Chapter 8: Friends and Family
I withdraw an aura potion from my inventory as well as replacement weapons. Now that I know Pyrrha is fine, I need to secure my own safety. After rearming myself, I drink the potion in order to replenish my aura reserves. With my body back in almost peak condition, I start to gather both of our weapons.
Pyrrha's were easy as they were right next to where we were scuffling. Mine were more scattered. My dagger and Myrtenaster prototype in particular were blown to smithereens. I salvage what I can into my dimension chip, and then I pick up my two pistols. I pull the barrel back to eject the jammed bullet before I point it at the ground and fire.
Bang!
Okay, that one works fine now. What about the other one?
Click.
Still not working? I'll need to look at it later. I pick up everything manually and put it into my dimension chip. They will have to stay there for now. I can't use my inventory due to all the cameras.
Mental note to self: replace my pistols with revolvers when facing Pyrrha from now on. Less mechanical parts will mean less possible modifications, but it also means less likelihood to jam. This will mainly be for tournament use only. In the field, I would just pull out a different gun from my inventory.
I walk back towards Pyrrha who was now wide awake due to the rousing from the medical staff that had rushed onto the stage. I hold out her weapons to her. She surprises me by suddenly grasping my hands. I suppress my twitch to retaliate.
"I... lost?"
I nod.
"I see... Will you keep your promise?"
She stares into my eyes with a hopeful look on her face.
"Naturally. In fact, I can ask my mother if we can set something later this week."
Pyrrha shakes her head.
"No, I've already lost despite you holding back. The result would only be the same... However, I hope you don't mind visiting every now and then? As a sparring partner?"
I smile at her.
"I would love to."
She returns my smile. I feel stares focusing on us, even more so than before. I withdraw my hands from her grip. With her weapons returned, I promptly make my way off the stage. We wave goodbye to one another. As I am walking down the hallway, I begin reflecting on our match.
My intention for holding back was out of precaution and for training. In regard to my training, I wanted this event to temper my body against a variety of opponents. Specifically, humans. As I've previously mentioned, my sparring at home consists of me squaring off against Mother, Neo, Klein, or Winter whenever she occasionally visited. Of those four, only Neo was someone I could stand a chance against. That's not bad, per se. In fact, I consider facing those that out-class me to be excellent practice considering who I (might) eventually confront.
My hope was that limiting my capabilities in this tournament would expose my flaws that I normally don't see while hiding my true potential at the same time. Well, mission accomplished. While the majority of opponents were fodder, they exposed my inherent arrogance. They, along with Pyrrha, have accentuated something I never considered.
My mind was weak.
I don't mean it in the literal sense. No, my WILL stat of 65.1 would make most people cry out of jealousy. What I am referring to is my inexperience of coping with unforeseen circumstances. The biggest evidence of this is how quickly I reverted back to using Gylphs the moment Pyrrha did not go down due to the explosion. On one hand, I'm glad my instincts are honed to the point I can turn around what seemed like a hopeless situation. On the other hand, it only shows I'm still not a veteran by any means. If I can somehow temper my mind to be calm no matter the situation, I would increase the likelihood of me winning any future battles exponentially.
Hmm… I was under the impression I was already calm under pressure, but now that I think about it… That might not be so true after all. It would be more accurate to call me a cautious individual, if I do so say myself.
The thing is, I've simply grown used to controlling the pace of the battle.
When I fight anyone like Mother or Klein, I know that I won't win, so I do not get surprised when the final blow comes. I fight Neo more often than anyone else, so I know every habit of hers as well. Even my earlier tournament matches have evidence of this. There were many times I could've ended a fight quickly, but I always fall back and observe instead of pushing my advantage.
Granted, I wanted them to pressure me as much as possible, but perhaps that goal might nurture more worrisome habits within me.
Yeah, I'm don't like that at all. It's decided. From now on, I won't be so passive in future tournaments. If they can't pressure me, so be it. I wanted to drill myself with solving difficult situations, but this habit might allow an enemy to get away with doing something I don't want them too. I will not allow myself to become someone who lets a villain get away with a victory speech.
Speaking of getting away of things that shouldn't be possible, how did Pyrrha instantly cast that Shield Bash skill back there? I mean, she might have a perk that allows insta-casting like I do, but I highly doubt it.
I scour through my Skill History HUD until I find the skill I'm looking for. I expand it to read the details.
[Heroic Charge]
By pushing past the limits of the [Shield Charge] skill, you've acquired a skill unique to the [Champion] class only! Duration of effect(s) increases with DEX.
Rank 1 (Unlocked): (Active) Increases movement towards enemies by 200% for [1.2 sec]. Ignores all defense. Next skill that is used will have instant cast time.
Rank 2 (Unlocked): (Passive) Next skill that is used will ignore all of target(s)'s defense. This effect only applies when this skill's active is used.
Rank 3 (Locked): ? (Lvl 40 required, Action required, Item required)
Obscene. Truly, a perverse skill. Shield Charge only gives a 100% speed boost. This gives double that, meaning she moves three times as fast. And what is this piercing effect she has here?! No wonder she burst through my wall of ice so quickly. That girl is going to be a menace in the future. In a straight up brawl, I will most likely lose.
I slyly grin.
If I were to fight fair, that is. I barely used my skills that pertained to the Mage aspect of my class. I also didn't use offensive perk pages nor abuse any mastery bonuses. Not to mention, I have a stack of grenades primed and ready inside my inventory with their pins pulled out. My inventory, unlike dimension chips, puts all items in a stasis as I have discovered. All I need is one cast of my Litter skill, and any enemy I see would be blown into the next kingdom.
Unfortunately, I imagine Pyrrha wouldn't be satisfied if I do that. Besides, that is one trump card I don't want anyone to know about.
As I approach the end of the hallway, I prick my ears to hear beyond it.
