This week has certainly had its ups and downs.

I tried making red velvet cake and homemade pizza and calzones last weekend, only for the cake to turn out so underdone the middle was like soup, and my brand new pizza stone cracked after a single calzone. I followed all the instructions when using it, tempered it for an hour, made sure it was dry, all that good stuff. Still cracked in half. At least I kept the box it came in, so I get to return it.

As for good stuff, I've got a date arranged for next Tuesday. I've got no idea what she's like or what she'll think of me – I haven't even met her in person yet, but my mom seems to think it'll work between us, so who knows? And yes, my mom's the reason I got her phone number.

Sounds like people liked the Jaune fight as well. I thought that Jaune's Semblance had more potential than healing people, and the Aura slashes were a great way to 'fix' Jaune's lack of range and exploiting his godlike Aura reserves. That's not to say it won't have weaknesses – overpowered abilities are never any fun.

Alright, on to further schemes and machinations.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Greed

After the third and final day of preliminary matches, and the final seeding of their teams, Cardin was hoping to take a long bath. Four separate students had challenged him, and as if to spite him, Jaune was all too willing to top off his Aura reserves so he could fight each one. It didn't help that Professor Goodwitch was just as eager to see him fight until he dropped, but if it was in an effort to see how he had defeated Pyrrha, or revenge for blackmailing her, he couldn't tell.

Instead of that long bath and meditation on all the ways he would make Jaune suffer during the Festival, Weiss had knocked on his door and invited his whole team for a ramen trip in a tone that brooked no argument. Worse, she had dragged Teams JNPR and CMEN into the mix. The thin crowd on the streets gave the pack of armed students wide berth – armed, because Weiss hadn't given them time to change out of their armor.

"Come on, I know a good ramen shop just down the street!" Weiss said as she pulled Ruby along by her hand.

"Can't we do this another day?" Ruby moaned. "My feet are killing me and I can barely stand."

"The Vytal Festival is starting soon, and the whole city's going to be crowded. If we don't do this now, we're not going to get good seats!"

"It's four in the afternoon," Ren pointed out. "I don't think any of us are ready for a meal."

"Speak for yourself!" Nora piped up. "It's always a good time for food!" Cardin wasn't sure when she had changed into a flowery kimono, or how she managed to stay upright on those wooden sandals, or why she heard the word ramen and thought it was a good time to slather some white makeup all over her face and stick chopsticks in her hair. Ren, for his part, looked perfectly at home swathed in dark-blue robes, with a borrowed katana on his back and shurikens on his hip. His wooden sandals didn't make a sound as he walked on the pavement.

"When aren't you hungry?" Emerald asked in a playful tone. She walked up next to Ruby and stayed at her shoulder, looking back at Cinder once a block.

Mercury and Cinder hung towards the rear of the pack, neither saying a word. Nelly kept a few paces ahead of them, but anytime she strayed further forward, Cinder suddenly spoke up, asking if she was feeling alright or what she thought of Vale. There were flashes of anger in Nelly's eyes each time Cinder's words drew her back.

Cardin's teammates stayed in a cluster around him, eyeing the other students warily. He felt himself doing the same. Jaune glared daggers at him when he thought he wasn't looking, Blake was holding Jaune's hand, and Pyrrha was looking at the pair as if she might collapse into a puddle of tears at the slightest touch. He felt like he was walking through a munitions factory while all the employees were passing around flaming shots of vodka.

"So, why exactly are we doing this again?" Russell asked while they were walking.

"To keep tabs on Pyrrha," Cardin offered as an answer. He neglected to add Ruby, Blake, Cinder and her team to the list. "I need to make sure she'll lose again in the tournament."

"Not going to happen in the early rounds," Dove said. "Two busted Semblances on one team? They're making it to the singles for sure."

"It's not Jaune's Semblance that's busted," Sky said, "It's how much Aura he has to fuel that thing. He has enough to heal Cardin five times over."

"Not to mention he can use his as a weapon." Cardin studied Jaune and thought back to the match. "Must have something to do with pushing Aura into an object. Can a non-living thing hold Aura?"

"No one's tried, as far as I know," Sky said. "Makes me wonder what else he can do with it."

"And here we are!" Weiss shouted. She swung the door open and peered inside. "Perfect, it's completely empty! Come on!"

