11 days after The Breach, above Atlas
Weiss Schnee was bored. Unquestionably, there was some nervousness at the upcoming situation she would have to face, some exasperation at the antics of her teammates, and, of course, the anxiousness one gets from expecting anything, but she was mostly. Just. Bored. She stared past the window of the private jet heading towards Atlas, her mind lost in other matters.
I'm going to have to speak to father, Weiss thought miserably. It's not that she hated her father, far from it, but she went to Beacon to start making her own decisions. It hasn't even been a whole year yet and I'm already going back. Weiss sighed and closed her eyes, reclining in her seat and attempted to calm herself. At the very least I'll see Winter again. Weiss smiled at the memory of her sister, and she felt her anxiety lessen slightly.
"Watcha doing Weiss? Excited to be back in Atlas? Eh?" Weiss looked over at the voice of her team leader and partner, who looked to be restraining herself from dashing across the jet. She gave a small smile at the sight of Ruby trying her best to be calm.
"I am a little glad to be home. I like Vale, but it doesn't have the same feeling as Atlas, you know?" She gave a small huff as her thoughts from before caught up to her.
"Though I don't exactly relish visiting my father this soon," she added. Ruby frowned slightly, and thought about ways to try and cheer Weiss up.
"Don't you have any siblings? Oh! What about your mom? You should think about meeting them," Ruby exclaimed. Weiss sighed at the younger girl's enthusiasm, but her probing made her think.
Well… it would be nice to see Winter again. And mother wasn't...against my decision, per se. Weiss returned her attention towards Ruby.
"Well, I do have an older sister I haven't seen in awhile," Weiss trailed off. She loved her sister dearly, but she felt a bit embarrassed mentioning her sister. Not many people would think she had a good relationship with her sister, but to be frank, if she ever talked about her sister she would start gushing over her sister. Her face morphed into an expression of horror as Ruby increasingly got more excited.
"Weissweissweiss! You have a sister! Is she like Yang or Blake, or did you guys not have a good time together,
becauseyousaidyoualwayswantedbunkbedsandifyoulikeeachotherthenwhywouldn'tyouhaveabunkbedand-"
"Ruby! Calm down, you're going to cover the entire plane in rose petals at this rate," Weiss said forcefully. Ruby stopped herself and looked around. True enough, the plane seats and aisle were covered in small piles of rose petals. Heat rising to her face, she looked down at her feet and apologized.
"Sorry about that Weiss," but then Ruby looked back at Weiss, excitement in her eyes.
"But you have a sister! Why haven't you mentioned a sister yet? That's so cool!" Weiss took a second to think about her answer, before deciding to tell Ruby the truth.
"My family is something of a sore spot, as you remember. But my sister didn't try to stop me from going to Beacon, even if she didn't like that I was leaving. So, we were still close when I left and I wanted to prove that I could succeed without anyone's help, so I just never mentioned her."
"If she's older than you, then what does she do? Is she a huntress or does she work at your dad's company?"
"She's part of the Atlesian Special Operatives Program. They're…. sort of like huntsmen. Ruby, you have to understand that Atlas isn't like Vale. The military, government and academy are essentially the same thing." Ruby's face had a confused look on it.
"Aren't huntsmen supposed to be independent? Like even though Yang and I are from Vale, we can't fight for Vale in war and stuff?"
"They're supposed to be neutral, but nobody is willing to risk provoking another war by saying anything," Ruby's face looked a bit troubled at this new information, but she said nothing as she processed it. Weiss took another look through the window, and seeing the approaching skyline of Atlas, got up from her seat.
"We're almost there. Come on, let's go find Yang and Blake," motioning for Ruby to follow her she, she walked down through the aisle to the back of the plane. Blake had wanted to be alone to read her books in peace and Yang had gone to the very small exercise room in the back of the plane to keep herself occupied. Weiss didn't blame her, the almost day long ride having left her bored for most of the trip.
As she opened the door to the other half of the plane, she noticed how the plane seemed smaller than usual.
