Pain.
Everything hurt. Her limbs were frozen. Her semblance failed to answer her call, no matter how hard she tried. The powers she had claimed as her own wouldn't activate.
Whatever it was the Salem had done to her, it was preventing Cinder from moving so much as a single damn muscle.
Cinder had never been so terrified in her life.
Yet, she couldn't even express her fear. She couldn't even scream. All she could do was float in the centre of Salem's table, suspended in the air by her mistress's dark powers.
The rest of Salem's court was of little help. Tyrion wouldn't even spare her a glance, remaining content to bask in Salem's presence like the twisted dog he was.
Dr. Watts would occasionally glance in her direction, sneering and looking long enough as to seemingly try and capture her moment of horror in memory.
Hazel was, as was typical, a man of few words and actions. He could care less about her existence, and Cinder knew it. However, he did seem rather distracted, and it was not by Salem herself. It would have been something Cinder would normally deem worthy of investigation, if she wasn't confined to her body like some damn statue.
It reminded her far too much of what Kirakishou had done to her at Amity Colosseum and the downfall of her plans that had quickly followed.
Never did she want to feel so powerless.
When she had first arrived at Salem's castle, she hadn't known what exactly she would expect, only that it likely wouldn't be pleasant. However, Cinder had known, without a doubt, that her fate would have been far worse had she attempted to run from the immortal witch. Cinder considered herself a rather solid judge of character and she had known early on, that Salem was a woman for whom attached the words 'blast radius' to any kind of displeasure she felt.
To not be killed by this woman would be little more than a chance possibility, yet to have attempted to run would have been certain death. Cinder would take the chance, however slim, to try and escape her fate. That is what she had always done, ever since she was a young girl.
"Now, I do believe it is time to commence this meeting, don't you all agree?" Salem began. It was strange, to hear the tone that was present within the witch's voice. There was no malice there, only a cold pleasure that set her nerves aflame with worry.
Something is wrong.
"Yes, I agree. This meeting is long overdue," Dr. Watts concurred, stroking his chin and overlooking Cinder's form.
"Any time for you, Mistress," Tyrian spoke from his odd crouch on the chair, looking a hair's breadth away from breaking down into maddened laughter.
Hazel, however, was most concerning.
"...If we could keep this short, Your Grace, it would be much appreciated. There are certain matters that I must attend to. Matters which are particularly time-sensitive, as you are already aware."
"Of course, Hazel," Salem responded with the ghost of a ruined smile, the expression looking particularly jarring on a woman whom Cinder had long since pegged as being unable to display any kind of positive emotion. "If you feel it is necessary, you are welcome to depart in order to keep things running smoothly. You have my word that you shall suffer no ill recompense for your actions."
"Thank you, Your Grace."
The brief interlude between Salem and Hazel died a stillborn death when the witch's crimson eyes creaked over to gaze upon the floating Cinder.
She struggled in her position, propelled by a power that she did not understand, rendered helpless and afraid.
"...As you all have no-doubt been made aware, our dear Cinder here encountered certain difficulties during her operations in Vale."
Dr. Watts, in particular, scowled something fierce. "Oh, we most certainly have heard of that. The news was practically all over the Atlesian communications network for the past month! My Loki virus, in the hands of Pietro… Eugh. Who knows what that oaf will do with my creation? I shudder at the thought."
Something was terribly, horribly, wrong. Salem would never allow such discourse to occur in her court. Mere speech during her time was met with displeasure, and displeasure was met with fear.
Now, however, it seemed to be encouraged. What in the world was going on here? What had changed?
"Do not worry, Dr. Watts, you shall have your revenge," Salem countered smoothly, nodding at the disgraced scientist. She turned to the maddened scorpion faunus. "Tyrian, you would be most interested to learn that Cinder followed your suggestion and attempted to incorporate the White Fang into assisting in the invasion of Vale."
"She did, huh?" Tyrian's smile widened into a grin. "...Knew they would be useful… knew that they would be strong. Those emboldened by a twisted sense of justice are some of the strongest warriors in this world. They will throw themselves wholly into any conflict deemed appropriate…"
"And throw themselves in the conflict, they most certainly did," Salem's eyes gleamed with dark amusement, before turning her scrutinising gaze towards the prone Cinder. "The issue with utilising such forces is that they are difficult to control. Blood and fire are all they know, where it comes from becomes less and less important the stronger they grow. Our dear Cinder here was betrayed."
What?
"One can only imagine it was due in part to her wonderful personality," Dr. Watts drawled. Cinder struggled in her confines, glaring daggers in the direction of the petty tinkerer. That wasn't how it had happened. They had turned on her during the invasion of Vale, trying pointlessly to capture Beacon under some misguided notion of justice for the Faunus people.
"In part," Salem waved a hand dismissively. "They were fed information by an outsider, worded in a specific way as to incite their High Leader into action. A masterful move, really."
Cinder perked up, eyes widening. She hadn't heard of that. During the invasion of Vale, Adam Taurus had been oddly curt over the earpiece, growling a bunch like a beast, yet following orders and replying when necessary.
