I do not own the RWBY or Fate universes…no matter how much I wish for it to be so. I apologize for the really late chapter, but here it is!
Chapter 14: A Snow White's Birthday
The following few days were hectic as I was working on setting up Weiss's surprise birthday party. Luckily, Klein was more than happy to help me in the arrangements. Not only was he able to help me with the holes in my planning, but he was also able to get the actual arrangements underway without attracting Weiss's attention.
Klein was quite the capable butler.
Thanks to his capabilities, it was going rather smoothly so far. But there was one teensy weensy problem that even Klein himself was not able to solve for me.
That is, what birthday present should I get for Weiss?
I admit that I made a critical error in getting a gift for Weiss would be easy. I mean, how hard could it be to give a thoughtful gift to a young adult woman?
As it turns out, it was very hard for me.
Weiss doesn't really lack anything in material value and I figured that a gift that you could buy from anywhere isn't really going to cut it. I tried looking up for some viable ideas on my personal Scroll (which was given to me by Klein), but no such luck there either. And now I think about it, I have literally no prior experience in getting someone a birthday gift on my own.
My own social life is pretty dull now that I think about it.
Arrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhh! How does getting a birthday gift for Weiss seem much harder than literally saving the world?!
"Saber? Is something wrong?" Willow spoke out in concern, snapping me out of my thoughts. We were in her garden courtyard where she had invited me for some tea. I had accepted her invitation, mostly to get my thoughts out of the gutter. Unfortunately, it seems I was still distracted in my thoughts.
Speaking of Weiss and her mother, things were actually going quite well between them. Their first talks were on the awkward side, but their later conversations gradually became less tense and guarded. It was still going to take more time, but I think things are going in the right direction for them. At the very least, they are willing to take the initiative in their conversations without me having to push them now.
And from my observations, it seems that Willow has actually taken this matter more seriously as she has kept her promise from any alcohol consumption during their conversations. I am not quite sure if she still drinks privately, but it was definitely something positive in my book. Hopefully, her alcohol problems would be mostly curtailed when we leave Atlas in the future.
That being said...
I glanced at her with tired eyes. "I have been contemplating on a very serious dilemma for days and I still haven't found a viable solution on my own. I am running out of time and I do not know what to do."
Willow brought the tea cup to her mouth to sip. "Oh? Do you mind sharing your thoughts with me? I might be able to advise you on your dilemma."
I absentmindedly stirred my own tea cup with the small spoon. "I was planning to give Weiss a surprise party for her birthday today..."
Willow raised her brow at my statement. "A surprise birthday party?"
"Yeah, Weiss looked a bit down for the past few days, so I wanted to cheer Weiss up a bit. So I thought holding a surprise birthday party would lift her spirits," I chuckled before my head slumped in a dejecting manner. "But how could I hold her birthday party when I have no idea what gift I should to give to her?"
Willow placed her cup gently onto her saucer after hearing my rhetorical question. "I'm afraid that I don't know the right answer to your question. But if I may ask, what do gifts mean to you?"
I looked at her in confusion, but I still obligated to answer. "Gifts are something you give to someone else to express how much you appreciate them."
"Then I personally would think that Weiss would appreciate anything you give to her as long as you can express how much you appreciate her as a person. The gift doesn't necessary have to anything special as long as you put some thought about the person into it," Willow said.
I carefully pondered upon her advice. So why do I care about Weiss enough that I am willing to give her a gift in the first place? Objectively speaking, we have a Master-Servant relationship and I am obliged to protect her while doing my mission in this world. But putting that aside, I guess… I do care about her as an actual person than a fictional character in the real world. Even if I wasn't a Servant, I would have supported her without question because I appreciate her as someone I care about. And I do want to protect her, so what I can do to show her that…?
Wait a minute…would that work? Well, I could probably find something else better. But in the short time I have left now, it is better than nothing.
"It looks like you have figured it out, judging from your expression." Willow observed.
"Yes, I just can't believe I have been struggling a lot with this issue," I sighed tiredly before straightening my posture. "By the way, I would like to formally extend an invitation to you for your daughter's birthday party. Will you accept?"
"…You want me to be there?"
"Of course! It is going to be a small party of just you, Klein, and myself. I personally think Weiss would be happy to see you there," I said cheerfully.
Willow hesitates for a moment. "…When and where will this party held?"
"It will be held in the private servant dining quarters at around 8 pm tonight," I answered promptly.
"But what about Weiss? Wouldn't she find out about this surprise party?" Willow asked me.
"Klein and I are being extra careful not let her know about it so far. And I found from her schedule that she will be busy attending with her father in a large business party with several other companies on that day. But she will be back by late evening," I replied.
"So you have actually been prepared for some time. But I am still worried that Weiss would not be as enthusiastic as you about this birthday party," Willow said worriedly while placing a hand on her cheek.
I scratched my cheek with my finger nervously. "Well, I have taken a few measures for that kind of scenario. But yes, whether she accepts it or not will determine how the party will go. I just hope that things will end well no matter how she feels."
Willow gave a huff of amusement. "I may not be close to my daughter as I would like to be, but I can see that you do care for her and wouldn't do anything to harm her. And I definitely know that she knows you will do everything for her own happiness."
I cast my gaze down at my untouched tea. "Thanks for the vote of confidence…it really means much to me. But…are you going to this party?"
"I promise I will be there," Willow answered resolutely, causing me to smile in relief.
At least, things are going just as planned.
Willow looked at Saber's retreating figure as he left with the excuse that he had some important task to finish. She had met many people in her life and had a decent perception of other people's characters once she has been around them for some time. As for Saber, she thought the young man to be a little strange, but well-meaning in his character. Willow felt she could trust Weiss to him if anything… happened between them, even though she didn't really know the exact reason. But it was undeniable that her relationship with Weiss wouldn't have gone differently without his intervention. She was still thankful to him for that.
She sighed to herself before she stood up from her chair. Yet she stumbled down a bit before she finally steadied herself with the table.
Willow's hands shook erratically before she regained control of them and then grimaced to herself. She hadn't told anyone about it yet, but she had cut off her alcohol consumption completely today. She already knew that her alcohol abuse wasn't doing her any favors, but it was the only thing that kept her from remembering painful memories and her depression. But all of that had changed when she saw a glimmer of hope from Weiss's smile from their last conversation. Maybe it wasn't too late for her after all…
So she decided to quit drinking today. The initial urges were… painful and the anxiety didn't help, but she had endured it nonetheless. She had made her choice and she was going to follow it through to the end without regrets.
Willow briefly glanced at the still-unopened bottle that one of the servants had placed on the table. She shook her head afterwards from the temptation before slowly taking her leave for her bedroom.
