Author's Note: Alright, so here's another one! This is going to be the first of two winter break chapters; I figured It'd be topical, I guess. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please let me know how you like it; reviews and critiques are quite helpful where improvement is concerned.

"Oh… My… God…" Yang stared, slack-jawed, at the resort's main green, presently covered with a dusting of snow, "You're filthy friggin' rich!"

Weiss couldn't help a little satisfaction despite herself, "So we are,"

"I mean…" Yang continued, "It's a friggin' mountain!"

"An essential prerequisite for the construction of a ski resort," Blake affirmed dryly.

"Hey Ren! Think fa-,"

"Drop the snowball, Nora,"

Nora pouted, shoulders slumping, but she obeyed.

"I can't thank you enough for having us as your guests Weiss," Pyrrha thanked her profusely again.

Weiss wished that she'd stop; the resort was nothing to her but another testament to Father's unyielding commitment to his work above all else, "It's nothing Pyrrha, I come here every year," it was true enough, "I just figured it be nice to have some friends along for once," for the first time.

"Still, don't they usually charge a lot to stay at places like this?" Jaune asked, voice apprehensive, "I'm not sure I-,"

Weiss adjusted her crimson scarf wrapped about her neck at the collar of her white cardigan, somewhat angered by Jaune's suggestion, "You all are my guests, your expenses will be on my account; don't worry about it,"

"Hey!" It was Ruby, a few paces behind the Schnee Heiress' lead, laughing in the face of her own objection to the snowball that smashed against the back of her head, "I'll get you for that Nora!"

Ruby evaporated in a flurry of petals and reappeared at the side of the concourse leading up to the lodge, quickly collecting pat of the snowbank into a small personal arsenal, and proceeding to launch volley after volley of the snowy projectiles Nora's way. The elder, if no more mature girl responded by ducking behind her partner, using him as a human shield for the brief moment before Ruby realized that she was hitting an innocent man.

"Oops… Sorry Re-!" Ruby was silenced by a snowball roughly the size of her torso hurled by the giggling Nora.

"This a private fight, or can anyone get in on it?" Yang asked rhetorically as she lobbed snowballs at both girls.

Yang was buried in snow from the two former enemies.

"Oh it's ON now!" Yang shouted, clearing the snow off of herself in a burst of golden flame, surrounding her in a short-lived cloud of steam.

Weiss stood aloof, tapping her foot impatiently as her guests degenerated into a snowball melee, joined solely by Blake, who preferred to read as always, though this time she favored the resort's brochure.

It's too cold to screw around out here right now! The sun's going down for pity's sake!

"So Weiss…" Blake spoke inquiringly as Jaune's face was plastered by a snowball from Pyrrha.

"What?" Weiss tried not to snap at her, but wasn't sure that she'd succeeded, Too damn cold…

"Does your father use Faunus labor here?"

"No, Blake…" not that she'll like the reason why, "Father doesn't believe that-,"

Blake nodded, sparing her the need to say it, "I… I understand…"

Weiss imagined that Blake resented the implication, but wasn't going to hold Father's policy against her. It was accurate enough to say at least that Father didn't exploit unethically cheap Faunus labor here, this was because he had judged that to employ Faunus at a Schnee resort would be detrimental to the company's image.

"I know you don't like the company Blake, but please, can you try to enjoy yourself here? For me?"

Blake looked Weiss over incredulously, "…Sure, I-,"

Before Blake could finish, the moment was shattered by the snowballs with which Yang simultaneously pelted their faces.

"A moment Blake," Weiss spoke, a vicious look somewhere between a grimace and toothy smile, hand moving to Myrtenaster's hilt, "You want a fight, Yang?" she activated the weapon's blue chamber as she drew it, "I'll give you a WAR!"

It was some time later before the eight of them finally stumbled into the foyer of the lodge caked with snow and laughing despite soggy clothes and chattering teeth. They weir cheeks were all flushed with cold, Ruby's nearly matched her cloak. Nora hung on Ren, who wore a slight smile despite himself. Even Weiss herself was in a good mood, owing more than a little to the fact that, despite the snow melting at the back of her neck, she had definitely won. Perhaps the only one who wasn't visibly pleased was Blake, who was still trying to get snow out of her cat ears.

"Good evening Miss Schnee, would you and… Your friends… care to retire, or shall I send word to the dining hall?" The concierge approached, somewhat apprehensive of the trail of snow that the eight of them were bringing into the lodge.

