Chapter 10: Aqua the Best Schnee

Aqua Schnee, the firstborn child of Willow and Jacques Schnee. The one who initially held the title of the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. Jacques thought he could mould her. To have her see things the same way he does. He failed. Thanks to her grandfather, Aqua learned about the ancient Schnee past. How the Schnees were a family of royal knights. How they held to honour and loyalty above all else.

But with Jacques in charge, that has all changed. Saying the old Schnee values are outdated and barbaric, "Barbaric?! How dare you?! My grandfather shed blood, sweat and tears to make the Schnee Dust Company a reality! You're the only president because you tricked him into giving you the company. Taking advantage of an old man reaching the end of his days, pathetic!" Aqua angrily shouts.

"How dear you talk to your father like that! Show some respect!" Jacques shouted back. He slams his fist on his desk and points his finger at the 15-year-old Aqua.

Aqua slams her fist on the desk so hard that it cracked, "YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER! MASTER ERAQUS IS! HE HAS BEEN MORE OF A FATHER TO ME THAN YOU EVER WOULD! IT'S THANKS TO HIM THAT I DISCOVERED THAT I'M THE MASTER OF MY FATE! NOT YOU!"

"I knew letting him take you to that place was a mistake," Jacques mumbles to himself. Thinking that Aqua wouldn't hear her. But Aqua had developed a sharp sense of hearing.

"The only mistake is you as president of the company! I have Schnee blood running through my veins! Not you! People are talking about how much a failure of a president you are! You don't hear that because you surround yourself with a bunch of yes men who only care about how much you pay them!" Aqua shouts.

Jacques angrily gets up from his desk, walks around it and stomps towards Aqua. He raises his hand and attempts to slap Aqua. But she blocks his hand and punches him in the face so hard that she gives him a bloody and broken nose. The force of her punch even knocked him to the floor, "Is that the best response you can come up with, how pathetic!" Aqua growled.

"Hitting your father? How-" Jacques was cut off by Aqua.

"You were about to hit me! I acted in self-defence!" Aqua shouts, "Unlike my mother! My spirit is not broken!" Aqua turns and is about to leave Jacques' office but stops and looks at his large self-portrait that is hanging behind his desk. She summons her white Keyblade and shoots a block of ice at it and freezes the painting, "Your self-worship is sad," Aqua said and leaves.

Waiting outside for her is Willow and Klein, "You showed him," Klein said nervously.

"She sure did," Willow said. As usual, she's holding a glass and bottle of wine. A sight Aqua is getting sick and tired of seeing. So she smacks the glass of wine out of Willow's hand and snatches the bottle from her mother's hand and tosses it on the ground.

Aqua grabs Willow's collar and pulls her in close, "You are much to blame as he is!" Aqua growled.

"How is it my fault? And get your hands off of me!" Willow growled.

"You did nothing! All you ever do is drink and let that man drag our family name through the mud!" Aqua growled and raised her Keyblade, "This was once yours! Do you know why it left you and went to me? I'll tell you! Your heart became weak! You let that man trick you so that he can solve all of your problems! Don't even try to deny it, your old Party told me!"

Willow looks at her old Keyblade, Snow Stormfall, "They told you huh?" Willow asked.

"They told me you were one of the best! You even had the rank of Master but you threw it all away!" Aqua shouts and shoves Willow back, "And for what?! For a man who lied to you and stole our family company!"

Sensing how heating things are between Aqua and Willow, Klein quickly steps in between them, "That's quite enough Aqua. Go see Winter, Weiss and Whitley. They are waiting for you and want to hear what you've been up to," Klein said softly.

Aqua nods, "Yeah but first," before Klein can do anything, Aqua walks up to Willow and slams the teeth of her Keyblade on Willow's stomach. Willow falls to her knees, holding her stomach and coughing for air, "That's for being an absolute failure of a mother!"

Klein quickly went to Aqua's side and held her hand, "Go see your siblings, they miss you," Klein said in a kind and pleading voice.

"Yeah, you're right. You're always right," Aqua said. She turns and makes her way to her room because that is where her siblings are waiting.

Klein then checks on Willow, "Are you alright?" he asked with a worried tone.

"I deserved it," Willow said. "She's right. I am a failure,"

Klein wished this will be the last time Aqua will do this but he knows it will not.

For the next 3 years, Aqua will continue to confront Jacques whether at home or in public. She puts everything he did in question. Especially how he treats the Faunus.

Whenever he comes home angry that the White Fang stole and raided another Dust shipment. Aqua will counter-argument that the White Fang won't do the things they are doing if they were treated properly and if he didn't cut corners on security.

Every time Aqua and Jacques meet, an argument ensues. And every time, Jacques loses the argument and comes out humiliated or with a black eye.

Soon mostly everyone in Atlas started calling Aqua the best Schnee. It was due to her charisma, passion and being a woman of action. Some of the old residents of Atlas say Aqua reminds them of Nicholas. Now that's a leader.

So out of desperation, Jacques hatches a plan to have Aqua removed and have it pinned on the White Fang. That way, Weiss will have a good reason why the Faunus are monsters. The White Fang tried to clear their name but Jacques had more money and a better PR team so the world was convinced that they are Aqua's killers.

