The next morning, Weiss awoke with a smile. She lightly nudged her sister's shoulder as she bounced up and down in excited anticipation.
"Winter! Wake up!" she exclaimed.
Winter let out a tired groan, and slowly opened her eyes. "I'm up, I'm up." She gave the younger girl a small smile. "Good morning, Weissy. You're not usually a morning person, so what's changed?"
"It's SNOWING!" The smaller Schnee gestured toward the window where flakes of snow were falling from the sky.
"Weiss, it always snows here…." Winter pointed out.
Weiss shrugged. "Yeah, but today it's like it's snowing for me." she explained, her sister chuckling at the little girl's simple logic.
"Well then, we better get dressed so we can hurry to school and play in the snow," Winter told her.
The younger girl pouted. "Awww... Can't we ever just have a day off to play in the snow? What's that called? Oh! A snow day!"
Winter shook her head. "Weiss, I don't think there's ever been a snow day in Atlas. Maybe in the other kingdoms, but not here."
"Awww... Fine. But when I'm older I'm going to a school where if there's snow then all the kids get to play outside instead of going to school." Weiss said in determination.
"Okay, Little Sister. Go use the bathroom and I'll get your uniform ready," Winter said in response to her sister's childish statement.
Weiss nodded, and quickly jumped out of bed. "Okay, Winter."
With that, the two set about their day to get ready for school. Soon, they were dressed and had their bags packed with books and supplies for the day ahead. They then went downstairs to sit with their father at the breakfast table, Mr. Slate at Weiss's side, as usual. Breakfast had yet to be brought out when their father turned to address his youngest child.
"Weiss."
"Yes, Father?" Weiss said with a questioning look.
The Elder Schnee smiled. "I wanted to apologize for being a little harsh last night. "
Weiss gave him an uncertain shrug. "It's okay, you weren't really..."
"But I did forget something." He stood up, and walked over to where Weiss was sitting, outstretching his arms expectantly. Weiss grinned, and stood up on the seat of her chair so she was almost as tall as her father. She readily leaned into his embrace. "And how was your day yesterday?" he asked.
The little girl smiled up at her father. "School was fine... Mr. Slate and I colored you a picture! I didn't get to show it to you, though..." she finished with a small frown.
"Well, then, you'll just have to show me when you get home today." Her father smiled. "How does that sound?"
Weiss nodded happily. "Okay!"
He pulled away from her, and Weiss sat back down just as breakfast was brought out to the table. Father returned to his seat, and began to cut into his large mound of freshly-baked pancakes. "You two make sure you wear hats and scarves when you go out today," he told his daughters between bites. "It's going to be snowing all afternoon."
"We'll be sure to do so, Father," Winter promised. After breakfast, Weiss and Winter hurried back to their rooms for their scarves and hats. When ready, the Schnee limo took the children to their private school where they learned many things throughout the day. Classes passed without incident, and soon the two girls were headed back to the limo, the snow flittering down around them.
"It's snowing!" Weiss giggled as the flurry surrounded them, clinging to her clothes and to Mr. Slate.
"That it is, Weissy," Winter said with a smile. "Hey, let's go home and change out of these uniforms. Then we can play in the snow."
Weiss nodded excitedly as she climbed into the family limo. The girls headed home, and changed out of their uniforms, and hanging their snow-soaked school shoes to dry by the heater. They dressed warmly in boots and snowsuits, and headed to the kitchen for a snack before they went outside. When they made it to the kitchen, they found Frank and his thirteen-year-old son, just a year older than Winter, going over some history notes by the table. Weiss headed to the pantry to start digging around for snacks while Winter walked over to the two Faunus.
"Good afternoon, girls. How was your day?" Frank asked the two children.
"Uneventful, as always," Weiss said as she tried to grab a box of graham crackers that was too high for her to reach in one of the cupboards. Weiss set Mr. Slate on the counter before lifting herself up to the counter top, and once again trying to reach for her snack. "Where's Father?"
"He had some business at Headquarters to finish up. He should be home within the hour... Are you two heading out?" Frank asked as he took in her outdoor attire.
"Indeed," Winter replied with a nod. "Weissy and I were about to go play in the snow."
"I see. Well—" Frank turned his attention to his son. "—would it be alright if Jim here played with you? He's been working hard on his studies most of the day, and I was considering letting him go out and enjoy the snow."
"Sure, it'll be more fun with more people," Winter answered, smiling at the Faunus boy.