Weiss took off her scarf, "Go ahead and let the chef know, but I think we could all do to stop by the suite first to change,"

"Of course, Miss Schnee, your luggage has already been received and moved to the imperial suite,"

"Well done," Weiss nodded, turning back to her friends, "Any objections? The Chef will prepare a full spread; there should be something for everyone,"

There were nods and shrugs all around, and the concierge set about his work.

"Imperial suite, huh?" Yang raised an eyebrow as Weiss led the group to the impressive carpeted main staircase across the lobby.

"I usually prefer the…" Weiss trailed off, reddening, "It's the only one big enough to accommodate all eight of us,"

"SLUMBER PARTY!" Nora exploded with glee so loudly that a bellhops jolted in surprise.

"It'll be just like the night before initiation!" Ruby agreed, "Except we're friends now so… Less… um…"

"Naw," Yang shook her head, "It'll be more like Weiss's Birthday-,"

"We are not playing truth or dare,"

"Fine," Yang allowed reluctantly.

"Or strip poker,"

"But-,"

"Or strip mahjongg,"

"You've gotta be kidding-!"

"I mean it Yang," Weiss warned, "You'll behave yourself, or you can start work on an igloo,"

"What about-,"

"No spin the bottle either,"

By the time Yang had exhausted her list of lewd party games, they'd reached the top of the stairs and were faced with a set of almost preposterously large mahogany doors with the words 'Imperial Suite' engraved in gold at the top of the threshold.

Jaune whistled, "That's a big door,"

Weiss produced the key-card and unlocked the entrance to the suite, "Alright, so there's two bathrooms, two walk-in closets, and I've sent word ahead of us to have extra beads moved in, so the bedroom. We'll have to take turns changing but-,"

"Yeah yeah, we get it Weiss," Yang pushed her way to the front and roughly threw open the massive doors, starting confidently in until she actually saw the place, "That's a… swanky place you got here…"

The suite's great room was dominated by a huge stone fireplace, surrounded by a half-dozen high-backed leather chairs and a pair of chaises. .

Weiss sighed, "Like I said, this is the only one that will comfortably accommodate eight, now come along; our luggage should be in the bedroom,"

When Weiss had managed to coax her five slack jawed friends and the more stoic, if nonetheless dazed other two back to the bedroom, she found indeed that their luggage was present, but that the concierge apparently hadn't understood her when she said that she needed beds for eight. Arrayed against the back wall of the room that was easily three times the size of a Beacon dorm were a total of four queen-sized beds.

Weiss's left eyelid twitched, "I believe… That I'll be having a word with the concierge…"

"Nonsense!" Yang cheered, her wits coming back to her, an evil grin spreading across her face, "Partners can just double up!"

Nora tackled Ren as she was frequently wont to do, whilst Pyrrha reddened and Jaune scratched his head, laughing nervously, "Uh… could I maybe just sleep on one of the chaises?"
"Hell no! We gotta take advantage of these beds," Yang said pushing on one of the plush mattresses and then slinging an arm over Jaune's shoulder and pulling the surprised boy close enough to whisper in his ear, "Play your cards right and-,"

"Yang!" Weiss and Pyrrha shouted in unison.

Yang put up her hands as if to submit to arrest, "Alright, alright, I'll behave, but…" she raise an eyebrow, "How are we gonna split these up then? In all seriousness, partners seems as good a way as any,"

Weiss sighed, casting cursory looks about her friends, Nora would certainly be disappointed if we didn't go by partners… but Pyrrha… The redhead seemed embarrassed by the prospect, but her gazed remained fixed on the oblivious Jaune, How does he not see it? "You know what, we'll deal with this later; though Jaune, I won't stop you, but those chaises are a bit short to sleep on. At any rate, for now, we need to change and go have dinner."