"Why, it seems as if she wasn't aware," Dr. Watts caught on, a bushy brow raising in surprise before flattening into a dark amusement.
"Oh?" Salem played along, jeering in her direction. "Then, allow me to enlighten you. A message was sent to High Leader Sienna Khan of the White Fang, detailing your association with Adam Taurus and the nature of your… coercion."
She trembled. Who?! Who could possibly think to betray her?!
"Isn't it obvious?" Tyrian cackled from the sidelines. "Who alone would benefit from inciting your allies and ruining your dreams?"
Ozpin?
"Kirakishou."
And in a single word, Salem was able to make her freeze. The doll. That damn doll. She had been in contact with Sienna Khan?! But, for what purpose? What could she possibly hope to gain in alerting Sienna Khan to her activities with Adam Taurus and the Vale branch of the White Fang?
Was it some sort of attempt to counter her plan for the invasion of Vale? From what she had seen and heard during her time in Vale during the incident, the White Fang had indeed invaded Vale and were last seen heading en route to Beacon Academy, thus they had still arrived despite this perceived betrayal. Had Kirakishou failed and, inadvertently rallied the White Fang anyway?
Or…. another idea settled in her mind. She had been hoping for the White Fang to invade, and her plan had been to ensure that more arrived.
Kirakishou had told her that her Palace of Beginnings, her bizarre crystalline semblance, requires aura in order to function. Cinder had realised, at that moment, that Kirakishou had wanted as many people as she could to be in Vale, so that her crystals could feed on their aura. Was this all some plan to create more fuel for her semblance?
"Once again, she is surprised," Dr. Watts noticed, before shrugging. "Though in this case, one can understand her surprise. She had no way of knowing. At the time, Kirakishou was believed to be nothing more than a stranger. A target for ire, considering what she had spoken about to poor Emerald and dearly departed Mercury, but still nothing more than that."
Emerald Sustrai. Mercury Black. The latter of the two had been missing and presumed dead after the bombing of Kirakishou's dorm room, the son of Marcus Black having opted to stay close and survey the damage in order to ensure Kirakishou's demise. A necessary action.
Conversely, Emerald's role had ensured that her presence was required in Amity Colosseum. After which, the thief was under strict orders to journey to Salem's domain were any issues to present themselves. However, she hadn't been able to find Emerald during her arrival and subsequent capture. Considering Emerald's… disposition towards her, Cinder believed that something may have happened to the girl.
Not that she cared, of course, but it meant that another avenue of escape was lost to her.
A shame, really.
"Rozen Maiden are curious opponents," Salem remarked casually, the use of the strange phrase drawing pause from her, something that the witch noticed immediately. "Ah, you do not know of the terminology? There are seven Rozen Maiden dolls, a cursed life yet a life nonetheless. Your opponent is the seventh and youngest Rozen Maiden doll, Kirakishou, representing the soul."
Salem knew. Not just about her plan and its failure at the hands of Kirakishou, but of the doll herself. She knew so much, as well. How did she learn of this?
This was bad. This was very bad. Had she just gone to Salem in the beginning after first encountering Kirakishou, would things have turned out differently? Would the witch have advised her on the proper course of action for dealing with these… Rozen Maiden?
However, to know that there were six others just like Kirakishou was… nothing short of terrifying. If they possessed the same potential for destruction as the youngest did, then it was a miracle that Remnant hadn't been destroyed yet.
"Oddly beautiful entities, in a way," Dr. Watts mentioned aloud, drawing a rather queer look from Hazel, of all people. Cinder hadn't thought the burly man was capable of any expressions other than a gruff frown. "Capable of independent thought, of constructing an entire personality, of harnessing this strange power of an… ah, what did you say it was, again? An N-Field?"
"Correct," Salem nodded pleasantly, a dark smile on her face as she no-doubt revelled in the bewilderment flourishing on Cinder's conflicted face. "This N-Field is of curious creation. Different to a semblance, or aura, yet intrinsically capable of leeching from these substances in order to fuel itself. Did you know, Cinder, that one such capability of the N-Field is the ability to enter the dreams of others to discern their true intentions and desires?"
...No. She did not.
"I thought not," Salem remarked lowly, eyes gleaning. "It's almost amusing, really. You hadn't the faintest clue exactly how Kirakishou knew so much, only that she did and that she was a threat. What you did not understand, was that any plan you made to counter her was discovered the moment you closed your eyes within the scope of her power."
Cinder's eyes widened in muted horror. All of her thoughts, her plans and aspirations, laid bare to some crazed blonde doll with a god complex. No wonder that Kirakishou had accomplished so much despite being confined into a dorm room, she had spent her time reading the dreams of others. The doll had known exactly what was happening, months in advance.
But how had she been able to contact others? How had she been able to manipulate things in her favour? How had she possessed that strange-
'She is nothing more than a little toy to play with, when my poor little reaper is away. A lost little girl that possessed the ability to project herself in her sleep, who found herself thrust into my little Palace of Beginnings very early on. Her body has been there at every moment, every scene, subtly interacting and moving all of the other toys into their proper position for the grand arrival of my beloved Palace of Beginnings.'
