Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or RWBY
They are owned by Square Enix and Rooster Teeth respectively
Guardians of Remnant
Chapter 11 – Reconciliation Part 2
Aqua's mouth dropped for what felt like an eternity. "Dead? I…I don't understand. How could he be dead? I just saw him!" Aqua questioned the still straight faced Winter
Winter's expression remained unchanged "Master Shirou was my sister's first teacher. He didn't just teach her to fight, he taught her how to read and write… and about the outside world. He was very kind to her. I guess you could call him Weiss's first real friend. But one day, he was heading outside of Atlas and never made it back" Winter paused.
"His vehicle was found crushed beside a mountain and his body mutilated by Grimm" Winter said
"I….that's horrible" Aqua replied. She could now see that Winter had a more sad expression on her face
"I personally made sure that no matter what….Weiss would never find out. No matter how hard she searched, all she would find were lies…" Winter took a deep breath "…my lies." Winter said lowly
"I told her that his wife found a job out of the Kingdom and that's why he had to move away. She was devastated…but I'd rather her believe he was alive and well then…." Winter trailed off
"Weiss's next teachers weren't as kind" she finished
Despite this new information, something was still wrong. "Then…how was he here meeting with Ozpin?"
Winter looked to Aqua with an inquisitive expression. "I've worked with the military and more specifically General Ironwood for some time now. It isn't uncommon to place operatives under deep cover; fake their deaths, change their identities. Its possible Ozpin could have faked his death for his own ulterior motives."
"But why?" Aqua asked
"That's what I intend to find out. But for now, we'll have to keep this discreet. Just know that I will have to inform the General that Ozpin may have agents hidden around the Kingdoms." She looked to her scroll and saw that she was running late "I must go, if you see him again, please feel free to contact me"
With that Aqua and Winter parted ways. Aqua walked around Beacon's grounds, deep in thought.
'I knew there was something strange about him. His presence just felt off. But what could Ozpin possibly have use for recruiting a teacher for some unknown mission?' Aqua thought
She stopped dead in her tracks as she walked past Ozpins towner, glancing to her side and noticing something that immediately caught her attention. Looking out of one the upper floors of the tower, stood two men. Aqua was unfamiliar with one of the men. He was rather tall, he had dark red hair, and a short red beard. He wore what looked like bronze armor with cuffs and greaves with fringes that left his arms and thighs unprotected. Over his back he wore a thick red mantle, almost looking like a giant theater curtain wrapping around his back.
Aqua could see that this man seemed to impose great strength. She looked to the man next to him and recognized his immediately. His tan skin, his white hair, and those grey eyes. His coat flowing behind him as he moved
"Shirou!" She was amazed to see the man once again. She began walking toward the tower, never keeping her eyes off of the two men. They were deep in conversation. Aqua could see that Shirou was pulling something from out his back. She couldn't see what it was, "What's he taking out? Military secrets? Maybe they're both working for Ozpin? Some kind of weapon?"
Aqua stopped as she could now see that it was in fact none of those. Shirou handed the man what looked like a large plain white t – shirt. He took it and held it up excitedly as he was turning the shirt over, revealing a map of Remnant on its front.
Aqua didn't really know what to think. As she got closer, the voice of Weiss stopped her in her tracks. Aqua turned to see Weiss waving to her and slowly making her way in her direction. 'not now!' Aqua thought. She needed to follow Shirou, learn more of his intentions. Aqua quickly turned back, looking toward the floor the man and Shirou were at. She was shocked to see that they seemingly disappeared.
"They're gone…" Aqua said aloud.
"Who's gone?" Weiss said, now by Aqua's side
Aqua shot around and quickly waved her arms dismissively "Oh, oh, nothing, its nobody!" Aqua lied
Weiss raised her eyebrows at the sudden reaction, but soon dismissed it. Weiss had something that she wanted to discuss.
"Um Aqua…" Weiss began, making sure to avert her gaze "You wouldn't by any chance have time to talk would you?" she asked nervously
Aqua composed herself after losing Shirou once again. She looked to Weiss and smiled brightly "Of course. What's up? Do you need more help with your summoning? I'd be happy to help" Aqua offered
"Um…no, that's not it, but thank you anyway. I…" Weiss paused "I was hoping to talk to you about Ven" she admitted
Aqua put on a devilish smile and became excited "Ooh you need some advice on Ven. He's a pretty simple guy you know, but I'm all ears"
Weiss blushed slightly and quickly shook her head "Wha…No that not it!" Weiss retorted "I was hoping you could tell me more about…his past."
