Last Chapter:

"Goodnight," she answered and fell fast asleep.

/

Violet opened her eyes. the room was full of sunlight from the neat by window. She sat up. "You awake?" she whispered to Topaz.

Topaz sat up and rubbed her eyes," Yeh."

"Good," she said, "i hate being the first one up."

"I don't mind," Topaz said sitting on the edge of her bed," I always end up making Kazi breakfast."

"You can have a break from that today!" Violet said cheerfully, "We usually just buy something at the guild."

"Even though I don't mind it, its realy nice to have a break." Topaz smiled," Should we go see if the others are awake?"

"Good idea." said Violet, "Better leave soon so you can go on that job with Natsu andAugust." she said August's name like he was more important than Natsu.

"Oh," Topaz said rubbing the back of her head," I almost forgot about that."

Violet giggled as she opened the door to the main living space.

"What's so funny," Topaz half laughed as she followed her out the door.

"Nothing," she said shaking her head. "Morning boys" she said to August and Kazi.

"Hey," Kazi said obviously still tired.

"Sleep well?" asked August.

"Yeah," Topaz smiled at the two.

"We going to head to the guild hall," said august "But we can wait for you."

"I can keep up," Topaz said her smile turning into a smirk.

"We can go whenever you are ready." said August.

"Stop being such a worrywort," Topaz said," We can go now if you want."

"I'm not a worrywort," said August, standing up and walking to the door.

"If you say so." Topaz said walking up behind him.

Natsu was waiting for them at the guild hall. "Hi guys!" he greeted, "You two all ready for that job with me and Happy?"

"Yeah," Topaz said," But all of us still have to eat," she started to drag Kazi with her over to the bar.

Violet smiled politely, then followed, August in tow.

"What can I get for you today?" asked Mira.

"Kazi and I would like some eggs please." Topaz asked smiling sweetly at Mira.

"Same goes for us" added volet, sitting down next to Kazi.

"Four plates eggs coming right up!" said mira, turning around.

"Food," Kazi grumbled, as his stomach grumbled too.

"Is food all you think about?" scolded Violet.

'Hungary..," he grumbled again placing his chin down on the bar table.

"I think we can take that as a yes." laughed August.

"If all he thinks about is food then that's not good for our tactician," She whispered to Violet. she giggled.

"Heres your food." said Mira, retuning with four huge plates of steaming hot eggs.

"Don't burn your mouth," Violet warned Kazi as Mira passed out the food.

Kazi perked up when Mira placed the plate in front of him," Yummy," he said licking his lips and he started stuffing his face.

"You need to slow down." Topaz said hitting Kazi on the head.

"It's not going to grow legs and run away you know." said August, taking a bite.

"But it's so yummy!" Kazi said not listening to his friend's words. Topaz laughed as she started to eat too.

"You guys doing anything interesting today?" wondered Mira, putting her elbows on the counter.

"Topaz is going on her first job." Kazi said stopping to poke Topaz's shoulder.

"Not all alone I hope." said Mira

"No," explained August "Natsu invited us"

"Us?" wondered Mira.

"Yep said August, "Me and Topaz."

"Just the two of you!" Mira said, clapping her hands together, "That's perfect!"

"No," Topaz said a slight blush forming," Natsu is coming so it will be the three of us."

Mira didn't seem to hear. "You know Laxus did say that he overheard something from the infirmary the other day, he said-"

"Wow, this food sure is good!" Interrupted August. "Don't you think so Topaz!"

Topaz gave him a puzzled look," Yeah," she hesitantly answer," But you interrupted Mira that was rude."

Mira looked from August to Topaz. "Ohh," she said "That's fine, I think that's nice that August likes to say what he really thinks!" she gave him a slightly creepy smile.

"Uh okay," Topaz said looking between the two.

"Well look at that, I'm all done eating," said August, "We should go find Natsu." he got up and walked over to Natsu and Happy.

"Okay," Topaz said finishing her eggs and following August.

As they left Violet and Kazi looked at each other and let out the laughs they had been holding in.

"You two all ready to go!" said Natsu as they approached.

"Yeah I think we're ready," Topaz said sending a questioning look at August.

August nodded. "Yep." he answered.

"Aye!" Happy cheered," Let's go Natsu!"

"What kind of job is it?" asked August as they walked out.

"Just some monster thing." said Natsu causally, "should be really easy!"

