A/N: It feels good to have some motivation to write again. Now it's time for shit to hit the fan in the story, and I'm not going off of cannon, so who knows what will happen~. I hope you all are having a great day, and staying safe. Enjoy the chapter, Rhino out.
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Walking away from Mike, Topaz hears him chuckling behind him and heads out the door. Joanna waits for him outside with an anxious look on her face.
Topaz: "I'm heading up to Atlas, my team will stay back here to help keep the peace."
Joanna: "How are you going to get up there? There aren't any airships available?"
Topaz gives her a wink and transforms himself into a hawk and takes to the skies.
Joanna: "What in the brothers' name?"
Neo: "You never really get used to seeing that."
Making quick time flying up to Atlas, Topaz quickly finds himself soaring above the floating island. Looking down below, he sees the massive whale looking grimm imbedded on the edge of the floating island. Everyone once in a while, it opens is massive mouth and a flood of an all too familiar black sludge flows onto the ground. From that sludge, waves of grimm emerge and begin rushing towards the general populace of Atlas. Screams can be heard as the grimm are spotted, and the panic that ensues only paints a target on the population. Seeing a small group of beowolves rushing towards a small café, Topaz rushes towards the ground and transforms back to his normal self, and slashes at the lead beowolf. Dodging claws, and ducking under menacing teeth, Topaz makes quick work of the grimm. Turning to the people of the café, Topaz sees no one injured.
Topaz: "Everyone needs to get to a safe location, now!"
?????: "Thank you."
A woman nods her thanks and rushes out the doors heading towards Atlas Academy with everyone else close on her heels. Topaz takes a step outside the door and had a sudden feeling of incoming danger so he rolled to his right. There is a sizzling sound and the wall where Topaz's head was mere moments before now has a molten hole in it. Scanning his surroundings warily, Topaz sees someone slowly walking towards him, messing with a weapon in their hand.
Topaz: "Good thing you aren't nearly as good a shot as you are a scumbag."
Jacques: "You damn animal. You've ruined EVERYTHING FOR ME!"
Topaz: "You ruined everything yourself you bastard."
Jacques: "I'm going to kill you slowly, them I'm going to drag your severed head straight to that worthless bunch that dare call themselves my rightful name."
Topaz: "You really have a screw loose Jacques."
Jacques: "SILENCE!"
Jacques raises the gun in his hand and levels it towards Topaz's chest.
Jacques: "I'm sure you remember this beautiful weapon. Capable of even harming your worthlessly strong hide."
Topaz: "I will admit that that weapon caught me off guard the last time I encountered it, but that isn't going to happen anymore. Especially to the likes of you."
Jacques: "Big words from a worthless animal."
Topaz: "You call me worthless, but at least I have people that actually want me around, unlike you."
Jacques snarls at Topaz and fires the gun towards him. Topaz dives to the side without taking his eyes off of Jacques. Jacques pull the trigger a few more times, laughing maniacally.
Jacques: "YES, RUN YOU DIRTY LITTLE ANIMAL!"
As the gun fires upon Topaz continuously, he notices that the barrel is becoming red, and the barrel is smoking. Smiling to himself, Topaz slowly begins getting closer to Jacques, waiting for his time to strike. Once he sees the barrel of the gun begin to sag from the heat and stress it has endured, Topaz stands tall and begins slowly walking towards Jacques.
Jacques: "Good animal, accept your death."
Leveling the gun at Topaz's head, he pulls the trigger once more, only for the gun to explode in his hands.
Jacques: "ARGH!"
Topaz dives towards Jacques, punching him in the face, unable to not be satisfied at the crunch he feels when he makes contact with Jacques' nose. Jacques staggers back holding his nose. His white suit is stained a bright crimson as the blood drips onto it. Jacques falls back onto his ass fear evident in his eyes.
Topaz: "Really Jacques, no aura and you think you could do anything to me."
Topaz stands tall over Jacques, shaking his head.
Jacques: "No please, I'll do anything. Just don't kill me."