"These cookies…" Ruby gaped at the mound of confections heaped upon her plate, "They're so pretty… I almost don't want to eat them…"

"Setting that aside, you really should eat something other than cookies for diner, Ruby," Weiss lectured her team leader, seated at her right hand, cutting into the swordfish fillet that she'd been fortunate enough to lay claim to before Blake had absconded with a mountainous pile consisting of all the available fish presented, "It would be rather wasteful not to eat them,"

"These have got to be the fanciest burgers I've ever-," Yang interrupted herself with a bite, "I've ever had,"

"It's called a Reuben sandwich Yang," Weiss rolled her eyes at the blonde on her left, pausing to take a bite of her own meal, "and I see no reason that you need eight of them,"

"Mmhmm," Yang shrugged as she stuffed her face again, "All that training burns calories-,' she said with her mouthful, then swallowed, "and besides, the extra always goes straight to my rack anyway,"

Weiss grimaced, stabbing her swordfish, "Absurd,"

Forcing herself to set aside dieter's bitterness, Weiss looked about the table and felt something resembling pride as everyone tucked into their meals. Blake was seated on Yang's opposite side, demonstrating a shockingly substantial appetite as she devoured plate after plate of various types of fish. Jaune had chosen a steak, though he seemed intimidated by its sheer size, while Pyrrha had a hearty, though reasonably portioned plate of chicken-pot pie. Ren most closely mirrored Weis's own choices, if only in portion size, as he had chosen a chef salad, whereas Nora had amassed the largest pile of pancakes and bacon that Weiss had ever seen.

How? Just, how can anyone eat that much? Weiss took a bite of the pilaf that came with her swordfish, if I even thought about eating that much…

"Hey Weiss," Ruby tugged at her sleeve, "could I uh… ask the chef for some more cookies?"

The silver-eyed girl's plate was empty but for some crumbs, Preposterous! "Ruby, you really should eat something else…"

Ruby's lip quivered and her eyes went wide.

Damn that face! "Fine, just don't make yourself sick,"

"Thank you!" and like that Ruby's expression was giddy, and she vanished in a storm of rose petals.

"Jeez, you'd think you're her mother," Yang teased, taking a bite of her fifth sandwich.

"You could do to lay off yourself," Weiss raised an eyebrow, "It's like you haven't eaten in a week,"

"The Beacon food's good," Yang offered, "but it ain't every day we get to eat like this, and besides, look at Nora and Blake!"

Both were inhaling pancakes and fish respectively with such gusto that one might be forgiven for thinking that they actually hadn't eaten in weeks.

"They don't serve a lot of fish at Beacon," Weiss allowed, "I don't care to guess about Nora's metabolism though,"

"Hmm?" Nora cocked her head a moment, before shrugging and returning to the pile of bacon on her plate.

Weiss couldn't get angry though, Let them eat; this is… It's nice…

Weiss ducked out of the bedroom just as the others got started in earnest on a pillow-fight of the century; snow was one thing, but the staff might look down upon her using Dust inside the lodge for such a triviality. As it was, Ruby and Yang seemed more than capable of holding their own, and Weiss didn't have much of a throwing arm. That was what she told herself anyway.

In the suite's great room she found Blake, curled up with a book on a chaise by the fireplace, occasionally picking sardines from a little silver platter, She's almost like an actual cat…

"You know, it baffles me how none of us could tell," Weiss thought aloud, sitting down in the chair nearest Blake as Jaune could be heard begging for mercy in the other room, "I mean, you're even snacking on fish,"

Blake shrugged, not looking up from her book, "You told me to enjoy myself, so I am; I'm not sure room service is terribly fond of me though,"

"They didn't-,"

"No, no, nothing like that," Blake assured Weiss, "it's got more to do with the possibility that this may or may not be my eight plate of sardines,"

Weiss was aghast, "How can you possibly still be hungry?"

Blake shrugged again, "I guess it's like Yang said: we just don't get to eat like this very often, so I plan to make the most of it,"

Weiss let out a long sigh, "Fair enough,"

A long quiet passed between them, the silence broken only by the crackling of the fire and the muffled shouts and laughter from the other room as she leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. This is nice, very nice…

"Tell me something," Blake suddenly closed her book, "Not to look a gift horse in the mouth or anything, I'm just curious, but why did you invite us all out here?"

Weiss didn't open her eyes, "It's like I said; I come here every year for winter break. I just thought it would be nice to have you all along since I have people to share it with this time,"

"This time?" Blake looked slightly concerned.

"Hmm…" Weiss mused aloud, "so Ruby kept it to herself… It's nothing really," she lied, "Father's just always been… busy this time of year,"

"Weiss…"

"It's not like I had it hard, I guess… Not like you," Weiss kept talking, "I mean, just look at this place; just another example of how I could have any… thing I wanted…"

"But you don't want things, do you?"

Weiss thought about it for a long time, lifting the little silver locket from her neck and staring at it, "What's there left to want?" she thought about it some more, "Except…"

"I'm guessing your father wasn't always…"

"Embittered and neglectful? No…" Weiss shook her head.

