A/N: It's good to be able to release a chapter to you all once again. I'm sorry for the long break since the last chapter but on top of the carpel tunnel, I also somehow got a stomach bug that left me pretty incapacitated for a while. As much as I want to say that I'm back to 100% I'm really not, but I will still be going for the daily releases while I can. With everything being said, welcome to today's chapter and I hope you all enjoy. Rhino out.
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Walking through the desert on Menagerie, Topaz keeps an eye out for the group of grimm he was sent to track down. After a few hours of searching, Topaz's search comes to an end. Standing a quarter mile to the east of Topaz, a group of grimm are standing in formation, all looking towards a strange looking grimm. Topaz enhances his vision to take a look at the grimm leading the group. It was humanoid in shape, with long arms and legs, all pure black in color. It had the typical white grimm plates along its chest and back, and a plate that looks like a mask over its face. Said mask had red lines going vertically on the left and right side, intersecting where the glowing yellow orbs that are its eyes are. With every move it made, drops of darkness would fall from its extended arms before dissolving into nothing.
Topaz: "Just what in the brothers' name are you?"
Walking slowly towards the group, Topaz begins planning for what to do to take out the grimm. Lying down on the top of a large sand dune, Topaz takes a deep breath and grabs ahold his spear, preparing to attack. Reaching into his pocket, Topaz pulls out a sizeable fire dust crystal and throws it in between the group of grimm. Quickly pulling out his pistol, he fires a shot at the crystal, forcing it to explode. Keeping his eyes peeled on the cloud of dust, he senses a shift in the dust and rolls to his right, narrowly dodging a… black glob of something. Scrunching his nose at the stench of the glob, Topaz turns his attention to the cloud of dust and sees it begin to diminish. Of the large group of grimm, only the strange being leading it remains, and it does not look too happy. With a roar, the creature rushes towards Topaz swinging its long arms in a whip like motion. Blocking the strike with the center of his spear, Topaz braces for a heavy hit, only to be surprised when the impact never arrives. The creature stopped mid swing and stares at Topaz, its glowing yellow eyes staring into his very soul. Topaz narrows his eyes at the creature's strange stop, only for it to tilt its head slightly in curiosity.
Creature: "You, boy."
A feminine voice comes from the creatures catching Topaz off guard.
Topaz: "How are you speaking? Grimm aren't supposed to be able to."
Creature: "You are correct in that assumption. I am not the grimm you are currently looking at, I am merely using it as a vessel to speak with you."
Topaz: "Who are you?"
Creature: "My name does not matter. What does matter is you child."
Topaz: "Me?"
Creature: "Yes, you. Your existence in and of itself doesn't make any sense to me. You have the dreadful silver eyes, but none of their powers. And don't even get me started on your skin, not even a scratch on it. What's a woman to do but feel jealous at such a sight."
Topaz: "…"
Creature: "Not even a chuckle? That is rather harsh child."
Topaz: "You didn't really leave much with that for me. I want to say I know who you are, but would rather not be right with that guess."
Creature: "I am the nightmare of any who posses silver eyes, and I shall be the bane of mankind."
Topaz: "So you are her."
Creature: "And who do you mean by her?"
Topaz: "Salem."
Salem: "So you have heard of me? Not that I find that very surprising given the time you've spent with Ozpin and Ironwood."
Topaz: "I've heard about you, about what you've been through."
Salem: "And you think what I've done is truly dreadful like all the others?"
Topaz: "No, I can't say I would do anything different if my girls were to be killed. Love makes us do crazy things."
Salem: "How about I make a deal with you. You stay out of my way and I will let you and your little girlfriends live."
Topaz: "…"
Salem: "So, how about it child? Do we have a deal?"
Topaz: "No."
Salem: "No?!"
Topaz: "No. You aim to wipe mankind off the face of the earth to get your vengeance on the two gods who cursed you those many years ago. The moment you would get what you wanted you would just turn your sights to me and my girlfriends. Add in the fact that I have a family and large group of friends that I am determined to keep safe and it's fairly easy to reject the false offer."
Salem: "You will stay out of my way, or you will die. Here and now."
Topaz: "You can try, but I will survive and I will help to bring you down."
With a cry of pure fury, the creature swings at Topaz once again. Blocking the strike with his spear, Topaz spins and takes a swipe at it in return. Topaz watches in satisfaction as his spear slices through one of the creatures outstretched arms slashing it clean off. With the severed limb falling to the ground, it slowly melts into a large pool of the black gunk. The creature steps into the pool and Topaz watches with wide eyes as its arm begins to regrow.
Topaz: "Well this is going to be a pain in the ass."
Rolling his shoulders, Topaz looks towards the creature once more and looks for anything he can exploit as a weakness. Dodging slash after slash, Topaz keeps his eyes open for an opening in the creature's movements. After a few minutes, Topaz notices that when the creature attack, it's lead leg stiffens and stays planted until its attack is finished. With its next attack, Topaz parries its arm away and slashes its lead leg off, causing the creature to fall to the ground. Using that to his advantage, Topaz slashes the creatures head off and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the creature begin to dissolve into the usual black mist. Falling back onto the sand Topaz takes his time catching his breath, thinking over the conversation he had with Salem. After a little while, Topaz sits up and sees something white poking out of the sand. Grabbing whatever it is, Topaz is surprised to find the creatures mask lying there. Shaking his head, he puts the mask into the small bag he left on top of the sand dune and begins making his way back to Kuo Kuana. The journey back is quick and uneventful, walking through the familiar market, Topaz purchases some food to eat and takes a seat on the edge of one of the open docks, dangling his feet over the edge.
????: "H-Hello?"
Topaz: "Hmm?"
Turning around, Topaz sees a girl he doesn't recognize looking at him. She has long brown hair put into a simple ponytail that curls towards her tailbone. She has light blue eyes and dark freckles cover her exposed skin.
????: "Would your name by chance be Topaz?"
Topaz: "Yes, it is? Do I know you?"
????: "No, you don't. My name is Ilia, I'm a friend of Blake's. She told me about you before she went back to stop Adam."
Topaz: "Ilia, it's nice to meet you."
Ilia: "Nice to meet you too. What are you doing here?"
Topaz: "I was sent here to look into a strange group of grimm in the desert. I got back from taking care of it a little bit ago and stopped for some food."
Ilia: "I see. H-How is Blake doing?"
Topaz: "She's doing well. She met up with her teammates from Beacon while defending Haven Academy. It was admittedly rather tough when they first met up. One of my adoptive sisters, cousins? Too much thinking. Well she and Blake were rather close at Beacon, and when Blake left it left a slight emotional scar with her. They are working at it, but it will take time."
Ilia: "T-That's good, Blake has been through a lot, so hearing she's happy helps a lot."
Topaz: "You're a good friend to her Ilia."
Ilia: "I'm really not."
Topaz: "Don't sell yourself short Ilia. The smallest things can mean the most to some people, and I know Blake is one of those kinds of people."
Ilia: "Thank you."
Topaz: "There's no need to thank me, any friend of Blakes is a friend of mine."
Ilia: "So what will you do now?"
Topaz: "Well, as soon as another ship arrives, I'll head back towards Atlas and meet up with everyone else."
Ilia: "You're going to Atlas? Is it as bad as they say for us faunus?"
Topaz: "Some people are, but not everyone. I might also help that we've been around some pretty high ranking officials in the military."
Ilia: "Who knows. Say hi to Blake for me when you see her next."
Topaz: "Will do, have a good one Ilia."
Ilia: "See you."
Seeing a ship off on the horizon, Topaz stands up and stretches. Fully prepared to return to his friends and girls.
…