Aqua' s smile soon faded "What do you know?" she asked
"Well the night we met….we didn't exactly get off on the right foot. I lashed out against him and I think I hurt him." Weiss said lowly while clutching her arm
"Though, I don't think he would ever admit it. When he tried to explain his side of the story he mentioned that he was once Xehanort's pupil. I didn't want to believe him but he seemed so angry about it. He didn't really give me any details but I could tell that it really hurt him. And seeing that…I guess it bothered me" Weiss finished
"And why exactly did it bother you?" Aqua questioned
"Because…because it was unfair of me to judge him so hastily and take out my frustrations with Sora out on him. I just want to understand and apologize to him."
"Sora? I thought you and Sora were friends"
"We…we are, it's just…" Weiss trailed off
Aqua smiled and nodded slowly "Oh…I think I understand"
"You do?"
"You've trained all your life to get where you are today. You were raised to be perfect and you came to Beacon expecting the same in other people. Am I on the right track?" Aqua asked
Weiss nodded, confirming her claim
"Then you met people like Ruby…people like Sora, who displayed none of that and yet they can be just as strong and just as talented. But Ruby and Sora may tend to act like…children. And Ven is just like Sora" Aqua smiled
"Weiss, regardless of how you may perceive Sora and Ven's behavior, there's a lot that they hold under the surface. That happy, care free attitude they normally display is really just to cover up what they've been through." Aqua paused
"Especially Ven…I think that's why he wanted to meet you"
Weiss looked up curiously "What do you mean"
"Well…" Aqua began "…judging from what I've heard about your family's company and how your sister acted toward you. You probably didn't have an easy childhood, secluded from other people and forced to be placed on a higher pedestal than everyone else. I don't want to sound rude, but perhaps that's why you put up a colder exterior around other people. It's the only thing you understood"
Weiss wanted to argue back, but everything she said was completely true, so she stayed silent.
"It can get pretty lonely, being cut off from others like that. Ven understands that more than any of us. I think he saw that in you and felt that he could help alleviate some of that loneliness. Perhaps he simply wanted a friend who understood what it felt like. I don't think he cares about the perks of your name, but rather the person behind that name" Aqua finished
"You…you barely know me and yet you can…see all that?" Weiss asked
Aqua smiled "What can I say? I'm really good at reading people." Aqua gave a light laugh
"You're not angry because of how I treated Ven, are you? I understand if you are"
Aqua shook her head, her warm smile never leaving her face "Not at all" she placed her hand on Weiss's shoulder "Weiss, you've got a good heart. The fact that you came to me about this proves that. And I understand many of us may act childish sometimes, but that doesn't mean we haven't had our own struggles…" Aqua paused, remembering her time in the Realm of Darkness "…that we had to endure" she said with her head held low "So instead of pushing others away, we just smile and hope everything will fade away like a bad dream"
"Then….tell me what is it that Ven's hiding underneath!" Weiss demanded
Aqua took a moment and sighed "You want to know more about Ven's past?"
Weiss nodded "Yes" she said firmly
"Well…years ago, Ven was indeed Master Xehanort's pupil. But it wasn't the kind of friendly bond you may have had with Master Shirou. Xehanort exploited Ven. He used him in hopes that he would be able to forge the X – blade. But no matter how hard he tried, it always ended in failure" Aqua paused before continuing
"When Ven outlasted his use to Xehanort…he…Xehanort extracted the darkness in Ven's heart, hoping to find another solution. The result…put Ven in a comatose state…"
Weiss could see that Aqua didn't enjoy recalling this part of Ven's past. She had no idea that Ven went through such trauma. Weiss was caught off guard when Aqua's smile suddenly returned
"But, as luck would have it…someone was looking out for him. Ven's shattered heart came into contact with another's. Together, they helped repair Ven's heart, and brought him back"
"Xehanort dropped Ven off with my Master. Some time passed and Ven, Terra, and I became best friends." Aqua's expression suddenly became dark "But not everything can last forever" she began
"Eventually we came into conflict with Xehanort. We separated, each going on our own journeys. Our home was destroyed and our master was killed. When we found one another we stood as one, hoping to ensure that we would never be torn apart again. Unfortunately, not every story has a happy ending. We lost" Aqua said "And we each paid the ultimate price"
"For the last eleven years, Terra was left under Xehanorts control, I was stranded in the Realm of Darkness, and Ven…his heart was lost"
"I'm sorry. I had no idea. Weiss said
Aqua smiled "It's alright. I've already accepted what happened and I've moved past it. So has Terra. As long as we kept our hearts strong, nothing was going to break us" Aqua reassured
"But…what did you mean by Ven's heart being lost?" Weiss asked
A few moments passed before Aqua spoke again "During our confrontation with Xehanort, Ven fought the darkness that was taken from his heart. He defeated it, but at the cost of his own heart being shattered once again. To ensure his safety, his heart took refuge in the only place it could. Within the heart that saved him once before"
"Do you know whose heart it was that saved him?" Weiss asked
"Isn't it obvious? Aqua laughed. Weiss shook her head
"It was Sora" Aqua answered
"Sora! Sora was the one who saved Ven!? But how is that possible!? How come he never told us?"
