Chapter 34
Daughter of Arcadia
"Hey!?" Yang snapped, holding up a half-empty wine glass in disgust. "Does this look full to you?"
The elderly gentleman stared wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open and the bottle in his hand trembling slightly. As if unsure what to do he stole a glance over at Weiss who was busy peeking into the main dining room making sure nobody walked in on them. "Forgive her," she said offhandedly. "My friend here graduated from Signal Academy and expects a certain sort of hospitality wherever drinks are served. You wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you?"
"O-of course not, Miss Schnee. My sincerest apologies, ma'am." As he resumed pouring Yang kept motioning for him to continue until the hazel colored liquid was at the brim threatening to overflow.
With moon-shaped eyes and licking her lips, Yang carefully swirled the wine around like she'd seen snooty rich people do on television, as well as in her dorm room, before taking an experimental sip and sighing with delight. "Expensive free booze is the best booze. Better than that non-alcoholic crap the other guy brought us."
Weiss' head spun and the hand hovering over her rapier grabbed hold of the hilt. "That you-know-what was from my favorite vintage and you drank the entire bottle," she seethed. "Maybe if your liver didn't filter out anything less than fifty percent alcohol we could've both appreciated it!"
"Alcohol that doesn't get you drunk is like drinking non-caffeinated coffee," Yang said. "Like what's even the point? This stuff though, wow, you outdid yourself."
"I-if that will be all, Miss Schnee." The server bowed his head and hurried back toward the banquet hall when Weiss held out her own wine glass with a crooked grin plastered across her face.
"When in Vale do as the Valeons do..."
Once an appropriate amount of alcohol had been consumed Weiss led Yang away from the banquet hall as stealthily as one could while wearing high heels and having an inebriated Yang Xiao Long following behind you. They passed a few guards and airmen on the way to their next destination, but if any of them noticed Yang carrying a wine glass with a tiny yellow umbrella she'd brought from home they kept it to themselves. She wasn't sure where they were going, or what they were doing exactly, but she didn't particularly care so long as she didn't have to remember why it had been so imperative she got something to drink.
An elevator ride later and they arrived at a set of metal doors that parted for them revealing a sprawling room that hummed gently with the sound of electronics. Several dozen of the latest model scrolls sat atop ivory desks, each one having its own little cubicle area for semi-private, long distance communications, and appeared to have been cleaned sometime within the last hour.
"Greetings and salutations," said a cyan, semi-transparent young woman behind the front desk. "Welcome to The Arcadia's Cross Continental Transmit Communications Center. What can I do for you this evening?"
"Don't touch anything," Weiss hissed to the girl already inspecting a scroll. "And don't spill your drink either."
"As if I would waste good alcohol." Yang huffed, visibly offended.
Shaking her head Weiss walked toward the holographic assistant. "I would like to make a priority one transmission to Lieutenant Colonel Winter Schnee requesting that she contact me as soon as possible. I would also like for my request to be delayed for exactly one hour, and for any record of my request to be deleted after it's been verified that she's received the message." She turned to Yang who was currently mesmerized by her hand passing through one of the holographic screens. "This way not only will I be able to get the information about conjuring glyphs you wanted, but I'll also be able to leave the banquet early without creating a scene."
Yang raised her glass in approval. "You are learning well, young and devious grasshopper."
"It's actually something Winter and I have been doing for years, especially back when she was attending Polaris and there was a banquet seemingly every other week. I think it's about time she finally started paying me back."
"Who may I ask is making the request?" the hologram asked suddenly.
Weiss blinked, staring in almost disbelief. "Weiss Schnee!" she said emphatically. "Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company! You're supposed to be programmed to know who I am!"
"Please insert your scroll or identification card into the slot to your right for verification."
Muttering something under her breath Weiss shoved her student ID into the slot, her eyes never leaving the hologram's.
"Excellent. Welcome back, Miss Schnee," it said in a more respectful tone, even bowing slightly. "Your request will be transmitted in precisely one hour. Once it has been verified that Lieutenant Colonel Schnee has received the transmission, all record of your visit to the Cross Continental Transmit Communications Center will be deleted. You will then be contacted as soon as Lieutenant Colonel Schnee reaches a secure console to contact us from. Will that be all for today?"
"Fortunately." Weiss turned to leave but nearly ran into the doors when they didn't part for her. Refusing to jump up and down in case she was once again too short for the sensors, she turned and glared at the hologram smiling smugly at her, reminding Weiss far too much of her cousin of whom the hologram had been modeled after.
"Apologies, Miss Schnee, but you have unanswered messages from your father and he's requested that you not be allowed to leave this facility until you've contacted him. Please wait while I send a priority one transmission to Schnee Manor and SDC Headquarters to try and locate him. Would you like to listen to some relaxing music while you wait?"
Weiss growled at the hologram and with the flick of her wrist the doors pried open courtesy of a gravity glyph but not quite enough for her to slip through. Signaling for Yang's assistance the blonde nodded and with her own flick of the wrist effortlessly threw the doors open so forcefully that they slammed into their recesses and showered them with sparks.
"Oops, my bad..."
Weiss gave her a dirty look reminiscent of the time when she had broken a door on an SDC locomotive, and without a word stormed past the brute wrecking her grandfather's airship and away from the communications center.
"Sorry, Holly," Yang sang, using the frequently used nickname for female holograms, "but Daddy Schnee's just gonna have to wait. My future husband is out there waiting for me, and the princess here needs to pee like a racehorse. Bye-bye!"
Growling, Weiss turned only to be bulldozed by Yang and sent sprawling onto the floor.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" she yelled, holding her nose.
Once the threat of spilling her drink subsided Yang sighed and eyed the girl coolly. "I was watching where I was going. You stopped in front of me, and watching out for you is like watching out for Zwei when he gets underfoot. What's your excuse? Most people can see these coming a mile away."
Weiss muttered some unkindly things under her breath and checked her nose for blood, almost disappointed not to find any. It would've been all too easy and tempting to call the guards and order them to stuff Yang into a dust cannon and send her all the way back to Signal where she belonged.
Reluctantly she accepted the hand up when it was offered to her, and rubbing her backside she scowled at the towering blonde who in her current state had forgotten the meaning of personal space. She took a step back, then another just for good measure. "While I appreciate you rescuing me back there I'd rather if you'd STOP telling people I need to powder my nose using such crude and vulgar language!"
Yang took another sip from her glass, her eyes gradually losing their reddish hue. "Why? It's usually true. You have a sensitive bladder and can't go anywhere without having to go winky-tinky-woo-woo somewhere along the way. It took me a while but I eventually figured out that you plan our shopping days around where the cleanest bathrooms are."
"Do not."
"Do too. You're just lucky we're on an Atlesian airship where the bathrooms are probably clean enough you can drink from the toilet bowl. Hey, I just realized that tonight I'll get to cross off puking in a gold plated toilet from my bucket list. Tonight just keeps getting better."
"I hate you and I don't know why I ever bothered bringing you..."
"Because I'm good for a conversation and I'm easy on the eyes."
"You wish..." Without warning a hand wrapped around her wrist and spun her around, leaving Weiss staring up at Yang who's eyes were twinkling. Ignoring her personal space once again being violated, Weiss mentally scolded herself. Yang already wasn't in the best frame of mind worrying about Ruby, but obviously the alcohol wasn't helping either. "I-I was just kidding, Yang. Talking to you can be very frustrating at times but I've come to terms with it, and while I wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything from your wardrobe you are without a doubt the most beautiful woman on Remnant."
Yang continued staring at her for a few moments as if trying to discern whether she was just teasing her again when a gentle smile crawled across her face. "Thanks, but the reason I stopped you is because I wanted to tell you that I think you should at least listen to what your dad has to say."
Weiss' face turned scarlet in a mixture of fury and embarrassment, and she yanked her arm away. "We are not talking about him right now." She began walking faster to distance herself from the inebriated blonde but Yang easily kept pace and eventually overtook her.
"Not so fast." She put her body in between Weiss and the elevators down the corridor, and when she tried turning away to find another path Yang grabbed her shoulder and squeezed.
"Listen, I know you two aren't exactly getting along right now but he's still your dad. From what you've told me you have every right to be mad at him, but avoiding him isn't helping, and it's obvious that he does care about you."
Weiss shifted her weight and crossed her arms, avoiding her gaze.
Yang gave her a gentle hug and stooped down so they were eye level with one another. "I know what it's like to grow up with an overprotective dad. He wasn't the same either after he lost my mom, or Summer, or after we-" She glanced around making sure they were alone- "or after we thought we'd lost Ruby. Both our dads made a few mistakes along the way but I'm sure they'd do things differently if they could. Talk to him for me, please? And blame me when he says something that makes you mad. I didn't leave things on the best of terms with Summer and I can't ever take that back now no matter how hard I try. I just don't want you to make the same mistake..."
When she was done talking Weiss' piercing cold eyes finally met her own, and without even blinking she removed the wine glass from Yang's hand and took a sizable gulp, wincing slightly as the harsh liquid went down her throat. "Fine. I'll talk to him, but not tonight." Her eyes softened and she let out a heavy sigh. "There's something I need to discuss with Winter first, preferably in person. After that I'll talk to him, and I'll be sure to give you an earful afterward."
