Chapter 1: Nothing too Personal

The Past

Another store raided, another cargo stolen, and means of transportation of the goods, hijacked.

He sat there on his office chair, elbows on desk and hands together held close to his mouth, the stack of papers silently waiting to be checked. The news was all the same and every word that would count into his head were only a massive headache.

He took his cup and brought it to his lips, taking the coffee slow to enjoy the taste of its delicacy while it was still hot. He enjoyed the little moments of it that could take off his thoughts about the workload that pressured under him, even if it were temporary. In each passing day since holding this company high and mighty throughout the continent, he barely had enough time to take care of himself. The holidays were small and even though a day off beckoned to him, these accursed paper works were never emptied in his inbox. Each finished only came a new one. Trades, selling, and buying altogether in multitask to survey his factories and watch out for the charts and employees. Everybody, everyone, and everything is work, work, work.

Even around his beloved daughters, they were viewed and interacted like work.

There was never a time, day, or night that he ever shared his love towards his two children. If only they could understand the meaning of it all, maybe he could have a peace of mind without debate. He loves them with or without showing, and that is all that it mattered as long as there was feeling in his stone cold heart he built over the years. The company he reigns was what kept the family alive, to be able to live a life that not many people were able to obtain and he was going to run it until he grows weary enough that he couldn't lift a pen.

He would make one of his daughters take over as the new owner of the company and pass on to the next generation after the other. Perfection, accomplishments, positions and whatever there was to make a perfect person was a goal needed to be achieved, and in order for his two daughters to strive for these, he had that choice to put them under professional mentors. These were the things he thought helpful, and things he believes they can live with until the time comes he disappears.

The telephone rang, disturbing his moments and thoughts away to be flushed back into reality and dense atmosphere of his workspace. He pressed a button on the device and a voice sounded.

"Mr. Schnee. Your private airship has arrived for your meeting in Vale. Should I call your driver?"

His voice, low and serious, came out as raspy to his own surprise. "Yes."

The sun shined in one of the dorm rooms of Beacon Academy. In four bunk beds that were dangerously on top of one another, were four still sleeping girls. One of

them snoring whatever hell they had from yesterday's training.

A ray of light was first to hit Ruby's eyelids, making the girl put an arm over her face from waking her dreamland away. The snore had gotten through her though and

it started to distract the young girl from sleeping any further. In many odd ways, it acted as an alarm clock.

She groaned as soon as it drilled into her, eyes opening to have her pupils adjust from the sunlight that greeted under her arm.

Her silver eyes scanned the ceiling like she was in another world to start with. It was morning and she can't even believe that awful reality. Her sleep felt like it only lasted a few fifteen minutes and she demanded to herself that she needed another set to refuel her energy from the intense training. Rolling over so that she could feel the soft pillow against her face, she instead fell off the bed with an "eep!" and met the ground, the impact not even waking anyone from their deep slumber.

"Ow.." She whimpered painfully.

Ruby used the closest bed to help get up, putting a hand on top one of them. She struggled slightly to lift herself, the view along the way suddenly greeted with Weiss's angelic face sleeping peacefully. Ruby froze in place, heart ridiculously beating fast without sync. In this state, anyone who has said this girl was an ice-cold queen who shared unwelcoming stares would utterly doubt that it wasn't true, surely falling to their knees at this vulnerable girl who seemed to show a side so rare and so beautiful in the open. Ruby could only smile at the sight and innocently study the fine detail.

Mere seconds ticked without the knowledge of the redhead, and in the coincidence of the time that passed, Weiss started to move slightly, narrow eyes fluttering open. She looked at Ruby who was patiently waiting for her.

"What are you doing?" She asked with a tone surprisingly calm.

Ruby took the time to process her question, her eyes beginning to widened when she discovered the silly answer. "Oh, Weiss. You're awake." She began a little nervously. To reduce any awkward moments that neared the edge, she gave that signature grin she always uses in a childish manner.

Weiss sat up from the bed and rubbed an eye. "What time is it?" She asked between yawns.

"U-Um... Morning?" Ruby wanted to hit herself for being dumb at the moment.

"No, you dunce. What time is it?" Weiss was starting to get impatient.

