So I was going through my manage stories section and found that quite a few favourited and followed this story, Thanks! Feel free to leave feedback too.
Thanks for the reviews as well. And thanks for reading.
So to celebrate, here's a longer chapter than I usual. Enjoy.
Chapter 4
The morning for those in the Schnee manor was an early one. It all started when the sun was peeking over the horizon. A series of loud crashing noises followed by the swearing of what sounded like a child woke up most in the manor.
Now, the normal reaction to hearing a child crashing through every floor going skywards would be to panic, right?
Not for Jacques. Being woken up by the noise like everyone else was more of an annoyance. Didn't people know how busy I am? Waking me up after I just managed to fall asleep, how impudent. He thought as he heard a knock on the door.
A slightly overweight man with a large moustache enters Jacques room after getting a reply.
"Sir, a figure has been spotted falling from the sky; the guards are currently getting ready to catch it."
"….Catch it?" Jacques asks as he slowly wakes up.
"…..Yes Sir, we have reason to believe it is Ira."
"I see. Take care of it Klein. I wish to speak with the boy once he….lands." Jacques replies while gesturing for the butler to leave.
"Yes, Sir." Klein replies
###
"It seems I have caused quite the ruckus." I say to myself with a light chuckle watching the courtyard below.
Mother, Winter, and Weiss are all gathered; each showing amusement, worry and panic respectively. The guards however are all scrambling to get some kind of tarp ready to catch me. Why am I able to calmly observe the courtyard below me while I'm hundreds of meters in the air you ask? Simple, because I've accomplished my goal; Eureka! You see, after noticing that my Glyphs change design and writing, I thought 'If I can change the writing on the basic Glyph to go from attraction and repulsion, couldn't I just do the same and change the design also?' And after a while, well a long, long while I finally cracked it! And cracking it resulted in me being suspended in the air right now, sadly my aura is almost depleted thanks to going through each floor on the way up, luckily there is now a straight hole from my room to the night sky.
"Yeah, this is probably going to take some explaining." I say while looking at the newly christened magic circle below me. "How do I explain that I, a five year old might I add, can do this without dust, doesn't that mean my semblance isn't the same as the Schnee Glyphs?"
"Ah my aura problem." Yup I'm plummeting towards the ground. Spotting Mother has set up a ton of Glyphs on my falling path, I sigh in relief, my first free fall will be successful; Practise for Beacon, I guess?
As I pass through each Glyph, they slow me down as I go, luckily landing on the tarp and not the hard ground beneath.
"Well?" Winter says, no doubt having noticed one of her swords was missing when she woke up.
"Ah, good morning." I say as I stand up, acting as if nothing has happened. Before she could correct my answer though, Weiss tackles me, but I manage to keep from falling.
"I was so worried…. Hic…. You could have died you know….. hic… You already almost died…..hic….. I don't want that to happen again Ira…." It seems I worried her more than I thought.
"Don't worry." I say patting her head, causing her to look up at me. "I'm your big brother aren't I? I wouldn't be able to protect you if something happened." I say with a smile on my face, calming the girl. Seeing this, I continue,
"So you can say my name correctly?" My calming smile changes into a smirk as the girl gets embarrassed.
"Ira." A cold tone interrupts us." Do you want to tell me what you were doing?" It seems mother doesn't wish to beat around the bush. I however have every intention of doing so. The plan for explaining something I don't want to explain? Don't explain.
"I…" I tilt my head and put on a look as if thinking seriously about something. "Fell?" We lock eyes while I keep up my innocence act; I have every intention of using my age to my advantage here. After a while, I win and she sighs, causing Winter to step in.
"I believe he was using his semblance and the gravity dust from my Kalt." Oh, so that's what it's called, I wonder what the other one is called. I wonder as I try my best to look shocked that she found out.
"I see." She says, holding back another sigh. Before turning to the approaching Klein, "Klein, make sure Winter's Kalt has been restocked with gravity dust."