Yang grinned and patted her shoulder, gesturing for her to lead them back to the banquet hall as she'd long since forgotten the way. "Looking forward to it. Wanna go celebrate with another round of drinks?"
Weiss shook her head but began walking anyway. "No, you've had more than enough to drink tonight. I'm surprised your bladder hasn't exploded yet, or your liver for that matter. And I already told you I don't want you attending the dinner. Partially for your protection, but mostly for my sanity."
"Alright, but if you're not gonna let me go to the dinner would you at least introduce me to someone and pawn me off on them for the night? Preferably someone who's rich, handsome, a year or two older, and training to be a Specialist?"
"We'll see. I'd prefer it if you didn't interact with anyone my family has any sort of dealings with, and unfortunately that rules out most of the students that'll be attending."
Yang gave her a sideways glance. "Just because we're teammates doesn't mean everything I do reflects on you, you know? I'm a big girl, if I do or say something stupid let me deal with the consequences."
"You know better than to think that people aren't judgmental or don't sometimes look for excuses to detest someone." She raised her chin in a prideful manner. "I'm rather gifted at it if I do say so myself."
"Yeah well, I don't really care what people think of me."
"That's a lie." Weiss glanced back at her with a wry grin. "You do care, but you pretend otherwise and try not to let what others say or think bother you. I don't particularly care what the other guests think of me, but I don't have the luxury of doing whatever I want, whenever I want like you. Tell me, does reputation and perception matter to a huntsman?"
Yang nodded as they stepped into an elevator. "Of course. If you don't have a good reputation for fulfilling contracts or assignments nobody's gonna wanna to hire you."
"Precisely my point. I am the heiress to a multi-billion lien company. Perception is reality, and my reputation reflections on both the company and my family. Anything can and will be used against me, and that includes the actions of my partner and teammates. However-" a fiendish smile began spreading across her face- "I know how to play that game better than almost anyone. And if anyone tries to use any of you against me they'll regret it for the rest of their lives..."
The evil smirk faded and she cast her eyes onto the tile floor. Yang watched on concerned but as soon as the elevator doors parted Weiss raised her chin and began walking as though nothing happened. Catching up beside her, Yang rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, vaguely aware that they were walking away from the banquet hall.
"I don't think I give you and Ruby enough credit for being able to take care of yourselves," she murmured, surprising the girl in white. "You've both been through hell and had to grow up fast, but I still can't help but see Rubes as the seven-year-old little girl who just lost her mom and stares at her feet all day. I've lost count how many times she's saved my life now, but I don't think I'll never get used to being the one that needs protecting. I hate it, I really do, but in a weird way a part of me kinda likes it if that makes sense..."
Weiss stared at her curiously for a moment before nodding, and with this being a relatively quiet part of the ship she wrapped an arm around her. "All my life I've had other people making my schedules and deciding my life for me, and while I've tried for years to escape that life I suppose it was comforting at times." She came to sudden halt, her feet dragging until Yang came to one as well. "Yang, you're more than capable and competent enough of leading this team if you wanted to. If you wanted Ruby to step down as leader and take her place there's not a reasonable argument any of us or Beacon's staff could make. The truth is that as much as you pretend otherwise you don't really like being the one in charge or having to make the big decisions. You may have a dominant personality but it's in part because you didn't really have much of a choice growing up."
"Oh really?" she laughed, her cheeks brightening. "You think so?"
"I was in your sister's head, remember? She knows you better than you think, and so do I. To use an analogy that I'm sure you'll appreciate, you're not the kind of person who wants to sleep in the top bunk. Not really anyway. You'd rather let someone else have it, or in certain cases have someone take it from you."
Yang snorted. "Okay, that might be the best euphemism for a top and bottom I've ever heard. I'm not saying you're right, but if you tell anyone I'll deny it and show them pictures of you from my blackmail folder."
"Believe me, I have no intention of ever speaking of this ever again..."
"Good." Weiss began leading the way but after only a few steps she had to slow down for Yang to keep up. "You wanna know the moment I first realized that Ruby can take care of herself?" Weiss nodded. "You know that game where you grab a little kid's nose and say 'Got your nose'?"
"Of course! Zwei and I play it every morning in between games of 'peek-a-boo'."
"Yeah well, I did it to Ruby once and she threatened to shoot me if I didn't give it back. I had to teach her that you don't actually shoot a person on a warning shot. I've never been more proud."
Weiss stifled a laugh and shook her head, unsure whether to believe the notorious liar or not. "And when was this? A couple of months ago?"
"Something like that." She smiled at the memory fondly. "If you try hard enough I'm sure you'll remember."
Weiss smiled sadly and shook her head again. "Her memories are all fuzzy and getting fuzzier, and as someone who takes great pride in their mental acuity it isn't a particularly pleasant sensation. Ruby and I will have to share our auras and do many more soul dives if we want to keep each other's memories permanently, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that just yet." She coughed awkwardly and cleared her throat. "What about you and Blake? How close are you two from performing a soul dive?"
Yang was quiet for a moment, her eyes drifting downward. "I-I think I'm ready. I already share a lot of personal stuff in my aura, but I also have to be careful not to overwhelm the person I'm sharing my aura with. Your aura causes goosebumps and makes people feel all tingly inside while mine gives them a tan and makes them feel warm and fuzzy, but you don't have to worry about accidentally causing frostbite. I'd burn Blake alive if I shared all my aura with her, same with you and even Ruby. Even if y'all somehow survived I don't know what the emotional roller coaster that is my semblance would do to you mentally. I'd overwhelm any of you, maybe even suppress your own personality for a while, and if it's anything like what I have to deal with everyday it wouldn't be much fun..."
"O-oh..."
"You can say that I don't really have a dominant personality and maybe you'd be right, but when it comes to my aura that's exactly what I am." She flared her aura causing the air-conditioned airship to suddenly feel a tad stuffy, but she quickly suppressed it again before Weiss could try and analyze it.
"Doesn't really matter," she murmured, shaking her head. "Blake doesn't share a whole lot of her aura with me, which means she's nowhere near ready for a soul dive. Sometimes I can gleam a memory or two from her but only because they're near the surface and don't mean much to her. That's alright. Soul dives between partners usually don't start happening until Sophomore year anyway."
No longer caring if anyone saw them Weiss came to a halt and embraced the other girl, squeezing her tightly. "You just have to give her time," she said. "Maybe Blake will have adapted to your aura by then. And if it makes you feel any better, Ruby and I are going through something similar. She was ready to share Patchwork with me, but I'm not ready to share how I got this scar just yet..."
Yang took a deep breath and squeezed back. "Thanks. Besides an occasional nudge here and there I haven't been pushing her, but I already know what a soul dive feels like, and look how that turned out..."
Weiss stared up at her, unsure who she was talking about. "Amb- I mean, your friend from Signal?"
She nodded. "Our auras were still developing and we didn't go through the kind of aura training that partner's do, but yeah..."
The embrace tightened. "I'm sorry, Yang. I really am. I-I didn't realize you two were that close..."
Once they separated Yang quickly took a sip from her drink before wiping her eyes. "It's alright. I've just had her on my mind a lot lately. Heh, actually we used to share a mind, kinda, and maybe when this is all over we still will. My uncle's working on it, and if we get what we came for tonight maybe it'll make finding her and Ruby's attacker that much easier."
With her aura brightening, Weiss smirked seeing an opportunity to lighten the mood. She didn't at all mind Yang opening up to her about her sorrows and concerns, in fact she'd come to greatly enjoy their private talks, but perhaps selfishly the world was a brighter place when Yang Xiao Long was smiling back at it.
"Excuse me, but who is this we you speak of?" she teased. "I'm the one who's having to attend General Ironwood's dinner and call in a rather costly favor from my sister. The entire time we've been aboard The Arcadia you've done nothing but start fights and drink excessively. And ignoring how much those bottles cost, you also broke the doors to the communications center and likely tampered with the holographic projection of a military grade desktop scroll."
"That's your fault," Yang said flippantly. "You can't just bring me to new places and expect me not to drink or get into fights, or break things. You don't want me coming with you to the party, you don't want me wandering the halls, and you don't want me hooking up with any of your friends from Atlas. How about I just go upstairs and find Rubes? Even if Neon was telling the truth about where Penny's room is, we both know my sister's probably wandering around lost. Also I'm still not entirely convinced that the real reason she seduced you into letting her come wasn't so that she can get some alone time with Penny. Sure that'd be pretty convoluted and not make much sense, but since when have Ruby's plans ever been be simple and coherent?"
Weiss gave her a sideways glance, frowning at what she was suggesting and thinking perhaps her plan had backfired. "I don't particularly like Penny, and I'd like nothing more than for you to go up there and play chaperone for them, but I don't own my partner and neither do you."
"Sure I do! I'm her big sis, and I branded her rear so that it says 'Property of Yang Xiao Long. If lost please return to owner'." She held up a finger that sizzled as it wrote in the air.
"Did not."