Jim's face lit up with joy at Winter's words. "Sweet! Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Miss Schnee."
"You can just call me Winter," the older Schnee instructed. "All of my friends do."
The boy's smile widened, if that was even possible. "Thanks, Winter! Hang on, I need to get my snow clothes on." He got out of his chair and hurried down the halls, Winter giggling at his excitement.
"Thank you, Miss Schnee," Frank told Winter with a grateful smile.
"Like I said, it's more fun with other kids."
"Winter! I can't reach the snacks!" Weiss whined as she still had yet to grab the treats.
Winter merely smiled at her sister. "Can you get those crackers for her, Frank? If Weissy can't get them, I doubt I can."
"That I can." The man stood and reached for the box of graham crackers on the top shelf of the pantry, grasping them with each. Once the crackers were placed on the counter, he picked Weiss up, and lowered her to the ground just as Jim skidded into the room.
"Sweet! I'm not too late!" he cheered, overjoyed to see he wasn't left behind by his new friends.
"Jim... Your boots are on the wrong feet," Frank told his son with a small smile. Jim blushed before he sat down and switched his footwear around.
"Er... Thanks, Dad," the boy mumbled before he sat back in his chair at the small table. The three children proceeded to eat their snacks before they headed out into the cold snow.
"Look, Mr. Slate! It's snow!" Weiss exclaimed as she hugged her stuffed bear to her chest.
"Yes it is, Weissy," Winter said as she watched her sister tread in the winter wonderland.
"So... what should we do? Make a snowman, make snow angels, make—" Jim was cut off by a snowball that hit him in the face.
"Snowball fight!" Winter declared as she scooped up another handful of snow.
"Yay!" Weiss exclaimed as she ran over to her older sister. Winter and Weiss began to build a small snow fort while Jim regained his senses, caught off-guard by the surprise attack. He quickly made his way to a snow drift and began making his own fort, only to get bombarded by snowballs as he built it, Weiss forming snowballs while Winter threw the ammunition.
"Ack! Winter is coming! It's a blizzard!" Jim called out as he was buried in snow. Winter giggled at the sight, a lone snow boot stuck out of a pile of snow. Soon he popped his head out of the snow, the white powder falling from his hat as he shook his head. "I surrender," he pleaded from his white, powdery grave.
"Ha! We show no mercy!" Weiss shouted as she raised Mr. Slate in a sign of war, the stuffed animal slightly slouched over as he was held by his legs.
"If you want a surrender then we shall discuss your terms over hot chocolate later," Winter negotiated despite her sister's demands.
"Awww... But Winter! No mercy!" Weiss pouted at the older girl.
"Yes, but I have to be a fair general in this war," Winter explained.
Weiss paused and looked at her bear before saying, "...Mr. Slate thinks that you get into your role way too much..."
"Well, Mr. Slate... You're completely right." Winter grinned. "Now it's time for celebratory snow angels!" She fell backwards into the white powder and started making a snow angel.
"But I don't like snow angels. They get my clothes and Mr. Slate all soggy," Weiss complained to her sister.
"Okay, then I'll make one for you!" Winter got up before falling back down in a different direction, as she made an angel for her sister. Jim laughed at the action.
"That's awesome, Winter," he complimented.
Winter smiled. "Come on, give it a try Jim!" she called out to him.
Weiss rolled her eyes before she grabbed a snowball and tossed it onto her sister's head.
"Gack! Betrayed by my own sister!" Winter proclaimed as she sputtered out snow.
"Mr. Slate said you need to relax and cool down," Weiss explained as she pulled the bear close to her chest. Winter's only reply was silence as she looked at her sister. Jim laughed at the sight before Winter threw a snowball at him.
"Gah! Retreat!" he shouted, running back to his measly fort as he was assaulted by more snow, the two sisters once again working together to bring about his burial.
By the time a Schnee Company limo pulled into the long driveway an hour later, Weiss, Winter, and Jim were soaked from head to toe in snow. Weiss sat atop her sister's shoulders as she added a carrot that Frank had brought out to them earlier to create the finishing touches on the snowman they had begun to build after the sisters had become tired of constantly beating Jim in their snowball fights.
Jim shivered as Mr. Schnee stepped out of the limo, and smiled at the three children. "Hey, do you think we can head inside soon? My fur's starting to freeze," he asked as he slowly waved his wet, snow-covered tail in the cold air.
