Hello everyone! How are you doing? I hope as great as I do!
Chapter 43 is up. I hope you like it!
Thanks for reading/commenting/following. I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't help but want to express my appreciation for all of you.
So, until next week, have fun!
January 26th, 86
City of Mantle, outside of Ms. Flinch's house
"For the last time, I told you no" Weiss voice was not high-pitched as usual, but her tone was anything but friendly. "I can go on my own to visit my sister's grave."
Dressed in a heavy coat to endure the abysmal cold of Mantle this time of year, Yang stared at her in confusion. "I just told you that I can come with you if you need company."
"Since I got out of the hospital, you have been over my head for everything Yang" she scoffed. "You don't even allow me to fetch my breakfast! I can and deserve to have one morning off."
Yang's eyes took a hurt expression "you never complained about me taking care of you before. I just wanted to make you feel better."
Weiss bit her lip and turned her back. "I will be in time for Dr. Polendina's visit." She then started walking away.
Yang rushed after her. "Baby, please. Don't do that! We have to talk about this!" Weiss didn't turn around, she merely waved her head.
"Maybe; but I don't want to talk about this right now." She then left, leaving a flabbergasted Yang stare at her in the middle of the snow-covered street.
December of 82, Ms. Flinch's house, City of Mantle
"What do you mean by that?" Yang asked Weiss who was glaring holes at her. Her eyes were gleaming, despite the dim night lamp.
Everyone else was asleep, save for Mr. Polendina, who was monitoring team LEAD's recovery and Blake, who was upstairs getting ready for a night out with the blonde.
Like they had been doing every night for the past three weeks. "I mean, I don't want to talk about this. Will you please now let me go out?"
Yang's heart was beating fast. Being so close to the petite girl was something she lately had trouble doing without messing around, but this time was different.
Because Weiss had announced during the dinner that she was going out tonight. To Mantle. On her own. To get a drink in a bar.
And that had followed a couple of days where she had not only been hostile towards Yang; she had been spiteful and demeaning towards almost everyone.
Heck, she had fought with Ruby yesterday- something that hadn't happened since the first semester at Beacon!
Simply put… "Weiss, you are acting weird. You are scaring me." "Oh, so now you suddenly care?" She took one step back at the remark. Ok, I didn't expect that answer, of all things.
"You have been neglecting all of us for the last three weeks, going out with Blake in the night, eating together in the morning, showing her games in the afternoon."
Wait, is she… crying? "Ruby has talked to you fewer times that I have talked to Jaune. You didn't even notice my new earrings!"
"Hey, Weiss, calm down please! I-" "If you want to date Blake, I am fine and happy for you! But pushing us aside like this hurts more your thick head can possibly imagine!"
WAIT, WHAT? "Weiss what are you talking about? Me and Blake are not-" "Goodnight, Yang. Have fun" taking advantage of her momentary stun, the petite lady walked past Yang and stepped out of the house.
"I can't believe this!" Blake said, as she ran across the street, her dejected partner in tow. "How did you let things turn that way?"
"I don't know! I just needed some time to get my mind in order! Why did it turn out like this?" she groaned, more furious about herself, than anything else.
"Well, we do spend a lot of time together lately" the currently short-haired faunus replied. "But that doesn't mean anything!" a whine was heard from behind her.
"Considering how fun we are having lately and all the secrets we have shared, it's not a big stretch. If only someone had warned you about how stupid it would be to ignore Weiss until you sort your feelings out."
Blake stopped and glared at her best friend. "Oh, wait. I DID!" she shot at her. "Gee, thanks. Kick Yang while she is down. Way to go, partner."
"Yang" Blake raised an eyebrow. "Your idea and shenanigans have pushed Weiss to the point of probably getting wasted in a bar, surrounded by Dust-knows-what kind of people. Don't act smart right now, will you?"
Yang's heart skipped a beat. Sure, Weiss was just frustrated because she thought they would abandon her since they had, in her mind, become a couple.
But a tiny little part of her mind couldn't stop thinking that Weiss Schnee, the gorgeous, elegant girl that drank only soda, sparkling water and black coffee, was getting drunk for her sake.