"Right away, Miss Schnee." He says, giving a bow. When his heads comes back up, I notice the eyes have changed colour to a yellow colour, "Good show, my boy, I'm sure you got quite the view." He says jovially before his eyes turn back to light brown, "But it seems Master Jacques wishes to speak with you right away."
Yup I should have realised he wouldn't take to kindly to it. "Show the way."
###
Making our way to his study, Weiss, who tagged along, suddenly shouts,
"Bunk beds!" As if she made a realisation. "So you don't get in any more trouble I need to watch over you." She puffs out her chest as if it's the only conclusion to come to, resulting in a chuckle from me and Klein.
"That old fool wouldn't allow it; he wouldn't even allow you and Young Miss Winter bunkbeds." Klein says, his red eyes showing in his insult towards Jacques.
"That's true." I say further chuckling remembering how petty and cold-hearted the man can be, which shows in our parents recent…. 'rough patch' and why she isn't accompanying us. Realising the gloomy expression on Weiss' face, I continue, "but how about something else? I still haven't gotten you anything for your birthday." I say while ruffling her hair, which is easier than you think considering how short she is even though we are the same age. She recovers and gives a nod.
After entering his office alone, with Klein keeping Weiss company outside I find myself standing in front of his desk as he silently looks at me with his hands over his mouth.
"You are aware that I will have to pay to get the house fixed, yes?" He asks.
"Yes, Father." I say in a respectful tone. When I was watching the show in my old life I always said I would have hit him, but considering he is looking after me and I am only five and wouldn't survive on my own, I should be respectful at the very least.
"Are you also aware that both yours and Weiss' tutors will be coming today? What do you think will happen when they see a hole going through the house, or overhear the guards speaking about what happened? And what if news spreads, hmm? How will our reputation suffer when people begin talking about how a Schnee wasn't even able to control the dust they produce, hmm?" He asks as his anger becomes more apparent in his voice, probably not expecting me to answer more wanting to vent.
"With all due respect, Father, tutoring is typically done in the library. It would be possible to get to the library without going past a hole and while most of the staff knows of me falling from the sky, they don't know anything other than it being because of using my semblance. If you corner off the areas while they are being fixed, they will most likely think it is about refurbishments. Luckily I think I remember you saying you will be refurbishing some rooms." I answer, while I realise a five year old wouldn't able to reply like that, it should most likely be on the level of me being smart, if what Winter said earlier in the week about the conversation with Ironwood, it wouldn't be too farfetched for me, but seriously, prodigy? Isn't that Pyrrha? I guess Ruby would be as well considering she is the youngest in Beacon, as well as being a team leader.
"But word of a child appearing then falling from the sky in the middle of the night could harm our reputation, would it not? It could portray us as rapscallions who like making a ruckus in all hours of the night, don't you agree?" He asks, I can already see his manipulative mind working as he tests me.
"Would it not boost the family's reputation, Father? Calling a meeting with the staff to say the young 'prodigy' of the Schnee family has already succeeded in manipulating dust with his semblance would make them spread it to those outside, it would spread either way, yes. But this way it would be as praise rather than as complaints, everyone one loves to gossip after all, especially when it makes their job sound better." I say, I don't like being manipulative with the feelings of the staff, but right now I need him to lose some of his anger, and nothing is better than making his reputation better. Considering I'm not his kid, he might have taken more….extreme lengths than what I am suggesting.
"It seems you have thought this through. Good work, Boy. I will also be assigning you a combat instructor with Winter. You may leave." He says, a snaky smile on his lips, or at least I think it's a smile; it's you can't really see his lips under his moustache.
"Yes, Father." I say as I exit the study.
When I leave I see Weiss sitting on a chair outside his office while giggling at the sneezing butler with blue eyes. When she sees me, she runs over.
