Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cold Compassion. Enjoy the 2400-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.
(Atlas, Schnee Manor.)
Slater took intense pride in being smart and coming up with unconventional… But effective ideas, he studied Grimm and considered himself an effective specialist.
"Why do I get the feeling this is going to end with screaming, death threats, and nothing but power plays?" Slater asked, Winter said nothing before their car pulled up.
Ironwood, Winter, Slater, and Penny were the last to get out of their car. Slater looked at a camera drone.
"Think we should smile for the cameras?" Ironwood joked, Slater grabbed his tactical scroll and began to input commands.
"With respect, sir? You'd have to pay us." Winter stated, she turned to see Slater chuckle and smirk at her.
"Ah, I'm going to enjoy tonight." He said, Winter smirked as Ironwood led the group inside.
Winter and Weiss were greeted by the one person they never enjoyed the company of… Whitney Schnee.
"Good evening, everyone," Whitney said. Winter was INSTANTLY reminded of why she wanted to deck her little brother all the time.
"Gee, what an interesting way to greet your little brother, wouldn't you agree, Winter?" Whitney asked, Winter and Slater brushed past him.
"Hmm, he seems nice." Slater joked, Winter only paid attention to hearing the fact that Klein had been let go from the building.
It angered her; she'd have slapped Whitney if it wouldn't have fed into helping Jacques.
"We will be inside a lion's den, stay by me and don't do anything stupid. My father eats fear." Winter said, Slater chuckled and hummed.
"Funny, why would I be afraid of a lion when I'm standing next to a Manticore?" He asked, Winter smirked and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm happy you're here, honestly. Job or not, I am happy for your assistance." Winter said, Slater smiled.
"Happy to be working with you two, Winter… Now can we get this over with? I hate all these fake smile, bottles of expensive perfume and this cheap fur. I'd honestly rather go back to our 20 question interrogations and you trying to shish kabob me." He said, Winter smiled and they, General Ironwood and Penny walked into the dining room.
"General, please sit." Sleet and Camilla watched the Atlesian troops who all took seats.
Penny sat on one side of Winter and Slater another. Winter looked at the duo before Slater reassuringly patted her shoulder before setting his scroll on the table.
"Is it really safe for her to be here?" Jacques asked, Winter knew her father would try and control the talk. Ironwood spoke up first.
"Penny wasn't behind the massacre at the rally," He stated. He turned to look at the council members.
"Councilmen Sleet, Councilwoman Camilla." Slater looked at them before Robyn spoke up.
'Ah, there's the rub,' Slater thought. He hadn't been up close with Robyn since this back and forth started.
"Councilwoman Hill had a nice ring to it… Though I suppose I should be glad I even got a seat at the table." Slater cleared his throat.
"Did the supplies I requested be sent for Mantle's outer wall arrive? I heard from Pietro he's already trying to fix the wall." Slater asked. he didn't want to yell at Robyn for a few reasons.
While he hated her raids and the destruction of Atlas droids and such? they needed every ally to defeat Salem.
He didn't condone her attacks at all… He knew Robyn just wanted what was best for Mantle. He didn't want people to suffer just because of Salem. The wall was just a talking point and topic of discussion because it was the biggest in many issues for mantle.
"Yes. I'm surprised General Ironwood approved it and personally oversaw the delivery. He said I have you to thank." Slater heard from Robyn and shrugged.
"We still have a few matters to talk about tomorrow, Ms. Hill." Ironwood said. Robyn hummed, but said nothing else.
"Ms. Hill, that vigor of yours is why we are grateful for your arrival." Jacques stated, he turned to Ironwood.
"And your command of Penny is concerning." Slater heard tapping and turned.
Winter was tapping on the table and Slater eyed her cautiously. The Manticore was slowly growing disturbed, and an angry Manticore wasn't to be messed with.
"So is your control of the council…" Slater muttered, Winter looked at him, eyebrow raising.
Penny looked at the table, shoulders drooped. Slater tapped her shoulder gently. She looked at him and sadly smiled. Winter felt angry for another reason now… Why?
"Let's talk about exactly what you control, shall we?" Slater eyed a duo of camera drones.
Slater now knew that Jacques was jockeying for more control. A PR move to make Ironwood look like a tyrant. Jacques had pulled his move tactically.