Odd, father usually uses larger jets to fly guests and family members around. Why would change now? Shaking her head, Weiss moved towards the back of the plane and spotted Blake off near a window seat. Nodding in greeting, she walked over to Blake as Ruby went towards the exercise room to get Yang.
"We're about to land, so get ready for a quick exit," Blake's eyes met Weiss's with a curious look as she shut her book.
"Expecting trouble?" She inquired. Weiss gave a small shrug.
"No, but it never hurts to be prepared. There's at least the White Fang and other companies who would love to get their hands on the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and her team, if not outright kill them," Weiss stated matter-of-factly. Even with her criminal history, Blake was a little taken aback by Weiss's casual demeanor about her safety. They both heard Yang and Ruby conversing through the thing door and as they both entered the pilot spoke over the intercom, telling them their flight was about to land.
Weiss took that as her cue to lead them to the cockpit, and beckoned them to follow her. As she turned around, she took one last look at her bandaged right hand. The strange markings had appeared the day after the Breach, and she spent the time resting in the hospital ward looking for any trace of information on them; their design, history, significance, anything. Her searches had been fruitless, however.
Looking ahead she hoped the flimsy excuse she and Ruby had come up with. The bandages on both of her hands and both of Ruby's hands were from a baking accident the day before they arrived, which actually had occurred, and they were simply letting their auras rest instead of healing them right away. Hopefully her family wouldn't pester either of them for more answers.
As the plane touched down on the tarmac, Weiss felt her anxiety come back and tried to calm herself down. Making the rest of any last minute adjustments, she straightened herself and walked down the airstairs, she spotted a long limousine, and standing halfway in between the end of the stairs and the limo was a figure in white. Weiss let a small gasp, and a smile crossed her face. The figure was her sister, Winter.
"Who's that?" Weiss heard Yang not-so-quietly whisper to her sister.
"I think that's Weiss's sister." Weiss ignored them, and as soon she was off the stairs ran towards her sister.
"Winter! I didn't think you would be here," despite herself, Weiss couldn't stop herself from all but tackling her sister. Winter gave her a warm smile, and put her hand on Weiss's shoulder.
"Weiss, it's good to see you. Tell me, how are your studies going? Are you making friends? Are you enjoying yourself?" Winter questioned. Weiss put on a smug smile as she prepared her answers.
"You'll be happy to know that I'm in the top rankings of our sparring class and that I've been getting straig-" Weiss was cut off by a firm smack on her head. Weiss looked at Winter in shock as the elder sister sighed.
"I asked how you were doing Weiss. It seems everything's still about rankings and results." Winter sounded somewhat annoyed, but regained her composure and motioned her hand towards the limo.
"Welcome to Atlas, team RWBY. My father wishes to meet you all as soon as possible, so if you would please step into the vehicle." The rest RWBY entered the car, Weiss putting and Yang snickering the heiress's reaction. The car ride was fairly short, and the small amount of tension at Winter's actions being cleared quickly as the Vale team looked around Atlas.
Blake looked around at the crisp and uniform buildings and streets. Unlike the fairly casual and laid-back attitude of Vale, Atlas's citizens were dressed in formal attire; suits, dresses and the like. No one seemed to bat an eye at the amount of policemen covering the streets, of which many seemed to be essentially MPs. Blake knew about the hardships the White Fang had with trying to operate near Vale, and their security had been much more relaxed than Atlas.
She shuddered slightly at what could've happened to her if she was caught in Atlas during her time in the Fang.
Does Adam really think he can here? These people look ready to fight off an entire invasion force. Breaking off her new depressing line of thought, she made small talk with Winter and Weiss as Yang and Ruby started arguing over the benefits Atlas would have in the new version of Remnant: The Game.
After a few minutes they came upon the wealthy section of Atlas, filled with large mansions and huge estates. Ruby and Yang had their faces stuck to the window and even Blake had to admit she was impressed by their size. Weiss's face had a satisfied smirk at their reactions. Yang turned to Weiss, her eyes still wide with amazement.