That's right. She remembered Kirakishou saying those words inside Amity Colosseum, when she was possessing some random student. Only now did she understand the scope of the doll's actions.
Kirakishou had used this girl to interact with others outside of her dorm room, while her true body continued to stay confined inside with everyone none the wiser. She had contacted Sienna Khan, likely through knowledge attained from any number of her associates, and used this knowledge to incite the High Leader into betraying her.
And yet, Kirakishou couldn't have known exactly how the High Leader would react. Sienna Khan wasn't even based in Vale, for Oum's sake. All she had to go on was the knowledge she attained from any of the dreamers that had fallen into her sphere of influence. It was possible that she merely hoped to destabilise Cinder's operation in some way, and adjusted her plans in accordance with whatever Sienna decided.
Either weakening Cinder or empowering her N-Field. It was a set of outcomes that, no matter what, benefited Kirakishou and her plans one way or another.
The girl may have been a crazed doll with her heart set on some random academy student, but she seemed to possess a knack for manipulating people to do her bidding. A terrifying opponent indeed, hiding beneath suspicion and adapting on the fly.
"And now, dear Cinder, you have allowed this doll to gain access to one half of the Fall Maiden powers. Powers of which she has used in conjunction with a Silver Eyed Warrior in order to systematically cleanse the entirety of the Vale area of grimm influence. She has established a territory that is entirely her own and, in doing so, removed any chance you have in gaining access to the Vault of the Fall Maiden. Your actions have indirectly led to the birth of a Silver Eyed Maiden, an abomination with a power that does not discriminate."
That was why she was going after the Fall Maiden powers? To combine them with this… Silver Eyed Warrior to cleanse Vale of the grimm?
Cinder had heard the myth of the Silver Eyed Warriors before, of course. It was one of many hundreds of myths that Cinder had read as a child, dreaming of becoming a strong warrior and gaining recognition in the world. They had been dismissed as petty dreams and aspirations of fools when the call of harsh reality came knocking on her door.
To hear that some childhood fairy tale was in fact quite real and more importantly, used against Salem herself in conjunction with the Maiden powers, was nothing short of a complete outside-context surprise for Cinder. How could she have possibly hoped to expect such an outcome?!
"Unfortunately, dear Cinder, this will mean that your usefulness has come to an end," Salem intoned. "You are far too dangerous to be kept alive. Too… predictable by others. That is why, Cinder, you shall die. Goodbye."
And with a snap of Salem's fingers and a flare of her dark powers, Cinder found her neck violently wrenched to the side, eyes suddenly affixed to a lone occupant in the room.
Emerald Sustrai. She had been there for the whole time, held against her will in the same manner as Cinder.
There were tears in her eyes. Tears for her.
How long had it been, since someone had cried for her?
"Hm. A fitting end," Dr. Watts remarked, shaking his head and surveying Cinder's corpse as it fell to the ground. "Quick, efficient. Everything that Cinder was not. I commend you, my lady. You have outdone yourself."
"Your compliments are unnecessary, but appreciated," Salem remarked, nodding her head an inch towards the fallen Atlesian researcher.
A bright orange light burst out of Cinder's body, drawing the attention of Salem's court and the bound Emerald Sustrai. It hovered in place for a brief moment, before shooting off out a window.
"Hn. A pity," Hazel remarked, shaking his head.
"Awww. Did poor little Cinder not spare a final thought for her little friend?" Tyrian mocked dryly, mimicking sniffles with his hands before cackling madly.
"It was a rather ingenious plan, but it would seem that the Maiden powers are forever doomed to seek their other half. Splitting them was an unfortunate setback," Dr. Watts frowned.
Salem nodded. "Yes, Hazel, it was a good idea, but as Dr. Watts theorised, it was likely that the split half of the Fall Maiden's power would seek the one who hosts the other half. However, this may be a fortuitous event for us. Everybody loves a gift, after all."
"Indeed, it will likely be a useful bargaining tool in the future," Hazel agreed, briefly eyeing Emerald's bound for before glancing back down at the table.
"Ah, Hazel, before I forget. I have a question for you," Salem took a moment to allow the man to focus his sight towards her. "How is Hinaichigo?"
Hazel frowned, his posture tensing in on itself. "...She is still afraid of you, Your Grace. Despite my best efforts, I could not successfully convince her to join us for this meeting."
"Perhaps it was for the best?" Dr. Watts offered sympathetically, gesturing to both the bound Emerald crying over the corpse of Cinder. "Even barring her unique physiology, her mental fortitude is equal to that of a young girl. Such sights are no place for a child, you see. We wouldn't want her to get the wrong… disposition."
"A shame, that the little one cannot bear witness to our Goddess," Tyrian swooned pathetically, frowning. "Though, perhaps, such things merely take time. Pushing her would only cause trouble down the line. Let her adjust."
"I agree," Salem supplied. "She has already been beyond helpful in supplying crucial information about the Rozen Maiden. It has given us something to work with, something far more valuable than anything Cinder could have done."
"...Thank you all for your suggestions," Hazel responded after a brief moment of pause, looking mightily uncomfortable.
"Perhaps I should procure some more crayons?" Dr. Watts mused aloud, stroking his chin.
