Looking to see what hit him, Topaz is surprised to see a familiar pair of silver eyes looking into his own. Then from the corner of his vision, he sees the rest of team RWBY along with Winter and Willow approaching with smiles on their faces.
Topaz: "Hey Ruby."
Ruby: "Hi Topaz! It's good to see you again."
Topaz: "Likewise Ruby. I hope things have been going well for you."
Ruby: "Well aside from a certain someone deciding to fake their own death, things have been pretty good."
Topaz: "Hehe, sorry about that. I didn't plan for it to go that far, but that's the way it ended up."
Ruby: "It's fine Topaz, really. We were just worried."
By then the rest of the newcomers have arrived and are greeting everyone else in turn. Winter is the first to make her way over to Topaz, where she awkwardly stands in front of him.
Winter: "Topaz, I…I'm happy to see that you are alright."
Topaz: "It's good to see you as well Winter."
One awkward hug later, Winter walks back over to where Willow is standing and Yang walks over to Topaz.
Yang: "Topaz, I knew you were alive. You're too stubborn to die like that."
Topaz: "You know me so well Yang."
Yang: "You owe me a spar for not coming to tell us though."
Topaz: "Sure thing Yang, but I think you might be a bit preoccupied for a little bit."
Yang: "What do you mean?"
Raven: "Y-Yang."
Yang: "Mom?! What are you doing here?"
Raven: *sigh* "There's a lot we have to talk about, and even more I need to apologize for. I won't ask you to forgive me for what I've done, but I will ask that you at least give your new sister a chance."
Yang: "New sister?"
Topaz: "She's coming over here now."
Raven: "Yue, sweetie. This is Yang, your older sister."
Yue: "Older sister?"
Yue looks up at Yang and tilts her head to the side. Yang looks down on her with both confusion and jealousy in her eyes. Topaz notices this and places his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Yang takes a deep breath and gives Yue a small smile.
Yang: "Hi there Yue."
Yue: "Hi Yang. You're pretty."
Yang: "Oh. Thank you."
Topaz looks over to Raven and sees her holding back tears.
Topaz: "Yue, why don't you go and find Haley and see if she wants to play anything. Yang and Raven have to talk about something."
Yue: "Ok!"
Yue runs off towards everyone else and drags Haley away from Weiss and Blake towards the house.
Raven: "Thank you Topaz. Can we talk Yang?"
Yang: "I guess. You owe me some explanations though."
Raven: "I know. Come on, let's talk back at the new house for a little more privacy. Thank you again Topaz."
With Raven and Yang making their way over to Raven's new house, Topaz returns to where everyone else are chatting. Willow walks over to Topaz and gives him a warm hug.
Willow: "I'm so happy that you're alright Topaz. When Winter came home and told me the news I was devastated. You've done so much for both me and my family."
Topaz: "I'm happy to help Miss Schnee."
Willow: "Please, call me Willow."
Topaz: "Ok, I'm happy to help Willow."
Sara: "Topaz, how do you know Willow?"
Willow: "Topaz is the reason I'm free once again. Because of him Jacques was arrested and the Schnee name will no longer be dragged through the mud."
Topaz: "You know Willow mom?"
Sara: "Do I know Willow. I met Willow during my first Vytal Festival, and we hit it off. After graduation the two of us did some joint missions before she was married and retired from duty."
Willow: "It's been such a long time since then Sara. Like mother like son I guess."
Sara: "What do you mean by that Willow?"
Willow: "Topaz disappears for a couple of weeks. You on the otherhand, disappeared for two decades."
Sara: "…you have a point I guess."
Topaz: "In her defense, my grandfather is a restrictive ass."
Sara: "And he raises an even better point."
Willow: "Let's just agree to disagree. It's great to see you again Sara."
Sara: "Yes, it's great to see you too Willow. Alex, get over here and meet my friend."
Alex: "Hello there, I'm Alex Nemea."
Willow: "Willow Schnee. It's a pleasure to meet the man that can actually put up with Sara."
Sara: "Hey!"
Alex: "I don't know what I'd do without her anymore. She's admittedly my better half and she's helped me through some of my toughest times."
Willow: "Oooh smooth. I like him Sara. It now makes a lot more sense as to how Topaz is able to keep both Neo and Ariel happy if he is anywhere near as smooth as his father."
Topaz took that as an opportunity to walk away before the conversation got any more uncomfortable for him. Walking around and saying hi to everyone else, Topaz feels content for the first time in a long time. But of course, as things go, it would never last. Hearing a branch snap in the forest nearby, Topaz immediately gets on guard and focuses his senses towards where the sound originated. Distancing himself from everyone else, Topaz casually makes his way into the forest to not worry anyone. Once in the forest, Topaz begins to search for who or what made the sound. After looking around for a few minutes, Topaz comes across a set of footprints in the mud. Hearing a sudden whistling sound, Topaz dives to his right and narrowly avoids in incoming arrow.
????: "You just can't make things easy, can you?"
Topaz: "Now why would I do that?"
????: "Been a while animal, and boy am I glad to see you. I still need you for my collection."
Topaz: "Can't say I feel the same. If only you were still in prison in Atlas, Hunter."
Hunter: "Prison wasn't for me. Luckily someone decided I was useful so they helped me get out."
Topaz: "You're sick, you know that?"
Hunter: "I'm sick? I'm not the freak animal, now am I?"
Topaz: "You're right, you're worse."
Hunter: "Worse than an animal? How dare you!"
The hunter quickly draws his bow once more and fires an arrow at Topaz, and then quickly follows with a knife in hand. Topaz steps away from the arrows patch and catches the Hunter's arm before the knife got any closer. Throwing the Hunter over his shoulder, he lands with a dull thud, dropping the knife. Topaz grabs the knife before the hunter could and faces the Hunter once more. The Hunter slowly rises to his feet a crazed look in his eyes.
Hunter: "You're just as fun as I remember. Because of you I can't find my usual enjoyment from my hunts. I don't even want to go around and collect any other animal's trophies. That's all your fault! I will end your pathetic life and claim your trophies for myself!!!"
Topaz: "You really have lost your mind."
Hunter: "Far from it! In fact, I'd say I'm saner than I ever have been before."
The Hunter reaches into his coat and draws out a large handgun and aims it towards Topaz. Topaz's gut tells him to be careful of that gun, and the Schnee family sign on the side of the gun only enhances the feeling.
Topaz: "So Jacques was your mysterious benefactor, was he?"
Hunter: "He was indeed! Just how did you figure that out?"
Topaz: "Considering the rest of the Schnee family has nothing against me, none of them would give you a gun with their family insignia on it. Even though Jacques is no longer a Schnee."
Hunter: "Clever girl."
Topaz: "…"
Hunter: "Apologies. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to say that."
Topaz: "You are crazy."
Not giving Topaz a reply, the Hunter aims the gun and fires it towards Topaz. Topaz dives to his left but feels the bullet still graze his right shoulder, leaving a burning feeling where it passed. Giving his shoulder a quick look, he is surprised to see blood flowing out of a visible wound.
Hunter: "IT WORKS! AHAHAHAHA!"
Topaz: "You found a gun that can hurt me, so what."
Hunter: "If I can hurt you, I can kill you."
Topaz: "You'll have to try a lot harder if you want to kill me then."
Standing up and facing the Hunter once more, Topaz calmly looks into the Hunter's eyes, and gives him a grin.
Topaz: "Sleep tight."
…