Summer Daze
Old secrets come to light, and new truths are uncovered
[Author's Note: This story follows the story Secret Stories, and is the eighth episode of Volume 7. It also connects to the Darkpenn story When Weiss Finds Myrtenaster.]
"I hope the information was not difficult to obtain," said Ruby, glancing at the bruises on Klein's knuckles.
They were in one of the rooms of the guest-house.
"Not too difficult," he said. "As you all suspected, the attack on you was, well, fake. Meant to fail. Not that the attackers knew that, of course. But they were chosen because they were ... not terribly competent."
"If Jacques had been involved he would probably have sent a platoon," said Weiss. "Maybe two."
"Then who?" said Yang.
"The men were paid by a person called Andrew Canto," said Klein. "I have never met him but I recall hearing that he was the chief assistant of Whitley."
"Ah," said Blake. "The rich kid."
"So the attack was set up by Whitley, aiming to make us think that Jacques ordered it, since he is so determined to get Weiss back," said Ruby.
"So Whitley's plan was to get us to remove Jacques for him. Clever. Except he didn't count on Klein," said Yang.
They were all quiet for a while. Then Weiss said: "Klein, I have to ask you something. Is my mother the Summer Maiden?"
Klein stared at her for a long time before answering. "No," he said at last. "She is not. To the best of my knowledge, the Summer Maiden is ... your grandmother. Faber Schnee. I understand that she tried to train your mother, made her accompany her on some missions, hiding it from the family the whole time. But eventually she realised that Weide was ... unsuitable ... to inherit her powers, if and when the time came. Your mother tried, she really did. But some people ... well, they are what they are, and can be nothing else. Your grandmother swore me to secrecy, but I guess it no longer really matters."
Weiss staggered in shock. "My ... my ... grandmother?" she stammered. "I don't believe it. I ... can't believe it."
"You can believe the evidence by your side," said Klein. "Your sword was hers. When she ceased her duties as a Maiden she gave it to me to hide. But as I watched you growing up, I realised that you should be the one to use it, Maiden powers or no. So I took the liberty of ... guiding you to it, young madam."
"Just a moment, Klein," said Ruby. "What do you mean when you say that Faber 'ceased her duties'? What, she just gave it up?"
Klein shrugged. "She never wanted the power, and was never happy with it," he said. "She saw it as a curse. She wielded her Maiden powers as well as she could for many years, with no training or assistance, although I believe there was a Hunter that tried to help her and Weide. But that Hunter disappeared, I don't know why. A while after that Faber chose to, well, I suppose the word is 'retire'. By that time, Atlas was largely at peace, so I suppose she saw no reason to continue in a role she hated."
"Wait, you're saying she is still alive?" said Yang.
"I have no reason to think otherwise," said Klein.
"It would explain why no successor has appeared," said Blake.
"Where is she?" said Weiss.
"I have no idea," said Klein. "She gave me the sword and vanished. No-one knows where she is."
"No," said Weiss. "There is someone who keeps tabs on everyone. We should pay him a visit."
"Good idea, but just Weiss and me," said Ruby. "Yang and Blake should stay here in Atlas, to protect the relic."
Yang and Blake nodded.
"Let's pay a call," said Ruby.
Whitley was in his study in his wing of the Schnee mansion, going over papers and reports. He stopped for a moment, and looked around. Odd, he thought, that window should be closed.
"Hi!" said Ruby, suddenly sitting down on the edge of the desk.
"Ah," he said. "The parking inspector."
"And your loving sister," said Weiss, taking the chair on the other side of the desk.
Whitley began to reach for the intercom.
"Better not," said Ruby. She extended Crescent Rose into its full form. "I would hate to have to cut your hand off. Nah, who am I kidding, I would love to do it. But I'm kind of obliged to give you a warning, what with being one of the good guys and everything."
Whitley pulled his hand back. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" he said.
"To cut to the chase," Weiss said, "we know that you organised the fake attack on us. If you don't tell us what we want to know our next stop will be to inform Daddy dear that you tried to frame him."
"I doubt he will appreciate the funny side," said Ruby.