"Wow, Ice Queen. I didn't know your family lived here. What, was your family nobility or something?" Weiss's smirk got even bigger as she heard Yang's comment.
"Well our family was nobility at one point in Atlas's history," Weiss added nonchalantly. Yang's eyes bulged out even further and she was left gaping at Weiss's comment. There wasn't any time for a retort, however, as the limo pulled to a stop on the end of the Schnee driveway. Winter was the first to step out, and she held the door open for the rest of the team as a servant in a suit and bow tie led the way into the manor.
They were in a large ballroom, with a set of stairs dominating the center. Multiple servants were buzzing about and doing their duties, ranging from cleaning to carrying messages and so forth. Winter didn't break her stride and lead the team to a set of double doors.
"Weiss, please show your teammates to the dining room, mother should be there waiting to see you. I have to go and talk with father about a few things." Winter turned around and put her hands on Weiss's shoulders.
"And Weiss? I am really glad to see you again." Giving her one last smile, Winter went up the stairs and out of sight of RWBY. Weiss sighed once more before opening the set of double doors and heading down a hallway, the rest of RWBY following her.
"Geez, this place is huge. Is it just for you four?" Yang asked, trying to break the awkward silence that had befallen the team soon after Winter left. Weiss stopped before another pair of double doors and turned around to talk.
"Like I said, we used to be nobility once. We had to hold balls and entertain guests. Even after we formed the company there were still guests to be entertained. Now, the dining room should be through these doors. Ruby, stick to the etiquette lessons I taught you and you should be fine." Weiss looked to Yang.
"Yang…. just act like a normal being."
"Hey! I can act normal. And why doesn't Blake have to be reminded?"
"Because I can trust Blake to act appropriately. You…well, just remember what I said." Weiss straightened herself and turned to the doors.
"Anyway! To dinner. Right this way, please." RWBY entered the dining hall, with Ruby entering first, followed by Blake, Yang and finally, Weiss. The dining room was much smaller than the ballroom, obviously designed with a family setting in mind, and had a small table seated with eight chairs. The table was already set with a tablecloth and plates, glasses filled with water and silverware already in place. At one end of the table was an older black haired woman in a white dress, already seated.
The spotted the team and got up from her seat, moving around the table towards them. She spread arms and wrapped them around Weiss in a strong hug.
"Weiss, it's good to see again. I trust you're doing well?" The woman released Weiss from the hug and gave her attention to the rest of the team.
"So, Weiss, will you introduce me to the rest of your team?" The woman queried. Weiss turned towards her teammates and motioned her arm towards the woman.
"Ruby, Blake, Yang, this," Weiss took a breath.
"Is my mother."
The same time, Atlas, Schnee Manor
Emmerich Schnee sat at his desk in his office, waiting patiently for his daughter to arrive. He checked the clock on the wall, watching the second hand tick around the clock. His daughter was already a few minutes late, 3, to be exact, and the longer he waited the more agitated he became. This night was special, and further delays would complicate the plans he thought up years earlier. He sat stiff in his chair and continued to watch the clock, waiting in this position for 30 more seconds until a sharp rap on the door drew his attention.
"Enter," he spoke, his voice gruff and clear. The door opened, and Winter Schnee entered the office, a servant closing the door behind her. She walked up to the desk, and postured herself into a rigid stance, the movements practiced and ingrained into her from Atlas Academy. He stared her in the eyes for a moment, before giving her a questioning gaze.
"Didn't know I joined the military, Winter. Now, are you going to relax and greet your father?" At those words he stood up from his chair, moved in front of his desk and hugged her. Winter stiffened at the unexpected contact before relaxing and wrapping her arms around him. She broke away from the embrace and smiled.
"Sorry, it's a force of habit. How've you been since the last time we talked? The board still giving you trouble?" Emmerich's shoulders sagged slightly at the mention of the board.
"The board is getting restless. We're getting less profits from the mines each year, and the attack on Vale has scared investors. They're afraid our supplies will be drained from panicked investors stocking up on ammunition and energy." He turned back towards his desk, shifting some papers.