[Aura Boost]
I discern numerous excited individuals stalking on the other side of the exit. Their path is blocked by a ring of bodyguards who I hypothesize is our family's men. Meanwhile, on the inside of the hallway was a group of people I was very familiar with.
"Hello, Mother. Neo. General Ironwood, sir. Mr. Loli- ahem. Mr. Qrow. Miss Amber."
Everyone smiles. Qrow grunts.
"You did amazing, dear." Mother says.
Ironwood nods his head in agreement.
"It was a fantastic battle. Both sides displayed excellent adaptability, strength, and skill management that I find scarce even among my own students."
Qrow shrugs his shoulders.
"While you're obviously still green behind the ears, what you did was pretty impressive for a first-year combat academy student." He looks me in the eye with a smile on his face. "Good work, kiddo."
Neo beams at me with a proud look on her face.
"I knew Weiss would win."
I bow slightly at everyone's praise. I would curtsy, but I'm not wearing a skirt, nor do I intend to ever when I'm on duty. Exposing my leg skin sounds like a stupid idea. At least Ruby wore stockings, the other me didn't even do that much.
"Thank you for everyone's praises. I still have much to learn."
Qrow looks at me as if I was a rare breed of horse.
"You're a pretty weird kid, you know that? Most only say that out of courtesy. You meant every word of that, didn't you?"
It was my turn to shrug in response.
"That mentality will keep pushing her towards new heights, and we at Atlas Academy cherish progress which is why I'm going to extend an offer for you to attend early at our academy like we did for your sister."
The rest of them blink in shock at his declaration. Mother stares sternly at Ironwood.
"James, it is far too soon for her. She's only thirteen!"
"She's shown great potential even this early on. It would be a shame if her potential was wasted."
As I had expected this result already, I intervene before Mother started reprimanding Ironwood about calling her training worthless. Time to harvest my reward.
"General Ironwood." I say, gathering everyone's attention.
"While it is an honor to have received an offer to attend such a prestigious academy, I am afraid I will have to decline. I agree with Mother. It is far too soon for me. I might appear ahead of the group for now, but it is only because I am being compared to others from the same generation. I'm not so arrogant as to believe I can stand toe to toe with my seniors. With each year I move ahead, the gap in strength becomes smaller. Instead of rushing ahead, I plan on carefully building up a strong foundation for when I eventually attend a Huntsman academy. I apologize if I have offended you."
He shakes his head at me.
"No, of course not. I completely understand. However, I do hope you will reconsider, Weiss. Even if you might think this is still too early, I don't plan on retracting my offer even next year."
Neo's and Amber's eyes widen in shock at his words, his generosity conflicting with how the rumors depict about the man in white. On the contrary, Qrow and Mother squinted as if understanding why he was being so generous. I do the same as I take their expressions into consideration. Whatever that was going on, Ironwood wanted to nurture me as a competent soldier. That's fine. The more he cares about my combat abilities, the more likely he'll accept my request.
"Actually, I have a different favor to ask if you don't mind."
The adults look at me in surprise.
"Oh? What would that be?"
"I was wondering if you could teach me how to arm and defuse bombs instead?" I ask with a smile on my face.
The general blinks at me.
"That's a rather specific request."
I nod. Grenades and explosive ammo could be found in any Dust store. However, specific information like bombs or android programming was taught in the military. Having that kind of knowledge with unlimited access in the public is a bad idea for obvious reasons. I imagine the only way the White Fang got their hands on functioning bombs was due to an ex-military soldier or they straight up stole them. The reason I desired this knowledge was to 1. Prevent any situation where I can be under a threat of a bomb and 2. Create stronger, more damaging explosives instead of simply stuffing my enemies with a bunch of grenades.
I simply cited the first reason for my explanation as to why I wanted him to do me this favor. Ironwood stewed on the thought for a while before eventually confirming that this was okay with him.
"Alright, I'll allow it. As I am a busy man, I won't have time to personally teach you. Instead, I'll send over one of my soldiers to your home and give you a thorough explanation. Naturally, this will be done under your supervision, Adelle. Just in case anything happens."
"Of course."
I turn to Qrow this time.
"Hey, you seem like a shady guy."
He rolls his eyes.
"Insulting the person who you want to ask a favor from. What an excellent plan."
I ignore his accusation and barrel through anyway.
"You wouldn't happen to have an extra artifact capable of hiding various aspects of my status screen, would you?"
He raises an eyebrow at me.
"And what exactly are you asking for?"
I twirl a finger around my hair. I've adjusted my attitude and speech to be less formal and friendlier in nature towards him. Hopefully, this increases my chances of winning him over. He'll see right through my ruse, no doubt, but that was fine. The point is he will see that my desire is real and not based on a whim.
"Something that can disguise my name and level. Preferably, my stats as well."
Mother and Ironwood frown disapprovingly at me. Qrow silently observes me, as if he was piecing together a complicated puzzle.
"Dear, that's against the law."
"Your mother is right." Ironwood follows up. "Even if you don't use them, just possessing them is grounds for-"
"I've got five. Any particular style you prefer? Necklace or bracelet?"
The general stares blandly at the drunk. His expression is torn between throwing the man in a cell for a night just to irritate him or ignoring Qrow due to the migraine the man would no doubt cause should he do such a thing. Mother rolls her eyes as if she expected nothing less. Behind them, I see Neo and Amber exchanges looks. Neo raises an eyebrow in question while Amber shrugs.
"Necklace please."
He takes one that was wrapped in a cloth out of his dimension chip and hands it to me. I reach for it, but he withdraws it before I can touch it.
"Just kidding. You really shouldn't be playing around with something like this. If you're just taking it to explore the town incognito, I'll tell you right now it's not worth getting caught with it."
