Note:Once more not sure who to ship again
School life was boring. The stacks of 'manga' he read appeared to have been based on mere fiction. They said that life in the academies were magical moments, where friends and your potential soul mate can be found. A place where you flourish into adulthood and learn the lessons that will guide you in the years to come. That was all a lie. He should have not trusted Jaeger when he said that 'manga' were insightful guides into typical social life in the academies. Then again he never really trusted anyone ever.
He had learned more fighting in the Eastern Front in an hour when compared to what Beacon offered in a week. There was nothing but drama; low-level, typical, teenaged problems that could be easily rectified if the parties weren't emotionally imbalanced hormonal wrecks. Frankly he'd rather have his ass freeze in Stalingrad.
It had been some time since the initiation maybe under a month at most, unlike the rest of them Kroenen as expected of his special status had more flexible timings than most. In fact, he had no reigns at all, he suspected that Ozpin had no real interest in letting him learn. Kroenen was fine with that, he had learned a lot of things already.
His social life as well was different from most, other than Ruby and Jaun along with their immediate circle of friends not one student really had the courage to interact with him. The rumors around him were getting more ridiculous by the day, some of it was technically correct like his supposed immortality (He had a sinking suspicion that Nora perpetrated that story). Others like being Half-Grimm were hilarious in their complexity and depth. All in all, it served him. Fear was an effective tool, the half-truths and half-lies did well in obfuscating the true Kroenen.
Though if the REAL truth of Kroenen were to ever leak. These little gossipers and rumormongers would go pale in fright.
Speaking of obfuscation Kroenen had progressed in his observation of his two quarries. He had recovered from his earlier slipup with Schnee. The girl herself was too arrogant to notice him. While Jaun has proven himself to be actually useful as the Champion of Mistral seemed to be infatuated with him for reasons unknown.
The more he silently observed the Champion of Mistral the more he realized just how different the mask was from the consciousness. The image that was the Champion of Mistral was in fact a mere fabrication. Pyrrha was a phenomenally talented girl who hated her phenomenon. It baffled him, every one of her movements and interactions were a paradox. Tempered and disciplined, yet fearful and nervous.
It was a waste. Pyrrha Nikos offended him. She was actually jealous of the poor sheep around her. It was alien to him, the thought that one would curse their superior nature. Such fools deserved to have everything they hold dear taken from them for their idiocy.
Schnee on the other hand was marginally better. She inherited her family's arrogance and powerful Semblance. Schnee was outraged at Ruby being made the leader of her team, yet recently it seemed that had changed.
He walking around the school grounds, indulging in a mental exercise. How would I infiltrate this place from the outside? It was surprisingly difficult. The remoteness of Beacon and its height meant a dropship would be needed. The campus itself was filled with wide open spaces making sulking around difficult.
It was around dusk did he encounter Schnee. She was sitting near the fountain, lost in thought about something. They ended up staring at each other for some time. Kroenen was about to leave when Weiss called after him.
"Don't be rude! "That was what she said as Kroenen stopped in his steps. A bit taken back by how she seemed to be proactively calling for him.
"Were you about to contemplate on life too?" Kroenen looked at her. Seriously thinking if she was actually conversing with him in this moment.
"Don't just stand there! "He decided to entertain her for a while, taking the empty spot beside her on the bench.
"Did I say anything about taking my seat?" Kroenen was shocked, that question didn't sound contemptuous at all. It sounded playful rather haughty.
"You seem different." Weiss quieted down. Unsure about how to react to that statement.
"Do you think I should have become leader? "She said slowly, as if she wasn't confident she was asking that question correctly.
"No." Kroenen responded bluntly. Weiss didn't seem to mind. She looked down, kicking her feet absentmindedly.
"Why?" She asked innocently like if she were prodding him. Trying to gauge his receptivity. Was a Schnee actually trying to talk to him?
Kroenen looked at the setting sun, trying to formulate something that was concise and to the point.
"You're a hard worker." Was all he could think of.
Weiss raised her eyebrow in confusion. That was a weird answer.
"So hard workers don't become leaders?" Kroenen nodded slightly.