She will continue to endure. This pain is nothing compared to her past.
I stare upon the object that was wrapped in a soft crimson cloth. I wasn't sure if this was the best choice for a gift, but I think this will explain my intentions to her. I recently got a call from Klein that Weiss was returning to the mansion a litle earlier than expected, due to her father having a private meeting with some business partners. But that was fine as we had all of the party preparations done already.
I glanced at my Scroll's digital clock. It was about time to get Weiss's mother for the party now. I tucked the gift neatly under my arm as I stroll toward her bedroom to pick her up. I hummed a short cheerful tune to myself as I walked down the hallways.
As I arrived at Willow's bedroom, I proceed to knock on her door a few times and waited for a response. But there was no answer.
I slightly frowned. Was she there? I knocked on the door a few more times. No answer.
"Willow, are you there? It's Saber." I said audibly through the door.
There was still no answer. Narrowing my eyes a bit, I extended my Servant senses out to search for her presence. I immediately sensed that she was there. But why isn't she answering me? Something's wrong…
I silently apologized to her before I tried to turn the doorknob. But it was locked.
No problem. I closed my eyes to concentrate a bit as I used alteration on the lock pin mechanism. A little change in its shape here, a little bit there and…
Click…
My eyes opened at the confirmation of my success as I tried to open the door again. Cracking the door ajar, I glanced around the room only for my eyes to immediately zero into Willow…who was lying on the floor haphazardly.
"Willow!" I cried out in alarm at her state. I swung open the door wide and rushed toward her side.
I knelt near her body. What was wrong with her? I carefully examined her without abruptly moving her body to check up on her condition. From the look of it, she wasn't looking too good to begin with.
Her breathing rate was definitely erratic and her hands were shaking quite a bit. Her nightwear seemed to be drenched in sweat and sticking to her skin closely. Her body temperature seems to be very high as I touched her burning forehead. She was also mumbling a bit under her breath as though she was under hallucinations.
…Was it possible that she was going through severe alcohol withdrawal? Her symptoms seemed to match her current condition. And frankly, I don't remember seeing her drink anything recently. Either way, this was not good. I had to do something quick. But Weiss is coming home soon and I don't want to know how she would feel seeing her mother like this…
My mind raced as I immediately took out my Scroll and called Klein's number.
When Klein finally picked up, I rapidly spoke to him. "Klein, I need you to help delay Weiss."
"What…? What do you mean?" Klein said in confusion.
"I need you to delay Weiss as long as you can for the birthday party," I reiterated calmly while trying not to cause him panic.
"Why…?
"J-Just… trust me on this, please," I explained a little nervously. "I will explain things later, but for now I want you to find a way to delay Weiss as long as you can. It is an emergency."
"…Understood. I will see what I can do. But I cannot guarantee more than a couple hours delay."
"That will be long enough," I replied before I hung up and refocused on the situation at hand. What did in world did I just get into?
Klein turned off his Scroll and gazed outside through the mansion windows.
Klein thought things were quite getting interesting for the past few days. Ever since Ms. Schnee had somehow brought Mr. Saber to the mansion, the dynamics of the mansion life have gotten a lot more chaotic. Whether Mr. Saber's arrival was a blessing or a curse to the Schnee family was yet to be seen, but Klein was personally leaning towards the former. He had served the Schnee family ever since Nicolas Schnee was the head of the household as a young lad. He was also one of the few people that had observed the drastic changes of the Schnee family when Jacques entered into the picture. He had a bad feeling about the man before the marriage, but kept his thoughts to himself as Madam Schnee seemed alright with the union. Unfortunately, his foreboding feeling was spot on.
Klein did have considerable influence as the current head butler of the Schnee family, but even he had his limits in his actual power in the family matters. He was only able to look after the Schnee children to the best of his abilities with their mother's absence, while keeping his head down from Jacques's radar. But that was only enough to keep up the image that the family was somehow holding itself together. Perhaps if he was more willing to be more risky, things might have gone differently. But the past was the past, and all he had was the future to look forward to now.
But he had personally vowed to himself to serve Miss Schnee's interests ever since that day and today was no different. He wasn't completely sure of Mr. Saber's actual goals were, but his character was undoubtedly pure. A bit strange man, but pure. He trusted Miss Schnee would be okay with him. After all, his own gut feeling has never gone wrong on him.
Delaying Miss Schnee for a couple hours will be difficult. But it is not impossible for him.
Klein then retrieved his Scroll from the inside of his vest though it was a different one. This Scroll was ebony black in color and was separately connected through his personal private network. Klein keyed in his password and started to search through his contracts. He found the first contact he was looking for and dialed it. It seems like he is going have to call upon few of his associates that he hasn't seen in years.
Weiss thought she was never happier to go back to the SDC mansion than now.
Weiss never liked going to huge business meetings or parties in the past where she had to uphold the public image of the Schnee family and the company. But when her father insisted she must come with him to expand her connections as part of her heiress duties, she had reluctantly complied. It wasn't like she had anything she really wanted to do today…
But it seems that her dislike of them only grew after she came back from Beacon. Perhaps it was because of the fake and sickening sweet smiles that people gave her only for her name. Or the callous conversations that exposed the utter ignorance and blatant selfishness when they heard about the events in Beacon. She blanched at the thought that she could have been one of them if she had never left for Beacon Academy.
It took nearly all of her effort to keep a benign smile on her face during the entire occasion as her father kept introducing her to other influential business partners and politicians whose origins were quite (as her friend Blake might put it)… questionable. He even garnered the very idea of her having a few future meetings with their sons and nephews.
Thus she was more than relieved when her father had dismissed her to return home early when he had found few of his business partners with enticing business propositions. She had left the party briskly afterwards in the SDC private-owned limousine. So here she was, aimlessly gazing upon the Atlas skyline as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the cold horizon.
Weiss involuntarily shuddered from the thoughts of her future suitors that her father had introduced her to. She reminded herself to promptly shoot down every single one of their invitations whenever she got the chance. She had absolutely no interest in seeing them any time soon… or ever.
If she is ever going out with anyone, it will be on her own terms.
To be fair, she hasn't met a lot of people she would be interested in going out. After all, she had been mainly focused in her heiress duties and huntress training for most of her life. And her father certainly wouldn't let her date anyone unless there was some perceivable benefit to the company itself. If her father got his way, it will be through a loveless arranged marriage for her.