I frown. If he wasn't planning on giving it to me, why admit to having one? Surely, he must suspect I knew he had one because I saw one on Amber.
"Please, can't I just pay for it? Name your price."
He twirls the necklace in his hand.
"Tell you what. You've impressed me today. If you give me a reason I can agree with, I wouldn't mind handing this over."
Mother glares at him.
"Qrow…"
He ignores her and looks at me expectantly. I hold my chin in thought. A test, huh?
"…It's like you said earlier. I'm not a normal girl. Given my background, I'm already am a famous person. My actions only gather more attention, and you know what people say: the nail that sticks out is the first to be hammered down. Since I can't avoid the attention, why not make myself seem unimpressive compared to the rumors? Besides, it's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it, don't you agree?"
Qrow shrugs. Apparently, I passed his test.
"Sounds good enough for me. Take it."
I snatch the item that Qrow tosses at me out of the air.
[Minor Necklace of Disguise] Lvl 10
An artifact that can alter the information others can gleam from you. This can be equipped in the necklace slot. When equipped, it can manipulate your name, title, level, and stats. Levels can be increased/decreased by 10 at most. Stats can be increased/decreased by 20 at most. All changes are temporary and don't affect your body physically.
Bonuses: 2 INT, 2 WIS
Huh. I can't believe that worked.
I put it away before Mother or Ironwood could confiscate it. Mother was giving me a worried look while Ironwood was lecturing Qrow on promoting usage of illegal goods. The man's response was to clean the earwax out of his ear with his pinky. Ironwood sighs at the futility of his efforts before turning back to Mother.
"I should start heading back to Atlas. Adelle, do you wish for me to lend a squad for security until you reach home?"
"That was be very much appreciated. Thank you, James."
Qrow stuffs his hands into his pockets.
"We should start heading out as well. Preferably, through a different exit. Let's go, Amber."
"Right." Amber replies.
The two marches away towards a different exit most likely to avoid the cameras that were no doubt trained at the door the rest of us stood at. Ironwood waves goodbye as he also takes his leave. With our goodbyes said, only Neo, Mother, and I are left. Mother had already received the Upgrade Crystals, so we only need to vacate the premises. We walk out the door, and I am promptly bombarded by questions from the reporters.
I raise my hand, gathering their attention.
"I will only answer a few questions. Please keep them brief."
The wall of bodyguards back off slightly to give the reporters a chance to move closer but not anywhere within arm's reach.
"How does it feel to have won the Mistral Regional Tournament?" someone queries.
"Everyone who participated today are very strong and unique individuals. To have risen to the top of these talented peers of mine is very satisfying."
"Do you feel that using so many high-quality equipment is unfair towards these peers?" another asks.
"Do you find the need to tell a Huntsman to fight naked against a level 10 Grimm just because he's stronger?" I retort.
"Most of the public are aware of your generosity. Do you intend to donate your winnings to the less fortunate?"
I stare at the insolent man, not missing the concealed trap. He may be taller than me, but my expression could have frozen the volcanoes off the coast of Menagerie. He, on the other hand, only scared off a stray dog at most. As a rich person, I can always purchase an Upgrade Crystal according to the eyes of the public. By bringing up my acts of charity, did you want me to come off as selfish?
"I don't believe that is any of your business." I coolly enunciate.
He recedes back. I sigh.
"I was under the impression this would be an intelligent interview. Please do not waste any more of my time."
I glare at all of them.
"I don't like having my time wasted."
Silence is my reply. Another reporter eventually finds the courage to ask another question.
"Do you intend on accepting the sponsorship offer from the rising-in-popularity Pumpkin Pete's brand?"
"I'm afraid not. As pleasant as that experience may sound, I will have to decline."
I do not lack money because my relationship with Father is not strained like in the actual series. If this brand is as bad for your health as I suspect it to be, then I have even fewer reasons to promote it. There is no need to associate my reputation with them. Not to mention, it will just be a huge waste of time.
They try to continue asking more questions, but Neo steps in between me and them.
"My apologies. That will be all the questions we'll be taking today." she declares.
She signals the other bodyguards with a hand-motion. They immediately form a wall that pushes the reporters back. With the path now clear, we make our way towards the limousine where Klein was waiting for us. Once inside, I rest my body against the soft seats, closing my eyes. I feel Neo nudge me on the arm. I open an eye to see she had an energy drink ready for me.
"Thank you, Neo."
As I sip the beverage, I notice Neo staring at me.
"Is something the matter?"
She shook her head.
"No, I just noticed you were getting rather friendly with the Nikos clan's daughter."
I look at her.
"You're jealous."
"Wh-what?! No! Of course not! I was just curious when you became so close, because you never met before today."
I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Right… Well, I spoke with her in between matches. We have exchanged numbers with the intent of becoming sparring partners. I hope you don't mind me requesting to visit them occasionally, Mother."
Mother smiles, happy that I made a new friend.
"Of course not, feel free to."
"Thank you, Mother."
I look back at Neo in order to drop a bomb on her.
"I'm a lesbian, by the way."
Neo blinks while giving a response worthy of her high intellect.
"Huh?"
Mother calmly sips her tea as if she had known all along.
"That's not a problem, dear." Mother says. "There are special potions you can use if you ever want offspring, though you would have to acquire the male genitalia in order to do so."
I tilt my head in surprise.
"Wait, really? I never found anything about that when I was researching alchemy."
"It's a part of a more specialized area of research. As they can sometimes result in permanent changes, they aren't commonly used nor publicly sold."
I nod my head in understanding before pausing.
"Wait. If they're not commonly used, how do you know about it, Mother?"
Mother coughs into her fist with slightly blushed cheeks.
"That's not important."
