The Six Guns

"How's the progress coming along" he asks, "I don't really know how long custom made guns take to finish, but I'm hoping it'll be soon. I have something important at hand".

"First, let me see your military ID again" Vivi says.

As the man pulls out his ID and hands it over to Vivi, Siran moves so quickly and quietly that it seems as if he simply teleported behind the hooded man. The hooded man did not yet realize that Siran was behind him and pointing a gun to the back of his head already.

"I have some important questions" Vivi says.

"Yes, very important questions" the man hears Siran say from behind him. The man froze but showed no signs of wavering. "And you'll need to answer them as honestly and accurately as possible if you want to leave alive".

Vivi stands up slowly and says "Whoa, slow down there. Let's not go from zero to one-hundred so quick. Let's start with the easy questions. Your last name, Hood, are you related to Garreth Hood in any way?".

"Yes" the man says. "Unfortunately so".

"In which way?" Vivi asks with a stern face.

"He's... my father" the man replies.

"So this ID isn't fake then?" Vivi asks.

"No, it's a fake all right" he replies with a smile. "I'm not in the military. It's a close replica though. Sometimes it even fools officers in the military".

"And what about the military's actions?" Siran asks, still holding the gun, "do you know anything about what they're doing? How they're doing it? Maybe something about a recent source of power or anything like that?".

"Why do I get the feeling Siran isn't telling us about something?" Finn asks, still sitting on the couch.

"Power?" The man asks. "No... I don't get to know about what goes on in the military. I already told you, I'm not one of them".

"You're directly related to one of The Mages" Vivi asks, "but you don't know shit about what's going on?".

"Not really, no" the man replies. "I don't exactly get along often with my father. Not often enough to know what they're up to... well, actually, we don't get along at all. Er- we kinda hate each other". The man starts scratching the back of his head, thinking, as he talks. "Okay, I'm actually trying to kill my dad, and that's half of the reason why I'm here".

"Wait a minute" Siran says as he thinks for a couple seconds. "What?".

"What part of that doesn't make sense?" The man asks sarcastically. "I'm trying... to kill... my dad".

"Then why go with the military alter ego?" Vivi asks.

"Duh-" the man scoffs, "it's called a cover. I'm not even old enough to join the military yet".

"What?" Vivi asks as she visibly grows more angry.

"Kid..." Vivi says as she caresses the bridge of her nose in frustration, "what the actual hell?".

The man looks down at Vivi and sighs. "I'm actually planning on finding that group of outlaws" he says. "Whatever they were called... something stupid if I remember correctly".

"The Six Guns?" Siran asks.

The man snaps his fingers as of coming to a discovery. "Yeah! That's it!" He says.

The crews just remains in their places, waiting in this awkward silence. Vivi gestures her hand to the rest of the people in the room. "Congrats" Vivi says. "Found 'em".

The man facepalms and slowly looks over at the couch. As their eyes met, Finn nervously waves at the hooded man as the rest of the crew just stares in confusion. The man then turns back to look at Vivi. "No..." he says. "No no no no no, this can't be right".

"Ta-Da!" Vivi says sarcastically, briefly waving her hands in the air to make light of the moment.

"How old even are you?" Siran asks.

"16 years old" he responds.

"For the record" Vivi says, "I honestly had no idea today would be this awkward. But also, out of curiosity, what is your first name? It only shows your fake rank and last name on the ID".

"Robin" he replies.

"Robin... Hood?" Vivi asks.

Robin sighs deeply and says "Yep".

"And there goes any tension in the room" Finn says, then laughs.

"Why did you seek us out?" Siran asks.

"Well" Robin says, "I WAS going to see if I could help trade intel with you guys in exchange for helping me with my personal vendetta. But now I'm not so sure".

"Intel?" Siran asks.

"Yeah" Robin replies. "I may not know why or what The Ly'Lum is doing, but I do know how The Ly'Lum works. My dad wanted me to join, obviously, and kept forcing me to learn about military life. He grew disappointed in me after I declined twenty too many times".

"How many times did he ask you to join?" Rose asks.

"About twenty" Robin says.

"Strict man, huh?" Siran asks.

"Yeah" Robin says, "although I'd use more explicit words like asshole".

Siran finally lowers his gun and sighs to himself. "What the hell is this conflict coming to?" He asks himself. "He's a kid... A KID".