"Leadership, it's not a job. It's not something like farming the land, or accounting or killing. It's a trait, a talent." Kroenen said slowly as well. Lately he had realized he had become a bit of a motivational speaker of sorts. It was uncomfortable, but a small part of him was unsatisfied by how people conducted themselves here and thought imparting his own brand of wisdom might make them more tolerable to deal with.
"So…I don't possess that leadership talent then?" Weiss said dejectedly with a slight frown.
Kroenen raised his hand.
"I did not say that. The problem is Ruby is more adept at it than you are." Weiss blinked she wasn't following.
Kroenen sighed.
"She's annoying right? The nosiest, bundle of joy you've ever met correct?" Weiss looked down, then nodded in agreement.
"Yet you can't bring yourself to hate her. It's that magnetic charm. Ruby has an ability, to implant a sort of optimism in you. Remember my death? How did Ruby fare?" Weiss winched as she thought back to that particular episode.
"She freaked out. A lot, to be fair we all freaked out. Yang needed to step in. She slapped her hard and told her to harden up." Kroenen bobbed his head at her every word
"After that?" Weiss closed her eyes in recollection.
"Ruby took over." Weiss sighed in defeat, realizing now what Kroenen said of her magnetic personality.
"I died, yet Ruby was able to move on relatively quickly. That magnetic charm. She was able to galvanize all of you into action. She imposed her personality on all of you without anyone being aware of it. That is leadership, to make others do things that you want and making them want it as well." Weiss went slack-jawed for a while. A bit amazed by how …. scarily accurate Silber's analysis was.
Ruby really did take charge of everything, and annoyingly Jaun as well. When things seemed bleak the two of them took over and issued the orders, and no one felt compelled to disagree.
"So I don't have that charisma?" Kroenen craned his neck.
"No, I think you do. You have the good looks and the personality." Weiss' cheeks burned up a bit at that.
"W-What do you mean?" She stuttered out.
"Weiss you're a talented singer of some repute back at Atlas. Also don't misconstrue this as praise but you are beautiful even when judged by the more unorthodox beauty standards. Your fandoms are ridiculously big and frankly creepy as well. Your father almost never stops sen- "Kroenen stopped himself just at the right moment, but it was too late.
Weiss squinted at the mention of her father.
"My father?" Kroenen's eyes widened in utter bewilderment. This was unbelievable. He had just compromised his entire mission. Without even thinking about it.
This would never had happened back on Earth. Was he getting old? Or was it the hormones of youth? Why was he slowly slipping during his stay here? Did his interactions with these dorks erode his decade long instincts honed in war? To be honest ever since he had his brains blown out in that one mission he had noticed a drop in effectiveness. Wait damn it he was just trying to find an excuse for this. No point in that now. He needed to deal with the consequences.
"Silber. Why were just talking about my father?" Kroenen let out a big sigh. He messed up. He messed up immensely. There was no excuse for this. He honestly and frankly dug his own grave. Might as well come clean.
"I'm not actually just your sister's stalker. I work for your father." Weiss went through several stages of anger.
First was confusion, then realization, then shock and then finally fury.
"WHAT?!" She stood up, her hands on the hilt of Myrtenaster.
"It's all true. I was sent here as a spy to oversee your progress. I was instructed to not in any way come in direct contact with you and not only have I failed that I have as well revealed my duplicity as your father's minion. No matter what you do now, your father will no doubt be far harsher." Weiss couldn't help but feel more anger at how calm he was being. His neutral voice as monotonous as ever. It was irritating.
Yet she couldn't bear to hold on to her anger. He had just confessed so easily at this minor slip up. He was being honest. This was the first time she's heard sincerity from someone associated with her father. Not even Winter was this forthcoming.
Furthermore she should have predicted this. He was from Atlas, he stalked his sister, he had a unsavory past and seemed too know a bit too much for an ordinary thug.
Weiss let go of her grip on Myrtenaster, taking a deep breath.
"What do you do for my father?" She asked calmer now.
"Odds and ends, but mostly Faunus suppression."
"Faunus- "Weiss felt a deep, uncomfortable feeling in her gut sinking deeper and deeper. The next question she wanted to ask scared her. She was afraid to find out the answer.
"You want to know if the rumors about your father are true?" Kroenen interrupted for the sake of expediency.
"Yes…" Weiss said quietly.
