9

Determination of the Quiet

It was Yang who reacted first, Ember Celica clicking into weapon mode as she jumped towards the multi-colored woman without hesitation. She yelled at everyone to get back and ignored Ruby's shocked face while throwing several rapid punches at the woman. First she needed to get Neo's attention and keep it while everyone else can come from behind or the sides in order to subdue the criminal.

Yang's flurry of attacks were either avoided or deflected but but she didn't waste much energy on them anyways. The point was to keep her dodging until the team could back her up and it was about them that she realized that no one had done so. A quick glance back showed Ren with his hand on Nora's shoulder though she had her hammer our and ready. A flash of rose petals and her younger sister was between her and her opponent with her arms outstretched sideways facing Yang.

"No fighting Yang!"

"Ruby she worked with Torchwick, she's here for revenge. Get out of the way." The blonde didn't lower her stance and tried to duck around her sister but Ruby moved to block her again. Behind her Neo waved cheekily at her.

"Dammit Ruby get the hell outta the way!" Her eyes were crimson at this point and zeroed in on the object of her rage.

"No Yang, she's not her to hurt us she's on our side!"

Yang's thought process came to a halt as she stared at her sister. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her younger sister, the pieces falling into place but feeling the need to confirm it, "Ruby. Does this have anything to do with when you disappeared?"

Ruby's silence was answer enough.

"Dammit Ruby! Why the hell wouldn't you tell me about something like this?! WHAT HAPPENED?"

"She found me at Midoriumi. She thought I killed Torchwick since I was the last to see him. I managed to convince her that it wasn't me. She asked who was responsible but since it was a Grimm it wasn't really anybody's fault except the person who planned it so she kinda agreed to keep in touch and go after Cinder with us." Yang crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "I was gonna tell everyone, honest! I just didn't think she was just gonna show up again so soon, she said she'd stay in touch."

Behind her Neo smiled and put her thumb and pinky next to her ear like a phone. It was Ren who spoke up next, having gone and comforted the poor receptionist who looked to be on the verge of a panic attack, "Perhaps the rest should be discussed privately? If we aren't going to start a fight in the middle of this inn, that is."

Yang's cheeks flushed with color when she realized they were in the middle of an inn and every other patron was staring at their group. With a cough she folded her arms with Ember Celica sliding back into bracelet form.

Neo strode up to Yang with a grin that she could only she as malicious and extended a hand out to her. The blonde looked at it like it was a snake but reluctantly shook it after seeing the hopeful expression on Ruby's face.

Yang couldn't help but think that she was going to regret this.

"Hello dear Sister."

Weiss grimaced a little when she heard the voice behind her. She didn't want to deal with Whitley right now, not when she had training to do. They hadn't spoken since the one time when she had been summoned to her father's office and she would have prefered it to stay that way. However she couldn't lose face or show weakness in front of him so she collected herself and put on her best face for pleasantries before turning to address him.

"Hello Whitley. Is there something you needed of me?" The same pleasant smile was on his face.

"Why I have barely had a chance to speak to my beloved sister since she got home. I was so worried when I heard about Beacon. It had been such a relief to have you back home where you can recover."

"Thank you for your concern Whitley. As you can see, I am doing well right now and have fully recovered from my experience." She had noticed what he'd said and judging from the way his eyes twitch he knew she knew. Neither were going to let on with their facade however.

"That's wonderful to hear Sister, should you need to speak with me I will, of course, be available."

"I will keep that in mind, Brother." Not in a million years, she thought to herself. She watched him turn and walk back to wherever it was he came from with his hands clasped behind his back in a poor imitation of their father. Everything Whitley did or said was an attempt at mimicry of their father and it went poorly. He was too young to understand gravitas and simply came off as conceited or creepy.

Weiss had known her younger brother resented both her and Winter for being older and therefore heirs. He wanted the same power as father and he hated the fact that his older sisters were first in line in front of him. With Winter being disinherited for joining the Atlas military the title fell onto Weiss. Her eyes narrowed as she pieced together what he was saying, most likely he was scheming to have her disinherited to, through some scandal or maybe finding a way to make her seem incapable.

Whitley was greedy and not the most talented of the siblings, earning scorn from their father despite how badly he tried to be like the man. For Jacques, none of his children were good enough and all were pawns. It was something both Winter and Weiss had come to realize in time. Whitley was still trying to earn his approval and, therefore, love.

Once he was gone Weiss sighed to herself before making her way to the gardens.

Opening the door to the manor's indoor garden Weiss felt a wave a warm air flood over her before closing the door behind her. The area was fairly large with trees and various plants throughout the garden. The place had a veritable army of caretakers. Up above the heat lamps simulated a warm day, like the ones she had gotten used to in Vale. Taking in the fragrant smells the heiress made her way towards the center of the garden.

A woman sat in the center under a parasol with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, a butler stood in attendance some distance away. The heiress' footsteps slowed as she approached her mother. Her hands wrung together and she bit her lower lip.

"Weiss don't just stand there like the scenery, come here." Willa Schnee looked at her daughter expectantly. Dutifully she approached her mother and greeted her with a curtsy.

"Good day Mother." She tried to look Willa in the eyes but the unfocused look of inebriation made her turn her eyes downward, "I hope you are well today."

"Why, Weiss, I am doing absolutely wonderful now! Winter's galavanting all across Mistral for Ironwood, Whitley still has delusions of grandeur and my middle daughter finally has deigned to speak with me." She took another draught of wine before fixing her daughter with a stare.