Wow. So, Mother is bisexual. Well, it's either that, or Father's into sodomy. You learn something new every day, even if I really didn't need to know that. If she is bisexual, I wonder who was her sexual partner? …Wait, if she was acquaintances with Summer… No, I'm gonna stop that line of thought right there. There's no way Ruby is actually my half-sister. That only makes it weird if we somehow end up together in a relationship. It would be hot but weird. Neo finally registers my comment and returns back to the world of the living.
"Wait, since when?!" she screeches without any of her usual calm.
"Since for a long time now." I answer her.
She twiddles her thumbs while looking everywhere but at me.
"Then… do you know that I…"
"Like me? Yes, I do."
She gulps. I smile encouragingly at her.
"No need to be nervous, Neo. I wouldn't mind dating you."
She widens her eyes in disbelief.
"Really?"
"Really."
Her face blooms into a brilliant smile as if my blunt response was the most important thing she would ever hear. Since this is Neo we're talking about, that's most likely true. In my opinion, there is no need to waste time edging the line between a platonic and romantic relationship. We're at an appropriate age now to start dating. Neo's beautiful, loyal, and caring - everything I desired in a partner.
We sink into a comfortable silence as Neo revels in her newfound status as my romantic partner. I start to plan out various dates we can go to while musing on the thoughts of acquiring a harem. If things worked out that way, I won't reject it. Although, I won't go out of my way to get one. That would be too time-consuming.
Eventually, we arrive at our hotel where I am finally able to cleanse myself of the sweat I have produced over the course of today's event. I wait until the three of us depart on our private aircraft back towards Atlas before mentioning to Mother about Amber's two classes. The limo was just one we had rented for use during our stay in Mistral and was thus unsafe. Mother sank deep into thought after we tell her. She concludes that my decision to not make a big deal out of things was correct. Qrow never did things without reason, she says, and he most likely did it out of concern for Amber's safety more than anything else. She asks me if this was how I knew Qrow had access to illegal goods which I admit to. She warns me that if I wanted to wear that item, I needed to make sure nobody would ever see me wearing it. I tell her I would keep her words in mind.
-0-
Chirp. Chirp.
It has been some time now since my victory in Mistral, and I am currently seated outside in the inner courtyard with Mother and Whitley, enjoying the late evening chill. Mother sat off to the side enjoying one of her novels. Whitley and I are facing off against each other in a duel of wits. Neo is off doing some errands Klein assigned her, so she isn't here.
I sit in my chair while holding my chin. My eyes leer at the board, trying to discern the flaws in his chess formation. I move my queen piece two spaces forward, attacking his knight. I click the timer, signaling it was Whitley's move.
"A rather ambitious move, don't you think, Sister?"
He calmly takes one of my pawns with one of his own, ignoring my threat. He clicks the timer.
"Ambition is key to any path towards success, Whitley. Without it, we would be no better than the androids that guard our Dust."
I take back on his pawn with a rook.
Click.
"Is that why you desire to become a Huntress, Sister? Out of ambition?"
He moves another pawn forward.
Click.
"Hmm. You could say that."
I take his knight with my queen.
Click.
"I just fail to comprehend why you, Winter, and Mother all pursue such a barbaric path – no offense. I feel like something like this can be left to other Huntsmen and Huntresses. Why bother doing that of all things when you both have the freedom to be whatever you desired? Now, you'll be chained down with constant physical conditioning your entire life only to retire early due to injuries or death."
He moves his other knight forward, forking my queen and rook. I scowl at my failure to foresee this trap. His earlier movement of the pawn had split the vision my queen and rook had of one another. Now I can only choose to save one, but either way I would be down a major piece.
Click.
Whitley grew up to be someone who cherished his freedom. Chained down by the title of heir, he envies me and Winter's ability to choose. The fact he has to spend long hours with Father lecturing him while I got encouragement from Mother only made him more jealous. In an effort to not antagonize one another, I endeavored to spend quality time with him since young. These chess matches being one of the many excuses I use to connect with him. My efforts are successful, or so I would like to think. I can't imagine we would be having such a civil discussion had he despised me.
"Not everyone retires due to injuries, Whitley. Mother is a great example."
"She's an outlier, not the trend." He retorts. "Statistically speaking, you are almost certain to suffer a physical or mental scar during your career as a Huntsman or Huntress."
"It comes with the job description. Think about it like this Whitley: Have you ever struggled really hard with some problem Father gave you? Then, when you finally solve it, you feel a sense of progress from accomplishing something you knew you couldn't have done before solving that problem?"
He nods.
"In a way, being a Huntress can give you that same feeling. Unlike an NPC, Huntsmen increase their stats all the time. Every time we see those numbers go up, we also feel a sense of progression. Leveling up being the most obvious case. We can't get enough of the sensation."
Whitley taps the table with a finger while thinking.
Click.
"All you've said is what generally allures people to the profession. All of us are aware you're not like the simpletons that blindly pursue it out of greed. I'm asking what Weiss Schnee, my dear sister, wants from this profession."
Click.
"Me? I desire to become a Huntress in order to protect everything I hold dear. I want to be strong enough so that I'm not a sitting duck that can only watch as something takes everyone I love away from me. I don't want to be useless. I yearn to be able to make a difference."
Click.
Whitley stares at me in mild astonishment.
"Huh. I was expecting you to say something like you wanted to help other people or because the idea thrills you."
I chuckle softly.
"Don't get me wrong, Whitley. I do want to help people, and I do find adventuring through dungeons to be fascinating. However, those things are only minor in comparison to my main desire."
"I see… You said you want to protect those dear to you. Considering your disposition, is that not the same as protecting everyone?"
I smile ruefully.
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not some messiah that thinks she can save every unfortunate being on the planet. Yes, I do feel sorry for every sob story. Yes, I would love for nothing better than to eliminate all hunger across the planet. However, I'm not a fool. I know I can't save everybody. If I did, I wouldn't keep any of my allowance. I'm just saving those that I can, given the resources I have. If anything, I'm just more willing to part with my money than most."
