A/N: I'm not going to lie, I struggled to come up with ideas for this chapter. I'm trying very hard not to be stuck to canon, but coming up with creative ideas to replace it is rather challenging. I've been thinking of whether or not to start another story alongside this one but haven't made a definitive decision yet. I have three ideas going around in my head. One is an SAO one where the mc goes alongside the group and tells his story as it happens, another is an SAO one where Kirito is sent back in time to when SAO first started, and the final idea is a DxD one where the mc is the unwanted son of a Greek goddess. Let me know if any of those sound interesting to you guys. I hope you enjoy the chapter and have a great day. Rhino out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sitting up after being knocked to the ground by a loving tackle, Topaz stands up and grabs Neo and Ariel's hands.
Topaz: "I'm back girls."
Neo and Ariel: "Welcome back Topaz."
Topaz: "So where is everyone staying while we are here?"
Ariel: "Well, Jaune's sister lives here, so his team and team RWBY are staying with them. Neo and I found a pretty nice inn for cheap for the three of us."
Topaz: "That's awesome! It's always a good time spending time with you girls."
Neo: "Likewise Topaz. With you around there's always something interesting to do or trouble to fight."
Ariel: "True that, Topaz is a magnet for trouble."
Topaz: "I'm not that bad, am I?"
Neo: "…"
Ariel: "…"
Topaz: "Fine then."
After laughing at Topaz's expense, the girls lead Topaz to where everyone else is staying. Walking down the street, Topaz notices how cozy everything looks. The group eventually finds everyone outside on the sidewalk. They all surround Oscar, who is wearing a new outfit that looks much more suited for the life of a huntsman. Walking up to the group, Ruby is the first to Notice that Topaz is with the girls and she quickly rushes towards him with tears in her eyes.
Ruby: "Topaz! You're ok! What happened? You were the last person I expected to fall off the train."
Topaz: "Ruby, relax. Yes, I am ok. All I'm going to say is I had a little fallout with Dee and Dudley that ended with me being shoved."
Ruby: "What! But Dudley said he got hurt because he tried to save you."
Topaz: "Of course he did."
Yang: "Well what are you doing to do about it?"
Topaz: "Huh? Oh, nothing to be honest. If I see the bastard again I'll scare the pants off of him, but only if I see him. I'm not going to actively seek revenge, that's not what a huntsman is about."
Ruby: "I guess you're right."
Qrow: "But where's the fun of that kid?"
????: "Qrow Branwen, would you stop trying to make other people to be like you? For Ohm's sake, one of you is enough."
Qrow: "Oh, its you Cecelia. What are you doing here?
Pyrra: "Mother? What are you doing here, and you know Qrow?"
Cecelia: "Hi dear. I heard my baby girl was back in town after being away for a while an wanted to see her. As for Qrow, sadly I do know him. He and I met during the Vytal Festival back when we were students."
Qrow: "She was all over me back then."
Topaz: "Yep, I'm not buying it. Knowing you, you were a total loner who tried to flirt with girls but failed miserably."
Cecelia: "Hey, he nailed it!"
Qrow: "Not true! I was a stud that the ladies lined up for."
Topaz: "Doubt it."
Ariel: "Yeah, not buying it."
Neo: "Nice try old man."
Qrow: "I don't know what hurts more Topaz, the fact that you don't believe me or the fact that your girlfriends are even harsher about it."
Topaz: "Eh, you deserve it."
Cecelia: "So you are Topaz. I've heard so much about you young man. Thank you so much for saving Pyrra."
Topaz: "Don't worry about it ma'am. Pyrra is a good friend of mine, and I refuse to let my friends be hurt if I can help it."
Cecelia: "You don't know how happy I am to hear that Pyrra has such good friends."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a long afternoon of being told everything that happened since the train. Topaz is surprised to learn of a new type of grimm that attacks its victims psychologically. A dangerous grimm named Apathy. Topaz also learned that their group now has an old lady tagging along, who apparently was once a badass huntress called the Grimm Reaper. She apparently is teaching Ruby to control her silver eyes even better than she already does. Watching as Ruby and Maria are chatting while sitting on bench in the middle of the park where the group is going to pass the time.
