September 1st
Schnee Dust Company
World Headquarters
City Of Atlas
Atlas
6:13 PM

Cristal crossed her arms as she looked to Phoebe. "He did what?"

"Jacques ordered the removal of Sasha Katt from her post as assistant director of human resources," Phoebe repeated, her amber eyes flaring as she thought of the man. "Because she's a 'threat' to the security of the company as a result of her sister being a member of the increasingly hostile White Fang. Sasha pointed out that she doesn't agree with Sienna's tactics, but he said that since she's a Kahn by birth and only a Katt by marriage...well, you can imagine the things that were said."

Cristal stood up angrily. "Where is he?"

"In his office on the third floor," Phoebe replied. "Do you -"

"I'll be back," She said, pushing up her glasses as she stormed out of the room. "And -"

"Miss Schnee, there's still -" Phoebe panted slightly as she ran after her upon closing the door to her office. "He's with your sister in there."

"Good," Cristal said as they stepped into the lift. "Then he can't beat her no matter what he's saying, and he'll be forced to keep a civil tongue with me."

Phoebe sighed. "Are you sure that this is the best idea?"

Cristal narrowed her eyes as she stepped out of the lift with Phoebe behind her. "If it's not, then I'll find a way for this to be his fault."

Phoebe nodded. "Of course."

"And there's something else I need to ask of you," Cristal added. "I need you to ensure that Klein is with me when he does Weiss's DNA testing after she's...wait, what the hell is Willow doing here? She's due in two days, and -"

"Miss Schnee," Phoebe said carefully. "If you were pregnant and due in two days, would you be here working?"

Cristal hesitated. "Depends on whether or not Oz would convince me to stay home."

Phoebe grinned. "You really think you'd have a kid with him?"

Cristal shrugged. "I love him, so I wouldn't be opposed to the idea if he was willing."

"Well," Phoebe said as she placed her hand on the doorknob. "Enjoy your shouting match."

Cristal rolled her eyes as her assistant let her into the room. "Oh, believe me, I will."

"Cristal," Jacques said coldly. "What is it that you need? Documents? In case you couldn't tell, I'm in the middle of an important conversation with my wife."

She glared at him. "You had no right to relieve Sasha Katt of her -"

"I'm sorry, but she was my direct subordinate," Jacques replied. "I believe that gave me every right."

"You did so in a discriminatory manner because not only is she a woman, but she's a faunus," Cristal hissed. "And that's against the law."

"Prove that's why I did so," Jacques said, and she bit her lip. "Ah, so you can't."

"I probably could if I was trying hard enough," She snapped. "And I happen to think that Sasha is better suited to your position than you are yourself."

Jacques stood up slowly. "Is that right?"

"Yes," Cristal said with conviction. "And I when I overtake the company, I will make sure that she is given that opportunity."

"You are incredibly high minded," Jacques noted. "You honestly believe that your father is going to give you the company? Hasn't he been out in surgery the last three weeks?"

Cristal clenched her fists. "If you try a damn thing -"

"Cristal, don't accuse him of trying to hurt father," Willow said weakly. "He wouldn't."

"Of course I wouldn't," Jacques said haughtily though he had considered taking advantage of Nicholas being heavily affected by anesthesia to have the will altered in his favour. "That's wrong, and we all know it."

"Says the man conspiring with my mother to rip all of this out from beneath my feet," Cristal retorted, and Willow's eyes widened. "Oh, he didn't tell you about that?"

"You've had contact with my mother?" Willow stared at her husband in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew it would distress you," He cooly said, sending her sister a glare. "As Cristal has proven."

"You're an underhanded skeeve who will do anything to get what he wants," Cristal bit off. "Even if it's at the expense of other people."

"I want to make the company more profitable," Jacques informed her, and she raised an eyebrow. "Oh, don't give me that look as if you're a complete idiot."

Cristal shifted her weight to her left and sassily examined her inner wrist. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Your father has been physically unwell for the last...has it really been five years?" Jacques waited for her to respond though she didn't. "He can no longer oversee expeditions personally, and I say good riddance."

"It wasn't exactly good for his health," Willow said mildly as she sat down.

"Oh, yes, take his side," Cristal shook her head. "Jacques, my father created all of this through hard work and genuine -"

"The years he spent aiding in the Dust mines have really taken their toll," Jacques went on. "I believe it was just the other week that he had tumours taken out of his lungs?"

Cristal bit her lip. " Jacques -"

"I'm not done," He said, pushing the small woman aside as he side stepped her to look over the map. "I'm a far more cunning businessman than your father, and I'm certainly more intelligent than you."

Cristal rolled her eyes. "Oh, really? Then, tell me, what factors characterize a person who refuses to care about other people?"