"There's a lot of things Sora probably hasn't told you. He's made a lot of friends over his journeys, yes. But he has also made a lot of enemies. Sora's endured a lot to get where he is today. Just like you. Just like me…and just like Ven." She paused
"But yes, Ven took refuge within Sora's heart and remained there, alone in the dark for the past eleven years" Aqua remarked
Weiss felt a deep sense of guilt building up inside her. All the times she chastised Sora, making him out to be a bumbling fool and an incompetent warrior, even though she knew that wasn't true. She really had no idea that he would hide something like this from her. Weiss thought back to all of the stories Sora told her and the rest of team RWBY and JNPR. His journeys across the worlds, it all sounded so fantastical. But now, she didn't really know what to believe. What else could he be hiding? What demons lied beneath the surface?
Weiss realized that she might have been wrong to judge them all this time. Weiss gasped when she realized something about Ven that only now made sense
"If he was within Sora's heart all this time, then that means…"
"That when Sora first arrived her on Remnant, Ven was there too, watching."
"That's why he acted as though he knew me so well. He was there the whole time." Weiss concluded
Aqua nodded "As Sora got to know all of you, so did Ven. While you might have been a bit hostile and cold towards Sora, Ven tends to see the best in people. He saw something in you that…gave him hope" Aqua shrugged
Weiss looked away in shame "What could he possibly see in me? Most people just look at me and see the benefits of my family name."
"Ven's never been one for immense wealth, I don't really think he cares about that stuff"
"All I've ever been is cold to others. I constantly hold my head up higher because I think I'm better than everyone else! There's really nothing genuine about me. Weiss declared, critical of herself
"I appreciate my teammates and the friends that I've made at Beacon, but sometimes I just feel…that they don't understand me."
"Listen Weiss…" Aqua began "I think what you should do right now is to simply give Ven a chance. And maybe in time you'll see what he sees. And maybe you'll also see the best in Ven as well."
Weiss pondered for a moment but then came to her own conclusion. "Thank you Aqua, I think I know what to do."
Team RWBY's dorm
After leaving Ven's room, Sora heard some commotion coming from Team RWBY's dorm. He went to investigate the disturbance and found Ruby, Yang, and Qrow huddled around the TV, playing what looked like some kind of fighting game.
"Oh come on just a little more. X, X, X, left, left, B, uppercut! Huh!? Nooooooo! Come on!" Ruby yelled as her characters head was seemingly chopped off
"Soaring Ninja Wins! Total annihilation!" the game announcer boomed
"Ha, what is that? Four in a row? Is that all you got kid?" Qrow laughed
Ruby pouted and started up a new game "I'll show you.
"Hey guys, what're you up to?" Sora asked
"Oh! Hey Sora! Were just chilling a bit. Ruby here is trying to beat Uncle Qrow at Kung Fu Ninja Slayer Ultimate Death Battle 2"
"Wow that's quite the name" Sora laughed
"YAAANG! Be quiet back there! I'm losing my concentration!" Ruby shouted, which quickly changed into a bright smile upon noticing Sora "Hi Sora! How'd your talk with Ven go?" she asked, hoping to gain some insight to what was bothering Sora
"Oh…it was good. Thanks" Sora replied
"Drat" Ruby said under her breath
"What did you have to talk to Ven about?" Yang asked out of curiosity
"Oh…it was nothing…don't worry about it…just some keyblade…stuff" Sora said with uncertainty
"Oh Come on! Not again! Gah! Sora, do you wanna take a turn?" Ruby asked as she once again lost. Sora laughed as he saw Qrow's character stand atop Ruby's in a muscleman pose
Sora outstretched his arms and audibly yawned. "No thanks I think I'll just watch, you go ahead"
With that Sora sat down atop Weiss's bed, looking on as Ruby gave it another go. Zwei happily walked in and jumped up beside Sora, resting his head on his lap.
