Author's Note: I know that the pacing in this story has been rather frantic, what with problems being introduced than immediately solved in the next chapter. I guess that makes it more accurate to the show. I don't like how quickly this story has been moving through plot points, but this is also just the first few chapters. Having Weiss go back and forth in the Schnee manor with Ruby is kind of repetitive, and I would rather have the beginning of my story go too fast than drag on too slow. Unfortunately, these next few chapters are going to contain large timeskips, also like in the show itself. I know that the pacing is pretty bad, but I believe it will start to get better in a few chapters once the plot really kicks in. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the newest Chapter of Silver Spectre:
Weiss slammed her book shut, causing a loud thud to echo through the empty library. She winced at the sound, knowing that the scholars renting the library from her father wouldn't appreciate the distraction.
"Are you okay Weiss?" Ruby asked her, eyes filled with concern over her friend. Weiss's only response was to bang her forehead into the table, causing the towers of books to shake and topple over.
"No Ruby, I'm not okay. We've been looking for so long, and we haven't found even the slightest clue at what to do about your curse. I have read so many books, each filled with the exact same meaningless drivel as all of the others. It has gotten so bad that I have come to associate opening a book with a crushing feeling of disappointment. I'm very much not okay," She snapped, causing the caped ghost to shrink.
They had been at this for several months, spending countless afternoons studying in the library, sneaking books into her room to study even more before bed. Yet they could find nothing that was helpful to their goal, and that frustrated her to no end.
"However," She thought to herself, "That gives me no right to yell at Ruby. She was only being a good friend."
And she was a very good friend. The two made an odd pair, with the fact that Ruby had lived a simple, happy life and Weiss had gone through a cold, uncaring, noble upbringing. Yet despite their differences, the two worked well together. Ruby's cheerful optimism and boundless energy rubbed off on Weiss, whose studious nature made Ruby want to work harder in her studying to not slow down Weiss.
"I apologize, Ruby. Yelling at you like that was out of line. You were just trying to help," She apologized with a soft smile that Ruby returned.
Outside of their studies, they regularly talked whenever they were alone. Weiss heard stories about Ruby's life on Patch, learning her Uncle Qrow had once broken his hand trying to punch a Grimm, found out that her father's favorite color was light brown, and that Yang had always wanted to have the opportunity to throw someone out of a window.
In turn, Weiss explained to her the intricacies of Atlesian politics. She told stories of the four great noble families of Atlas, such as the Schnees, the Marigolds, the Poledinas, and the Soleils. She explained how her family rapidly gained wealth after her father inherited the disgraced name from an arranged marriage. She explained the rampant corruption in the ruling class, the flaws in its division of power, and its egregious use of faunus slavery. Atlas was the only nation on Remnant that openly allowed Faunus to be kept as slaves, and that was largely due to her father.
The two girls would talk into the dead of night, learning all they could from each other. Ruby took to the political lessons like a fish to water. Weiss found it nice to hear about a happy family that cared more about each other than wealth and power. The ghost had quickly become an important part of Weiss's life, and that only made it hurt worse when she couldn't figure out how to help her.
"Come on, Weiss. The library will be here tomorrow, so why don't you go ask Klein to make you something to eat?" She asked. Weiss laughed and shook her head. Ruby had remembered his name. It had taken her a month to learn the name of her butler, and to this day struggled to remember at times. When she had asked, she just got embarrassed and stammered about how she had too much to worry about to remember the name of one butler.
"Fine. I'll go eat, then we'll return to my quarters," She surrendered, seeing the girl beam at her, "But, I'm taking this with me," She finished, causing Ruby to shrink into her seat. "This" being a sleek black leather-bound book with no discernable markings. It was her personal notebook and contained a number of things she had copied down from the various ancient tomes about necromancy she had read over the past few months.
She picked up the book and stood up from her seat. Not bothering to put the books back, she strode out of the library. She had informed both the head librarian and Father that she would be using the table in the corner in the back of the library for advanced studies. Her father applauded her for her dedication to her work, and the librarian only grumbled and begrudgingly agreed not to move the books on the table.