Somehow, that idea made her feel even worse. "Let's go find her before something truly bad happens" she said, earning a firm nod of approval.
In a totally anticlimactic turn of events, they found her inside the closest bar; a small, yet tidy place that attracted more travelers than workers or huntsmen.
Weiss was half-asleep, face flat on the bar, next to the tall, black-haired ox faunus that owned it. Yang and Blake stepped next to her, their faces a mixture of relief and concern.
"Is she your friend?" the man said. "Yes, we apologize for the inconvenience" Blake said. The man laughed heartily and picked the empty glass up.
"Inconvenience? If only every troublemaker was like her! She downed a few beers, got really dizzy and fell like this!" he said.
"Girl can't hold her drink- and judging from what she has been mumbling in her stupor, maybe it's for the best she doesn't. Ladies like her are not suited for alcohol, despite how hard they may have it."
He scratched his beard. "But man, if you told me one day that Weiss Schnee of all people would come to get drunk in my bar, I would call you crazy!" he laughed again, stepping away to serve.
Yang resisted the urge to caress the girl's soft-looking hair and moved to grab her, but as soon as she picked her up, Weiss let an adorable shriek and jumped off the chair.
"Y-Yang? Blake? Whouat are yu two doing hiar?" her half-drunk words made them both exchange a worried glare.
"We are here for you, Weiss" Yang said. "To take you home. You have to rest." Weiss looked at Blake and smiled at her, making the faunus' look at her sadly.
"Ressst? And let yu two have fun? No way!" She moved forward and pointed her finger at the dumbstruck black-haired girl. "Damn, that sucks. Am I druuunk?" she said, feeling dizzy.
"Yeah, but nothing serious. You just need some sleep. And lots of water." She took a very forced, nearly comical thoughtful expression. "I ssseeee… then tomorrow it iss."
"Tomorrow?" Yang asked. "What is going to be tomorrow?" The cyan-eyed woman stood up proudly and shouted with all her might something that would get carved on Yang's mind for the rest of her life.
"Blake Belladonaa! I, Weissh of the Schnee family, challenge you to a duel for the-" she coughed a little "for the privilege of going out with Yang Xiao Long!"
-o—
Atlas Military Cemetery
After Ironwood's assassination and Watts' plan had been revealed to the public, General Albion who replaced Ironwood had given the late Winter Schnee a hero's funeral.
Her grave was in front of a colossal marble statue, depicting the huntress that gave her life defending Atlas in a solemn and serene state, eternally watching over the city from the Northern hill.
A series of towering Cedar Trees surrounded it, offering the last home of the woman a considerable isolation in comparison to those of her fellow soldiers.
Dressed in her pale blue suit, long white overcoat draped over her shoulders, Weiss was seated in front of the picturesque memorial, silently grateful for the lack of any intrusion.
"And, that's what happened. I… was close to crying. I wanted so much to stop; to turn around and tell her how delicious her breakfasts all these days have been" she wiped her tears away with a handkerchief.
"I wanted to tell her how much I love her and how lucky I am to have someone like Yang taking care of my selfish needs." She elegantly blew her nose.
"But of course, instead of doing all these, I let my pride take over. I refused to even talk to her, as if she isn't the best thing that has ever happened to me; all to hide my shame!"
Weiss wiped her eye again. "Call me stupid, Win. Please, do it. Someone has to do it at some point! Someone has to stop me!" Weiss was now trying to contain her tears, but couldn't.
Instead, she put her soaked her handkerchief back in her coat's pocket. She stared at the cold, white marble stone in front of her.
Lieutenant General Specialist Winter J. Schnee
56-82
Beloved daughter, sister, friend and comrade
Hero of Atlas
May her wings never be clipped.
Just above them was a picture of Winter during her Special Forces initiation ceremony. She was fierce and serious-looking, but filled with the same determination she had always radiated during her life.
"Tell me why, Win" Weiss shut her eye. "You always were there to tell me why; why did I walk away after hurting Yang, when the only thing I wanted was to stop and let her hug me?"
