A/N
Hey guys! Here's my MonCon submission for December. Enjoy!
Weiss leaned against the window in the empty study as rain crashed against its glass pane. The torrent had started three days ago at her return to the Schnee manor yet the ferocity of the storm ceased to relent. Below, tiny black specks dispersed and scattered about as they hurried to the shelter of their vehicles. Important people with meaningless names drove away; in her eyes, they were no different than sharks that smelled blood in the water. The evening was winding down, but the foreboding sky gave no indication of time. In fact, the past week had been a complete blur. Everything happened so fast.
It was a peaceful Thursday night when Weiss had received the call. She had planned to use the evening to get ahead of her studies, working on a dust paper that wouldn't be due for weeks. When she had a chance, Weiss liked to get ahead in her work. Unfortunately, she never did finish that paper. She left Beacon that night at first word of news, her limo already on the campus grounds by the time she closed her scroll. There was no time to process the thoughts that were racing through her mind before she arrived back home. The entire thing came as a shock.
She turned back to face the study, shaking off the memories of the past few days. She breathed in deeply, an aroma of old parchment and cigars filled her sense. The old study was room lined with mahogany bookcases holding a collection of rarities that would impress even Blake. The meticulous care by her father over the years preserved the books in pristine condition, as though they were new. In the corner was a small waist high cabinet with the finest liquors from across Remnant. Sighing, she moved across the room to examine what contents lay inside. Many of the bottles were never opened, a display of untouched wealth.
Weiss was never one to drink, even when the high social events she attended allowed it, but tonight was a special occasion. She grabbed the crystal decanter, engraved with Schnee Dust emblem, and poured the amber liquid into a glass. This had been her father's favorite whisky, she remembered, imported from Mistral's southern region. Pausing for a second, Weiss thought better of it and poured herself a double shot.
Drink in hand, Weiss walked back to the centerpiece of the room: her father's imposing desk. Over the years she watched many a confident businessman enter this room only to shrink before that desk. There was nothing exotic or ornate about the desk. In comparison to the rest of the room, it seemed quite plain and simple. A solid wood base with no embellishments other than a gold name plate that sat at the front. Allen Schnee, President. it read. Weiss ran an unsteady hand over the name. It would be changed in the coming days, but for now there was no hurry.
Behind the desk, she slumped into the chair that oversaw the study. Absentmindedly, she threw back the glass of whisky. Her first reaction was to spit out of the burning liquid, but she held it down as the alcohol warmed her stomach. She expected the drink to calm her nerves and steady herself, but the opposite effect took hold.
The entire night she barely held her composure while playing hostess. Her mother had been a crying mess, but Weiss kept up a strong front for the guests. Pleasantries were exchanged and hollow words of apologies given by the people she encountered. She knew the people who came tonight came to the manor out of obligation rather than respect. They provided little comfort for Weiss.
Now alone with her thoughts and grief, she could take no more. She curled up into the arm chair, her tears falling in time with the patter of rain. Memories betrayed the broken girl. Her heart shattered under weight of anguish at her loss.
This study was no longer her father's. Nothing more belonged to her father and never would again. She was no longer just an heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.
The company was hers. And her father was dead.
"Oh Weiss. I figured you'd be up here."
A familiar voice echoed from the doorway, not much different from her own. Through the tears, Weiss looked up to see an older version of herself in full military attire.
"Winter." Weiss's voice cracked at her sister's name, but there was an undeniable coldness to the tone.
The elder Schnee started her way toward her younger sister. "You always use to come up here when we were kids. Hours and hours you spent sitting with Father and reading these books" mused Winter. She ran a hand across one of the bookcases, dust coming off as she did so. Years had passed since the books were last opened.
"How dare you," hissed Weiss. Whatever sadness that she felt was replaced by anger, her blood boiling. "How dare you! Where have you been?! And to think you can just waltz in?"
"Classified," responded Winter, in the same cold tone Weiss previously used.
