New chapter! Author's note below.

XXX

"A party at a time like this," Winter hissed.

When she and Qrow had returned back to Atlas, the first thing Winter did was inform the General of the possible protest and Jacques Schnee's upcoming party. Naturally, General Ironwood began to make plans for the party to have Atlesian soldiers present to guard the guests. Winter pointed out to him that any guards should be disguised, as she doubted that the White Fang would try anything if they knew the military was present. And for that reason, General Ironwood would not be attending the event. Though Jacques and James tended to butt heads, the General was still a highly esteemed and regarded figure throughout Atlas, and he was always invited to the famous Schnee balls, dinner parties, and charity events.

Winter didn't like this. There were too many variables. Too many unknowns, too many innocent people that could get hurt.

And above all, she did not like that she was going to the party.

Though admittedly, she had insisted. The General had tried to dissuade her from attending the party, but Winter had put her foot down on the matter. Normally, Winter would avoid Jacques Schnee and his aristocrat get-togethers, but she was too involved in this matter to back out, and as a Special Operative, it was her job to infiltrate situations like the possible attack on the Schnee party. And at any rate, she knew that Weiss would be forced to go as well, and she wanted to be there for her sister.

She had let Qrow know what Ironwood's plan was, and that she would be attending the party as well.

"What if the White Fang recognizes you?" Qrow had asked. "I'm sure they know that Winter Schnee is an Atlesian Specialist that's very close with General Ironwood."

"Perhaps," she had responded. "Which is why I will be going in formal wear rather than my dress uniform so I blend in better with the crowd. It will appear as if I'm just a rich Schnee daughter, returning to her home." Winter bit back the scowl that threatened to form. The word 'home' tasted bitter in her mouth when describing the cold manor her father inhabited. "Besides, maybe having all the Schnees there will prove to be too good of an opportunity for them."

"Well, I know there'll be no convincing you otherwise," Qrow said with a sigh. "At any rate, I'll be there too. Against my will." Winter elbowed him in the side, eliciting a groan from Qrow. "And the kids will be there too. Your sister must have gotten them an in. Hope it doesn't cause any trouble for her."

"I hope so too," Winter murmured.

Now, after preparing for the event, Winter stood alone in her room at the academy, staring at herself in a mirror.

Her outfit wasn't outlandish or gaudy in any way, but she never would have picked anything like it to wear normally. Winter usually stayed away from dresses when possible. The one she wore now was a simple, midnight blue, halter-top dress that fell to just below her knees. She had chosen a pair of matching gloves that reached her elbows and dark grey heels for her shoes. She reached up and clipped her bright red brooch to the neck of the dress, that small act of defiance towards Jacques Schnee which Winter had started so many years ago.

She had told Weiss that she would be attending the party, and her little sister's response was the one part of this deal that made it worthwhile.

Winter left the compound and entered the car that would take her there, an Atlas soldier sitting in the driver seat. He was dressed in business formal clothes with no sign of any garments or accessories that would tie him to the military or Ironwood. Any and all military personnel that had been recruited for tonight had been strictly ordered to dress in civilian clothes.

The Schnee manor sat in a beautiful, rich section of the city, but the long drive from the front gate to the house practically put it in the outskirts of the Atlas capital. By the time Winter's car pulled by the front doors and she stepped out, a heavy feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach.

It wasn't that she was nervous or scared.

She just really didn't want to see Jacques Schnee.

The large double doors swung open for her, and a small man stood in the doorway. Klein.

"Ah! Ms. Schnee," he greeted. His voice sounded polite and cordial as if he were greeting any guest, but the warmth in his eyes made Winter momentarily forget Jacques. "So happy you could make it."

"Of course, Klein. I wouldn't miss it," Winter said, stepping into the foyer that was dotted with guests and personal Schnee guards here and there.

"Really?" Klein raised an eyebrow.

"You know me, Klein." Winter let just a hint of mischievousness slip into her voice. She hadn't so much as stepped into the manor in a year, let alone attended any event or ball hosted by Jacques Schnee.

"Yes, Ms. Schnee." He gave a quick bow. "Allow me to escort you to the ballroom."

"Please, Klein. Would you take me through one of the side doors? I'm trying to avoid unnecessary attention, if possible."

"Of course." Klein led her down one of the side hallways to a smaller door that led into the ballroom. Most of the guests entered through the larger door in the foyer. In truth, though Winter rarely visited her childhood home, she still remembered its halls well, including its secret tunnels, nooks, and empty rooms. However, tonight it was better to play it safe. She didn't need any of her father's personal guards stopping her and questioning her for wandering the hallways.

"Here you are, Ms. Schnee."

"Thank you, Klein." Normally, Winter would have stayed and spoken with Klein for a bit. She would have asked if her father was up to anything unusual or suspicious. She would have asked how Weiss was doing. She would have asked if her mother was much the same.

But tonight, she needed to focus on her mission.

When she slipped through the side doors, she was immediately surrounded by the chatter of aristocrats and bureaucrats. The room was awash in golden light that shone from the large, intricate chandeliers. A few waiters in uniforms weaved in and out of the crowds, and though most of the serving staff appeared to be Faunus, Winter couldn't tell if they had any connection to the White Fang. A young woman with a sweeping tail passed her, and her face didn't betray any hidden intent. Rather, the woman looked fairly miserable.

