Here's chapter 76, everyone.
"You can't be serious, mom." Yang said to the blacksmith, while not looking very happy with the way Summer was avoiding her questions. "Weiss was literally screaming at her mother. I've never seen her like that with her mom of all people, so why can't you just tell us what the heck just happened?"
"Yang, there is nothing I can say here. It's not our place, and yeah, I know you're her friend, but-." Summer sighed when she saw the look on the blonde brawler's face, the face of a pained daughter not feeling trusted enough. "I'm sorry…"
Blake grabbed at Yang's arm and pulled her away to talk privately, while Summer looked a little surprised by that, though she chose not to say anything as she watched her speaking with Yang. "I don't know what this is all about, but maybe you shouldn't be so upset with your mom."
"I'm not upset with mom… I'm annoyed that we can't know what's going on with Ice… Weiss." Yang kicked at the ground a bit. "You saw her crying and screaming at her own mother, Blake. And I've known her for years. She would never, and I mean it, she would never threaten her mom with a glyph like that."
"A lot can happen that makes us do stupid things." Blake was about to compare herself in that scenario, but she chose not to since she didn't want to add onto the many problems Yang was stressing over.
"Well I wanna know exactly what made Weiss do something like that." Yang said as she was about to turn back and walk to her mother, but Blake grabbed at her again.
"Stop and think for a second. If your mom isn't about to tell you anything after the fifty questions you asked her, what makes you think she'll say anything on the next question?" Blake reasoned, and Yang sucked her teeth, hating that she was right.
Pulling away from her grasp, Yang shook her head. "This is so damn stupid. Why the hell can't we know what's going on? Seriously…"
Summer, while she couldn't hear the two from how far they had walked away knew how annoyed Yang was, but she realized that Ruby was also being affected by being unable to get involved in the Schnee family predicament.
As she looked over at her birth daughter, she almost regretted it, as Ruby continued to stare at the Academy, her fists still clenched in anger, but it wasn't anger directed at any one person. "Ruby." She took a few steps forward and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Come on. We can talk in my office."
"What's the point… You won't tell me why my girlfriend is in so much pain… So I can't even help her…" Ruby said as quiet as she could, surprising Summer since Ruby was usually so full of cheer, but at that point she sounded like a kicked puppy.
Summer lifted her hand off her daughter's shoulder, feeling she had no right to even speak with her, but she wasn't about to stop herself from doing so. "You'll always be able to help her. Nothing has ever stopped you before, so why start now?"
Ruby turned to face her mom, revealing she had tears in her eyes. "Because she's strong, and I never get to let her prove that." Summer was taken aback, and a bit confused by her comment. "During the mission we went on… She got hurt by an Okean. And I freaked out… But I remembered how she wanted me to not be so worried about her, since she felt like I thought she wasn't strong enough to be a huntress like everyone else…"
"She knows you don't feel that way." Summer tried assuring.
"That's not the point!" Ruby yelled, holding back a few tears. "I hold back so much because I believe in her, mom! Now she's in pain again and if I try to help… She won't want it, but I don't even know how to help because you won't tell me what happened!"
Summer felt a pain in her heart, since Ruby never yelled at her like that, something Willow didn't experience until just a bit ago herself. "I promised Willow… Ruby, you need to understand that while I know you want to help, sometimes there needs to be time taken first. Weiss and her mother need that time right now."
Ruby wanted to look away, but her mother stopped her when she grabbed her shoulders.
"You need to listen." Summer said in a serious tone, surprising Ruby, but before she continued, she looked over her shoulder. "Yang! Come here! You too, Blake!" She called out to her daughter-law and Blake.
Hearing her calling them out, both girls walked over, with Yang still looking a little annoyed. "What is it, mom?"
"This isn't easy for me to say to you two," Summer was referring to Ruby and Yang. "But you can't be so selfish here." The way she said that made the sisters react in a shocking manner. "Yes, I said selfish." She pulled away from Ruby and moved to get in front of the three girls.
"Selfish? How the heck are we acting selfish when-." Before Yang could continue, Summer stomped her foot against the ground, startling her a bit.
"Enough. You girls are first years at Beacon Academy. You're young adults who will be thrown into the world, so what you did as kids, it won't be the same." Summer couldn't play nice. "People, yes, even Weiss, can't just be okay after a hug and a few kind words. I've taught you both to always do what you feel is best, so yes, it's always wonderful how you want to help people, and loved ones, but there are times where you need to stay out of it."