Sora smiled "Doesn't sound too bad of an idea buddy"
Within several minutes Sora had laid down and seemingly fallen asleep, messing up Weiss's sheets in the process. Zwei readjusted himself and now rested atop Sora's stomach
Ruby continued her relentless mission to topple Qrow's Soaring ninja
"You'll never beat me old man!" Ruby shouted defiantly
"Heh, your nothin' but talk, kid." Qrow retorted
Cheering from behind Yang threw out her support for her sister "You can do it, Ruby!"
Soaring Ninja Wins! Total annihilation!"
"Ouch. That one's gotta hurt Ruby, you were so close too" Yang said as she consoled her little sister
Turning to Ruby, Qrow smirked "By the way, don't ever call me "old"
Yang quickly pounced on Ruby, pushing her across the room and taking her spot in the game "My turn" she said excitedly. Ruby pooped up behind Qrow still smiling
"So…" Ruby began "…did you get in trouble with Ozpin?"
"Nah, me and Oz go way back. We're cool." Qrow answered
"Cool for an old guy" Yang scoffed
"Not funny"
"Hey, so, what are you doing here anyway?" Ruby asked "I thought Dad said you would be away on a mission for, like…ever"
Qrow smiled "A professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible."
"Yea I get that. We're pretty much pros, too" Ruby added
Qrow narrowed his eyes and gave a sarcastic smile "Oh really?"
"Pssh, yeah! Read the news sometime! We totally saved Vale while you were gone." Yang said, her head held high
Qrow laughed "Funny, because I heard Vale suffered a Grimm attack after you almost managed to stop a train. Oh, and don't forget about how the city was left in ruins after you barely stopped a psychotic Keyblade Wielder"
Yang threw her arms up in frustration after losing to Qrow's soaring ninja
"But they don't give out medals for "Almost" Qrow mocked
"They do, and they're called silver!" Ruby argued back
"Well, we helped take down Roman Torchwick and we helped take down Xehanort. Crimes been down ever since." Yang added
Qrow sighed "Sure, you may be acting like Huntresses, but you're not thinking like one. You really think four girls and their friends can stop all crime in the Kingdom?" Qrow asked
Ruby began poking her two index fingers together, feeling slightly embarrassed by the reality of what Qrow was saying "I mean, I did until you said that"
Qrow now had a serious expression on his face "Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed and Xehanort was defeated. It's stopped. Completely. No white Fang activity around the city. You cut off the heads of a King Taijitu, but now another ones filled the void and is calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick, metal head of his."
Ruby and Yang looked to each other in shock
"You know the General?" Yang asked
Qrow's smile retuned "Hey, I know everybody to some extent. Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team to ever graduate Beacon!" Qrow reached into his back pocket and pulled out a photo containing four people standing along a tree.
On the far left, in a white cloak stood Ruby and Yang's mother, Summer Rose. Ruby's resemblance to her was uncanny. She had shoulder length black hair with red highlights, shining silver eyes, and a kind smile. Concealed behind her cloak was her weapon. Its hilt could barely be made out. Around her seemed to be a stain left behind from a glass.
On Summer's right stood Taiyang, Ruby and Yang's father. Yang bore a strong resemblance to him. She had his blonde hair and iliac eyes. He wore a similar attire as Yang did. Around his arms were his own weaponized gauntlets, The Dragon's Fists. He stood back to back with Summer
To Taiyang's right, stood a woman who closely resembled both Qrow and Yang. She wore a red and black dress with a pair of red gauntlets and thigh length black boots. On her side she held her sheath for her own weapon. She was smiling happily.