For now, Winter decided she would keep an eye out for any unusual behavior from the waiting staff. She couldn't even be sure that the White Fang had snuck into the party already, and she seriously doubted every waiter could be part of the White Fang protest, if any. Her father could play the fool, but he was a shrewd businessman. She would wager that Jacques had carefully vetted the staff.

Winter kept to the walls, straying away from the other guests. Most of the guests paid her no mind, keeping to their own conversations. She caught a few words here and there of some of the topics: the price of Schnee Dust compared to locally owned stores, the state of Mantle, the recent attempts by Atlesian scientists to fix the CCT. A couple guests did take notice of her. She could see the flare of recognition in their eyes as she passed by. She imagined they were taking note of her white hair and blue eyes, connecting the dots.

She caught a similar flash of white from across the room, and found Weiss standing around a semicircle of people. She looked bored or perhaps distracted, her half-lidded eyes scanning the room and ignoring the guests around her who seemed to be in the middle of some conversation with Jacques Schnee, who stood just a few feet away from Weiss. Not too far from Jacques and his circle of supporters stood a younger boy, around Weiss' height with the same shade of pale white hair. Whitley. Winter hadn't seen Whitley in years. Winter couldn't see her mother among the group, or anywhere in the room. She suspected that Willow Schnee was curled up in a room by herself, sipping at a glass of wine.

"Well, I wouldn't go over there right now. Especially since you've been trying so hard to stay under the radar," a familiar voice said from behind her.

Winter spun around and, unsurprisingly, found Qrow standing with his hands shoved in his pockets and a small, sly grin on his face.

What was surprising was his outfit.

Winter had never seen Qrow dressed up before.

He had a dark grey blazer over a white dress shirt and dark grey slacks. True to form, the look was still very Qrow-like with the untucked shirt underneath his blazer and the cross necklace hanging past his collar. Winter drew her gaze away from his outfit and back to his eyes, hoping she hadn't stared for too long.

Qrow seemed to be appraising her formal look as well, his gaze sliding up and down her form. After moments went by and still neither spoke, Winter felt she should say something, anything, to stop this silence.

"I'm impressed. You managed to dress well for the occasion," she said.

"Funny. I was gonna say the exact same thing." Qrow grinned. "But in a less snooty tone." Winter felt her mouth twitch, and Qrow's grin seemed to widen at the tiny, involuntary reaction. But then something about his expression changed, and his smile grew softer. "You look nice, Schnee." Winter's mouth opened into a tiny O shape before she quickly snapped it shut. I'm acting like a fool, she internally berated herself. Pull yourself together.

"Thank you, Qrow. You look nice as well," she said with a dip of her head. And then, because she couldn't help herself - "You do know your shirt is untucked?"

"Yeah, didn't want to look too gussied up." Qrow picked at his blazer. "Not my style. Besides, I don't care what the Atlas elite or Jacques Schnee thinks of me."

"That's a good attitude to have."

Qrow raised an eyebrow. "Gotta say, I'm a little surprised to have your agreement on that."

"Why is that?"

"I dunno. You're Atlas military, you grew up as an heiress … You probably still have to spend time with these kinds of people. I figured you'd at least care what some of the fancy Atlas bureaucrats have to say."

"Well, in Jacques' case, he's strictly a businessman. There is no ounce of compassion in him, so I find it hard to respect him." Winter's gaze hardened as she glared at Jacques from across the room. "As for the Atlas elite, well, I suppose I don't have much to say since I'm more or less a part of them. But I hate the people who come to events like these. They dress up and throw their money and power around, but they lack true strength. They're a bunch of airheaded fools who couldn't defend themselves in a real attack, and they're oblivious to the state of Remnant as it stands now."

"Wow. Gutsy talk coming from you." Qrow leaned against a nearby pillar, giving her an appraising look. "Careful about what you say here. I'm sure a number of people wouldn't be happy to hear you say that."

"Hmm."

"On the other hand, I'd pay good money to see you get into a brawl against some rich Atlas bastard, so go ahead."

"Be careful what you say yourself. We're not supposed to attract any kind of attention. Besides, this doesn't mean I care for Vale's bureaucracy or anything like that. I just don't particularly like the people Jacques Schnee surrounds himself with."

"There's the Winter I remember." Qrow laughed, and the sound eased Winter's anxiety a little. It was almost as if for a brief moment, it blocked out the sounds around her. And then she felt Qrow nudge her with his elbow. "I … I appreciate you sharing that. I imagine it's not easy to talk about things like that." Winter turned her head to the side. Qrow being genuinely kind still threw her for a loop, and she didn't quite know how to take it. Especially when the topic was one she'd rather drop.

"We are in this together, aren't we? After everything we've worked on together, I suppose we should trust each other and share our true opinions."

"Suppose we should," Qrow said. Winter wasn't facing him, so she couldn't see his expression in that moment, but he sounded wistful.