"A kid" Robin adds, "that was taught and trained to be a soldier without ever actually becoming a soldier".

"But still-" Siran complains.

Robin interrupts Siran with a sigh of stress and says "Look, do you want more help or not? I came all the way out here from The Omnium Guild just to get shit rolling, but your crew seems so... so...".

"Underwhelming?" Alex asks.

"Strange?" Finn asks.

"Misfit?" Zia asks.

"Unorthodox?" Holly asks.

"Yes" Robin says. "All of those things".

Siran sits down and asks "I don't buy that you came here only to help us kill your dad. There's another reason, isn't there?".

Robin pauses for a moment and finally says "I need somewhere else to be. Somewhere with protection".

"From whom?" Vivi asks.

Robin looks right at Vivi without saying a word. "Right" Vivi says, "your dad".

"That bad?" Finn asks.

Robin takes off his hood, turns around and reveals a large scar on the back of his head that was visible because hair would no longer grow there. "I have more if you want to see them" Robin says. "Like on my back, my arms and stuff".

Siran rubs his forehead as he thinks for a moment. Finally, he says "I can't stand seeing stuff like this".

"Scars?" Alex asks, "Because I thought by now you've seen much worse".

"No" Siran says, "not scars. Domestic abuse".

"Aww" Finn says, "Siran has a soft side".

"Stuff it" Siran says. "It's just that I've experienced that kind of stuff before".

Vivi cocks her head to the side a little as she asks "But didn't you mention that you don't have a family?".

"I don't anymore" Siran says.

The room fell silent for a moment. "Oh give me a break!" Siran says, "I didn't kill them. Also, we're not talking about me here, this is about Robin".

"This might just be me" Finn says, "but isn't Robin a girl's name?".

Robin points right at Finn and says "Shut it".

"It's like Siran and Robin are brothers or something" Alex says. "They look and act similar, except we know Robin's dad already and we still don't know much about Siran".

"Anyways" Siran interrupts, "this can be a group decision. What do you guys think about taking in the kid?".

"I think it'll be for the best" Zia says. "I'd hate to have to send him back to those people in the guild".

"I think you're too soft-hearted and reckless" Vivi says to Zia and Siran. "Either you'll have to take him with you on missions or find him a place to hide".

Siran looks over at Vivi and asks "How about staying here?".

"How about no?" Vivi replies, "you crazy dumb bastard".

"I don't think it'll be a good idea to bring a kid on missions" Alex says.

"No kidding" Siran replies, "he may not even know very much magic".

"Do I have a say in this?" Robin asks.

"Not really" Alex replies, "but go ahead anyways".

"I'm proficient in distortion magic" Robin says. "I know several techniques and I can channel a lot of Endoindustria".

"Wow, really?" Rose asks.

"I actually prefer to fight" Robin continues.

"I have an idea" Siran says. "We can't drag a kid around through battlefields... but he does want to take a shot at his old man. So if he can find his own place to stay here in Seeira, then we can bring him on missions, but only any missions involving Garreth. He gets his shot at his dad, we don't have to drag him around to every mission, and he doesn't have to stay with Vivi".

"As long as he's not here" Vivi says, drinking another cup of coffee.

"How are we gonna find him a place to stay though?" Finn asks.

"Oh..." Siran says. "Right".

"Think he could work with those people at the Kitchen place?" Rose asks. "Maybe then, he could afford accommodations".

"I don't know what to be impressed with more" Alex says. "The fact that Rose said something smart, or that she knows a big word in English like accommodations when she grew up around rebels that probably didn't speak English as their first language".

Rose just simply shrugs as Robin comes to a conclusion. "I guess that works out, if that's what it takes" he says.

"Cool" Siran says as he walks to the door. "My head is spinning from having to meet more than one new person within a short period of time and I'm not good at meeting new people. Or meeting... or people. I'm going to grab a drink".

Zia stands up and walks up to the door as well. "I want to come too" she says softly.

The two of them leave as no one else joins them. After a short silence in Vivi's house, Finn says "I wonder what they're up to".

"Those two are just weird in a similar way" Alex says. "Except one is usually quiet and the other talks a lot".

"Oh, I think I get it now" Finn says. "Guess they like each other or something? I never noticed".