Ruby got up from the floor and looked for her scroll on one of the desk. Glancing at the clock, her heart jumped a few feet.

They were late for classes.

He was not sure if he had gotten any proper sleep these past few days. His brain was starting to rack against his skull and anywhere he looked his eyes only stung, the pain spreading through his temples and traveling down his stomach. He sighed shakily, putting his hand on his head and grip the tidied hair to a messy one when he slightly yanked the strands in place, hoping to ease the pain by doing so. The little airship was another problem added to his little symptom and he wished that the

trip would end as soon as it had lift off.

The plane-like ship's interior was small. It was like a private jet plane to be precise, only futuristic when technology these days begin to improve.

Without bothering to look out the window he focused what was on his table. As always, papers. Anywhere he went; these papers followed, demanding to be finished. Without further ado, he disregarded his little headache, tuned himself and began to move his hand to inscribe his signature in approval or rejection.

"Hello. Mr. Schnee is it?"

The man looked up, confusion set inside his mind to who questions his obvious identity. "And you are?"

There was a girl on this plane. Medium brown skin and her dark red eyes stood out, hair a mint green cut. Who is she, and what is she doing here?

"Come on old man, just answer the question." Said another, a boy this time, who walked out from the cockpit. He had pale skin with grey and black features around him.

Mr. Schnee stood from his chair in high alert, "state your business."

The girl held an arm up towards the boy's chest to stop him from doing anything. "No Mercury. That's not how we're supposed to handle things. This isn't a bookkeeper."

"Oh, I'm Sorry Ms. Emerald." Replied the boy with an obvious attempt of sarcasm.

Mr. Schnee gave one of those stares people wouldn't dare look upon, but these two teenagers had no trouble giving a glance, only receiving smirks and smiles that irritated him further.

Another person had appeared from the cockpit, this time an older woman with quite the red dress clothed around the elegant female, gold laces running along with the fabric of her clothes. Her eyes, as near mesmerizing as it is, could even make a spine chill in near comparison to Mr. Schnee's.

"Please, take a seat. I just want to have a fair and brief discussion with a man of… taste."

Team RWBY was running through the campus. Yang boldly went out of the dorm with her polo shirt still unbuttoned, but soon that case was solved when her fingers fumbled onto each button close at a fast pace. Blake on the other hand only needed to pull her school jacket around her arms. Weiss was a little bit in a mess from wrinkled clothes and a tipped off tiara, and Ruby. Well, Ruby didn't have much trouble with herself for a semblance that relies on speed.

"I'm really, reaallyy sorry guys!" Ruby apologized as they ran towards their class. Yang had told her it was okay, Blake doing the same with assuring reasons, but Weiss was being a cold queen once again and calling her the infamous title, "Dolt!"

The Heiress always achieved those scores with the perfect checks in her attendance, yet here she is being late, and she blamed Ruby for it. But all at the same time, she can't argue very much since training was exceeding to be difficult at each passing term, causing sleepless nights with the extra lessons they have to keep up with. She couldn't expect much that came from this Academy. It was, after all, a school that was training students to be the finest warriors to be the defenders of this world. And here they are chasing after time towards Professor Port's class.

"I want you to make me a special kind of Dust."

Cinder Fall and her faction had hijacked the plane, Roman being the rumbling Pilot instead of himself doing the talking he favored most. She was there for specific reasons. That, and having no choice but to hear this woman's needs in order to come out alive.

"It would be nice to tell me what you are talking about, Ms. Fall." Mr. Schnee suggested with venom to her name that was clear in conversation to this topic. Cinder only chuckled, excited to have her explain what she really wanted.

"Fuse Dusts is simply what I'm implying here." She continued with full detail. "Make Dusts with all its elements, complete it, and prepare for its pick up by us."

"Out of all Dust Company Owners, why did you choose me out of those thousands to do this atrocious task?"

"Because, my dear. You're the only king out of hundreds that have that special kind of Dust that can make the whole of Remnant-.." Cinder stopped for a while to think of a nice word to compliment her sentence, something friendlier to say the least. She then smiled a devilish smirk."Different."

The four teammates practically, and accidentally, barged through the door of Professor Port's class, tripping and tumbling over each other to the floor and look up to see the Professor looking at them with those hidden eyes under his thick, grey eyebrows. The class with the few students who came early laughed.