"Did too, and how would you know? You ever sneak a peek at the Ruby-booty?" She gave Weiss a playful nudge that nearly knocked her across the hall. "Left cheek in case you're curious. Wait, no, Blake's is on the left, Rubes' is on the right. I don't remember which one yours is on. Ask Rubes later, she probably knows..."
Weiss shook her head trying not to grin. "You're a pathological liar, Yang Xiao Long, and Blake will kill you if you ever joke about that in front of her."
"Me lie? Never, and don't tempt me."
"Wouldn't dream of it..."
"Back to Ruby, I've got a written contract somewhere that says I own her. I offered her a batch of cookies in exchange for her soul. To this day she says it's the best deal she's ever made."
Weiss' grin turned devilish as an idea suddenly came to mind. "Say, hypothetically speaking, how many cookies would I have to bake in order for your sister to never annoy me again?"
Yang laughed. "If you bake them I can promise she'll never bother you or anyone else ever again."
"Okay, fine. How many energy drinks, cookies and other assorted sweets would I have to buy her to never annoy me again?"
Yang gently patted her on the shoulder. "Princess, the SDC would go bankrupt before that ever happened. Not saying you can't try, but are you seriously only now thinking of bribing her? Tell you what, for a million lien I'll never annoy you again. For two million you'll never have to see my beautiful, unbranded backside ever again. And for five million I'll delete all the blackmail off my scroll and even give you back that lotion I told you I didn't steal."
"Don't tempt me..." she echoed. "Truth be told I-"
Weiss let out a high-pitched yelp and came to a sudden halt as they rounded a corner. Before Yang could say a word she found herself being dragged back around and pressed up against the wall.
"Whaswong?" asked a muffled voice.
'What's wrong?' Weiss translated. Removing her hand from Yang's mouth she pointed in the direction they had been walking. Curious but also cautious, Yang peeked around the corner, her golden mane sticking out nearly an extra foot. She'd been just on the verge of activating her gauntlets, and probably would've if Weiss had caused her to spill her drink, and she had to rub her eyes before it sunk in what Weiss was so afraid of.
A tall young man with blond hair was staring into a trophy case, either admiring the prestigious awards inside or more likely his reflection given how he was tidying his hair. He wore a black and white Polaris uniform with red trimming which denoted him as a Specialist in-training, and at his side was a golden rapier with a jewel encrusted hilt.
"Who's the self-absorbed stud?" Yang asked, now adjusting her own hair.
Weiss poked her head out and shuddered. "That's Henry Marigold-" she whispered- "the eldest son and heir to the Marigold fortune. He's also Polaris' favorite to win the Vytal Festival this year."
"Really..." she purred, eyeing him up and down.
Weiss gagged and made a sound as if she might vomit. "He's a pig! He can't keep his eyes or his hands to himself! Without fail whenever we're paired to dance together his hand slides down my waist! And once I've made it clear I had no interest in him he ignores me for the rest of the evening and starts looking at other girls! And the sick part is that they actually fall for him! Granted they're usually of a lower social class so they can't be expected to know any better, but what could anyone honestly see in him?"
"He's tall, rich, and gorgeous," Yang breathed heavily. "And according to you he's from a noble family and good with his sword. Did I mention rich? Or tall? As of thirty minutes ago height has drastically moved up in my priorities."
"Fine, perhaps he has one or two things going for him, but as someone who's far richer and from THE noble house of Atlas he has nothing to offer besides perhaps being half-decent with a sword. He has a champion racing horse that lives in a dirty stable while I have a corgi that cuddles in bed with me. What more is there in life?"
"He turned you down didn't he?"
"Other way around," she hissed, driving a sharp elbow into her rib cage which went largely ignored. "The Marigold dynasty, if you can even call it that, aren't a particularly wealthy or politically powerful family, at least not in comparison to those they associate with, but they breed like rabbits and come from a long line of respectable huntsmen. Someday I will have to marry a man of good standing who'll be an asset to my company and won't take honor from my children or dilute their abilities, and unfortunately Henry Marigold is near the top of the list of suitable suitors."
"Lucky..."
Weiss gave her another ineffective elbow. "The problem is that while our families have intermarried many times over the centuries, the primary descendants like Henry and I never have."
"I don't get it, unless not enough genetic similarity is the problem. I watched a documentary once that said inbreeding used to be a thing with Mantel's royal family and noble houses. I always wondered why you were so short..."
"That was centuries ago," she hissed.
"No, I definitely saw the documentary in the past couple years."
Weiss let out a quiet, frustrated scream. "My point is that the Marigolds would like nothing more than to obtain real political and financial power just like the Gels did when Father married Mother." Weiss sighed and with a deep breath stepped out into the hall. "I suppose there's no avoiding it. I just hope he doesn't try sitting by me or ask me to-"
"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"
"I beg your pardon?" Without warning Weiss found herself sailing across the hall courtesy of a hip check into what appeared to be a janitor's closet. Lying on the floor with her head spinning, she watched in a slight daze as Yang finished off her drink and carelessly tossed it into an empty trash can beside her head, the glass shattering on impact. Shaking her golden mane seemed to make it come alive and she winked suggestively before unbuttoning the top buttons of her blouse.
Walking with her hips swaying from side to side she approached Henry Marigold who sensing someone behind him turned around. Taken aback he looked her up and down several times, his eyes lingering and his mouth hanging open slightly, but remembering his manners he promptly closed it and bowed. "How do you do?" he asked politely, his courtly Atlesian accent soothing to her ears.
On her knees Weiss poked her head out as Yang giggled girlishly. "This is so embarrassing but I'm kinda lost," she said, covering her scarlet cheeks. "I was invited to General Ironwood's dinner but I've never been on an airship this big before." Feigning embarrassment Yang finally attempted to get a good look at the broad shouldered young man that had two to three inches on her, and allowed her eyes to linger all the while biting her lower lip.
"I-I was just heading there myself," Henry said, flustered but flashing a pearly white smile that made someone down the hall gag. "Would you like me to accompany you? Oh, how rude of me. Henry Marigold at your service." He bowed again and held his arm out which Yang gladly accepted and snuggled against.
"Yang Xiao Long at your service," she said in a slow, husky voice, wanting him to remember it for the rest of his life. "Actually, fancy parties aren't really my thing, and I hate getting all dressed up like this. How about you give me a tour of The Arcadia instead? Maybe after we're done we can head back to your room and you can help me out of these shoes..."
Clinging onto him Yang flared her aura causing a mischievous smile spread across Henry's face, and he began playing with her necklace, specifically the amethyst nestled in her bosom. "I don't know," he teased. "Specialists aren't really supposed to bring guests back to their quarters, and you look like you could be trouble."
Feigning disappointment Yang pressed up against him, smiling as sweat appeared on his brow. She stood up on her tip-toes and brushed her lips against his own. "You've never met trouble like me," she whispered, "but I'm more than worth it..."
Down the hall someone may have retched but the foul disruption went unnoticed. With a confident grin Henry flared his own aura causing Yang to let out a pleasurable sigh that bordered on a moan, and she nearly laughed as Henry began leading her down the corridor away from General Ironwood's banquet. Glancing over her shoulder she flashed a proud grin. 'Don't wait up,' she mouthed.
Once they were out of view Weiss got to her feet and fought the urge to vomit as their powerful auras still lingered in the air along with their desires for each other. Turning around and walking in the opposite direction she did her best to try and not think about Yang possibly going back to Henry's bedroom, or what either might have planned. Weiss needed something to drink, preferably alcoholic, and mind bleach if she could find any. Unfortunately for her the janitor's closet appeared to be fresh out.
"I suppose we can't put it off any longer," she murmured, Ruby's aura pulsating with a nervous reply. "But first I need to find the little heiress' room and powder my nose..."
With white linen tablecloths adorning every table and tuxedo wearing servers standing every few meters apart the great hall was a spectacle to behold, but for the young heiress who grew up passing such a room every morning on her way to breakfast it seemed rather ordinary. All around were important men and women wearing their finest clothes and jewelry while huntsmen and those still in-training wore formal attire befitting their profession along with polished rapiers, most of which looked as though they hadn't ever seen combat before.
The moment Weiss made her grand entrance every head turned much the same way they did for Yang whenever she walked into a room, except Weiss could feel the momentary tension her presence always brought with it, along with expertly hidden scathing glares.
The first hour of the banquet was about as dull and perilous as she had expected. A lot of small talk and feigned pleasantries, all of which she had long since mastered. Those that were the first to greet her were also some of the most pleasant, as well as the most insincere. Not an impolite word was spoken however, not even one that could be misconstrued or viewed as a backhanded compliment. Everyone in this room was far too shrewd and cunning to make that mistake. Together she and the other guests repeated the same conversations they'd had the time before and the time before that, and Weiss as expected of her already knew their names, the names of their spouses and children, and what business they were in and how they were doing financially. More importantly however she knew who the real power players were among them, of whom Weiss Schnee had no rival and she had no qualms letting them know it.
