Here's chapter 29, everyone.
"The fact that we ran into Yang earlier than I wanted to is bumming me out, Willow." Summer pouted as she and her friend were sat in Ozpin's office as she held her white cloak. "I wanted it to be a surprise!"
Willow couldn't hold back a giggle at her friend's whining. "Come now. She was clearly happy when you turned the corner, and I know your little rose will be just as happy."
Summer let go of her cloak and ran her hand through her bangs, smiling at the thought of seeing Ruby. "I can't wait." She looked up at Ozpin's desk, wondering where the headmaster was, but she had someone else on mind too. "Is Raven still, um, y'know."
"She's waiting in Glynda's office." Willow answered, shuddering a bit. "I don't think I want to get in between those two…"
"Hehe. You know it's funny. You've only recently started training your aura and semblance, but you've been around us enough to see how crazy things can get." Summer remarked.
Willow nodded in agreement. "Yes, which is exactly why I'd never get in the middle of those two women."
Summer leaned back on her chair, chuckling a little. "You don't need to tell me. I remember being pelted by a few of Glynda's textbooks the last time Raven and I visited."
"Ugh, those two get at each other's throats more than Raven and I." Willow remarked.
"I could only hope they won't damage my school too much now." Ozpin spoke, startling the two since they didn't hear the door opening. "Apologies." He walked over to his desk and took a seat while placing his coffee mug down. "Summer, thank you for coming, and Willow, it's good to see you as well."
"Good to see you as well, Professor Ozpin." Willow greeted in return as she laid her hands on her lap.
"Just Ozpin will do." The headmaster requested, earning a nod from the white haired woman.
Summer sat up in her chair, trying not to look unprofessional. "I'm really grateful for this offer, Oz. Being around my family while working is honestly all I've ever wanted."
Ozpin nodded, knowing fully well. "Of course, and I'd like to inform you that both of them have performed well during initiation, as well as your own daughter, Mrs. Schnee."
"Just Willow will do." The white haired woman gave the headmaster a smile, showing she too didn't care much about formalities.
Ozpin let out a light chuckle and lifted his mug up to take a sip of coffee. After he did, he placed it back on the table and folded his hands. "Summer, I don't think I need to tell you why I'm hiring you for this position."
"Right." Willow looked a little confused. "The newest elemental tends to… Cause problems with weapons, and the students here will more than likely need repairs."
"Yes, the Kislota have been more abundant as of recent, and while they can be dealt with, I felt this was the best time to ask for your services, seeing as your daughters are attending from this point on." Ozpin explained.
Summer nodded. "It's the best time, yes, and I'm sure once we figure out where the Kislota's nestings are, it will only be a matter of time before we can wipe them out. By then, I'll step down as Beacon's blacksmith."
Ozpin took another sip and shook his head. "I don't see why you should. I didn't just hire you because of the Kislota. Many students request for modifications for their weapons, and you're the best out there for that."
"Hehe. Flattery won't get you far, Oz." Summer crossed her arms with a smirk.
Willow playfully rolled her eyes and cut in. "But apparently it can earn you some points, just until you find the limit." She crossed one of her legs over the other with a smirk of her own. "I still haven't found that limit after all these years."
Summer stuck her tongue out at Willow. "Bleh! You're just earning the points at a really slow pace is all."
Ozpin decided to not get in between their conversation and waited patiently for them to finish. "Is that so? Well if I recall, last time you tried to mention points, I was only ten percent of the limit."
"Ugh!" Summer whined like a child. "You take advantage of me!"
Willow lightly slapped her shoulder, earning a yelp from the white cloaked woman. "Stop acting like a child in front of the man who is literally giving you a job."
Summer blinked a few times, looking over at Ozpin in embarrassment as her cheeks turned a light shade of red. "S-Sorry, Oz… I kinda forgot we were having a meeting."
Ozpin waved it off. "This is hardly a meeting, Summer. Paperwork at most." He said, getting a few papers out and sliding it across the desk with a pen as well. "Just a few signatures and you'll be set to begin working here."
Summer was relieved the headmaster wasn't as strict as Glynda, so she took the pen in hand and began signing her names where she needed to, while Willow watched her do so. It reminded her a bit of when Jacques would sign the piles of paper on his desk, the few times they would speak to each other, but Willow shook her head, refusing to let that comparison sink it.
