As a child, Weiss hadn't been allowed to watch shows like this. Television in general was a strictly guarded privilege by her parents and on the occasions, she could watch it, 'What you Deserve!' was far too juvenile to be considered worth her time.
However, her parents weren't always around and though it might be a psychiatrists dream job, sometimes being raised by the servants had it benefits. Klein had been happy to let her watch it going as far to joke that the reason her parents didn't want her watching, was in case it gave her ideas. She could remember giggling at that behind her hands and wondering what it would be like to go on the show herself.
Of course, even in her wildest fantasies she had never entertained the idea of going on with her parents. Her father would never agree and her feelings for him seemed far beyond what the show usually dealt with even to her child's perceptions. And her mother, that would just be sad.
No, it was always Winter that Weiss had wondered about. Her elder prim and proper elder sister who always seemed to have the right answer. Weiss had idolised her sister even then and now she could recognise Winters aloof coldness was merely the actions of a girl unable to really communicate any feelings in their icy household. Weiss hadn't resented Winter but the idea of having squirming above a vat of gunge, ready to fall had its appeal. And now, all these later, the childish dream was close to fruition.
Of course, in her childhood dream, she herself hasn't been in the same precarious predicament.
Yes here she was, in her mid-twenties a successful and talented musician, if she did say so herself in her fourth set of yellow t-shirt and black shorts that day, perched on a tiny uncomfortable stool only a foot away from a vat of what could only be described as goop.
And of course, it was pink. She had mixed feelings on pink. It was nice to look at and occasionally if it were light enough, she could find something that made her feel cute but most of the time it ended up looking too bright against her pale skin. Taking another look at her view, Weiss decided that her feelings on the colour were starting to solidify.
Which was funny really as so was the gunge, or at least so it looked. Only the bubbling and oozing betrayed it was liquid, some effect of Ruby's to make it look good (for lack of a better term) on camera. Yang's sister had apparently attempted to make it red again but had only succeeded in turning it into a hot pink shade that suited Weiss even less than previously.
And that wasn't even really the thing that had prompted her melancholy. Here she had a fifty fifty chance, better even thanks to Pyrrha, of coming out clean. She could win, dunk Winter, and stop having to read quite so many tabloids about how stuck up and elitist she was. No, her problem now was her brother and the worst part was she would be feeling completely fine, if only she hasn't gone to see him after the last game.
Weiss didn't know if it was actually winning the last game or the fact, she might actually escape this show with her dignity intact but whatever the reason, she was fired up. Adrenaline courses through her and she had known soon after the results had been announced that she wanted to do this. So, after convincing her girlfriend that the torrent of slime she had endured was worse than Weiss being slightly sweaty and that yes, Pyrrha should shower first, Weiss had changed out of her miners outfit and left to her brothers green room.
Tempted to just barge in, Weiss instead had half knocked and half slammed her palm against the door before barging in. Honestly, she had half hoped to catch him off guard, but he was already showered, changed, and seated and merely smiled at her arrival. If he had been annoyed at the sudden turning of the scores in the last round, he wasn't showing it now.
"Well please come in Weiss. I was wondering when you would show up to lecture me."
"What does that mean?"
"Please, Winter showed up before the last round. I don't doubt you discussed it like you do everything. Shall we get this over with?" He leaned back and after a pause, Weiss walked in. Angry as she was, a little privacy would be better here. No sooner had the door shut than did Whitley sit down and say. "How is Pyra after that last round anyway?"
She gritted her teeth.
"It's Pyrrha and she's fine. Unlike you, she's capable of playing a gameshow without signing a contract that means she can't lose."
He shrugged ignoring most of what she had said.
"That's good. I hear that sometimes these sorts of shows cut corners. I would hate it if the dye leached into her hair or skin."
"I'm sure and of course you have that same concern for me in the final rounds."
"Why would I? You're winning now aren't you. Though I admit if our dear elder sister ended up in that slop day rather than you, my day would not be ruined."
"You've never liked Winter."
"She's never liked me. I thought you would be used to it by now."
"And what about us Whitley?" She snapped out the words and regretted it the tone in one breath. She looked away. "I know we weren't always close with father around and that after... We all did our own thing. But recently I thought we had put that behind us."