That had changed after she went to Beacon as a huntress-in-training. There was Neptune, who was quite handsome with his looks and his confidence and straightforwardness was refreshing. But Weiss thought things would have gone anywhere seriously with him. He wasn't a bad person, but his tendency to flirt openly with the opposite sex was a little irritating. At best, things would be akin to a close friendship between them than any serious romantic relationship.
Jaune, on the other hand, she didn't have much of a fair impression on him. To be fair, Weiss didn't give him much of a chance to begin with as she initially thought of him similar to her other suitors. And he was more than a little awkward in their interactions. Her other reason would be the fact that Pyrrha had a noticeable crush on Jaune and she didn't want to make things more complicated between them. So while Weiss had a better impression on Jaune now, it was by no means that things are going in a romantic direction.
And there was Gray. When they first met at the Battle of Beacon, her first impression of him was someone who was mysterious yet eye-drawing at the same time. He was a little annoying in his insistence in keeping up the mystery, but she went along with it as he seemed genuine in his help. When he finally revealed his face to her at their second meeting, Weiss, in lack of better words, was awestruck by his beauty. His youthful and elegant looks made him seem younger than Ruby herself (which was saying a lot), but his emerald green eyes and tall physique better described a shining knight from a fairy tale.
However, his personality was a bit different and varied from what he initially appeared to be. Sometimes he was formal and resolute in his words and conduct, befitting of his knight-like appearance. But at others, he is more relaxed and playful at times like a lion cub. He even felt like any normal person that you could have talked with on the street. This trait of his annoyed Weiss, yet it somehow made him seem so much more endearing to her life. She suspected that there were some things he wasn't telling her about his circumstances, but he was genuine and thoughtful in his words and character. More importantly, she trusted him and felt safe in his company.
If she didn't find anyone else in her life, Gray was someone she wouldn't mind…
Weiss's face then slowly turned bright red from her trailing final thoughts. W-what was she thinking right now!? She really blamed her exhaustion on this. Yes, her mind isn't functioning correctly as she is tired. There is no question about it.
Not even her rapidly beating heart can deny that.
Weiss took in deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down from her thoughts. Otherwise, she wasn't sure how she was going to face Gray later.
Suddenly, her car jolted to a complete halt where Weiss whirled around in alarm. Was there trouble? She firmly tapped onto the darkened glass behind her, which slid down to reveal the driver's troubled face.
"Driver, what is going on out there? Why aren't we moving?" Weiss asked cautiously.
The driver shifted his hat around as he gazed upon the road ahead. "Sorry, Miss Schnee. It seems that there is a crowd of people blocking the road ahead…wait…the Baldy People Faction?"
"The Baldy People Faction?" Weiss asked confusingly as she looked at what the driver saw. There was a massive gathering of people blocking the road ahead of her in a demonstration of some sort. She had seen a lot of demonstrations in the past, but the most noteworthy aspect of this crowd was the fact that many of participants were in fact, bald.
The driver nodded his head. "Yes, missus. It is a small yet influential group comprised mostly of bald members and advocates on key social justice issues in the Atlas Kingdom. Although their base of operations should be in Mantle…not Atlas. Thus I have no clue of why they are protesting here right now…"
Just then, a bald man in the front with a neat black suit pulled out his megaphone and shouted into it. "We want the Atlas council to increase affordable access to health care in Mantle! We want equal and livable wages for all people, no matter if they are human or Faunus! We want significant demilitarization of the Atlas military! These are the people's demands for real change!"
"…But I have to admit this is the first time I have seen so many bald people at once," The driver said with both curiosity and bemusement at the situation.
"Couldn't you just take a detour around them?" Weiss asked him with some exasperation. She had no patience waiting right here for hours.
The driver slowly shook his head. "We can't. It seems like they actually blocked off the entire intersection from here. I expect that the Atlas police force or the military will be arriving soon to disperse them, but it might take an hour or two… I hate to admit it, but these guys have a real stubborn streak to them."
Weiss's mind raced for other options. "Then is it possible to get an airship to pick me up here?"
"That is a good idea. Let me check." The driver picked up his Scroll to request for any available airships in the area. Weiss repeatedly tapped her finger impatiently while crossing her arms.
…
…
…
The driver's forehead creases deepened as he talked over the Scroll. "….Oh?…Hmm…Alright, thank you for answering anyways."
"Well, is it possible?" Weiss questioned him. But judging from the driver's complicated expression, her expectations were about to be disappointed.
The driver scratched his head nervously. "…Apologizes, Miss Schnee. It seems like the Atlas Air Traffic Control Union are holding a temporary boycott because of General Ironwood's recent embargo. So no available airships besides ones for military use are being flown for today."
"Then what about our company's private airships?" Weiss asked.
"Well, somehow all of them are being used right now or docked for recent repairs. Other than your father's private airship, there are no others available right now. Even so, it is not safe to fly around here without proper air traffic control. It is probably better wait here in this case."
"What a case of bad luck…" Weiss groaned. Then she looked outside at the darkening skies and frowned to herself. She could just wait here like the driver had suggested. But it would take a couple hours and Weiss was in no mood to wait patiently…
Weiss made up her mind. "You know what? I think I will go to the mansion by foot. It isn't too far from here and I could use a bit of fresh air myself."
"But Miss Schnee, you will need an escort out here! You couldn't possibly go out there by yourself…" The driver protested vehemently.
Weiss gave him a deadpan glance as she opened her car door. "I am a huntress-in-training. I can take care of myself out there. And I promise you won't be held accountable for this by my father."
The driver reluctantly ended his protests there as Weiss exited the car without hesitation. The frigid air outside made her shiver initially before the effects of her Aura kicked in. She glanced at the night sky briefly before taking a detour route back to her mansion.
Nearby on a rooftop, a bald elderly man in a black coat observed the heiress with his detached sniper scope. Putting his scope down, he then held up his Scroll and pressed a specific contact on it.
"The target has exited the car and is heading toward the Area E. Estimated time of travel to destination, 33 minutes," the bald elderly man spoke gruffly through his scroll.
"…The delay will not be enough. Proceed with Operation Avalanche. Extend her delay to 120 minutes at all costs," the warped voice on the other side ordered.
The bald elderly man's brow furrowed a bit before confirming his orders. "…Understood."
Hanging up his scroll, the bald elderly man pressed onto his hidden earpiece. "Our target is on the move. Grumpy and Sleepy. Get into position. Bashful, Happy and Sneezy. Prepare our secret weapons. And Dopey… Please don't screw this up. We don't want to go through the trouble of bailing you out of jail like last time."
After hearing affirmations from all of his team members (plus one nervous hiccup), the bald elderly man gave a heavy exhale, producing a puff of vapor into the frigid Atlas air. Taking off his spectacles, he wiped them carefully with a red handkerchief before putting them back on.