"And I don't blame them. The militia didn't fare so well, I heard. And the huntsmen were stretched thin." He sighed, before facing Winter again.
"Anyway, enough talk of doom and gloom. Is Weiss here?" Winter nodded.
"Yes, and her team. I told them to wait in the dining room, where mother will be. We should head there now," she spoke. Emmerich nodded, and motioned her to move forward. They walked out of the office and through the maze of hallways to the dining room, where RWBY and Emmerich's wife, Diana, were talking animatedly. Diana noticed his presence and went up to greet him.
As he hugged and kissed Diana, he noticed Weiss look at him and quickly turn her gaze away from him. He also noticed her bandaged hands, and frowned. He would ask later. He moved to address team RWBY.
"Weiss, it's good to see you again. And you all must be her team. I'm Emmerich Schnee, Weiss and Winter's father." He bowed his head slightly.
"Hi there, I'm Ruby, this is my sister Yang, our friend Blake and you uh, obviously know Weiss," she finished with a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head. He smiled and nodded to each of them as they were introduced, and the cautious gaze sent to him by Blake didn't go unnoticed.
Not surprising, if Weiss was with them. I wonder what she told them about me? He ignored those thoughts and took a seat at the table, and the others followed.
"Very well then, let us start dinner. Bertholdt!" He clapped twice, and a nearby servant left the room to get dinner for the guests. A minute later the dishes came in, with Weiss and Blake taking small bites, and Ruby looking uncertain as she slowly ate at her food. Yang seemed to be working at a snail's pace and slowly cut at her food. The knife went down, and instead of a small piece, half of her course was cut and put in her mouth. Weiss sighed and shook her head.
Emmerich raised an eyebrow, amused by the sight.
It seems huntsmen are the same no matter the kingdom, he thought, visits to the Atlas Academy cafeteria flashing through his mind. He put his silverware down and turned his attention to Weiss.
"Weiss, how has Beacon this year? Anything interesting occur? Aside from the attack of course." Weiss finished her portion before speaking.
"No, father, aside from the leader of JNPR showing up to the dance in a dress," she said casually. Emmerich's eyes widened slightly, before a small chuckle came from his lips. Diana tried to cover her smile with her hand but failed, if her shaking shoulders were any indication. The rest of RWBY went on with their dinner, aside from a snicker from Yang.
"So, Ruby, I heard you were the leader of your team. Were any of your parents huntsmen or huntresses?" Ruby looked a bit surprised at being addressed, but quickly overcame it and looked at Diana.
"Well, my dad's an old hunter and my uncle Qrow still goes around doing jobs and teaching at Signal. And my mom was too, before she died."
"Oh. I'm sorry to have brought it up." Ruby just shook her and turned her attention back towards her plate.
"It's alright, you didn't know. And besides, it's been a long time, I've gotten over it." The air at the table turned quiet and uncomfortable after that. Eventually, dinner was finished and Emmerich excused himself, but not before he addressed Weiss.
"Weiss, I know it's getting late, but I would like to speak with you later. Should you want to," he spoke, hoping that his attempts to speak with his daughter wouldn't be put off. Weiss didn't turn to look at him, but gave a slight nod. Emmerich sighed softly, and turned to Winter.
"Winter, you should get started on what we spoke about earlier. When you've completed it, come speak with me." Winter nodded and got up from the table.
"Yes father." Weiss's head shot up and followed Winter as she left the room. As the others began to leave she excused herself and followed Winter.
Weiss followed Winter from a distance, hiding behind pillars and walls as she followed her sister throughout the manor. Her sneaking had almost gotten her caught twice, but luck was with her today as she avoided being sighted. Eventually she followed Winter to the basement and to small enclosed room filled with crates and boxes.
Strange, I don't remember being in this room before. Is this a new addition, or if it's old, why was it hidden? She hid behind a couple of crates and looked around the edge, and saw Winter rummaging through one of the crates. She noticed the intricate circle in the center of the room, and marveled at its design.