There was a pause and then he said the only three words that could have shocked her.
"So did I."
Her head snapped up abruptly and she stared at him dumbfounded. Anything she had been prepared for. He could have laughed in her face and it would have made more sense to. But this she couldn't understand. It didn't make any sense with how he was acting.
"But then-"
"It doesn't matter," he said quickly. For the first time he looked like he regretted speaking. "Why don't you just go back to bodyguard girlfriend and let's not keep playing this game?"
The mention of Pyrrha made her flair with anger but she stopped it. He just wanted the reaction. He wanted her to leave but she wouldn't let entertain that yet. Instead she tried to listen, to the words not the insult or bait. She played back his comments from the day and started as she realised what stood out.
"What is your problem with Pyrrha? You've never cared about who I've dated before."
"I don't have any opinion on Pyrrha, how could I? You never mention her."
"That's what this is about. Your upset I never told you I was dating Pyrrha." The idea seemed ridiculous to her. "It was a secret, it's not like everyone knew. Mother didn't even know."
He snorted.
"Of course, mother didn't know. You were always afraid she wouldn't approve of your girlfriends." That stung but mostly because it was true. Old money, old ways. "But tell me, did Winter know?"
"I-"
She trailed off. It was answer enough.
"Obviously. And Yang knew. I saw the interviews. Which was how I found out by the way."
"..."
"So, what did we really talk about Weiss? Just your work, where you had been, what I was doing. How winter was nagging you and how mother was doing? You would tell me about how your latest album started at 6 and climbed to 3 in the charts. But you never once thought it worth mentioning your relationship." He turned, hiding his anger with a scoff. "We never talked about anything Weiss. You just wanted to feel like you tried.
A particularly large bubbles oozed to the surface and popped sending an acrid smell of plastic wafted over her and Weiss scrunched up her nose. Seriously Weiss understood that it had to look awful for the shows effect, but did it have to have such a foul aroma? What effect did that have for the television audience.
Sighing, she looked over to Winter wondering what her sister was thinking. Despite everything it still almost made her smile. The seat was too small even for Weiss. On Winter it looked positively ridiculous as her back stood straight in failed attempt to look dignified on the track. But still Weiss's mood was mired in thoughts of Whitley.
She hadn't told anyone else about their conversation. It didn't seem like it would help things much and most likely her friends would just tell her brother was being a way she couldn't disagree. If he had a problem, why couldn't he just talk to her about it... Oh right emotionally stunted from years of a terrible upbringing.
And why hadn't she told him about Pyrrha. He was right there. The pair had been talking regularly for months and yet she had never thought to tell him about the most important thing in her life. Had she really been doing all this just to make herself feel better. Had she really shared anything at all or like he, was it just her talking about her work and achievements?
How much did she even know about Whitley's own life? She didn't even really know what he did for money. After the trial with their father, Whitley had stayed with their mother for a time, accepting the money Winter and Weiss had refused. Now, he lived separately, and she knew he was an influencer of some sort but nothing beyond that.
Was Whitley right, had all their conversations just been vapid ramblings about herself or nothing. An empty gesture so she could feel good without really sacrificing much herself. Nothing real, nothing substantial. Why hadn't she mentioned Pyrrha?
Now the idea of bridging that gap or starting over seemed impossible. Looking over she could see him as the backstage crew tested his mic and made sure he was well lit. He wasn't smiling either and neither was he looking at her. It struck her as stupid, but she couldn't help the thought, that the tank between them might as well always be there now, and she had no idea how to get around it.
Pyrrha returned to her seat beside Blake just before the final round stated. Blake had seen her up next to Weiss as they positioned her in the seat above the gunge. Ruby had been excited at least, even if all the contestants lacked her enthusiasm. Blake kinda felt a little bad for her. She and her team had put quite a lot of work into this new set and finale. At least the audience would like it.
Yang's mood had improved a little over the break now that Weiss was winning but Whitley's attitude the whole day had still work on her. Not exactly a great start to the new season but as Blake watched her turn it on as the cameras counted down, she marvelled her showmanship.
