RWBYond Happily Ever After
AN: I'm back on schedule. Now, I just have to make sure Monday and Friday chapters are written well in advanced because that's when the majority of my classes are. I'm trying for 2500 words again, but I might not be able to because there's just not as much to this chapter as last time.
Chapter 130+2: Who's the Loneliest of All
Weiss sat at her desk. Her eyes were straining to read and re-read the reports. A cup of coffee sat by her right hand. A bowl of chocolates rested by her left. There was a mountain of paper work all around her. She caught her reflection in the little mirror she had in her office. Her eyes were bloodshot with dark bags under them.
It had been two days since she'd gotten any sleep. It had been weeks since that sleep was any more than a few hours. She had kept herself busy in her office. The small couch in her office was well worn with a small white pillow and sheet strewn about. She hadn't been in her bed in months. Even when her secretary forced her to leave the office for once, she'd take a lot of the paper work, as well as some scholarly articles for recreational reading, and get a hotel room nearby.
She was reading reports about a deep cave found at the site of the final battle. The location had come to be known as Salem's Valley. In professional lingo, The Salem's Valley Dust Restoration Mining Facility or just SDF Zone. Weiss still had no idea why such a natural phenomenon could exist. How could dust just grow and expand at such a pressing rate? Apparently, it wasn't out of the norm, and had happened upon every defeat of the Hecatonchires. The Vytal Island Mine was created the exact same way at the end of the Great War. The mines at Demon's Run and the Isle of Storms were also allegedly formed from this phenomenon.
So Weiss didn't lose sleep over it. It worked. It always worked. I may always work. She had the inkling suspicion that it was the cause of Salem having so many supporters, even if they lose they get a ridiculous surplus of the most vital resource on Remnant. Dust prices had dropped to pocket change for a small vial. So, Weiss didn't lose sleep over it. She had plenty of other things to lose sleep over.
Like the fact that she was the only one left willing to take over the SDC. She was one of the few surviving people that could even fancy herself a scientist. She had ludicrous amounts of information she needed to absorb in order to eventually better function in her role as a hands on CEO. She didn't have a lot of man power, and very few people to delegate authority to. The SDC had lost thousands, no, tens of thousands of personnel throughout the war. Miners being slaughtered by Grimm. Faunas leaving for the White Fang. The assaults on their facilities around the world leading to thousands of deaths.
Weiss had to deal with all this, plus the remaining board members breathing down her neck, her own decision to abolish any discriminatory practices, the death of her father creating a power vacuum, the fact that her house seemed way too big for her alone, and on top of all that her own strained relationship with those closest to her. All of this may have been solved if she just exercised some executive powers and became a dictator like her father. But she refused. She wanted to be there to help everyone. She wanted to ease tensions between people, help the scientist, defend the miners, some sacrifices had to be made.
"Willow, another cup of coffee please." She said as she took one more sip.
"Ms. Schnee, if I may." Willow said peering into the room. "Perhaps rest is what you need."
"Don't start this again." Weiss face palmed.
"With all due respect, you haven't slept in days. You haven't eaten anything of sustenance all day, and you've consumed over a hundred cups of coffee today." Willow pleaded.
"I don't have time to relax. I'm the only one that can get this company back on its feet." Weiss said. "Speaking of which, how are the job openings coming along?"
"We're filling up at a nice pace. But don't try changing the subject. Weiss, I believe in you and that your heart is in the right place. But if you keep going like this you'll end up hurting yourself."
"I'm far from that point."
"Really, then what was the last paragraph you read?"
"It was…it's…" Weiss focused her gaze but the words on the page had become in indecipherable mess.
"You can't even remember what you were reading two minutes ago. Now go, get some sleep, preferably at home, or at least in a nice comfy hotel."
"Hotels are more comfortable than my house anyway." Weiss muttered.
"Get at least eight hours of sleep. Then, come back here and we can start those interviews you wanted to conduct personally." Willow said calmly. Weiss shook her head; she knew there wasn't any time for her to interview everyone that had applied for all the job openings but she did make it a point to interview the ones who would be in this building.
She got in the limo for the short ride to the hotel she had been staying at. When she walked in the doors, her eyes dilated to the bright lights of the lobby. She walked over to check on the receptionist. She recognized her as the same one as before.
"O Ms. Schnee, I see you've graced us with your presence yet again." The woman had a slight sarcastic ring to her voice. The small goat horns on her head explained why.
"Apparently, lack of sleep is detrimental to one's health. Such a bothersome human defect." Weiss chided. "Is my room clean?"
"We kept the paper work in their assorted piles but put them neatly on the dresser. We also cleaned up all the wine and scotch bottles."
"Thank you." Weiss said embarrassingly. Blake had told her she was developing an alcohol problem a few months ago. But so long as she didn't drink on the job, she refused to call it a problem.
