Chapter Thirty-Six: Family Matters.
Blake and Weiss sat in the examination room as they waited for the older girl to arrive. While it was unusual for two people to be in the same examination room the two teammates had agreed that it would be easier for Velvet to see them together in the same room rather than have her go to two separate rooms. Weiss flicked through a few news stories on her scroll while Blake read from her book.
"News from Mantel is not good." Weiss sighed as she finished the story she was reading. Blake hummed letting the Heiress know she was listening and Weiss continued, "General Talon has agreed that it's the duty of the army to retake Atlas from the people. General's Grunerbaum and Hissen are still torn between their decision but with Ironwood still stuck in Vale it is likely that they will follow Talon. Once the Atlas Army moves in there's going to be blood in the streets."
"That is concerning." Blake agreed as she put her book down. "Do you think the fighting will spill over to the other cities?"
Weiss frowned, "Hard to say really. It's likely that the fighting will be focused in the capital city but there will most likely be a small amount of spill over."
"There will be spill over." Velvet added as she walked into the room drawing both of the other girl's gazes. "Coco just heard back from her older brother, they're already seeing tensions rise in Lux as Atlas deteriorates."
"That is not good to hear." Weiss cringed slightly; Lux was about as far removed from the Atlas influence as one could get in the northern Kingdom if tensions where high there then other cities would surly be feeling the pressures.
"No it's not." Velvet nodded in agreement. "Sorry for the wait, it's been a pretty busy day around here since we're shifting rotations. So Weiss let's check your back first." The rabbit Faunus motioned to the table.
Once the Heiress was seated she shucked off her jacket and began to reach for the zipper on her dress when she paused, glancing over her shoulder she saw the panther once again engrossed in her book. Amber eyes glanced up quickly before returning to the paper, "Don't worry Weiss, I have no interest in seeing you topless." Blake chuckled making Weiss blush. "And I don't think Ruby will mind you undressing as long as Velvet stays in the room."
"Blake!" Weiss hissed as she glared at the panther.
"Oh I feel like I missing something good." Velvet smirked as she forced Weiss to turn around and undid the zipper herself.
"It's nothing." Weiss replied quickly making Blake chuckle again.
"Really Weiss?" Blake teased, "Are you sure pinning a topless Ruby to your bed classifies as 'nothing'?"
"What?" Velvet laughed out doubling over.
Blake continued to chuckle as Weiss turned bright red from her blush, "Oh Well Yang and I walked into our dorm this morning and found our resident Ice Queen pinning our favorite wolf to their bed and the wolf just happened to be lacking her top." Velvet continued to laugh to the point where she finally fell on the ground and started to roll back and forth.
Weiss continued to blush as she pulled her shoulders up around her ears her face a bright pink from her blush. "Blake Belladonna I will get you for this." She hissed.
Velvet finally was able to get herself under control and stood up wiping away tears from her eyes. "Oh my, sound's like you've both had a full day already." The rabbit chuckled some more, "How did Yang take her baby sister being pinned to a bed?"
Blake cringed a little making Velvet raise an eyebrow, "About as well as you'd guess and Ruby…"
"Defended her mate?" Velvet guessed, Blake nodded and Velvet sighed. "Well it's to be expected, especially with a wolf."
Weiss was finally getting her blushing under control and turned to question the older Faunus, "What do you mean?"
Velvet shrugged and motioned for Weiss to turn back around, "While not much is known about wolves in general, we do know that they are very territorial, willing to defend what they view as theirs, including their mates. It's why many of us were so worried for Neptune when he first showed up."
Weiss sighed, "I get what I did with Neptune was stupid and it hurt Ruby, but why do people keep bringing it back up?"