Ruby Rose, who was under the pile of her Team, mumbled a question, "are we late..?"

Not knowing if Professor Port was even blinking, he simply said with the ecstatic voice of a teacher, "No my fellow students! In fact, you're quite early! And I say, that was quite the flashy entrance."

The four girls helped one another to their feet and proceeded to sit down on their designated seats. Two embarrassed and two carefree. Weiss was definitely going to fume after classes and Ruby would have to listen to her oh so democratic speech again. She only knew now that her scroll had the wrong time input, grateful nevertheless to be here rather than late.

Weiss was in a thinking state about why she should be wasting her precious time explaining what ifs and what not to Ruby. A dunce will always be a dunce much to

her dismay. Having to calm herself down, Yang suddenly piped up to lift the soggy mood, "Soooo. Anything new?"

No one was sure who she was giving the question to, so it was first answered by Blake, "getting into class in a fashionable way was new.."

Yang chuckled and playfully poked Blake's cheek. The Faunus paid no attention to her touch as she continued to read the book she brought along with her.

Ruby was next to answer. "Falling off the bed was pretty much, not very new." Her head fell on the desk and she rolled her temple onto it in complete embarrassment to herself to have fallen again.

Weiss was the last, "We haven't even started the day yet."

"Ahh, not to worry Ice queen."

"Hey."

"This day will start out fantastically as always! Right sis?" Yang slightly nudged her sister, receiving a whining moan from the redhead. "Or should I say, Yangtastically, eh? Eh?" Ruby whined even more with Weiss right behind her to the Blonde's daily puns.

Cinder's demands were atrocious. Making that kind of Dust was like doing Taboo, and otherwise, Suicidal.

"Nothing will be hard for you, Mr. Schnee." Cinder informed when she notices the tension squaring the man's shoulders, "You found that kind of Dust that is said to be

the rarest of them all, and you will use it."

How on this world of Remnant did she know about that?

"I don't know what you're talking about." The man said, soullessly looking into her eyes that can match innocence of truth and anger, but Cinder knows well enough.

"Allow me to tell you something that might help in your decision, and somewhat, pursue you."

Cinder, who was sitting on a seat opposite to the man in his white Armani suit, crossed her legs; her body leaning forward in slight anticipation to hear something out of the person who built himself to have the nerves of steel. When she raised a hand, Emerald came close and placed a scroll on top of her palm. Cinder did a couple of taps on the gadget before handing out the scroll towards the man. Mr. Schnee stared at the scroll for a while before taking it into his own firm hand. At first glance, it took neither a guess nor thought to know who he was looking at in the scroll that had a few background details. It was his youngest daughter, Weiss.

His breathing choked. He did his effort to remain calm and only stifled his grip around the scroll. Cinder's smile widened, "Weiss Schnee is the next Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. An excellent student at Beacon Academy, you should be proud to have such a wonderful daughter."

The man whose face is nonchalant and known to express his unamused scowl turned for the worse. The years of his built structure of poker faces and terrifying glance was beginning to crack upon hearing about what this woman was going to say about his youngest child.

"You ought to make a fair decision," Cinder continued and rested back on her seat, "for the life of your daughter is resting in the palm of your hands."

Mr. Schnee slammed a fist to the table that shook under his impact and stood erect from his chair, "How dare you put family matters into this?!"

"Tut tut." Emerald was in front of him in seconds, pointing out a gun that flipped a blade to his throat. Mr. Schnee was furious to even realize her threat and only continued to look at Cinder. The woman laughed slightly and stood as well. She gestured Emerald to back away slightly.

"I only ask that you make this Dust for us, ready it in your office and we'll pick it up. Then, we'll see to it that your daughter lives. Of course, if you rebel against our simple task, then your little princess gets it directly from me." With the precise words used, her hand sparked and blazed with fuming fire that danced on her palm.

"Swear that you will not lay a single finger on my daughter. If I find that any-"

"You have my word." Cinder quipped, extinguishing the fire with just the clasp of her fingers closed together. "I'm giving you. Let's say, a week to finish your task. You will be monitored from every angle, so please, I'd advise you to keep away from tricks."