Is this some kind of summoning glyph? But wouldn't Winter be able to form it on her own? Unless it's a special type of summon…Weiss's mind became instantly more attentive at the idea of learning a new type of summoning. She had to yet to summon anything despite her best efforts, and she was sure that accomplishing a summoning would prove her worth at being able to work on her own.
Winter stopped looking through the crate, and as she turned around Weiss could see a necklace shaped into the familiar symbol of the Schnee snowflake, the color of ice blue. Winter stepped near the circle and held out the necklace.
"I command thee...
Thou shalt come forth to my side;
Thy sword shalt control my fate."
Weiss let out a small gasp at the sudden noise, fortunately Winter didn't seem to notice it. The circle began to glow, casting a red light on the room, and only got stronger as Winter continued the ritual.
"Abiding by the Holy Grail's haven,
If thou accedest to this will and reason, then answer me
The oath set forth here.
I am the embodiment of good in the eternal world.
I am the disposer of evil in the eternal world.
Thee, the seven heavens that bear the great trinity,
Come forth from the circle of constraint..."
The light grew brighter with each word, and a strong but small wind came forth from the circle and Weiss had to shield her eyes from it to keep watching what was unfolding before her. Winter wasn't fazed however and continued on.
"... O Guardian of the balance!"
With that, the light suddenly vanished, and Weiss had to strain her eyes to look through the now dark room. When she saw what the ritual had summoned, however, her eyes grew into saucers and her mouth was left hanging open.
A woman was standing in the center of the circle, wearing light blue clothing with dark leather armor on her shoulders and legs, a hood obscuring her face. White hair peaked through the hood however, and when the figure looked up she saw the noticeable Schnee blue eyes staring at her sister.
It was quiet for a moment, before the woman spoke.
"I ask you, are you my master?" Winter was only slightly fazed by the ritual, but quickly composed herself.
"Yes, I am."
"Then the contract is sealed." The figure made a bow.
"Your servant Lancer awaits your command." At that Winter tilted her head in confusion. Weiss took this time to hide behind the crate, not willing to be caught after witnessing the summoning. Winter spoke up, confusion in her voice.
"Lancer? I mean no offense, your majesty, but I was expecting you to be a Caster."
"Perhaps it was the location. I'm more well known as a warrior here in Atlas than a conniving witch. However, I assure you that my Semblance and Aura manipulation are still at peak performance."
"Hmm. This wasn't how I wanted the war to start out, but I'll just have to adjust my plans. Come Lancer, we must speak with my father."
"As you say, Master." With that Winter walked out of the room, the door closing shut behind her. Weiss waited five beats before letting out a deep breath.
What did I just see? And what was that about war? And how could her summon talk? Better take a picture of that circle. Weiss got up from behind the crate and took out her scroll, snapping a photo and went to the door. She paused however, and went to the crate Winter was searching through and debated whether or not to look through it for anything useful.
"Won't hurt if try it…" she muttered and looked into the crate. It was filled mainly with heirlooms and jewelry, and Weiss was surprised to find an antique dagger in the mix. She huffed, continuing to search when her froze over something. It was jeweled necklace, a red gem connected to a chain. It's only noticeable attribute was its different color, and Weiss almost moved on.
But something inside her was compelling her to take it. Deciding to trust her initiative, she took the necklace and went upstairs.
11 Days after The Breach, Emmerich Schnee's office
Emmerich Schnee looked up from the report he was reviewing at the knock on his door. Looking at the clock on the wall, he wasn't that surprised at its arrival.
It's probably Winter. The ritual isn't that long after all.
"Enter," he said, and a moment later the door opened, and true enough Winter walked into his office, the door shutting behind her. She took a seat at the chair in front of his desk.
"Father, I've completed the ritual and summoned my servant. There were, however, some complications.." Emmerich raised his eyebrows as his elder daughter trailed off.
"Complications…?"
"I believe I can help clear that up." Blue particles appeared as a woman materialized standing next to Winter. Emmerich studied her, hoping to figure out the problem. It didn't take long to recognize, as a spear was in her hand, propped up against her.