"Well the reason is fairly simple." Velvet responded, "You reek of Ruby." The Heiress once again blushed and started to stutter out an answer but the rabbit continued over her, "Weiss all Faunus have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, some more than other true, but all of us can smell pheromones that humans cannot and you are covered in Ruby's." To prove her point the rabbit moved in and took a quick sniff of the Heiress' exposed neck only to pull back and shake her head. "Yeah earth, roses, and wolf; Ruby's scent is all over you. She's essentially marked you as hers and any Faunus that comes into contact with you will know that. So when you went out with Neptune it was concerning. I take it you know how Faunus will react when their mate is in danger?" Weiss nodded remembering the conversation from earlier, "Well factor in that Ruby's a wolf and you'll understand why were wary."
"Yes I get it." Weiss nodded again. "I guess I still have a lot to learn when it comes to some things when it comes to being with a Faunus."
"And we'll help you when you need it." Velvet reassured her. "Right let's see what your back looks like."
Velvet moved the Heiress dress to the side to look at the pale flesh. Four light pink lines still ran down her back and it was unlikely that they would ever go away but the Faunus was happy with the level of healing moving the skin around to make sure that there was no residual pain. When Weiss didn't flinch the older girl nodded and placed her hands on the Heiress back on either side of the marks and channeled her semblance into the other girl. Closing her eyes Velvet felt her flow of Aura pass through Weiss giving allowing the older girl to see the Heiress' Aura flow move about her body, concentrating on her back Velvet looked for any signs that the wounds were causing any problems in in the flow. Seeing none Velvet allowed her semblance to back away from the Heiress and reopened her eyes.
"Alright," Velvet nodded as she started to re-zip Weiss' dress, "You're good to go. No signs of any problems in your Aura and they are completely healed up. The scars will likely never go away but that's a side effect of the Taijitu venom, but hey you're not going to be a Huntress without getting a scar now and then."
"Thank you Velvet." Weiss nodded as she put her jacket back on and got off the table.
"Anytime Weiss, though let's not make this a habit." Velvet chuckled, "Alright Blake, you're up."
Blake sighed and walked over to the table, "I know you want to see them but I've never noticed any problems before so it's not likely there is anything to worry about."
Velvet narrowed her eyes at the panther and pointed for her to sit at the table. "Oh I'm sure you're right but it never hurts to get a second opinion." Blake reluctantly sat down and slowly undid her bow. The rabbit's eyes narrowed even more as the panther's damaged ears were revealed, "Blake who did this?" Her voice was hard and cold.
"My former partner." Blake answered, her amber eyes looking down at the ground. "He was the jealous type."
"Bastard." Velvet spat with venom in her voice. "Faunus ears are extremely sensitive to the pain, for another Faunus to do this is unforgivable. If I get my hands on him he's going to be begging for a mercy before I'm even a third of the way through."
"It its any conciliation, Coco did try her best to smack him into the stratosphere when she met him." Blake said weakly.
"No." Velvet growled and pulled out an otoscope, "This is going to feel weird but try not to move around to much." Tilting the panther's head to the side she stuck the device in her ear and peered down it. "Well there's no sign of infections or anything to troubling but there is a lot of scaring near your eardrum, I can give you Aura drops that will be able to clear that up. It might also improve your hearing some. As far as the scaring to the ears there's not much I can do, there are a few lotions that might help. But this slice," The rabbit paused as she stared at the v-shaped cut in the panther's ear, her frown hardening, "There's nothing I can do about that. It might slowly close up over time but it will never fully heal."
Blake nodded, "I figured as much. I never expected it to heal fully anyways." Velvet nodded and walked over to the counter in the room and started to right out a prescription for Blake.
"You know Velvet you are not as shy as you come across." Weiss commented making Velvet blush slightly.
"It has something to do with my nature," Velvet answered, "I'm rather shy and timid when I first meet new people but once I get use to them and can finally be myself around them I'm not so timid and shy then." The rabbit paused before shrugging, "You can blame Coco on my crassness from time to time. I wasn't really out going even when I was with people I was comfortable with but she practically dragged me out of my shell kicking and screaming, if you haven't noticed she doesn't do shy and timid."
"Oh I've known." Weiss commented dryly.
