This chapter may reveal a little bit more about Diego's past.

Hope you enjoy!

Diego leaned against a wall in the shadows of an alley as he waited for Yang's arrival. He knew that she probably wouldn't be available all the time, but considering how often she did show up it was best to come prepared. Besides, tonight was hopefully going to be an actual job for him, and would not involve him running into the authorities like last time. Diego chuckled a bit at the thought. Ozpin was a good friend considering what he did, but he certainly knew how to catch Diego's attention if need be. That kinda annoyed him. Why couldn't Ozpin just send a message next time? He knew where Diego liked to go here in Vale, and he hadn't sent any messages before. Though to be fair, Diego did end up ignoring Ozpin's messages the last time, hence the reason Salem had managed to play him as if he was one of her puppets. For that's what he considered all who followed her to be metaphorically, because in a sense it was true. They were her puppets; she owned them. And when they outlived their usefulness, or if they had finished completing their tasks, she would cut their strings. Diego sighed. Yang still didn't know, but it was probably best for the time being. If she knew the extent of his operations as well as Ozpin's...well, with Ozpin, he couldn't know for sure. Himself, she might be a little more flexible, but she would definitely be demanding why he didn't tell her sooner. The thought made him chuckle.

"You seem in a good mood tonight," a female's voice said from behind. Diego stiffened and bit back a curse. He knew that voice all too well, and it chilled him to the bone. Regretfully, hesitantly, he turned to face the person in question. He found himself facing an orb of glass positioned on a floating pedestal. Connected to the pedestal were several tentacles with a spike at the end. Inside the orb, the face of the devil herself could be seen. Diego put on a smirk and addressed his former "friend" with mock joy.

"Salem, my dear!" Diego greeted, his tone mocking her with every word, "My, you certainly have managed to keep yourself as beautiful as ever all these years. In fact, you look younger every day. What's your secret?"

Salem smiled and said casually, "Oh, you know. The blood of humankind, the souls of the innocent, and the tears of the heartbroken. It's surprisingly effective when combined."

Diego shuddered. "How anyone can exist with your heartless nature is beyond me. You made that sound SO unsettling on so many levels."

Salem laughed and changed her tone as one of the tentacles reached out and started to give Diego's cheek a creepy caress.

"Aww, did I scare you?" Salem asked in a flirtatious tone, "I didn't know that you preferred to watch everyone live happily ever after. Why didn't you tell me?"

Another tentacle reached out towards Diego, but he swatted it and the other one away as if swatting away flies.

"Touch me again," Diego warned, "and your globe thingy will have one less tentacle to use on it."

"Why, whatever did I do to deserve your bitterness, my sweet Diego?" Salem asked in mock hurt. Diego looked to her with hatred in his eyes.

"I think you already know the answer to that one."

He turned his back on her, but Salem evidently wasn't finished talking with him yet.

"Why fight for them?" she taunted, "You know that victory won't be achieved through strength. They will fail, and darkness will consume all of Remnant. But must you die with them? You were once special to me Diego, so I still have some flexibility concerning you. I can spare you from the carnage that will follow. You will never have to fear for your life, and all you ever wanted will be yours if you wish it. Imagine it: living undisturbed by all, not a care in the world. Maybe I can throw in a favor for you and bring her back. What's it going to be?"

Diego sighed as the image Salem gave to him came to mind. It sounded like a good deal. His life spared and all he ever wanted granted to him. Even a chance to have his former fiance come back to him. It sounded too good to be true. But Diego was no fool. Past that illusion, he saw only death and destruction. Salem usually gave empty promises, promises she had no intention of fulfilling; however, she always did seem to make an exception with Diego. Could her trust her? She sounded so sincere this time, so understanding towards him, as if she actually cared about what happened to him...

A different figure came to mind that blotted out all traces of Salem's offer: a golden-haired Huntress with purple eyes and a cute smile that made her seem all the more beautiful. Her voice was like music to his ears, her form like a rare flower with a beauty he couldn't help but admire... even her quick temper seemed to calm his nerves as he remembered her. Diego smiled at the image of Yang in his mind. She may not have had much to give him and she certainly couldn't work miracles like Salem, but she was definitely worth more than anything Salem could ever offer him. And Diego wasn't about to lose something so precious in exchange for a promise that he knew Salem would most likely double cross him with. No, if he ever did achieve such a life, without Yang it would be pointless, empty even. He wouldn't trade her away for all of the things that he ever wanted. Because with Yang, he had what he needed instead.

Diego turned to Salem abruptly. In one swift motion, he grabbed all of the tentacles on the orb and pulled the orb close to his face, anger flashing in his eyes. Salem seemed surprised at this action, but Diego could see another emotion in her eyes, one which she used against her enemies and rarely experienced herself: fear.