Not knowing that Aqua is in a hidden lab in frozen states. Subject to the Shadow Aura project. Her name was replaced by letters and numbers.

Now that Aqua is in a state Jacques always wanted, waits in Atlas. Not caring that his castle in Menagerie is currently being bombarded. Once Cinder gets taken over by the upgraded Shadow Aura, he'll return to Menagerie and show the Faunus of the world that slavery will always be their destiny.

Indeed Cinder is having difficulty fighting Aqua. Not only does she have to focus on the fight but to resist the corruption of the Shadow Aura. Cinder does have a way to free Aqua. The Yamato can separate man from the darkness. She just needs to find an opening and say the phrase to activate Yamato's ability.

That will be difficult because unlike with Cloud, Aqua is not fighting mindlessly. She's using everything she has learned. But Cinder notices Aqua is fighting in a pattern. Once she sees an opening in that pattern, she will strike.

Aqua teleports up high in the air. She conjures dark purple blocks of ice and sends them to Cinder. The Faunus King slashes at them with the Yamato and Excalibur. The blades easily cut through the ice. But Aqua is not done yet; she teleports at Cinder and slashes her with her Keyblade.

Cinder dodges and parries Aqua's fast in-coming attacks. "I can't waste any more time on the defensive. It's getting harder and harder to resist the Shadow Aura!" Cinder thought.

Aqua then did something Cinder didn't expect and that is create clones of herself. Aqua and her clones surround Cinder. They moved around her while spinning. As they circled, snow swirled around her. Sensing an upcoming attack, Cinder prepares her special move, Judgement Cut End. This is the first time she has done it with two swords but desperate times come with desperate measures.

Aqua and her clones stop spinning. They raise their Keyblades and each of them creates a large snowflake. At the same time, Cinder did the Judgement Cut End attack. Her move hits Aqua and her clones. The clones disappeared but Aqua is still able to fight and dashes at Cinder.

Cinder has her back turned and can't dodge out of the way because Aqua is coming in too fast. But someone intercepted Aqua. It was Cloud. He hits her hard with his Buster Sword and sends her flying. Aqua hits the barrier so hard that it cracked. Cloud's attack even dealt a sizable amount of damage to Aqua's Aura.

"Now's your chance!" Cloud shouts.

"Right!" Cinder nods, "Heavy chains that bind my bones!" once Cinder said that the Yamato starts to glow. She then uses her Semblance and sends a Summon Sword near Aqua's head. Using her Semblance's second ability, dashes at Aqua at great speed. She slashes Aqua across the chest.

As Aqua cries out in pain, the barrier trapping Cinder and Cloud shattered. Not only that, darkness starts to leave Aqua's body and goes into the Yamato and absorbs it.

"Thanks, I owe you one," Cinder said to Cloud and sheathed her swords.

"You helped me out so now I'm returning the favour," Cloud said and looked at Aqua who is currently laying on the floor. "It looks like she's back to normal,"

Cinder removes her helmet, "Yeah but she still has Shadow Aura. Thankfully it's now stable,"

"That's good to know," Aqua groans and tries to get up but is too tired.

Cinder reaches out a hand, "I'm Cinder and that's Cloud," she said motioning to Cloud with her head, "No need to tell me who you are. Winter told me all about you,"

"Thanks," Aqua said and took Cinder's hand.

Cinder pulls Aqua up on her feet, "Winter and Ven are going to be shocked when they see you,"

"I bet they are," Aqua said. She grabs onto Cinder's arm when the room starts to shake, "What was that?" Aqua asked.

"General Ironwood is attacking your dad's castle," Cloud explains.

"General Ironwood? How long was I out?!" Aqua gasped.

"Too long," Raven said as she walked up to Cinder, Aqua and Cloud. "What you need to know right now is Menagerie is being liberated and my daughter is going to take over as its rightful king," Raven said and motioned to the crown on Cinder's head.

Aqua quickly realizes who Cinder is, "You're Faunus King?! The book of prophecies was right?!"

Cinder tilts her head, "The what?"

Before Aqua could answer, Raven cuts in, "We need to go find Jacques and kill that bastard!"

Ironwood then enters the treasure room. He had an angry look on his face, "That won't be happening I'm afraid, that coward has fled the country,"

"I was so hoping to plunge Yamato into his heart and make him pay for all the crimes he committed!" Cinder growls.

"He'll wish he was dead once we announce to the world that Menagerie is in your hands and Aqua is alive and well," Ironwood said with a smile.

Aqua smiles as well, "Oh I can imagine the look on his face,"

"Come, the announcement will be held in the throne room," Ironwood said and motioned for everyone to follow him. He looks at Cloud and smiles warmly, "It's good to see you back Cloud,"

Cloud smiles and puts the Buster Sword on his shoulder, "It's good to be back,"

Meanwhile, in the Schnee Family manor, Winter, Weiss and Whitley were "enjoying" tea time with their mother in the garden. Winter is currently watching the news. She wants to know what is going on in Menagerie. She's the only one paying attention to what the newscaster is saying.