Whitley sighed. "Weiss, I occasionally forget," he said, "that you have the Schnee gene for ruthlessness."
Weiss shrugged. "Some things you inherit whether you like it or not," she said.
"As for me," said Ruby, "I just like breaking stuff." She swung her scythe, and the point smashed into the desk in front of Whitley, leaving a sizeable hole. He jumped.
"Okay, what do you want to know?" he said. "By the way, that's a hundred-year-old desk you just ruined."
"You got any more valuables I can destroy?" said Ruby. "Say, that's a nice – "
"What we want to know," said Weiss, "is the location of my – our – grandmother."
Whitley leaned back in his chair. "Faber," he said. "You know, quite a few years ago our stepfather bought her a nice little house in the country, presumably on the understanding that she stay out of the way, forever. I found out about it when I was sifting through the property portfolio. I send her the occasional wad of cash. She's family, after all. Although I agree with Jacques that the best place for her is a good distance away."
"Where?" said Weiss.
Whitley wrote down a series of directions and handed the piece of paper to Weiss. "And now we can forget about the frame-up thing, right?" he said.
"For now," said Ruby.
Yang used her mechanical arm to hammer the floorboards back into position. When that was done, she and Blake replaced the heavy wardrobe.
They stood back and inspected their work. "You would never know that one of the most powerful objects in Remnant is there," said Blake.
"Yes, but Weiss might ask why her pillow-case is missing," said Yang.
"We must all make sacrifices," said Blake. They laughed. "Has Ruby sent the message to Shade Academy?"
"Yes, and Ochre and Ilia will be here in a few days. Then they can take it back to where it belongs."
"And Salem has already been told by her trusted henchmen that it is not there. It's a clever move by Ruby."
"So until they arrive, the relic can stay right here. Ironwood seems to have given up being upset about it. I guess he's focused on the ceremony to activate the new CCTS. Taking all his fancy battleships there for a parade, apparently. Going to be a big event."
"Well, let's stay clear of it."
Blake nodded, and a few minutes later they were walking down a street in one of Atlas' many shopping precincts. Blake stopped in front of a store and stared at the display. "This is my type of place," she said.
It was a store that sold sexy lingerie.
"If only the world knew you as well as I do," said Yang, with a chuckle. She took her lover's hand and they went in.
Above, perched on a ledge, a small Nevermore was watching them.
Klein landed the airship and the three of them walked the remaining distance to the little house nestled in a pleasant valley to the north of Atlas.
There was a tall, grey-haired woman in the garden, cutting flowers. She turned to face them and stared.
"Faber," said Klein.
"Klein," she said. "You used to have hair."
"And you used to be a Maiden," said Klein.
Faber looked at Weiss. "Grand-daughter," she said. "The last time I saw you, you were perhaps four. A somewhat spoiled toddler. But very pretty, and strong-willed even then." She turned to Ruby. "And when I last saw you, you were even younger than that. You have your mother's eyes, you know. And much more besides."
Weiss stared at her grandmother, wondering what she should do.
"Please don't hug me," said Faber. "I am just not a hugger. But if it is not too much trouble, I would like to see the sword."
Weiss handed it to her. Faber swung it through the air in a series of practice moves. Clearly, she knew what to do with a blade, and with this one in particular. "Ah," she said softly. "My sword."
"No," said Weiss. "Mine."
Faber stared at her for a long moment. Then she said: "Yes, of course." She handed Myrtenaster back to its rightful owner. "If you have come to ask me to return to the fight, I can tell you right now that the answer is no. My life has been sufficiently ruined already, and I have no desire to lose what little is left in pointless battles."
"But Salem is preparing an attack that could destroy all of Remnant," said Ruby.
Faber shrugged. "It is her nature," she said.
"Because she was influenced by the Destruction relic?" said Ruby.
Faber gave a harsh little laugh. "My dear," she said, "Salem is the Destruction relic."
Ruby gave a gasp.
Faber stared at her. "So you don't know the rest of the story, then?" she said.
"Er, no," said Ruby. "What is it?"
Faber laughed again. "So your mother never told you?" she said.
"Told me ... what?"
"That you, Ruby Rose, are the relic of Choice."
END (to be continued)