Something bright and red flashed by them, creating a wind that had Winter practically holding onto her outfit and hair so nothing would be messed up. Winter opened her eyes, searching for whatever the disturbance was, and landed on Ruby Rose, standing by the buffet table and fawning over the treats.

"So you managed to bring your niece and her friends along too?" Winter asked as Jaune hurried over and tried to shoot apologetic glances at the nearby guests. Nora and Ren joined them, but Nora was almost as distracted as Ruby.

"Well, that was more your sister's doing. I didn't bring them as part of our mission here." Qrow was swiping a hand through his own hair, trying to fix the windblown hair he now had, though he only managed to pull it into more spiky tufts. "Though they may have their own mission of sorts. They're keeping an eye out for things."

"Well, as long as they're careful." Winter wasn't about to make a fuss, especially if Weiss had wanted her friends to be there.

"So, where do we start then?" Qrow asked.

"It's hard to say exactly. The manor is huge, and there's a number of entry points, including secret tunnels and rooms. We can rule out bedrooms and most of the second floor, as there's no easy entry into those rooms or any noticeable paths from the bedrooms to the ballroom without using the main hallway." Another waitress walked by, holding a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She had no noticeable Faunus traits, but it was very possible she simply had no visible traits. "There are Faunus serving staff at the party - not a surprise considering the SDC's use of Faunus labor - though I haven't seen any Faunus among the party's guests. I can't say for sure whether there are any White Fang members among the serving staff."

"If there are, I doubt they would be the only ones holding this 'protest'. There's not enough people," Qrow observed. Winter nodded, then leaned closer, lowering her voice.

"There are Atlas soldiers and a few Specialists in formal wear patrolling the grounds. They'll send us a message if they notice anything suspicious. We can always check the grounds too, if we feel it's necessary."

"Winter!" A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her in a gentle hug, and Winter twisted around to see Weiss. "It's so good to see you! I'm glad you came." Weiss dipped into a tiny curtsy.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well," Winter said with a smile. She glanced over at the area Weiss had come from. Jacques was still caught up in conversation, but Whitley was staring at Weiss with an expression between disgust and annoyance. Winter grimaced. That boy had become so unpleasant in recent years. She understood the influence Jacques had on his family, but Whitley despising Weiss, Winter herself, and anyone who defied Jacques was something she could not stand. "I'm sorry you've been stuck next to Father for so much of the evening."

"Yes, well. I've been able to sneak away for now." Weiss looked behind her to make sure Jacques wasn't paying attention. "And I wanted to spend time with Ruby, Nora, Jaune, and Ren too." Weiss looked back at Winter, scanning her with an appraising eye. "You know, it's been a long time since you've attended any kind of Schnee ball or banquet. I'm surprised they got you to come." Winter's cheeks flushed a little at the teasing tone in Weiss' voice, and she stood straighter, scowling a bit.

"I'm surprised Jacques hasn't thrown me out yet," she scoffed. "I'm here to keep an eye on things. Strictly security business."

"Oh. So this is about the thing Ruby was talking about." Weiss' eyes grew wide, but she nodded, completely understanding. Winter knew Ruby had talked to Weiss about their reason for coming to Atlas, but she was still surprised to hear Weiss understand her true reason for attending the party.

"What did she tell you?"

"I'll talk to you later about it, when we have the chance." Weiss' eyes darted around again, but she wore a sweet smile that would place any ornery passerby at ease. "But she told me about her secret mission, and who was behind the attack on Vale. Which is good, because I am more than willing to help."

"We will definitely be talking about this later." Winter was not going to let this conversation slide by, and she certainly owed it to Weiss to carefully explain what was going on. "How will you explain disappearing with your friends to Father?"

"I'll figure out a way to deal with Father," Weiss said with a dismissive wave, though a hint of worry flashed across her face. "Anyways, will you be dancing while you're here?" She gestured to the main floor, where most of the guests stood on the outside, circling the area where a few couples danced together in slow, methodical movements.

"No, I am not here to partake in any of the festivities." Winter's lip curled on the last word. "As I said before, Qrow and I are simply here to help with security issues." Weiss peeked around Winter to look at Qrow, who waved at her with a grin.

"Hello, Mr. Branwen."

"You really don't need to call me that, kid. Qrow is fine." He shrugged.

"Ok," Weiss said, sounding uncertain.

"Weiss! Come on!" Nora whined, appearing at her friend's side very suddenly and immediately looping an arm through Weiss'. She kept tugging on Weiss' arm until the girl finally relented.

"Ok, Nora. I'm coming." Weiss rolled her eyes, shooting one last look at Winter. "Don't leave before saying goodbye."

"I won't," Winter promised. Then the entirely too energetic Nora dragged Weiss off towards the others.

"You know, your sister had a point," Qrow said, moving to stand by Winter.

"About what?"

"A great way to keep an eye on the crowd is to blend in. And what better way at this ritzy party than by dancing?" Qrow's eyes lit up with mischief and mirth.

"Excuse me? No, that would not help, Qrow! We would be distracted, and unable to keep an eye on everyone here," Winter argued.