While making her rounds the only people that made her feel truly uncomfortable were the Specialists and Ace Operatives of the Atlesian military. Weiss had always had great respect for huntsmen and the servicemen in her kingdom's armed forces, but it was a respect that went two ways due to her being a Schnee and her company directly financing every branch of the military. Now however she was a huntress in-training, a respectable endeavor to the outside world, but the bottom of the totem pole in a profession where respect was earned by spilling your blood. During their careers each and every huntsman had been to hell and back, and while they appreciated their successors and respected what they were hoping to accomplish, it wasn't until their third year of training before students started being viewed as their peers.
The huntsmen were the only ones Weiss went out of her way to greet, bowing low and respectfully to each of them as was customary for huntsmen in-training when meeting their predecessors for the first time. This otherwise uncharacteristic gesture surprised a few onlookers but every huntsman she greeted respectfully nodded back, a thin smile on their lips from seeing a Schnee bow to them if only once in their lives. Some couldn't help commenting on her choice of school however, not even bothering to hide their displeasure.
These were the only times when anyone was openly rude to her, but with them being veteran huntsman, Specialists and Ace Operatives at that, and Weiss a mere freshman attending a foreign kingdom's academy, this went largely ignored by the other guests. To Atlesians both civilian and non-civilian, a Schnee not attending Polaris or attempting to become a Specialist was scandalous and borderline traitorous. Even if she had followed in the footsteps of her mother and grandfather however and did everything expected to her nothing would've changed. To them Weiss would forever be the runt of the Schnee dynasty and the target of their unbridled jealousy.
Her cold shell hardened as the night progressed but she was careful to bury it in her aura somewhere near her heart. It was a familiar sensation, but one that a new resident within her wasn't particularly pleased by. Weiss had been forced to bury Ruby's aura deep in the far reaches of their now shared soul, along with any of her personality quirks that might've tried bubbling to the surface if given the chance. She was wroth to do so as she wanted nothing more than to sit somewhere quiet and focus on her partner's true nature and most cherished memories, and she held everyone on that airship personally responsible for ruining such precious time together which was quickly running out.
Occasionally a thought would bubble to the surface or something would give her the strangest sense of deja vu, but Weiss had no other choice but to smother the memories and let them either fade away or with any luck go back into hibernation. Now was not the time to get to know her partner better, or to let excitable and prone to rambling Ruby Rose in the driver's seat. Ruby was awkward and uncomfortable around strangers at the best of times, not to mention terrified of crowds, but she also didn't know how to navigate this world like Weiss did. Even now she felt her partner's anxiety building within her and occasionally she had to take a moment to calm her down, often through her usual threats and name calling which for some reason put Ruby at ease.
Appearances mattered, often more than reality, and the reality was that everyone in attendance was either a backstabber or someone who understood how to play the game. The girl sharing Weiss' mind wanted to trust each and everyone one of them, and wanted nothing more than for them to like her, or at least not be mean to her. Weiss knew better however. Each and every guest wanted something from her, to climb the ladder of life even if it was at her or the SDC's expense, but today's enemies were likely tomorrow's allies and vice versa. They all had to be treated with an equal amount of respect and disdain. With that said, a growing part of Weiss' mind was also screaming at her to sample all of the desserts and see how many she could fit into her mouth without choking.
After roughly an hour passed Weiss finally began being able to explore the luxurious dining hall at her leisure with only one or two guests coming to her at a time. With elites from all around the world visiting for the Vytal Festival, Weiss wasn't surprised to see several relatives invited to the banquet, along with a few proper Schnees as well. She would've been more surprised if they hadn't been there, which she would've actually preferred, but while none of them exactly got along with each other they were still Schnees at their core, and they all knew whose side they were ultimately on.
The family came first, the company second, themselves third, and then everyone and everything else at a distant fourth.
The other proper Schnees weren't particularly difficult to spot due to their naturally white hair and imposing statures, something that had always been a bit of a sore spot for the diminutive heiress. They were also all surrounded by guests hoping that being seen together would mean an increase to their own social standing.
It was all very tiresome to Weiss, but she'd been encouraged by a few of Beacon Academy's staff being there, including Professor Ozpin who had greeted her but kept the conversation short. Besides the exchange in pleasantries which she believed to be sincere, he'd been mostly curious about where her teammates were hiding. Weiss ended up having to come up with an excuse for Blake's absence while explaining how Ruby and Yang were touring the airship which seemed to amuse him greatly.
'Hopefully they don't cause an international incident,' he had said before casually wandering off. A moment later Professor Goodwitch scurried over, either having overheard the conversation from across the room or having sensed imminent disaster approaching. After explaining to her combat instructor that Ruby was just visiting a friend and Yang being given a tour by Henry Marigold, Goodwitch muttered something about another world war before heading off to get her drink refilled.
Even a few of her schoolmates were there, most notably Coco Adel and her partner Fox Alistair, who were likely candidates to win the Vytal Festival that year and the pride of Beacon Academy. Weiss and Coco had always gotten along even before Beacon as the Adel family owned several notable clothing brands and were considered to be at the forefront of the fashion industry. Their respective companies had crossed paths a few times and a business partnership between them was a lucrative proposition that had never quite come to fruition, but while the financial benefits were appealing both girls genuinely liked one another and had even gone shopping together with their teams on occasion.
They knew better than to socialize too long however, and so after an equally refreshing conversation they each went their separate ways. Afterward Weiss found another person she genuinely enjoyed catching up with, lead daytime VNN news broadcaster Lisa Lavender. Like the rest of their bloodline Lisa was tall and had snowy white hair, but while Schnee blood ran through her veins she wasn't technically a Schnee or anyone of real importance at the dinner, and so soon after saying hello they said goodbye.
Weiss was disappointed to learn however that Pyrrha had been invited to the banquet only to excuse herself citing an injury, which Weiss knew was a lie. Pyrrha didn't get injuries, not major ones anyway, and more likely she just didn't want to attend which Weiss couldn't blame her for. She had briefly met Pyrrha at a banquet in Argus after one of her Mistralian tournament victories where she got the opportunity to, as Yang called it, 'fangirl' in front of her idol, but while Pyrrha did surprisingly well at such an event Weiss could tell that formal banquets weren't quite her strong suit. She also suspected that none of Pyrrha's sponsors being there was also a contributor to her not coming.
It was during this time while wandering aimlessly that General Ironwood greeted her for a second time. During the first he had simply been acting as host greeting one of his most prominent guests, but now that the formalities were out of the way they were able to discuss matters more personal besides Vale's atrociously warm weather. He was one of the few Atlesians who seemed genuinely glad she had come, and Weiss had no doubt that he was being sincere. The general had always been close to her family, particularly Winter despite her having been handpicked to someday be his successor. He even had the courtesy to apologize for her sister not being able to attend, though Weiss kept it to herself that she intended on speaking to her sometime within the next hour or two.
Eventually there came a time when Weiss didn't have anyone else to entertain or exchange pleasantries with and allowed herself to simply enjoy the music that had been playing since she first snuck into a nearby hosting room with Yang. On a stage nestled in one of the far corners was a small band playing an assortment of fine instruments, but none were played more vibrantly than a violin by a teenage girl with long blonde hair and wearing a flowing emerald dress with gold embroidery. She was playing better than Weiss could've ever dreamed even on her best day, and was dancing barefoot around the stage avoiding her band-mates hardly pausing to breathe.
Her name was Piper Marigold and she was a senior at Sanctum Academy, a combat school in northern Mistral that many Atlesians also attended. She and Piper had played at several recitals and charity events together, and even competed against one another at the Atlas Junior Fencing Championships a few years prior. Weiss had bested her when it came to skill with a blade, but as far as she was concerned Piper had no equal when it came to the violin, or any instrument for that matter. Although she was a Marigold and Weiss found her to be rather dim witted, Piper was harmless enough, and if not for her unrivaled talent she would've never gotten through the door of such premier events.
Piper was actually another distant relative, and while she didn't have snowy white hair or an imposing figure she did have a talent for glyphs, though not enough to make her a Specialist and possibly not even enough to get her into Polaris. Through no fault of her own Piper also had the misfortune of being born illegitimate, and while she was a talented swordsman and glyph practitioner, her immediate family simply didn't have the influence necessary for rules and regulations to be overlooked, or Atlesian social norms for that matter.
Weiss watched and listened almost mesmerized, hoping that perhaps graduating from a prestigious combat school would be enough for the prodigious musician. She reminded her of Ruby now that she thought about it, but Piper wasn't nearly as skilled or driven as her partner when it came to combat. If she was pushed into a huntsman academy by the more influential members of her family Weiss hoped that she had the brains to drop out before she was inevitably killed, something that would've likely brought more honor to the family than if she ever graduated and became a registered huntress.
Taking a deep breath she allowed a familiar aura to bubble to the surface, enticed by the music playing. Weiss couldn't help but smile, and not for the first time she wished she had hidden herself away for the evening when she had the chance. The sounds around her dissolved into an unintelligible cacophony of conversation that didn't do her migraine any favors, but as she enjoyed a private conversation with her partner a large shadow loomed her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Weiss," said a kindly voice. "I didn't see you standing there. Beautiful, isn't she?"