A polished bamboo bar split the restaurant in two, with the staff side housing huge boilers for the broth and noodles, refrigerated bins for cuts of meat, bamboo, and other mix-ins, fryers for the appetizers, and bottles of sake and Mistraltan beer. The customer side had a few extra tables, decorative lamps, and foreign-looking metal signs plastered on every wall.

The bartender poured them glasses of water and took orders from all of them. Bowls of takoyaki and chicken karaage were passed around, fresh from the fryer, with eel sauce drizzled over top of the fried octopi. Cardin helped himself to a heaping plateful and ate them with the chopsticks. His teammates struggled to use the wooden utensils and cracked out the forks.

"How do you do that?" Sky asked.

"Practice," Cardin said. "You just hold the sticks around your middle finger and pinch them together."

Sky persisted with the chopsticks a little longer and got a lump of chicken for his efforts, but as the appetizers disappeared on everyone else's plates, he was forced to abandon the chopsticks.

Cardin smelled the ramen before the bartender brought it over, bowl by bowl. Most had gone with the pork tonkotsu, to Weiss' fervent recommendation, but Cardin felt in the mood for something spicier. His miso broth had enough kick to knock out some teeth, with a tangy, rich aftertaste that made him lick his lips.

"Mind if I try some?" Russell asked. He ladled out some broth with his spoon. The moment it touched his tongue, he coughed violently and scrambled for the water.

"Holy hell, that's hot! What did they put in this?"

Cardin consulted the menu. "Chili oil and threads. The miso has some kick as well. Drink some of your broth, it'll help."

Russell greedily slurped his ramen, and the coughing subsided. Sky sampled a drop and shied away from the burn, while Dove stuck with his milder broth.

A different aroma caught his nose as the server brought the last bowl. Blake had gone with a seafood salt-broth, piled high with extra scallops. Her mouth watered as she snatched up a fork and tore into the mound of seafood.

"So, is that a cat-Faunus thing, or does she just like seafood a lot?" Sky asked.

Russell grinned. "She's a cat, and cats like seafood. Simple."

Cardin saw Blake's ears flicker underneath her bow. He grinned and added in a whisper, "I wonder what she'd do for a bowl of cream."

Russell snickered into his Ramen, and Sky grinned along. Blake frowned at him and pushed away her bowl, unfinished, saying she had lost her appetite. She eyed it longingly as the bartender took it away.

The rest of the meal was conducted in relative silence, considering that Nora was slurping the noodles and praising the meal in boisterous Mistraltan. When Ren had tried moving the cloth around his face to eat his ramen, Nora jerked it back up and told him he couldn't take it off or people would see him. To Ren's credit, he had emptied his bowl, and Cardin hadn't once seen him move the cloth or pick up the spoon and chopsticks.

When the bill came out, Weiss pulled out a wallet and flourished a credit card. The bartender scanned it and tossed it back on the counter.

"What? I know I still have a few hundred lien left in my account." She fished out another card and handed it to him. "Try that one."

It was also rejected. At her insistence, he tried scanning it with receipt paper wrapped around it, but the machine wouldn't take her card.

"Allow me," Cinder said, taking out her own card. The machine took it without complaint. "You should give your banker a firm scolding for the defective cards."

"Yeah, I'll do that." Weiss blushed furiously and cast her eyes down at her empty bowl.

A week goes by, with celebrations in the streets for the upcoming Festival as people pour in through the Bullhead docks, the river ports, and the thoroughfares leading into the city. Many main streets are blocked off for outdoor seating as local businesses take advantage of the heavy foot traffic to display their wares and offer refreshments.

Cardin had avoided the festivities like the plague. The thought of being crammed in with thousands of pedestrians, waiting in line for a greasy taco or window shopping for trinkets and baubles he wouldn't be caught dead owning held no appeal for him, and moreover, anyone hoping to plant a dagger in his back would be able to move undetected.

Luckily, many of the students at Beacon got caught up in the spectacle, either lured out by sales and discounts, or dragged along by family members. Other teams went to the Emerald Forest or booked training rooms. It left Beacon quiet during the afternoons and evenings.