Weiss and Whitley were reading their books and Willow were as usual drinking her wine. Both Whitley and Willow ignored Winter's excitement when the broadcast changed to a live feed from Menagerie. It showed Cinder and Ironwood.

"Menagerie now rightfully belongs to us, Faunus," Cinder began, "The former so-called ruler fled like the coward he is and now I occupy the empty throne he has left behind. As the new ruler Menagerie is renamed. Because the name of the land meant for us Faunus was nothing more than a large cage to trap us. No more! It will now be what is meant to be, a home for us Faunus. So for now on, Menagerie will be called, the Kingdom of the Faunus!"

The Schnee family then hears loud cheering coming from inside the manor, "You did it! I know you will!" Winter smiles.

"You believed in her?" Weiss asked.

"Of course, she's my friend. You'll understand once you have a close friend," Winter said

Weiss sighs "I hope so,"

Cinder continues her speech, "I couldn't have done it without the help of General Ironwood and the freedom fighters here," Cinder smiles, "As we fought on this land, we discovered shocking secrets Jacques Schnee had hidden on this land," Cinder makes a motion for someone come in the camera's view.

Weiss, Whitley and Willow all stood up when they heard a voice they haven't heard for a long time, "I'm alive!" Aqua said with a smile, "Jacques lied to you about my death. I'm honestly surprised you all believed him. After all, he's a known liar. The reason why I look like I haven't aged a day is that I was in suspended animation and subject to all manner of experiments." Aqua then makes a mocking smile, "I'm free now Jacques and I have King Cinder to thank. I can't wait to meet you face to face,"

As Aqua laughed and the broadcast ended, Weiss, Winter, Whitley and Willow had tears running down their faces. They still can't believe Aqua is alive.

Klein comes running in, "Willow! Have you heard?!"

Willow nods, "Yes! Aqua is alive!"

Just then a red portal opens near them, "What is that?" Whitley asked.

"It will take us to Aqua! Follow me!" Winter says and runs into the portal. Seeing as Winter didn't hesitate, Weiss follows after her. Whitley and Willow were a bit hesitant but Aqua pops her head out of the portal.

"What's taking you?" Aqua asks then pulls her head back into the portal.

Seeing Aqua was enough to convince Whitley and Willow to enter the portal. Klein entered as well. He too wants to see Aqua.

Upon seeing Aqua, Weiss, Winter, and Whitley all hug their long-lost sister at the same time. "You all grew so much," Aqua said and looked at Winter, "We are the same age now," she smiles.

Winter smiles, "That we are,"

Aqua smiles and starts to get teary-eyed, "I missed you all," she then looks at Willow and feels her tears dry up, "Yes and even you,"

The three Schnee siblings move out of the way so their mother can get close to Aqua, "I can't believe I said that," Aqua looks away and sighs. She was taken off guard then Willow runs up to Aqua and hugs her tightly.

"It's so good to have you back!" Willow cries.

Aqua was taken aback. She awkwardly hugs back. She then feels a familiar hand grab her shoulder. She turns her head and sees Klein.

"It's good to see you Aqua," Klein smiles.

Aqua smiles back, "It's good to see you too,"

As Aqua reunites with the family she cares about, Jacques was in an absolute panic, "How can this be!? I had everything planned out perfectly! What went wrong?!" he said as he walked around his office.

The doors to his office burst open and a young woman about Cinder's age walks in. She's wearing a black and blue dress with long and large sleeves, a white sash draped over her shoulders. On her head is a large black and blue crown that has a veil that covers her face. Jacques can only make out that she's wearing blue lipstick. He can still see her hair which is long and pink. She's holding a very large staff that almost looks like a battle axe.

Two men are with her, one has short brown hair and the other has black hair and is wearing black armour. "The new queen of Atlas has graced you with her presence," the man in the black armour said.

"Queen of Atlas? What happened to the council?" Jacques asked.

"They were doing a lousy job in running this kingdom so we got rid of them and replaced them with someone better," the brown-haired young man said and pointed at the queen with his thumb.

"The only one left on the council is Ironwood," the man in the black armour said. "He's the only one who showed true leadership,"

"Boy is he in for a surprise once he gets back," the brown-haired young man chuckles.

The Queen of Atlas walks up to Jacques. The aura this woman is giving off is making Jacques too afraid to move, "I've come here today to tell you that no longer you will have government protection from all the misdeeds you've committed. So for now on make sure you conduct proper business. No dealing with criminals from now on. Oh, and you must give the Faunus the work conditions they deserve. Fail to do so,"

Suddenly a large black sword with an eye on the hilt is at Jacques' neck, "Will result in deadly consequences. Is that understood?" the queen asked.

Jacques nods rapidly, "Y-Yes!"

"Good, now have a good day," the queen smiles and turns to leave. The two men follow behind her.

Right as they leave Jacques checks the news if what they are saying is true. It is, the government has changed. A monarch now rules Atlas and her word is the law!

World of Remnant has a King Arthur and now a Morgan le Fay.

A/N: Some of the beginning parts of this chapter are based on personal experiences.