"As long as you do not purchase any more permanent marker," Salem retorted with a frown, her eyes gleaming a crimson hue. "I do not wish for a repeat of the Tuesday incident."
"O-Of course," they all shuddered collectively.
"We're just nearing the village of Shiragiku. It should be just around this bend," Summer Rose's voice called out, pulling Ruby from her thoughts.
The walk through the forest towards the abandoned village had been surprisingly relaxing for the young trainee huntress, comments from both Summer and Kirakishou alerting Ruby to the fact that they were unlikely to encounter any grimm in the area being enough to calm her mind.
She had taken to holding Kirakishou's hand, blushing ever so slightly whenever Summer turned to them with an amused look on her face. Kirakishou would tighten her grip on Ruby's hand at times in order to get her attention, typically to point out various pieces of terrain or inquire about her thoughts.
To say that the small blonde doll was inquisitive would be a massive understatement. It was almost as if the doll was seeing the world for the very first time. And, it saddened her to know that it was a reasonable assumption.
Kirakishou had been confined to her N-Field for most of her life. It stood to reason that in the brief time she was free, she hadn't taken up hiking across the continent. Thus, she was likely witnessing all of the sights for the very first time. So, despite how mundane everything seemed to Ruby, she made sure to be as helpful as possible.
The smiles that the little doll would send her were enough to make Ruby believe she had made the right choice.
And Summer. She looked… proud? Perhaps sentimental? Wistful? Regardless, it was a pleasant sight to be witness. Far better than any of the pain they would have experienced at Beacon.
Were this not a quest born from fleeing Vale after fears of invasion by neighbouring countries, Ruby could almost find herself thinking of this as a vacation.
"Master! Master! Look!" Kirakishou's hand insistently tugged on her own, the doll directing her gaze forwards.
A set of beaten and battered marble walls stood in front of her vision, a small cobblestone path leading up towards the entrance, consisting of a decayed iron gate. The walls had clearly seen better days, but it was the sign hung atop the nearby gate that had drawn Kirakishou's attention.
Shiragiku. The Pale Village. They were finally there.
"This is the place," Summer voiced aloud, glancing around. "From what I understand, this village was abandoned some five months ago following a bandit raid of some kind."
Ruby blinked, curiously tilting her head. "Oh? How do you know that?"
Kirakishou was first to speak up before Summer had a chance. "Ah~ That was from me, Master. I gave her the memories."
That only raised more questions. "You did?"
"Uh-huh!" Kirakishou nodded happily, nodding her head towards Summer who offered the ghost of a tentative smile towards the two of them. "Some of our dreamers held within the N-Field held memories of this area. I thought they would be helpful for us, as we passed through this area."
Ruby smiled, playfully pulling the doll forward and planting a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I love it when you're so resourceful, Kira~"
The doll blushed at the praise, bashfully turning her gaze away. Her hold on Ruby's hand, however, tightened considerably.
Summer giggled at the display, waving the two forward. "Come on, you two love birds. There will be time for all of that later. Let's get inside and investigate the area. Ruby, you can take point."
Ruby smiled happily, detaching from Kirakishou with a brief apologetic glance at the doll before skipping forward to the front line. The two dolls flanked her on either side as she steeled her nerves and opened the gate.
Whoa…
The village of Shiragiku reminded her a little of Patch, with random buildings thrown all over the place. From what she could tell, judging by the sight of the wall wrapping around the village, it was significantly smaller than Patch with a sizeable portion of land having clearly been used for farming and agriculture.
Unlike Patch, however, all of the buildings appeared to be in a notable state of decay. It was clear that a great fire had ripped through the area, as much of the landscape was covered in a fine layer of soot. The few farming vehicles that hadn't been turned to slag from the fire looked to be absolutely covered in rust.
It was clear that nobody had been here for a long time.
"Look here," Summer voiced, pointing towards a particular piece of a ruined building. "Judging by the direction of the burn, the fire seems to have come from a corner of the far wall. The fire quickly spread to the surrounding farmland and engulfed the village."
Which, Summer needn't mention was particularly odd, as the walls were made out of marble and, thus, inflammable.
"...There are no bodies here. No seedlings lost to a burn. I had assumed there to be at least some," Kirakishou mumbled to herself, garnering an agreeing murmur from Summer.
Ruby, however, was quite surprised by that little tidbit of information. "How can you tell?"
"The N-Field, Master," Kirakishou was quick to respond. "Searching for lost dreamers was all that my poor field could ever do, at one point. It has become quite apt in the skill."
"O-Oh, right…" Ruby muttered, feeling a little sad at the news of the doll's history. She could attribute the idea to the feeling of starvation, craving that single taste of sustenance. Some of her… particularly bad times spent locked inside her bedroom had yielded a similar feeling.
"That's quite the useful skill," Summer noted, nodding her head towards Kirakishou, who looked a little flustered at the praise. Ruby felt an odd tightness in her chest at the interaction but dismissed the feeling entirely. Now wasn't the time for such things.
"We should get moving," Ruby spoke up, her voice coming out a little deeper than she would have liked. The subtle frown on her Mother's face did not go unnoticed, either. Yet, thankfully, her blonde doll only continued to smile happily at the two others.