"Here we are everyone, out main event, the reason you're all. It might look fancier, but it should be even nastier for our vict- I mean contestants..." She grinned. "But don't take my word for it. Still happy about coming on Weiss?"
The camera zoomed out from Yang to finally give the audience at home the view of new dunk tank. It was bigger than the previous season, no longer a carnival rescue but custom made for the show. Yang stood behind it, a small circular platform giving her a view from the middle while on either side a track ascended up and away from the vast gunge, today a vibrant pink hue.
And no one had a better view than Weiss and Winter. Both dressed in their respective yellow and blue team t-shirts, they perched awkwardly small stools at the bottom of each track. Ruby in one of her many excited ramblings had told her the chairs were small for safety purposes, but Blake had to think some of it was designed to make the contestants look silly. With small surface to sit on and smaller back rest, it forced them to sit upright. It would impossible to look relaxed on that chair even if all that was beneath them was a bed of roses.
Off to the side of Winter, Whitley was standing on his own platform, a podium of blue with a large wheel on one side and big button on top. Although empty there was a matching platform with a yellow podium set up beside it.
"Hmm oh yes of course..."
Blake raised her eyebrow and Yang seemed to falter for a moment caught off guard by Weiss's half-hearted response. She recovered quickly though, and Weiss too seemed to force a smile.
"You seem nervous Weiss, not so confident in your league."
"Not at all Yang, I think the fumes are just getting to me."
As if on que a hiss of pinkish smoke floated up out of the tank, courtesy of a fast thinking Ruby no doubt. Blake smiled as she heard a chorus of ewws erupt from around her. It might make filming a little more difficult, but the audience was a worthwhile trade-off, in her opinion anyway. Though supposed she wasn't the one working.
The pantomime disgust got a reaction our of Winter, her neutral face scrunching up and Yang turned her attention over to her.
"Don't be so down yet Winter. I can tell you from experience that a little disadvantage is no guarantee of loss. You'll still have a chance to turn this around on Weiss."
"Of course, Yang, Weiss may have gotten lucky in the last round, but pride comes before the fall."
"Speaking of pride." Blake could almost hear Yang grit her teeth. "Whitley you've gotten one of the nicer views of this all, but you'll still have to work to keep Winter clean."
"How hard are we talking here?" Winter scowled at her brother. "Just little joke Winter."
"Right."
"Let's not waste anytime then. We've had to adapt the rules since Weiss is playing solo but the cores the same. I'll be asking each team a question. For each question they get right, their opponent will raise a run up the ramp but get it wrong you'll go up. Winter and Whitley will be taking turns for the blue team, no conferring and Weiss has to answer all of them herself."
No animations played this time and Blake wondered if they weren't finished or just weren't be used. It wasn't all that complicated she supposed.
"Now for winning the previous games, Weiss gets an advantage and Winter will be starting one ring up. In future shows, this podium will be on the other side but for today, Whitley will have to do both. You mind turning that wheel for Weiss."
"No problem at all?"
He practically sauntered over to the other podium and turned the wheel. It turned with a gear like sound and as he did, Winters chair jerked slightly and pulled back a little up the ramp.
"Perfect," Yang said. "Now getting away from this muck might seem like a good thing but the first to the top will be taking a drop into that slop. That's right, a plunge into the gunge, a dunk into the gunk a-"
"Do you just have a thesaurus of those," Winter asked. She looked more uncomfortable now, the jerk of the ramp having forced her to grab the front of the seat. Yang paused.
"No, I don't but we totally should sell that." She grinned. "You ready to start Winter?"
"Yes."
Yang didn't push the elder Schnee turning over to Weiss who Blake realized hadn't spoken in a while.
"And you Weiss?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Then let's get started-"
As Yang asked Weiss if she wanted to go first or second, Blake leaned over to Pyrrha and quietly asked.
"Is Weiss okay? After the last game I thought she would have been in better spirits."
Pyrrha sighed and shrugged.
"She went to see Whitley during the break and when she came back... I asked if she was okay, but she didn't really give me an answer. I didn't really think I should push it right then. Maybe I was wrong..."
"Maybe she's just tired," Blake offered. It didn't sound convincing even to her.