"Ah, I see. She's a Lancer."
"Yes, she's a Lancer. I'm sorry father, I thought I would be able to summon her using this specific catalyst." She held up the necklace, before giving it to Lancer. Lancer took the necklace and put it on, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"It feels good to have it again. However don't despair; my abilities are still available to me, as well as my knowledge on spear-play." Emmerich hummed in agreement.
"She's right Winter, you'll just have to change your stratagem accordingly. Instead of baiting the enemy, you'll have to root them out and lure them towards your position. Can you do this, Lancer?" Lancer gave him an amused smirk, as if she was humored by his question.
"Do you take me for a child? But yes, I can do this." At this Emmerich nodded, pleased with the new consensus. He focused his attention back towards Winter.
"Winter, one last thing. I know you're a specialist and you have a strong loyalty to Atlas, and despite how I feel about it, I accept your decision. However, when it comes to the Grail War, the family must come first. Do you understand?" Winter nodded, her face betraying no emotion.
"Winter, you must say it."
"I understand." Emmerich could sense some discomfort though, and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Even if Ironwood, the headmaster, or the council itself tells you otherwise, you must not leave Vale until the war is over. I feel that should the wrong forces win, humanity as a whole shall suffer. So you must win, understand?" Winter's face filled with worry at the news.
"Father? What do you mean?" He released his hand from her shoulder and turned away from her.
"It's as I said, Winter. You must win, or humanity might become even smaller. Irreparably so. Now, go get some rest. I'll have a shuttle ready for you in two days." He looked over his shoulder.
"Spend tomorrow with Weiss. She's sure to enjoy your company before you leave." Winter nodded, before turning around leaving the office.
"Yes, father." And with that Emmerich was alone in his office. He returned to his desk and began where he left off in his report. Not much time passed before another knock sounded on his door. He was surprised at first, before he remembered his request to Weiss.
"Enter."
"Father." It was Weiss. He smiled, his hope of reconciling with his daughter becoming that much closer to reality. What he didn't expect, however, was the red cloaked girl standing next to her.
"Uh, hi there, Mr. Schnee. This is, a, uh...nice office?" she squeaked out, looking a bit timid.
"Thank you, Ms. Rose." Her timidness vanished then, and pout covered her face.
"Ugh, Ms. Rose makes me sound like an adult. Call me Ruby," she said, slight disgust at the title seeping through her voice. She then seemed to realize where she was and immediately went red-faced.
"Uhm, I mean it's great! Call me whatever I want, heh heh…." Ruby trailed off, obviously a lot more consciousness of her current company. Emmerich gave out a loud chuckle.
"It's alright Ruby. I was once fifteen as well, and to be honest, I'm glad to relax when dealing with others." He looked over at Weiss.
"So Weiss, how is Beacon? I don't believe you talked about it at dinner."
"It's nice. Different than Atlas. Did you know the government and the school are separate? I was quite shocked for the first couple of weeks."
"Yes, I did know. You and Winter are too you young to remember, but I grew up in a time when Atlas used to be Mantle. It was very similar to Vale, if my travel there means anything." Weiss and Ruby looked surprised at the mention of traveling. Weiss was the first to speak up.
"You traveled to Vale? Why didn't you talk about it?" Emmerich's mind however, was elsewhere.
Fire, explosions, screaming. Streets in flame, mighty forces clashing, causing destruction. A man with a gentle smile and a kind heart, wishing him farewell.
Emmerich blinked, the memories coming up announced. He refocused on Weiss and Ruby.
"Sorry, I was lost for a second. As for your question, it was a long time ago, and I was a different man. I know you think me to be controlling, but I honestly do care about your safety." Weiss crossed her arms.
"I told you I could handle myself. I don't need to be coddled like a child anymore. Why don't you see that." Emmerich sighed, old arguments and counter-arguments coming back.
"I know you can handle yourself, Weiss, but our family has many enemies. The White Fang alone has killed 10 board members, 4 of which were family. If you go out on your own now, they'll find you and eventually will get to you."