Of course, there was no response. Only silence. Winter was not here. She had stopped taking care of Weiss three years ago. She opened her eye again, her vision a little blurry from tears.
"Why do I refuse Yang's love? Ruby's affection? Blake's support? Why can't I stop this disgusting feeling that I don't need their help from taking over my mind?"
She gasped for breath. "Why is my first reaction to revert to an attitude I had long ago cast off? Why is it to demean and shout towards the ones I love?"
"That is because you are coming up to terms with your situation, dear sister." The voice snapped Weiss out of her crying state.
She turned around, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword. But it froze after she saw who had just spoken.
"Whitley" she hissed. Her younger brother was standing in front of her. He was dressed in a two-piece expensive suit with a large, equally expensive coat and held a bouquet in his glove-covered hands.
He had his short blonde hair neatly kept and his blue eyes seriously sharper than she remembered them. Two men, dressed in the SDC uniforms, were standing a few meters behind him.
"What are you doing here, Whitley?" she asked. "Why, sister" his face took an expression of fake surprise "I am here to pay respects to Winter; I come by every month, you know."
"I find it hard to believe" she looked around. "Where are the news cameras and press you are going to pose for?"
The man walked past her and let the flowers on top of the grave, right next to Weiss'. "I pose for them once a year during Winter's memorial. The other times I come for myself."
"Now, that's a surprise. I thought you didn't care for Winter as your sister." Whitley sighed. "Is insulting me the only way you can communicate, dear Weiss? I am not Father, you know."
"You have never given me a reason to actually consider communicating with you, Whitley. So, stop playing the faithful one and tell me if you knew I was here or not."
He smirked at her. "Well, no I didn't. My reasons for coming here are my own, but you are not among them. That much I can ensure you."
"Then why did you eavesdrop at me?" He pretended to be thinking- Weiss noted he had become quite good at it. "I just heard you talking about something bothering you and it picked my interest, that's all."
Weiss was fuming. She didn't want anyone to hear to her thoughts and feelings; and even if she did, her little brother was definitely not among the list.
On the other hand, he had mentioned something that had struck her, if only a little. "What did you mean I am coming up to terms with my situation?" she asked curiously.
He gave her a haughty smile. "Isn't it obvious? You are finally realizing what you wasted your life on- and it hurts more than what you could imagine."
She took one step forward, letting her eye patch show under her waving bangs. She didn't want to engage into a verbal fight with him, but he had crossed the line. Again.
"Isn't that why are you crying in front of our dead sister's grave on your own, after having pushed your friends away?" he asked again.
"I- I…" she paused. She had to give him an answer, but… what was she going to tell him, when she didn't even know for herself?
"Let me answer you; because you just realized this is the end of your life as you imagined it. I don't know what happened to you, since no media released any info, but I can guess at least that much."
"This is…far from the end! I can still fight!" "Yes. But is it that easy?" the boy told her. "From what I heard you telling Winter, you don't have nightmares, or illusions."
"Exactly" she replied. "As soon as I fix my eye, I will be back! I will-" The boy didn't reply. Instead, he stood there, waiting. Expecting for her to finish.
"You will never be the same again; that's what you refuse to admit, dear sister." He finally told her.
"You are starting to realize that you are not invincible; that you can die at any moment. And that your death will be as any other huntress, nothing more."
"I am not any other huntress!" she screamed. Her face was red and filled in anger. "I helped take down Salem! As part of team RWBY!"
"That is more or less, something that any huntress would do in your place, Weiss. Any huntress could end up in your place and perform as a member of RWBY. That doesn't make you special."
He narrowed his eyes "the only thing that ever made you special is the Schnee Legacy. You could endure, take the company and then change it."
"What are you talking about?" she said. "If you truly wanted to help, you could wait, take SDC from father, and then use its immense power to help others. This is something only you, as Weiss Schnee, could do."
She didn't reply, so Whitley continued. "But instead, you joined a huntress' team and went out fighting monsters, something anyone with enough training can do."
And then Weiss realized what her brother meant. And it hit her hard. It hit her so close to home; she had to muster all her willpower to not stumble.
