Here's chapter 2, everyone.
"Hiya!" Weiss yelled out as she swung her toy sword around, while Winter chuckled watching her. "Take that!" The eight year old grinned and hit the pillow Winter was holding up for her to practice on.
Winter enjoyed playing with her little sister, even if she was fifteen. "You know, a pillow monster will quake in fear when it meets you, little sister."
Weiss giggled cutely and sat on the floor, watching as Winter lowered the pillow. "When is mama coming back from shopping? I wanna play with her!" The eight year old whined.
"Come on, Weiss. You know whining won't get you what you want." Winter noticed her words made her younger sister frown, so she scooted over and sat next to her. "Mom will be back in a little while. Promise." She wrapped an arm around Weiss and pulled her close. "You don't want mom to see you sad, right?"
The younger sibling gasped and shook her head a bunch. "N-No." She quickly smiled and Winter chuckled as she ruffled her hair a bit. "I'm sorry."
"For whining? Don't be so sorry, little sister." Winter stood up and offered her hand to Weiss, who happily accepted and was lifted up. "We should clean up before mom gets back though."
Weiss looked around and noticed that some pillows were thrown around and the bedsheets were pulled down a bit. "Oops." She giggled a bit.
"Yeah, oops." Winter smirked and ruffled Weiss' hair again, earning a pout from the younger sibling. "If mom finds out I'm telling her you wanted to play knight again."
"Winter!" Weiss whined again. "You said we could!"
"Yes, and I also said whining will get you nowhere, so stop pouting and help me clean up." Winter said. "If you do, then I promise the next time I go shopping with mom I'll get you that dress you really wanted."
Weiss gasped happily and quickly started gathering the pillows from the ground, doing her best to get them on the bed as fast as she could. It made Winter chuckle as she herself started setting the pillows back up in a cleaner manner.
"Don't start with me, Willow. You know what we talked about when you brought her here." Jacques said over the scroll, which Willow could only roll her eyes at his response. "Whitley is all I need to worry about."
"And what of Winter and Weiss? Do you wish to pretend they don't even exist? Is that what you'll do, just because they aren't boys?" Willow growled, but kept her voice down since she was in a public place.
"I let her have a home, and enough butlers to take care of them. Besides, what would I even do with them. Those two have obviously no interest in the one company that gives them a roof over their heads." Jacques fired back.
"They're your children!" She whispered in anger, wishing she could blow up on him.
"No. Winter is. Weiss is not. Winter is old enough to do what she wants, so any argument from this point on that you try to make is invalid." His words stung, and Willow was digging her nails into her palm.
"What happened to having a heart… She looks to you as her father. You know this, Jacques." Willow pleaded.
"I am a realist. You knew this. Now then, I have business to attend to." Jacques expressed his distaste in the conversation, but he waited on his wife's response.
"It's always business." Willow looked saddened. "Fine. Do what you want, but at least be there to say happy birthday. Please do that at least."
She heard Jacques groan. "If it'll make you stop hassling me, then fine. Goodbye."
Willow stood in the spot she was at, sighing to herself as she closed her scroll and put it in her purse. "Damn it." She cursed under her breath. "No, don't let him ruin this day." Willow took a breath and walked around the town with one bag in hand. One very important bag. "Come on, where is it?"
Atlas was always filled with a multitude of places to go, ranging from clothes stores, to nightclubs, to aquariums, but for Willow, it was to find a certain blacksmith.
"Where are you? Come on."
She was starting to feel annoyed as she reached into her purse and looked at the directions. "An address would have been so much better, but no… It always has to be some kind of puzzle." Willow sighed and when she looked up from the paper, she realized she was standing right in front of where she needed to be. "Of course…" With a groan, she walked in and looked around, smelling the iron in the back being smelted.
It wasn't foreign to her, as she's had to go back and forth with this person's smithing shop. "You know, it's always fun messing with you, Willow." The woman grinned as she walked over with her goggles still on, dirt on her face from her work.
"Summer… You keep moving from place to place. Why can't you ever settle in one spot?" Willow asked as she set her bag down.
With a chuckle, Summer lifted her goggles up and shrugged. "What can I say? I like moving around a lot. And besides, I'm used to going from kingdom to kingdom, so spot to spot here in Atlas is a cakewalk."
"Yes, I get that. Moving around is your thing, but sometimes it's better to just keep something planted." Willow said as she took a seat on one of the chairs Summer pulled over.
Summer let out a small grin and stuck her tongue out at Willow. "To each their own, right?" Willow playfully rolled her eyes and Summer sighed happily. "In all seriousness though, I am thinking about settling down a permanent spot in Patch. My family is out there… And I know how they get when I take jobs all the way up here."
Willow knew all about family. Hers was all over the place, but she still couldn't gloss over how Summer felt. "If you want my opinion, I think you should."
"Really?" Summer was a little surprised.
"Yes, you're one of the best blacksmiths on Remnant, and I would miss our talks here and there, but you have a family that you yourself miss every day. Don't think I don't pay attention, Summer." Willow got up and placed her hand on Summer's shoulder. "Be with your family and do something you love."
Summer sighed and hugged Willow, knowing the white haired woman would be a bit flustered by it. "Thank you, Willow… And, don't take this the wrong way, but… I feel like you should be doing the same."
"What do you-." Before she could continue, Summer interrupted.
"Don't think I don't pay attention either." Summer's tone was a lot more serious. "Jacques, he's an ass. And don't tell me he isn't." Willow sighed in response and Summer continued. "You have three kids you love to no end, but you tell me he barely pays attention to two of them."
"I… I can't say I'm surprised, okay." Willow sat back down, feeling stressed just from talking about Jacques, and Summer waited as the white haired woman held her hand on her head, closing her eyes. "I was speaking to him on my way here. I had to beg him just to say happy birthday to Weiss."