Yang found herself staring at the woman. 'That's her. The woman who saved me on the train. My birth mother, Raven' Yang thought to herself
When Qrow noticed Yang's reaction, he shifted his thumb to cover Raven's face
Qrow sighed, remembering his former team "Team STRQ. That when I met your parents you know. Summer was our team's leader and she was…" Qrow trailed off as he looked past Yang and Ruby and towards the currently sleeping Sora.
He laughed lightly, alerting the two sisters. When they noticed him looking at Sora, Yang asked "What's so funny?"
Qrow pointed to Sora "That boy, heh heh. Look at him, sleeping away without a worry in the world. Reminds me of your mom. Summer. You know, when it came to being a huntress she worked as hard as she could. She really was incredible. She made the rest of us look like amateurs" Qrow laughed again "But there were some times when I'd come back to the dorm and I'd just find her there, sleeping away."
Qrow smiled "Lazy bum. We had some good times, your parents and I. We were the talk of the school. We were even pretty well known outside the kingdom as well." Qrow said
"Well known for crummy fashion sense!" Ruby joked
"Hey, we looked good" Qrow shot back "And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up." Qrow placed the photo back in his pocket and got up to leave "Bu ill save those for when you're older."
"Ew, gross!" Ruby said in disgust
Qrow laughed "Anyway, I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch a kids. You're gonna cramp my style." Qrow paused "Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go. And don't think that graduating means you're done" Qrow pointed out
"Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You two, you're gonna go far. But only if you keep learning. If you never stop moving forward." And with that Qrow left.
Ven's room
Ven was laying in his bed, twirling his keyblade around in his hands. He had a lot of free time on his hands and was actually getting pretty good at doing different tricks with it.
The sudden knock at his door pulled him out of his thoughts and he accidently lost control of his keyblade, sending it straight into a lamp.
"Damn it!" Ven cursed "One sec!" he called out
He got up and quickly picked up the broken pieces and threw them away before he approached the door.
Upon opening the door, he was surprised to see that it was actually Weiss who knocked. Ven quickly grew nervous and panicked internally 'Oh what did I do this time? I just can't catch a break!'
"Hello Ven, I was wondering if you had some time to go out somewhere" Weiss said politely
The sudden gesture caught Ven off guard a bit. "Um…uh…ok, yea I have free right now. Where were you planning on going?" Ven asked
"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to Vale for some coffee." Weiss asked, giving a warm smile.
"Um…" Ven contemplated what this could mean, so he blurted out "Weiss, is this like a…date?"
Weiss's face flushed red from embarrassment "A…date…no…yes…I mean NO you dolt! It's just coffee!"
'I blew it. She was actually nice to me and I blew it' Ven thought
"I'm sorry! I wasn't sure! I didn't mean-"
Up, up, up! It's alright, ok!" Weiss interjected, and breathed deeply "Come on" she huffed
Ven and Weiss headed to the shuttles and departed for Vale in silence. Ven was too nervous to open his mouth, afraid of being yelled at. Weiss didn't want to put any more of a bad impression on Ven, so she stayed silent.
When they arrived in Vale, the city was bustling. People crowded the sidewalks, making their way to one place or another. Atlesian soldiers walked amongst the streets, accompanied by Atlesian knights.
Weiss led Ven to small coffee shop in the Eastern district. Ven followed Weiss in, noticing the shops name to be "Adel Family coffee shop" Ven entered noticing a familiar Bunny eared Faunus working behind the counter. She noticed the pair and smiled excitedly "Hi Weiss! How are you today?"
"Hi Velvet. I'm splendid, thanks for asking. How have you been?" Weiss asked
Velvet looked around the shop, noting the lack of customers "I'm alright, it's just been a slow day, not much excitement. Anyway, is there anything I can get you today?"
'I'll just have the usual, thanks. What about you Ven?" Weiss asked
"Oh…um…I'll just have what she's having!" Ven muttered
Velvet looked at Ven curiously "Ven? I thought you were Roxas."
"Oh…sorry. Yea Roxas and I look alike so it's a common mistake. Don't worry about it!" Ven exclaimed
"Ok, oh can you remember to thank Roxas for the pictures when you see him, they turned out great!" Velvet smiled brightly
"Yea, sure no problem"
"Anyway, I get those two up in a jiffy. You two can sit down and I'll bring them over when they're ready!"
Ven and Weiss sat down at the nearest available table. Ven began to twirl his thumbs, still nervous to say anything. Weiss gazed out to her right, watching the busy street, and thinking how she wanted to approach this situation.