"There is no return to the battlefield for you, Weiss" he said. "Because any time you will get hurt, you will realize that losing your chance to redeem our name is one step away.
Weiss Schnee died the day you chose the life of a huntress over that of a CEO and along with it your chance to see your dreams realized. You just had to spend five years to understand it."
-o—
Dr. Polendina's House, Mantle
"Yaaaang" Ruby whined towards her sister, who had just completed her 10th kilometer of walk around the waiting room. "You are making me dizzy. Please calm down."
"Ruby is right, friend Yang" Penny, in her usual attire and mannerism, replied. "You are not increasing the chances of Weiss's recovery and are undermining your own health this way."
"Penny, we love you" Blake commented. "You know we do. But this is not the time for pep talks- I think Yang is going to explode of anxiety and you are truly not helping her."
"Duly noted" the robotic girl replied. "I apologize and will take her feelings into further consideration. Maybe read a book about psychological support-"
"WHAT IS TAKING THEM SO LONG?!" the brawler finally erupted, to the surprise of no one. "He is just examining her, isn't he?" she asked, fuming.
"My father knows what he is doing, friend Yang. Do not worry- if he is taking his time, it is definitely for a good reason" the mechanical voice replied, earning a 'good job' gesture from the other two girls.
"Geez, I hate it when I have to wait like this- it makes me extra anxious! But you are right" she deflated. "I am not helping anyone; especially Weiss."
Ruby stood up and walked right next to her sister. "Weiss is strong- you know that better than anyone else. She survived a fight no other huntsman would. She will return- and she will be even stronger."
Yang stared at her and nodded. She wanted to tell Ruby that her own feelings on that matter were not so optimistic. That she was seeing so many alarms in her girlfriend's latest behavior.
She wanted to tell her little sister how much Weiss reminded her of herself when she had lost her arm and refused to cooperate even with her father.
Yes, she wanted to tell her all these. But she didn't get the chance to do so. The door opened and a large mechanical chair stepped out of the operation room.
"Father!" Penny enthusiastically said. "How is-" "How is she, Doctor? Is she fine? Will she be able to do the operation?" Yang cut her off, albeit a little rudely, but she would apologize later.
Pietro Polendina looked at team RBY who had all lined up in front of him and were staring at him in concern and reserved hope. He smiled softly, but for some reason Yang couldn't bring herself to follow suit.
"She is sleeping right now. I gave her a mild sedative, since it seemed her mind has been very tired. I suggest letting her rest for a while; she has a lot of things bottled up inside her" the elderly man replied.
"As for the operation, Doctor Canvass was right. The damage is truly heavy, but not to the point it's irreplaceable. The operation of installing an artificial eye would be a simple one."
Blake smiled and Ruby shot her fists up in a silent victory pose. Even Penny smiled widely. But Yang didn't share their enthusiasm. "Doctor; why did you say it 'would' be a simple one?"
Pietro Polendina looked at her, his expression suddenly turning serious. Yang didn't like it. She knew that look. She had seen it so many times in her own darkest hour.
Her father had the same look when she had tossed Ironwood's arm on her bed without even trying it. Professors Port and Oobleck had the same one as well back then; she hated it.
So, when he replied to her, she was ready. She was truly ready, because she knew exactly what Mr. Polendina would tell her. "Because I asked Miss Schnee and she replied she doesn't want to have the operation."
She knew that would be the answer; she had been seeing the signs all along from that day in the hospital- and it tore Yang's heart to pieces.
Weiss wasn't falling into self-pity; she had already dived deep inside it.
Carmel Communications' office building, Sophia Carmel office
"So this is the closest you have been to him?" Sophia asked the brown- haired man standing in front of her. "A three month-old surveillance video?"
Wenge Knight, her left hand man, nodded in approval. "We established that Dahlias was moving towards North Atlas at the time, which is a great improvement if I am allowed to say, Madam."
He was of average height, but had a strong jaw and sculpted build despite entering his early forties. His deep black eyes and slightly tanned skin gave him an exotic appearance that made him very popular with Atlas' ladies.