"Alright, that's the last one." Summer said after finishing up on the papers. "Thanks again for this offer, Oz." She slid the papers over and placed the pen down.
"You're welcome, now then, as I said, this barely a meeting, so now that you've done your part, the rest is simple enough." Ozpin explained as he neatly piled the papers up. "I'll handle the rest of this paperwork and you can officially begin working next weekend."
Summer grinned happily as she got up from her chair and bowed, more out of respect and gratitude. "Thank you so much, Oz."
"You've thanked me enough, Summer." Ozpin stated. "Now then, if you don't mind, try to make sure Ms. Branwen doesn't break my school while she's here."
"Got it." Summer said with a thumbs up as Willow stood up from her chair as well.
The white haired woman also bowed to the headmaster for the same reason. "My daughter has always wanted to attend here, so I'm eternally grateful to you for accepting her into it."
Ozpin shook his head. "Your daughter was the one who got in with her own skill, Willow. Just as yours have as well, Summer."
Willow let out a thankful smile at his words, nodding to the headmaster as she and Summer took their leave.
"Okay! Where did Yang say she'd meet up with us again?" Summer asked as she and Willow walked down the halls.
"Summer… You really need to pay attention more." Willow plainly stated, earning a pout from her friend. "She said to meet her outside in the courtyard, you dolt."
"Oh, right!" Summer chuckled and held her arms behind her back as she started to look around the halls. "Wow, this place has really changed since I attended… Brings back a lot of good memories."
Willow could tell what that tone of voice meant, so she hummed in response. "I wouldn't know as much, but I believe you. Many things change with time after all." She frowned a bit, thinking about her son.
Summer noticed that and stopped for a moment. "You okay?"
"Y-Yes, I was just thinking about some stuff." Willow answered, hoping Summer wouldn't pry.
"Is it about Jacques?" Summer guessed, taking Willow's hand for support.
The white haired woman sighed. "He's part of it… But please, let's not talk about him right now." She did her best to smile. "We have our daughters to see after all."
Knowing Willow long enough, she could tell when to drop something, or pester her until she was ready to accept comfort. "Yeah, you're right." Summer smiled back, gently walking down the hall while keeping her grip on Willow's hand, knowing the woman just needed to see her daughter to feel better.
"So you did change into a wolf the other day?" Yang asked as she and her team were sitting under the same tree Ruby and Weiss stayed under the other day. "Was it just as relaxing as you told me it was?"
Weiss nodded, contemplating doing so again. "I couldn't tell you why completely, but it just felt a lot more comfortable to me… Does that make me weird?"
"Don't be all self conscious, ice wolf." Yang grinned as she ruffled Weiss' hair.
"Hey!" Weiss yelped and glared at the blonde for ruffling her hair a bit.
"Right, you and Ruby hate when I do that." Yang chuckled and moved away when Weiss tried to swat at her. "Come on, ice wolf, it was just a little ruffling."
Weiss crossed her arms. "Hmph! Like you're one to talk with how you overreact the moment a strand of that mane of yours falls off."
"That was like, two times at most!" Yang complained.
"Uh huh." Was all Weiss had to say, earning a groan from the blonde since she knew people would hold that against her.
Ruby snickered a bit at the two as they began to bicker, but when she turned to see Blake looking up at the clouds, she gently nudged her a bit. "You like looking at the clouds too?"
"Huh?" Blake shifted a little and nodded when she realized what Ruby asked. "Grimm, school, and a lot more that can stress anyone out. Times like these are few and far between, Ruby."
"Weiss said something like that too." Ruby smiled, while Blake grinded her teeth a bit about how she and the Schnee agreed on something. "Hey, Weiss," She nudged her partner a bit, getting her to look over. "Maybe you should use your semblance."
"I-I don't know, Ruby." Weiss replied in a nervous tone. "I was more comfortable when it was just the two of us." She whispered to her partner.
Ruby whispered back. "Don't worry, Weiss. Blake and Yang have seen you as a wolf already, and we'll just have more eyes to keep watch over anyone who'll be around before you change back."
The white haired teen couldn't really argue, as she too wanted to up and use her 'semblance'. "I guess… Okay, but don't think I haven't forgotten what I said, Ruby. This won't happen as much as you think." A half lie.
Her partner giggled a bit. "Mhmm."