"Oh yeah I forgot that the Abel's and Schnee's aren't known for getting along." Velvet chuckled.
Weiss sighed, "More like our fathers. I have had no problems with any of the Adel's but get our fathers in the same room and you might as well start another war. Frankly it's one of the things I plan to fix when I take over the SDC, a partnership between us and Adel Dustwares would benefit a lot of Huntsmen and Huntresses."
"Yeah that would be pretty helpful." Velvet agreed before pausing again and looking up at the Heiress with curiosity, "Wait, I thought Winter was the one taking the SDC over. Isn't that why she's been pulled back from the field?"
Weiss froze, very, very few people knew about Winter anymore, she had forgotten that the Adel's were one of them. Winter and Coco's older sister, Claudia were once good friends. Swallowing back the pain that lurched into her chest Weiss shook her head and looked away from the rabbit, "Winter is unable to fulfill her duties as the next president of the SDC and so I was named next in line. She was pulled back from the field due to injuries that prevent her from being a Huntress." The Heiress kept her voice soft and detached, reciting the line she had memorized since the day of the accident.
Velvet's gaze flicked to Blake who looked just as confused as she was, "Weiss?"
"I'm sorry but that's all I can say on the matter." Weiss shook her head still keeping her eyes on the ground. Velvet sighed and shook her head, she could always ask Coco if she knew what was going on, whether the fashionista would tell her or not was another matter.
"Right well that's everything I needed." Velvet said as she stood up and handed a slip to Blake, "Take this to the pharmacy and have it filled, have Yang help you with the drops, the lotions need to be applied before you go to bed each night make sure you ears are good and dry if you shower before you put it on." Blake took the slip and nodded. "Blake I'm serious about this, we need to take care of that scaring before it causes something bad to happen."
"I know Velvet." Blake smiled, "I appreciate that you're serious about your job and I'll make sure I follow the instructions."
"Good." Velvet smirked, "And Weiss if you notice anything that seems off about your back please let me know right away, Taijitu venom can stay hidden in the body for a long time."
"Understood." Weiss nodded as she finally brought her eyes back up to meet the older girl's gaze.
Velvet smiled softly at her, "And if you ever need to talk you know I'm always available when I'm around." Weiss just nodded. "Right well out with you, I have five more patients behind you two and they might not be as willing to listen to me as your team is."
"That bad huh?" Blake chuckled as they left the room.
"You know for as tough and rough as Hunters are proclaimed to be, I've never seen a bigger bunch of babies when it comes to following instructions." Velvet laughed.
Ruby glared at her older sister from across the table as she slowly chewed her pancakes. Yang had drug her quickly to the cafeteria before marching her through the line and then leading her to a table towards the back and away from the crowd. The blonde for her part had just smiled and ignored the pouting wolf.
"Put the pout away pup." Yang shook her head, "This is going to be serious stuff." Ruby rolled her eyes and took a drink and Yang couldn't help herself, "So have you planed on using protection?"
Ruby choked on her drink and started coughing hard trying to clear her airway. Pounding on her chest to clear the liquid blocking her lungs the wolf finally was able to take a large gulp of air as her older sister howled with laughter, "YAAAAANG!" Ruby cried as she felt her face light up with blush, "I cannot believe you just asked that! Weiss and I haven't even talked about that! We only just got as far as we have this morning, and that was only me! I haven't even seen her topless yet!"
Yang grimaced slightly, she did not need a reminder as to how she had found her sister this morning. "Well that's good. I mean come one Blake and I haven't even-"
"Yang, I'm begging you please don't finish that sentence." Ruby cut over her sister shaking her head rapidly back and forth.
Yang smiled at the wolf before shaking her own head, "But seriously Ruby, I want to make sure you're not rushing this. I mean this is really your first relationship, at least I'm pretty sure. You've never dated anyone else right?" At Ruby's negative the blonde continued, "Right so I don't want to see you rush this and then get hurt because of it."