He spent the days with Sky reviewing the information on other Teams. A quick look at Haven's records revealed that Nelly Poltan had been added into Team CMEN's roster at the last minute, but all it gave was a name and a face.

A few days of digging into Haven's records yielded nothing else on Cinder. Sky had tried getting access to their Dust requisitions, in hopes of finding any anomalies, but those were restricted documents. As he was reviewing their transcripts for the eighth time, a knock came at the door. Cardin stashed away his Scroll and answered it.

Weiss stood outside of his room, ringing her hands and looking down at the floor.

"Could I talk to you? I need some advice."

He felt his stomach tie itself in knots, but he gestured for her to take a seat. Once they were settled, Weiss took a deep breath and said, "You remember what happened at the ramen shop?"

"Your cards not working?"

"Yes, that. My father, well…" she chewed her lip.

"Let me guess. He revoked your spending privileges."

"Yes, exactly!" Her hands balled up into fists, and she leaned forward. "He took it away without even telling me, and now I don't have money for anything! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to walk past a store, think 'oh, that would be nice to have', and realize I can't buy it?"

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

The question took the Dust out of her engine. "I was hoping you'd have an idea."

"Your first option is to do nothing."

Weiss crossed her arms. "I was hoping you'd have more helpful advice than that."

"Your second," Cardin put in, "Is to get a job."

Weiss' face brightened. "That's a great idea! I heard Yang talking about bartending on the weekends."

"It's not. You're too recognizable, not to mention there's a good chance your father will pressure whoever hires you into letting you go."

The smile vanished, and her shoulders slumped. "Then what's my third option?"

"Convince him to give you your money back."

"No. No way. I am not doing that." She stood up and went to the door. "I went to Beacon to get as far away from him as possible. I am not about to let him run my life again!"

"Sounds good. Option one it is then. Good night Weiss."

The door closed halfway, but Weiss hesitated with her hand on the knob. She turned back around. "Supposing I did try to talk to my father, do you think there's a way I could, you know, maybe not do everything he says?"

Cardin sighed and slid his Scroll back under the covers. "He has all the leverage in this situation, and running back to him this quickly only reinforces it. He'd have you eating out of the palm of his hand if you let him."

"Oh." Weiss' crestfallen face poked out from behind the closing door. "Well, sorry for bothering you. Good night Cardin."

As the door closed, and he took out his Scroll, he was reminded of their current obstacle in finding more about Cinder. Without any info on their weapons or Semblances, who better to ask for records on Dust shipments than the man who owns the supply? By cross-referencing what the other teams would use, he could determine what Cinder had ordered.

"Hold on!" Cardin shouted as the door clicked shut. Weiss was waiting outside when he opened it again. "I had an idea."

Weiss followed him back in and looked at him with an expectant face. "Yes?"

"If you want your spending privileges back, you have to appeal to what he wants. So tell me, what does Jacques Schnee, the richest man in the world, want the most?"

"To make me a model heiress for the company."

Cardin brushed it aside. "Too specific. Go deeper."

"To… to make the company more successful?"

"Too vague. Anybody could come up with that."

Weiss frowned, but after a moment, she straightened. "His shareholders. Not a week goes by that he doesn't have at least one of the major backers over for dinner."

"Now we're getting somewhere. What do they want?"

It took Weiss another two minutes to find an answer. "They want stable growth of the company, so they can profit off the dividends and sell when they want to."

"If you want to negotiate with your father, you'll have to leverage what he wants and play on what he fears. If you ask him to give you back your money because you want it, he's going to make you pay for it. If you make it in his best interests to keep you well supplied, then he'll be much more amenable." He saw admiration and joy brighten her features and decided to temper it. "That doesn't mean you won't have to make any concessions, but it'll be better than bartering empty-handed."

"Got it. So, what should we tell him?"

"We?"

"Yes, we. I can't do this myself."

Cardin hid a grin. "Well, why don't we go over some ideas? In the morning, we can head over to the CCT, and I'll help you with the call."

That next morning, far earlier than he had wished, Cardin found himself rolling out of bed and stripping out of his pajamas. Muttered complaints came from the other beds as Cardin made himself presentable and went out for breakfast. He barely had time to cram a few slices of toast into his mouth before Weiss dragged him away from the table and to the Bullhead docks.