"We don't have to ride the train to get their do we?" Topaz asked holding her stomach. Just thinking about it made her nauseous.

"No way!" said Natsu "it's just outside of town." he held his stomach too. "I try not to go on any transportation."

"Oh thank goodness," Topaz said letting out a sigh of relief

"Oh you must get motion sickness too!" said Natsu with an award winning smile. "Cool!" he held up a fist for Topaz.

"Their really is nothing cool about it," Topaz said bumping fists with him anyways.

"Sure there is!" Natsu said "we understand each other!"

"Why did I even say anything." Topaz groaned placing her hand over her face.

"What about you August?" he asked "we haven't really gotten the chance to talk."

"There isn't much to tell." said August grimly. He was here for Topaz not to befriend a target.

"He's pretty gloomy huh?" Natsu said.

"Not all the time," Topaz said,"But are we just going to stand here or are we going to go." she basically started pushing the two out the door.

"R-right" stuttered Natsu. "See you later guys!" he waved to the rest of the guid.

"Be careful!" called lucy, "there was a sighting of some assassins in that area!"

"I will!" called Natsu"

"assassins?" asked august glancing to topaz.

"you've never heard of them?" asked Natsu as they started walking.

Topaz looked over to August, clearly worried about what the others were thinking.

"We have," said august, treading softly. "But we didn't know there were any around here."

Natsu's smile was gone. "They come and go there's a whole guild of them to the south."

"To the south." august repeated,, taking a deep breath. Not us he thought thankfully.

Natsu's body started shaking with rage "it makes me sick" he said, "killing another person like it's no big deal. That's just wrong."

Topaz, started to shake a little, scared because she has never seen him this angry before.

"It's not like it's no big deal." he said. "Taking a life is never easy, no matter who you are." he knew he should shut up, but this was for Topaz's sake "it's still hard."

"I don't care who you are" Natsu said "killing is wrong." that was the end of the conversation. They walked in silence for a few minutes as the scenery around them morphed from the city of magnolia to the forest.

"This is about where the job flier said the monster should be." said Natsu at last.

"Do you know what the monster might be?" Topaz asked.

"No," he answered, "but it's attracted to loud noises." he began yelling at the top of his lungs. Topaz joined him yelling for the monster to show its face..

Out of nowhere a hand the size of a magic mobile emerged from the trees and knocked Natsu into a tree.. The force of the impact sent the tree into the ground, but natsu seemed unfrazzled. "I found it." he said stupidly.

"No stupid it found us," Topaz said backing away from the hand.

"Topaz!" yelled August , "i know were a creek is. But there's some bad news."

"And what would that be?" Topaz yelled.

"There's a monster in between it and us" he said

"Ugh I'll deal with it," she said running in the direction of running water. Once she passed through the trees you could hear her fighting what sounded to be a pretty big creature.

"Hey!" natsu yelled, standing up from his tree, "don't hog all the fun." he ran over to join her. For lack of anything else to do, August followed. He didn't want to be the weakest link on the job, but that wasn't the only reason. He had a bad feeling that things were about to go very wrong..

When he joined the battle, the two dragon slayers had not made much progress. All of the attacks seemed to bounce right off off it's thick hide.

"Ahhhhhhhhh," He heard Topaz scream, as the monster squeezed her in his hand.

"Oh no you don't" yelled Natsu, going in for the attack. The monster swatted him away with his one free hand, as if the mighty salamander were only a bug. Natsu hit the ground. Hard. he struggled to lift his head.

August drew his katanas, and went for the monster's chest. No effect. He moved to the monsters right arm. No effect. Left arm no effect. Legs no effect. stomach . no effect. No effect. No effect. Time was running out. Natsu was out of commission. Topaz was giving everything she had left Just to stay conscious. No effect. No time. No help. If August only knew where it's weak spot was he could save them. His eyes widened, there was a way. He could find out, but he would have to use his magic.

August was ripped from his thoughts when he heard Topaz scream again.

August looked up to the source of the sound. Topaz was straining against the monsters fingers. He made his decision. He had to know the monster's weak spot, it was the only way Topaz had a chance. It was time to use his magic. He closed his eye and concentrated. He held his hands out in the all too familiar position. He saw a flash of golden light behind his eyelids. There was no turning back now. He opened his eyes. The two foot long golden outline, of a keyboard under his outstretched fingers. And a screen parallel to his eyes. Archive magic.