AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support this series has gotten here and on Tv Tropes. We head back to the airship of the WY group as they get close to the meeting with the Leader of the White Fang. In that, a little bit of time has passed on their journey. This might be a bit of a short chapter, but there are a few cool moments I wanted to include. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 42 – Preparation
Yang.
In the meeting room aboard the Atlas airship, Yang sat while rested her head in her arms, "Uuugh," she groaned, "It feels like I have been on this thing for months."
Sitting next to her was Musashi, who had just split a set of chopsticks, "It's only been a couple of days." She said before taking a whiff of the steaming bowl of noodles before her, "We are very close to the White Fang Base with Sienna Khan." The swordswoman then looked across the meeting room, seeing Sigurd, Weiss, Adam, and Reines all conversing, "The four of them have to go over the discussion points of the meeting. If we want this whole thing to be a success, it's up to them to do the talking."
"That's what I'm worried about." Yang said with a scowl towards the White Fang swordsman, then turned to an already eating Musashi, "What's our job again?"
The swordswoman swallowed a mouthful of her meal before answering, "We patrol the area to make sure the White Fang Killer does not show up to assault the base." She said before pinching another pile of noodles, then blew on them, "Nobu would have helped us, but because of her injures, she will monitor things from this airship."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Yang responded, stretching her arms, "If one of those Killers shows up, I'll give them a piece of my mind." She said before having a look of sorrow at her teammate in the distance, "Weiss told me about the ship raids. What she saw, it's horrible."
"Yeah," Musashi responded in remorse, setting her bowl down. "Before we started that mission, it was the last time she saw Winter alive." The swordswoman then turned back to Yang, "After this meeting with Sienna Khan, the rest of this mission will be even more difficult than those raids. We still do not have a lot of information on other White Fang Killers, but they are not to be taken lightly."
"Got it, I'll be ready to take them on." Yang said while cracking her knuckles, "The sooner we take them down, the better the whole world will be." She then noticed Musashi smile back before picking up her bowl, continuing her meal, "Say, I've been meaning to ask you." The blond brawler said before looking back over to the White Fang swordsman, "Do you have a thing for that guy?" as soon as those words left her mouth, she turned back to see Musashi slightly choking her noodles.
"What!?" Musashi said after clearing her throat, "No, it's not like that between us. We're just friends, both of whom got put into this military operation."
"Why are you friends with someone who cut out your eye?" Yang responded, "Frankly, this jerk would have been better off rotting in a cell or … being gone from people's memories."
Musashi sighed, looking over to Adam in sorrow, remembering the conversations she had with him in the cell before, "You're not the only one who had those thoughts." She said with blond brawler lightly looking down, "Adam knows that people will always hate him, regardless of his actions. He thought he could relish in that hate to become something others would fear, but I put a stop to that." She said before remembering the other times she talked with him in that cell, the nicer times they ate, which put a smile on her face, "In getting to know him, I found the person I thought I saw inside him when we fought. A person I can call a friend." The swordswoman then turned back to Yang with a smirk, "So, regarding the eye, I'm over it."
"You're over it!?" Yang exclaimed, but Musashi grinned, causing the blond brawler to sigh, "Wow. Cleo was right, you are hopeless."
"I've been told." Musashi responded, "Oh yeah, how is she lately?"
"She's good, been dating that fat guy she met online." Yang responded before her eyes went wide, "Crap, she told me not to tell anyone that." The blond brawler said with Musashi giggling. The duo then saw the rest of the group stand up and start to exit. "Looks like the meeting is over," Yang said before she and Musashi got up as well. Upon leaving the meeting room, Weiss and Reines went one way, while Adam and Sigurd walked the other. However, the blond brawler turned to the White Fang swordsman, "Hey, I need to talk with you for a second." She said with Adam stopping to turn to her.
Sigurd stopped as well, but Adan looked back to him with a slight nod. The King of Warriors nodded back before he continued his way, "Fine, what is it?" Adam said while turning back to Yang.
"Do you still want to be with Blake?" Yang said with a harsh gaze. Her eyes went red as Adam glared back.
"Oh boy," Musashi said in slight worry at the situation.
"Because I hate to break it to you, but she doesn't want to be with you." Yang added on, "She already has a boyfri-"
"I already know that." Adam cut Yang off, "From what I heard, this Achilles guy seems like someone Blake was looking for." He said with a grin forming, but Yang remained scowling, "And while her current partner in combat seems a bit temperamental." He said with the blond brawler clenching her firsts, "She at least cares about her wellbeing more than the last person did." The White Fang swordsman said with sigh afterwards, "So, to answer your question. No. I think Blake has what she deserves now."