"If we're fast enough, we'll catch him before he starts his morning paperwork. It's the best time to catch him."

"How early does he get up?" Cardin grumbled.

"Four in the morning. He says it makes for a sharp mind."

"I'm pretty sure that's an excuse to make everyone around him suffer."

Weiss smiled and led him through town to the CCT. A quick word with a bleary-eyed receptionist granted them one of the private terminals on an upper floor. Cardin closed the door and stood off to the side, out of sight of the monitor's camera but still able to see the screen, while Weiss took a seat and straightened her hair.

As Weiss typed in the number to her father's company, he typed the same number into his Scroll. Jacques' personal receptionist answered, and within seconds, Jacques himself came up on the monitor. Though the signal was a bit fuzzy, there was no mistaking the familial resemblance, striking blue eyes, hair the color of polished silver, and a striking, angular face.

"A pleasure to hear from you, Weiss. I can only assume that you are calling regarding your current financial situation?"

"I am."

"Well, if you want my money, you'll have to-"

"My apologies, father," Weiss cut in, "But may I speak first? You may wish to hear this before we proceed."

Jacques stroked his mustache for a moment. "Very well."

Weiss bowed her head. "Thank you. I would first like to clarify that I did not come here to ask you to give me your money. I have done nothing to earn it, and it isn't until you had revoked it that I realized that I have taken your generosity for granted. I also acknowledge that you were both correct and fully within your rights to do so."

Jacques' eyebrows rose. He leaned closer to the camera and peered into Weiss' eyes. She met his gaze, but Cardin couldn't see her expression. Whatever was on her face seemed to please Jacques.

"I see. Then how do you intend to earn back my generosity?"

Weiss smiled. "First, I will prevent the SDC shareholders from thinking that the Schnee family has fallen on hard times."

The pleased expression evaporated on Jacques' face, but he remained silent as Weiss continued.

"Up to this point, you've used the inflation of Dust prices and the massive rise in demand thanks to the Vytal Festival to offset the massive losses we have incurred due to White Fang theft and sabotage. Up to this point, you have been able to convince the shareholders that we have won out in this exchange. However, if word were to spread that the Heiress to the company were short of funds, it may cause some to wonder if they should sell their stocks while the price is high."

"If you think you can threaten me into paying you off, you're sorely mistaken."

"I'm fully prepared to make concessions, father," Weiss said. Her voice was firm and even, the tone they had practiced in his room. "I simply wished to make you aware that I am also ready to decline an offer if I feel it inadequate."

Jacques drummed his fingers on the table. He ran a finger over his mustache and said, "I suppose you have a proposal in mind?"

"I do. Calls once a week, to inform you of how my classes are progressing and what connections I am making here in Vale." Jacques' eyes hardened when she said connections.

"Oh? And what might these connections be?"

"Friends then," Weiss said, glancing at Cardin for a brief moment. Cardin felt the urge to shrink further out of the camera's view, but the sound of shuffling feet might carry through the spotty connection.

The tension left her father's face. "Ah, I see. Nothing of the political nature, I trust?"

"If you request it, then I shall approach a Ducal house, but seeing that I have little experience, I felt it wisest to distance myself from the local political affairs."

"Wisely done. Perhaps in time, I can find someone to introduce you to the Dukes, but you have the right idea. Valean politics are the most cutthroat in Remnant, and the slightest mistake could cost us business with the Vytal Festival."

"I will keep it in mind father. I also promise to send pictures with these calls of how I am spending the money. I know you already receive an itemized report, but a picture may better clarify the value of my purchases."

"Yes, that would be nice." He waited a moment. "Well? What else do you have to offer?"

"That is not enough?" Weiss asked. There wasn't any surprise in her voice, but it would do.

Jacques Schnee chuckled and held a hand over his lips. "Weiss, you can't be serious. A weekly phone call and some pictures hardly justify returning your privileges. If you can't do better than that, then I'll have to decline."

Weiss pursed her lips, and paused for a moment. "How about you send me a servant?"

Jacques smiled. "Someone to keep an eye on you and give me their own report?"

"It would also reinforce the perception of wealth around the Schnee name, not to mention having a proper servant may help if I am to make overtures with the Dukes."

"That it would." Jacques stroked his mustache and considered Weiss for a moment. "Who do you ask I send over?"