Ruby felt her heart skip a beat at how her mom spoke. "W-What?"
"Willow is in more pain than either of you." Summer outright admitted. "This isn't a contest either, but right now, they need each other. No one else. Not you two, not me. Weiss will talk, when SHE is ready, but for now, you need to let them handle what's happening."
Yang felt her anger boiling, but she took a breath and shook her head, choosing not to say a word as she turned away from her mother-in law and crossed her arms. Ruby only stared at her mother, not understanding why it was then that she was speaking to her like that.
"I know you both hate hearing what I have to say. No one likes the thought of being unable to help someone they care for." Summer stated. "Still, the reason why you're being selfish, is because you want to help no matter what, even if it means you might cause a bigger problem."
Ruby's eyes widened, as she slowly realized that her actions had caused Weiss to feel a bit more stress when she ran over earlier. Seeing an image of Weiss crying, and how she begged Ruby to not ask her any questions anymore.
"You and Weiss are together, and I am so happy for you both, but right now, she needs you to be there when she's ready, and not before. Do you understand, sweetie?" Summer hoped her daughter would at least try.
It took a few moments, as Ruby lowered her head, thinking more about how she ran over to Weiss when she was crying, and how the white wolf couldn't even tell her what was wrong. "What CAN I do then…"
"I already told you, sweetie." Summer let out a small smile and rubbed her head a few times, watching as Ruby lifted her head to look to her mom for guidance. "Prepare yourself to be there for her when she needs you, and you'll see that Weiss will open up then and there."
Yang was still listening, and since she was a couple of years older than Ruby, she understood things a bit more than her in regards to people. "I get it… Not being selfish." Yang spoke up, while Blake was glad to hear her say that, and Summer waited for her to continue. "I was about to ask what can we do about how much we hate having to wait… It's like wanting to deal with an itch… But here, dealing with that itch won't help Weiss. It would only help us."
"An odd way of putting it, but yes." Summer remarked while trying to speak softly to Ruby. "Ever since you told me you wanted to be a huntress, I knew helping people is what you wanted most out of becoming one, so I know how hard this is on you."
Ruby took a breath, taking in the words both her mother and sister said, while also remembering how Weiss was when she ran over and asked her a bunch of questions on what happened. "It is, and it isn't easy to not go to her… But I understand. Weiss and her mom have to sort this out together, and I'll be right there by her side when she's ready."
Summer was so glad to hear her say that, so she rubbed her head again and nodded. "Exactly, and I know she'll love to have you there for her," She looked to Yang. "And you too, firecracker," Seeing Yang let out a small smile was reassuring, but she then looked to Blake. "Don't think I forgot about you too, Blake."
Blake nodded in response. "We'll all be there when she's ready."
"Just like how Yang was there for me when I was finally ready."
The three members of Team RWBY, as well as even Zwei who sat next to Ruby and tried nuzzling her leg, would all wait until the W of their team was ready to talk again.
"Do you think… That if my mother kept me, we'd still be family? Or… Would you have-." Weiss couldn't finish her question.
"Snowflake, please… Don't ask me that question." Willow had to give her a real answer. "You were always family to me, even before Lazuria had asked me to take you in. She was a sister to me, and you'd always be family even if I didn't take you in as my own."
Weiss bit her lip and nodded, choosing to think of a different kind of question. "That woman, I mean… Lazuria. Ms. Goodwitch mentioned that a friend of hers from long ago could do what I can do, and now I hear that my birth mother can also do the same."
Willow waited on her daughter to ask her question.
"So what is it? Why is my semblance, my birth mother's semblance so rare? Only three people, me, my birth mother, and Ms. Goodwitch's old friend are the only people I know that can do it." Weiss stated.
That was a surprise to Willow, as she wasn't expecting her to ask that kind of question, as she thought she was going to ask something else. "I don't know…" A lie. "Your semblance is truly special, sweetie, and while your mother was gifted with her power, I didn't know anyone else who can do the same."
"Okay…" Weiss sniffled a little as she got up and walked to the window to look out of it, watching several students walking around the courtyard. "I don't… I don't know what to ask.."