After several minutes of silence, Velvet walked over with their coffees ready. After heading back behind the counter, Weiss was about to take a sip but was cut off by Ven
"Sooo…" he began "…I'm just gonna come out and ask it" he paused "What is this all about Weiss? One moment you can't stand the sight of me and the next were going out for coffee. I'm just…not sure I'm following correctly.
Weiss raised an eyebrow "Well that was rather rude" She took a sip from her coffee and placed it down on the table. She breathed deeply and began "Well, the truth is that I wanted to do this so I could actually…formally apologize about how things started out between us. I was wrong to lash out at you and judge you without at least giving you a chance. It was clear that I hurt you and you didn't deserve it. So…I'm sorry" Weiss finished
Ven remained frozen for a few moments but then smiled brightly "Thanks, Weiss. I really appreciate it. But no worries. Maybe I should be the one apologizing. I said some things that someone shouldn't really say when you first meet them. I acted like a fool and I didn't really take in account your past when I said them. Guess I'm still not that great with other people."
"It's ok. I understand. You had to go through a lot to get here." Weiss said
Ven's eyes widened a bit "What do you mean?" he asked nervously
"Aqua told me everything." She admitted
Ven took a moment and sighed in defeat "Of course she did. What did she tell you?"
"About Xehanort and what he did to you. And how your heart was lost" Weiss admitted. She cringed as she saw the now pained expression of Ven
"You were really all alone inside Sora's heart for eleven years?" she asked
Ven nodded in silence
"I'm sorry, I can't even imagine what that must have felt like. But in a way I guess I understand what that might feel like. Most of life I was only allowed within my family's estate, never really seeing what else lied beyond its walls. Those on the estate…whenever they looked at me…they didn't see me…they only saw my father. And it wasn't like I actually got to know most of the people there. Most would come and go. Some would be thrown out. And some…were taken. It made life difficult growing up." Weiss admitted
"The night we met, what I said about how it must have been cool to be an heiress and stuff like that, I wanna take all that stuff back. I was being stupid, and that stuff never really mattered to me. I don't really care about wealth or anything like that, that was never my concern.
Weiss smiled, recalling Aqua's words 'Aqua was right'
"Well it at least explains how you knew so much about me. You were there the whole time, inside Sora."
Ven nodded, his smile returning "Yea, sorry about Sora. I know he can be a handful sometimes. He can be pretty childish"
"And you aren't?" Weiss asked sarcastically
"Well, I can't make any promises!" Ven joked
The pair then began to laugh, lifting whatever tension remained between the two.
"Let's start over then!" Ven proclaimed
Ven stood from his chair "Ventus Lumen, but most people just call me Ven. Energetic speedster keyblade warrior; Have no idea how to talk, act, or dress fancy" Ven followed it up with his attempt at a bow, almost falling over in the process "At your service"
Weiss actually found herself giggling a bit. "You're such a dolt" she smiled and also stood from her chair "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee dust company. And I suppose I can be…difficult at times" she finished her reintroduction with a curtsy.
When the two sat down Weiss noticed that her scroll was ringing. She pulling it out only to find that it was her father calling.
She gritted her teeth in anger and closed the scroll.
Ven noticed the sudden change "It was your father wasn't it?" he asked
Weiss shook her head "It's not important"
Ven waited a few moments and then spoke again "Hey Weiss?"
"Hmm?"
"If you don't mind me asking, as an heiress, you could have done anything with your life. What made you want to be a huntress?" Ven questioned
Weiss sighed "It's not that simple Ven" she said with her head down "I'm a Schnee. I have a legacy of honor to uphold. Once I realized that I could fight there was no question about what I wanted. It was my duty. I didn't want my legacy to that of my father's. What he's done with the company…isn't what being a Schnee means. His money is nothing but tainted and I don't want his charity"
"Though you did seem a little distraught not being able to pay for your meal earlier" Ven added
"Oh! I forgot about that." Weiss averted her gaze
"Did you do anything to your father that would make him do that?" Ven asked
"Well that's the thing, I'm not really sure what I did!"
Ven scratched his chin "Well I wouldn't really know what that must feel like, but it must have been embarrassing."
"It was! I have no idea why he would cut me off like that!" Weiss responded
"Maybe…maybe so would stop avoiding him and call home
Weiss looked at her scroll. She couldn't believe that was all. Her father wouldn't do that because he missed her. 'How could he miss me if he didn't even know I was around in the first place?'