"…Good," Yang responded while lessoning her grip, "Wanted to make sure before I had to knock your ass off this airship." She said before blinking, her eyes turning back to normal, "I'll take my leave now."
Musashi sighed, "That was tense." She said to herself before smiling.
"Hold on," Adam added on, causing Yang to stop, "You now owe me a question."
"Uh oh," Musashi responded in a slight panic.
Yang half turned around to look at him, "Fine, I guess that's fair." She said, "What is it?"
"You already know about what the Schnee had to do during the Columbus raid." Adam asked, "Are you prepared to do the same should it come to it?"
Yang waited a second before her response, "I don't fight to take a life," She moved to fully face the White Fang swordsman, "But I will protect those I care about. No matter what happens in the end, I know that is why I'm still a huntress. Even if that means I have to take out a psychopath who refuses to see reason." She said with her eyes turn red for a few seconds. "If they can't stop themselves, I'll be the one to stop them."
"I see," Adam responded before silence fell between the two, "I'll hold you to that when the time comes." He said while Yang continuing to scowl.
Suddenly, Musashi got between the two, clapping her hands, "Okay, awkward questions out of the way. Let us get some noodles." She said before looking to Adam, "I think that's about tradition at this point."
"Weren't you eating a bowl during the meeting?" Adam commented.
"Never said I was full." Musashi grinned in her response, then look to Yang, "Care to join?"
Yang glared back at Adam, but then sighed, "You know what, sure," She said with a slight smile forming, "I could go for a beef bowl."
"…" Musashi had a look of dread in her eyes.
"…" Adam had a deadpan gaze through the mask, "You two enjoy then." He said before turning around and walking away, "I'll find something on my own."
Yang had a look of slight annoyance, "What? I was trying to be friendly, why is he-" she said as Musashi sigh, causing the blond brawler to realize it, "Oh…" The blond brawler said in slight shame, "I uh…"
"It's okay, he'll get over it." Musashi commented, "Don't worry, I made the same mistake on bowl six." She said while leading the way down the other end of the hall. Yang had a look of confusion at that last comment, but then followed the swordswoman towards their meals.
Weiss.
Weiss and Reines walked down the hallway. However, the Princess of El-Melloi flinched as her eyes flashed yellow, "Damnit, I'm still getting headaches." Reines commented while holding her head with her right hand, "I swear, if I ever find the person that created these powers." She then signed before looking to Weiss, who had a focused gaze in walking forward, "Are you sure about this? You were not meant to be involved in this part of the mission."
"I know, it was Winter who was supposed to represent the Schnee family in this meeting." Weiss responded as she led the way, "In her place, I was talk on behalf of my family's name."
"Well, be prepared to get a lot of dirty looks." Reines responded, "From what Musashi mentioned on your trip to that weapons shop, the sins of the father run deep." She then stopped, "Which reminds me, have you talked to him yet about what has happened." Reines said with Weiss stopping, "Or your mother? Or even your younger brother?"
"…No, not yet." Weiss responded.
"I see, them knowing would make this mission a lot more difficult for us." Reines responded, "If your father were to make a public statement of the series of events, he could spin it to be his daughter died because of the existence of the White Fang. Earning the sympathy card while posting blame on the wrong people." She said while Weiss tightened her grip, "That company needs a reform from its oppression of Faunus. He would need to be taken out of his CEO status for Sienna Khan to consider you an alley in our cause."
"You don't think I know that!?" Weiss shouted back, "But we can't do that from here."
"Well, not exactly true." Reines responded with a smirk, "You see, Winter and I first discuss this when she found me as the benefactor for this mission. I told her of the issues with her family ties, and we organized a little plan."
"What do you mean?" Weiss said in confusion as Reines now lead the way.
"For any major company, they operate in the shareholder's best interest." Reines informed as Weiss followed along, "So, Winter and I have been acquiring shares in the Schnee dust company to hold significant influence in how the company operates." She then looked back to Weiss with a smirk, "Earning a say if there is a need for a replacement CEO."
"That's insane!?" Weiss commented, "How much did you spend on that?"