"I understand Yang but Weiss and I aren't rushing this." Ruby replied, "She knows that this is my first relationship and it's hers too, the first one she's willingly entered herself, and we've also talked about it so nothing is happening quicker than either of us is comfortable with."
Yang considered her sisters words, "While it' all well and good that you've talk about it I want to make sure that she's not pushing you along. I know you don't do well with-"
"Yang." Ruby cut over again, her silver eyes flashing into hardened steel. "Weiss is not pushing me. It was my call this morning for her to take my shirt off," A small amount of blush erupted across the wolf's cheeks, "She made sure I was comfortable at every moment and made sure that I was okay with it. She would have stopped the instant I asked her but I didn't because I was okay with it."
"Alright, alright." Yang held up her hands in surrender before sighing. "It's just you're my baby sis, Rubes so I've got to make sure you're taken care of."
"And I understand that Yang but mine and Weiss' relationship is something that's going to be private between the two of us." Ruby nodded, "But you don't have to worry about her hurting me."
"Just had to make sure, and I'm probably going to check from time to time." Yang smiled, "I mean after all I have a reputation to up hold."
Ruby just rolled her eyes and was about to return to her pancakes when the smell of stale smoke and alcohol drifted into her nose and a soft swish of a cloak in the air hissed in her ears. "UNCLE QROW!" The wolf cheered as she turned in her seat and pounced on the Huntsman that was behind her.
Qrow went down to the ground with a 'umph' as the red wolf's weight brought him to the ground, "Hey there pup." He groaned as he pushed himself back up and patted Ruby on her head.
Ruby pouted, "We've been over this already Qrow, I'm not a pup."
The older Huntsman rolled his eyes as he pushed Ruby back, "Yeah, yeah whatever you say pup." Standing up he took a seat beside Ruby's and smiled at Yang, "What no greeting for you uncle firecracker?"
"Hey Qrow." Yang smiled back at him though it wasn't as enthusiastic as Ruby's. "So what's brought you to Beacon?"
"What an uncle can't check in on his two favorite nieces?" Qrow held his hand over his heart in mock pain, Yang just shrugged making Qrow sigh. "I'm actually in Vale on a mission from Oz. I just reported back and while I'm waiting for what I need to do next I thought I'd check in on you two." Yang's eyes hardened slightly but Ruby just nodded along. "So what were you two just talking about?"
Ruby went beat red and Yang's face broke in to an evil smirk, "Oh well we were just talking about-"
"Yang!" Ruby cried out trying to cover her sister's mouth.
The blonde just caught the wolf in her arms and pined her hands to her side and continued on as if nothing had happened, "Ruby's relationship with one Weiss Schnee."
Qrow had pulled his flask out while the blonde was talking only to choke as she said the Heiress' name and started to cough trying to clear the liquid from his lungs. "Sorry," He couched out, "I must be hearing thing because I'm pretty sure you just said Ruby, a wolf Faunus is in a relationship with the youngest Schnee. But that's not possible because all Schnee's have an inherit hatred for Faunus."
"No you heard right." Yang nodded, "Our little pup as snared the Ice Queen's heart, in fact Blake and I found them this morning in a very compromising position-" Ruby had finally freed her hands from her sister's grip and slammed them over her mouth.
Qrow was still trying to get over the fact that Ruby was dating a Schnee and had missed the rest of the blonde's words. "Wait, wait, wait back up. You're tell me Ruby's dating the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company?"
Ruby sighed and nodded, "Yes Uncle Qrow I'm dating Weiss. We have been for a couple of months now."
"A Schnee, as in the same Schnee's that have been pushing for resegregation laws, the same Schnee's that basically enslave Faunus, the same Schnee's that have destroyed Mantle's government and are now killing the citizens of Atlas because they are trying to take back the power from them? Those Schnee's?" Qrow narrowed his eyes as he looked between the wolf and the blonde.
"Weiss isn't like her family." Ruby shook her head, "She actually wants to reform the SDC so that why it treats Faunus' better, she want's to help the people of Mantle, she's different from her family."