Back on the stage, Winter had just gone first answering her first question and raising Weiss up onto her level. That seemed to have woken her up a little and she focused as Yang gave her first question.
"Weiss, who declared Snow White the fairest of them all?"
"A magic Mirror."
"Hey, you know your fairy tales, or your Disney. Fun fact, Weiss's actually washed her face like the dwarfs from snow white."
"That's not even remotely true." Seemingly despite herself Weiss had smiled at that.
"Well it's mostly true, either way, Winter, you're going another step higher."
Another turn of the wheel and with a slightly smoother tug, Winters chair was pulled back putting her at the halfway point. The eldest Schnee kept her face neutral this time, used to the abruptness now but although it could have been the studio lights, it looked like she was beginning to sweat.
"So Whitely, your first question." Yang cleared her throat dramatically. She did this a lot during the question round. Compared to everything else in the show, it was kinda plain. People liked the bit after not the questions. They were mostly easy questions because of this, not only to increase speed but so the younger audience would know it. "What fruit inspired the theory of gravity?"
"An Apple," he said without hesitation.
"Correct, sorry Weiss but you're going up again. Just hope you won't be getting a lesson in gravity soon." Weiss had even less of a reaction than Winter did as she was raised up to be on equal level with her sister. "Now Weiss, ahh music one for you. If I talked about Vernal, what season would I be talking about?"
Weiss scrunched up her face clearly not sure of the answer.
"It doesn't sound like summer. I know every winter joke, so I don't think it's that... Fall?"
"Ooo good logic but you got unlucky on the 50/50, the answer is spring. Up you go Weiss."
"Like Spring cleaning," Winter supplied as Weiss was raised higher. "You might be needing it soon too."
Weiss shot Winter a petulant look as Yang laughed.
"Wow she goes one level higher and you get confident Winter. Well if you get your next one right it will be all over so maybe it's earned. Winter, if you were on a bear hunt and you found a problem you couldn't get over or under, what would you do?"
The slight smugness vanished from Winters face and Blake let out a snort. Quickest karma she had ever seen. Beside her Pyrrha let out a sigh of relief when Winter admitted she didn't know. Weiss wasn't beaten yet it seemed as the sisters were moved back to neck and neck.
"You have to go through it Winter. Though personally if your problem was our gunge tank, I would go home rather than through it." Yang shrugged before swivelling back round to Weiss. "Weiss it's all to- err Weiss?"
Weiss blinked, seemingly distracted by something looking around surprised to see that Winter was already up on her level. For a moment, Blake watched as she looked from the gunge before her, to Whitley and then back to Yang.
"Yes, sorry Yang."
"You alright, not thinking of running for it are you?" It was said as a joke, but Blake heard the actual concern even as Weiss shook her head. She seemed focused now, whatever weight was on her, having lifted and she seemed to drop back into the slightly bratty character she had workshopped.
"I'm perfectly fine. Just thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy watching Winter get what she deserves."
"I haven't lost yet."
However, the elder Schnee didn't sound so sure.
"Very confident but let's hope you can back it up as a wrong answer here will lose you it all." Yang flipped her last card and her eyebrows raised. "Well time to find out how much you pay attention to your own work, Weiss what position did your latest album chart at?"
Winters jaw dropped.
"How is that a fair question?"
"Technically any of the three of you could have drawn it?" Yang grinned sympathetically. "You did claim Weiss didn't work hard. Maybe she doesn't know."
Turning to Pyrrha, Blake said quietly.
"I take it she knows?"
"Absolutely." Pyrrha smiled. "I feel a bit bad for Winter now. There's not a chance that Weiss doesn't know the-"
"Second," Weiss said stopping Pyrrha mid-sentence. In fact, it seemed to throw everyone on stage off balance, even Whitley who had been looking as annoyed as Winter at the question looked up sharply at his sister. For a moment, their eyes seem to lock and then she turned back to Yang. "Final answer."
"I uhh." For a moment Yang seemed to flounder before catching herself and returning to host. "Well it seems like a congratulations are in order-"
"Thank you, Yang," Weiss interrupted haughtily, seemingly oblivious to the murmur of giggles who knew she had gotten it wrong.
"Not you Weiss," Yang shrugged. "I'm afraid that answers wrong."
