Here's chapter 10, everyone.
Weiss looked down at the outfit she was going to wear while at Beacon, smiling to herself as she was still in her nightgown at the moment. "Today is the day." She reached over to her wolf pendant and rubbed her thumb against it, nodding to herself as she placed it on her bed.
After changing into her outfit, the white haired teen wrapped her necklace around her neck, letting the wolf pendant bounce a little. She made sure her ponytail was offset as she recently started keeping it. Once she was ready, she looked into the mirror, smiling to herself.
"You look beautiful, snowflake." Willow's voice made Weiss jump a bit in surprise, causing her mother to chuckle in response. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, sweetie."
Weiss blushed in embarrassment, but after she grabbed her bag and made sure it was secured to the back of her outfit, she walked over to her mom and held her arms behind her back. "It's okay, mom. Is the airship ready?"
Willow nodded. "It is, yes, though I don't think you have to leave right away…" She trailed off, not wanting to show how sad she really was about her daughter leaving for Beacon.
It didn't get passed her though, and Weiss responded with a hug, surprising her mom who returned the embrace. "I know… I'm still really nervous about this, but I think I can really do this."
Hearing that could only bring out the supportive side in her. "I know you can, snowflake." She pulled away and rubbed her daughter's head, looking down at her with a proud smile. "You've come a long way, sweetie."
"Only because you helped me see I shouldn't stop moving." Weiss said as she walked over to Myrtenaster. "I promise I'll visit often, mom." She picked up her weapon and secured it on her hip, but thinking about what her mom said got her to sit down on her bed as she patted a spot next to her.
Willow nodded and sat next to her daughter, wrapping an arm around her as she felt Weiss resting her head on her shoulder. "Winter called today to tell me she wants to hear how your first day goes. So don't forget."
"I won't." Weiss closed her eyes, letting this feeling last longer. "Mom… I'm really going to miss you…" She sniffled a little.
"As will I, snowflake…" Willow wanted to cry as she pulled her daughter closer to her. "But you're making me so proud for continuing to chase your dream, and I know you'll have a wonderful time at Beacon."
Weiss opened her eyes and looked up, smiling at her mother. "With Ruby and Yang, I can't imagine I won't… Um, have you spoke to Whitley at all since… You know." Willow frowned as she shook her head, so Weiss looked up at her ceiling fan again.
Willow noticed that, getting her to look up at the fan as well. "Is something wrong with your fan, sweetie?"
"No, I just… I like to look at it." Weiss focused more on the fan. "It reminds me to keep on moving. To not stop, even with what Whitley said." Willow hated remembering that day, but she understood what her daughter meant. Weiss reached her hand up and held her wolf pendant. "I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt… But I need to continue, mom."
Willow brushed her daughter's bangs, feeling even more proud than she thought she could. "That's a very mature response, sweetie."
Weiss blushed a bit and pouted. "Are you saying I'm not mature normally, mother?" Whenever she used the word mother instead of mom, Willow knew she pinched a nerve, so she chuckled.
"I wasn't saying that, snowflake. I just meant that you're growing up, and… It makes me happy to see how far you've come." She got up and helped Weiss stand as well. "Why don't we have some tea before you head out?"
"I would love to." Weiss took her mother's hand as the two made their way outside, with Klein already waiting with the tray of tea and muffins on the table. "Klein!" Weiss ran over to hug the butler since she wanted to see him before she left for Beacon.
Klein patted her back and chuckled a bit. "Good morning to you too, snowflake." He looked over at Willow. "And to you as well, Ma'am."
Willow took a seat at the table and nodded to him. "Good morning, Klein. Thank you for the tea."
Weiss pulled away from the hug and curtsied, showing thanks to the butler. "Yes, thank you, Klein." She took a seat next to her mother and the butler was about to walk back to the manor, but Weiss called out for him. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Hmm? Well I am on the clock, snowflake." When he saw her frown, he couldn't help but walk back. "But, I suppose I can spare a few minutes." He smiled to assure her he would stay.
The white haired teen gave him a grin as she grabbed her cup and took a sip of her tea. "I'm hoping the tea at Beacon will be as half as good as you make it."
Willow sipped some of her tea as well, watching as Klein chuckled again and his eyes turned red. "Well if it's between us, I don't think those buggers at that school will have even a quarter of the skill I have."
Weiss gasped and giggled at how he praised his own skills, and the butler's eyes turned back to its natural light brown. "Yeah, you're probably right, but I can still hope."
"Just as long as you're eating well and the living arrangements are up to par, I won't have to file a complaint." Willow remarked.
Weiss groaned a little. "Mom, don't do that!" She whined. "I don't want the other students there to make fun of me for having the only mom who would go to the school board about how it runs its academy."
"A mother is not about to allow her child to live in such a-." Willow stopped when she saw Weiss looking annoyed, so she chuckled. "Sorry, sweetie. Just teasing again." It was a half lie.
"I'll have to deal with that a lot from Yang, mom…" Weiss sighed as she took a bite of her muffin and drank some of her tea to wash it down, being careful not to drink so much of it like a certain blacksmith would sometimes. "I only hope Ruby can be a human shield for her teasing for me."
"I'm sure you'll manage, snowflake." Willow said, placing her cup down to look up at the passing clouds. "Have you decided on if you'll use your semblance during initiation?"
Weiss blushed a little. "Um… I don't know. I'd have to find a safe place to put my clothes, and if I can't find them afterwards… Well… You know it isn't going to be exactly the best way to make a good first impression."