If the comment was a slight against Weiss' height she wasn't sure, and shook her head choosing to ignore the comment. "No apology necessary, and yes she is." Her hand withdrew from drumming the table which either she or Ruby had been doing subconsciously, and glanced up to get a better look at the towering woman brash enough to call her by name, and in an instant felt a lump in the back of her throat.
Weiss instinctively smiled back and bowed, ordering herself to regain her composure. If she had been uncomfortable around the Specialists and Ace Operatives around the room, then Robyn Hill made her outright nervous. She was a former Ace Operative and Vytal Festival tournament winner, and was a congresswoman running for a seat on the Atlesian council. She also happened to be a distant cousin, though she had little to do with the Schnees beyond accepting political donations. She was more aligned with the Marigold family, and had even founded a private huntsman organization called 'The Happy Huntresses', made up of other female Polaris graduates and Specialists like herself, many of whom were Marigolds or married into them.
Robyn like most women with Schnee ancestry had snowy white hair and stood just over six feet tall, but unlike the rest of their kinsmen she also had a dark complexion due to being part native Vacuon. Out of all the registered huntsmen, Specialists and Ace Operatives in that room, Robyn had likely once been the most skilled, and despite twelve years of service, or three tours in huntsmen terminology, she hardly had a scar to show for it. While it may not have been technically proper and only because she'd been so startled, Weiss decided a second bow that evening after their brief exchange of pleasantries earlier was harmless enough, and if anyone deserved respect it was certainly Robyn Hill.
The imposing woman glanced behind her and cleared her throat, not loud but Piper had obviously recognized its origin as she glanced up and smiled brightly at her. Robyn nodded back with a smile and gestured down at Weiss, and the girl atop the stage paused from playing in order to wave, causing a few people to look Weiss' way with raised brows. She had to restrain herself from blushing or awkwardly waving back, and instead gave an acknowledging nod which seemed to be enough for the girl to begin playing a new song that was certainly far too lively for these guests who for the most part already had one foot in the grave.
"How's your huntress training coming along," Robyn asked suddenly, sounding as though she honestly might've cared if even just a little.
"It's going well, thank you," she said, returning the pleasantries. If Robyn was anything it was courteous, though perhaps also a bit forward, but Weiss knew deep down that the former Ace Operative hid a ruthless streak just like all other huntsmen and politicians she had ever met. "My teammates and I are training hard to live up to the standards set before us, and we're looking forward to participating in the Vytal Festival Tournament later this month."
"I'm glad to hear, and a belated congratulations on being accepted into Beacon Academy. While I was admittedly disappointed to hear that you wouldn't be attending Polaris, I realize the importance of having to carve one's own path as a huntress. And I just wanted to say that proud of you. Tell me, is it really true that Jacques threw a wine glass at you when you told him?"
Weiss continued smiling though she did feel her lip beginning to falter. Huntsmen were notorious for being blunt, and it wasn't exactly a secret that many of Robyn's political ideology ran counter to that of the SDC's, or at least the way her father ran the company. It was a minor rivalry that spanned the better part of two decades, stemming from what Weiss wasn't quite sure, but while she shared many of Robyn's views in regards to the huntsmen of Atlas having the option of remaining independent from the military, she would never allow anyone to think they could break her away from her father. All Robyn wanted was a powerful ally at her side, and perhaps to get the ball rolling to preemptively remove Jacques Gel-Schnee from the SDC board of directors.
'Nice try,' she thought to herself, 'but I'm not that easy to manipulate.'
"Thank you, coming from you that means a great deal," she said honestly. "I'm afraid however that the story has been greatly exaggerated. Father merely tipped his glass over at dinner and it had the misfortune of spilling on my dress. He actually took the news rather well." From her lack of reaction Weiss got the impression Robyn was either disappointed or didn't quite believe her, or possibly both.
"Well, that's a relief to hear. If you'll excuse me I see that a few of my benefactors are patiently waiting to have a word with me. Good luck in the Vytal Festival, Weiss. Until next time."
Weiss nodded. "And good luck to you in the council race." Robyn smiled and waited a moment as if waiting for a campaign contribution, but a moment later graciously made her way toward a few businessmen the SDC didn't much associate with, and who greeted Robyn with warm smiles and knives behind their backs.
Surveying the battlefield littered with landmines Weiss retreated to the safest location she could find, in front of Piper and the other musicians. Once again the music playing became livelier when Piper noticed her, and as more thoughts of Ruby entered her mind Weiss couldn't help feeling guilty for all the things she had said to them. She hadn't really meant them, not all of the insults anyway, and it came as a great relief and disappointment when it finally came time to sit down for dinner.
As expected Weiss was requested to sit at General Ironwood's table along with Huntsman Field Commander Ian Steele, the deputy headmaster of Polaris Academy and retired general of the Atlesian armed forces. Steele was a large man just like the general, but he was bald and had sunken eyes and a beak for a nose making him appear very vulture-like. Despite their second brief exchange of pleasantries the commander couldn't quite hide his displeasure seeing her again, which while not surprising was a complete one-eighty from the last time they had spoken, back when the commander still thought he had another Specialist Schnee attending his academy to add to his collection. The crown jewel of the world's most powerful and influential elite, all of whom were also first class huntsmen and forever grateful and indebted to the man responsible for their training and the recognition it earned them.
Before sitting down Weiss' chair had been pulled out for her by a young Specialist in-training about her age which also hadn't surprised her, but when he sat down at the table beside her she couldn't help staring at him in awe, expecting him to be shot at any moment.
'Another suitor,' Weiss quickly thought to herself. 'Father must've approved of him and made the general aware.'
Soon enough her guess was proven correct. General Ironwood sitting to her left introduced him as Brennan Mustang, a second year Specialist in-training and the son of a famous Ace Operative commander and armed forces colonel. Weiss had met his father a few times, and like him Brennan had dark hair and slight Mistralian features, and going by his aura suspected his semblance was also fiery in nature. On his hip he wore a MADR but it looked entirely ceremonial just like most of the other swords in that room, and while kind and courteous as well as he should be, Weiss herself didn't go beyond what courtesy dictated of her.
The final seat at the table was occupied by a middle aged man with reddish, orange hair that was beginning to thin and gray. Behind a thick pair of spectacles, magnified bright green eyes had been fixated on her from the moment she sat down, his right hand absently scratching his scruffy beard as if lost in thought. His stare was unnerving, as while Henry Marigold undressed her with his eyes, this man seemed to be almost dissecting her.
"How do you do?" she greeted politely, waiting for the man to apologize and introduce himself. She of course needed no introduction, and to do so herself would've been improper.
"The work on your eye is extraordinary," he said finally, grinning like a child on Christmas morning. "If it weren't for the scar I'd hardly be able to tell which was the organic."
The eye in question twitched, and taking a deep breath through her nostrils Weiss waited for him to correct himself and apologize, beg for his life perhaps, but when all he did was continue staring she simply glared back as if daring him to speak. General Ironwood meanwhile also glared at the man, silently willing him to keep his mouth shut while Commander Steele just smirked.
"Thank you," Weiss said graciously, smiling even though acid was dripping from her mouth. "I'm very thankful to all of the Atlesian doctors and scientists that made it possible to see out of both eyes again, and I'm fortunate to be in the position that I am to receive such a state of the art cybernetic."
"Tell me-" the stranger leaned forward, adjusting his spectacles to get a better look- "which does it have? Binocular vision or nocturnal? Or both? I can't quite tell what model number you have."
Weiss swallowed. "Neither. My ocular implant and prosthesis may be state of the art but their only function is to match the vision of my right eye, and it behaves just as any ordinary eye would."
The man leaned back in his chair, his shoulder's slumping slightly. He didn't seem to have the best posture while sitting, and the more Weiss studied him the more sure she was that he wasn't accustomed to this sort of setting, and assumed he must've been lurking in a corner somewhere when she had been making her rounds.
"How often does your prosthesis need to be taken out and cleaned?" he asked curiously. "Or repaired or replaced for that matter? Same with your implant. Eyes are a very temperamental division of cybernetics as I'm sure you know."
"I hadn't noticed..." she muttered, resisting the urge to massage her brow.
"Oh yes! There's all kinds of problems that pop up. A person's vision naturally changing with age in their organic eye can affect their overall vision, and there's also the occasional blurriness and electrical static. And in your profession a hit to the head can cause the vision to turn black and white for seemingly no reason before returning to normal. Not to mention the headaches and occasional sense of nausea and dizziness. At least there's always the option of taking the eye out and-"
"That's enough, Pietro," said General Ironwood, raising his voice and eyeing him coolly. "Now is not the time to discuss such...such matters." He turned to Weiss looking appalled and apologetic. "My sincerest apologies, Miss Schnee. I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Pietro Polendina. He's my chief robotics expert but his skills overlap heavily into cybernetics, and unfortunately he sometimes forgets he can't speak to people like he does his machines. Especially not someone of your high esteem..."
The men locked eyes and after a moment Dr. Polendina blinked and shook his head, finally realizing he was speaking to the heiress of the SDC, the company that most likely funded his research and whose crest was engraved on practically every piece of equipment produced for the Atlesian military. "Dearest me, where are my manners?" he said sheepishly. "My deepest apologies, Miss Schnee. Unfortunately General Ironwood is correct. I talk to machines more than I do people, well fleshy people like ourselves, and I sometimes forget the delicacies of conversation and that many people find it rude to point out and discuss their cybernetics in public. I hope you'll forgive me."
