August 13th
Atlas Academy
City Of Atlas
Atlas
Downtown
6:13 PM

"We're leaving for our mission tomorrow!" Ruby shrieked in excitement as she bounced around her team's dorm. "Oh my god, I'm so excited! I feel like we haven't done anything as huntresses in forever!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Of course I'm alright!" She exclaimed. "How could I not be alright? What put that idea in your pretty little head, Weiss?"

Weiss glared at her as she patted her head. "You're not funny, Ruby."

"Oh, of course I am!" Ruby said, staring at her with unfairly wide silver eyes. "You know I am, Weiss."

"Just let her win," Yang said, an almost dark note to her voice. "If you don't, she'll just irritate you more."

"She's not irritating me," Weiss said stubbornly, crossing her arms and refusing to lose. "She's just trying to wear me down so I'll -"

"That means she's irritating you," Blake said knowingly. "Deny it however you like, Weiss, but she's irritating you."

Weiss stood up suddenly and glared at her. "And what makes you say that?"

Yang giggled. "Your entire look right now?" She suggested.

Weiss crossed her arms. "Shut up, Yang."

"In your dreams," She replied sassily, flopping backwards onto her bed and staring at the ceiling. "After all, you know I'm right."

"No!" Weiss snapped, pausing when she realised that wasn't helping her case. "I mean, no, of course you're not."

Blake laughed. "Weiss, you're proving our point."

"Aww...it's okay," Ruby said, standing up herself and looping an arm around her teammate's. "I know you love me either way, Weiss."

Weiss sighed. "Ruby, is there something about you that is preset on being happy happy happy?"

Ruby shook her head. "Come on, I'm just trying to lighten things up. It's not as if things recently have been particularly shiny and bright."

Yang scowled at the ceiling. "You've got that right," She said darkly.

"Yang?" Ruby said hesitantly. "What's that supposed to mean?

"Nothing," She said, involuntarily touching her metal arm. "I just hope tomorrow goes better than a lot of things have for us recently."

Blake shook her head and carefully climbed up to the top bunk to take Yang's natural hand in hers. "I'm sorry about what he did to you."

"It's not your fault," Yang said quietly. "I just wish you had stayed or at least told me why you had to leave."

Blake sighed heavily. "I didn't know how."

"That's not an excuse," Yang said, her voice nearly toneless. "But I know why you really did now, and it was because you didn't know how to face Adam hurting someone close to you again."

Blake stared at her as her cat ears folded into her head sadly. "You're right."

"Do you know why it hurt so much?" Yang asked her, fighting back the tears pressing at the corners of her eyes. "It hurt so much because I thought you cared, because I thought that things were different with you. That you wouldn't abandon me."

Blake embraced her awkwardly for a moment. "I'm so sorry, Yang."

"I know you are," She said, forcing herself to sit up. "But that doesn't change the past."

Blake hesitantly rested her head on her shoulder. "I'll do anything to make it up to you."

Yang was silent for a long moment, but then softly kissed her. "That's a start."

"Woah -" Ruby started, though she was cut off by Weiss sharply elbowing her. "Hey!"

"Be quiet, you dolt," Weiss said, albeit teasingly. "Maybe our team is finally fixing itself."

"Everything should go smoothly tomorrow," Blake said, a blush rising in her cheeks in spite of herself as she hopped down from Yang's bed. "It's not supposed to me a long mission. Just clearing out grimm on the outskirts of the City Of Mantle."

Yang snorted. "Because the last time our team had a mission that wasn't long, everything went smoothly. Didn't we and Dr. Oobleck crash a train into the City Of Vale?"

Ruby giggled. "Hey! It all worked out, and we saved everything!"

"That's exaggerating," Yang told her, giving her a pointed look. "Especially since the Fall still...happened."

"But things have gotten better!" Ruby protested. "Things in Vale are much better, Beacon's mostly repaired -"

"Calm down, geez," Weiss said, elbowing her again. "Do we need to get you sedatives?"

Ruby stared at her in horror but then jumped up onto her bed. "You'll never get me alive! Never! I will never surrender, not to the likes of you! Never!"

Yang rolled her eyes. "This is actually happening, isn't it? I'm awake?"

Weiss shrugged. "Honestly, who knows anymore?"

Cristal smirked to herself as she made herself comfortable in the CEO's office at the Schnee Dust Company World Headquarters. Lifting her feet up onto the ornate wood desk that she still found to be gaudy, she leaned back into the plush chair and tried to relax as much as possible. The opening hearings in the case against Jacques had begun earlier that day, and there were whispers that the DFAMA, the DCCCI, and the security council had a mounting case against him - one that was strong enough to damn him early on. She knew full well that, particularly in the kingdom of Atlas, court proceedings and especially those as high profile as this one were typically drawn out but she also couldn't help but hope that this would, perhaps, go much smoother and much faster. The evidence, after all, had been mounting for years and come to brighter light in recent months. With the case against him being so strong, there was a chance but that chance was, regardless, fleeting.

"Oh!" A young secretary exclaimed in surprise, pausing in the doorway. "Madame Schnee. I had no idea you would be here."