"Standing around here and arguing isn't gonna make us look any better." He reached out a hand, waiting patiently. Winter stared at it, crossing her arms. "You know, if we're being technical, you did waste some time glaring at old Jacques over there." Winter almost slapped his hand for that comment, but Qrow dodged out of the way with a quiet laugh. "Come on, Schnee. Isn't there some decorum or etiquette you're supposed to follow?" Winter gritted her teeth together, shooting daggers at Qrow. Finally, she extended a hand.

"Very well," she growled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. Were you accepting my polite offer?"

"Don't push your luck, Qrow." Qrow laughed, then took her hand and they both walked to the dance area. Winter was grateful that Qrow didn't lead them into the middle where everyone could see, but instead closer to a corner, though close enough to other guests that they both could keep an eye on the party.

They lined up to dance, facing each other, when Winter caught Qrow's somewhat puzzled face.

"Qrow, do you know how to dance?" she asked.

"You know, Ice Queen, it's not a skill that has come up in my line of work often."

"Why do you get yourself into these situations if you're not prepared?!" Winter let out a harsh breath of air, then helped Qrow position his hands. "There. Now just follow me. I'll tell you what to do. Not that it's important since we should be keeping an eye out for suspicious activity."

"Shouldn't I be leading?" Qrow wondered.

"Normally, yes. But someone who's never danced before dragged us out on the floor to dance, so it will be up to me to lead instead."

"I'm hurt, Schnee," Qrow said with a heavy sigh. "Really hurt." Winter narrowed her eyes then pulled him into a dance, and then they were gliding back and forth. Winter kept their dance in a simple, waltz format, keeping her eyes trained behind Qrow at all times. She counted four guests by the main doors, twenty guests by the back wall, 3 different waiters and waitresses, and one of the disguised Atlas soldiers leaning against a wall off to the right of the doors. No one appeared to be acting suspiciously, and aside from a few of the waiters, Winter spied no Faunus.

"I don't see anyone either," Qrow muttered, and Winter drew her gaze to his eyes. He too was studying the crowds, dull red eyes focused.

They danced in silence, aside from the soft violin music playing around them, but both saw nothing. The Schnee party was like any other party, though admittedly the guests were much wealthier than the average person.

"You know, we really didn't have to be dancing to do this," Winter finally said, shooting Qrow a suspicious look. He grinned, and out of nowhere tugged on her hand, sending her into a quick spin before he caught her hand again, back in their previous formation. She glared at him, and he laughed.

"Maybe I wanted to have some fun?" He wondered aloud in a nonchalant tone.

"Why do you treat everything like a game?" Winter questioned.

"... Because there's been so much doom and gloom stuff going on, we deserve to have a few minutes where we don't have to work," Qrow said, growing serious again. That answer caught Winter off guard.

"Still," she said, taking in a breath. "Doing this while on a job probably isn't the best idea."

"When was the last time you took a break for yourself, Schnee?" Qrow asked. "I doubt you ever did while at the Academy." They stared at each other for a minute, both refusing to break eye contact. Winter refused to admit he was right. She didn't take breaks. She couldn't afford to. One didn't become an Atlesian Specialist by going on vacations and having fun, not that the Atlas Academy allowed vacations.

Then the sound of someone yelling cut through the music, and Qrow and Winter jumped apart at the sound.

"Weiss, stop it!" A harsh voice cut through the noise like a knife, and Winter's gaze snapped to its source. Jacques Schnee had a hand around Weiss' wrist, eyes burning with anger. Weiss tore her hand out of his grip and stepped back a few steps to where Ruby stood, the normally happy girl unusually solemn. Jacques still glared at Weiss though. The conversation was not over.

Winter moved through the crowd as quickly as she could without seeming frantic, vaguely noticing that Qrow was right on her tail. By the time she reached Weiss and Jacques, he seemed to realize that a number of guests had stopped talking and were currently staring at the tense scene before them. He stood a little straighter, his face smoothing into something slightly more stoic, though he continued to glare at Weiss.

"You're embarrassing the family," he hissed.

"You don't get to decide that," she snapped. She took Ruby's hand in her own. "These are my friends, and they are welcome here. And besides, you're the one trying to act like I betrayed the family by going to Beacon just because I didn't want to take the job you tried to push me into!" Winter wasn't quite sure what had started the argument, but Weiss was pulling out everything in her arsenal now.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Jacques snapped back. "And seeing as you are still my child and a dependent who wasn't able to finish her four years at Beacon, you will be staying at home for the time being." Then he smiled in such a sickly sweet way that it turned Winter's stomach. "I'm simply looking out for you and acting as a father should. You still want to be the heiress, after all. If you plan on taking over the company, you should start by working at the company." Weiss quieted at that, the idea seemingly giving her pause. Ruby squeezed her hand for comfort.

"Weiss is a part of Team RWBY at Beacon, and we've been given a mission," Ruby explained loudly, squaring her shoulders. "We're Huntresses, so it's our duty-,"

"You are students who never finished your training. Vale has not given you any mission or recognized you as true Hunters, girl," Jacques practically snarled. "Weiss has prior obligations to her family that take precedence over your games. You are a guest here, so stay out of our personal affairs." Winter heard Qrow growl, felt Qrow move forward, ready to go to his niece's defense, but she held out a hand, holding him back.