Weiss forced herself to smile, nodding as she'd already deduced as much about him. Her partner wasn't so different, not really, and Weiss had been around technologists all her life. She had long since grown accustomed to their poor bedside manners and penchant for sticking their feet in their mouth. None of them seemed to care how she lost her eye or everything she had been through since, only getting her fitted with the latest model implant and prosthetic.
She was immensely grateful for her ocular implant and each of the eyes she had received over the years, each one better than the last, but with them came a great deal of resentment toward men like Dr. Polendina. They were an ugly reminder of the worst day of her life and of her own ugliness, and every time she went to either get her eye repaired or replaced she couldn't help being reminded of how helpless she felt all those years ago, and how only the doctors and scientists seemed to be able to stand to look of her...
'Dr. Pietro Polendina...'
Again she resisted the urge to massage her throbbing temple. Despite the jack-hammering going on inside her skull everything was beginning to make sense. "You're Penny's father, aren't you..." she said unenthusiastically.
His eyes lit up and he nodded gleefully. "I am! Penny's told me all about you two being friends! You don't know how happy that makes me!"
Weiss smiled with some difficulty, and found herself disliking him and his daughter more by the second. Of course she had heard the name Dr. Polendina prior to ever meeting Penny, and already knew he was one of the leading minds in robotics, cybernetics, and artificial intelligence, but she hadn't actually known what he looked like until now. Somehow Penny's father had exceeded all of Weiss' expectations, and she decided to never underestimate a friend made by Ruby ever again.
"Acquaintances really," she said modestly, regaining her composure. "I only know Penny through my partner Ruby Rose." In her limited peripheral she saw Ironwood and Steele glance at one another across the table but couldn't quite read their expressions.
"Ruby! Yes, my darling has told me all about her! Where is she? Has she gone upstairs to visit her? Penny has learned so much from Ruby, much more than I could've ever dreamed of teaching her myself!"
Weiss stared at him curiously for a moment, trying to separate the man's natural peculiarity from his peculiar choice of words. "I'm sorry, but what exactly do you mean by that?"
"Tell us about Miss Rose," Ironwood said suddenly, looking to change the subject and take the conversation out of Pietro's obviously incapable hands. "How is her recovery coming along? I'm sorry to say we still haven't caught the woman who attacked her atop the CCT, but her surviving the encounter is nothing short of miraculous and a testament to her abilities and training."
Forgetting about her curiosity and the oddity sitting across from her, Weiss began considering her words very carefully. She had no desire discussing her teammates in this room, least of all Ruby, and chastised herself for even mentioning her name. A part of her wanted to say that what happened atop the CCT a month ago was nothing compared to everything she had been through since, but Weiss smartly held her tongue.
"Her recovery is going well," she lied, sounding so genuine she nearly believed it herself. "And it looks as though we'll be entering the tournament without further issue."
"Good. I'm glad to hear. You and your teammates being unable to compete would be a terrible shame after everything you've all been through."
"Yes, a terrible shame," added Commander Steele, not even attempting to hide his sarcasm. "The first Schnee in two hundred years to enter the Vytal Festival attending another kingdom's academy, and not even as a team leader. Your grandfather would be so proud."
Weiss smiled as kindly as she could manage, knowing the commander was just trying to get a rise out of her in public. "I think it's a sign that what the huntsmen of old set out to do by founding the academies and establishing the Vytal Festival has finally come to fruition. Bitter enemies are now faithful allies. A Schnee and a Lionheart descendant are partners and attending Beacon Academy together, sworn to defend The Fall Kingdom from anyone or anything that may wish to do it harm. I find that rather prophetic, Commander, and I assure you that my grandfather would have been very proud of me."
As the men stared at her in surprise Weiss took a drink to try and wash the bitter taste out of her mouth. Steele's comment about her grandfather had been like a hot poker to an already open wound that still ached, especially now that her eighteenth birthday was drawing near and she was aboard the airship he helped design. Her Papa had loved her dearly, more than life itself he often told her, but him being a proud Atlesian and born at a time when there had still been hard feelings fostered between the northern and southern kingdoms, Weiss wasn't entirely able to convince herself that he wouldn't have been the least bit disappointed in her.
Nicholas Schnee had gone to the grave working tirelessly to bring honor and prosperity to Atlas. The SDC had never been more powerful or respected than when he had been chairman, and Polaris had stood as the most prestigious huntsman academy on Remnant, at least in the mind of Atlesians, with dozens of Schnee names during his time having graduated and become world renown huntsmen, including his children. Weiss could've been one of them, her name added to the Wall of Heroes her family had built two centuries prior, but instead she had chosen Beacon and a silly girl who thought bees were milked for their honey...
"Sixth in your class. Very impressive," he said with a mocking grin.
Weiss set her glass down and regarded the tall man for a moment before speaking again. "Sixth in combat rating, not in overall grades." She grinned back, knowing that he knew her grades couldn't get more perfect. "And I feel no shame in my rating being below that of Pyrrha Nikos and Yang Xiao Long, and Ruby Rose for that matter. As for me not being named team leader, Ruby is twice the huntress that I'll ever be, and I'm honored to have her as my leader."
Commander Steele let out a humorous bellow. "They say she's half-mad, you know. A fifteen-year-old girl who thinks wearing a cape makes her a superhero? And you're half the huntress of that? HA!"
A few nearby tables quietly joined in the commander's laughter as Weiss stared daggers into him. While she couldn't be rude, not openly anyway, Weiss no longer felt she had to keep up the false pleasantries. Just as she opened her mouth to rightfully rebuke him however General Ironwood cleared his throat.
"That's enough..." Despite his calm, quiet tone, everyone's laughter beside Steele's immediately ceased. "You will apologize to our guest, Commander. And after dinner I'd like to have a word with you in my office."
Ian Steele hardly seemed concerned by whatever reprimand the man technically his superior had in store for him but bowed his head toward her respectfully. "My apologies, Miss Schnee. I appear to have had too much to drink tonight. I hope that you'll forgive me."
Weiss hardly missed a beat. "No need to apologize, Commander," she said kindly, speaking loud enough for the other tables to overhear. "At age fifteen Ruby Rose is already better trained and a more competent leader than the majority of your second year Specialists." She stole a quick glance at the young man sitting beside her who smiled nervously. "She's also better with weapons and machines than half of the engineers and technologists in Atlas." She glanced at Dr. Polendina who seemed to be oblivious to what she was implying.
"And for the record, she's not half-mad. She's completely mad, and I couldn't have asked for a better partner. And I stand by my decision to attend Beacon instead of Polaris, especially after tonight."
All around them was complete silence, even the musicians seemed to have stopped playing, and after staring impassively at the commander as if daring him to argue, she returned to her salad which thus far had gone mostly untouched. She wasn't particularly hungry, not anymore, but she refused to let anyone think her night might've been spoiled.
At a nearby table she caught Professor Ozpin smiling at her, and beside him Professor Goodwitch who was absolutely beaming and holding up a wine glass to her. At another table further away, Coco and Fox were smirking and following their combat instructor's lead, as did the other Valeons and all those loyal to Beacon in the room with her.
Weiss couldn't help blushing, and so she quickly went to work taking small bites in order to hide behind her glass and napkin. Out of the corner of her eye however she caught General Ironwood giving the commander and doctor threatening glares, and even shot one toward Brennan who had smartly kept his mouth shut thus far.
Once it was understood that no one else was allowed to speak to their honored guest for the rest of the evening, Ironwood turned to Weiss looking apologetic. "From the reports I've read and from what Professor Goodwitch has told me, it sounds as though you may be understating your partner a bit." She glanced up at him, his smile infections as his words both felt and sounded genuine. "And I hope you don't mind but I've been trying to talk your headmaster into trading Miss Rose to Polaris in exchange for a shipment of Paladins and Atlesian coffee. For your entire team I even offered all of my first and second year Specialists but he hasn't gotten back to me yet."
As Brennan's eyes widened Weiss smiled and genuinely laughed at the general's humor. "Sounds like a fair exchange, except if you want Ruby's older sister, Yang Xiao Long, you'll have to sweeten the deal with your third and fourth years as well, along with another crate of coffee."
The general shook his head, feigning disappointment. "I'm afraid I can't bear the thought of parting with another shipment. Before long there will be more Atlesian coffee here in Vale than up north. I'm looking forward to seeing Team RWBY advance in the tournament, though I hope you'll forgive me if I root for Polaris to win."
Weiss brushed her hair back and huffed as if offended but her smile never faltered. "What will you do if my teammates and I are paired with a team from Polaris?" she teased back, forgetting about the other men sitting at the table. "One on one against Yang Xiao Long I can understand, but there's a fair chance that I'll be facing an Atlesian team in the first or second rounds. Who will you be rooting for then?"
Ironwood chuckled. "That's a situation I'm hoping I can avoid, and I hope you'll forgive me again if I don't answer in front of my deputy headmaster and our top ranked second year Specialist."