"Klein, I hope this was really worth it dragging us out of early retirement. This doc doesn't have many days left to see that promised future. Only the Brothers know when that day will come," the bald elderly man said wistfully to himself as he gazed upon the numerous stars in the sky.
Then he walked away afterwards, disappearing into the shadows. He had a job to do now.
Trusting that Klein had everything under control, I was entirely focused on somehow healing Willow back to shape. I didn't have much time to work with.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't panicking a little inside. I really have no idea of how and why Willow was going through all of this. But what I do know is that she is suffering now and there is the possibility she may even die from this ordeal. I can try calling a doctor for proper medical aid and advice, but she might not be able to hold on till then. But luckily I do have a viable solution in my hands.
More importantly is the fact that I can save her.
I grasped onto the gift that I was going to give to Weiss and I pulled the red cloth away. It revealed a very familiar blue and gold sheath. That's right. This was Avalon, the Everdistant Utopia. And I was going to use this on Willow.
I deftly concentrated on the sheath itself and it immediately changed into its glowing conceptual form. The glowing sheath hummed with immense power as it floated gently in my hands. And it was no less awe-inspiring than its sword counterpart.
Just then, Willow had somehow stirred a bit from her hallucinations. Her previous dull-blue eyes had momentarily gained some of their light as she focused upon at Avalon itself.
"W-What…is…t-that?" Willow managed to speak out a few delirious words.
"It is just dream. A good dream," I answered solemnly as I carried Avalon over her torso, which then entered into her body without a hitch. She was momentarily covered in a dazzling golden aura before it soon vanished afterwards. I checked on her condition again.
Willow's breathing was definitely steadier and her face relaxed in a more peaceful manner. Her barely opened eyes soon closed afterwards, leaving her to sleep deeply. I gently pressed two fingers against her neck to check for her pulse. It was beating normally. I let out a heavy sigh that I didn't know I was holding. It seems that she is going to be alright for now.
I knew that Avalon was special among many others in terms of its extraordinary healing and isolation abilities. But I wasn't 100% sure if it could work against illness or the like. But I was relieved to know that my guesses were correct on that. Just in case though, I had poured a generous amount of my prana into Avalon for the maximum healing effects.
It seems as though the worst has passed, but I decided to leave the Avalon within her for next hour or so. Even the greatest of healing Noble Phantasms need some time to do its job properly.
But for now, I will wait for her to recover and cross my fingers for the best. I just hope she wakes up in time for Weiss's birthday party…
She was dying… and drowning in despair…
Just a few hours ago, Willow was in her room feeling some anxiety and shakiness in her hands from cutting off her drinking. It wasn't something she couldn't handle herself. If it was just that, she was confident that she could recover soon afterwards.
Then the hallucinations and panic attacks came. Dark shadows started to cloud her mind. Locked and forgotten memories came back with utter vengeance. She couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't.
"…What a beautiful daughter you have, Mister Schnee…Mom! Mom...come play with us…"
"…Are you sure you want to marry him?…Why did you quit?... I hate you!"
"…You are nothing more than a name to me… My sincere condolences for your loss…"
"…Where is Mom?…She is sick…When will she get better?...I don't know…"
"…It is your fault…Your fault…why do you even choose to live like this…?"
"Wouldn't it be easier for you to die and leave everything behind?"
Just as when she was getting along with Weiss…was she fated not to be happy in the end?
Then a golden light pierced through the dark fog… it was nothing she had ever seen before…but she could tell it was warm and pleasant…
"W-What…is…t-that?" Willow managed to speak out weakly.
"It is just dream. A good dream," A warped yet familiar voice had answered her before the golden light seemingly shined into her. Then her consciousness was whisked away into the murky world of the unknown.
Willow Schnee finally opened her eyes up. However, she was not in her bedroom.
Yet it felt…familiar. She groaned a bit as she managed to sit up on the bed. She looked around groggily for a few moments before her eyes widened in realization of where she was.
She was at home. But it was not the Schnee mansion that had been built up years later. It was a smaller and simpler manor she once lived in. It was her childhood home.
But…it didn't exist in the present. It had been torn down years ago. Yet it was there and felt… welcoming to her presence. Tears started to form in her eyes as she started to remember distant yet fond memories.
Was this real? Or fake?
There is only one way to find out. She got off from the bed and quietly opened the door to explore the manor herself.
Step by step, Willow explored the entirety of the manor. She ran her fingers down the patched-up wallpaper that she accidentally tore at age six. She pressed a single key down of the family piano, which hummed a single note, where she had played it for ten years. She looked around the kitchen, where her mother used to create delightful treats for her when she was still alive. Finally, Willow had arrived at a certain location, which was her favorite place in the entire manor. It was her mother's own garden courtyard.
Willow stepped outside to marvel the garden up close. Her mother's garden courtyard was much simpler than hers with willow trees and a few patches of flowers here and there. But it was always filled with energy and warmth. Perhaps that was why she never felt satisfied with her personal garden courtyard as it was never truly like her mother's.
Yet the garden was strangely not overgrown or in complete disarray as she expected it to be. Since her mother passed away a long time ago, the garden courtyard became neglected and forgotten without her presence.
But judging from its current pristine appearance, it seems as though someone was taking good care of it…
"I see that you have grown so much, Willow."
Willow suddenly froze at the sound of another's voice. One that was very familiar to her. She whirled around, her eyes catching the sight of a certain person whom she hasn't seen in years.
The man appeared to be in his mid-forties and was wearing a simple black suit and crimson scarf around his neck. Along with his light blue eyes and pristine white hair and beard, Willow already knew who this man was.
She couldn't forget that face even if she tried.
It was her father, Nicholas Schnee.
"…F-father?"
Nicholas could only give her a mischievous smile. "Is that all you have say? Well, why don't you instead give this old man a big hug?"
Without a second thought, Willow immediately rushed towards him and tightly wrapped her arms around her father as if she thought she was going to lose him.
Nicholas could only chuckle in slight surprise as he wrapped his arms around her. "Ah, I now see that you do actually miss me."
"F-father, I…" Willow managed to choke out.
Nicholas held a finger towards his mouth. "Shh…, I know what you are going to say. But you don't have to say anything for now. It has been a while since I had my little girl in my arms like this."
Willow silently agreed with him as she continued basked in her father's warmth. It has been a while for her as well. So there they were in her mother's garden, hugging each other with such raw emotions. It was a precious moment that she wanted to last forever.
But all good things must have to end somehow. Only a few minutes had passed before she reluctantly parted from him. Raw emotion swelled up within her.