"What, no it's not."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it's not."
"You may have climbed to number two, but you charted at number 6. And speaking of climbing. Whitley, I'm sure you don't need to be told twice"
Weiss opened her mouth and then closed it. Her eyes seemed to widen in surprised horror, but Blake could recognise the pantomime by now and even Pyrrha, who still seemed somewhat confused by Weiss's answer was smiling slightly at the performance. Whatever tension had been on Weiss had gone with her answer. Clutching her face in her hands, Weiss shook her head as she was raised up to the final position on the ramp.
"Well Weiss I guess no one can accuse you of being too self-involved now if you didn't even know your own album position."
"I was mostly right; doesn't that count for anything?"
"Sorry not on my show. You might want to close your mouth for the next bit Weiss." Blake watched as Yang seemed to smile through her teeth at Whitley. "Whitley, you came on because you think Weiss has become a little self-obsessed with the spotlight. Now she's in a spotlight no one wants to be in, and her wrong answer is going to get her more than a little self-messed. Can you please push that button and give your sister, 'What she Deserves!'"
Blake had suspected Whitely to jump at the chance, perhaps at most to pause to gleefully draw out the moment. But now at the end he seemed to hesitate, his hand hovering over the button. He looked down at it for a moment and then up at Weiss, there's eyes meeting again. Whatever was exchanged, Blake couldn't be sure, but reluctantly, Whitley pushed down.
The klaxon sounded loudly, and a spray of sparks flew up from behind Weiss. Blake watched as her friend jumped slightly, clearly not expecting the theatrics. Ruby and her team must have outdone themselves or Ruby had just learned from her own experience on the show. Had Weiss been hoping for a clean drop, she would be disappointed, in more ways than one.
Above Weiss a torrent of yellow slime, similar to what had befallen Pyrrha earlier, suddenly dropped onto her. From where she sat, Blake couldn't hear the shriek Weiss must have let out, but she could clearly see it. Her hands jerked from upwards as though to try and protect herself, but she must have thought better of it, instead just holding her arms up frozen as the slime flowed over her.
Beside her, Blake heard Pyrrha let out a squeak of surprise and her hand shot up to cover her mouth. It took a moment, but Blake realized Pyrrha was trying to suppress a giggle. Compared to the others in the audience, her reaction was quite subdued. For everyone else, they had essentially paid for the seats to the show, just for this moment but still she seemed a little ashamed.
"Fairs fair," Blake said quietly to Blake.
"I know I shouldn't laugh, but..." Pyrrha giggled again. "Well it is a bit funny."
"Hey no judgement here. I got my best friend dunked last season."
After what must have felt like an eternity to Weiss, the yellow stream slowed to a trickle long enough to give a clearer view of her. Her face was scrunched up, her neck pulled back into her body as though she could retreat into herself and her iconic platinum hair was canary yellow mess, plastered to her head, making it hard to see where Weiss ended and her teams shirt ended.
And then the seat began to slide forward. Slowly at first, but quickly gathering speed as it descended down the ramp. Finally, Weiss let her arms fall, gripping the seat automatically before remembering the safety advice and clutching her hands in her lap instead. In the monitor, Blake briefly got a glance of Weiss shutting her eyes tight and holding her nose before Weiss hit the bottom and the seat tipped forward sending her flying from it straight into the middle of the tank.
She landed not with a splash but with a splat into the thicker pink gunge, with a sound that reminded Blake of ice-cream dropping in a milkshake. Weiss vanished completely beneath the surface, causing a wave of pink to splatter against the tanks side, threatening to overflow. For a few moments, there was almost stillness as though she had been swallowed up completely.
One hand, then a second pushed up to the surface and finally Weiss emerged from the centre of fuchsia fondue with a gasp of air. From just the screens, it was hard to tell what her expression was, so thick was her coating in the pink gunge but the audience didn't seem to care. Instead they just cheered and laughed wildly.
None of them laughing harder than Pyrrha, even as she struggled and failed to contain the giggles that broke into shaking laughter. Knowing Weiss had chosen this, for whatever reason must have made Pyrrha feel it was less a humiliation with everyone seemingly remembering this was just a gameshow. No one would doubt Pyrrha cared for Weiss deeply but perhaps only someone who knew her that well could appreciate seeing the prim and proper pop idol in such a humbling state.