The advanced studies part was certainly true; learning a type of magic out of a book was a lot harder than having an instructor. She had no idea if she was doing a spell right until it either worked or messed up, and she had accidentally created enough zombie rats to know that messing up was very dangerous when it came to necromancy.
Walking into the courtyard out in front of the Schnee estate, she walked over to where she saw Klein talking to a few other servants. The head of the kitchen and the lead stablehand, if she recalled. Upon seeing her, he cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, I will return to solve this dispute in a moment," He said before walking over to Weiss. "Mrs. Schnee! What can I do for you?"
"Sorry to bother you, Klein, but I was wondering if I could have something small made for dinner. I lost track of time while studying," She told him, which was technically the truth.
"Ah, It makes me happy to see you taking such an interest in learning," The jovial butler smiled. "Of course I can have dinner made. Why, give me but a moment to solve their argument and I'll have the head chef whip you something up," He declared, gesturing over his shoulder.
"What seems to be the problem?" Weiss questioned the two arguing servants. They were each head servants, but Klein outranked them as head butler, the one in charge of the servants. Of course, Weiss, as the heiress, outranked all of them, so her word would be enough to settle this argument.
The two looked nervously at each other. They hadn't spent much time around her due to the nature of their jobs requiring less contact with the nobles they served, but they had no doubt heard the rumors about her being a cold, heartless bitch who saw them as nothing but objects.
"W-well, you see, I uh," The stablehand stammered but was cut off by the chef.
"This rapscallion has been stealing apples from my kitchen to feed to those dumb animals!" He screamed, spit flying out of his mouth as he spoke.
"Your kitchen?" She asked him, watching him shut his mouth and stammer. She turned to the stablehand, who shied away from her gaze. "Why is he so- oh," She thought to herself before noticing a dog tail he seemed to be trying to hide behind his back. He was a faunus. He thought she was going to accuse him because of that.
"Well? Did you take the apples?" She asked instead, seeing the confusion in his eyes. She raised an eyebrow and he stuttered out an answer.
"N-no. It was one of my helpers. She took them to feed m'lord's steed."
She saw what was happening now. He was being blamed because he was a faunus. How pathetic.
"Well, then it's your duty to punish her. Do whatever you see fit, but make sure it's enough to learn her lesson. Make her clean out the feeding troughs on her own, I guess," She offered as an example, to which the man only gaped in confusion. Was this man so used to being mistreated by her family that he couldn't understand her very logical reasoning?
"I-I guess. I mean, yes m'lady! I'll get right on that," He said before taking off towards the stables. Nodding to herself, Weiss turned to the chef.
"Was it necessary to cause such a scene? An argument like this could worsen, which would make my father angry, which no one wants." She asked the man, which made him wilt and shrink back away from her angry glare. He could stop patronizing her, she wasn't that scary.
"It won't happen again, Lady Schnee. I overheard Klein mentioning dinner. Would you like me to make you something?" He asked
"Yes, that would be appreciated. Thank you." She replied, which seemed to genuinely surprise the man. Was it so unbelievable for her to thank someone for doing something nice?
She walked towards the kitchen with Klein and the head chef, with the former two staying behind in the foyer while the latter hastily scurried into the kitchen.
"I couldn't help but notice you have been a lot nicer to us servants these past few months. I only wish they returned the favor," He said with a shake of his balding head. His words made Weiss pause. Had she been nicer these past few months? She couldn't notice a difference in how she treated them. Then it hit her.
"Ruby has been rubbing off on me more than I thought," And that was a disturbing thought. The girl was nice as a friend, but Weiss couldn't imagine being so saccharine and sweet all of the time.
"It doesn't matter. They can say what they like. It's just harmless little words. Every noble deals with gossiping servants," She explained, both for the benefit of her butler and her best friend who had been silently watching her the entire time.
"Nonetheless, it is hardly fair. By the way, Mrs. Schnee, I was asked to remind you that your father's ball is coming up soon. I believe you are to sing at the event," He gently reminded her, knowing it would upset her but being obligated to because of his service to her father.