Whitley rolls his eyes at my description about myself.
"Of course not. If you were to give everything you owned away, I would ridicule you. That doesn't mean you don't deserve the praise that people give you… You're a kind person, Sister."
A warm feeling envelops me.
"Thank you, Whitley. I appreciate it."
I tip my king over. Whitley sighs in disappointment.
"Giving up already? I was hoping to try out a new strategy I learned."
"Oh hush. You've been controlling the tempo since the beginning. The last couple of my moves were all forced too. I would have lost not too long after that turn anyway."
"Probably." He admits.
Mother calls out to us both.
"Whitley. Weiss. It's almost dinner time. I'll be heading inside first."
I look at the sky. Time has flown by so quickly.
""Yes, Mother.""
The two of us gathers up all the pieces and neatly rearrange them into their slots in the wooden board. I wait for Whitley to store it away into his dimension chip before we head inside. As we are walking side-by-side toward the dining area, Whitley calls out to me.
"I watched your match in the finals the other day."
I look at him in interest.
"Really now? I thought that was during one of your lessons with Father. When did you get the time to watch?"
"Father told me I was allowed to take a break. We both watched your matches together actually. Your final match was very intense."
He leans towards me and whisper into my ear.
"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but he actually fist-pumped when you finally won."
I grin.
"You jest."
Whitley shakes his head, smiling all the while.
"Did you get a video of it?" I ask.
"Unfortunately, I didn't."
"That's a shame… Say, maybe I can get Father to do something embarrassing during dinner."
Whitley looks at me questioningly.
"Like what?"
"I can think of a few things." I smile deviously.
"I'm glad your mischievous streak hasn't stopped since I last saw you, Weiss."
The two of us turn forward to find Mother hugging our eldest sibling.
"Winter!" I shout.
I join Mother in the embrace. Whitley opts to simply wave in greeting instead.
"What are you doing here, Sister? Shouldn't you be in Atlas Academy right now?" Whitley inquires.
"I along with another officer were granted leave for the week. The General asked us to come teach Weiss about explosives as per her request. I just asked to come along in order to refresh my memory as well as visit home."
Mother smiles affectionately.
"I'm glad you can join us. You just made it in time for dinner."
Winter nods. She then pulls two large suitcases from her inventory.
"Here, Weiss. I visited the blacksmith on my way here, and he just so happened to finish your order for guns."
I take and store them away.
"Thank you, Winter. I am surprised he finished them so quickly. I've only gotten back recently."
"Yes, but since you ordered rather ordinary models with no special metals, he was able to complete them without much fuss using the materials they had in stock."
"I see."
The four of us continue together to the dining room where Father already sat. We all exchange pleasantries once more; Neo, Klein, and Claudia brought out the dishes in the meantime. Tonight, the main course was lamb, Father's favorite. As the dinner table is filled with noise between bites, each of us take our time splitting off into our individual conversations. My attention is drawn back to Father as he complains about the White Fang.
"Truly, they are an obnoxious bunch. That's the third time this month we've been targeted. Thankfully, you had Neo and Klein to cover your backs during the tournament. I need to send James a basket with wine as thanks."
Mother rubs Father on the shoulder.
"Things will calm down eventually, Jacques. With our security being powerful and merciless, they will have to back off sooner or later. They honestly can't continue send every personnel after us if they know that their chances of survival are low."
Yes, that was the thing. Recently, we've adopted a more ruthless policy towards attackers. At first, we only captured the assailants and turned them over to the authorities. Only, the attacks kept coming. Some were more professional then others, but they all had a common goal: To kidnap the child of influential figures. As Schnee offspring, we were prime targets. Thankfully, those that targeted me were smaller in number, but the fact that they still attacked my brother irritates me to no end. Our hope was that by showing we wouldn't back down from taking extreme measures, they would back off.
My problem with this, though, is that this can only function as a temporary stopgap measure. The underlying reason isn't resolved, which means it will eventually once more. Only this time, they'll be more careful and potentially more dangerous.
"Father."
He looks at me.
"Maybe you could consider implementing more lenient policies for the workers?"
He sighs exasperated. Whitley and Winter sips at their drinks, not wanting to get caught up in the upcoming argument.
"This again? Why must you bring this topic up every time, Weiss? I told you, submitting to the acts of terrorism will do none of us any good. What kind of message would that send? That one of the most powerful families in the world is afraid of some rebels?"
"But Father, the security is only a temporary means to make sure none of us get hurt. So long as they believe faunus are getting mistreated in our company, they'll never stop their attempts."
Father rolls his eyes at me.
"What part of our company policies is not fair, Weiss? We operate with impartial wages and standard office hours to all our workers. Those damn faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal! Their damn propaganda is the only reason they use to justify attacking us!"
I shake my head.
"Father, please. You must see things from a different angle. Your policies aren't unfair, but they're not generous either. You leave equipment details to those other 'nobles' that control the various mines. They lord over the workers constantly, regardless of whether they're humans or faunus. If we solve that problem, they'll have nothing to stand on!"
He stares at me incredulously.
"You want me to increase their wages and interfere with the other nobles' domain? Weiss, if this is just another attempt at being witty, I'm not laughing."
Mother looks at me in confusion.
"Dear, you can't expect your father to interfere with the other nobles. It would be a breach of territory."
I groan.
"Mother, if I were to speak honestly, I think the noble system is long overdue for remodeling. It is a title in name only. The only 'nobles' worth remembering in this day and age are those that have strong financial backing. Everyone else is just piggybacking on their connections."
Winter nods.
"It's true, Mother. Even in Atlas Academy, the concept of nobility has fallen far from relevancy in everyday life. Regardless of who you are before, you are treated the same as everyone else the moment you step into the dorms. It's a lot different from how you described it to me when you attended school."