"She's covered," Pyrrha managed to wheeze out. "Oh, she will be hating this."
Actually, as Weiss finally managed to clear her face, well clear enough to see an expression at least, more than anything she just looked bemused. Though the though occurred to Blake any embarrassed blush would be indistinguishable from the pink gunk that caked her form.
"How are you feeling Weiss," Yang asked with a grin. Seeing Weiss wasn't upset seemed to have given her permission to have fun. "Better than your usual spa treatments?"
"Truly Yang," Weiss said. "It was a once in a lifetime experience."
As she finished her sentence another torrent of gunge fell upon her as Yang turned, almost reluctantly to Whitley. For the first time, Blake noticed he didn't have the smug and gleeful look she would have expected from him after everything else. Instead his brow was slightly furrowed with a look that she couldn't quite place, barely listening to Yang as he watched Weiss buried under a layer of pastel blue.
"Well Whitley, you certainly got what you came for," Yang said. "You accused Weiss of having the fame go to her head, but I doubt she will be wanting to talk about this appearance much at all. Be sure to bring it up if she seems to be going full blown diva again."
"Indeed" Weiss said. "I can promise Whitley that I'll be sure to try and keep the topic of conversation more open between us rather just being about myself."
Again, Whitley seemed oddly lost for words. Blake wondered if it was just that Weiss seemed to be taking this is stride and his planned humiliation hadn't played out, but she didn't think so. He looked more confused; a tiny bit suspicious but also just a little bit... Well she would say touched if she didn't know better. Then again Pyrrha had been sure Weiss would know the answer to that last question. But perhaps she was just overthinking it.
"Winter with the view you got of that, you must be thrilled to have avoided a plunge of your own. It was a bit touch and go there near the end."
"Nonsense, I had every faith that I would prevail."
"Really, seemed like you were sweating a bit?"
"Simply the stage lights."
"Looked like you were squirming when you got your question wrong too?"
"That was just your seats being uncomfortable."
"We can get you down if you want?"
Winter paused, glancing down at the bubbling goo and her sisters mired state. Unlike her brother, Winter had seemed to be enjoying her sisters dunking, any previous nerves having vanished but with Yang's words, they seemed to resurface.
"There's no rush."
Yang grinned but must have decided to stop prodding, turning back to Weiss. Despite taking her initial plunge with reasonable grace all things considered, Weiss was beginning to find it hard to hard to stand still. Blake couldn't imagine it felt pleasant Fruitlessly she had tried to clear her face and hair of the yellow and blue mixture but had only managed to make green slime layer over the pink clay. For her sake, Yang looked to be wrapping up.
"Weiss, I feel like I let you down today. You dreamed of getting your nagging sister to lighten up and relax but all you got for your troubles was a drag through a nightmare of colour. Did you at least have fun?"
"I think it may have peaked during the middle," Weiss said wryly. "But I'll admit that some of your games weren't as bad as I thought they would be. Maybe I'll have to try again someday."
"If it helps sister," Winter said with a smirk. "If I ever appear irritable, simply remind me of this experience. I'm sure remembering your 'drop into the slop' will certainly improve my demeanour."
Weiss shot Winter a look that only a wronged younger sister could pull off, who returned it with a grin mastered by the first born. Some sibling traits were universal, Blake mused and not a minute later, when Winter let out a yelp, she remembered the other thing she had always been told about brothers and sisters. Always keep an eye on the youngest.
Winters chair jolted, forcing her to suddenly grab the front, as it suddenly began its short final climb to the top. For a moment, Blake thought it must have just been the backstage crews idea of a joke or maybe Ruby's way of making sure Weiss got a little enjoyment out of all this. But then she saw that in the midst of his siblings banger, the youngest Schnee had walked unnoticed to the other podium and turned the wheel.
"Whitley," Winter hissed. "What are you doing?"
"I was just thinking that I was a shame Weiss did all that work to not get anything out of it."
Yang frowned, having spun round to confront Whitley as he stood with his hands resting on the big button. Blake glanced down over to Weiss who now seemed unsure on what her brother was meaning to do.