"Hey Weiss, do you want my opinion?" Ven asked
Weiss looked up curiously, waiting for his response
"Well, despite how much your father tried to control you, you went out of your way to go against him and forge your own path. That no matter what, he wouldn't define you. And throughout it all you've never abandoned your family's pride. It's one of the things I've always admired about you" he admitted
Ven's praise made Weiss blush "Thank you" she said, her smile slowly returning
"So it sounds to me like you have two choices in front of you. You can either call him, beg for his money back, and explain why you want to study here at Beacon than at Atlas."
Weiss found herself despising that option
"Or..." Ven began "You could continue to explore Remnant, discovering more about the world, and honestly, more about yourself" Ven finished
Weiss just kept on smiling. Was this really the same boy that she lashed out against?
The sudden ringing of her Scroll startled Weiss. When she looked to see who it was, she wasn't surprised to see that it was once again her father
Ven smiled "I guess now's the time to choose. No pressure, right?" he said with a shrug
Weiss looked at her scroll. This is what Aqua meant when she said that Ven saw the best in others. I'm sorry father, but this is my story
With that she closed her scroll and put it away. She looked to Ven, still blushing a bit "Thanks Ven. I was really wrong about you." She admitted
"The first time we met or the second first time we met?" Ven joked
"Nope. Never mind, you're still a dolt"
Watching from the rooftop of a nearby building stood Shirou Emiya. He was kneeling along the corner, overlooking the exchange between Ven and Weiss. A second man walked up beside him. He was tall, had red hair, and a short red beard.
"Hey Archer, do you think we could stop by a souvenir shop when were done here?" the man asked
Shirou, or rather Archer, looked to the man with a quizzical look
"Are you serious right now, Rider? A souvenir shop? What the hell could you possibly want?" Archer demanded
"Perhaps they have a shirt with Remnant in front. That way it will be as though I carry the entire world upon my chest!" Rider happily exclaimed
Archer rolled his eyes "That's foolish"
"Perhaps to you! But to me, it means everything! Also, why with the code names. Someone as glorious as myself should not be constrained to a name as simple as "Rider"
Rider raised his arms victoriously "I am Iskandar! The King of Conquerors!" he shouted "Anything less would belittle my glory!"
"Why don't you just yell it to the entire damn world you idiot!? We have our orders, it's time to get serious." Archer insisted
Rider Laughed "YOU have your orders! I only tagged along for the ride" Riders expression suddenly became dark "And it is rather unwise to speak down to a King in such a manner"
Archer gave Rider a cocky grin "Speaking down? I thought I was speaking up to a King. You are rather tall."
Rider stared at Archer for a few moments before bursting into laughter "Ha ha ha! You never fail to amuse me Archer, you have spirit! Great men need spirit!"
"Hmm. Thanks. Don't worry I'll get you the damn shirt one day, I promise"
Rider grinned "I'll hold you to that"
Turning back to the coffee shop, Archer looked on as Ven and Weiss were happily conversing
Now serious, Rider asked "Is that the target? Who's the little whelp with them?"
"Don't know, don't care" Archer said
"You know, your master really makes you take on some dirty jobs. They're only children" Rider remarked
"I know. That's why I don't particularly like him" Archer responded
Rider seemed amused by Archer response "Well you could always join my army." Rider suggested
"I'm not so sure he would really like that." Archer focused on the coffee shop and extended his arms outward "Trace On" he whispered
Suddenly a Metallic black bow began to materialize in his hands. He drew back the bow and materialized an arrow, ready to fire.
Though, it is jobs like this that I look forward to. Get in, eliminate the target, and get out."
"Are you sure you're okay with stuff like this, killing children?"
"I'll never be okay with stuff like this, every time I close my eyes, all I see are their faces. But…" Archer paused "…nobody will miss Ventus"
And with that, he let the arrow fly.
BOOM! Archer and Rider enter the Fight! I dont know why i just made a Super Smash Bros. reference, dont ask. I just say whatever's on my mind
Anyway, hopefully you guys enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter is gonna be a fun one. The first confrontation with Archer. And Rider as Well! Just who is Archer's master? What is their goal in all of this.
Please Fav, Follow, and Review!
Next Chapter: Bone of my Sword
Until Next time!
InfiniteKingdom
Until next time