"Truth be told, your sister put up most of the money in these shareholder buyouts. As well as having a large portfolio before I met her." Her expression then got serious as Weiss had a look of shock, "This was part of her plan for years, to restore the family name from the removal of the current CEO. Done so with the only things your father seems to listen to, money and influence."
"But Winter has told me she has no association with the company after joining the military," Weiss commented.
"She doesn't, because any shares she owns are considered worthless due to a legal provision with the joining the military." Reines commented, then grinned, "However, that provision does not prevent one from still buying shares, then giving them to a player who can use their influence. A loophole much a smarter businessman would avoid, but your father did not seem to think much of your sister's actions at the time."
For a moment, Weiss smiled at the idea of Winter outplaying their father like this. However, that smile faded, "But, if Winter is dead, then she cannot pass on those shares." She said before looking to Reines stop.
"Your sister plans ahead more than you think." Reines commented, "When going over the possibility of those shares being lost in her death, she informed me that they would be going to a capable individual to make the right call." She said as Weiss' eyes widened, while Reines nodded with a smile, "She kept the documentation in her room, but out of respect, nobody has entered it." She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a keycard, "This was an override card I had them make to open her room. Now, go and claim what she left you."
Weiss was still speechless before accepting the keycard. She then looked over to the door to her deceased sister's room. Upon sliding the keycard, the door opened. The white heiress took a breath before entering inside. Reines sighed as well, leaving against the rightmost wall as she waited, and the door closed.
Inside Winter's room, there was barely anything of note. The walls were a steely grey with a simple bed in the corner. Weiss walked over to see the sheets were tucked in and the single pillow was already fluffed, "I always thought she was just too busy to buy things for herself." The white heiress said to herself. On the opposite end of the room, a metal desk was seen with stakes of papers, "It must be there."
Weiss walked over to the deck and sifted through the papers. After just a few seconds of searching, she found the Schnee documents she was looking for. Upon seeing her sister's signature to the list the inheritor of the shares, saw the proceeding lined requiring the other person's signature. Weiss looked over the desk for a pen but first noticed something else. An envelope that was tapped to an old notebook. Weiss set aside the documents before picking up the notebook and peeling off the envelope. With its removal, she saw Winter's name inscribed as the owner of the notebook. Weiss opened it, and in reading the handwritten notes, her eyes widened, "T-this is-!" Weiss said before cutting herself off, looking to the envelope. In turning it around, she discovered her own name on it. The white heiress then opened the envelope and found a letter inside, opening and reading its contents.
Dear Weiss,
I hope this finds you well. You have grown so much while I have been away. As you should feel proud, I can tell you still hold yourself back. You still cannot summon the way you feel a Schnee should. I understand your frustration. Despite what you want to think, I struggled with this ability as much as you did. To help you see this, I am giving you my old diary. All my notes, my plans, and my rants at failures. I give them to you, so you can learn from my mistakes. I wish I could be around more to help you train, but the path I have chosen demands nearly all my time. You look at me as if I am the best our family line has produced. But that is not true, because I know it is you.
Happy Birthday,
Love, Winter.
Upon finishing the card, tears fell onto it from Weiss' eyes, and a smile formed on her face, "My birthday isn't for a while." She spoked a slight giggle, "Thank you. thank you." The white heiress said while closing her eyes hugging the last gift of her departed sister, "Thank you."
A short while later, Reines looked to see the door to Winter's room reopen, "Well, did you find it?" She spoke.
Exiting was Weiss, her eyes died as she turned to the Princess of El-Melloi, "Yes," she spoke with the papers in her right hand, "This will help make the mission a success."
"Agreed," Reines said with a smile, but then saw the notebook and letter in the other hand, "What are those?"
"A personal gift," Weiss responded with a matching smile, "As you said, she plans ahead more than I think," the white heiress said before turning and walking down the hall. However, Reines had a look of slight confusion at Weiss' leave but then smiled before following. While making her way down the hall, the white heiress opened the diary and began to read.
AN: There you go, a nice bit of character moments for some of the cast. Yang gets to ask a lot that has been on her mind as of late. Also, I wanted to use this as a moment to clarify the way Musashi sees Adam. Yang also talks with Adam about Blake, showing that he has let go of her. Moving onto Weiss, we learn a bit of what Winter was planning if she was still alive at this part of the mission. While she is gone, Winter left her little sister gifts to help her on the journey ahead. Next chapter, we check in on the last of RWBY's team on her quest, and that will be where this season picks up pace. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.