Qrow's eyes narrowed but Yang nodded, "She's not wrong. I remember all the stories mom, dad and you would tell us as kids about the SDC and how evil they were but Weiss is not like that at all. She's a bit of a bitch from time to time yeah but she's not evil."
"Yeah once you get to know her, she's actually really nice." Ruby nodded with a large smile.
Qrow shook his head and leaned back in to his seat, "That or she's a great actor." Ruby cocked her head to the side in confusion and Qrow continued, "She might just be using you Ruby. You're an Alpha and what better way to get Faunus' to comply than having an Alpha at your beck and call." Ruby's gaze hardened into steel, her ears flattening slightly, Qrow continued on not even noticing the change in the wolf, "Convince you that she's interested in reforming the SDC and then use you to control her workers to be more compliant, that would fit with the Schnee thinking of using people to their advantage." A low growl emitted from Ruby's throat as she dug her nails into the wood of the table, again Qrow ignored his niece and continued on, "And as far as he actually staying with you, well I wouldn't really count on it. She has to pass on her genes to the next generation which isn't actually possible with you also being female so she might just keep you around just to drag you along but I doubt it will be anything else."
A snarl rip through the wolf's through as she jumped at the Huntsman, claws and fangs bared, silver eyes flashed like molten steel as her Aura flared around her. With a loud crash Ruby had pinned Qrow to the ground, the nails of her left hand digging into his chest while her right hand was raised in the air ready to strike down, her lips were pulled back exposing her fangs as she growled at the downed man. "Do not insult Weiss." Ruby ground out pushing her nails in slightly deeper. "You know nothing about her."
Qrow looked up at his niece in surprise, he had never expected Ruby to attack him. As red eyes met with silver Qrow could make out faint lines of red that cracked across the surface of the hardened sliver. Slowly holding up his hands in surrender Qrow nodded, "Right sorry pup."
Before Ruby could reply the Heiress voice cut through the air, "Ruby Rose, what on Remnant are you doing?"
The wolf's ears perked up at the sound of her girlfriends voice and quickly zipped over to her, tail wagging happily back and forth, "Hi Weiss, what did Velvet say?"
Weiss sighed again and shook her head as she pulled Ruby in close and ran her hand up into the crimson tresses and felt her wolf take a few sniffs at her neck before sighing contently and relaxing into her. "Velvet said I'm all healed up and that there's no residue side effects from the venom. The scars will probably never fad but other than that I am perfectly healthy." Pushing Ruby back slightly to look in to her clear silver eyes Weiss cocked an eyebrow at her wolf, "Now I think you should explain what was going on here."
A small amount of blush crossed Ruby's cheeks, "Oh, well, ahhhh, see that's my uncle, Qrow, and he just found out that we're dating because Yang can't keep her mouth shut and he's not really a big fan of your family cause of reasons he's never really said but I'm sure part of it has to deal with the whole Faunus rights things but you can never tell with him. And he was saying some really mean things about you and how you were probably just like your family and probably using me to just further your own goals which I know is totally not true cause I know that you're not like your family at all so I got upset at him and then I may have attacked him because he was judging you while not actually knowing you and I didn't like that so…"
Weiss just sighed again and pulled her wolf in closely again as she shook her head, "You my little wolf are such a hand full. You don't have to defend me just because people don't know me, all that matters to me is what you think of me." The Heiress then turned to look at the Huntsman that had pulled himself up off the ground and back into his seat with a critical gaze.
His black and gray hair showed his age, his stubble ridden face along with his slightly haggard look gave him a scruffy look, his disheveled cloths were torn and worn down adding to his look of being unkept. She also noticed him giving her a calculating gaze as well. As her blue eyes swept over to the rest of her teammates she saw Yang doubled over holding her stomach as she laughed while Blake sat beside her also giving the man a critical gaze.
Deciding to get a better feel for the man the Heiress spoke, "So mister?"