"Whitley..."
"Well yeah but that's kinda how the show works," she said before trying to lighten the mood. "And she'll still get her very own, 'I got What I Deserved' t-shirt and matching bath-"
And that's as far as she got as Whitley almost casually leaned down on the button. At first it seemed like nothing would happen. No klaxon or sparks fires off and beside her Pyrrha relaxed saying the button must be for show with backstage triggering it all manually. However, Blake could remember Ruby's words and how proud of how she and her crew had managed to rig up the actual working mechanism.
Not knowing this, Winter had relaxed, her shoulders sagging in relief just as the shower of blue burst above her. She let out a short cry of shock, quickly drowned out by the scale of the slime washing over her. The audience, thinking this must just be some part of the show (and probably for the best they remain that way, let out a cheer at getting double their money's worth. Only Blake and Pyrrha from the audience seemed to know what Whitley had done.
Up on stage, Yang was trying her best not to look angry but the best she could manage was somewhat neutral expression with clenched teeth. Whitley hadn't noticed, not even looking at Winter but Weiss. More than anything, Blake thought it looked like he expected her to be pleased by this, like this was his bizarre idea of an olive branch. She couldn't see Weiss's reaction as knowing what happened next, Weiss was trying to paddle herself out of the centre of the tank but seemed to be struggling with the thickness.
Just like it had with Weiss, the blue slime slowed enough that they could make out Winters face and get her disgusted reaction, before her chair began to move. The elder Schnees eyes widened, the slime forgotten faced with advancing sludge and all former grace evaporated as she flailed her arms wildly as though that would stop her descent.
She was still flailing as she hit the bottom and was thrown forward. While Weiss has leaned into the dunk, Winter resisted to the last moment and she did cause a splash. Weiss who had just managed to get out of the way was met with a second wave as Winter splattered into the centre of pink and blue.
Faster than Weiss had been, Winters form broke the surface, so quickly in fact that at first, she was little more than a blob as the surface tension held together before breaking. Around Blake the audience still hadn't gotten on this wasn't planned, the cheering a mix of Weiss's fans happy she got some revenge and others who just liked seeing people gunged.
And in Blake's experience from the episodes she had seen last season handling the shows social media, people liked it when stricter contestants lost. Yang said it was funnier if the sap had dignity and well Winter had held herself with more dignity than anyone Blake had seen.
Or at least she had. It wasn't even the full dunking, though Blake couldn't imagine the eldest Schnee had touched pink before this point, but also, she hasn't taken it with the same grace Weiss had. Anger and disgust warred on her face before disgust won out. Half jumping to try and keep herself as much out of the gunge as possible as she tried to reach the side but instead lost her balance and sank up to her shoulders once more.
By this point, Weiss was saying something, though the mics had been cut so the audience couldn't hear. Whatever it was, Winter managed to compose herself though she was still clearly seething at Whitley who just looked amused. He walked past Yang over to the edge of the tank, leaning over and ignoring Winters glare completely to talk to Weiss.
"Well Weiss, I'll admit that I was harsh on you earlier but perhaps you'll consider this a peace offering?"
"I- well..." Weiss sighed, hesitant to talk about the family's dirty laundry with cameras still rolling. "I don't think that was entirely necessary."
"You think?" Winter seethed.
Whitley smile quirked.
"Why? Are you saying you didn't enjoy Winters trip?"
"Well..."
"Weiss, this is not funny."
"It is a little," Weiss giggled. "You should really see yourself Winter."
Winter drew herself up, likely with the aim of taking the high ground but as she did, Blake could see on the monitor a glob of pink fall from her matte of hair and land on her nose. It seemed to take the wind out her sails a little escalating Weiss to full on laughter and with that Winter did the only reasonable thing an older sister could do.
She splashed Weiss, a wave of colour that turned Weiss's laughter into a squeal of shock. Winters smirk of triumph was short lived as Weiss, clearly deciding that she had little to lose respond by jumping at her older sister sending them both down beneath the surface. As they rose, Blake found it hard to tell either apart as the gunge turned them into one pink marshmallow blob fighting against itself.