Venturing deeper into the village with the dolls flanking her sides, Ruby could spot multiple buildings in various stages of disarray.
"From what I understand, Shiragiku was once known as the Pale Village- popular as both a small trading centre and a pitstop for travellers looking to venture towards Oniyuri and Kuroyuri," Summer explained, taking in the degree of damage with a frown. "It occupied a small area and was relatively inconspicuous, relying on a smaller population to limit the flow of negativity against the grimm. From what I understand, it was a rather effective strategy."
"...Until the fire…" Ruby scowled to herself, kicking over a piece of burnt timber.
Summer hummed. "Yes, you would be correct. A single blaze seemed enough in wiping out the town. Or, at the very least, generating enough negativity for the grimm to come and finish off any survivors. Were that to be the case, their smaller population would have been quite the detriment."
It wasn't a pleasant thought, but it was a fact of life as a huntress that she would eventually have to face. Although, after her lover had attacked Beacon's headmaster Ruby somehow doubted that her position was still valid. But, what else could she call herself?
Though, not that she wanted a position under the man that had lured her Mother into a killing field. Ozpin was just lucky that he was dead or else she would be-
"… Master? Are you well?"
She took a steadying breath and calmed her raging heart, turning towards Kirakishou and smiling. Judging by the brief wince that flashed across Summer nearby, it hadn't been that good of a smile.
"Let's just… find somewhere to camp. Did either of you find a good spot?"
"Yes," Summer spoke up, glancing towards Kirakishou for a moment before shaking her head. "There's a larger building nearby. Looked to be a small home. Should be enough for you two."
Ruby blinked, confused at the odd specification. "But what about you?"
Summer Rose smiled. "Oh, don't worry, I'll find a place. I would just like to keep searching the town, and see if there's anything interesting here."
Judging by the way that Kirakishou blushed and glanced at her, Ruby could easily figure out what Summer was implying. She wanted to give both Kirakishou and Ruby some time together, without Summer in the way.
...With heated cheeks, Ruby realised she wasn't entirely against the idea. They had all been camping close by ever since leaving Vale and it had made it impossible for Ruby to be intimate with her doll, the idea of her Mother seeing being far too mortifying to ignore.
She wanted to kiss her doll, to feel the doll against her. She needed it. That warmth. That unequivocal feeling that told her Kirakishou was hers.
"I-um… okay…" she whispered, colouring significantly when the doll of her affections levelled a warm look her way. Summer also seemed to notice her embarrassment, looking distinctly pleased with herself.
She wondered what it would be like, to experience some alone time with Kirakishou that wasn't overshadowed by a bunch of random events happening around them. It would be just them.
Alone.
Together.
Ruby shivered pleasantly. How long had it been, since she had an opportunity even remotely close to this one? Months, in the very least. And back then, she wouldn't have even considered half of the things she was considering right about now.
"Good," Summer nodded. "Keep your scroll with you. I'll send a message if I discover anything of significance during my search," the older woman turned to Kirakishou. "And you, Kira. Try and keep your abilities under control, alright? Nothing like what happened in the last village. We don't want to turn Shiragiku into something that could get us discovered."
"Of course," Kirakishou affirmed smoothly, her lone slit amber eye never leaving Ruby's form. There was a critical haze to her sight, one that gave Ruby the feeling that Kirakishou was carefully watching her reactions as they unfolded.
She wondered if it had to do about the use of Kirakishou's powers, or if the small doll was watching how Ruby was reacting to the prospective time alone together. Considering what Ruby was currently obsessing about, she certainly hoped it was the latter.
"Y-You don't mind?" Ruby asked Summer, feeling a little apprehensive about splitting up. Even if it would only be for a little while, the idea of splitting up wasn't something that she wanted to consider.
Summer smiled at her consolingly. "Of course not. I was a young girl once as well, you know. We all need some time with our other half."
As was ingrained into the very fibre of her being, Ruby blanched at the topic of her parents doing anything like that, mortified and embarrassed beyond belief. "Eww! Mom!"
Summer's ensuing boisterous laughter was filled with motherly glee as the woman wandered off, heading into a smaller building in the far distance. Ruby was quick to realise that Summer's departure left her alone with Kirakishou- a feeling that was causing a certain warmth to spread through her body.
"...Shall we, Master?"
Ruby blushed, grabbing Kirakishou's hand before her nerves could convince her to stop. "...I-I think I'd like that."
A dance.
It was beyond horrendous. Oh, Oum. Why in the world had her Father ever even thought to concoct such a dastardly scheme?!
"Oh, control yourself already," Whitley scolded, leaning against her door frame with a casual nonchalance. "Honestly, you look about a minute away from enacting a poorly-constructed scene from some terrible soap opera."
Weiss groaned into her pillow, cursing the fact that she had left her door unlocked. She had been allowing herself the courtesy for several nights now, as to ensure that Blake had no difficulty in accessing her room.
Despite Father's best efforts, it would seem that a certain member of their security crew kept disabling Blake's access cards all over the mansion. It had become enough of a nuisance to where Weiss had made it a point of contention in several of her meetings with Father, yet the man had yet to fire that blasted chief of security.