"I-I'm…sorry…I-I failed you… I failed my children… I failed myself…" Willow said almost brokenly as she finally let out the raw inner feelings of her guilt. How could she face her father like this…?
His rough hand then gently brushed through Willow's hair to comfort her. Nicholas stayed silent throughout Willow's confession to him before finally speaking to her.
"My daughter, do you know why your mother and I decided to name you Willow?"
Willow sniffed as she wiped her tears off. "N-no. I just thought you like naming your descendents with W-names… Even though I had followed your advice back then…"
"Hahahahaha!" Nicholas roared out bombastically. "W-while I am sure that was just a coincidence, I named you Willow because you reminded me of a willow tree."
Willow blinked in confusion at his statement. "How?"
Nicholas backed off for a moment to walk towards one of the willow trees in the garden. His hand traced a path along the tree's trunk as he spoke again. "Willows are special trees. When the wind blows through the branches, it can emit a weeping sound. But when a strong wind particularly blows on the trunk, it will bend but never break under its pressure."
Willow gazed down depressingly. "Are you saying that I am easily bendable and depressed here?"
Nicholas glanced back at her. "No, you are missing the point here. Willow, you are a person who is strong and protective like one of these trees here."
"I was weak…I couldn't protect anyone anymore," Willow said shamefully.
"Who says you are weak? That jackass of a husband?" Nicholas snorted as fire raged in his pupils. "Love was your greatest strength, yet when your love for your husband proved to be for nothing, you felt distraught at yourself for being blind. That is why you withdrew your love from others as well. You fear that your love for them will also be for naught."
"T-that is not true…I still love them," Willow weakly protested. But inside, she knew that her father was right. She was afraid of giving her love to others. But it isn't true that she didn't love them. She just doesn't love herself.
Nicholas gazed at her directly in the eyes. "Is that so? Then why aren't you happy yourself? Can you truly say that you are satisfied the way you are living right now?"
"…"
Willow couldn't answer. There was no need as her father already knew the answer.
A period of silence passed before her father sighed.
"You know why I traveled around the world? It is not because I wanted to be wealthy or do something good for the world. I do it because it makes me happy."
"It makes you happy?" Willow asked in confusion. It was never for money or for altruism, but it made him happy?
Nicholas nodded firmly. "It is true that I initially went out on my journey for both financial and humanitarian reasons. But that doesn't mean I didn't go out to be happy. Even with all of the hardships I had suffered along the way, I was happy with my life. Because I have people I loved around me, I was happy for them. Because I was happy myself, they were happy for me as well. Happiness is what drove me to the man I was."
His fiery eyes then dimmed a bit. "Yet there is one thing I do deeply regret…it was having you marry without any love. Because of my own blindness, I couldn't see that I was taking away your own happiness in my decision. I am truly sorry for that."
"But it was my decision as it was yours," Willow protested. Her father was someone she looked up to. How could he be more flawed than she was?
"Yes, that may be, but seeing you doubt yourself in your love made me realize I was also blind to how others were happy or not in my later years. Not to mention that mongrel dare made you suffer like this…" Nicholas narrowed his eyes dangerously before sighing again. "But I was too late and weak to do anything for you due to my poor health. I know you had married the man due to my failing health, but it is undeniable you did try to love him anyways. It is a pity that I haven't found someone who could make you happy."
Then Nicholas looked at her seriously. "But that doesn't mean that you should wallow in your misery now. Willow, take hold of your grief and look around yourself. You will find that things aren't as bad as you may make them be. There is always a way out. You just have to find the change within you and make things happen. It is ultimately up to you make up for your past regrets while you still can. Do you understand?"
Willow nodded slightly. "Yes, father."
Nicholas looked at her approvingly. "Good. And please call me Dad. Father is what you call me in front of others."
"Yes, fa-Dad." Willow answered in a stronger voice.
Nicholas's eyes then softened. "The Willow I know is an intelligent and strong woman in both heart and soul. It is good to see that you haven't lost your spitfire after I passed away."
Just then, the willow trees around him rustled their leaves as the breeze started to pick up around them. Willow just now noticed that the sun was about to set beyond the horizon during their time together. Then she had a foreboding feeling of what is going to happen soon.
"You…you aren't real, are you?" Willow whispered with a tinge of realization and sadness in her voice.
"I'm not sure about that, dear. But if I wasn't, I daresay I would the closest thing to being your father," Nicholas answered as he hugged her consolingly one last time.
"I guess this is my time to go." Nicolas said sadly as he slowly parted away from her. "I don't know how I exactly got here, but nonetheless I was happy to see your face one last time."
"Go? Wait, I don't want you to leave!" Willow tried approaching her father. But the wind was now picking up, creating a strong invisible barrier between them. Willow could only watch helplessly as the image of her father became more blurred.
"It is alright. I was always in your heart all this time. Now go, enjoy your daughter's birthday for me, would you?!" Nicholas shouted to her with a small smile as he eventually faded away with the dissipating wind.
"Dad…" Willow Schnee wept softly as her surroundings turned into a blinding white.
Willow's eyes finally fluttered open. She was back in her private bedroom, back into reality. But was that just a dream? Or was it real?
Willow then felt something wet on her face as she sat up from the floor.
Tears? Was she crying because of the dream? She pondered to herself as she wiped them carefully away from her face.
'Dad… Did I really see you or was it just a dream…?' Willow wondered. She may never know.
"Willow! Are you alright!?"
Startled from her thoughts, she turned her head around and saw someone. It was Saber.
"Saber? May I ask what you doing here?" Willow asked bewilderingly. What was he doing here in her bedroom?
"Before that, how do you feel?" Saber asked her urgently.
"Hmm?" Willow noticed that her body now felt…lighter. It was much lighter than she ever felt in years. It was as though she never suffered from her alcoholism in her entire life. How was this possible…?
Then she looked at Saber in confusion. "Did you do something to me? It is not nothing unpleasant, but I feel much better than I had ever felt in years…" Her memory was a bit fuzzy during her hallucinations…
Saber gave what sounded like a relieved sigh before answering her question. "You were going through what seemed to be severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, so I had to do something. I gave you something that would help somewhat heal you, but it seems that you have healed better than I expected. I was just checking if it had any unintended side effects…"
Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms? Unintended side effects? That…would explain a few things about what happened to her, but what exactly did Saber give her?
"Did you give me some sort of drug?" Willow asked on a whim.
Saber widened his eyes at her question. "No! It wasn't anything like that! I just gave you a special item that would help heal your symptoms. It isn't harmful in any sense if you are asking about that."