"Schnee, let go," Qrow hissed, but she refused to budge. A hot-headed Qrow would not help this situation.

"You could learn the ins and the outs of the company. If you'd like, perhaps we could figure out a way to help the people of Vale by sending some money to the charities set up." The color drained from Weiss' face, and Jacques took a step forward, reaching a hand out again. Winter couldn't remember moving, but in a flash she was standing on Weiss' other side.

"Perhaps you should leave her alone, and save business discussion for another time," Winter said, though she wanted to spit the words at him. "After all, this is a party, and you are disturbing the other guests." Jacques glanced around, frowning, before he looked back to Weiss and Winter. If his gaze at Weiss had been white-hot fury, Winter received an icy cold glower. It was a stare that held all the hatred from the past years; Jacques' anger when Winter had given up the inheritance, his frustration when she had moved out of the manor and into the Atlas Academy, the growing bitterness as she trained Weiss and encouraged her to become a Huntress rather than an SDC figurehead.

"This has nothing to do with you," Jacques intoned icily. Winter could pick up on the hidden meaning behind the words. This is a family matter, and you are no longer a part of this family.

But she would always remain a Schnee, because Jacques had stolen that name from her family too.

"You're going to leave Weiss alone," Winter said in a low tone. Jacques' face twisted into an angry scowl, but before he could say another word, Weiss stepped forward.

"My friends will always be allowed here as long as I am here," she said in a bright voice. "After all, they're all victims of the Fall of Beacon, and it would be rude to turn them away." Voices whispered around them, and Winter could swear a few guests even looked at Ruby and her friends with pity.

"I'll also be taking classes at Atlas, to finish my training with my teammate," Weiss announced. Ruby beamed behind her. "I will become a Huntress to protect this kingdom and Remnant." Winter gazed at Weiss proudly.

"Father." Whitley stepped forward, ignoring his sisters and looking up at Jacques. "Perhaps you should put this conversation on hold for a while. Councilwoman Mauve has arrived and has some very interesting ideas about the capital's embargo that she'd love to speak with you about."

The tension broke, and Jacques dusted off his fine suit, and nodded at his son.

"Thank you, Whitley. Now, where is the Councilwoman?" Whitley nodded, and led Jacques away to another corner of the room. The small crowd that had gathered around them broke and continued on with the party, as if nothing had happened.

"Woo! Go Weiss!" Ruby fistpumped the air. Weiss simply rolled her eyes, though Winter noticed her shoulders slouch forward, her nerves calmed.

"Honestly, Ruby. We are still at a party!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Are you ok, Weiss?" Ren, Nora, and Jaune hurried over, surrounding Weiss in a half-circle. Ren placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That looked rough."

"Sadly, he's always like that, more or less. It's only gotten worse the longer he's worked at the company," Weiss said bitterly. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not going to let him tell me what to do now that I'm back in Atlas."

"I'm … proud," Winter murmured, and Weiss looked at her big sister with love.

"Thank you, Winter."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Winter asked. "Qrow and I have a mission to carry out, but I don't want to leave you if you need assistance with anything."

"It's fine. I'll be okay," Weiss assured her, leaning against Jaune and wrapping an arm around Nora's shoulder, who immediately started rambling about how fancy the food was and how the dancing should be much more lively. Winter realized Ruby was missing, and found her off to the side, talking quietly with Qrow. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but after a few more seconds Qrow reached out and ruffled Ruby's hair. She laughed, then reached up and ruffled Qrow's hair, sticking her tongue out at him before bouncing over to Weiss and the others. Winter could hear his faint Hey from where she was standing. She smirked a little, then walked over to him.

"Are you done fooling around, or can we get back to our job?" she asked with mock curiosity. Qrow shot her a look.

"Funny, Schnee."

"Suffice to say, there has been no sign of the White Fang yet. Perhaps we overreacted and there won't be an attack tonight," Winter suggested.

"Or … what if we're in the wrong spot?" Qrow paused. "When I was still in Mistral, somebody mentioned that a group of Faunus were smuggling Dust into Atlas."

"So what's your point, Qrow?"

"Where would you keep Dust in here? In the manor?" He waved a hand around.

"Dust?" Winter wracked her brain for areas, but came up with very little. "Jacques had warehouses and company buildings for that."

"Where would there be Dust-powered machines in this house then?"

"Perhaps the electrical room, or the kitchen …" Winter trailed off, and Qrow raised his eyebrows. The kitchen.

"We should grab our weapons," Qrow said. They had both been ordered to leave their weapons in the main hall with the guards.

"What if we don't have time?" Winter asked. Qrow rubbed the back of his neck in a frustrated movement.

"Ok, we don't know for sure there's anything in the kitchen. This is just a theory." He met her eyes for a moment. "And though I hate to split up like this, you go check the kitchen, and I'll grab our weapons."

"Fair enough. Be quick and don't cause a scene," Winter reminded him, and then the two were off, weaving through the crowd. Extravagant functions such as this were not Winter's cup of tea, but moving through the guests was simple. It was all footwork and stealth, so Winter was in her element.