"What happened? He didn't shout like he usually does." She asks, yeah he has been slowly getting worse since both parents got separate rooms.
"It's a bloody miracle." Klein says with his now red eyes, resulting in Weiss trying to hold a giggle, while I chuckle, resulting in her failing her attempt.
"I'll be getting a combat instructor like Winter, but our tutors are coming today, so we might have to wait to go and get you your gift." I say as I ruffle her hair, something I've gotten in the habit of doing recently.
"Okay…. But it will have to be good since I've had to wait for so long." She says, oh how I spoil her.
"Sure, but let's go get breakfast okay." I say leading the way. "Klein, are there any pancakes?"
….
###
And so seven years passed without any more trouble while I took lessons in combat, education, I even learned how to play some instruments on Weiss' urging; it only took me two lifetimes but I can finally play the guitar, go me!
"Ira!" I hear Weiss shout at me as I just about finish my training. She had grown a lot, her hair is longer and she got taller, however she hasn't even started her training yet to be a huntress, I've been slightly worrying over this. I wave back as I start walking over to get a towel to wipe my sweat. Even in Atlas it still gets warm in the summer. I should also note that I have grown as well, I still haven't hit my growth spurt yet so Weiss is roughly the same size as me since girls typically get theirs first. My hair is also a bit wilder than before, but I still have that flick in my hair exposing part of the left side of my forehead above my left eye.
"So, when are you going to start practising?" I ask her as she runs over to me with a fresh towel; the one I had been using was getting a bit dirty, "Thanks."
"I don't need to if you are going to protect me." She states as if it was the obvious answer, "Besides, doesn't Grun already have enough on his plate training you?" She asks, looking at the collapsed form of Grun giving a small chuckle; he had been mine and Winter's instructor from before she went to Atlas academy, he cried tears when she left, now he was crying because of something else though; thank you whoever reincarnated me and gave me this much aura.
"I guess so." I say, joining Weiss in her chuckle, "So why don't I train you? I promise I'll be gentle, Snowflake." I say in a teasing tone, something I've realised is fun to do because she embarrasses easily. "It's just to make sure you can defend yourself, I might not always be there for you, who knows you might enjoy it."
"NO!" She shouts almost immediately, loud enough to wake Grun up from his nap, "You promised you would protect me so you can't leave!"
"But, Weiss, this is…." I try to reply to get her to change her mind but I'm interrupted,
"No! I don't need to train because I'll always have you to protect me!" She shouts again.
"I never said I would leave, but Weiss you…"
"No!" She shouts again, interrupting me, but this time I needed to make sure she understood.
"Weiss!" I shout, interrupting her. My voice was a bit rougher than I usually take with her, showing as she jumped slightly. I put my hand onto her shoulder and begin speaking when I have her attention, "This isn't about whether or not I will leave. I need you to get stronger, to be able to protect yourself. The world is filled with monsters who want nothing else but to get rid of us, not just Grimm, but people too. If not for yourself, then please, for me." I say as I pull her into a hug and pat her head. I don't get a reply after a while of staying like that, as we release each other from the hug; I speak again, changing the subject,
"Hey I got a present for you." Her eyes take on a puzzling look considering there was no reason for me to, although she still seems happy nonetheless. "Remember when we were kids and I said I would go out and get you something with you on your 5th birthday?"
"Oh, that's right…" She gasp as if realising something, "You never did get me anything. We went out again but by then we had forgotten."
"Well since you took so long to decide, I picked something for you." I say with a mischievous smirk.
"Didn't I say it had to be good?" She replies with a teasing tone, knowing my certain….. ineptness at choosing gifts.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Father wishes to speak with us." She continues before I could get a reply in.
"Really? Why would he wish to speak with us?" I ask, I can't even begin to guess as to why.
"Not just us, but Whitley and Winter, as well as a lot of important people in the company, even Mother is supposed to come. It's meant to be a huge ball tonight." She replies, obviously as clueless as me.