Summer wanted to swear, but she held it in and sat next to her friend, dusting off the round table they were sat at. "A father shouldn't need to be begged to say happy birthday to his child, or even asked to. He should do it because he loves her."
"That's…" Willow took a breath. "That's just it. I don't think he does love her. He doesn't even consider her his daughter." She wanted to cry, but with Summer, she was able to fight off the tears. "Sometimes I wish I could take my children and leave, but… I'd leave behind my family legacy and risk my children's wellbeing if I can't support them alone."
"You can always come with me. You know that I'd help you." Summer insisted.
Willow was able to somehow let out a small smile, placing her hand on Summer's. "I know… But it would tear my family apart as well. I can't do that to my children."
"You're a caring mother, Willow." Summer gave her a one armed hug, but deep down she was sad for her friend. "I want to help you… I will help you. Just, I'll find a way."
"Stop being so dramatic." Willow wiped away a tear that had managed to slip past her. "Come now. I did show up here for more than a chit chat with an old friend."
"Hey! I'm not that old!" Summer playfully whined as she jumped out of the chair, making Willow chuckle in response, so the blacksmith grinned. "There's the laugh. I knew I could get it out of you."
"Yes, yes, you did a good thing. Add it to the list of the many good deeds you have done." Willow smiled and got up, reaching into the bag she brought over. "Hmm, I believe… Yes, here it is." She pulled out a paper, specifically one Summer had given her. "I believe this will do."
When Willow handed Summer the paper, she couldn't help but smirk. "So this is what she wants?" When Willow nodded, Summer put her goggles back on. "This baby is gonna be a work of art when I'm through with it. I just need to see if I have the right material."
"If Jacques is good for one thing, it's his connections. I can have whatever material you need delivered. Just tell me the name and I'll work on it." Willow replied.
"Hmm, nah, I don't think I'll need it. I got the material I need." Summer winked at her. "Trust me."
Willow was surprised she would have the kind of material for the weapon she was going to make and followed her to the back. "Elegance is usually not the word I'd associate your work with… So unless you've been-." Willow stopped and looked at the brick shaped material that Summer placed on the table.
"You were saying?" Summer had her grin on, making Willow groan. "This bad boy was given to me as a reward for working on the Arc line of armor. So, yeah, I don't mind using it for this project."
"I-I… That means a lot to me. Thank you, Summer." Willow said as she decided to give her the hug this time. "And, um, I'm sorry for asking you to make this so many years in advanced."
Summer pulled away and flicked her on the forehead, earning a yelp from the white haired woman. "You are way too apologetic when you don't need to be. And besides, I did say I want to move my workshop to Patch… So now is the best time to get working on this."
Willow rubbed her forehead and pouted a bit. "Fine, I suppose that what you say does bring up a good point." She looked down at the silver colored material. "How long do you think it'll take?"
"A week, two at the max." Summer guessed. "Still, thinking about it, this one is gonna be a lot harder on you to keep from her for a few years."
"I know, but I can't just give her a weapon at her age. You know that." Willow stated. "To have it made though, it's all that matters. I just can't wait for the day I show it to her."
Summer grinned again. "Pictures. All of them, and I wanna be the first to see them. Got it?"
Willow playfully rolled her eyes. "Seeing as you'll be making the gift, I suppose it's only fair." Something in Willow's heart made her smile as she brought her hand to her chest, earning a confused look from Summer. "S-Sorry. I was just thinking about Weiss."
"I said it before, you're a caring mother. An amazing one at that." Summer smiled.
Willow never did tell Summer the truth about Weiss, but in her heart, she felt it wasn't needed to be told. Weiss was her daughter, not by blood, but she realized it the first year she took Weiss in. She loved her like a daughter, and raised her as her own, but she still never forgot her promise.
"Remnant to Willow." Summer snapped her fingers in front of the white haired woman's face, getting her to focus back on her. "You in there still?"
"S-Stop that." Willow lightly slapped her hand away. "Can't a woman just think for a bit?"
"Staring off into the smelting pot for more than a minute there was a little more than just thinking, y'know." Summer teased.
Willow sighed. "Then let a woman doze off. Because this one is very tired and would really enjoy a nap before heading home."
Summer offered her hand to Willow. "Here, I'll let you nap on my bed. It's just upstairs."
"An angel in disguise." Willow felt relieved and took her hand. After being led up the stairs and into her room, Summer guided her to the bed and helped her lay down. "Just one hour will be fine."
"I'll be your alarm clock." Summer joked. "And don't worry about the project. I promise I'll get it done before I head to Patch. Just get some rest, and hey, I may just drop by later to see the little snowflake." Summer smiled and pulled a blanket over Willow, knowing the mother was going to have a very tiresome day.
Willow was happy to hear her say that and nodded, not wanting to say much as she closed her eyes and let herself get some much needed sleep.
A lot of differences here, obviously. I wanted to get a lot changed in the history of this for most of the characters, meaning Summer is alive, and other people will be affected too. Also, to clarify, Weiss isn't a Faunus in this. The form she is in, is one hundred percent human, but she was born as a wolf.
Also, thank you all so much for how this story has been received so far. I'm happy people are enjoying it.
To JJ- Thanks. This one is just overall something I am loving right now. I can't get enough of writing it and I can't wait to show everyone where it's going.
To the guest on chapter 1- I do like her semblance in canon, but I am glad you're giving it a chance here without her having it.
To GoldElite245- I'm happy you're enjoying it too. It's a little similar to snow fox, yeah, but I think you'll find the big differences are gonna be something I delve into that I haven't in my other stories.
To the guest on chapter 1- Thanks. I plan to update every other day, so it's not a long wait.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 2. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 3.