Fate's of the Trade

Chapter 6, Episode 9: Lost

In the Land of Darkness at Salem's keep, Ciel is sitting on the floor while Mercury Black is training around the room with punches and kicks.

Ciel: I hate being kept in the dark like this...

Mercury: Yeah, Cinder was a pain, but at least she kept us filled in. *continues training*

Ciel: Can I ask you something?

Mercury: You're gonna.

Ciel: Why did you go with them, the night Cinder and Emerald found you?

Mercury: Why are you asking--

Ciel: Just answer the question.

Mercury: Just made sense.

Ciel: It made sense?

Mercury: All my life, my father trained me to be a killer, an assassin like him. And then moments after I killed him, those two showed up looking for someone with my exact skills. Just felt like it was meant to be.

Ciel: *incredulous* That's it?

Mercury: Hey, what's your problem?

Ciel: I mean, there has to be something you want from this, right?

Mercury: Salem's promised us everything. We win this thing for her, we'll be top dogs in her new world. What more do you want?

Ciel: I just...*sighs* Grimmora was the only family I ever had. She cared about me, taught me things... But without her here, I don't know if what we're doing--

Mercury: Wake up, already...

Ciel looks at him in shock upon hearing this before he stands in anger.

Mercury: Grimmora didn't care about you! She didn't care about any of your friends!

Ciel: You don't know what you're talking about!

Mercury: You're in denial. And if you're gonna start having a crisis of identity or some crap... keep me out of it.

At this, Ciel angrily rushes forward and starts to attack Mercury with punches and kicks, but he dodges them and catches his wrist.

Mercury: I'm sorry you didn't have a mommy that loved you, but I had a father who hated me!

Mercury shoves Ciel back a bit. He takes a defensive stance as he slowly approaches Mercury with his dagger.

Mercury: He never went easy on me! Every day of training was a beating. And when I unlocked my Semblance, he stole it with his! *throws a punch and a kick at Ciel, who dodges them, while he quotes his father's words* "This is a crutch!" "This makes you weak!" He told me I could have it back when I was strong. So I got strong, but I never got it back! I've had to work harder than anyone to get where I am. You may not like it here without Grimmora, but I think I'm right where I'm supposed to be!

Suddenly, the two hear a certain laughter. Tyrian Callows steps out of the shadows with his new metallic scorpion tail.

Tyrian: *mocking* Oh yes, the world is mean, and I'm a big, bad man now just like the others. *laughs*

Mercury: *growls as he angrily walk over to Tyrian* How long have you been standing there?!

Tyrian: All you ever learned was pain and violence, and now you're too afraid to leave it. Such a tragedy.