Weiss bowed her head and lowered her eyes. "I leave that decision to you, father. I trust you will send whoever is best suited to the task."

She had just the right resignation in her voice. Weiss had wanted to ask for her favorite servant, but Cardin told her he'd never send him over. That resignation may convince her father otherwise, judging by the soft smile on his face.

"I understand, and I do believe that will be sufficient. Your funds will be restored by eleven AM. I am glad we had this conversation, and I look forward to your call at this time, next week."

A smile spread across Weiss' face. "Thank you! I'll send you a picture of the first purchase I make."

The screen cut out, and the speaker went dead. Just in case, Cardin waited until they were outside to start speaking.

"You're a lifesaver Cardin! I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Don't mention it. As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, you shouldn't have any problems."

"That won't be too bad." She took out her wallet and spun the credit card in her fingers. "I already decided what I'm spending my money on."

"And what would that be?"

"Another trip to ramen. First things first, I'm getting a do-over of that day."

"Won't it be crowded?"

Weiss tossed her hair and smiled. "Then I'll just have to reserve the whole restaurant for an hour. It won't be much trouble."

"Just how much is your allowance?"

Her smile grew smug. "It's enough." Then the smile vanished. "So, what is your relationship with Cinder?"

Cardin groaned inwardly as he attempted to navigate the social and political equivalent of a minefield full of Grimm. Suggest too strongly he was with Cinder, and he could find himself even more tightly wound around her fingers. Play it too casual, and he'd risk offending Cinder."

"Too early to tell," he said, picking the most non-committal response he could think of. "It would be a politically advantageous match, but the currents of politics may change on a whim."

Weiss blushed and went on. "There – there are rumors that, well, you know, the two of you, um, shared a bed together."

"I suppose we did."

Weiss looked at him incredulously. "What, that's it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, the two of you… you know what? Never mind. Let's just go."

Cardin studied her stiff shoulders and tight frown from behind as they walked. He figured that had been about as well as he could have come out of it, but he'd have to patch things up with Weiss if he wanted to get closer to her father. Judging by her posture, however, words would have to wait.

That very afternoon, Weiss dragged all four teams back onto the Bullhead, through the crowds, and to the same ramen restaurant they had eaten at last week. He wasn't sure how Nora and Ren had time to get into their costumes, but Ren's throwing stars and Nora's wooden clogs were both missing.

The orders were largely the same, but this time around, Blake ordered the pork tonkotsu. Smiling at her, Cardin called for a gyokai shio, Blake's choice, piled high with extra scallops. It lacked the heat he liked from the miso broth, but it made up for it with rich, subtle flavors from the seafood, and the tender, buttery scallops.

Once they all had their food, Weiss called for a group photo. She handed her Scroll to the bartender and had everyone gather around. Cardin made sure he got a prominent spot towards the front of the group, right next to Weiss.

With the obligatory photo session done, Cardin returned to his seat. He drained the broth and left a few scallops in his bowl.

"I can't quite finish mine. Does anyone want my scallops?" He smiled at Blake. She tightened her jaw and looked away.

"Ooh, scallops?" Nora asked. "Do they still have their shells?"

Cardin held one up with his chopsticks.

"Aww, the poor little baby is homeless! I'll take them in."

Cardin passed his bowl over. Nora tipped it to her mouth and swallowed the scallops whole. She patted her stomach and said, "Welcome home! I'll send you a house-warming gift later."

The bartender set the bill in front of Weiss. Cardin checked the time on his Scroll, just past two. Weiss handed the bartender her credit card and signed a generous tip on the receipt.

Cinder cornered him once they got back. Once they were locked inside her room, she said, "You had something to do with that, didn't you?"

Cardin nodded. No point in denying it.

"You're trying to get close to Mr. Schnee, aren't you? It's a dangerous move."

"I thought if anyone would have any information on odd purchases Beacon had made, it would be him."

That took Cinder aback. She considered him for a moment before saying, "A clever idea. I will handle him."

"You don't trust me to look into the matter myself?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, separated out a slender strand, and twined it around her fingers. Staring at the tangled locks, she said, "It is of no consequence, I suppose. Just be sure to send me every report he gives you."

"I wouldn't consider doing otherwise."