"I am aware. I have been practicing my songs, and expect that Father will be pleased with them," She said automatically, her default response whenever someone mentioned the ball coming in a few days.
"Well, I know I shouldn't do this, but according to one of the maids, Lord Schnee intends to inform several noble families of your search for a spouse. This includes the Marigold family," He told her in a conspiratory voice.
Well, that was just perfect. That meant that the heir to the Marigold family would be trying to woo her during the ball. She couldn't just casually dismiss him like the lesser nobles Father had been using as 'practice'.
The head chef burst out of the kitchen carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and a cup of tea balanced on it. She reached to grab it out of his hands, but Klein beat her to it. Nodding her down the hallway, they began walking to her bedroom.
"How have your studies been going, if I may ask?" The portly man asked her, causing Weiss to give a frustrated sigh.
"Not well. I have been stuck at a dead end since I started my research, and nothing I try works. It's starting to feel like a hopeless task."
"Well, that certainly sounds hard." The butler said, putting a hand on her shoulder as he set the tea down. "But I know that it would take a lot more than a stubborn problem with no obvious solution to take you down," He told her with more than a hint of pride in his voice.
"Words of encouragement are nice, Klein, but they do little to solve my problem," Weiss said with a bit of snark creeping into her voice. Klein just laughed it off, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
"Of course they don't. That's not their goal. What they're meant to do is help you realize that there are people who will always be willing to support your efforts, and that you're only as alone as you make yourself," He explained wisely.
"I... That's... really profound," Was all Weiss could say.
"Well, I learned it from my missus. I can remember her saying similar words when I was feeling down that the little girl I was in charge of serving wouldn't invite me to her tea parties anymore," He said with a laugh. Weiss felt herself grow embarrassed once she realized he was talking about her.
"Weiss, I know that your father can be a harsh man. I won't lie to you. I doubt that man has much love in his heart for anything but money and power. But know that I will always be on your side. My loyalty is to you first. So if you ever want me to slip something into his soup, I'll gladly do it," He said jokingly. Weiss couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of the jolly man cackling with an evil expression on his face as he poured poison into Father's soup.
The stress of the past eight months seemed to lose its hold over her as she laughed, the sharp crisp sound filling the cold hallway with warmth and noise.
"Thank you, Klein. I needed that. And I'll keep your offer in mind," She told the butler. The two resumed their walk to her quarters, whereupon reaching there she began to eat her meal quickly. Klein took his leave, his footsteps echoing down the hall. Once she was far enough, she turned to face Ruby.
"Alright. Let's begin.
Ruby watched Weiss as she stood with her hand outstretched. In front of her was a dead mouse, found in the garden by Ruby that morning. Weiss began murmuring to herself as she bent her fingers. A dark mist appeared from her fingertips and began to float towards the mouse. The dark shadows curled and twisted their way towards the dead rodent.
Weiss's eyes were clenched shut, focusing all of her mental energy on the dark magic she was performing. She had once told Ruby that due to the complex nature of necromancy, it was nearly impossible to perform with glyphs alone. The glyphs could only do one thing when they were created, and the process of making a glyph to reawaken and control a zombie was far too time-consuming, easily something that could take a day's work to draw the glyph. Glyphs were only used for large necromancy rituals, such as raising an entire graveyard of undead to obey a basic command, such as attack. That reason was likely why necromancy was so feared.
It was easier to use inherent magic, or one's own magical prowess. The level of control was far higher with such magic, and it was far less time-consuming to use spells with inherent magic. The downside, of course, was that it relied on her reserves of magic, which took hours to replenish, meaning that she could run out of magic. Not to mention that glyphs could be infinitely more powerful than inherent magic, with some being able to level half of a mountain.
While Weiss had always excelled at glyphs, it was frustrating to have to switch her mindset and use inherent magic to practice necromancy, but she always just told herself that it was so she could help her friend. Even though it went completely contrary to the style of fighting she had learned, she was willing to put up with it to help her friend.