Jacques didn't bother to look at her. "I beg your pardon?"

"The answer is simple," She said acerbically. "If you'd turn and look in that mirror on your left, then you'd be looking at that type of person and be able to characterise it perfectly. You could, also, look at an image of my mother if you so desired."

Jacques turned to glare at her. "You impertinent chit."

"Quite a confident thing to be saying to your superior," She replied venomously. "Are you that secure around here?"

"Is that a threat?" He inquired. "Because if so -"

"You are a self righteous snob with no care for anything except for money and winning," Cristal snapped, her heels clicking as she stepped closer to him with her grey eyes flaring. "All you care about is getting the company to the point where it dominates the industry, but if that were to happen it would cost the soul. it would take away everything that I stand for, everything that my father has tried to impress upon -"

"if I have the best PR team in the world," Jacques said slowly. "Then it damn right doesn't matter what is really happening."

"Bullshit," Cristal countered. "Everyone would know, everyone would be able to see the difference -"

"The faunus are expendable!" Jacques shouted. "We don't need to pay them fairly, and they probably wouldn't -"

"That's wrong!" Cristal shrieked, clenching her fists tighter. "And you're a -"

Jacques slapped her harshly across the face - activating her aura and sending her glasses flying into the wall. "I am better suited to run this company after your father, and I would argue that I am the perfect person to do so. Do not get in my way."

Cristal let out an angry shriek before picking up her slightly cracked glasses and putting them back on. "Asshole..." She said as she stormed out and slammed the door behind her. "Thinking that you can have it all, it's completely -"

"Cristal?" Nicholas said, and his daughter turned around in surprise. "Glad I ran into you. I was hoping we could talk."

"Daddy, you're supposed to be resting," She reminded him as she stepped into the lift and he followed. "Dr. Quinn said -"

"I'm perfectly fine right now," Nicholas said, laughing. "Calm down, Cristal."

"Alright," Cristal said with a sigh. "I take it the surgery last week was a success."

"It was," Nicholas said with a smile. "I can certainly breathe better than I did before it...though they're concerned about my heart. Supposedly I'm at a higher risk for heart attack."

Cristal winced at the thought. "You'll be okay."

"I hope so," Nicholas replied. "How have you been?"

"Fine," She said, rubbing her neck as they stepped off the lift. "Jacques's been antagonising me about the company. Just was, actually."

"You're acting in my place and have been for quite some time over the years because I've been ill," Nicholas reminded her. "Don't feel any shame if you feel the need to put him in his place."

"I hope I haven't damaged anything," She said with a sigh. "I've changed some things since you left a few weeks ago."

"You've done nothing wrong," Nicholas told her. "In fact, I'm rather proud of you."

She glanced at him in surprise as she opened the door to her office where Phoebe was filing. "Really?"

"Yes," Nicholas said as he sat down and she closed the door. "I am proud of you because not only have you been making your own decisions, but you've been doing what you think is right. Not only that, but I...Cristal, are your glasses broken?"

She sighed irritably. "Blame Jacques, he was the one who slapped them off of my face."

Nicholas's expression immediately shifted to anger. "He did what?"

"Phoebe," Cristal said, and the amber eyed woman nodded. "May I finish this conversation with my father alone?"

"Of course," She said, slipping out of the room with her glass heels clicking against the floor and her black hair trailing out behind her. "Gives me a chance to speak with someone anyways."

Cristal waited for the door to close behind her to go on. "Yes, he slapped me hard enough to knock my glasses off of my face."

"He wouldn't dare," Nicholas shook his head. "No, he wouldn't harm one of my daughters...not after what I -"

"He did," Cristal repeated. "I swear I'm not -"

"What have I done?" Nicholas asked, though not of her but of himself as he buried his face in his hands. "I've ruined your sister's life."

"Daddy, don't say that!" Cristal exclaimed. "Blame mommy, the whole thing was her idea!"

"I allowed this," Nicholas said sadly. "Whether or not it was Victoria's idea doesn't matter because I didn't object. I...I let this happen."

"No, you didn't," Cristal insisted. "And he's been working with mommy anyways -"

"I know," Nicholas sighed heavily. "She called the other day demanding that I revoke your claim to the company. As you can imagine, I refused. She seems to think that...that everything about you makes you unfit to run the company but I disagree. You're involved with a good man, you're happy, and you're trying to do what's right. That's more than I can say for most others."

Cristal bit her lip. "I just -"

"I know I had to push the ball back," Nicholas said slowly. "To January rather than December because of another round of treatments, but...I think that's when I'll announce that you're to take my place."

Cristal stared. "You're...you're serious?"

Nicholas nodded. "Yes, I am. It's high time that this all is ended once and for all anyways."