Weiss scoffed, shaking her head, "Of course it's classified. It always is with you, Winter. Or should I say General? Even with your position, you could never make time for the family, could you?"
Her older sister's advance stopped in front of the desk that Weiss current sat behind. Her voice softened at Weiss's scolding, "I would have been here sooner if I received word. I only found out this morning. I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry?" Weiss laughed at the comment. "Well that just fixes everything doesn't it?"
"Weiss please list-"
"No, you listen!" Weiss pushed herself out the chair and stomped around toward her sister, anger getting the best of her. "Where were you to comfort mother this week?" She brought her arms up, pushing her sister in the shoulder. "Where were you tonight to host the funeral?" Another push was given, weaker than before. The conviction had all but left her."Where were you when I needed you the most?"
One more push was given, but Winter brushed the hand aside as she gathered Weiss into an embrace. Weiss anger melted away as she sobbed into her sister's shoulder, neither of them saying anything. Minutes passed as an inconsolable Weiss wept at the loss of her father. Winter did her best to comfort her sister, letting Weiss express all the emotions she kept bottled the last three days.
"It's.. it's not fair!" yelled Weiss, breaking the silence.
Winter pulled back slightly from her sister, reaching into her pocket to pull a handkerchief out. Brushing the hair out of Weiss's eyes, she brought it up to dry the tears out of her face.
"It never is." Winter dabbed at the tears that kept falling from Weiss, leaning into to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you. But I am now, and I'm going to be here as long as you need me." Weiss nodded at the sincerity in Winter's voiced, trying to regain her composure.
"Lord, I'm a mess. How am I supposed to fill this legacy? How… how am I supposed to do this?" asked Weiss. "I-I'm not ready…" Winter placed a hand on her sister's back as she lead her back to the chair behind the desk.
"You are ready. You are the best of us, Weiss. Why do you think father chose you to be the heiress to everything?"
"Because you denounced him and went to Atlas?" The two shared a giggle at Weiss's comment, both girls remembering the look her father gave Winter when she declared to go to the academy. A combination of shock, awe, anger and proudness all mixed into one.
"Well, that may have helped his decision along," smiled Winter. "I'm sorry to place such a burden on you. I never expected it to be passed along so soon."
"No one did." Weiss leaned back into the chair and stared at the ceiling, although focusing in on nothing in particular. "Why am I so upset? He did so many horrible things."
In the past years, the Schnee Dust Company had ventured from the moral grey into darker areas. It seemed the treatment of the faunus grew worse with each passing month. He aligned the company with questionable business partners and the overall public opinion had never been lower. Why should she be so upset at the passing of a man with such a questionable past?
"But he was still our father," answered Winter as though she read her sister's thoughts." Even if he did a terrible job expressing it, he did love us. He used to be so gentle and caring with you as a child. He would bounce you on his knee while holding these important board meetings. You were too young to remember, but he never let you out of his sight."
"I… I never knew. Was he really like that?" inquired Weiss.
Winter chuckled, "Of course. You were his pride and joy. He would have given up everything for you." She thought to herself for a moment. "But something happened to him around your fifth birthday. I never understood what, but he changed. Threw himself into his work, separated himself from the family." Winter knelt down next to her sister, grabbing her sister's hands. "Regardless, the company is yours now. You can help fix the wrongs he committed."
Weiss looked up toward her sister who smiled back. "Did you really mean it? That you would stay as long as I need you?" There was excitement in her voice at the thought of spending extended time with her sister, a rarity these days.
"Of course, you're my sister. I can't leave this solely on you. I already put in an extended leave of absence when I left this morning." Weiss raised an eyebrow at the comment, but Winter waved it off, "They'll understand, or deal with it. Either way, I'm not leaving you in this mess."
"Thank you. I appreciate it. More than you know."
"Or you could just say 'I love you,' sister. Must you always be so formal?" joked Winter.
This time, Winter was taken aback as Weiss stood up and hugged her sister again. Barely above a whisper, a muffled "I love you, Winter" was heard.
"I love you too, Weiss."