"I know that. But you controlled every aspect of my life! Everyday I had to train, always to perfection! I go out without armed guards, I couldn't make friends without your approval, I couldn't even make my own hair! Why can't you give me space?"
"I had to prepare you Weiss! I made you train so you could defend yourself. Yes, perhaps I was harsh with my standards-"
"'Harsh', he says," Weiss huffed. Emmerich growled.
"Watch your tone, Weiss. I'm still your father." Ruby took this moment to interject.
"I know this probably isn't my issue, but can I say something, please?" Emmerich stared at her for a beat, before exhaling. During the short exchange he had let his temper get the best of him and had risen from his chair and had his hands placed on the desk.
Our arguments, even small ones, always end up like this, don't they? He sat back down, and motioned for Ruby to continue.
"Weiss, I know that you feel like you have no control, but your dad just wants to make sure you're safe. You said so yourself that you lost friends to the White Fang. Imagine it from his perspective, if you lost many of your friends and then thought that they could get your kid, or Blake or Yang or even me." Weiss stayed silent, but her shoulders sagged a bit, and head was a little lower than it was before. Ruby turned to Emmerich.
"And Mr. Schnee, I know you want to protect Weiss, but trust me when I say she can take care of herself. She deserves some more space," Ruby bent a little closer to Emmerich, and covered part of her mouth with her hand.
"I mean, she's kind of clueless about…well, everything."
"Hey!" Ruby looked sheepish and rubbed the back of her head. Emmerich sighed once more, fatigue settling over him. He rubbed hand over his face, mulling over whether or not to tell them the reason why he acted the way he did.
"Do you want to know why I act so strict, Weiss?" His voice was quiet. Weiss raised her head and faced him.
"Yes." He sighed.
"How much Dust do you think the Mistrali Depot made last year? Or the Vacuoan?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Doesn't matter, the answer's the same." Surprise came over Weiss's face.
"You're saying they're empty?" Ruby looked at him in surprise as well. He sighed once more.
"Yes, they're both empty. Only the smaller mines still have some left, but they're more susceptible to Grimm, and others. The recent Faunus scandals on the news? It's happening because the onsite foreman in Mistral has been trying to dig deeper in the Depot." Weiss shook her head in disbelief.
"That's why there's been scandals? What have they been doing?"
"Explosive mining, extended hours, limited rest. He's been pushing his workers non-stop for almost a year. If you believe anything I say, believe this; I don't hate Faunu. I don't care who you are if you're willing to work. But there are substantially more Faunus workers, and many human one are leaving if they can't dig up Dust to earn wages." He paused to gather what he would say next.
"The Vale Depot is doing better, but not by much. The attack has spooked the workforce, though not many died in the assault, thank God. Vacuo is almost a lost cause if all the workers refuse to work. And Atlas is still going strong, having the deepest reserves,but it won't hold up for long if it has to supply all four kingdoms." Weiss could only keep shaking her head in disbelief.
"How could this have happened? I checked the reports before I left, and also when we investigated Torchwick. Everything was fine." Emmerich made a small snort.
"That's because they're falsified. The board and I agreed that fi news of the future shortage would spread, widespread panic would ensue. And it could only be expected, when we use it for almost every daily activity. We've been losing land for generations, and the mines have been in use for centuries." He took another pause.
"That's why I pushed you so hard, Weiss. If I had died, or I couldn't have dealt with the company it would be up to you deal with these problems. Winter is capable, but she's an operative first and foremost; her loyalty is to the government, then the company. You, however, are only bound by familial loyalty, you won't have to toe the line when it comes to the council. And there's more."
"I haven't told anyone yet, but I believe that if no alternative is found, this generation and the next will be the last of humanity." Ruby spoke up for the first time since the Dust revelation was revealed.
"But what the hunters? Sure we use dust, but we can also use regular weapons as well." Emmerich looked Ruby in the eyes.