The kitchen was on the opposite side of a hallway that was connected to the far side of the ballroom. Making sure no one noticed her leaving through the doors, Winter slipped through and found herself in a completely dark hallway. Absolutely no lights were on, and there was no one in sight, though a faint murmuring came from the kitchen doors nearby. It was a servant hallway, a hallway for those meant to be invisible to the guests and residents of the manor.

Winter slammed open one of the kitchen doors, and around 7 or so chefs and wait staff jumped in fright. The Faunus girl with the beautiful tail from earlier took a timid step forward.

"Yes, miss? Is everything all right?" she asked, voice trembling. "Was there something not to your liking?" Winter was confused until she remembered what she was wearing and who she was to the workers. Still dressed in her formal evening wear, the workers had assumed she was there to complain about the food.

"Yes. I mean, I'm not here for anything like that." Winter shook her head. "I'm part of the security detail. I need to check something in here."

"Uh … what?" The waitress stared at her with a new, surprised expression.

"Miss, we still have things to cook-," one of the chefs began.

"Then continue if you must, but no one leave until I've checked your trays and the rest of the room." Winter considered hiding her true intentions, but time could be of the essence here. "Has anyone noticed an unusual supply of Dust on the grounds or in the manor this evening?" Nothing. Most of the staff just looked confused. Winter sighed, trying not to let her exasperation show. "That's fine. But you will all need to stay in this room to be interviewed."

"What?" The Faunus girl squeaked.

"Why should we?" Another waiter scowled. Winter stopped. He was a Faunus as well, with pale green scales that crept from his neck to his cheeks. Coincidence, she told herself. Simple coincidence. The last thing she wanted to do was put these workers through an uncomfortable experience. Winter knew that Jacques probably treated them poorly, specifically the Faunus workers.

And yet, some gut instinct warned her, forced her to stare at the scaled man. The only one who had vocally questioned her.

"If you're in danger, why would you question it?" she asked seriously.

"How do we know you're even the security here? You're dressed up like a guest. This could be some prank to make us lose our jobs," the Faunus man retorted. Winter pulled out her Scroll and flashed her Specialist I.D. at him.

"I've been assigned this event from the Atlesian military. I highly recommend not getting in my way," she advised. The chefs took a step back, looking at each other with worried eyes. They weren't threatened or aggravated; they were worried about their jobs. But the Faunus man stood his ground, and Winter felt a little more sure. "Perhaps I can interview you first, sir?"

"No way, I've got to get back to my work," the Faunus man said, a little too quickly for Winter's liking.

"Hmmm." Winter turned to the other staff. "If you'd like to know, I'm looking into a possible protest that the White Fang was going to hold tonight. I have information suggesting it would take place here at Schnee manor." Everyone stiffened at the mention of the group.

"If it's just a protest, I don't see why -," the Faunus woman with the long tail began.

"We have reason to believe the protest is a cover for an attack," Winter explained. "I'm looking for a large supply of Dust, probably stolen." She was met with more silence, and her patience began to wane. "I'm trying to prevent an explosion or attack that could hurt the people here!"

"... You really think there's going to be an attack?" The Faunus woman asked. Her tail began to lash back and forth.

"Shut up!" The Faunus man from before grabbed her arm. "We don't have to talk to her." Winter pushed the man away from the waitress.

"Leave her alone," she ordered.

"I was told there'd only be a peaceful protest!" The waitress wailed, backing away. "I didn't know anything about an attack!" Winter's eyes widened.

"Where are the others?" Winter asked. The Faunus man moved away from them, trying to sneak away. "You there! Halt!" Dammit, I wish I had my sabre! But as if her wish was being answered, the Faunus man was knocked to the ground by the kitchen doors swinging open. Qrow appeared from the other side, his sword strapped to his back, and Winter's sabre in his left hand.

"Stupid human!" The man yelled, struggling to climb to his feet. Winter waved a hand, and a black glyph appeared beneath him, keeping him stuck to the floor.

"Looks like I arrived just in time," Qrow noted.

"Where were you?" Winter demanded.

"Trying to get through a crowd of snooty Atlas people without revealing I have a weapon on me. It was harder than it sounds!" He unhooked his sword from his belt, and threw her sabre to her. She caught it with ease and pointed it down at the fallen Faunus man.

"Tell us what you know," she commanded.

"Like hell," the man snarled. Qrow watched the exchange, then leaned down into a squat and began patting the man's shoulders, then his chest. "What are you doing?!"

"Checking to see if you've got anything on you," Qrow replied. His eyes darted down and he snapped out his hand, reaching into the Faunus man's pocket and pulling out a flimsy sheet of paper. "Now what do we have here?"

"Give it back!"

"I don't think so." Qrow stood back up. "Schnee, does this look familiar to you?" The Faunus man turned his gaze to Winter, staring at her with a baleful look.

"You're a Schnee," he hissed.

"Yes," Winter replied coldly. "What of it?"

"You and your damn family are going to be destroyed. You're the ones who cause our problems," he accused wildly, his eyes now wide and crazed. Qrow froze.