"I… am sorry Mother. I have been… unwell since coming back from Vale." Willa put her book down and blinked her eyes, taking yet another drink from her wine glass.

"Hmmm yes I had heard about Beacon. A tragedy. You are fine though now? No lasting effects?"

"No Mother. I am fine. How have you been while I was away?" Weiss clasped her hands behind her back only because if she hadn't she would be fiddling with them and that would be poor form.

"Oh delightful. With you and Winter gone I only had my son and husband for company. I'm sure you can imagine how warm that was. However, I barely noticed that you were back. It is high time you showed your face in front of me Weiss."

"Again, Mother, I am sorry bu-"

"But nothing Weiss. Any excuse not to visit your drunk of a mother?" Her eyes were no longer unfocused as they bored into Weiss', "Really now. Winter's already abandoned the family are you going to as well?"

The heiress clenched her hands and closed her eyes for a long moment, "I would never abandon you Mother. However I also have my duty as a Schnee to uphold."

Willa scoffed and waved the butler away,

"Duty of a Schnee," She hissed, "I did my duty and married for the good of the SDC. Jacques took over and now the SDC is more powerful than before but what about my happiness, Weiss? Do I get a happy ending too? My husband treats me like a tool and my children pretend I don't exist. So tell me Weiss, what duty?"

The heiress took a step back, the words coming as if a physical blow. Her Mother had been drinking for as long as Weiss could remember and she was a stoic and cold woman, seeing her like this was a first for the young woman. Willa's chest heaved as she shielded her eyes from view, her glass lay forgotten on the table next to her.

"Mother…. I have a duty as someone with more to use the opportunities given to me to do what I think is right. And I think that would be best served as a huntress. It is why I chose to attend Beacon Academy. Terrible things are happening in the world right now and I refuse to just sit here locked up to become a pawn in the machinations of my Father."

The silence was deafening as the young woman realized she had let her passion get the better of her and raised her voice against her own mother. A hand up to her mouth Weiss looked at Willa to gauge her reaction but nothing was forthcoming. Realizing that it would be futile to expect a response anymore she turned and started back towards her room, uncertain as to what she expected coming to her mother after so long.

It had been many years since Willa stopped trying to be a mother, around the time Winter started training at Atlas Academy to join the Specialists. While she had a tendency for alcoholism before, once her older daughter left the household and joined the military it only got worse with her secluding herself to the garden nearly everyday, closed off to everything and content to be abandoned.

Or so Weiss had thought but maybe not all was as it seemed as she walked away from her mother.

"I hope you were stronger than I was, Weiss."

The voice was quiet and nearly rooted the young woman to the ground but she moved on as if she had not heard her mother's parting comment. Worry gave way to determination once again as icy, blue eyes stared directly ahead and Weiss stood just a little taller.

"I still don't like this." Yang huffed and crossed her arms as they walked along the well worn road to the next town, their sixth member walking with a silent spring in her step to the right of Jaune.

While Ruby couldn't say she trusted the woman, she trusted the fact that Neo wanted vengeance. That was enough to convince her to at least not show any animosity towards the woman. That was if she hadn't immediately started hanging awfully close to Jaune since they left.

The young huntress had to keep telling herself not to say anything, Jaune was awesome and Neo saw that. That's all there was to it.

Neo wrapped her arms around one of Jaune's, pressing her chest against it and looked over at Yang with a smug smile. Ruby's eyebrow twitched violently along with Yang's. The multi-colored girl had been purposefully pushing the blonde-haired huntress' button ever since they had left in the early morning. They could all feel the heat radiating from the blonde, she hadn't been happy with the decision to let Neo accompany them though the woman herself made it clear that it would only be part way for now and that she had business to attend to before meeting them at Haven.

I could just let Yang strangle her. Ruby thought, looking at how Jaune was trying, and failing, to pretend she wasn't affecting him. Luckily it was Ren who saved the day.

"Jaune, what's the name of the town we are heading to next?" Jaune paused to take out the large map that required two hands to hold and thus Neo was forced to let go of him. Ruby decided to get Ren some peace and quiet away from Nora sometime as thanks.

"A small village by the name of Tetsu. It's located near a river at the top of a valley. The locals at the last village were saying it's a pretty peaceful village with low Grimm activity. Basically just another frontier village. There's another, larger, village a few more days beyond that called Shion. It's near one of the areas my family vacationed in."

"Oh? Know any good, romantic spots we could watch the sunset from?" Yang went right back tom teasing him, her default for the past few months.

"Eh, I mean I can think of a few spots that would be good for that. Mom and Dad certainly loved them."

Neo tugged on his sleeve and pointed from him to her and back again.

"You want to go together?" She nodded happily as the blonde went red.

Ruby felt another increase in temperature from her sister and could almost hear her teeth grinding together.

"I fucking hate her."

Ruby couldn't agree more.

A/N: Okay so yeah short chapter today and late. I'm sorry. I try and have a minimum word count but I didn't wanna stretch this one and have it feel like it's dragging on. As you can no doubt tell we are FINALLY getting into V4 territory.

To be honest Weiss has been a rollercoaster character for me. When I first saw the White trailer I was in love and then we were introduced to a bitchy, snobby, heiress. Slowly, however, I have come to love her once again as her heart thaws and she makes these friends that will last a lifetime. It really touches my heart whenever I see that part in V5 when Weiss and Yang meet up again.