"Oh? It must be something big they are celebrating if that's the case. Wait if it's a ball, are you going to be performing? I ask looking at the resident Diva.
"Maybe…" She says, getting a bit shy before pumping herself up and continuing, "I've been practising all week, so you better be ready!" She says enthusiastically.
"All week? So you must have known about this all week also, and this is the first time you're telling me?" I ask with a faux reprimanding tone.
"It wouldn't have been a surprise otherwise." She says making an excuse.
"Well it's fine, but that just means you won't be getting your present until tomorrow." I say teasing her again.
"Awww…" She says with disappointment clear in her voice, "Will you at least give me a hint?" She asks pleading me.
"Hmmm…" I hum, pretending to contemplate, "No, it wouldn't be a surprise if I did." I say, throwing her words back at her.
"Fine, then how about we sing those songs you made up to warm up my voice." She says referencing the songs from my old life I immediately went to work learning to reproduce when I learnt how to play the guitar. Although she says warm up her vocals, it's usually just me singing and playing while she enjoys her, 'private concert'; I don't wish to brag but I am not half bad, Weiss is definitely better though, like comparing brightness between the sun and the moon. I guess she just likes listening for a change.
"Sure." I say while chuckling.
###
After a few hours of as I expected, just me singing, it should be noted that I absolutely killed it by the way, I think that was my best version of Walkin' Blues by Jay H.
When we made our way to the ballroom, it was absolutely filled with people. Not just were they high ranking members of the company, but also some people I have never seen before.
'Seriously what the hell does he want to do with this many people, I honestly have no clue at this point.' I think to myself as I notice Weiss is thinking the same thing. Looking at her, she is wearing a very modest dress, thankfully Remnant still has its morals compared to my old world considering how it was when I….left. I myself am in a 3 piece suit, it's probably the most high-class thing I have ever worn, even though I am technically a Schnee the suit I have on now just seems way too expensive for a 12 year old. While Weiss' has shades of light blue to white around the bottom, my colour scheme is slightly darker, with midnight blue suit jacket and trousers, a grey waistcoat, a red tie and a white shirt.
"Maybe he's quitting." I whisper to her as we take in the amount of officials attending, resulting in a giggle.
"Should we congratulate Winter now then?" She asks, playing along.
"No, no, we wouldn't want it to go to her head." I reply as we make our way over to the person in question, who is wearing a much more…fitting dress, accentuating her curves adding some adult charm to the huntress-in-training. After appreciating such a spectacle, I say,
"Welcome back, Winter." With Weiss saying the same thing.
"It's good to see you both. Ira I hear you have been giving Grun a tough time during your training?" She asks, with a slight hint of proudness in her tone. Grun wasn't a huntsman, so he wasn't anywhere near as capable as probably even Winter anymore considering she will be entering her third year this year. However he is one of the best swordsmen in all the four kingdoms. On skill alone he could contend with a huntsman.
"It would seem so." I chuckle, remembering how he was when I told the greying man that I wouldn't need any more training today. "But that is because I have better stamina thanks to my aura; he is undoubtedly still my better in pure swordsmanship, I doubt it would turn out like it does if he was younger."
"You haven't been practising your semblance?" She asks, slightly in disbelief.
"I have been practising my semblance, however I believe it would be better to get a solid technique in fighting and other martial arts before I begin incorporating my semblance into them or else I won't be able to fight without relying on it." I say to her, however before she could reply, Jacques comes over to us,
"Weiss, if you could make your way backstage and prepare."
"Yes, Father." Weiss curtsy's before walking away.
"Winter, you are aware what tonight is about and will act with the gracefulness of a Schnee." He says, making it sound more like an order than a question.
"Yes, Father." She says, he then spares me a look and turns away.
"What was that about?" I ask, feeling like I'm in some kind of 3rd rate soap opera.
"I am being stripped of my position as heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."