Mother frowns in contemplation.
"What do you mean by solve that problem, Sister?" Whitley asks. "Do you mean that you have an idea on how to get them off our backs?"
"Not to stop their attacks on the company, but I do think we can stop them from targeting us specifically."
Everyone lends me their ears, curious about my solution.
"We just need to change our policies so that the noblemen can no longer exploit our workers. If we do this, the White Fang will recognize that as it is a company policy, it is our stance towards helping those oppressed. Even if it doesn't entirely work in preventing abuse, they have to be fools to not understand the implications."
Father widens his eyes in astonishment.
"You want me to turn our backs on the other nobles? To abandon them to the faunus' wrath? Have you no honor as a Schnee?!" he screams in rage.
"Jacques. Stop shouting." Mother's voice rings aloud. Her mind, on the other hand, is deep in thought about something.
Father clamps his mouth shut, his expression furious all the while. I need to change my words. Approaching from a humanitarian's point-of-view will get me nowhere as it always has. I must appeal to his pride.
"What honor is there in bending to the will of nobles lower than you, Father? Nobles that work for you, might I add, and not you for them. You're concerned for our image, Father, and I'm endlessly grateful for your efforts. But if you're always concerned with pleasing everyone, won't you become a slave to them instead?"
I give him an honestly worried expression. He reels back, not expecting this was where I was heading with my argument. Neo and Klein exchanges looks, as did Winter and Whitley. I had made a breakthrough in my argument, and they recognized it for what it was. The only question left was how to follow up and secure the victory.
"T-that's still not the issue. As noblemen we must keep in mind about our pride-"
"Maybe Weiss has a point." Mother interrupts.
We turn to her in surprise.
"Adelle?" my father asks questioningly.
"Perhaps we have grown too attached to the intricacies of noble society. Let's try out her idea, darling."
Father sputters in complaint.
"But as Schnee-"
"You don't need to worry about our pride anymore, darling."
Mother cups Father's cheeks with one of her palms gently. She stares into his eyes with endless love in her expression.
"Ever since you've married me, all you've done is obsess with our title. You've tried to live up to our name, even going so far as to dye your hair white. I'm grateful you care so much, but it's okay. You don't need to worry about it anymore. Besides, it's not like all my relatives are dead and I'm just some useless drunk who wouldn't dare show her face in public. We're all still here with you Jacques. There's no need to take it all on your shoulders."
I look away as I sip my cup of milk.
Yes. How lucky of us.
I look back to see Father… Great Oum on a pogo stick! Father is tearing up!
"Honey…" he whispers tenderly while staring back.
Winter, Whitley, and I stare at one another with our mouths gaping. Each of us asking the same question with our expressions. None of us wanted to speak the question in case we ruined the moment. Was that man who spoke that word full of emotion the same father we all grew up with? Klein smiled while Neo held her hands over her heart.
The two lovebirds come back to reality soon enough. Father coughs into his fist and straightens his back in an attempt to reestablish himself with his previous persona.
No way. It's too late for that, Father. You can't just sweep that under the rug like one of your expense reports.
He gazes at me with a hard look.
"Do you truly believe this can work?"
I nod confidently.
"You've always taken strong stance towards this subject, Father. The fact this will even happen will cause waves."
"…There is no guarantee they will stop targeting us just because we give into their demands. How can you be so sure, Weiss?"
I squint my eyes.
"Then we make them a deal they can't refuse."
He raises his chin, looking expectantly at me.
"You have a plan in mind?"
"Yes."
"…You want to elaborate for me?"
"Nope."
"…Fine, but I won't be increasing any wages. Changing policies will already lose us a bunch of revenue. Let us hope this gamble works out for us."
Father grumbles under his breath. He simply can't believe how a distinguished businessman such as himself ended up acting on the basis of chance. I roll my eyes.
Merchants.
I catch Whitley's attention and flash my scroll towards him. It takes him a moment before realizing what I was getting at. Father stares down at his dinner with disappointed eyes.
"Great. Now my lamb is cold. Klein, please go fetch us dessert."
"At once, sir."
Father looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"Nope."
I smile innocently. Neo readies her camera, recognizing that look. Father squints his eyes at me uneasily. The whole family knows me all too well by now.
"I see…"
I wait until he goes to sip his wine.
"Oh! I guess there was one thing..."
He continues drinking, a mistake for him.
"I'm gay."
"Pfft!"
A glorious spit take is seen as the light shines a brilliant rainbow. Whitley, Neo, and now even Winter took a recording of it in all its glory. Mother palms her cheek and shook her head with a sigh. She has a smile on her face though, so I knew I was fine. I jump out of my seat, pick Neo into a princess carry and dash my way out of the dining room. Neo freezes in my arms, not expecting this turn of events. My father's voice echoes behind me.
"WEISS SCHNEE! YOU COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"
No thanks. I still have too much to live for. I laugh as I pass by Klein who was moving a cart of ice cream. I skid to a stop.
"Klein."
"Hm? Yes, Miss Weiss? How can I help you?" he says as if I didn't have his daughter in my arms.
"I have a favor to ask you…"
-0-
It was pitch black with only a small amount of moonlight shining through the clouds. The evening sun had set long ago, but that didn't stop the two figures from conversing together on top of the building. Fortunately, the darkness did nothing to hinder their sight.
One dressed in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. It was if she could only afford to spend her money sparingly, and so she could only choose the cheapest of fighting attire. The other was much more well off. She was cloaked in a complete leather set, with a coat to match. On her back sat a katana that was attached to a pistol. It sat in its sheath which was also clipped on magnetically to her back.