Still, the fool decided to allow Slater into the move… And if it was mechanical? He could hack it. Winter saw Slater's fingers start to tap away like a typewriter on his scroll.
"We've let the military operate with autonomy for years. James, we need you to work with us." Sleet was as blunt as always.
"Sir, I…." He started to say before Camilla spoke up.
"It's quite obvious no kingdom wishes to war with Atlas. We came out publicly to announce none of the drones involved with Vale were acting on orders. This embargo is only hurting Atlas and our finances. Not even beginning to scratch the surface of the world." Camilla was always focusing on the issues.
Ironwood picked up on the tapping, it was almost like Winter and Slater were making a song with their melody.
"I'm afraid there's much more than your choices that have brought harm to Atlas and it's citizens. Have your forces uncovered any evidence of who is slaughtering our fair people in Mantle?" Jacques asked.
"That information is classified to everyone not within official channels and such…" Clover said. Slater and Winter continued their tapping, the Manticore was eager for blood.
"I'm afraid with your growing list of classified projects that it's hurting the city… I asked my fellow councilmen for information on your Amity Project, and it appears none of them are much wiser yet." Jacques said, Slater looked up from his Scroll. His anger palpable as his fingers continued to fly at his scroll
Winter tapped faster, if it was possible, her finger would have punched through the marble.
"Actually, I sent their offices a full report on what we were allowed to disclose about the project. Robyn should also have one. Funny how someone thinks a camera drone is nothing, Ms. Hill… I actually would like to point out hacking that droid to gain access to your scroll tested even my talents. Mr. Schnee is the only one not privy to such information as the legal transfer of office takes 4 days… It takes more since Mr. Schnee hasn't legally given up control of SDC as required so he can focus his entire attention on council matters." Slater said.
His anger was red hot at the roadblocks and obstacles the very city General Ironwood and them were seeking to protect threw at them.
"It's funny how your soldiers are so blindly loyal to you, James. I wish I had such fealty to nearly resort to such… asymmetrical tactics." He said.
Winter slammed her fist down on the table hard enough to crack the marble. Aura cloaked her fist as she scowled at her father.
"YOU CAN'T BUY LOYALITY LIKE YOU DO EVERYTHING! YOU HAVE TO EARN IT!" She hissed; Jacques went to speak.
"I believe you hit the nail on the head, dear." He said, Slater cleared his throat.
"Ok… I've had it with this crap… You're a coward." He said, Jacques raised an eyebrow.
"I beg your pardon, Mr.?" Slater cleared his throat and glared down what had to be the most smug, egocentric, arrogant, cowardly and vindictive… Slater didn't even have an insult bad enough for him.
'Worthless garbage would do at the moment,' he thought to himself.
"Slater Salvino. The partner of probably one of the only 2 Schnees who actually give a damn about Atlas. The friend of probably the only woman with the stones, nay, the GALL to actually try to protect Atlas… With no offence to any other women here… I'm the guy who sits at a desk and makes sure all she has to do is focus on carrying the Schnee legacy. I think that's who the hell I am." He said, Ironwood went to spoke up before Slater shook his head.
"You love to claim how the Schnee name is doing and how you're going to march down and get some answers. You ever fight a war, Mr. Schnee? I used to hate the military, bunch of fancy guys in suits, doing what they wished, kicking ass and marching all over." Slater said.
"And I suppose you…" Jacques was cut off by a finger from Slater.
"There you go… Those jackasses I used to hate taught me something when they saved my home from the Grimm. It was that bad things had to be done to win the war, sacrifices had to be made… What have you ever sacrificed? You ever see people die in the streets and be unable to help them? you ever hear about things you couldn't help and now they're gone? I lose my mother the very same day I leave." He cleared his throat before continuing.
"My dad kept insulting and belittling me to the point I didn't want to keep trying to live… He would insult me for caring about people like the general, for being smart enough to rival him. I get a letter telling me my mom is dead and the last letter she wrote. I manned the hell up and kept going at school, to repay those soldiers who helped me. I kept going even after getting beaten down time and time again until I won…" He said, Jacques finally cut in.
"That's a very fascinating story, but these sacrifices are making Atlas suffer… Even my company… My family…" Slater narrowed his eyes.