The dark tendrils slithered into the mouse's body, causing it to shudder and twitch. Its tail thrashed violently as Weiss's magic substituted itself for the animal's soul, possessing the corpse. The creature got up and stared at them with glowing red eyes. Snapping her fingers, Weiss made the mouse run in a circle to test her control. Next, she took her blade and drew a basic glyph in the air.
She needed to practice splitting her attention between controlling her necromancy and using other magic, so she had devised a perfect system. She would raise the animal, then draw a glyph, then-
"WEISS! HEY! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" Ruby screamed at the top of her lungs. Her control slipped, her hand jerking suddenly and messing up her glyph. The undead mouse turned to them and squeaked. It ran towards Weiss, filled with an innate hatred for the living as many undead were. Weiss sighed before flicking her rapier up, splitting the creature in two.
With its body too damaged to persist and the relatively small amount of magic she used to raise its corpse, the mouse immediately died for a second time. Animating corpses was a difficult process, and one she needed to be better at. If she got distracted while trying to animate a larger corpse, it wouldn't be so easy to deal with.
That's why Weiss had told Ruby to start yelling at her after she created the glyph. Doing so would simulate the hectic nature of a battle and would help prepare Weiss for combat. Of course, she wasn't learning necromancy to use it in combat, but it was still a useful and surprising tool to have in her magical arsenal.
"Nice job Weiss. You had a lot more control with the glyph this time!" Ruby encouraged, causing Weiss to send her a small but grateful smile.
"Thank you, Ruby. Though just because no one else can hear you doesn't mean you need to scream as loud as you can," She told her with a knowing stare.
"But I like seeing you jump in surprise," Ruby teased, causing Weiss to roll her eyes.
"Now, what do we need to practice next?"
"Uh, that's enough for the night."
"Ruby, no. I agreed to leave the library, but I cannot sleep right now. I need to get better."
"And you will. But If you get killed by a zombie mouse I won't have anyone to talk to, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't break the laws of nature while you're so exhausted you can barely stand."
"I'm fine, Ruby. I can keep going."
"But that doesn't mean you should."
"Just leave me be. I don't want to go to bed right now."
"It's about the ball, isn't it?" Weiss froze, telling Ruby all she needed to know. "Weiss, you can talk to me! What do you think I'm going to do, tell someone what you say to me?"
"Ruby. Please. Just drop it."
"No, Weiss. These past few months I've seen you constantly bottle up your pain. You keep getting walked all over by your family, and each time you just ignore it."
"What else should I do, tell Father how I feel?"
"Tell me how you feel! It can't hurt to get it off your chest, so why won't you just talk about it?"
Weiss turned away from Ruby. "My issues are my own. As such, I will deal with them. On. My. Own."
She frowned. "Then why are you helping me with my issues? Aren't they my own problems?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"Because I'm a Schnee! I'm not allowed to ask for help. Because if I can't deal with such trivial issues, what right do I have to call myself a noble? I would become the spoiled brat the servants all think I am!" Weiss ranted, her face red with anger.
"Weiss-"
"Don't 'Weiss' me. There are countless people out there who are in far worse situations than I am, yourself included. To beg for help is pathetic." She growled.
Soft silver flames licked at the hem of her cape. "Weiss, everyone feels different kinds of pain. Comparing your suffering to another's doesn't change the fact that it is suffering. It costs nothing to ask for help, so just let me help," She said in a soft and gentle voice. Weiss breathed in deeply, before exhaling her breath slowly.
"Fine. I'm upset about this gods damned ball. I can't stand the idea of being paraded around like some kind of prize for others to compete over. I hate being used as a tool by my father to manipulate people."
"Weiss. There's more to it than that. I've been watching and I know that there's something else," Ruby sternly said, adamant that Weiss get everything off her chest before going to bed.
Weiss shot her a glare. "I don't want your help, Rose."
"But you're getting it, Schnee," She snarked, only to immediately regret it when she saw Weiss flinch. The white-haired noble sat her rapier on her nightstand and slipped into her bed.
"Ruby. You don't understand."
Ruby felt herself get angry, causing bright silver flames to fill the room with light.
"Maybe I would if you would just talk to me! We're friends, right?