Sophia didn't care enough to pay attention to such a sentiment, of course. Wenge was one of the most capable employees of the CC and one of the two people in Remnant she could trust with her life.
"Yes, I assume you are right. Good job Wenge." He nodded and smiled, just a second before a knock sounded from the door. "May I enter, Young Miss?" the voice was deep and affectionate, if a little rasped.
"Come in, Peros." The door opened and a tall, bearded, white-haired man stepped in. He was slightly muscular too, but his figure was much thinner and seemed at least a decade older than Wenge.
Peros Bishop was the personal bodyguard of Sophia Carmel and her right hand man. Despite his elderly appearance, the young woman was certain very few people in Remnant could take on the ex-specialist and survive to tell the tale.
His deep blue eyes acknowledged Wenge and greeted him respectfully before he turned to his charge. "I apologize for disrupting your meeting, Young Lady, Mr. Knight."
"It's fine. We were discussing about Dahlias, after all. What is the matter?" The man didn't reply immediately; instead passed her a report file.
She opened it as he started explain "two days ago, we lost contact with one of our observation facilities in North Atlas. We tried to re-establish connection, as per protocol, but to no avail."
"You can't be serious" the businesswoman gasped. "This is our facility tasked with surveillance and data gathering of Everfrost Peak!" "And Gloomharrow valley" the younger man exclaimed.
"This is the area where Dahlias was spotted, right Wenge?" "Precisely, Madam. In fact, the surveillance video that I showed you came from that very facility."
That was serious. Very serious. "Is there any possibility of a leak? Of someone having overheard us when I entrusted you with my secret?" she asked her subordinates.
"I am sure there is no such issue. But I can't also ignore the possibility of Dahlias having found Alginos' tomb somehow, despite our best efforts to keep it a secret."
"About that, Sophia" Peros stoically gave her a flash drive. "What is this?" she asked, taking it.
"During the past two days, we only managed to reestablish connection with the facility once. It was this video being broadcasted."
"Did anyone else see it?" "No. It was directly sent to your office and I intercepted it as per your instructions." "I see…" she connected the drive and selected the single file inside it.
At first, she saw a small room with a series of small candle lights and a chair in the middle. But then, the image became clearer and her heart nearly stopped.
Seated on that chair, tied up and horribly bleeding, was Dahlias. He was either dead or very near to it and his state indicated a really painful torture had taken place before that.
Next to him was a bench where a series of bloody surgical tools were spread and in front of them the tall figure of a man.
He was wearing a ceremonial brown robe, filled and dripping in blood, and used a cowl to cover his face, despite staring at the camera.
"I warn you" the voice was deep and feral, filled with cold and controlled malice. "If you are not Sophia Carmel, nothing you see or hear will make any sense. So close the video, for your sake."
What the fuck am I looking at? The woman was dumbstruck. The brutality of the scene plus the seriousness of the voice was horrifying.
"Greetings, Miss Carmel. I know we haven't officially met yet, but I have heard so many things about you from our common friend over here" he pointed at Dahlias' corpse.
"In fact, judging at what he told me during his stay with us, I would say I know more things about you than the rest of Remnant. But rest assured I am not intending to tell anyone- at least for now."
"I will go straight to the point. At the end of this video, you will find directions about a place inside Aegis Forest, just before Everfrost Peak Mountains."
A low growl was heard from below the cowl. "On February 7th, I want you to bring me three barrels of Prof. Azure's concoction in that exact point. I will send my men to gather it."
"Of course, you can always decline. And then I will only have to broadcast in the entire Remnant about the Eldergrimm sleeping under Gloomharrow valley; and how you were fully aware of this all along."
"That asshole" Wenge gritted his teeth. "He is blackmailing you!"
"You are a smart woman; I know you will make the right choice." He stopped for a moment and seemed like thinking of something.
"Oh right, where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself!" He grabbed the camera with his glove-covered left arm and glared at it. Only a pair of shining green eyes was visible.
"My name is Gray Fenris, leader of the Blood Moon Company. I am looking forward to working with you, Ms. Carmel."