She walked into her room and scanned the clean furnishings for a bit. She sat down on the bed and laid down for a minute. She was wide awake, the lethal amounts of coffee she's consumed recently still in her veins. She took a quick hot shower to clean herself up and relieve some stress. Afterwards, she pulled out her scroll and opened a bottle of scotch. After pouring herself a glass, she dialed Neptune's number.
She thought about calling Ruby, but she was the only person who may have been busier than Weiss. She didn't dare call Blake while she was drinking. Yang had all but disappeared at the end of the war, only leaving texts or the occasional message to even let people know she was still alive. Winter was probably asleep. Which left Neptune, the person who was supposed to be her boyfriend. Even though, she hadn't seen him in two months, he was all the way in Vacuo and frankly, the spark Weiss once felt for him was practically gone. He was just much too handsome and charming to expel from her life.
"Weiss?" He answered right away. "Long time no see."
"Hey Neptune."
"So, what're you up to?"
"Just relaxing after a long day's work."
"How long?"
"Over two days strait."
"Jeez Weiss what the hell?" He said concerned. "Explains why you look the worse for wear."
"I feel like shit." She said. "I want to keep going but I can't. My secretary proved that much. Do you know how humiliating that is? To be talked down to like that without having anything to counter with because you know she's right."
"Only every time we go on a date." He smirked.
"Ha, ha." She faked laughed. She took a sizable gulp of her drink.
"Blake's coming out here to see Sun by the way."
"Really? That's good." Weiss sighed a little. "Have you talked to her at all."
"Not really. All I know is what Sun tells me. Anyway, I'd love to keep you up all night but I can see you NEED to go to sleep. I have to tell you, I got a job at Shade Academy as the dust instructor."
"I'm so proud of you."
"So this weekend, I'm coming out there and I am going to force you to take a day off."
"You will do…"
"You're running yourself ragged. If you keep going like this, I don't even know but it can't be good."
"I'll consider it."
"Take care Weiss." Neptune said as he hung up. Weiss finished her glass and then took a swig strait from the bottle. She laid her head on the pillow. She started crying and couldn't even tell why. She leaned up to take another swig of the burning liqueur. She needed some peace of mind. She needed to talk to someone that would help her sleep, but not just leave her alone. She dialed Ruby's number into her scroll.
"Weiss?" Ruby answered softly after a minute. She was in her bed with nothing but a sheet around her body. Or, at least that's what it looked like. There was another figure in the bed, but the room was too dimly lit for her to see. But she knew it was Jaune, it couldn't be anyone else.
"Is…this a bad time?"
"No, no it's never a bad time." Ruby sat up keeping the camera of her scroll focused entirely on her face. "What's going on? You look like you've been crying."
"I have and before you ask I have no idea why. I feel like I've lost all control of my body. I need to get to sleep but I can't do it in this room alone."
'Nightmares?" Ruby asked.
"Yes and no. I've just overextended myself and now everyone's telling me what to do. I don't need you to talk to me I just…need you to help me sleep." Weiss explained her situation.
"Did you try showering?" Ruby asked.
"Yes."
"Did you try…um…you know…" Ruby made a crude hand gesture.
"God, yes, you're a grown woman you can say it."
"I still feel weird about that sort of thing."
"Ruby." Weiss laughed at the girl. "You're, if my eyes don't deceive me, naked, in bed, with Jaune. And you're the one being bashful." Ruby's face went bright red.
"That…doesn't make it any less awkward. If anything it makes it more awkward." Ruby whispered.
"I guess." Weiss said.
"If you're having trouble sleeping…I could sing a lullaby for you." Ruby said.
"I think that would be wonderful." Weiss turned out her lights and set the scroll up on her nightstand. She curled up into a ball as Ruby began singing a soft song. Ruby wasn't a great singer by any extent of the imagination. She had two octaves, wailing like a rock star or a soft somber tone. Either one only had a few notes in their range.
But it was enough to help Weiss slip the sour bonds of reality and drift off into her dreamscape. She would have to thank Ruby sometime. The sleep seemed to be over in an instant. But Weiss felt rejuvenated. She had slept for six hours. Not quite eight but that was due to her trouble getting to sleep in the first place.
She showered again, relieving what remaining stress lingered in her body. She enjoyed a small breakfast of bacon and eggs courtesy of room service. After changing into her work dress, she got into her limo and headed to her office. She had a long day of interviews ahead of her. She was just thankful that she didn't need sunglasses to hide her eyes. She was also thankful that she hadn't gotten drunk, something that would have happened had she been left in that room alone without anyone to talk to. Thus, she didn't have a hangover, which was always a plus.
"You can do this Weiss." She told herself. "The world is counting on you to help it rebuild. You just had a good night. You can easily get through today and maybe even tomorrow before you have to rest again."
An: Weiss, I don't know why I pick on her. I think it just fits her whole character to be on edge like this. So right now, she's having the hardest time adjusting to the new world. For no other reason than she's alone in her endeavor. All her friends being so far away and what not. Next time we see Weiss, she'll be better off with a fresh batch of people under her employ. Next chapter, will be focused on Blake. Please review.