With the borders locked down practically everywhere that mattered, it was next to impossible to find any… reputable sources of employment, should they fire their chief of security for his incompetence. Their own reputation in both Atlas and Mantle had made hiring something of a difficulty at the best of times.
Another reason she despised her Father. Conjuring up impossible situations was practically his forte.
"Taking Blake is going to cause a major stir, Whitley. You know that. Even if Father isn't going to publicly reveal her connection to the Belladonna family, people will recognise her."
"Then leave her here, for Oum's sake. She doesn't have to go," Whitley responded dismissively.
"But I can't!" Weiss growled out in annoyance, groaning as she pushed herself to sit up on her bed and look at her younger brother. "Father's convinced her that it's in her best interests to attend. And she believes him."
"Then let her attend," Whitley shook his head. "I don't see why this has you up in arms, sister. She's the daughter of Ghira Belladonna. Even if some of the nobles attending Father's party would wish to demean her for her heritage, they know it would only cause trouble for themselves in the long term."
"You think they'd care about her familial relation?" Weiss retorted caustically. "What good could Ghira even do? He's on the other side of the world. Everyone knows his influence is limited."
"No, they don't," Whitley countered sharply. "What they do know, is that Ghira Belladonna was the former High Leader of the White Fang. The same White Fang that has caused numerous deaths in this family, as you well know," she flinched at the reminder. "Even if Blake's heritage isn't formally revealed, as you say, the possibility of her heritage will be enough to quell their responses. Nobody will understand what is going on, outside of the fact that the both of you come from Beacon."
Beacon Academy. Vale. That's the reason that this ball is being thrown in the first place. Blake and I, we're just being used as figureheads- some interesting centrepiece to gawk at, in order to attract attention.
She had been with her Father for long enough to recognise a scheme in motion. But for what purpose was this? Weiss alone was enough to attract the attention of those in power, being both the Schnee Dust Company Heiress, a participant in the Vytal Festival Tournament, and a survivor of the incident in Vale.
However, a small part of her could not hope but wonder what it would be like, to dance alongside Blake- the woman that had captured her heart. She recalled the Vytal Festival Dance, witnessing Kirakishou and Ruby dancing in the centre of the crowd, bound together as one. Had Blake and Weiss been in their position, would they have danced as closely? Would they have kissed, for all to see? What would people say about them? Considering the fire burning in her chest, would she have cared about the whispers, as she felt Blake's-
"...You're blushing."
"Oh, shut it, Whitley," Weiss cursed grumpily, scowling in embarrassment at her younger brother catching her daydreaming. She wished Blake was here. What was taking her so long?!
"It's very strange, you know," Whitley opted not to follow her request with all of the smarmy self-assured flair that her younger brother was known for. "I think, despite what you say, you quite enjoy the idea of attending the ball with Blake. Why, are the rumours true?"
She blushed further. "I don't know what you're talking about. There are no rumours."
Whitley outright laughed. It was an airy, high-pitched sound that grated on her ears. "Right, definitely not. If it were, hypothetically speaking, to be true, then it would cause quite a political upset. Which, need I say, should be something that you would wish to avoid."
"Don't act like I don't know that already, Whitley," Weiss frowned. She was aware of how people would react should they discover that the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company and the daughter of the former High Leader of the White Fang happened to be dating. Many of their actions would be called into question. Questions that Father would have no choice but to answer by disowning her from the family, which would leave Whitley to default to becoming the new Heir.
Worse still, the boy knew it, as well.
"Just making sure that you're aware of your situation. I'll be leaving now. I do hope you make a full recovery, sister."
She frowned at Whitley's retreating form. She didn't know what to think of him. There were times in which she could almost believe that Whitley was honestly trying to console her and look out for her best interests, but there were moments in which she wasn't entirely sure. There was a certain ambitious assertiveness to his actions that made the businesswoman inside her shift in discomfort.
He had too much of his Father in him, to be sure. Were Whitley to ever become the Heir of the SDC and eventually grow into the title of CEO, then Weiss was certain that they would continue to make a profit- regardless of the legality of whichever actions Whitley decided were necessary for the pursuit of such a goal.
Perhaps Winter had been in the right to leave when she did. Joining the Atlesian Military seemed to be a far more prosperous opportunity than staying in this nest of vipers. Or, at the very least, it seemed a lot less stressful.
"Hey there. How are you feeling?"
Weiss all but melted at the sound of that voice.
"Blake. Honestly, how long does it take to fetch a glass of water?" she sighed out teasingly, accepting the offered glass with a muttered thanks.
"Well, somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, princess," Blake rolled her eyes good-naturedly, Weiss shifting her position in the bed to allow Blake to sit next to her as she placed her empty glass on the bedside table. It had become something of a ritual for the two girls to sit next to each other when possible. "What in the world happened?"
She sighed, slumping down and resting her head on Blake's shoulder. There was no point in trying to hide it from Blake. At this point in their relationship, it was almost like Blake could read her mind at times. "I'm just worried about this stupid ball. Having so many influential eyes on us is a recipe for disaster. Both for your sake and for mine. After everything that's happened at Vale, I don't want to rock any boats."