"Qrow." The man said, "Mister makes me feel old."
"You are old." Yang snorted.
Ignoring the blonde Weiss continued, "So, Qrow, are you believe I am like your family?"
Qrow shrugged, "I've had enough dealings with the Schnee's to know that you're all alike. Summer was the one who believed in not judging a person by their family name, not me."
Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Well then let me be the first to correct you properly; I am nothing like my family. I have no love for my father or my mother any more, they see me as nothing but a tool for them and have no love for me either. They are cruel and heartless people and once I become the president of the SDC I will correct everything that they have done wrong."
"Those are some lofty goals there kid." Qrow raised his eyebrows skeptically.
"I am a Schnee and if there is one thing true about all Schnee's it is that always achieve our goals." Weiss smirked back at him.
Qrow shrugged and took out his flask again and took a draw from it. "Words are just words kid. And words can be manipulated to fit your goals."
Weiss' eyes narrowed, "My goals are to reform the SDC and make sure that the people of Remnant are safe."
"And how does Ruby factor into that?" Qrow asked his eyes narrowing.
Weiss felt her eyes harden into ice, "I have no plans for Ruby besides to protect her and love her the best that I am capable, I do not care that she is a Faunus and nothing, not even my family, will change my feelings for her." She felt Ruby nuzzle in closer to her neck, "If you don't approve then I suggest you get over it."
Qrow sighed and shook his head, "You say you want to protect her? Well then I guess I need to test your ability to do just that."
Ruby pushed away from Weiss and turned to face her uncle, "No Qrow you don't need to fight her."
"Oh I'm just going to test her skills pup." Qrow smirked, "No need to get all defensive."
"I said n-" Ruby was cut off by a soft hand on her shoulder, looking back she saw Weiss still glaring at the Huntsman.
"It's fine Ruby." Weiss said, "If he wants me to prove that I can protect you. Then I will gladly prove it to him." Ruby looked between her uncle and her girlfriend before sighing and giving a small nod.
Ozpin groaned as he leaned back in his chair, of all the foolish things Qrow could do he just had to provoke Miss Schnee into fighting him. That he had ignored all the signs that Ruby was going to attack him was just plain annoying as well. How could Qrow continue to insult Miss Schnee just after Yang and Ruby had told him that she was Ruby's mate? Had his fight with Raven unsettled him that much?
"Glynda." He called out finally sitting back up. The blonde witch strode into the room just a few seconds after his call, "Head down to arena three, Qrow's gone and challenged Miss Schnee to a duel to see if she's fit to be with his niece."
Glynda paused for only a moment before letting out a groan of frustration, "That idiot." Quickly turning on her heel the combat instructor marched out muttering under her breath.
Ozpin nodded in agreement as his colleague left. Qrow was in fact an idiot but he was very good at what he did so even for all his faults he was still a great Huntsman. Switching a camera screen to the arena he waited for the fight to begin and turned back towards his screen displaying a picture of a man with bright green eyes, silver hair and large glasses. His pale skin was unmarred by marks and a slightly manic smirk pulled at his lips. A large white lab coat hung around his body while good dress cloths rested below it, on one side was a woman with light blue hair and deep forest green eyes in similar clothes and on his other was another man with dark gray hair and brown eyes also wearing similar clothes. The background showed a large laboratory with large glass cylinders filled with liquid, parts of Grimm where suspended in the liquid.
Leaning forward Ozpin folded his hands together and stared at the screen. "Now my old partner, how are you still alive and just what are you planning?"
A/N: Sorry for the late update, I was out really late last night (yay Halloween parties) so I didn't have time to finish this chapter, anyways I'm guessing you all can see what's up next; Qrow vs. Weiss, that's going to be fun. Anyways looking at about where this is going I'd say we're getting close to about half way through, maybe... I actually haven't really decided what happens on a few things so I'm just kinda letting the story direct itself towards my general ideas.
With that: My continued thanks to every last one of you, come in and say hi, and may your week be full of reasons to smile.