Weiss rolled over to face away from her, whispering a soft "Yes."
"Then why are you so against telling me what's wrong?"
"Because you couldn't possibly understand what it's' like!"
"What are you saying, Weiss? Just talk to me!" Ruby grumbled in frustration.
Weiss just ignored her, shifting the covers slightly as she tried to get into a more comfortable position. Her body shook softly as she struggled to hold back a sob.
"Weiss, I'm your friend. It hurts to see you so upset, so just please tell me what's wrong," She said to the girl, only to be met with silence. She tried to walk over to the other side of the bed, but Weiss just rolled over when she did.
"And she calls me childish," She thought to herself. Rather than voicing her thoughts, Ruby just sat down on the bed next to Weiss. "Please. You're my only friend, and I want to help you like you've been helping me," She pleaded.
"Ruby, I'm... jealous," Weiss finally spoke up, whispering softly. "It was one thing to know that my family didn't love me. It's another to have a standard to compare it to. Hearing about your family just makes me realize what I don't have. It's childish."
Ruby gaped at her. "That's not childish at all. It's normal to want a loving family. I couldn't judge you for wanting that."
"Don't bother. It won't help. Words won't change the looks of disgust Mother gives me. They won't change Whitley's envy over me. They won't make my father see me as more than a pawn," She said with tears streaming down her face. Ruby bit her lip.
"That's not what they're supposed to do. Remember what Klein said?"
"Ruby, that doesn't matter. Just let me sleep,"
"No. You need to hear this."
"Just stop."
"Weiss. It's okay that you're not okay. You don't need to lie to yourself."
Weiss simply curled up, bringing her knees to her chest.
"It's normal to feel upset at the way you get treated. It's normal to feel jealous of what other people take for granted. It's normal to want to be more than what others make of you."
"I can't afford to be weak. If I am to inherit the Schnee legacy, I must not be defeated by my own emotions." She declared, trying to get Ruby to leave her alone.
"You may be a Schnee, but you're Weiss first. It's more important that you are yourself than being what your family wants you to be. I know that I couldn't even get close to understanding exactly what your life is like, but I know that bottling up your pain only makes it worse."
Weiss only sobbed gently, her small frame shaking under the covers as Ruby continued.
"It's fine to cry sometimes. You don't need to hide your sadness in front of me."
Weiss only continued to cry, her breath hitching as tears rolled down her face. Ruby was breaking down the defenses she had been forming her entire life, and she was doing it in only one night.
"Weiss. Let's make another deal," Ruby offered, her voice rising above her sobs. Weiss rolled over to face her after she heard that, her face filled with tears, confusion evident in her eyes.
"W-what do you mean?" She stammered out, which made Ruby grin.
"Promise me that you'll let me know how you're feeling. You don't have to tell Klein or Winter, but don't just push down your emotions. And in turn, I'll make sure to listen," She explained to the sobbing noblewoman. Weiss looked down for a few seconds before looking up at Ruby.
"Only if you promise not to judge me for it," She faintly whispered, barely only able to overcome her fear of sharing her deepest emotions with another. Ruby only smiled cheekily.
"Yeah, like I'd ever judge you for being sad your family is terrible," She teased, before becoming solemn. "Weiss... you're the only thing I have. So don't hurt yourself. If not for you, then for me."
Weiss wanted to argue but was too emotionally exhausted to do so. "Fine. I'll confide my deepest and darkest secrets to you. But don't complain to me if I do so Ruby,' She declared.
"I'd never complain. I'll always be willing to help out someone I care about," She simply stated.
"It feels... nice to be able to get these emotions off of my chest," She admitted to herself. Klein was great, but he was always busy doing something in the house. Winter was around even less and wasn't exactly the best person to seek comfort from. But Ruby was so sincere that Weiss couldn't help but want to be helped when she offered.
The girl had so quickly become such an important part of her life that Weiss couldn't help but wonder what would have happened had she not met the ghost. She would probably become bitter and uncaring, the exact thing her servants believed her to be. She would have grown to become like her father in an effort to be different from him. How fortunate it was that this girl had come into her life and changed her destiny.