Blake wasn't sure if she should grimace or laugh, Pyrrha seemed to be doing both. Turning her attention back to the main stage. Whitley was leaning forward, an amused self-satisfied look on his face. It didn't look malicious which was something and Blake saw him open his mouth to speak.
But regardless of his motives, Yang seemed to have had enough and stepping forward she gave Whitley a firm shove. Whitley's eyes widened but nothing could stop gravity now and for third time in the last ten minutes, a Schnee suddenly became a lot pinker.
"Well the good news is, Whitley isn't going to sue."
Beside her, Yang gave a sigh of relief, dropping her head on Blake's shoulder. They were back in the greenroom now where they had been waiting ever since the Schnees had all been fished out of the tank. They had let Whitley go first which was probably wise. Even as annoyed as he was, Whitley wasn't going to start yelling in a studio filled with the public. Image was important after all but best not to let wait around too long in case cooler heads didn't prevail.
Winter was quick to follow. While her own annoyance seemed to have abated once Whitley had joined her, she wasn't keen to stick around and Weiss was soon clambering out to. Climbing a detachable ladder was apparently quite difficult when you were wearing double your weight in gunge and all three were rather short on dignity.
What had followed from there was Yang wrapping up quickly with the audience while Weiss quickly showered and went to talk to Whitley. From what Blake had heard she had walked into his green room in to find Raven trying to shut down any attempt at legal action. By her count he had violated contract first with Winter and not adhering to the gameshows rules so really had no grounds for legal action.
Blake wasn't entirely sure that would hold but by in any case Weiss had managed to talk him down.
"I can't believe I pushed him," Yang groaned. "that was really stupid."
"I can't believe you waited so long," Blake said, earning a look from Weiss. "What?"
"Whitley may have been difficult but I do think he was trying there at the end." She sighed. "I don't know but at least he's still willing to talk to me."
"Your family is weird Weiss," Ruby said, from her seat at the mirror.
"You have no idea." Weiss rubbed her head, before grimacing as she pulled it out from behind her ear showing a slight pink goo. "if you excuse me, I'm going to go shower again."
"Shower bath shower worked for me," Ruby said with a grin. Weiss clearly didn't find that advice reassuring but as she made to leave Ruby said. "Oh Weiss, we kinda need more shots for the show since it ended abruptly. Do you think you could convince Winter to get back on the chair...? She doesn't seem to trust us anymore."
This seemed to amuse, and Blake saw a slight smirk on her face.
"I'll see what I can do. As long as Whitley stays off set, I imagine she will be cooperative." The smile suddenly vanished. "Wait if you want reshoots does that mean?"
Ruby grinned sheepishly.
"You wouldn't need to go in the chair again, we could just lower you in so-"
""You have got to be kidding me."
"Come on Weiss you've been in once; you know it's not that bad now."
"No, I know it's that bad now."
"You're going to have to shower anyway."
The bickering pair left the room, leaving Blake and Yang alone in the greenroom.
"Remind me the next time we do a celebrity special, let's not," Yang said. "It's not worth it.'
"I'll be sure to do that." Blake replied. "The show was good before it meant off the rails though and the audience did seem to like it."
"That's good at least." Yang looked up at her and grinned. "Plus, it was funny when Weiss went in."
Blake laughed softly as she shook her head.
"So, you've just learned nothing then?"
"Yeah pretty much." Yang nudged her. "Come on you have to laughed."
"Oh, I did but I'm not the host."
"I think you're just scared I'll bring you on the show."
Blake's eyes narrowed.
"You wouldn't."
"Who else?" She started to count off. "I've dunked my sister, my parents, my best friend. Only my lovely girlfriend is left."
"Who won't be your lovely girlfriend if you try that."
Shaking her head, Blake playfully shoved Yang aside but she only laughed, wrapping her arms round Blake's middle, and hugging her close. A break in the tension that had been building on her all day so Blake could humour her jokes and play the part just to see her smile properly.
"What colour do you want? You look great in purple?
"I'm breaking up with you."
Authors Note:
And so the second show chapters finally finish. You would think i would have learned last time these take longer than I think they will. Let me know if you enjoyed or if it turned out the way you hoped and thanks for reading this far regardless.