Blake ran a hand through Weiss's hair in a consoling fashion, the heiress preening at the notion. She had discovered that Blake quite enjoyed her hair, particularly when it was let down. While personally, she preferred to have her hair tied up in her signature style, there were times in which she desired the affection of her partner more than some petty preference.
"I understand what you mean, Weiss, but you need to think of the bigger picture, here. Inviting so many influential figures can do wonders for the relief effort. Already, there have been talks of a donation incentive to house and support those impacted by the disaster. Both for humans and Faunus. Your Father has been working constantly to coordinate it under the Schnee banner. You should have heard him, Weiss."
She gave a rueful, worried sigh as she listened to Blake obsess about the implications of her Father's actions. She wasn't talking about that. She knew that Jacques would be able to gather a lot of attention for the ball, in one way or another.
"That would be nice, admittedly, but I feel that everyone at the ball will be distracted by our, um, presence."
The hand running through her hair stilled, as Blake sauntered lower and moved to kiss her cheek. "Scared?" she whispered in her ear, the sensation causing Weiss to shiver.
She swallowed, quite unused to the intimacy and feeling more than a little taken aback by the sudden aggressiveness. "A-A little… After everything that's happened between us, I feel that I'll have a lot of trouble pretending to be mere acquaintances…"
Blake's chuckles were dark, rich, and so very tempting. "Understandable, of course. We've been through a lot together, haven't we?"
Weiss barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes, despite herself. "...Obviously."
"Then," the faunus continued with the rich purr of a cat that had caught the proverbial mouse, "it stands to reason that this should be nothing different for you, right? Besides, don't you think it's a bit exciting, too?"
Weiss swallowed the lump in her throat. "E-Exciting?"
Blake adjusted her position, moving to straddle the heiress as she lay underneath her faunus lover, who was staring down at her with vibrant amber eyes.
"We'll be so close," Blake leaned forwards, pressing a chaste kiss on her neck. "Pressed against one another."
She squirmed, feeling her body responding to Blake's ministrations. She had no idea where this was coming from but she didn't dare voice her confusion.
"S-Sounds good…" she forced out, breathy.
Blake leaned back, sliding one of her hands down Weiss's shoulder to rest on her collarbone. Gently, she pushed Weiss down until her head was pressed against the pillow. Only then, did the faunus lean in closer, until all that Weiss could see was her.
"I saw you, during the Vytal Festival Dance."
Weiss's eyes darted to the faunus's lips. "Y-You did?"
"Mhmm," Blake hummed appreciatively, lips curling in an amused smile. "You looked so lonely, watching everyone with their partners. Would it not be nice, to have a real dance, together? As partners?"
"It would…"
Blake leaned back abruptly, a victorious smirk on her face. "Then, there's no problem-"
Weiss growled and wrapped her arms around the feline faunus before she could think to react, pulling harshly and yanking the faunus down so that their lips could meet in a heated kiss.
She could feel her partner go ramrod still for a moment, before acquiescing and relaxing into the kiss. When they retreated, Weiss was breathing heavily and her cheeks were flushed, but there was a fierce glare in her eyes.
"You do not get to tease me and get away with it, Blake Belladonna. Now, come and finish what you started."
"...General Schnee. It is good to see you. Please, join us," Councillor Camilla spoke as she entered the meeting room alongside a guarded escort, gesturing to a seat at the head of the table.
She gave a curt nod as she moved to take the offered seat, dismissing her escorts with nought but a mere gesture.
"Thank you, Councillor Camilla," Winter politely began. "Councillors, I do believe we should push forward with this meeting in due haste. There are a number of situations occurring which require my immediate attention."
"Of course," Councillor Schnee, her Father Jacques, was quick to respond with a soft smile. "We of the Atlesian Council know better than to occupy the time of an Atlesian General for any longer than is strictly necessary. Especially one so new to her post."
It had been left unsaid over the years, that Winter Schnee despised her Father. He was a callous, conniving snake that would do anything in order to advance his position of power and establish a higher degree of profit for the Schnee Dust Company. She had experienced it year after year, as she watched businesses rise and fall under the command of Jacques Schnee.
Which meant that Winter had numerous experiences in detecting when that man had something under his sleeve. A scheme in motion, one that likely bodes well for the Schnee Dust Company and almost certainly bode ill for anyone else.
"That is good to hear," she replied with a false smile, before pulling out her scroll and connecting it to the holographic interface. "As you all are aware, the Ace Operatives arrived in the continent of Vale at roughly 0800 hours yesterday morning, and have been trekking towards the breach on foot ever since. Just under three hours ago, the Ace Operatives arrived at the edge of the crystalline growth."
The holographic display flared to life, projecting an image of the crystalline breach using data gathered by Operative Harriet 'Hare' Bree.
"As you can see," Winter gestured to specific points on the holographic map, "it would appear as if the entirety of the Vale Area and the surrounding forest of Forever Fall, has been completely overtaken. Of note, however, is the large wall surrounding the outskirts of the inner areas of Vale, leading towards Beacon Academy."