Willow got up, knowing she needed to be there beside her, so she moved closer and wrapped her arms around Weiss from behind, letting her daughter stay in her arms in silence, as she closed her eyes and kissed her head.
"What can I do… As someone who doesn't have any blood relatives around me? What can I say to Winter… To Whitley?" Weiss started shaking a bit.
"Your mother told me that blood is not what makes a family, sweetie. And I pass her words down to you, because no matter what, Winter and Whitley, they are your family." Willow had to get her to know that was the truth, as it really was.
"They don't know…" Weiss let a few tears loose.
"Not yet, but they will get to know, if… If you want them to." Willow, while she had messaged Winter to come over, would not outright tell her the truth if Weiss didn't want her to know.
Weiss was taking a few breaths to calm down. "I don't know… I don't know."
Willow nodded as she pulled away and helped Weiss over to her bed again. "Come and sit down, sweetie." Weiss slowly did so and Willow sat next to her daughter, letting Weiss rest her head against her shoulder.
"I'm not a Schnee…" Weiss stated, but not a moment later, she continued. "By blood. I'm not, but… I still feel like one." She looked up at her mom. "Because… You raised me as one."
"Yes." Willow wrapped an arm around and kissed her head again. "You are a Schnee, and an Okami. My little Weiss… And Lazuria's little Wolf." It was that moment that made Willow cry freely, and Weiss could feel her mother's tears falling onto her.
"Mom…" Weiss hugged her mom as hard as she could, not wanting her to cry anymore. "Please… Don't cry. I'm sorry."
"Don't say that." Willow laid down, pulling her daughter with her as she remembered the nights Weiss would have nightmares as a child, and she'd take her in her arms, choosing to let her sleep that way so she wouldn't get nightmares.
10 years ago.
Willow heard her daughter crying as she walked past her door, so she wasted no time and opened the door to her room. She saw her daughter tossing and turning in bed, with tears falling down her face, so she frowned and walked over, gently nudging her a bit. "Snowflake… Wake up. Mommy's here."
Weiss gasped quietly as she opened her eyes, and she was still shaking a bit as Willow leaned down and hugged her. "M-Mommy… Mommy!" She hugged her back and cried as the nightmare she had really got to her.
"Shhh, mommy is right here" Willow got into bed and pulled her daughter close to her. "The scary dreams are gone, and I promise to keep them away." She kissed her forehead and wiped a few tears away from Weiss' eyes.
The seven year old hiccuped a bit, and she buried her face into Willow's collar, but she nodded a few times since her mom was always her guardian angel, so she began to slowly calm down. "M-Mommy… Can you sleep here tonight? P-Please…"
"Of course, Snowflake. Mommy will keep the scary dreams away." Willow pulled the covers over them and kissed Weiss' head. "Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?"
Weiss sniffled and shook her head. "I-It's too scary."
Willow nodded in return. "Then think about something you love, sweetie. And you'll have the best dreams you can have. Promise." She heard Weiss' breathing getting a bit steadier.
"O-Okay, mommy… I love you." Weiss' tears stopped falling, as her mother's warmth was keeping her from feeling scared.
"And I love you, my little Snowflake." Willow gave her one last kiss goodnight, and Weiss did what her mother suggested. She thought about what she loved, and her family was what she thought about.
That night she didn't have another nightmare, as Willow woke up the next morning, seeing the smile on her sleeping daughter's face.
Present Day.
"I'm here, Snowflake." Willow repeated, and Weiss thought back to that day, her heart getting back to a steadier pace, as even after all the years, Willow Schnee was the one who would always be there for her.
"I love you, mom." Weiss let out a small smile as she closed her eyes.
Willow closed her eyes as well, kissing her daughter on the top of her head. "And I love you, my little Snowflake."
Just like that day many years ago, Weiss was able to sleep with a smile on her face.
This chapter ended specifically like the one two chapters ago to show that even though Weiss knows she has a birth Mother she knows nothing about, Willow will be the one that she goes to when she's in pain.
To JJ- Winter has a mission to do, and whether that is to find Lazuria or her kind, well, that's the be saved for when things get going on that plot point. Winter also doesn't know that Weiss is adopted yet. As for how she'll comfort her, I am still trying to work on her character more. Glad you enjoyed all the info in the last chapter that Weiss learned.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 76. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 77.