Maria: "Now Ruby, you already have a pretty decent handle on how your eyes work, your mother taught you well. But, knowledge and application are two very different things. For instance, when faced with a grimm larger than anything you can imagine, would you be able to remain calm enough to activate your eyes? Or would you freeze and hesitate?"
Ruby: "I… I don't know. I want to say I've done it before at Beacon, but that was in a moment of panic from seeing a friend hurt."
Maria: "Exactly. It's good of you to admit, you should focus on maintaining your composure when fighting for now, and work onwards from there."
Ruby: "Ok!"
Another thing Topaz was also told when he first reunited with his group, was that Salem apparently can't be defeated, but he has a hard time believing that. There is no way the Gods of light and dark would allow her to exist if there wasn't any way for her to be defeated. Thinking it over, he decides that Ozpin more than likely can't defeat her. He wants to ask the lady of the lamp but would rather not use that last question of the century repeating a question already asked. Shaking his head and sighing in frustration, Topaz walks towards Maria and Ruby in the hopes of distracting himself.
Ruby: "Hi Topaz."
Topaz: "Hi Ruby, Maria."
Maria: "Topaz, Ruby here has told me that you also possess silver eyes. Do you know what powers they possess and how to use them?"
Topaz: "Yes, I do have silver eyes like Ruby does, the powers they have and also the way to activate them. The issue is, my eyes don't work like yours or Ruby's."
Ruby: "Oh yeah, I forgot mom said something like that."
Maria: "Silver eyes not working like they should? That's preposterous."
Topaz: "Maybe so, but that's the truth. For whatever reason my eyes don't work like everyone says they are supposed to."
Maria: "How odd. Do you have another strange ability instead?"
Topaz: "Technically yes. My skin is practically impenetrable."
Maria: "Practically?"
Topaz: "I won't say it is just because I haven't encountered anything able to yet. That's just asking for a flag to pop."
Maria: "Strange, I've never heard of such an ability."
Topaz: "Neither have I aside from myself. No one else from the tribe I come from possesses the same trait."
Maria: "Fine then, if I cannot train you how to use your silver eyes get out of here and leave us be."
Topaz: "Alright, have a good one."
Ruby: "Bye Topaz!"
Leaving the two to train, Topaz makes his way over to Sanctum Academy where he was told Pyrra and Jaune would be to help assist the students. Walking into the entryway, Topaz is greeted by a gentleman who wears a simple green suit and large glasses.
????: "Why hello there young man. How might I be of service to you this fine day?"
Topaz: "Hello sir. I was told that a couple of friends of mine would be here today to help with the students."
????: "May I ask your name, and the names of your friends?"
Topaz: "My name is Topaz sir, and the names of my friends are Pyrra and Jaune."
????: "Ah, you are the Topaz Pyrra spoke of. My name is Samuel Marse, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Topaz: "The pleasure is all mine Professor Marse."
Marse: "Allow me to guide you to the training hall where everyone is gathered to watch your friends."
Topaz follows the professor through the halls of Sanctum academy. Looking around he sees many pictures of students in victories poses standing with trophies in their hands and bright smiles on their faces.
Topaz: "It's nice to see that Sanctum Academy's record of great students is well recorded. These pictures show a strong history for the school."
Marse: "Right you are, our academy prides itself in our students' strength. Which is one of the many reasons we are happy to have Pyrra back to help train the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses. She was the strongest student to grace these halls."
Topaz: "As true as that may be, she was also placed on a pedestal and practically ostracized because of it. You wouldn't believe me how happy she was to be able to make friends and be treated like a normal girl when she was at Beacon."
Marse: *sigh* "You're right. The way we acted with her is very regrettable. We blinded ourselves with our pride for her. You wouldn't believe the shock most of us went through when she introduced us to that Arc boy. The history professor passed out when Pyrra kissed him on the cheek, the poor woman."
Topaz: "I can understand the surprise myself. Jaune and Pyrra are so different in almost everything that no one would expect them to be dating. But they are happy together so I will not do or say anything to go against them."
At that moment Professor Marse stopped and turned towards Topaz. Opening the door before him, Topaz is able to see Pyrra and Jaune sparring in front of a large crowd. When they notice the crowd beginning to murmur, they stop their spar, and see Topaz standing in the doorway.
…