Topaz: "Kill you? I'm not like you Jacques. I don't need to resort to killing or any other underhanded methods. You aren't worth my time."
Smacking Jacques on the side of his head with his spear, Jacques falls unconscious. Finding a destroyed Atlas robot nearby, Topaz pulls some of the thicker wiring outside of the broken shell and ties Jacques to a nearby street pole and continues towards Atlas academy. As he nears the academy, he hears a familiar voice shouting commands.
Winter: "I need a squad going north to take care of a group of Ursa that just popped up. Ace ops, you're in charge of search and rescue. Search high and low, there are people still out there without anyone to help them, so work fast but also be smart."
Ace Ops: "Roger!"
Walking towards Winter as she commands her units. Her hair is done up in a higher ponytail, and her outfits states she'd been through the ropes recently.
Topaz: "Winter, you look like you've seen better days."
Winter: "Listen here wise gu- Topaz?"
Topaz: "Good to see you."
Winter rushes towards him and hugs him tightly. Topaz returns the hug, and can tell Winter needed it based on her shaking.
Winter: "When I heard what happened to you, I was pissed and heartbroken."
Topaz: "It'll take more than Ironwood to take me down Winter. Not even the bastard you used to call a father could take me down with a weapon especially made to kill me."
Winter: "WHAT?"
Topaz: "I may or may not have encountered the Hunter again with a weapon your father had designed. And then I may or may not have ran into Jacques on the way here, and he may or may not be tied to a street pole a couple blocks over."
Winter: "…"
Topaz: "…"
Winter: "It's good to have you back Topaz."
Topaz: "I'd say it's good to be back, but I was rather comfortable pretending to be dead on Patch."
Winter: "Then why did you come back?"
Topaz: "You know me Winter. I can't let those I care about be in danger without helping."
Winter: "I know, it's one of the best things about you. Your dedication and determination when it comes to those you see in a friendly light is commendable and something I've come to respect."
Topaz: "Thank you Winter, that means a lot to me."
Winter: "Anytime Topaz."
Topaz: "So what is going on, and how can I help."
Winter: *sighs* "Too much is happening at once. Salem has started her attack as I'm sure you've seen. The Atlesian soldiers are being overwhelmed by the grimm and no one can seem to get along long enough to get the job done."
Topaz: "Where is team RWBY and JNPR?"
Winter: "…"
Topaz: "Winter?"
Winter: "They're in hiding."
Topaz: "Why are they in hiding Winter, what exactly has happened since I left?"
Winter: "When Ruby found out that General Ironwood was planning on abandoning Mantle in order to protect the people of Atlas, she sent out a broadcast to all of your friend letting them know. In order to try and stop them, General Ironwood declared them traitors and to be arrested on sight."
Topaz: "Brothers above, what on Remnant is he thinking!?"
Winter: "I don't know Topaz, I really don't."
Topaz: "So what happened to you?"
Winter: "What do you mean?"
Topaz: "The outfit change, the braces, the lack of confidence in your body language suggests something pretty major happened."
Winter: "I was ordered to become the Winter Maiden by General Ironwood, problem was that Cinder Fall showed up at the same time. Penny and I tried to stop her, but we couldn't do anything to her. I was beaten around like I was a mere child next to her. Had Fria not used her powers when she did I wouldn't be here to speak with you right now. After that Penny absorbed the Winter Maiden's powers and I was taken in for recouperation."
Topaz: "Are you okay now?"
Winter: "I'm fine enough, still shaky in some things admittedly, but still pushing forwards."
Topaz: "That's all you can do most days. I'll help however I can Winter, but we need to work together if we are going to stop Salem."
Winter: "Stop her? Ruby told us there isn't a way to defeat her."
Topaz: "No one is unbeatable Winter. Think about it, Salem has worked from the shadows for centuries, hunting down silver eyed warriors. Why do you think that is?"
Winter: "I don't know Topaz."
Topaz: "I've spoken to her Winter, and it was pretty easy to read her then."
Winter: "You what?!"
Topaz: "It's like this…"
…