"Money changes people, I guess…"

Weiss laughed, "Don't be ridiculous; we always had money, Blake, it was the pressure, I think, after Grandfather died and Father had to take over the company… and then when Uncle died…"

Blake winced, "I… I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Weiss sighed, "I doubt you could've had anything to do with it at eleven years old, and besides, Mother was the last straw,"

Blake was silent.

"I just…" Weiss searched for the right words, "It's been a while since I really had people to enjoy times like this with,"

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Go ahead," It felt good to unburden herself now and again, and Blake was nothing if not tight-lipped.

"When did you get that scar?"

Weiss froze.

"Never mind," Blake saw that it was a step too far.

"No, no, it's alright," Weiss assured her as she recovered herself, "In all honesty, I suppose that I did this to myself,"

Blake was both puzzled and concerned, "What?"

"After Mother… after that I decided that I needed to be perfect; that I was absolutely not going to give him anything else to be angry or frustrated about, you know? I decided that I was going to make him proud, and… I got ahead of myself…"

More silence.

The tension was suddenly broken when the door to the bedroom flung open and Ruby stumbled through, slamming it shut behind her, "Weiss…"

"What is it Ruby?"

"Do you mind if I sit out here with you-, oh, hey Blake, I didn't see you there…"

Blake let out a sigh and reopened her book; the moment had passed, "I'm a ninja,"

Neither Weiss nor Ruby could hold back a chuckle, "So I take it you've had enough of the pillow fight?"

"Well…" Ruby seemed nervous, "Yang kinda sorta might've started a game of spin-the-bottle… You weren't serious about throwing her out, were you?"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, I was but… "It's fine Ruby, as long as I don't have to be a part of it,"

Ruby gave a sigh of relief as she took the chair next to Weiss's, "Phew… I don't think Yang's hair could handle a night out in that cold…"

"Her hair?" Weiss raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk supplanting her previously solemn expression, "You're not worried about the rest of her?"

Ruby shrugged, "She wouldn't be,"

Blake snorted in amusement from the chaise.

Weiss quietly chortled as well, Right, no more self-pity, you're here to enjoy yourself; remember that.

"So, what do you think of the place?" Weiss gave a vague gesture about the room, "These are the best accommodations of our premier resort, cool huh?"

"It's so… big…" Ruby was wide-eyed, "And everything's so…" She bounced a few times in the expensive chair, "…I don't know... expensive?"

"Again, don't worry about it," Weiss shook her head, "I'm thinking that we can try the ski trails tomorrow, does that sound like fun?"

Ruby's face lit up again in wonder, nodding vigorously, "It sounds awesome! I wouldn't have thought you skied though…"

"What, you don't think I can? I'll have you know that I am quite good at it!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Ruby shrank back, "It just seems like you could get hurt…"

Blake's ears twitched, but she stayed out of the conversation, leaving both involved parties oblivious.

Weiss laughed, "We're enrolled in a school training to fight monsters, and need I remind you that you were the one who tried to fight a Deathstalker one-on-one, and you're worried that I'd hurt myself while skiing?"

"Well when you put it like that…" Ruby poked her fingers together, embarrassed.

"At any rate," Weiss wove her fingers together behind her head, "I'll just have to show you how exceptional I am tomorrow,"

"You don't have to… I kinda-,"

"Hmm? What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Weiss's eyes narrowed, but shrugged it off after a moment, much to Ruby's relief.

"I do wish the concierge had gotten the bed right though," the Heiress complained, "I'm getting tired, but it's going to be awkward no matter how we arrange it,"

"Yeah…"

"You can't say that the room isn't big enough for four beds," Blake chimed in disinterestedly, "Even if you're used to having this place to yourself,"

"Please!" Weiss objected, "I am not that indulgent! Normally I just take the Princess Suite!"

"Princess Suite?"

Weiss's face had begun to redden the instant she'd finished her objection, and was now a shade fit to match the red of her collar, "I-, um…"

Bake smirked, "So… I think that I could be persuaded to keep this quiet…"

"The best tuna every Friday for the rest of our time at Beacon," It was a bid more than anything else, "Yang cannot find out,"

Blake smiled, "A pleasure doing business with you,"

Weiss sighed with relief, slumping back in her chair, only then noticing Ruby snickering, much to her chagrin, "Princess Suite? That's so cute!"