Cristal smiled and adjusted her glasses. "The chances are that I'll be here far more often than just this."

"So we've heard," The woman replied. "Arabella Chancer."

"Well, Miss Chancer," Cristal said, pulling her feet off of the desk and scratching its surface once more. "I hope you're not going to be too bothered by my...planned renovations for my office. It pains me to even look at the ridiculous things Jacques has done to it."

Chancer laughed in spite of herself. "The word around is that you and your brother have never been fond of him."

"Then that word is more than correct," Cristal replied with a faint smirk. "After all, I've never made much of an attempt to hide it."

"You and your brother are much better than Jacques," Chancer noted, then pausing for a moment. "Don't let that get out."

Cristal scoffed. "As if I would let that happen."

Chancer smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem," Cristal said, sighing as the woman left the room. "What to do, what to do?"

"Chrissy?" Ozpin hesitated in the doorway as she looked up. "I had a feeling you would be here."

She shrugged. "I missed my office, although I can't technically redo anything in here until it's mine again. Legally, that is."

He carefully shut the door, and then stepped over towards the desk. "Scratch marks? Can't imagine Jacques being alright with that."

Cristal laughed. "My heels, of course. That son of a bitch must know when he's beat, if he hasn't replaced it yet."

"I can see why you and Elizabeth are so close," Ozpin remarked, taking her hand as she stood up. "The two of you have the same sense of humour, amongst other things."

She shrugged. "She and I have known each other almost as long as I've known Allison. The three of us were all but inseparable for years."

Ozpin smiled as he embraced her tightly. "I'm glad you seem to be feeling better."

She sighed. "Well, I do think that the trip we took to Vale helped quite a bit."

"I had a feeling it would," He said, gently tucking one of her loose curls behind her ear. "How was the ultrasound this morning?"

Cristal hesitated. "Well, it was fine but that doesn't really make me feel much less worried about the baby."

"It'll be okay," He promised. "And if the doctor said the baby's fine, then I'm sure it is."

She nodded, though the tinge of anxiety didn't leave her face despite her attempts to force it too. "I hope so. Honestly, I'm less worried about the baby being alright than I am about being a good mother to it."

"Chrissy," Ozpin said, his voice completely soft and filled with love and concern for her. "I know that you're going to be alright."

She was silent and glanced around the room. "The last time I was in this room, before I…well, the last time I was talking with my father about how you and I had decided that we were going to have a family, that I was still concerned by his failing health, and that I was still…still so unsure of myself despite having successfully been running the company for over a year. The…the terrible thing is that I know he died thinking that he'd outlived two of his four children, one of whom was becoming an alcoholic because of the nature of her marriage and the other who was slowly going crazy."

Ozpin gave her a gentle squeeze. "I –"

"Oh my god!" A surprised voice exclaimed, and the clicking of heels ceased and a clatter was heard as her designer sunglasses dropped to the ground. "They weren't kidding when they said you and Emmett were still alive. Ozpin too, but that's less surprising."

Cristal's grey eyes went wide as she stared at the woman with faded red curls and the faintest hint of condescension in her face. "Mommy?"

"I can't decide if I'm more surprised than you are," Victoria Schnee said, haughtily picking up her shades. "Considering that I've been in Lantis for the last few months and only found out about this a few days when I got back into the kingdom. I feel like I should congratulate you on your marriage and pregnancy, although I'm not sure I feel the point when these things should have happened for you two almost two decades ago."

Ozpin sighed. "Victoria –"

"I'm not even going to get into what I imagine you've done," She said dismissively, turning back to her daughter. "I heard that Jacques' trial started today. Truly, I hope you and Emmett get the company back. The man – Jacques – is worse than I am."

Cristal looked at her mother in confusion. "What?"

"Right," Victoria said, rolling her eyes. "You seem to be shocked by the fact that I've become more humble."

Cristal scoffed. "If that were true –"

"Still sharp witted?" Victoria laughed. "Good to know, dear, good to know."

"What are you doing here?" Cristal asked her as she rested her head on Ozpin's shoulder. "You don't work here, after all."

Victoria smirked. "Neither do you, but here you are. If you must know, Cristal, I'm here because I was going to have a few sharp words with Jacques but I suppose he's not out of that trial yet. Oh well."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Why –"

"I was going to try to talk him into forfeiting the company before Elizabeth Morell, Blake Adel, and Kiara Davis make him into the greatest fool in the kingdom," Victoria said, shrugging. "I'm not heartless, after all."

Cristal rolled her eyes. "Because that makes sense."

Victoria scowled. "Cristal –"

"I'm a bit surprised to see you, to be honest," Cristal said, giving her a sharp look. "Since –"

"Can you –" Victoria started, sending Ozpin a pointed look.

Ozpin pressed a soft kiss to his wife's forehead. "To be honest, I agree with her. It's a bit surprising to see you here, Victoria."