Cinder walked towards the back of the plane, Emerald and Mercury following behind. Before Cinder disappeared behind the door, she glanced back with that smirk still hanging on her face, "Don't worry Mr. Schnee. It's nothing personal. It's just business."

And with that, Cinder and her followers disappeared behind the door and only left the man to stare in rage.

A light flashed on one of the ship's interior, signaling it was ready for landing. Mr. Schnee sat back in his seat, his scowl never leaving his face.

Using his fist, he lightly bumped it against his forehead. He thought in many ways of how to dispose of his enemies without knowing, but in any aspect he thought logical came broken and will only cause more danger. He wasn't sure if he was dealing against a rival who wanted his company along with himself brought down, who by no doubt was actually having a brain to do so, or just a terrorist seeking power and lien like a rabid dog. But whoever they are, he only hoped for the safety of his children. And he swears, if harm was to come to them, he will deal with his enemies personally without mercy.

"Beowolves! A Beast with cunning strikes and quick movements stalks you in forests with their packs that grow in number by the sight and smell of your being as you trudge without knowledge of their presence." Professor Port narrated, using hand movements and actions to convey his studies amongst his students with pride in his voice.

Ruby had herself leaning towards the topic of the subject, interested to hear more of what these creatures can do that she didn't see herself. Yang was listening with the same interest. Blake's eyes followed like a silent cat to anyone's perspective, keen to study more of the creature she has yet to face. Weiss had several notes down from the Professor's previous study about Ursas that was more in-depth about their structural form and base of anatomy, whereas now it was more on the Beowolve's way of thinking and gestures they use to communicate and team against. Weiss reached the end of her paper and turned a page on her notebook to continue writing. She noticed two skipped pages that felt glued together. With a little effort not to tear the page, she eventually separated the paper away from each other.

Her eyes met a page full of familiar handwritings that were a bit too fancy to read.

Weiss' eyebrows slightly knitted together. People may not know a lot of this way of writing, and even herself for that matter. But this writing came to her eyes naturally as if she saw it before. Curious about the letters it contained, she read the words inside her mind.

Dear Weiss

It read in the beginning. So this was a letter, huh?

You might probably be wondering who wrote this letter and why on earth is it in one of your notebooks. I received news early that you were attending Beacon Academy, so I told one of our trusted people that I would be the one sending some of your materials and wrote this. I take this moment to finally write something important to you.

Weiss already knew by how this anonymous writer constructed sentences and words.

I would like to say that you have been a good little sister, Weiss. Your previous training with me is starting to pay off.

Well hello, Winter.

Father has been very busy nowadays, and we both know how he couldn't have the time to spend with us since we were young. And even much less approachable since Mother's death.

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes. To have reminded her about Father after a couple of months in Beacon just to get away from him disturbed her very much. Her expression hardened so that if anyone saw her, no one would notice.

But please, understand him. He may have been harsh but he did it for the benefit of us.

Benefit? What benefit did she ever gain from their Father? All he did was put them under the care of maids and taught by mentors. He only spoke of his company, how one of them would soon take over and how they must be perfect to achieve a position to even be called Heiress. Appreciation never came into words or even actions. No love was given from this day forward and she will always remember his terrifying eyes that would observe quietly like a taunting demon as one of them presented skills they master each month. Those hurtful eyes that only left her a memory of who she calls Father.

And I know all too well that you are thinking of negative thoughts just as I have written these words. Weiss, I'm telling you now; don't let them get into you.

Yeah, right.

Acceptance and Understanding are all you need.

I don't need it.

Patience and a chance you're willing to give.

Impossible.

I did and I have, and it is time I told you about Father's-

Her reading was interrupted by Professor Port's loud words of action effects throttling down to all of the student's ears who often cringe or laugh at his funny gestures, others would marvel in wonder or gasp in imagination to his adventurous studies.

"And thus did the Beowolf in its coats of purple haze strike its claw towards me!" Port exclaimed, hand in a swinging motion to emphasize claws crashing down.

Weiss closed her notebook. She decided that maybe she could just read it after school and let studying take over.