"Literally everyone has noticed" Alex says. "Everyone knows it except for the two of them. By the way, Zia's been rather quiet lately".

Vivi puts down her mug of coffee and asks "Do any of you think you know why that is?".

Finn shrugs and asks Holly, "Do you know why Zia's been so quiet lately?".

Holly doesn't respond at all. "Hello?" Finn calls to Holly as Holly finally seems to snap back into reality.

"What?" Holly asks.

"Do you know why Zia's been extra quiet lately?" Finn asks.

"She has?" Holly asks. "I haven't noticed, I've been too busy ignoring everybody for like... a week".

"But you just said we were 'unorthodox' earlier when we were talking about the crew" Finn says.

"Did I?" Holly asks.

Zia and Siran went to the local bar. Neither of them said anything as they walked there. It was quiet, but they enjoyed what little quiet time they had. After they arrived, they sat down and began drinking. After a little while, Siran asks "You seem a little out of it lately, is something wrong?".

Zia shakes her head and says "Just... been thinking is all. Also, a lot of people are in the crew now, and I'm not very good with crowds".

"Me either" Siran says. "But with this many people joining our cause or looking to us for help, it only proves that the world really needs changing".

Zia nods slightly in agreement as she drinks. "What's been occupying your mind so much anyways?" Siran asks.

"If I told you" Zia says, "then there really wasn't a point in me remaining quiet and thinking to myself".

"I guess that's fair" Siran says, scratching the back of his head.

"Then again" Zia says, "I guess it's always better to have someone you can depend on to help".

"Well" Siran says with a smile, "I'm glad at least someone thinks I'm dependable".

"Of course you are" Zia says. "You're our captain, after all". Siran laughs a little before Zia continues. "What do you think the world will be like if you accomplished everything you've set out to do with this war?" She asks.

"That's a tough question" Siran says.

"Well, what do you want the world to be like when the war is over?" Zia asks.

Siran thinks to himself for a moment before saying "I would say peaceful, but that's a little too vague. What I want, is not only to try to make the world peaceful, but also teach the people of the world to stand up for themselves rather than let people or life push them around. To try to show people that we don't need heroes anymore to save the world, and that everyone has the power in their own hands to make things right; to live life how they really want".

"And what are you going to do after the war?" Zia asks. "What do you want from life? A quiet place to live, more freedom, a family maybe?".

"You guys are my family" Siran says. "I guess that's what I really wanted all along. A place to belong".

"That's not what I mean" Zia says, "but good enough".

"What about you?" Siran asks. Zia shrugs her shoulders in response. "No, that's not fair. I told you, now you have to tell me" Siran complains.

"Alright, alright" Zia says. "I guess I wanted a family too, but I also still miss my old family". Once again, it seemed like Zia was trying to avert her gaze away from Siran.

"It's okay to miss them" Siran says. "And if you need someone to talk to or ever need a shoulder to cry on, I don't mind being there to help. Just don't let the world make you numb and lose your ability to cry when you need to. Once you lose your ability to cry, you become like a machine and forget how to be a person... like me. I don't want to see the world destroy you, and you become like me. I'd hate to see the world destroy such a beautiful smile".

Zia looks up at Siran, her face turning slightly red, with a smile. "Thanks" she says softly.

After Zia and Siran walk back to Vivi's house, they notice Robin isn't there.

"Where'd the kid go?" Siran asks.

"We took him to that restaurant" Alex said. "Finn introduced him to all those people there and got him a job. However, he apparently knows nothing about cooking, so they made him a janitor there. At the very least, he has a job".

"Well, it's a start" Siran says.

"So what should we do next?" Alex asks.

"That's a good question" Siran says. "I haven't gotten any leads on a possible job, but maybe we're finally ready to take the fight to their land".

"You mean, attack The Ly'Lum directly in their homeland?" Alex asks.

"Yeah" Siran says, "they don't know how many of us there are, so we can take advantage of their lack of intel and keep pressure on them. If we can, I want to gather all of the members of The Six Guns together here so we can further discuss our next course of action".

"No, not here" Vivi says as she crosses her arms.

"Then I guess we'll gather all of our members at the hideout in Vega" Siran says. "That includes you, Vivi".

"Fine, as long as they can't trash my place" Vivi says. "On a related note, you guys are cleaning this place".