Victoria laughed. "Truly, I can say the exact same thing for the two of you…"

Winter sighed as Emmeline continued to appraise her hair. "General Ciel, you really don't need to feel the need to do this. The wedding's not even until December -"

"I'm just getting a basic idea of what I'm going to be working with," She told her, then shaking her head. "You really ought to stop dying it white. I know it makes you feel closer to your mother than to your father, but it's damaging your hair. And, no, I don't recommend that you start wearing a wig."

Winter turned slightly to look at her. "General Ciel, why are you doing this for me? I know that –"

"Winter, you don't have to be formal because we're not at work," Emmeline said gently. "And I'm doing this for you because not only am I your aunt, but because I genuinely care about you and want to alleviate any stress I can."

Winter bit her lip. "Emmeline, you don't need to feel the need to do that."

Emmeline crossed her arms. "Winter, if you're worried about your father doing anything, you shouldn't be. Do you really think he's going to be able to cling to power much longer?"

Winter sighed again. "I don't know. It's possible. If he's done it for this long –"

"For god's sake," Emmeline said in slight exasperation. "Winter, he's going to lose whatever case he thinks he has against Emmett and Cristal."

"How can all of you be so certain?" Winter asked her, staring at her with her eyes wide but then shaking her head. "I know –"

"Winter, we're looking at this from a political and legal stance," Emmeline said calmly. "I know that man did horrible things to you, and to your mother, and to your sister, and I imagine to your brother but –"

"But what?" Winter challenged. "Emmeline, I appreciate you trying to help, but you don't know him like my family and I do. He's capable –"

"Do you really think, considering that he lost the political influence he had years ago in the Natrilia Analytics scandal –" Emmeline started.

"Emmeline," Winter said, looking at her seriously. "He's not powerless."

She rolled her eyes. "That much is obvious. If he was powerless, this would have been over in a heart beat."

Winter scowled. "You don't have to be condescending."

"Well," Emmeline said, intentionally trying to provoke her into reason. "Maybe that's the only way to get through to you."

Winter's eyes widened in shock. "Emmeline!"

"Winter, you can't keep viewing the man as some unbeatable power!" Emmeline exclaimed, then shaking her head. "You're going to be alright, and he hasn't had any real power over you in years. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course I know that," She snapped. "But that doesn't mean that family has a certain hold over people that can't ever truly be severed."

Emmeline was silent for a long moment. "What do you mean?"

Winter stood up to her full height, several inches taller than the petite general. "Well, you hadn't quite ever gotten past Emmett's death, had you?"

Emmeline took in a sharp breath before shaking her head. "You know the answer to that, and I know just as well as you do that you're trying to play the same card I played on you. The difference is that it's not working. Winter, I know full well that I'd never truly gotten past Emmett's death and having him back has given me the one thing I wanted but never thought I'd have for me and my daughter. Chrissy too. It seems that the difference between us is that I find freedom in the truth whereas you see a dark light that you want to hide from."

Winter was stunned into silence, her thoughts racing.

"Look," Emmeline said, starting to pace with her low heels clicking. "I know this is hard for you, but I –"

"I just don't know how to deal with all of this," Winter said, probing her forehead. "I've told Qrow it doesn't matter, but it does."

"Of course it does," Emmeline said. "You're not wrong in saying that family has a certain hold. But you are wrong in letting someone like your father hold anything over you. You think Allison lets her own father hold things over her?"

Winter shook her head. "Of course not. Watts is nothing like her –"

"And you're nothing like Jacques," Emmeline said, pausing upon the door opening. "Emmett, can you please tell your niece that she's nothing like Jacques."

Emmett laughed for a brief moment. "Is that even a question? Winter's never been anything like him."

Winter stared at him. "You seriously think that?"

"I trained you as much as I could in your semblance before I…" Emmett trailed off and then sighed as he closed the door. "Before I died."

"I know that," Winter said, a bit glum as she sat back down on the small settee in front of the mirror. "But that doesn't mean I'm not his child, that I'm not…that I'm not the one he tried the most to make like him."

"Clearly, he failed," Emmeline said, giving her a pointed look as Emmett gently wrapped an arm around her waist. "And Qrow loves you even with who your father is. He and Blake are nothing alike in many ways, but unconditional love for their spouse is one of them."

"Hey," Emmett said, his voice a bit teasing. "I thought that was me, James, Michael…and I guess Oz too, with Chrissy."

Emmeline slapped his arm. "You know it is, don't even play."

"I don't want him to be worried about me over something like this that I can and will handle myself," Winter said, almost stubbornly. "It's not a big deal."

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "I'm not saying I like Qrow, but he's going to be worried about you no matter what. If not because of your father, then because of his semblance. Do you know how many times he's rambled on about how he's a curse?"

Winter sighed. "He's not."

"Seems like you tell him that a lot," Emmett noted, sharing a knowing look with Emmeline as he adjusted his glasses and shook out his long white waves. "He better start listening soon. He'll feel better, and I think you will too."

"He's right," Emmeline told her, sympathy written all over her face and her voice. "Winter, it's going to be alright. It has been, hasn't it?"

She glanced at herself in the mirror. "Honestly, I'm not always quite sure these days."