Schnee. The name made her color-changing skin crawl. It was the name attached to the Dust company that was of the biggest symbols of the oppression against the Faunus, exploiting their labor because when they had no other options. The company that had caused her parents' deaths.
And now a Schnee was about to address an audience of those who had participated in the battle for Haven, including many Faunus. The morning had been filled with speeches from their leaders exhorting their continued cooperation to protect Remnant, and the next on the docket was Weiss Schnee. Only a few weeks prior, the thought of listening to one who bore that name would have made her blood boil. She still wasn't entirely uncomfortable with it. But Blake trusted her; and Blake was one of the kindest, most caring, most wonderful people she knew, passionate about justice but forgiving of people's pasts if they were repentant. If she was willing to vouch for this girl, it was only right to give her a chance, for her sake.
(You have to get over her, she thought. You don't even know if she likes girls that way; and even if she did, she seems happy with Sun anyways.)
So Ilia sat obediently and waited.
A white-haired girl walked onto the stage and faced the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she began.
"My name is Weiss Schnee. I am the daughter of Jacques Schnee, head of the Schnee Dust Company."
There was murmuring from the crowd. Weiss took another breath and continued.
"I had never met a Faunus before I arrived at Beacon. All I knew of them was what I heard of them. And what I heard was bad. The White Fang had targeted my father's company for as long as I could remember, engaging in thefts and sabotage against our property and kidnapping and murder against its human workers. And so I hated the White Fang, and with it, the Faunus.
"It wasn't until I met Blake Belladonna and other Faunus and befriended them that I realized that they have as much capacity for love and kindness as humans do, just as humans have the capacity for cruelty and hate. The knowledge of the White Fang and their actions, however, made it much more difficult to come to that conclusion. Who knows how readily I could have arrived there had it not been for them.
"Yet in many ways, I understand why they did what they did. My father's company was… is… terrible to Faunus. And even outside of that, they've faced so much oppression and discrimination in the past and in the present. So, just as I hated Faunus for their actions, the White Fang hates humans for theirs.
"But their hatred of humans is not the answer, just as my hatred of Faunas wasn't the answer. The White Fang's actions only fed my prejudice, as they no doubt feed the prejudice of many more humans; and that prejudice, in turn, only serves to justify the White Fang's extremism. And so the cycle of hate and violence will continue- unless. Unless we stand up and say, "No more! I refuse to hate." We must denounce those on both sides who use hatred and fear to retaliate against the other and instead seek equality with respect and understanding. I was able to do it; Blake was too. And I believe everyone in this room can too." Weiss pumped her fist. "So let's hear it for unity and quality!"
The audience cheered and applauded. Weiss acknowledged his with a slight nod, then stepped down to let the next speaker- Qrow Branwen- go.
Ilia smiled. Blake had been right.
"Hey," Ilia said. "That was a good speech."
The assembly had concluded, and audience and speakers were now mingling, snacking on refreshments the kitchens had prepared. Ilia had sought out the former Dust heiress from among the crowd.
"Thanks," Weiss said. "You're Ilia, right? Blake told me about you."
"Er, what exactly did she tell you?"
"Not much. Chameleon powers, recent defect from the White Fang."
"Right." Good, nothing too personal.
"Well, glad to see you're on our side now."
"I could say the same about you."
"What? Oh, right." Weiss sighed. "Yeah, I can't say I'm too proud of my attitudes before… or the actions of my family's company."
"I know," Ilia said. "That's actually part of why I joined the White Fang." She shouldn't have said that; she could tell by the look of deep regret on Weiss's face. "Er… that's not the only reason, of course…"
"No, no. I'm sure the Weiss Dust Company's been the bane of many a faunus. Poor work conditions, unfair labor management…" Weiss was fuming. "If I were in charge, I would put an end to all those practices. Immediately. I would clean the family name my father has sullied." She sighed. "Of course, it's looking doubtful that I'd be able to do it, since I've been disinherited and all."
"You were?" Ilia said, surprised. "Why?"
"I pretty much just told my father off," Weiss said. "In retrospect, I should have bit my tongue until I had a bit more bargaining power. You know, so I could actually use the company to do good."
"Maybe," Ilia said. "Still, that must have taken a lot of guts. I couldn't imagine ever standing up to my parents."
"Why? They really strict or something?" Weiss laughed. "I can't imagine that they're worse than my Dad."
"No, they were both really great."
"Were?"
"Er, yeah. They're both dead now."
"Oh, sorry to hear that. How did they die?"
"Um… in a Dust mining accident."
"Oh."
The two stood in uncomfortable silence for a few moments.
"So, these snacks are pretty good, right?" said Weiss, attempting to change the subject to something lighter.
"Yeah I guess."
"Hey!" Blake called out, making her way across the hall to her two friends. "Ilia, Weiss. I see you two have met. Are you two getting along okay?"
"It's… a bit awkward, considering," Weiss said. "You know, with our pasts and all…"
"Right," said Blake. "I probably should have introduced you, instead of letting you meet on your own in this crowd. But if there aren't any problems…"
"Er, no, not really," Ilia said. "I think we've gotten over our issues… more or less."