"It's true. All of it." Weiss clenched her fists, she had her suspicions but that small sliver of hope always remained in her heart.
"You're the Faunus Hunter aren't you? The SDC's biggest dirtiest open secret." She sounded dejected, absolutely mortified at discovering the truth.
"Correct. I am the greatest thing that has ever happened to White Fang propaganda." Weiss felt ill at how nonchalant he was about it all.
"W-Why?" Weiss was choking up.
"In my case I get paid. Your father? Well he's a pretty sick guy." Weiss slapped him. He was half expecting it.
Too bad for her his gas mask was pretty great at absorbing blows.
"Stay away from me." She croaked out.
"Really? You're going to run away? Like father like daughter I suppose." Weiss' face contorted into anger, pure anger.
Myrtenaster was out, the blades point pointed at him.
Kroenen was calm throughout this entire ordeal. An attitude that was quickly reminding Weiss why she found him so irritating during their first impressions.
It was evening now; they were still alone in the courtyard. No one to interrupt their little show. She was both glad and nervous. She didn't want anyone to see this, but she also wanted someone preventing her doing something stupid.
"What are you going to do? Kill me? Avoid me? You and I will be seeing each other for as long as we go to Beacon. How many days do you think you can handle avoiding my mere presence? Let's avoid this teenage drama act and get to the point. Yes, your father uses me for wetwork and yes I've been not entirely honest about my intentions. I've answered two questions now; do you have any more that you wish for me to satisfy?" It was aggravating, she was going through a storm of emotions while he spoke softly, barely above a whisper. He was mature for a lack of a better word.
She wanted to hate him but she couldn't blame him for this. Not entirely.
"Why did my father send you to watch over me? Doesn't he trust me?" Weiss felt the wetness in her eyes. She was keeping herself in check.
"Your father trusts no one. Not even himself. "Weiss couldn't help but agree with that statement.
"You're right, but still I just….. I don't want to be stuck in his shadow." She was opening up now.
"You aren't though." Weiss looked at him with a distrustful expression.
"You're nothing like your father. You're hot-headed, you let your emotions get the best of you and most of all you have passion." Passion, that wasn't a word she expected.
"What do you mean by passion?" Kroenen craned his neck; it was going to ache at this point.
"You actually care about your goals. You have a fire burning deep within. Your father goes on living life like a dead man." The metaphor was clunky but Weiss understood it.
She couldn't help but smile at such faint praise.
"Thanks. I guess." Kroenen craned his neck for the umpteenth time.
"Thanks for what?" Weiss lowered Myrtenaster, rubbing the back of her head.
"For being honest with me." Kroenen chuckled.
"You call it honesty. I call it me seeing no reason to hide my failure." Weiss placed her hands on her hips.
"Still it's honesty. "She shrugged her shoulders.
The ensuing silence was uncomfortable. Kroenen continued to sit there, staring at her. Weiss had her right hand gripping her left wrist.
"You still haven't answered my question. Why did he send you?" Kroenen stood up striding towards her, she was able to realize how tall he was. She had to crane her head to meet his gaze.
"I don't know." He said patting her on the shoulder before going on his merry way.
"Wait." Kronen froze, people calling after him once a conversation ended was getting more common by the day. Just once could someone leave it at that?
"What do you think? Why did he send you?" She asked with soft eyes. Kroenen blinked, was she actually asking for his opinion?
A Schnee?
He had half the mind to take out his scroll and record this. He walked back, looking at her eyes through his lenses.
These Huntresses, they were monsters in combat. Yet looking at them now he only saw young girls. With all of their problems and all of their worries. These were not soldiers ready to die. These were children possessed of great powers that they took for granted.
It both disgusted him and amused him. In the MJCF he saw pyschos and mentally disturbed reprobates. Those who saw the horrors of the world and were broken by it. These students of Beacon, they freaked out over his fake death. How then would they handle those scenes that surpass death in their horror and depravity?
"Your father sends me to do a lot of things. Some of them things that you would find too awful to speak of in civil conversation. What your father doesn't do is waste my talents. My services do not come cheaply. I only get sent when your father values something. He spent a lot to get me into Beacon. All to watch over his daughter. Make up your own conclusions." Kroenen said in a step by step explanation.