"I don't mind at all, General." Weiss glanced at Commander Steele who was staring at her coldly then at Brennan, who despite still looking earnest appeared uncomfortable by the conversation and the general's uncharacteristic lightheartedness. Finally her eyes met Dr. Polendina's again who was ignoring his salad still enthralled with her left eye. She quickly looked away and again focused on her own meal, but not before taking another sip from her drink wishing she was eighteen already and could ask for something stronger without there being whispers of her being like her mother.
"Weiss," said the general softly, low enough that the others would have difficulty hearing, "should you ever miss your kingdom or fellow Atlesians, you and your teammates are more than welcome at Polaris even if just for a semester."
She wasn't surprised to hear the general's offer as she'd been expecting it all night, and Weiss would've been lying if she said she wasn't the least bit tempted. She didn't miss the empty mansion of her youth or seeing SDC advertisements on every street corner, but rather the snow-capped mountains and awe inspiring skyscrapers of a city that was both ancient and modern at the same time, and futuristic compared to the other capital cities. She also missed her fellow Atlesians, a disciplined and hardworking people made hardy over the centuries by harsh winters and nightmarish Grimm. Some found their superior attitudes toward the other kingdoms off-putting if not outright obnoxious, but it was an attitude born of pride and exceptionalism.
Weiss at her core was a proud Atlesian and the heiress to THE noble house of The Winter Kingdom, and a Schnee training to be a huntress at any other academy other than Polaris was practically traitorous and gave her another reason for her sometimes having difficulty looking into the mirror. She missed Atlas more than she would ever admit aloud, and the more time passed the more she began to feel the same disappointment in herself that her Papa would've likely shared with General Ironwood. She hadn't realized it until tonight but she even missed hearing her people's accents and proper pronunciations.
She did have to admit that imagining Blake wearing a Polaris uniform was rather amusing, as well as Yang actually having to adhere to a strict dress code. They'd have a larger dorm room, conjoining rooms actually, and Weiss' sphere of influence would be near limitless, meaning if they wanted to take Zwei for a walk on the student campus not even General Ironwood himself would be able to stop them. If it meant her friends being able to come along Weiss would even gladly pay their tuition or sign them up for scholarships like the one Blake was on which would be paid off through service, but after indulging herself for a few moments she pushed the happy and admittedly now frequent daydream aside. As her father had always said, it didn't do to dwell on childish fantasies.
"Thank you, General," she said sincerely, "I truly mean it, but I'm happy here at Beacon, as are my teammates. The Kingdom of Vale is their home and attending Beacon Academy has been a lifelong dream for them, and they've shared their home and dreams with me. I can't in good conscience ask them to leave everything behind for my sake."
Ironwood nodded, disappointed but with pride in his eyes. "This may surprise you but I'm happy to hear that, Weiss. Truly. At least you'll get the chance to visit Polaris and give your friends a tour of the kingdom during the next Vytal Festival." He raised his glass as a toast, motioning for the other men to raise their glasses which they dutifully did. "To House Schnee, and to Atlas."
"To the huntsmen and huntresses that protect our lands and give their lives for ours," she said, raising her own glass.
Everyone at the table took a sip from their glass with Weiss' noticeably lasting a moment or two longer. Their dinners arrived shortly thereafter and Weiss focused her attention on the grilled chicken in front of her. She'd nearly forgotten what it was like eating gourmet food prepared by a world class chef. It certainly beat eating on the floor with paper plates and plastic utensils, though she did find herself wishing Zwei was there to share her meal with. It was also eerily quiet despite hundreds of people eating in the same room together, and she found herself missing the background noise of the sisters arguing with their mouths full.
While she enjoyed her meal the men at the table discussed matters that didn't much concern her, and was relieved that most of their questions could be answered in a single word or two. Despite her position in the social hierarchy, Weiss generally preferred listening in formal settings as opposed to talking, especially around huntsmen and high ranking Atlesian military officers. Her status as a Schnee conflicted with her standing as a first year huntress in-training, and sitting at the table with two retired huntsmen, one being the kingdom's grand marshal and the other Atlas' highest ranked huntsman commander, the disparity between them couldn't have been greater. Weiss even felt some internal pressure to give respect and esteem to Brennan for being her senior and the top of his class, as well as for being a Specialist in-training which every Atlesian was hardwired to regard with respect.
With the three men discussing tournament security and Brennan likely working up the courage to ask her for a dance after dinner, Weiss sat quietly only half-listening. While sampling the assortment of desserts on her plate which bordered on absurdity, Weiss began focusing on Ruby again trying to get some idea of how she was doing and if her plan had worked. She kept the fluctuations in her aura masked from those around her, and while the sensations within her were disorienting they were also strangely pleasant and comforting, and she did her best to hide her enjoyment from the others at the table.
Despite them having only been apart for perhaps only a couple hours at most, Weiss missed her something terribly, but found some comfort in a part of her partner being right there with her. She still couldn't wrap her mind around being with Ruby the day Patchwork fell, or building sandcastles on the beach together after school. It was wonderful if not a little awkward at times recalling what otherwise were private memories no matter how mundane, and did her best to focus on the happy memories which were generally at the forefront of Ruby's mind anyway.
No matter how hard she tried however, Weiss couldn't get a sense whether Ruby's plan had worked or not, or if she had gotten lost and collapsed somewhere along the way. She tried not to think about it long as the mere thought caused her heart to flutter and breathing to quicken, as well as for the silverware in her hands to tremble.
She wanted to blame her failure on her inability to focus properly, but as someone who routinely created complex glyphs in the middle of combat she struggled convincing herself. There were times where she thought she got a sense for Ruby's emotional or mental state, such as when she was having a nightmare, but Weiss often wondered if that was just her imagination. She certainly hadn't sensed Ruby in trouble atop the CCT or when she had gone missing during the mission, and she hadn't even known what Ruby had been going through the past month with her scars and memories from Patchwork returning.
'Best partner ever...' she thought bitterly. 'Ruby might've found out she's going to die and there's nothing anybody can do, and here you are too busy getting fat to care...'
Weiss laid her fork down no longer hungry. Her headache was like a drumbeat at this point, almost making her nauseous. She had half a mind to run out of the room to find Ruby, or the nearest bathroom and perhaps join Yang in puking in a golden toilet tonight.
'Stop being mean to yourself,' she heard Ruby say, though it was difficult to tell with all the noise in her head.
"Have you spoken to Dr. Watts about the situation?" asked General Ironwood.
Weiss' head shot up, causing the other men to glance at her curiously. "Forgive me," she said, her mind busily catching up on the conversation, "but I wasn't aware that Arthur Watts was the project manager for either the Type 200 Atlesian Knights or The Paladin Initiative."
"And I wasn't aware you had such an interest in robotics, Miss Schnee," said Dr. Pietro, beaming from across the table. "Now that we're in the early stages of production Dr. Watts has stepped back into a consultant position while my colleague Dr. Ramos heads the project."
She smiled kindly at him. "I'm interested in all things concerning the SDC, Doctor, and unfortunately I've had a couple of unpleasant experiences with Paladins." She turned to General Ironwood. "They were all very impressive, and although it might not be fair to compare the strength of a prototype to that of Yang Xiao Long, I do hope the final product is sturdier and doesn't fall so easily into the hands of terrorists."
Ironwood grimaced, nearly wincing as she spoke. "My apologies for allowing that to happen, Miss Schnee. I take full responsibility. The Atlesian military owes you and your teammates a debt of gratitude for making us aware of a very serious breach of security. We haven't yet discovered the location of the other missing prototypes that Roman Torchwick acquired but we will, I assure you."
"I have no doubt that you will, General. Was it ever determined how exactly he and the White Fang came into possession of multiple prototypes in the first place?"
"No, I'm afraid not..."
Weiss allowed her displeasure to settle for a few moments but continued staring at the general sympathetically, letting him know she didn't hold him responsible. She hadn't been lying about being interested in all things to do with her company, which made her being unaware of Arthur Watts being the project manager of the newest model Knights and Paladins all the more disturbing. A few things were beginning to add up, as well as the doctor's involvement missing from the reports she had gathered during her trip to the CCT the previous month.
"General Ironwood, sir," she asked. "Could you tell me anything about Roman Torchwick? I understand he's being incarcerated aboard The Arcadia until a trial can be held. Has anything been learned from interrogating him?"
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss Schnee, but that information is classified. Your role in his capture is recognized by Atlas and you have my gratitude, but I'm afraid that's all I can share with you."
"I understand, General, but the man abducted my partner, shot her multiple times, set her on fire, and very nearly killed her, myself and our teammates." Her sympathy vanished behind cold blue eyes as she held the general's gaze. "You and I both know I can get any security clearance I want just by requesting it. Please, General, I'm not asking for sensitive information. I just want to know if anything useful has been learned, and if there's anything regarding the White Fang I should know."
Ironwood studied her for a moment, his eyes softening. For a moment it seemed as though he was seeing someone else in her place. "You're right about the security clearance, and while it may technically be breaking protocol I've never exactly been a fan of bureaucracy or wasting time." He smiled and pointed at the stars on his collar. "I may be the highest ranking officer in the Atlesian military but I am first and foremost a huntsman and Atlas' grand marshal. Has everyone at this table already read the reports or have a high enough clearance to obtain them?"