These two matched each other's outfit colors; Both wore black even though they were each different kind of faunus. This distinction mattered not to her. They were brethren as far as Blake was concerned. What did concern her was the pain and emotion she could feel in her friend's story.
"I'm sorry." Blake said. Because Ilia simply didn't deserve to go through that. Because someone should have helped her.
"Don't be." Ilia replied with a small smile on her face. "Like my friend once said, 'They aren't worth it.'"
Blake smiles back in relief.
"They sound like a good friend."
Ilia broke out into laughter. Blake blinked in shock, not expecting that kind of response.
"Haha. I'm sorry. It's just- you wouldn't believe it if I told you who that friend was."
"Why is that?"
Ilia grinned naughtily.
"Because her name is Weiss Schnee."
"…What?"
Ilia busted out into laughter once more. Blake frowned at her. Her expression couldn't be that funny, could it?
"S-sorry. It's just I also made that expression when I realized I first thought that out loud."
Blake waited for Ilia to regain her composure before asking again.
"You were friends with a Schnee?"
"Yep. I honestly don't even know how. It was only a brief period, but we were friends. She just appeared out of nowhere and sat down beside me."
Ilia laughed once more, self-mockingly this time.
"Now that I think about it, she probably saw through my disguise straight away."
Blake raised a delicate eyebrow at her friend.
"And you still continued being her friend anyway? That's a Schnee we're talking about here, right?"
"She's different." Ilia defended. "She doesn't hate faunus. If she did, she wouldn't have comforted me back then."
Blake sat silently for a while.
"I've heard rumors about her." Blake started. "That she was a Schnee that donated to the poor every month. That she started a food drive for all the faunus in Atlas. Is it true?"
Ilia shrugged.
"I honestly couldn't tell you. I only knew her briefly, so I never saw her interact with any of the faunus – outside of those videos we see on the internet of course."
"I know. That's where I heard about her." Blake said. "I was hoping if you could verify if they weren't just fabricated."
"If she was the type of person I met for that one week, I would say it's the real deal."
"What a load of shit."
Blake twirled in place, her katana in hand.
Clang!
The clashing of metal on metal is heard as Blake attacked the man who snuck up behind her. She gasped in shock when she realized who she just attacked.
"Adam! Don't scare me like that!"
Her boyfriend grunted as he sheathed his katana.
"You need to work on your senses, my love. An Assassin can't have worse detection skills than a Samurai."
Blake blushed ashamed at his reprimand. Ilia stands unamused with her weapon in hand.
"The hell you mean, Taurus?"
The man scoffed, unthreatened by her show of bravado.
"All the humans know is how to lord over us like we are their cattle. Those Schnee's especially only know how to greed over money. It's obviously just a PR move. The fact that you were fooled by such a move despite living amongst them speaks volumes about your intelligence. The fact you know she had known about your heritage yet still defend her just shows me how foolish you really are."
Blake frowned. Just how long had he been listening to them? That was a private conversation meant for their ears only, and he was clearly breaching a line. Ilia's form turned bright red. Her skin glowed in the moonlight.
"Or maybe, she treated me with kindness because – I don't know – she actually cared about my well-being?! You probably couldn't see that though because you're too busy trying to look out of that stupid mask of yours!"
Adam growled, thumbing his katana. Blake stepped in between them before things got out of hand.
"Adam why are you here?"
"Hmph. I'm here because High Leader Khan called for us."
"Okay. Let's go then."
Blake waved goodbye to Ilia. Ilia smiled at Blake while flicking Adam the bird; he returned the gesture. Blake pulled her hood over her head as well as her face mask up. The two of them dashed silently across the roofs of buildings. She darts her eyes at her mentor's face.
"Why are you wearing that?"
"It's a Grimm mask."
"I can see that." Blake blandly responded.
Adam turned toward her, his facial expression screamed unamused.
"What I was saying – if you had let me finish – was that it's a Grimm mask, and I figured since humans think of us as monsters, why not put on the faces of monsters? Let them experience what a true monster is like, before calling us such derogatory terms."
Blake frowned underneath her mask.
"That's rather dark, even for me."
Adam didn't reply. The rest of the trip was done in silence.
When they arrive at the base, they find Sienna in a middle of a conversation with another member. She waves them in. Blake notices that in the person's hand was a memory chip of some sort.
"What's that?" Adam asks.
"Nicholas here was one of our more recent agents we sent to kidnap some Atlas heirs for ransom." Sienna explains.
Blake frowned, dissatisfied that they were committing such acts of crime, but she withheld her complaints. This was what she signed up for… right?
"He ran into the Schnee's by sheer coincidence and was captured."
They perk their ears at that.
"Captured? Not killed?" Blake questioned.
Sienna nods.
"You said she told you to give this to me?"
The faunus named Nicholas nodded.
"Yes. She said she would let me go if I brought that to you. I only dared to bring it here after I got a third-party to double check it wasn't bugged or something."
"Good thinking. It seems like a memory file."
Sienna gave it to another one of her men and told him to pull it up on the big screen. There was only one file on the memory chip. When they pressed play, a recognizable face showed up. One that belonged to a girl with snow white hair and a scar over her left eye.
"Greetings, Sienna Khan. Assuming the man fulfilled his side of the bargain, you should be listening in to this recording along with your other various officers or whatever you may call them.
I send you this message because I wish to propose a deal to you."
Sienna quirked an eyebrow while Adam and the rest of the faunus in the room stared at the girl in suspicion.
"This deal pertains to the wellbeing of the SDC employees – including those who are faunus. I hope that is enough reason for you to listen.
I'm sure you've heard of our newest policy changes?"
Blake had. Every faunus did when the news came out. Nearly every news channel covered it. New policies that guaranteed better working conditions, or else the SDC would reimburse employees. Complaint policies that actually result in punishing management level employees should there be conclusive evidence of swindling or abuse. It was like the gift from the heavens. They had finally been heard.