Throughout the lesson, the urge of opening the notebook was tempting her to read. To finish those words that her sister wrote and get over it. She fought herself to stay calm, questions filling her head more than Port's story. Her hands were unconsciously beginning to tighten around her notebook. Something about the letter kept her from noticing the white knuckle grip.

She shook her head. For all she knows she wanted to throw the notebook away from distracting her.

She can. And she will.

But why couldn't she bring herself to do it anyway?

The plane landed swiftly across the open field. Mr Schnee came out safely from the transportation without an injury or bruise, posture as calm as his face which still featured tense and anger. When his men immediately searched the plane for suspicions, they found no one. Not even Roman Torchwick, Cinder Fall and her two followers, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black.

"Welcome to Vale, Mr. Schnee." One of his men, a chauffeur in white, bowed and greeted.

Mr. Schnee only nodded at the man and walked to the limo that waited for his arrival, his chauffeur opening the door for him. He continued his difficult thoughts that still wondered with options and decisions, all in a chain from the deal that lined up to his meeting as the car drove off.

Mr. Schnee did not need to see the City's views to know that he was truly in Vale. Through past times, Vale was a constant trade and sell where his Dusts were coming in profits. Until a certain known Terrorist who named themselves 'The White Fang' came crashing through the economy charts for their destruction, theft, and chaos. And it was only in Vale did they made their mark that finally came to his utmost attention. When the graph had raised its bars and filled its space in the pie chart, he has finally come to a decision to settle this with a few meetings with officers and the likes. The police these days are lazy as a bunch of cows that hungers for grass until it dries the land from its greenery. Mr. Schnee would think of slaughtering them for their incompetence. He only held back his fume and concentrated to the work at hand.

At the same time, new challenges have come across his life of stress with peace, now turning it more into stress with real dangers. The conversation with Cinder replayed in his mind and studied every bit and pieces he needed to remember.

"You found that kind of Dust that is said to be the rarest of them all, and you will use it."

How did she know?

The Dust so rare. Very powerful, yet dangerous that even a scientist wouldn't touch without extreme precaution or their fancy equipment.

But Mr. Schnee had it kept secret, one of his closest associates only knowing mysterious parts and not the whole detail of the magical gem.

In the depths of Remnant's excavation sites held by his orders under close secrecy, labored Faunus people from small villages found very few of these Dusts dug at the core of the World's center. He did his own experiment and theories, wrote about it, and made past decisions about selling this kind of Dust at a very high price that no ordinary Human or Faunus, Heir or Heiress, Kings or Queens could afford simply. But finding out its dark secret, he kept it away. Knowing that someone had learned about it set him in a state of panic. He worried that they might find out and use it against the opposing world. He may be a man of dirty jobs that every Business needed, but he was not the kind who would be as dirty as to destroy Remnant for the sake of sick control and lien.

Mr. Schnee put his face into his hands. Sooner or later, he was going to make that fusion if he wanted his daughters to live.

A/N: Wow, this was actually a bit hard to write out. I felt as if this is just not long enough to be called a chapter, but a part of it. What's worse is that I can't think of words that seem like writer's block. But I promise you that this problem won't interfere with the story. And Oh my god, my grammar *dies*

I update every week at least Friday or Saturday. During those weeks I write a piece of the story until it builds up over the days. My School's Schedule changes per term so it entirely depends.

In this chapter, I called Weiss' father Mr. Schnee, because his name is still anonymous. We know that the relationship between him and Weiss is, not very good, as you have seen in the show. Winter as well. But perhaps, that letter might mean something. At least for this AU.

We will be concentrating a bit in the past for the next few chapters to have a complete understanding of the Present.

I hope that so far you are enjoying this story.

Constructive Criticisms, Reviews, questions, or just a comment you want to leave by will be most appreciated. Feed me with your knowledge~.

There are illustrations for this Story. If you want to take a look, just visit legacyhunter in DeviantArt :)

See you in the next chapter!

*EDIT 5/8/19*

Awkward yet again *sweats*. Currently trying to return to my roots. I cleaned the hell out of this chapter because for 3 years it has haunted me. I fixed some grammar and a shit ton of awkwardly formed sentences. Remember that this story was written when Volume 3 was still under production, so I'll just go ahead and say that Jaques Schnee is a stone cold bitch, but a loving father in this AU.