The other men including Brennan nodded, and they all shared a sympathetic glance at Weiss, even Commander Steele. While she and the commander didn't exactly see eye to eye anymore, Ian Steele loathed the White Fang as much as anyone, and had gotten retribution for more than one Schnee's assassination. For all his faults Weiss knew he was a man of integrity and a huntsman at heart, and would gladly give his life for a Schnee, even one attending a foreign kingdom's huntsman academy.
"Truth be told, despite our best efforts there isn't much to tell," Ironwood continued, frustration creeping into his voice. "Besides an arrest for petty theft several years ago we know next to nothing about the man, except that he obviously has experience piloting military equipment and has some huntsman training. Not even my best mind readers have been able to learn anything. There's a barrier of sorts shielding his mind, and they believe certain memories may have been suppressed or somehow tampered with. A bond with someone having a particularly powerful aura can have that effect, and Roman Torchwick has reportedly been around several powerful auras in recent months. The illusionist Neopolitan for instance, who we know even less about. At the moment all we have to go on is Miss Xiao Long's mission report."
"Could the mental shielding or tampering have been the work of a mind altering semblance?" she asked, holding her breath.
Ironwood looked at her curiously for a moment before understanding flickered in his eyes. "Possibly, but his mental faculties appear to all be functioning correctly. If someone had altered his memories through the use of a semblance to this degree there would likely be brain damage, though I haven't ruled it out." His expression softened. "Professor Goodwitch informed me about your team's possible encounter with a mind manipulator, and you all have my deepest condolences, especially Miss Rose. I'm glad to hear she wasn't seriously injured."
"T-thank you. I'll be sure to pass them along."
Ironwood nodded. "We've stepped up security and informed all guards to be aware of a possible combatant mind manipulator. They won't be able to fool our Knights, and all Atlesian military personnel and huntsmen have been trained to resist mind manipulation. We can all still be fooled but it's more difficult, and all patrols must have at least three guards present."
"What of the White Fang?" Weiss had spoken so calmly nobody would've known that a shiver had gone up her spine.
"Several insurgents have been apprehended in Vale and across Remnant but the vast majority of them were just disenfranchised faunus wanting to cause trouble and be a part of something bigger than themselves. No lieutenants or anyone even remotely knowledgeable of the White Fang beyond what regional cells they were a part of. That's all I can say here at this table, and while there's nothing particularly noteworthy to mention I can have the classified reports be sent to you in the morning."
"I appreciate that, General. Thank you."
Ironwood smiled, causing her to blush slightly. "Just take care of yourself, Miss Schnee. I wouldn't recommend leaving the school campus without an escort, and I'd suggest the same for your teammates. I don't have to remind you that there's a target on your back and that we live in very dangerous times."
"You're right, you don't have to remind me. Nevertheless I appreciate your concern. Given my recent history with the White Fang however I believe it's them you should be concerned for."
The general nodded, likely having read her mission report. "I believe you may be right, but my executive officer would still want her sister to be careful. If anything happened to you I'm afraid she'd hold everyone of us personally accountable."
Commander Steele let out a hearty bellow. "Never met a Schnee that didn't have a temper or wasn't prone to holding grudges, but that girl is as much a force of nature as the Grimm."
Weiss eyed him coolly as did Ironwood but neither said anything. Admittedly he wasn't wrong, the Schnee icy temperament and unforgiving nature was notorious enough to have filled several volumes of Atlesian history books, and even Weiss had to admit that she'd rather face a horde of Beowolves than her sister when she was in a mood.
As they all resumed eating their meals deep in thought, Brennan cleared his throat now that he finally had a chance to speak without interrupting. "Miss Schnee?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. "After dinner would you do me the honor of having your first dance this evening?"
Weiss resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had been expecting the question since he sat down and it would've been impolite of her not to say yes. There was also the fact that a lady such as herself not dancing would've been a spectacle unto itself, but if his hand so much as moved an inch from her waist she had already decided he was going to lose it...
"That would be lovely. I-"
"Miss Schnee?" asked a voice from behind. Weiss turned, and seeing a young woman wearing a blue communications department uniform she resisted the urge to leap out of her seat and hug her.
"Yes?" she asked, sounding puzzled and mildly annoyed by this sudden and unwelcome interruption.
"I-I'm sorry, ma'am-" she glanced nervously at the men sitting at the table with her- "but we just received a priority one transmission from your sister requesting to speak with you. Lieutenant Colonel Winter Schnee," the woman needlessly expounded. "She didn't say anything else. Just that she needs to speak to you personally."
Weiss blinked feigning surprise and glanced around as if wondering if anyone might have known what this was about but they all seemed just as perplexed, as well as a tad concerned. Even Commander Steele seemed to forget his icy deposition for a moment, but Dr. Polendina just seemed disappointed that he wouldn't get to study her eye anymore.
"I'm sure everything's fine," said the general. He got to his feet and pulled Weiss' seat out for her and gave her a gentlemanly hand up. "If you need anything, Weiss," he whispered, "anything at all, send for me and I'll be there. We can talk in my office."
"Thank you, General" she said with the slightest hint of concern, then for everyone else to hear she acted more nonchalant. "I'm sure it's nothing. I'll try to return as quickly as possible. Good evening, General Ironwood. Commander Steele. Dr. Polendina. Specialist Mustang. It was a pleasure."
She turned to leave and follow the girl but was grabbed by the wrist by Brennan. It would've been a rude gesture even outside this setting, but to put your hands on a Schnee here of all places was unfathomable, and she was sure to show it or else let people whisper about them, or think they could do the same.
"A-apologies, ma'am," he said quickly, withdrawing the hand before she or someone else cut it off. "I j-just wanted to say it was an honor and pleasure finally getting to meet you."
Her indignation calmed as it hadn't been entirely an act and she gave him the courtesy of a genuine smile and nod. "I'll do my best to return in time for our dance."
With all eyes in the room following her, Weiss walked out with her chin held high trying to hide her excitement of leaving them all behind.
'Now comes the hard part...'
(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Apologies for the delay, friends. It's been an interesting couple of months that for myself have only recently settled down, and this chapter ended up being a bit longer than I was expecting.
I always enjoy Yang and Weiss' talks for a myriad of reasons but this chapter in particular holds a special place in my heart because it's likely the last time Yang and Weiss will get a one on one scene together. I wanted to make the most of it and pull from some of their previous conversations, and I hope looking back at their arc and character growth its remembered fondly. Don't take this to mean they won't have any more scenes together because they most certainly will, their story isn't over yet, but at the moment this was their last one on one conversation. Now that we're on the homestretch (less than ten chapters remaining), every chapter is going to have its bittersweet moments but I hope you come away more encouraged than discouraged.
Yang shirking responsibility seemed rather natural to me seeing how she's perfectly qualified to lead her team but isn't the least bit interested. I think it's against her nature, and I think having to take care of Ruby while their dad and Qrow dealt with Summer's death that Yang just wants to live a carefree life. And I think Ruby showing that not only can she protect herself, but also her big sister, is both a relief and a strange sensation for Yang. She's not used to needing protection whether physical or emotional, or receiving it for that matter. She's just a little lost right now, and very scared, and I think just admitting it is new territory for her. Weiss having to be the one who's comforting is also new, and I enjoyed getting to see more of the royal/business side of Weiss. She's as cunning and tactful as they come, and I think she had some great lines shutting down Dr. Polendina and Commander Steele.
Speaking of all the original characters in this chapter, unfortunately that's a result of there being a lack of Atlesian characters in canon that I can pull from. Piper Marigold is actually a D&D character I created some time ago that I hope to someday tell a story with. I also changed Henry Marigold enough that I think it's safe to call him an original character, and he was actually first introduced in Chapter 22 on the television Team RWBY was watching. Funny enough I "created" the last name for both characters without realizing Henry Marigold was a character, and decided to just rework him into a character.
Commander Ian Steele was a character created out of necessity and I think he serves his role well. He's loyal to Atlas, Polaris, and the Schnee family, but unfortunately for Weiss she's attending a rival academy from another kingdom, and while she is a Schnee she's not exactly aligned with them at the moment. With Brennan Mustang I just wanted someone Weiss' age for her to interact with, and yes I may have headcanoned him as Roy Mustang's son from FMA. Apologies for changing Pietro Polendina's appearance and personality from his canon self. I originally wrote this chapter in May of 2019 prior to his introduction in Volume 7, and I had headcanons about him from years prior. I wanted there to be some semblance of relation between Pietro and Penny, meaning pale skin and reddish hair, as well as his oblivious personality which in a way is very much like Ruby when talking about weapons, robots, and possibly even cybernetics.
Looks as though both Yang and Weiss' plans are moving along as planned. Yang needed inside an upperclassman's bedroom in order to get the information her uncle wants/needs, and Weiss was able to survive dinner long enough for her sister to contact her. Next chapter we'll continue following them and see where their plans lead. I hope you enjoy.
All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and with all of you wonderful readers. God bless)