"Don't be naive, Ruby. Huntsmen are powerful, yes, even worth an army if they last a decade or two, but there aren't enough to keep up with the Grimm. Most huntsmen die out on a job, somewhere in the middle of a forest no one knows and only remembered by a handful of people. And that isn't to say of the quality of huntsmen today." Ruby felt a spike of anger.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The food fight at your academy; your headmaster told me of it, of how most ran away when it started. If they run away at that, what hope will we have against the Grimm. I do not accuse you of such behavior, Ruby, but a disturbing number of your comrades do." He took a breath.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Weiss's voice was quiet, obviously mulling over the new information. He looked over at her.
"I've funded a research project to replace our Dust based weaponry. They've made promising progress, but it's yet to be tested, and we would need to have more mines and territory to get the materials. The matter remains, however. We need to expand, get more access to Dust or develop an alternative. Or else humanity will fall." At that he remembered something he noticed earlier.
"Before I forget, Weiss, how did you come to bandage your hand?" Weiss, held her right hand and rubbed it nervously.
"Ruby and I were baking cookies, when my hand slipped and touched the pan. It burned my hand, as well as Ruby's, but we decided to let our Auras heal it slowly. The doctors said to have us rest for a while more." Emmerich nodded, before looking at the clock.
"You two should head to bed, and rest. Goodnight." The pair left the office, and Emmerich was left alone for a third time that day.
2 Days later, Atlesian Airport
The next day passed without anything of import. Winter had spent time with RWBY and Weiss's father and mother had both been busy, Emmerich with business and Diana with entertaining guests from other companies. Winter had left the next day afterwards, but not before telling Weiss that she and her team would be forced to stay in Atlas.
Weiss fumed, and headed straight to her father and told them of what Winter had said. He didn't seem surprised.
"Yes, I knew what Winter had planned. I spoke with your headmaster, and he agreed. If it's about the tournament, don't worry; we have training facilities available and you'll be back in time to participate."
"But she didn't even tell us what she was doing until right before she left! Please, let us leave, we can't go until you approve, seeing as how Winter disabled my funds." At that Emmerich raised an eyebrow.
A little far, even for you Winter.
"I'm sure she meant well Weiss-"
"Please father. Ruby tried to make us understand one another, and now I need you to understand where I'm coming from. The Vytal Tournament means the world to us, and if we miss some of it by some other new plan or whatnot, we'd be devastated. Please, let us go." Weiss stared at him, eyes pleading. Emmerich sighed.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with my own father. If I hadn't have gone to Vale when I did, would I be in this position today? Maybe… maybe she should go. He knew why Winter wanted her here; to be away during the Grail War. He had been of a similar mind, but the other night's talk had changed something in them. He thought for a few more moments, before sighing once more.
"Very well. I'll give access to the company funds again. Hire a ride to Vale from the airport, and Winter shouldn't be able to realize you're gone." Weiss nodded and turned to leave.
"And Weiss… Be safe." Weiss stopped at the door and gave her father one last look.
"You too, father."
Weiss gathered the rest of RWBY, and as they boarded the plane headed to Vale, she couldn't shake the feeling that her life wouldn't be the same.
A/N: Hey there, chapter 2 is up! I was hoping to post this on Monday but forces conspired to delay it by a day.
One thing I learned when writing this chapter is that I can't seem to write anyone on Team RWBY without difficulty, but it did prove to be an interesting hurdle. As for Mr. Schnee, I decided to hopefully portray him as a somewhat sympathetic character, and writing Lancer will probably be easy, so that's a plus. I promise that next chapter will focus back on Cardin and his servant, but I used this chapter to get some other explanations out of the way and to show how Weiss interacts with the rest of her family. As for the other masters, I'll make their sections muchshorter than this chapter.
Now I have some questions that I would like for you all to help with.
1. I'm not new to , but I am new to posting stories. So, would the M rating on this story be appropriate as of this chapter? According to the guidelines, it should, but in my experience it would more often be in T.
2. Second, would you like to keep the chapters at their current length, or change it to be shorter or longer?
As before, I welcome any criticism or suggestions.
-Collaredblock4
Word Count: 6,521
Page Count: 14