Willow was a bit curious about the said item, but decided to let the topic go. She was just grateful to be alive and well now. "Well, I would like to thank you for doing so."
Saber waved his hand at her. "You don't have to thank me. Honestly, if you wanted to quit drinking, I would have liked you to go through your alcoholism with a professional therapist instead. Which reminds me…, please don't something so reckless again without consulting someone. I have a feeling that I will have enough trouble in my hands with Weiss without you adding into the equation."
Willow allowed herself a small smile at the young man's insistence that it was nothing. Even though, he may have unknowingly gave her the greatest gift of all.
"You can repay me back by showing up for Weiss's surprise birthday party. We actually do seem to have some time left," Saber hummed to himself as he checked his scroll.
Then he looked at her closely. "Hmm, you slept pretty well for someone of your condition… Did you dream something good?"
Willow allowed herself a sly smile. "Yes, it was a dream that I needed in a long time."
Saber glanced at her with some confusion, but eventually shook his head. "Well, if you are feeling better, then let's go now."
Willow blinked. "Go? But I am still in my nightwear…"
Saber scoffed a bit. "Does that really matter? I am sure Weiss would still appreciate you showing up even if you wore ragged clothes to her birthday party. You are still her mother, proper clothes or not…"
Then Saber paused at the sight of her sweat-drenched nightwear. He coughed a bit as he turned his head away in obvious embarrassment. "Then again…we still have some time left. You could use a change of clothing. I will be just waiting outside…"
Saber hastily made his exit from the room as Willow smirked in amusement. He is quite serious yet surprisingly innocent man. Weiss has definitely found a good one…
Speaking of Weiss…
Willow got up on her feet before reaching towards her private drawer. She slid the drawer open before retrieving a velvet-red case of some sort. She cracked it open for a moment and studied its contents. She had a reminiscing smile on her face when she closed the case afterwards.
Well then, it was time to make her daughter happy.
Weiss was not happy. And that was the understatement of the century.
She was tired. She was hungry. She was cold. And her feet were sore from walking around. More importantly, she was more than just frustrated with how the world seemed to be against her from getting home. So yeah, she was not happy.
Just a couple hours ago, Weiss was walking at a good pace toward her destination. It is now night time and there weren't a lot of people in the way in her route. It was rather peaceful.
For a few minutes.
Then things went downhill from there.
First of all, two old drunken men somehow thought it was good time to brawl each other in the middle of the street. If that wasn't enough, the two old drunken men had friends. A lot of drunken hooligan friends. So you could imagine the chaotic mess that occurred along with the gathering crowd. Weiss couldn't find a safe route through without getting involved herself, so she had to backtrack a bit and take another detour.
It would have been fine with just that.
But the next several roads she attempted to take somehow had blockades for various reasons; from construction to… a Grimm crossing? She wasn't sure if the Atlas Council had their heads screwed on straight, but she wasn't interested to find out that Grimm crossings were a thing or not in Remnant. So it took her a while to find a road that wasn't blocked for some arbitrary reason.
Things for her would be still fine with that.
After finding an unblocked road, she was able to gain some ground for several minutes. Then she somehow found herself staring at a mass procession of people led by a bald man wearing a red fedora, crossing the intersection ahead of her. Even though she was sure that there wasn't any important occasion today to celebrate… She could have probably cross with some difficulty, but her appearance would attract a bit too much attention. So she had to wait patiently nearby till the crowd had thinned out several minutes later.
And she had thought she had seen everything…
...Till some clumsy buffoon was causing trouble by tossing rotten apples around, flirting with various women, streaking through the streets, and hiccupping randomly at the same time. And apparently he was chased by the police, which consisted of not only a few police cars but a military-grade airship? At that point, Weiss had to pinch herself several times to make sure she wasn't living in a bad dream or anything like that.
…And the strangest part about this whole situation was the fact she was going around her destination in circles. And that her travel difficulties noticeably lessened after she spent a few hours on foot.
She could have ran or scaled up the buildings with her huntress abilities, but she decided not to despite of the delays she faced. For one, the reputation of huntsmen has gone down considerably across Remnant and she didn't want to attract unwanted attention to the masses and the media. Her father would definitely not appreciate her for ruining the family reputation. Two, she had the strangest feeling that her obstacles will somehow get in front of her nonetheless if she had even tried.
All-in-all finally made it to her mansion in about two hours and thirty-eight minutes, where it should have taken her only forty minutes at best. Klein was there to greet her at the front gates with a jovial smile on his face.
"How was your trip, Miss Schnee?"
Weiss gave him a strained smile. "It… was a bit exhausting, Klein. My trip could have gone a bit more smoothly."
"Oh, you should have called me to fetch you a lift," Klein said worriedly. "It is not safe out there by yourself, Miss Schnee."
"I appreciate your concern, but somehow I have the feeling that would have been useless," Weiss said tiredly before frowning a bit. "I still don't remember the city being crazy like this before..."
Klein coughed nervously in his fist before he gestured towards the mansion. "Well, would you like me escort you to the private kitchen? I have prepared something to help ease your nerves. Not to mention, you must hungry from your ordeal."
Weiss's stomach growled just then, causing her face to get red from embarrassment. Right, she hasn't eaten anything since lunch today.
"Alright, I was getting a little tired from this nonsense I have been through." Weiss conceded as she followed Klein into the mansion.
When she had entered into the private dining room with Klein, all she expected was a relatively empty dining room with a filling yet well-balanced meal waiting for her on the table.
What she did not expect was a full-blown decorated room with balloons and streamers with a huge banquet on the table. She also did not expect Gray and her mom to be there as well.
"Surprise!" Gray shouted out with glee as various poppers burst confetti into the air.
Weiss was understandably bewildered by all this. "Wha…What? What is going on here?"
"Don't you see? We are holding a surprise birthday party for you!" Gray answered her with a smile on his face.
A birthday party? Weiss looked around more closely. There were balloons and streamers of different colors decorating the place. There was a creamy cake with unlit candles in the center of the table. All of her favorite foods including sandwiches, salads and soups were there. And…was her mother carrying a photo scrap book in her hands? Rather quite fondly…
Weiss was speechless. A birthday party for her? But why?
Gray looked a little unsure at her silence. "Umm…are you okay with it? I know that you are not too thrilled about your birthday, but I think it is something worth celebrating about. So we planned this small celebration just for you.
He then took a deep breath. "However, if you aren't comfortable, that it is fine. This is your birthday, Weiss. I want you to be happy today. I am fine with giving out presents and eating cake if that is all you wish."