"So you're saying he actually cares about me but expresses it in a weird roundabout way?" Kroenen raised his hand.
"I said nothing but make up your own conclusions. If you believe that is the case, then that is the case." Weiss scratched her head in confusion.
"I asked for you own opinion though…." She said quietly.
"Your father loves you." Weiss was taken back a bit. She never could envision someone as grim looking as Silber saying the word 'love'.
"What makes you say that?" She wanted to know his reason, she wanted to know if he was right. All her life she had felt her father thought of Winter and her as mistakes.
"Why did your father hire me to stalk your sister? Why did he hire me to stalk you now? The man is efficient and ruthless. He does not waste in frivolities. So why does he spend so much on you two?" Weiss frowned. His answer didn't satisfy her.
"That's easy. We're still Schnees. If anything happened to us it would reflect badly on him." Kroenen chuckled, unlike previous instances this one sounded more light-hearted albeit muffled.
"That is conclusion one would easily end with. I however think it isn't as easy as that. Your father had so many opportunities to make this easier for him. He could have sent you to the Atlas academy directly without having to make you fight some giant Knight, he could have prevented your sister joining the Atlas military. Let's be honest, I doubt the two of you would willingly resist your father when he put his mind on something." Again Silber displayed a frightening ability to produce accurate summations of her family's circumstances. He must have worked for her father for some time considering he knew of the Knight she had to fight in order for her father to accept her choice of Beacon or about that fiasco with Winter.
"I still can't see my dad showing anything close to resembling affection." Weiss felt both skepticism and hope. This was the first time someone has told her that her father might possibly care at all.
"If that's the case then ask him." Kroenen took out his scroll.
"What are you doing?" She looked at the display shimmering above his hand. Her eyes widening as she saw the face of her father.
"I'm informing Mr. Schnee that I have failed my mission." Weiss grabbed his wrist with a begging expression on her face.
"Please don't. I won't be able to stay in Beacon afterwards.! Kroenen smiled. He had a Schnee groveling for his mercy. It was a refreshing change.
"My honor and more importantly my reputation as an assassin depends on it. What will you offer me in return?" Weiss eyes darted in panic as she tried to think of something.
"I-I'll help you get together with Ruby." Kroenen dropped his scroll as he spat in his gasmask.
"What?" He said simply incredulous at her statement.
"D-Don't you like her?" Weiss asked relaxed now that the scroll wasn't in his hand.
"Has Yang been besmirching my good name?" Kroenen asked in indignation. That blond tramp was now taking this a bit too far.
"I-I just…you and Ruby just look like a cute couple is all?" Weiss rubbed her head. She sincerely thought Silber liked the girl.
"…..Is this why you asked for my opinion in the first place?" He couldn't believe it but he had a sinking suspicion why Weiss was so interested in talking with him in the first place.
"Well. You and Ruby seem pretty close. So I was curious to know what you felt about it." Kroenen slapped his mask's forehead. By the Dragon of Revelation this was actually happening. He had been duped by teenaged angst.
"You guys flirt a lot. Did you think people wouldn't notice?!" Weiss shrilly said with reddened lips. Her fists raised as she stamped her feet in a tantrum like fashion.
"You think that's flirting?" Weiss looked more incensed now.
"What does flirting look like to you then?!" All of the seriousness of their previous conversations were gone now. Now replaced by this performance.
Kroenen looked at her silently.
"I don't know." Weiss went slack jawed.
"You don't know? Then what was it you did with Ruby?" Kroenen shuffled his feet.
"Joking around?" Weiss stared at him utterly dumbfounded.
"I pity any girl who fall to your charms. I can't imagine the heartache she'd go through." Kroenen craned his neck.
"I have charm?" Weiss slapped her face in response to such a dense question.
"Of course you do! The entire female student body swoon over you!" Kroenen was curious at this. He had observed several female students giggling as he passed by. This confirmed his suspicions.
"Why?" Weiss was getting more and more heated up over this. Silber managed to accurately summarize the problems of her family but was unable to realize how attractive he was? She was sure he was just playing around.
"You're dark, you scream danger. You brood a lot and you're tall with a mysterious past. There are a lot of stories and rumors swirling over you. So many conversations start with girls fantasizing just what's underneath your mask." Well, he couldn't help but be flattered.
