before apologizing to Myne and extending her hand out. Nora waited for Myne to grip her hand and shake it before saying another apology and greeted her properly.

Six just watched them say their goodbyes before departing towards the inn for the night, leaving him with Maaya and Myne. He looked to them when Myne made a grabbing motion and he sighed quietly before taking her into his arms and carrying her. She visibly relaxed and set her head down against his shoulder while he carried her to the apartment. He stopped and looked back to see Nora and Ren enter the inn before turning back and continuing to walk.

"Did you give them the knives and pendants?" Maaya asked.

"No." He answered.

"Why not?" She asked.

"They do not deserve it now. Despite them improving on fighting Grimm and situational awareness, they have proven to be quite childish." He answered.

"I would say something, but I understand your perspective. They'll most likely improve the next time they visit." She said.

"I know they will." He nodded. The three of them just walked around the settlement for a while, until the countless stars appeared in the sky and the moon gleamed brightly. It was nice for once, the sense of peace that was brought upon him and he was thankful for the downtime before he left for Mistral. Deep down he knew though... he knew that when he got back to the UNSC, he'd possibly never see them again.

It was always good to enjoy the little moments the universe gifted upon him

I think this is my longest chapter for this story. over 14k worth of content, needless to say I'm a bit proud. I'm getting ahead of myself though, thanks to all for waiting patiently. I'm answering reviews this story, so here we go.

Josephi: Yep, here's another occurrence like that.

free man writer: Spectacular work to you as well, mate.

MysticMauler: I think that's how I feel about every chapter before I upload it. Usually after the upload is said and done, I get over it, it's before I do is when the anxiety kicks in.

BigRig2.0: Here it is.

barrera2009: Indeed. I think I might do a chapter every three weeks to a month, two at the latest.

Minxiboo: I'm glad you've stuck with me so far. To be honest, I do feel pressured every time I finish writing and get to the author's note. I think it's that deep sense of self-doubt that eats at me. If that kind of pressure gets to me too much, I just might go on hiatus to give myself a break, but otherwise I need to learn to face it head on. Thanks for reviewing.

Johniee-Five: Hope you enjoy this.

PilotWithThreeStrikes: Yeah, I wanted to do something slow for a bit before I get back into the action. Action scenes aren't really my specialty, but I do enjoy carefully crafting the more calm scenes. I've learned that constant action isn't always good, so at least I'm improving.

Janny092: Indeed.

UndeadLord22: Yeah, I don't mind getting chapters out, but I do like to take my time.

JCarrasco: Thank you.

VGBlackwing: That was a good review. Yeah, I think every two or three chapters, I might take a break from reviewing so much.

Sm0keyPanda: Here it is.

Guest: I mean... I did consider making a little series if I finish this on a good note. I do enjoy writing this story so who's to say I won't make a little series with the characters in this. I don't want to say a drabble series, but explore on some of the lost elements that aren't brushed up on this.

whatsupman: Possibly.

Malgrath: I enjoy writing Six keep blue-balling him, it really brings about a different element in the story.

darkromdemon: That he is.

Guest: Yeah, taking it slow is necessary sometimes. I've learned that from the other stories I've written. I don't know what it is about this one, but I just feel the need to go above and beyond with it.

spartan-140: I'm glad too, stay safe as well.

Dovahwolf13: I can't wait to write that.

Guest: I wanted to dive into his more secretive life as an ONI operative, just testing the waters a bit.

ZILLAFAN: I know.

Lord Demolitions: That'll come later on in the story. I don't know how long I'll make this, it certainly won't end anytime soon, but it also won't be dragged out for a hundred chapters.

Greyjedi449t: Here it is.

Czechus: Sorry about that, mate. I didn't want to rush this chapter, but somehow I still feel like I screwed the pooch a bit. I try to dive into the world a bit more with the different perspectives. Anyways, stay safe out there.

Masso 2010: indeed.

Gamerman22: That would be interesting.

PhoenixGuy: I would give it either a 8/10 or 9/10 in my honest opinion.

The Prussian Gamer: Possibly a lot.

Ozilla: Had to make at least one or two of them reasonable in the inner circle.

Blaze1992: No.

Guest: Probably not.

Inbound2: I don't think he'd really use a scroll seeing how he knows it can be tracked. He'd probably find a more secure way of keeping in contact with them if he had the chance.

Lord of Moons: Yeah, I wanted to at least build upon his character a bit. I mean, he's feeling more human, but not to the point where he just actively blurts out information. The way I wanted him was, a Spartan through and through, but learning what it means to be human again throughout his journey on Remnant.

Dead344156: Thank you.

Guest: Nothing's happening at the moment.

ADAMU KADOMON: Yeah, took me by surprise. A good analysis on the chapter as always, I enjoy reading the reviews at times. I don't really have much to say other than that, sorry.