Willow knew Weiss hated how her clothes wouldn't appear on her after changing from her wolf form, but she couldn't tell her why it didn't work that way. "Well I know you'll do well whether you use your semblance or not, sweetie. You have been training in both fighting styles after all."
"Don't you think that may put me at a bit of a disadvantage if I don't use my semblance though?" Weiss asked. "I'd only use half of my potential."
"You don't need to go at one hundred percent all the time, snowflake. Just remember what you've learned and bring that out. You'll find that even ten percent can earn you a victory." Willow supported.
While she wasn't completely confident with that answer, Weiss simply nodded. "If you say so, mom…" Willow rubbed her back a few times and Weiss sighed. "I'm fine, mom. Just a little nervous."
"I know, and you're allowed to be. This is a big change for you." Willow stated.
Weiss hummed in response, but she was shocked when she saw her little brother standing at the doorway to the back entrance of the manor. "Whitley?" Both Klein and Willow were surprised by that as well when they looked over.
The thirteen year old boy walked over with his arms behind his back. "Father wanted me to inform you both that he'll be going on a trip to Mistral. So if you wish to go, then speak up now."
Willow sighed. "Honey, your sister is going to Beacon… Today."
Weiss frowned since she felt like he had forgotten all about that. "Ah, yes I would have thought you'd cancel your flight…" Whitley said, focusing his attention on his sister. "Well I will inform father that you won't be joining us. Mother, I did not get your answer yet."
"No." Willow responded. "I have other things to do, but I can tell your father that myself, honey. Why don't you come sit with us?"
"I'm far too busy for that, so now that I have your answers-." He stopped when Weiss stood up and took a few steps forward.
Once she was a few feet away from him, she crossed her arms. "Mom is offering for you to sit down and talk with us. A break is what she's also offering since you overwork yourself. So stop being so stubborn and take a seat."
Whitley glared at her. "And what if I don't want to?"
"You wouldn't have come out here just to ask us if we're going on a business trip or not. So just tell me… Why did you really come out here, brother?" Weiss said in a serious tone.
"Clearly you have no respect and assume that you're right in every sense, so if you don't mind, I'd like to-." He gasped when she stepped forward and grabbed his arm. "Unhand me right now."
"Not until you tell me why you treat me like this!" Weiss yelled, surprising Willow, Klein and Whitley. "What did I ever do to you that warrants this kind of behavior? Huh?!"
Whitley took a step back and roughly pulled away from his sister's grasp. "Having an outburst like that. You are still uncontrollable at times and it makes you-."
Weiss clenched her fist, making her brother tremble a bit. "Go ahead, brother. Go on and call me a mutt… Or is it mongrel this time? Hmm? Which is it, Whitley?!"
"W-What? I have never called you a mongrel!" Whitley defended, and Willow wanted to step in, but Klein shook his head, showing that they needed this.
A few tears were threatening to fall as Weiss looked away. "After what you said… All I could do was think about what else you'd call me." A tear fell. "Do you not love me…"
The question made Whitley tense up. Of course he loved her. She was his sister, but to be questioned on it was what hurt him. "What kind of question is that? Ugh, I have no time for this." He was trying to dodge the question.
"If that's your answer… Then you don't." Weiss felt more tears falling and Whitley couldn't look away that time.
"This… This path you're taking is foolish, Weiss! You'll end up getting killed fighting monsters! Do you not see that?!" Whitley yelled.
Weiss was surprised by how he said that and she wiped her tears, putting on a more serious face as she glared at him. "It's the path I want to take, Whitley! I know the risks and I don't care. So stop treating me like I can't take care of myself."
"What's the point?! Why fight monsters when you can stay here, safe with our family?!" Whitley looked like he was on the verge of begging.
It was getting much clearer to Weiss now. Whitley didn't hate her, he hated what she wanted to do with her life, so she took a step forward and grabbed Myrtenaster, planting it on the ground. "This," She motioned to her weapon. "Is my life. It's what I've trained for, what I've fought for. I know you're scared of me getting hurt, but with how the world is, I want to be one of those who protects people, Whitley. I'm sorry."
Whitley bit his lip and turned away from his sister. "I see… Well if that is your answer… Then… I can't stop you." He took one step forward, but stopped when he turned back to face her, bowing to her, which caught her off guard. "I'm sorry…" He turned back around and walked back inside the manor, not showing his family that he was beginning to tear up.
Weiss looked down at Myrtenaster, noticing her own tears began to hit the pommel of it, so she lifted her hand up to squeeze her wolf pendant. Moment passed as she felt her mother wrapping her arms around her from behind. "I know it now…"
Willow closed her eyes, nodding in agreement as she herself knew it too. They stayed silent for a few moments as Weiss held it in her heart that her brother did somewhat care, if not very much. But she couldn't stop moving because of his concern. So she looked up at the clouds, just as her mother did, watching as they moved with the rotation of the planet.
Sorry this one is a little shorter. I like to just make sure I get the point across in a chapter, and if I'm able to in a shorter word count, I don't like to try and extend it for no reason, so I hope that's okay.
To JJ- Raven in this will still have her moments of being too hard on people, but I try to balance that and how she still cares about her family. Whitley is kind of the same. He cares for his family, but his father's influence is keeping him back.
To GoldElite245- The moment I chose to have Summer alive in this, and for her to know Willow, I knew it was going to have Ruby and Yang knowing Weiss in their childhood. It's fun to work with. And Blake will have… Issues. All I'll say.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 10. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 11.