Weiss was conflicted inside. On one hand, she didn't a lot of good memories about her birthday and never got around celebrating it with anyone after her tenth birthday. But on the other hand, she was genuinely found the whole thing to be…kinda nice. When she was at Beacon with Team RWBY, she had entertained the idea of having her birthday celebrated with her friends there after she became…a less difficult person. But that never came to fruit when Beacon was being attacked.
But here she was with the chance to be happy with people she cared about a lot. She may be ill-tempered at times, but she was not cruel enough to say no to his efforts for her.
Besides, Weiss did admit that it would be a waste to cancel the party now. Especially with all of the food on the table…
"I…am quite alright with it. I really appreciate it, Gray," Weiss managed a small smile.
And seeing the smiles of everyone made her felt a little less tired from her previous ordeal.
Weiss had to admit. She had nearly forgotten how fun birthday parties can be.
The food, as always, was excellent as all of her favorites were there. Her mother looked a bit surprised at Gray's enormous appetite, but didn't comment upon it. She probably figured that was why there was so much food to begin with.
Then there came the entertainment. And…it was interesting to say.
The very first event was pinning the tail on the Grimm game, which was Gray's own idea. But Weiss didn't understand why she personally had to use her rapier to stab the tail through. Gray just commented that it was inside joke as he smirked annoyingly at her. More so, when he emphasized 'Missed!' whenever she was off the mark. Needless to say, it was apparent that she didn't have great aim while being blindfolded.
Next event was a dance off competition. Gray…was passable in his dancing if put nicely. Klein was much better in both technique and rhythm. Yet it was her mother that surprised her the most. Weiss didn't know someone could physically bend themselves that far back. Not to mention, her mother looked a lot better and lighthearted than she had seen her in a while…
Then it was a board game with dice and pieces. Weiss was thankful it wasn't too complicated to understand like the last game she played. It was relatively uneventful, except Weiss learned two new things about Gray. That he can be quite the sore loser, judging from his pouting face whenever he lost a round. Or the fact that he can get quite competitive as if his life was on the line. Somehow, Weiss thought that only made him a bit cuter in her eyes…
The last event was story-telling. Each person told interesting stories that they can think of. It also Gray's idea, but it was quite more interesting than the previous entertainment. Klein told his time at the Atlas military, which Weiss had no idea he was a former veteran. Her mother told the story about how Weiss's grandmother and grandfather met, and Weiss really thought it was quite a sweet story. But she probably didn't want to know that her grandfather was quite the ladies man as a young man.
Gray, on the other hand, had some interesting tales and ultimately was the one who told the most stories. The Wizard of Oz. Cinderella. Little Red Riding Hood. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Beauty and the Beast. Snow White. They were fairy tales that she had never heard of before, but somehow they seemed…familiar to her for some reason. Especially the last story he told.
Finally, it was time to give out presents. Weiss admitted that she was a little more than curious of what the others had for her.
Klein was the first person to give out his gift and his yellow eyes shined as he passed a particularly thick leather-bound book to her.
Weiss politely took the book from him and read its written title. "Sieben Family Recipes?"
Klein started to explain proudly to her. "Yes, this is my complete collection of recipes that my family has accumulated for many generations. All of the Schnee family favorites are listed there along with many other dishes. I give you in hopes that you will be able to learn how to cook something delicious."
Weiss smiled at him for such a gift. This must have meant a lot to him. "Thank you, Klein. I will be sure to use this well."
Klein then leaned towards her and whispered into her ear. "It is also a good way to learn how to get a man's heart through his stomach."
Weiss blushed a bit as she glanced at Gray before turning her head away quickly. "I-is that true?"
"I guarantee it, Miss Schnee," Klein winked at her before resuming his upright posture.
Weiss looked at the book with a keener eye. Maybe she should seriously learn how to cook? How hard can it be?
Gray had just shivered for a moment right then.
Her mother was the next person, who revealed a small red case in her hands.
"I received this when I was eighteen years old like you," Willow said briefly as she presented Weiss with her gift.
Weiss gingerly took it from her hands before cracking it open. She peered at the sight of the contents inside.
It was a simple silver bracelet with an embedded blue gem of some sort. Weiss wasn't a stranger to jewelry gifts and had seen better ones. But she wondered why her mother would give this to her specifically.
Willow glanced at the bracelet itself. "Your grandfather had received this bracelet during his travels across Remnant. He said that someone whom he helped gave it to him as a token of friendship. That friend told him that it had mystical powers that will work under certain conditions, though it may just be a rumor. However, it still had much meaning to him and he had passed it onto me when I was your age. It is yours now."
"I, I don't know what to say…" Weiss stammered in her words. What could she say after hearing that? She looked at the bracelet again with more appreciation.
Willow gave her a gentle smile. "Don't. I give you this bracelet in hopes that you can also find your path in this world and be happy yourself. Happy birthday, Weiss."
Weiss thanked her again and tried on the bracelet herself. Somehow it fitted her wrist quite perfectly…
Then it was Gray's turn and he looked a little unsure for some reason.
Gray noticed her look and smiled at her reassuringly. "You don't have to worry about me. I do have something to give you, but I…would like to show it you somewhere… privately."
Weiss looked at Klein and her mother for permission, where they both nodded for her to go. But why were they both smiling at them?
Weiss nodded at Gray, who then led her out of the private dining room to the next room over.
Now they were in the room alone, Gray turned around and sighed a bit. "First, I would to apologize for doing something without you knowing it. But I couldn't help it because I don't like seeing you sad."
Weiss almost laughed. "Why would you be apologizing to me? I really did have good time."
Gray smiled at her before continuing. "Well, I am relieved to hear that. From where I come from, the 18th birthday marks the official transition for a girl into a lady. Therefore it is a very important and special occasion for all the girls. So I admit that it was hard for me to find the right gift for you. And I still wouldn't call this gift. But it is something important to me and I would like you to hold it on for me."
Weiss blinked for a moment. Not a gift, but something to hold on for him? She wondered what in Remnant it could possibly be.
Gray took out a red cloth bundle he was holding and slowly unraveled the fabric. A luxurious gold sheath appeared, decorated with blue enamel. Weiss could immediately recognize that this wasn't something that anyone could have created.
"What is that?" Weiss said with ever-burning curiosity as she got closer to the said item.
Gray took the sheath in his hand and presented it to her. "This is the scabbard of my sword. It represents the embodiment of the utopia that a certain king sought. It is one of its kind and its name is Avalon."
"A-va-lon," Weiss repeated the name slowly as she slowly took the sheath for a closer examination. Now she had it in her hands, she immediately thought this wasn't something a normal person could have made. Not only the material was something she couldn't identify from sight, the strange engravings down the middle were of a foreign language. But…she could feel it was hiding more than what she could see with the naked eye.