"That was my doing."
Blake stared at her in disbelief. She did that? Blake watched as the girl no older than her massaged her temple.
"You have no idea how troublesome it was to convince Father to do this. I have literally been buttering him up for years. YEARS! Thankfully, he is a man of reason. Heh. Although, most of that reason relies on cold numbers, but that's beside the point.
The point is we've finally made a breakthrough in improving social equality between nobles and commoners. The only problem here is you guys."
The girl stares ahead. Despite it being just a recording, Blake felt her presence seep through the recording.
"You people have been constantly attacking us time and time again. Now, I understand that for some reason you believe violence to be the answer to whatever cause you're fighting for, and that's fine. You can be fools all you want but to attack my family when I am one of the biggest philanthropists you could ever wish for has got to be one of the dumbest, illogical, and most feeble-minded action I have ever seen.
Sigh.
Pardon me. I just had to get that out there. You people simply irritate me to no end with your vapid thought processes.
I understand that in a moment… or in this case a disposition of anger you can fail to make sound decisions. That is why I do not hold any hard feelings towards you. I will still help those in need whether they be faunus or human regardless of your actions. That you have my word… if that even means anything to you. What I cannot forgive, however, is the waste of life."
The girl sighs before taking a deep breath.
"Do you know how many lives of your brothers and sisters that we have killed – not out of anger, mind you – but out of fear for our own safety? 57. Eight of which were slain by my own maid – who is the same age as me. Mental scarring aside, fifty-seven beautiful lives were wasted trying to kidnap me or my family for your selfish goals. I don't give a damn what beautiful vision you people have in mind.
Nothing is worth more than a person's life.
The fact that you people have the arrogance to send them to their deaths disgusts me to no end. But do you want to know the biggest sin you have committed?
You targeted my family.
Do you know the joy I felt when I taught my brother his first sentence? Do you understand the happiness I felt when my older sister got into the school she always wanted? Do you know what is like to grow in the presence of a caring mother and father? I do, and you people wish to take that away from me.
Unforgivable.
I send you this recording, Sienna Khan, because this is not only a deal but an ultimatum.
As things stand now, the best we can do is set these policies so that we can help relieve the workers before taking better measures once the nobles are dealt with. However, just as I can give you guys this gift, I can also take it away.
The deal is simple. We keep these new policies, and you don't ever send one of your men at us Schnee's ever again. Period. No more assassination attempts. No more kidnappings. You want to boycott our company? Fine. You want to steal our resources? Go crazy.
But if I see another one of your men targeting the lives of my friends or family, Sienna Khan, I won't just retract these policies."
The Schnee daughter glared at them all. Her eyes swept from one side of the room to the other, almost as if she could see they were there. Blake had to remind herself this was a recording and not a video chat. That reminder did nothing to quell the sense of inferiority the girl aroused in her with every motion she did, every word she spoke.
"I'll personally track you down and eviscerate you slowly. Painfully. All in front of a camera. Then I'll erect your skull on a pike outside my front garden as a warning to every person that dares to threaten me or my family. Only after I am done desecrating you, will I post the 24-hour footage of the torture I subjected you to. And I'll repeat this process to every single one of your men or women who dares to try the same."
Weiss Schnee leans back from the camera. Her posture fixed from her leaning forward towards them. Blake gulped.
"But I hate to do such a thing, because I believe nobody deserves that kind of fate. I also want to keep our new policies without having to resort to such tasteless deals. You don't give me any choice though. So long as my family isn't safe from your schemes, I cannot calmly sleep at night. Please understand. None of us wants this. Especially me.
It was pleasant talking to you, Sienna Khan. I hope the next time we speak, it will be under better circumstances."
The video cuts off. The room is silent.
Blake rubbed the back of her neck. It was drenched in sweat. She blushed. That was not the only place either. Oh Oum, why did she have to react this way – and to a threat too!
Shrill laughter pierced her eardrums. Blake turned to the source of the ruckus, their current leader and the target of the threats, Sienna. Sienna guffawed and pounded the desk next to her. Her uncontrolled strength broke the desk in half. When she finally calmed down to a snicker, Sienna wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I like her. If I ever get the chance, I wouldn't mind having tea together. I feel we would get along great."
Everyone just stared at her incredulously.
"Are you going to go with that human's demands, Sienna?" Adam asked.
Sienna chuckled.
"Sure, why not?"
Adam growled. Sienna snarled back.
"Remember your place, Adam. I am High Leader here. What I say, goes. We've gotten the chance to make huge progress here. A little compromise doesn't hurt anyone. Besides, she's right. Attacking someone who has shown plenty of evidence of being on our side is stupid. The only reason you people refuse to admit it is due to your denial."
Many of those in the room look down in shame. Blake did as well.
"Enough, I did not call you here to only watch an entertaining clip."
That's what she would call it? Entertaining? Blake wondered about the sanity of their leader.
"We're going to expand our operations into the Vale Kingdom. Adam. Blake."
They stood at attention.
"You two will be in charge of our operations there. Adam, I'm promoting you obviously. Feel free to choose another lieutenant. Now, gather around so we can properly begin this meeting."
They drew closer as Sienna begun explaining the details of their plans. During this meeting, Blake wished for two things. The first was that she hoped nobody noticed her particular wet spot. The second was that she never ran into the Schnee daughter while she was in Vale. Sienna wrinkled her nose before giving Blake a pointed look. Blake turned beet red. Thankfully, it was covered by her face mask. Sienna chuckled knowingly.
"What?" Adam asked.
"Nothing." She replied.
Blake thanked whatever supernatural being that was out there that made Adam be born with a dull sense of smell. She only hoped she could go home quickly to change. Sienna smiled at Blake with a suggestive look on her face.
Just kill me.