Weiss rolled her eyes and focused on her semblance, confusing Yang a bit. "Uh, ice wolf? What are you-." She yelped when the light shined on Weiss, surprising Blake as well, and the team covered their eyes as moments later, the white wolf appeared with her clothes on her back. "Huh?"
"Hehe. I convinced her to use her semblance is all." Ruby explained as she helped move Weiss' clothes on the ground.
"Don't get used to this, Xiao Long." Weiss warned as she instantly laid down on the grass, while Yang grinned at her.
"Man, I gotta start getting used to seeing a talking wolf." The blonde brawler remarked as she reached down, feeling Weiss' fur, which made the wolf tense up a bit, but she didn't try to make her stop.
Blake looked over, unsure on how to feel about seeing Weiss using a 'semblance' she shouldn't even have, according to intel that is.
"I'm not a talking wolf, you oaf. This is my semblance." Weiss reminded.
"Yeah, yeah, but to us, we see a white wolf opening its mouth and words come out of it. Sooooo, talking wolf." Yang chuckled as she ran her hands through Weiss' fur, smiling at how the white wolf wagged her tail a bit.
"Ugh, I didn't like when Nora referred to me as a dog, Yang…" Weiss said with a slight growl.
The blonde stopped rubbing her fur and frowned. "Hey, come on, Weiss. You know I would never mean it like that. I was just-."
"I know, you oaf. I was just teasing." Weiss said, chuckling a little at how she was able to get Yang to react like that, laying her head down on the soft grass. The blonde wanted to fire back, but seeing the white wolf resting soundly made her simply smile and resume rubbing her fur.
Blake took note of that, feeling like Weiss should hate being touched that way. Being a Faunus, Blake despised when people would call her race simply animals, yet here this Schnee was, letting someone rub her fur like she was a real wolf.
"Does she not know how degrading that looks…"
She wanted to get up and yell at them, but something, someone held her back. Whether it was herself or the talks she had with Yang and Weiss. It stopped Blake from being angrier than she felt she should.
It was then that it hit her. Her eyes widened when she realized it. Weiss was smiling, comfortable that Yang was doing what she was doing. Like she accepted it with no trouble.
"Is… Is it really okay for her?"
Seeing her tail swaying was answer enough, and Blake looked away, feeling like it wasn't a sight that was possible to see, but she was cut off from her thoughts when she heard a voice yelling out in joy.
"Mom!" It was Ruby's voice as both the white wolf and the cat Faunus were startled by it, while Yang simply grinned. She got up and ran over, jumping into her mother's arms.
"My little rose, always so inpatient." Summer gently spoke as she held her daughter close, while Willow was smiling at the two, but when she turned to see her own daughter, in her wolf form no less, she gasped.
"Weiss?" The white haired woman was surprised, seeing as her daughter expressed concern on using her 'semblance'. She took a few steps forward as she saw the white wolf slowly stand up, her ears perked up as a few tears fell.
"M-Mom…" Weiss took off, running happily at her mother as she pounced on her, making Willow yelp as her daughter knocked her to the ground, though luckily for her, she knew to get her aura up from her training with Raven to stop herself from getting hurt. "Mom! You're here!" She nuzzled her mother happily, not caring if any other student looked over.
Yang sighed happily as she scooted over to Blake. "See? I knew this would be worth the wait."
Blake said nothing as she watched her teammates hugging their respective mothers, Ruby crying happily while Summer stroked the back of her hair, and Weiss nuzzling her mother's cheek as Willow chuckled and rubbed her neck.
A second Schnee though was what passed through Blake's mind, but it wasn't what she thought she'd feel. "They look… Happy."
Three moms are here, and with Blake's questions on why Weiss allows people to rub her fur, she only lets people she trusts do that, so I would suggest remembering that throughout the story. It shows who Weiss will trust moving forward.
To JJ- Raven now knows more than most people, so let's see what that information does for her, and I couldn't resist making that comment about the lake water. Physically, Raven would mop the floor with Willow, as for verbally, they both sass each other enough to tie at times. Also, good thing I update every other day so you don't gotta wait long.
To GoldElite245- No worries about that. I'm just glad the story is continuing to grab your attention to read it. As for The Relentless, well, a certain someone will have to tell the characters, and the readers that.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 29. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 30.