Weiss looked up at Gray. "Why are you giving this to me? Does it have some special powers?"
Gray cleared his throat to explain. "Avalon is a powerful artifact that I own and is the real scabbard of the legendary sword that I wield. In the hands of the holder, it grants limited immortality."
Weiss's mind then blanked out at the last part. "W-wait…immortality? You are saying that this sheath can make anyone immortal if they possess this?"
"Limited immortality, but yes." Gray corrected her before continuing his explanation. "As long as the holder is near me or holds a contract with me, you will be granted potent healing which even mortal blows can be survived. But the head is still vulnerable to such blows. The other factor is that you will not physically deteriorate from aging. It is not an exaggeration that this scabbard can make it really difficult to kill the holder."
Weiss can only look at the sheath with more awe and confusion. "But why? Why are giving this me personally?"
Gray scratched the back of his head. "To be accurate, I am entrusting this sheath to you instead of as a gift. But if you are asking why, it is form of trust and insurance."
"It is a form of insurance as that you will not die easily as it is not guarantee that I will be at your side physically. It is also a form of trust because it is one of my greatest trump cards I can wield. Therefore, you could say I am giving you this as a form of trust between us as well as a way to ensure that you will be protected at all times," Gray added after seeing Weiss's questioning look.
So those were his reasons? It is just because he trusted her and wanted to protect her better? She slowly clutched the sheath closer to her as she quietly spoke out. "But didn't you say that this was your greatest trump card?"
"Yes, but that does not compare to your life in my eyes. I would rather lose the sheath instead of you if it comes down to that. Besides, I trust that you will return the scabbard to me when I need it most," Gray said confidently.
Weiss felt her heart pounding against her chest at his words. What could she possibly say to that resolution of his? Perhaps that is why she trusted him so much.
Weiss took a deep breath before holding the sheath up. "So tell me, how am I supposed to hold this around? Even I can tell this isn't something normal."
"Well, it can be turned into a conceptual form," Gray explained to her.
"Conceptual form?" Weiss asked.
"It will be much easier to show you instead," Gray answered as he gestured for the sheath.
Weiss gave the sheath back to Gray, who held it firmly in his hands. Suddenly, the blue and golden sheath became smaller and started to emit a strong golden light. Then Gray slowly inserted the scabbard in her, much to her surprise.
"Ahh…." Weiss uttered. To her, it felt as something foreign was going into her very soul itself, yet it was warm and energizing at the same time.
Then the process was finished in a few seconds, even though Weiss thought it lasted much longer than that.
"Are you okay?" Gray asked her with some concern.
"I'm fine…" Weiss waved his worries away. "But am I supposed to feel it inside me? It feels like it is in my soul itself."
"Yes, that is quite normal. I don't expect you to access it easily now, but you can pull it out at will. Remember, this will help you in life-threatening situations where I am not around you physically." Gray reminded her.
Weiss calmed down a bit as she got used the sensation of the sheath inside. It is strange, but it felt as though a piece of Gray went inside her.
"Well, I guess since that ordeal is over, I have something else for you to look at," Gray clapped his hands together.
Weiss broke out from her thoughts. "Something else?"
Gray took out his scroll and pressed it a few times. He turned it around showing a video and wordlessly gave her the scroll.
Weiss looked at Gray curiously before pressing the play button, where her eyes widened in recognition of the person in the video.
It was her older sister, Winter.
"Greetings, Weiss. Klein has told me about your birthday party. I will like to first apologize for not being there in person due to my military duties in Mistral. And as you know, CCT communications are still down. So I decided to send Klein a recorded video in a USB drive through the express postal mail."
Winter cleared her throat for a moment before continuing. "Now that is out of way, I would like to say a few things. Weiss, I know…it has been hard on you since that day that you had live up to your father's expectations, especially when I joined the military. And I personally know how hard it is move forward by yourself."
"But Weiss, you are different. I am quite proud of you. Though your life journey is not over yet, you have taken the first steps. The first steps are always the hardest, yet it proves you can be the person you want to be. But that does not mean you cannot be happy if you strive for it. I admit that while our views may be…different in our respective positions, I sincerely hope that you can find your own happiness out of father's grasp. No matter where you go, you are one of the few I wish to see better themselves because you can."
"So Weiss, do not dwell in your past and look into your future. While you may dwell in the past, I sincerely wish that you can keep moving forward despite of that. Until next time, sister."
Then there was a small pause in her words. Then Winter's formerly stern face softened a little.
"And happy birthday, Weiss."
The video message then ended right there. Weiss wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes and looked at Gray for an explanation.
Gray didn't look at her. "I…know that you don't have a great childhood or family life. I cannot really judge how you must have felt back then. But I know that you are good person inside. I planned this birthday party mostly to cheer you up, but you probably would rather see your friends instead."
"But even though I cannot help you see your friends right now, I can at least show that you deserve to be happy. I asked Klein to get a message from your older sister because you guys are pretty close and I know you miss her a lot," Gray added.
There was a period of silence between them. Gray then turned around to go back, but Weiss immediately wrapped her arms around him. She felt Gray stiffened under her arms.
"Weiss…?" Gray spoke out in surprise.
"It is okay. I know that you are trying your best for me. And all I have to say is…thank you for being at my side." Weiss mumbled to him.
She didn't know why she was hugging him. But it felt right...
Weiss then felt Gray relaxed at her words. "I am quite happy to hear that from you. And... happy birthday, Weiss."
Yet Weiss was the happiest person of all at that very moment.
So that wraps up the birthday chapter for now. This is probably the longest and most complicated chapter I have ever written so far. I probably could have written this much better with more time, but it is good enough to continue with the story. The next few chapters and interludes will mark the transition to the next arc of the story, which mainly concerns Volume 4-5. So please be patient if you haven't already. And I apologize for getting this chapter out so late as my life keeps throwing curve balls at me, one after another.
Sigh…
A lot of new things were introduced in this chapter as things move forward. Nicholas Schnee appears as a cameo during Willow's dreams. Avalon is certainly plays a part in his brief appearance, but Willow's memories also play a significant role as well. Gray is also unwittingly responsible for reasons unknown for now.
Gray has given Avalon to Weiss as his gift and this will play a significant role later.
And Klein apparently has a lot of connections with people in the Atlas Kingdom. Who knew? I am not quite mapped out how this will play out later in Volume 7-8 of RWBY, but I think they will play some significant roles there. Not sure if bringing a few OCs is a good idea, but why not?
Please leave a constructive and polite review if you can. I do read every single one of them. And please stay healthy and safe out there.