"...Are these measurements accurate?" Councillor Sleet, a middle-aged man with hardened features and refined clothing, questioned curiously. At Winter's curt nod, the man frowned. "The wall appears larger than most of the residential apartment blocks in Mantle. Strange. Possibly built in order to keep land-faring grimm at bay? It would indicate a premeditated design, instead of a wayward semblance as previously indicated."
Winter nodded, frowning. "A source, of which remains to be anonymous, has confirmed that the individual known as 'Kirakishou' is behind the creation of these crystals, alongside the current standing of Vale at the time."
"Anonymous?" Jacques scoffed distastefully. "An outside source, then? How can you trust them?"
She frowned at the line of questioning. "I have it on good authority that their information is correct. For now, however, we have a team of analysts combing over the data provided by this anonymous asset. That is all I shall say on the matter."
There was a pause, as the two Schnee figures stared at each other, both unwilling to back down from their respective arguments, before Councillor Sleet gave a sharp cough and drew their attention.
"Perhaps it is best if we return to the task at hand," Councillor Sleet wisely suggested. "What is the current operational plan on the Ace Operatives infiltration?"
Winter flicked a few buttons on her scroll, changing the holographic interface's display. "Operatives Harriet, Vine, Elm, and Clover have scaled the wall and infiltrated near the southeast corner of Vale City as planned. Meanwhile, Operative Marrow is standing by outside the entry point and providing cover."
Councillor Camilla glanced at the holographic display expectantly, before frowning. "...I was expecting to see technical readouts alongside imagery of the infested Vale, not mere aura readings of your people."
"It would appear that the inside of Kirakishou's crystalline growth produces some manner of interference. We have been unable to receive worthwhile data from the Ace Operatives who infiltrated the city, apart from their aura readings."
"...A shame, but salvageable. We will need to rely upon the training of the Ace Operatives, then," Councillor Schnee suggested, injecting as much faith into his speech as he did for those of his political rivals competing against him in the current election. Which was to say, no faith whatsoever.
Whether the other councillors noticed nor cared, none seemed to point it out. However, they did agree that there was little to be done about the lack of imagery. It had been remarkable that the Cross Continental Transmit System was still operational thus far, considering the CCT Tower in Vale was near the centre of Kirakishou's crystals when they began manifesting.
"And the devices?" Councillor Sleet asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
In response, she flicked a button on her scroll, prompting the holographic interface to switch back to Operative Harriet's crude topography. However, there was the addition of a small blinking red light at the southeast quadrant, right where the Ace Operatives had infiltrated Vale City.
"Operative Marrow's device is fully operational, according to the final message we were able to receive. Once the others are placed, they should begin transmitting the relevant data regardless of the interference currently blocking our signals."
"Very well then…" Councillor Schnee spoke lowly, leaning backwards in his chair and frowning. "I suppose, then, that it will simply be a matter of time, in order for us to see any concrete developments. Understandable, of course."
"What Councillor Schnee said is correct," Councillor Sleet nodded alongside Councillor Camilla. "We of the Atlesian Council thank you for your continued cooperation with us in this dire matter, General Schnee. You are proving to be every part the successor that General Ironwood stated you would be."
"Very much so," Councillor Schnee added with a low smirk, knowing full-well her discomfort with the promotion. "We shall adjourn this meeting for the moment, until the Ace Operatives report in, or until you find it suitable to resume it another time. Please, do keep us updated."
"...Of course, Councillors," Winter frowned.
A/N:
So. Well. Developments. Spicy, spicy developments.
...Cinder survived Madness of the White Rose, but, she most certainly didn't survive Salem. Did anyone suspect that, I wonder? Did anyone suspect poor little Hinaichigo to end up in Salem's faction? I'd thought of the little berry maiden hanging out in Salem's castle and drawing on the walls to be entirely too hilarious of a prospect in order to deny. As for Hazel, giving him Hinaichigo after everything that happened with his younger sister seemed appropriate. You'll note, in Salem's council, how each of the members dotes on Hinaichigo in their own way.
Too cute~
And, Shiragiku. The Pale Village. Did you know that the villages of Oniyuri and Kuroyuri use Hanakotoba for their naming convention? I'd designed Shiragiku as a sort of failed transport/pit-stop for travel to and from Oniyuri and Kuroyuri, thus it needed to follow the same concept for naming. As for events in the village itself, it's a more... fluffy type of development, with some spicy plot development occurring alongside it. I'll be curious to see what people think of the next chapter, that's for sure. It's outside anything I've ever written before, let alone published.
Weiss and Blake, conversely, are quite fun to write at the moment. They're both hurting, yet still blooming in a way. Meanwhile, Whitley is hanging out and delivering pure sass, as is his character.
But General Schnee, namely, Winter Schnee, is different. Oh my god. I had to rewrite that entire section from the ground up, in order to deliver the appropriate feel for the chapter. The Ace Ops are in Vale. Which, of course, cannot go wrong. No. Not whatsoever. And, so it seems, the Atlesian Councillors are in support of the new General. For the most part.
Er. Let me know what you all think, yeah?
Until next time!~