Gunblades19: Spot on.

Destoyer78901: Thank you.

butsirent123: Glad you enjoy it.

Guest: Thank you.

Valerious Lake: I'll come up with something.

Guest: I won't say a fight, seeing how she knows she'd either end up dead or losing, but more a battle of perspectives. To be honest, I probably should have waited for a later chapter, but I at least wanted them to interact once in the story.

Eric Mead1: I won't say it's the best since there are probably better ones, but it's decent.

InfernoKnightmare: It's all good. Appreciate the review regardless.

SomewhatEvil: Indeed.

Jusanotherhalofan: Shigeru Miyamoto I believe. A very good quote in a lot of cases.

Spartan-Frog: Sorry, can't help it. I guess it's one of my glaring problems that my therapist is trying to help me overcome. I think The Executioner is good to play against, although, I'm sort of glad they reworked his cage ability. It got a bit annoying every time he put me in the cage and someone else got me out, only for him to beeline it straight towards me.

rvbrwby: I'll probably do a chapter every three weeks to a month, possibly a month and a half to two months at latest. My Gears of War fic is on hiatus at the moment since I kind of want to think about how I'm going to handle the future chapters.

umaranuar14: Thank you.

scottsusa1: Thank you, laters.

jetjedi: Thank you.

yangn33: Indeed she does.

Fredric: I'll try to keep the quality at its current state.

Vvb: True.

Yoshiki-909: From what I've heard and read, it gives a few hours at best, but I could be wrong.

TheLastSterling: You bring up a very good point.

Thomas Knightshade: A very good perspective on your view of Six. Also, I'll check out your story one of these days.

IncensedBus87: I was going to have him give the knives to them, but I wanted to do a twist on it. He expects them to act like adults and wasn't pleased to hear them act otherwise. My chapter isn't good enough thing probably stems from some deep rooted problems of mine to be honest.

Guest: Well, I'm glad I can be at least a highlight in this year for you.

Ayane Yukishiro: He still has the Breacher/Collar and a trauma kit for his utility. Though I might have him change his chest armor further on in the story.

Guest: Thank you.

GunnerRabbit: That might happen further on in the story, spreading the ashes I mean.

singpu: I'll try.

IDrinkDiesel: Thank you.

Chika Hayakawa: I'll work on Ozpin and Ironwood interacting with Six in the future, it's something I kind of want to handle in a careful manner in order not to disappoint people.

Guest: They would.

Guest: I mean, I am and I've already seen the video.

Koop troop: It's good to be aware of these things so you can't fault them for that.

Guest: I'll handle her later on in the story.

Hyjaxx: Indeed.

LUMISA KOSUGI: A very good thought indeed.

Guest: I'll say the same thing for yo.

Guest: And you as well.

Guest: I think the stress from everything that's happening is dwindling me down little by little, but I'm glad you enjoy the story. As for Six getting back to the UNSC and the matter with the outer settlements, I'll handle that in the future.

LDS: I'll give it a read, but probably won't pick it up. I would need the author's permission first and I already have enough on my plate at the moment. Sorry for that.

ODST-LEMBCKE: Here it is.

Jak Fortune: Yeah, he did get what was coming to him.

Juancholo: I don't know about that.

One: I don't really do the whole self promoting business, not really my thing. If people find this story and enjoy it, cool, otherwise I don't really mind.

Guest: Right.

Guest: She might ask after this encounter.

PURPLE HIBISCUS: Don't blame you for not enjoying the other three as much, I started all of those when I first joined fanfiction. To be honest, there were several times when I considered scrapping them, but figured I'd at least fixed whatever garbage I put them as. Anyways, I enjoy your review as well.

Twisted Stigma: Had to do something that didn't fall into the trope.

Jayz21501: Here's another chapter.

Guest: I don't mind if they don't to be honest. I think those two things are only for like, really famous stories.

C4NDY 50F7: That's an interesting idea.

Guest: Well summarized.

Guest: Possibly.

Guest: I would laugh writing that.

Guest: Why the negativity?

Mr. Hexalia: Hope he at least sorted them out this chapter.

I think I might take a break on writing after this chapter, don't know anymore. For some reason, my head's not on straight as it did when the school year ended and I'm faced with more stress now than before. I guess I'm just out of the game and it's bleeding into my writing. Granted, writing is what makes some of my troubles go away, but I'm faced with stress either way. Still, I'm glad to those of you who have waited patiently for this chapter. I know my update speed is slowing down as the year goes on, but I'd rather take my time and write this than pump several garbage chapters out.

I'm still confused about life now, because I'm at a point where I feel like I made a mistake and it's too late to back out now. Shit's getting more and more confusing as time passes and I'm part of the problem I guess... or so I've been told. I don't know.

Anyways, enough about that, take it easy everyone and stay safe out there. Catch you guys later.