"You're not among those girls?" Weiss blushed, she blushed really hard. This was what she was talking about. That teasing tone and the way he innocently asked those questions.
"I-I know what you're trying to do. Don't think I'm anything like Ruby. I'm not going to let that charm of yours get to me." She huffed, crossing her arms in defiance.
"I'm not arrogant enough to think so. If there's one thing I know about the Schnee; is that they guard their hearts more than they guard their pride. Even if you were not born a Schnee; I am confident that you are not the type to so easily reveal their heart to others. For you charm wouldn't cut it; you'd need someone who understood you, someone willing to devote themselves in their entirety to you. Only the best for a Schnee." Kroenen said that with a tint of pity in his tone.
Weiss couldn't respond. How could she? With just one conversation he had figured her out so easily.
"Yes. Only the best for a Schnee." She repeated sadly.
"That drive for perfection will be your great undoing Weiss. It played a part in why you were passed over and it will make your time here difficult." Weiss looked down unwilling to look at him in shame.
She felt something on her shoulder, powerful hands gripping them gently. She looked up and saw his eyes. His actual blue eyes. For some reason they were visible underneath his lenses. Even in this lighting.
She felt her heart skip a beat.
"Don't let it consume you." He said with warmth in his tone. Actual warmth.
"Why do you care so much?" Tears now, she was crying. Why was she crying?
Kroenen stopped himself. He didn't know the answer to that question.
"When I was young. I had a voice that would make even soldiers weep. My mother encouraged me to harness that gift, often violently. When my voice deepened she discarded me like a used glove." Why was he saying this? He shouldn't be saying this. He could not be saying this. Yet he was and felt something lift from his shoulders.
Weiss wept into his chest. It was a quiet and pathetic sound. Kroenen froze, unsure now what to do.
So he hugged her. His instincts screamed at him not to do it. Yet somehow he felt he needed to do it.
What was this place doing to him?
After the crying died down she pushed him away gently. Looking at him again.
"Thank you Silber. You're one of the kindest people I've ever met." Kindest?
"It's getting late now. Kroenen said nervous. Now the lamplights turned on and the sounds of crickets echoed.
"Yeah, we have to get back." Weiss sniffled out.
"Are you okay going to the dorms by yourself?" Kroenen blurted out that question unthinking.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Weiss smiled. Weiss' smile was different from Ruby's. This one was of sadness intermingled with relief. A relief that finally she found someone who had an inkling of the depths beneath the surface. A smile of someone who finally found a home. It was a smile that terrified Kroenen in its implications.
Kroenen didn't know why but in that night he felt trepidation for the future. That night he felt for the first time regret for what he did.
That night he obsessed over that word.
Kindest.
No what he did was cruel.
He had made a girl feel hope for a long time. Hope in someone who had lost it long ago.
"Hey Ruby." Weiss asked out quietly, curious if she had already fell asleep.
The girls were in the midst of some games when Weiss arrived late, when they asked her about what she was doing at this hour she merely said that she was busy talking about life.
"Yeah Weiss?" Ruby answered slightly tired.
"I'm sorry." Weiss swallowed her tongue. Anxious about her answer.
"It's fine.I know how important being made leader was for you." Weiss sighed in relief, thankful that she didn't permanently ruin her relationship with the 15 year-old.
Silence returned, Weiss closed her eyes but something was bothering her.
"Ruby. Do you like Silber?" Weiss heard loud shifting and creaks of a bed.
"No I don't!We're just friends!" Ruby blurted out with a whisper.
"Do you mind if I go after him then?" There was a pregnant pause.
"D-Do you like him?" Ruby said with a slightly giddy tone.
"I think I do." Weiss said with a slight smile.
"Well then you go girl!" Ruby yelped as she felt a pillow landed on her face. An irate Yang grumpily telling her to quiet down.
Weiss closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
She dreamed she was stuck in a massive castle. Held prisoner by a seven headed dragon, riding it was a man who eerily looked like her father. She dreamed she was a princess and galloping to her rescue was frighting looking knight. He wore a helmet forged in a shape of a skull yet he fought the dragon with noble grace.
It was a nice dream.