"Listen very carefully, you disease-ridden parasite," he said through clenched teeth, "What you and I had together was fun while it lasted, but on the whole, it was the worst mistake of my life. It's over between us. I will NEVER bow to your will again! So take my advice and leave. Me. Alone! And in case you're hard of hearing, then just read my lips! Or better yet, take this as a warning shot..."

Diego pulled back his one free hand and punched the glass orb hard, causing it to crack. He did this several times, until it shattered completely. He then pulled out a knife and cut all of the tentacles off at once, letting the entire contraption before him fall apart. As it hit the ground, it disintegrated and disappeared completely, evaporating into a darkness that was scattered into the wind. Diego took a few seconds to compose himself, letting all his anger disappear and turn into sadness. He fell to his knees as if exhausted and started to cry silently, but he stopped when he heard a familiar motor in the distance. Trying to compose himself, Diego stood his feet and wiped away his tears as he turned to see the familiar face of the Huntress on the motorcycle. He put on a smile and said, "You have no idea how relived I am to see a friendly face right now."

But at first, Yang didn't answer him. Instead, she seemed to be examining his face. Diego tried to seem casual, but eventually broke and said aloud, "Yes, I was crying."

"Why?" Yang asked, a tone of concern in her voice, "What happened?"

"I had a bad run in with a painfully familiar face. She made me remember too much about my-"

"She?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

"An old girlfriend in a sense, one whom I wish I had never met." Diego struggled to keep his composure, but his tears had returned and he was already failing. "I may not look it most of the time, but under that mask I wear, under the smiles I put on for show...I'm broken inside. I lost everything to her. She played me like a fool and I was dumb enough to fall for it! I- I never wanted any part of her war. I'm sorry...I know you probably don't understand it now, but I'm sorry for everything!"

Diego fell back down to his knees once more, sobbing uncontrollably now and not caring that Yang was watching anymore. Yang was stunned by this sudden change of mood in Diego. She never thought that he could be so insecure at times like this. Underneath that exterior, he was still like a child, one who had suffered much pain and guilt inside. She may not have understood what was wrong with him, but she could at least try her best to stand by him.

Diego heard Yang kneeling down to his level, followed by her arms wrapping around him in a gentle embrace. He returned the hug gladly, letting out all of the pain he had built up inside of him all these years. His face was partially buried in her hair, but she didn't mind.

"It's okay," she whispered to him, "I'm here. I won't leave you."

She repeated this over and over to him, bringing back a sweet memory from his past...

A Faunus girl around his age, giving him the same comfort...
Repeating the same words to him...

Diego managed a small smile as he hugged Yang a little tighter. He was thankful that such a caring person could ever be in his life again. When Salem had betrayed him, he had felt that he could never experience such joy again. Yang not only proved him wrong, but she also proved that he had a chance to begin life anew.

This time, he wasn't gonna let Salem ruin it.

The dark being known as Salem sat at her table, still in shock at what he had done. Not only did he openly defy her, but he also dared to attack her orb. He certainly had improved since they last met. Salem remembered how he used to be so scared to even touch one of her Beowolves without some coaxing. A smile managed to cross her face. Those were fun times with him. He had made it seem like there was a chance for them to be together forever, perhaps even to let him rule by her side.

Until the day that she had been forced to put her plans into action.

Salem sighed in remembrance. The look of horror on his face, the grief he had held as he watched the Faunus girl die in his arms, the anger he had expressed towards her when he finally had registered it all. "Murderer!" he had screamed, "How could you pretend to be my friend? Or even more than that?! You- you MONSTER!" His rage had caused her Grimm to back away in fear. Fear. The very thing they thrived off of had been used against them. And he had made them run from him with that same emotion. Salem had tried to talk to him, but he made her leave too. It wasn't a pleasant memory, running in fear from a mortal whom she could've crushed easily. And yet...there was more to him than she had anticipated. He had used her own powers...against her. How was that even possible? Obtaining her power? It would have been beautiful for her if she hadn't been running away. She may not have remembered the last time she was ever afraid, but that day she could distinctly remember hearing her own screams as she faded away into the night.

Salem sighed again, and a single silent tear fell from her eyes. Where it splashed on the ground, a tiny creature emerged. It was like the Grimm, a Beowolf to be precise, but instead of darkness and malice making up it's being, it was something more...beautiful. Salem let out another sigh and picked up the creature. Normally, she should destroy such a creature. It defied her very being. But instead, she carried it out to a restricted part of her fortress which none of her followers were permitted entry. Opening a door, she revealed a room full of more of the creatures, each a different species of Grimm. Gently, she set it down and then closed the door. Salem let out one last sigh, then regained her composure.

"I must continue with the plan," she muttered to herself. "Still there are times where I wish..."

Salem walked away from the doors and back to her throne.

"I wish I could take it all back...for him..."

Oh! Looks like Salem may have a soft spot after all!

Review, follow, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Cya!