Something finally snapped inside him, all these damn setbacks… All of dealing with Mantle and the annoyance of trying to help Winter only for Jacques to drag her back to her cage. Having been around people who liked to act important but were puffed up windbags.
"YOU DON'T GET TO TALK ABOUT SACRIFICES, YOU DAMN RELIC! YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MANTLE, IT'S PEOPLE! REMNANT! BOTH YOUR DAUGHTERS BASICALLY TELL YOU TO GO TO HELL… AND YOU HAVE THE GALL TO USE YOUR OWN WIFE AS A GUILT TACTIC WITH YOUR OTHER DAUGHTER WHILE THROWING A TANDRUM BEFORE YOUR OTHER DAUGHTER JOINS THE MILITARY, SURE OF A HELL MORE THEN YOU'VE EVER DONE FOR MANTLE!" He said, Jacques went to speak before Slater growled in fury.
"YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, I'LL THROW THIS TABLE AT YOU, OLD MAN! I HAVE HAD IT WITH PEOPLE ACCUSING THE MILITARY OF RUINING MANTLE! ROBYN, I WANT YOU ON THE COUNCIL… BUT YOU ATTACK OUR TRUCKS AND SOLDIERS AND BLAME US? YOU WANT TO HELP, TALK TO THE GENERAL, DON'T THREATEN HIS MEN AND THEN RUN FOR COUNCIL AND SAY THE MILITARY IS EVIL!" He took a deep breath and looked at Winter. She was shocked he could muster such fury.
"I AM SICK OF BLOATED FATCATS WHINING AND NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP MANTLE… I AM TIRED OF EVERYONE BLAMING US SOLDIERS WHEN WE HAVE AN ENEMY WHO CAN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT… AND I AM SICK OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HAVE NEVER HAD TO PUT IN ANY EFFORT TO GET ANYTHING, AND YET HAVE THE GALL TO BITCH AT PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGHT FOR THEM TO WHINE! YOU WANNA KNOW ONE REASON I LIKE WINTER MORE NOW?! SHE HAS THE INTEGRITY TO NOT THROW A HISSY FIT WHEN SHE DOESN'T GET WHAT SHE WANTS! SHE FIGHTS FOR IT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, A LOT MORE THEN YOU CAN SAY! YOU DON'T HAVE A LEGACY, YOUR DAUGHTERS DO, SO SHUT YOUR DAMNED MOUTH! I CAN SEE WHY YOUR WIFE DOESN'T WANT TO BED YOU ANYMORE! YOU HAVE NO BALLS, AND YOU LOVE YOURSELF MORE THEN YOUR DAMN FAMILY!" He bellowed before sliding in his chair.
"I need air, councilmen, Robyn, General… I hope you enjoy your evening. I can't stay here a second longer. I have a city to save and a real soldier who clawed her way back up from scratch to help." He said before grabbing his scroll.
"Winter…" Ironwood said as Slater barged through the doors, cursing under his breath.
"I'll go." Winter said, a little breathless before she glared at Jacques.
"But you have no right to talk about our family like you care about them. you're not the one who raised me or Weiss… I raised Weiss… You raised Whitney to be a good little puppet." Winter left and Ironwood turned to speak with the others.
(With Winter and Slater)
Winter found Slater messing with his scroll while she walked up to him.
"I didn't expect you to have that kind of fury within you." Winter said, she looked at the walls uneasily.
"I don't like places like this. I hate people like him who like to act like their struggling when they don't have to lift a finger. I hate also Robyn trying to fight the entire military when we're trying to help…" He stated, Winter looked at the ground.
"Winter, I think we should return back to Atlas." He said, Winter blinked.
Then she pulled Slater into a hug, he blinked.
"Thank you for sticking up for my family… let's return to Atlas, I believe we have a lot to discuss." Winter said. Slater slowly returned the gesture before both walked to the door.
Both nodded and Slater called a Manta to transport them back to Atlas.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I wanted to show Slater being fed up with the setbacks. I also will show Winter responding to being at the manor again next chapter. next chapter will be on Saturday and will show another non show chapter. until then, Lighting Wolf out!
Ps: Raven's chapter is being moved soon again for now.