"Jacques Schnee is certainly a problem, but I have nothing to do with him or the SDC," Winter explained before returning her attention to the sheet of paper. She paled instantly. The sheet of paper had instructions listed on it, including how to pilot an Atlesian Paladin. "Where did you get this information?"

"Doesn't matter now," the Faunus man said with a wicked grin. Qrow reached down and grabbed the man by his collar.

"Start talking," Qrow threatened. The man fell quiet, meeting Qrow's eyes with stony silence. Winter placed a hand on Qrow's shoulder, shaking it lightly.

"Qrow, if the protest was against Jacques in the first place-," she said. Qrow swore under his breath and dropped the man. Winter started rapidly typing into her Scroll, writing to the nearby soldiers to go on red alert and telling them of the Faunus man she had arrested. "You," she said, directing her comment to the Faunus man, "will be arrested. Some Atlesian soldiers will be here shortly. Qrow, we need to get back to the party."

"Hey!" The Faunus man shouted. "I'm not-," He suddenly yelped, watching as ice encased his feet.

"That will hold you until the others arrive. Please wait here," Winter ordered, and then she and Qrow were off again.

"You know," Qrow said. "This is why having some fun is a good idea. Now we're running back and forth, trying to protect your father, who really doesn't deserve it."

"Trust me, I know!" Winter said as they burst through the doors into the ballroom. Winter thought she would have to search for Jacques, but the scene before her was very different than it had been just 15 minutes prior. A group of Faunus in White Fang uniforms, the characteristic mask over their eyes, surrounded some familiar partygoers. Jacques Schnee was on the ground, a fearful look in his eye. Whitley stood beside him, looking confused and scared. And Weiss stood in front of both of them, facing the White Fang, with a large, glowing Summon beside her, her Geist in knight's armor. The White Fang members had guns raised at her, but Weiss wasn't flinching.

"Where are the others?" Winter asked Qrow. The rest of the ballroom was empty, but she could hear shouts and loud, metal clangs in the distance.

"Outside, I think. If they really have Atlas robots, the soldiers might be fighting them now," Qrow said.

"You go and help them. I'll stay and fight this group." One of the White Fang members noticed them, and aimed his gun.

"You two! Hands up!" he yelled. The other members glanced over.

"Another Schnee," one whispered.

"We'll kill her too," another one said. Winter brandished her sabre.

"You will kill no Schnee tonight," she said, and then dashed forward, her speed boosted from her glyphs. She slashed the ankle of one member, proudly hearing them scream in pain, before roundhouse kicking another in the chest. One member tried to grab her, but she leapt away and fell into a fighting stance by Weiss.

"Winter!" Weiss' face broke into a smile. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Me too, but for now, let's take care of these fools." The sisters squared off their enemies, and Winter gathered her power, Summoning a large Manticore to her side. Then they swarmed the White Fang gathered before them, Winter's Manticore furiously slicing its incorporeal claw through the members, followed closely by Weiss' stately knight, blocking attacks and returning them with might.

Weiss practically danced through the sea of enemies, spinning on one leg as she moved from glyph to glyph, her rapier glowing as she changed the Dust and sent varied attacks at the White Fang.

Winter moved with some level of grace, though she favored a style of speed and defensive strategies as she stood her ground, meeting every White Fang attack and retaliating with a more powerful strike.

The ballroom that had been glittering and golden was now covered in rubble, empty Dust rounds, and ash. Shards of ice stuck up from the ground in dangerous stalagmite formations. One of the doors was hanging off its hinge.

The White Fang proved to be capable fighters, but the Schnee sisters were equally powerful. And though the sheet of paper Winter had taken earlier implied that the terrorist group had gotten a hold of Atlesian military robots, these White Fang members were simply armed with guns and swords. They seemed to be running low on ammunition as well.

Winter's own Aura had begun to run low, and she could feel the heaviness in her limbs as it began to drop. Weiss was even worse off, her knight no longer completely whole. Bits of his torso had begun to fade away, and each swing of his giant sword dealt less and less damage. Weiss stopped for a moment, leaning forward and panting hard, trying to catch her breath, when she was sent flying into the ground from a well-aimed shot.

"Weiss!" Winter yelled, watching her sister sprawl over the floor. Weiss' Summon froze, then faded into a million sparkling pieces. She tried climbing to her feet, leaning forward on a bent knee.

"I-i'm okay!" she gasped. Winter would have run to her sister's side, but the White Fang members - those that were left and not unconscious on the floor - surrounded her. And Winter was done.

"We take down the injured girl, and we finish off the older one," a member with striped cat ears commanded. One of the other Faunus nodded. Then they took a step towards Weiss, who was still struggling to catch her breath.

Winter stamped her foot on the ground.

A large black glyph appeared beneath her own feet, keeping her steady.

And in front of her, an even larger Summoning glyph appeared, the telltale swords spinning faster and faster as Winter recalled her Manticore Grimm before her. In the back of her mind, she wondered when she had defeated her first Manticore, when she had earned this Grimm as one of her many possible partners. Oh yes, she remembered. It was that mission out on the tundra, when I was trying to find Grandfather. The bright, white Manticore she Summoned before her now glowed with a brilliant white-blue light, and it stood even larger than her previous one. One final attack to finish the group off and protect Weiss.