"Well, that's good to hear," Blake said. "Well, if you don't need anything, I'll leave you to it." With that, she returned to circulate among the guests.
Weiss smiled. "It's good to have a friend like Blake, isn't it?"
"Yeah…" Ilia said sadly. This did not escape Weiss's notice.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Er, no," Ilia said. Get over her already, you're embarrassing yourself. "It's just… I'm not that comfortable with crowds." Though this was a cover for her reaction, it was not entirely a lie.
Weiss, having been brought up to be a social gadfly, had never had this problem. Still, she felt sympathy for her new friend's nervousness, and decided to make an excuse to help her. "Well, I'm going out for some fresh air. Care to join me?"
Ilia nodded. "Sure."
"It sure is breathtaking up here," Ilia said.
"Yeah," said Weiss. "I'd hate to go here if I was afraid of heights."
The two were sitting at the edge of the cliff, looking down over the whole of Mistral. Day was waning, and the setting sun cast a red glow upon its layers; they could see lights coming from some of the buildings in anticipation for the approaching darkness.
"Beautiful," Ilia remarked.
"I suppose. But from what I've found, outward beauty is often deceiving," Weiss said crossly. "I mean, it looks pretty from a distance, but down there, at the very base, is a den of thieves and criminals who are no doubt setting to work for the night. Even up here at the top- the headmaster turned out to be a traitor. And a projection of class and dignity is often merely a façade that hides a core of ugliness and corruption beneath."
"…are you talking about your family?"
"And the rest of their social circle. Hypocrites, all of them." She groaned. "And I used to be exactly like them."
"But you've changed," Ilia said. "You've realized you were wrong. You may regret how you were in the past, but you always have to remember that you're no longer like that. Believe me, I know what it's like to change."
Weiss snickered.
"What?"
"Oh, no, sorry," said Weiss. "It's just that- I'm not trying to be insensitive or anything, but when you say you've changed… given your ability and all…"
Weiss trailed off. She felt terrible; she hoped Ilia wouldn't be too offended.
But then Ilia started laughing. "Well, yeah! Of course I can change- literally!" To illustrate this, she began flashing her skin different colors.
Weiss, relieved at the Faunus's understanding and encouraged by the chameleonistic display, renewed her laughter alongside her, and before too long, both of them had devolved into uncontrollably giggling messes.
"It… wasn't even that funny," Weiss said, tears running down her face.
"I know," Ilia said, settling back into her default appearance.
The two held each other for support as they regained their breath. Saying nothing, they looked at each other. Ilia smiled. Weiss smiled back.
Ilia suddenly leaned over and kissed her.
"I… I'm sorry," she said, mortified, as she pulled away. "I don't what I…"
Weiss simply stared at her with a stunned expression.
"I'm sorry," Ilia mumbled, and ran off.
Stupid, stupid, she thought. Yeah, get over Blake. But so quickly? And with her? You barely know each other. You would have hated each other less than a year ago. And why'd you have to go and kiss her?
"Ilia?"
She glanced up. Through her tears, she saw that Weiss had found where she had fled to, a secluded part of the quad. She hung her head back down.
"Ilia?" Weis repeated. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know what I was thinking," Ilia said softly. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Weiss said. "It surprised me, that's all."
Ilia didn't respond. Weiss sat down beside her.
"So," Weiss said after a while, "why did you do it?"
"I don't know," Ilia said. "It's just… I'm just so lonely. I was lonely at my school, pretending to be a human. Lonely after my parents died. Immensely lonely after Blake left the White Fang, devastated when I learned she had had gotten a boyfriend. I mean, I'm happy for her, but…" She sighed. "You don't know what it's like, only being attracted to girls like I am, knowing that if you ever fall in love, there's nothing but the slightest chance that she could ever return those feelings."
"Well, not until a few minutes ago. But now, looking, so much of what I've felt my whole life makes so much more sense… I can't believe I didn't realize it until now."
Ilia glanced up. Weiss was smiling.
"So… may I kiss you again?" she asked.
Ilia nodded.
Closing her eyes, Weiss brought her lips to Ilia's, who willingly accepted them. And the two stayed that way for a long time.
Eventually, they returned to the Grand Hall. It was mostly empty, the majority of the people who had been there that day having retreated for lodging for the night. However, a few familiar faces, namely Blake, Sun, Nora, and Ren, were still about.
"Oh, hey!" Sun greeted them. "We were wondering where you two were."
"Yeah, we've been talking," Ilia said. "Getting to know each other."
"Bonding over our hatred of my father," Weiss added.
That comment was met with good-natured laughter. "I'm glad you two were able to become friends so quickly," Blake said.
Weiss glanced at Ilia. Ilia gave a small smile and held Weiss's hand to reassure her.
"Actually," Weiss said, "we might actually be… girlfriends."
Blake and Sun were taken back by this sudden development, but managed to remain polite. "Congratulations!" they said.
"Thank you," the new couple said. "Thank you so much."
"Told ya," Nora whispered, indicating Weiss. Ren begrudgingly passed her five Lien.