Winter lifted her sword up, then brought it down in a silent order. The Manticore charged, sweeping through the White Fang. They screamed as the white Grimm pushed them out one of the side doors and then right through the window that led to the front yard. Each one fell to the ground in a spray of glass, knocked out and lying in the grass. Winter was sure she frightened every guard and White Fang member on the grounds by sending her large, glowing Grimm Summon through the front of the house. But she couldn't care less.

Her Aura crackled and broke around her, and she almost fell to her knees. But first, she stumbled over to Weiss. Jacques and Whitley had escaped during the fight, and Winter was perfectly fine with that. Neither were fighters, and Whitley had never shown any inkling of the hereditary Schnee Semblance. They would have been hindrances, and Winter preferred them gone. Besides, they were safe.

"Weiss, are you ok?" she asked, kneeling by her sister.

"Of course," Weiss said, smiling up at her. Her breathing was still a little uneven, but there was color in her cheeks and aside from some minor injuries, she seemed ok. Then she frowned, her eyebrows digging downwards. "But you were reckless at the end!"

"I was not!" Winter exclaimed. "I knew I could take out the remaining members with a final attack."

"But your Aura broke. If something had gone wrong, you could have been seriously hurt," Weiss insisted.

"It's fine," Winter assured her. "You're ok, and I'm ok. You fought very well." Weiss' frown shifted into a beaming smile.

"Thank you, Winter," she said, and launched herself at Winter, hugging her tightly.

When Qrow found them, they were sitting in the foyer. Klein was holding Weiss' hand with a relieved smile, and an Atlas medic was checking on Winter.

"You're ok, Schnee?" he asked, looking concerned as he approached.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to wave off the medic. "My Aura broke, so they're just checking to make sure I didn't receive any lasting injuries. I told them I was perfectly fine."

"Sounds like you."

"What about you? What happened with the White Fang outside?"

"Took care of them." Qrow plopped on the ground on the other side of Winter. "It was pretty crazy. They had those Paladin things and were trying to surround the house. But with Ruby and her team, and the Atlas soldiers fighting, we were able to fight them off. A few ran away, but I think most of the attackers have been arrested." Winter nodded.

"Where's Ruby? And Jaune and the others?" Weiss asked, leaning over.

"They headed back to Mira's place. I told them to take the rest of the night off and get some sleep," Qrow said. "I'm sorry I didn't send them your way."

"No, it's fine." Weiss waved him off with a smile. "I'll see them soon. Winter, I'm going to go check and make sure Mother is ok." Winter blinked at Weiss in surprise, but nodded and told her sister she would see her soon. Klein left with Weiss, escorting her up the massive staircase that led to the second floor. Winter hadn't considered Willow Schnee's safety, and though she was happy Weiss felt well enough to check on their mother, Winter was in no mood to join her.

"What a mess." Winter sighed.

"Yeah. It was a little terrifying when a giant white Grimm suddenly appeared."

"Hmph." Winter was too tired to even attempt a reply to Qrow's joke.

"Are you going to tell Jimmy what happened?" Qrow asked.

"I'll call him now. I should let him know in case there's any complaints or PR issues that need to be dealt with." Winter pulled her Scroll out, typing in the General's number. Within seconds he answered.

"Winter?"

"General Ironwood, I'm calling from the Schnee manor."

"Ah yes. I've already heard some of what happened there. I'm glad you're ok," he said. Winter felt a surge of pride and happiness.

"Thank you, sir."

"But before we go into any report about tonight, I feel it best to tell you. Qrow as well," the General added. Winter frowned, gesturing at Qrow to listen. He leaned closer, raising an eyebrow.

"What is it, sir?" Winter asked.

"I've just received word, Schnee. We got permission to host the meeting at the facility. We will convene with the Brotherhood in one week," Ironwood announced.

XXX

Hello again! I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy and safe, especially during the current climate of the world. I hope this new chapter gave you at least a little entertainment and that you enjoyed it! Recently, each chapter has been getting longer and longer, and this chapter is no exception! This is now the longest chapter, and it took an incredibly long time to write. I've been happy to get longer chapters for you to read out. That being said, I've also been debating making the next few chapters shorter. I don't want to pack too much into a single chapter, and I don't know if there's any readers who prefer shorter chapters. Let me know if you like the long chapters or would prefer shorter ones! Feel free to leave a review!

This took so long to write, read and reread, and edit so if I made any spelling or grammar mistakes, please forgive me. This chapter constantly evolved and changed as I wrote it and edited it. A lot of new ideas were added, and some ideas were scrapped.

This fic is also now over 400 pages in my document! That's unbelievable to me, and I want to thank all of you, new and old followers and guests, for reading this fic and giving it such kind reviews and so many follows. I hope you continue to enjoy this fic!

NinaVale: Thank you for always leaving a review with each chapter update! I always love to see them. And I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! My version of Atlas and Mantle does differ a little bit from the show, as this is an AU, so it's been fun to explore the different settings in this story. And I love that you always pick up on their secret meanings in Qrow and Winter's actions, and analyze the moments between them. I always enjoy reading your analysis. As for Watts, we shall have to see what he does ...