"Just a minute... and there! Finished!" Weiss grinned up at the smiling snowman, and Winter lowered the little girl from her shoulders. Weiss started to turn back toward the house, and as soon as she saw her father standing in the driveway, she started running to him, her teddy bear bouncing in her outstretched arms. "Father! You're home!"
Mr. Schnee grinned, and pulled Weiss into a hug, not caring that she was getting his suit wet. "Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a good day today?" he asked her with a warm smile.
"Yeah! Winter, Jim, and I had a snowball fight, and made snow angels, and built a snowman!" she said with an enormous smile, causing the man to laugh.
"I can see that... How about we head inside and get some hot cocoa? Your friend's looking a little cold." He offered his hand to Weiss, who graciously took it with her right as she held Mr. Slate in her left.
"M—my name's Jim, S-sir," Jim said as he held out his hand shakily. "I-I'm Frank's s-son."
Mr. Schnee shook Jim's hand firmly. "It's nice to meet you, Jim. Our house is your house."
"Err... th-thank you, Sir. Can... can we have th-that hot chocolate n-now?" the boy asked tentatively.
"Of course," the man said before he ushered the children inside, and they took off their wet boots and coats while Frank fixed them some hot chocolate on the stove. Mr. Schnee arrived in the kitchenette a few minutes later, now changed out of his suit and into casual slacks and a sweater, a thick quilt draped over his right arm. He handed it to Jim. "This should help warm you up a bit."
"Thank you, Sir," he said as he took the quilt and covered up. Jim then picked up his mug of hot chocolate and sipped at it contently.
"Thank you, Father," Winter told him as she nursed her own drink.
"It's no problem at all." Schnee turned to Frank with a smile. "Thank you for looking after my girls while I was at work. Truth be told, I thought that meeting would never end."
"Is everything alright with the company?" Frank asked worriedly.
Schnee only nodded in return. "Oh, yes, everything is fine. It just seems as though getting used to my new partner's views may take a little longer than I thought."
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"
"Go right ahead," Mr. Schnee said.
The Faunus cleared his throat. "Right, then. If you and your partner have differing views, then why do you keep her around?" he asked.
Mr. Schnee frowned, however slightly. "Well, I'm afraid it's not as simple as that... She has been quite helpful in my more... personal affairs, and I believe that if she sticks around long enough, I may be able to open her mind a bit. And perhaps she may have some useful insight that I'm simply overlooking... Only time will tell."
Frank just nodded, not saying anymore as he sat at the table next to his son, and sipped at his own hot cocoa.
"Oh, what's going on with the company, Father?" Winter asked excitedly, hoping to be included in the discussion.
Mr. Schnee turned to Winter, and gave her a soft smile. "It's nothing you should be concerned about, sweetheart. Just getting to know my business partner a little better."
"Oh, you got a new business partner? When do we get to meet him or her?"
Her father raised an eyebrow. "You just met her last night, Winter. At dinner," he said, causing Winter's excitement to quickly dissipate.
"Oh..." Winter solemnly returned to her chocolate. So he DIDN'T fire her? she thought to herself with a small scowl.
Weiss lifted her head at her Father's words. "So you mean she's going to keep coming back?" she asked dishearteningly, to which he smiled, either not noticing or ignoring his daughters' blatant dislike.
"Of course, wouldn't that be great?" Schnee asked only for Weiss to frown.
"I don't think she likes me very much..." his daughter muttered as she remembered the disaster from the night before.
"How could anyone not like you? You're the most adorable little girl in the kingdom of Atlas." Her father grinned as he took a seat next to Weiss. "Don't you want to give her at least one more chance?"
Weiss just clutched a still-damp Mr. Slate to her chest. "If that's what you want, Father..." she said sadly, wanting to make sure he was happy.
He gave her a quick hug. "Good girl... Now, how about when you're finished with your cocoa, you show me that picture you worked so hard on yesterday?"
Edith would probably agree with Mr. Slate about Weiss's artistic ability... Winter thought solemnly as she frowned into her chocolatey beverage.
"Okay..." Weiss said with a small frown.
"Great," their father said as she took a sip of his own cocoa.
"Well, come on, Father!" Weiss called out as she started to walk away.
"Weiss, you should let me wash and dry off Mr. Slate so he stays clean," Winter said as Weiss started to walk off with the soggy teddy.
Weiss nodded and handed her sister the bear. "Just be careful," she whispered.
"I promise that Mr. Slate won't be harmed. I'll attend to his washing myself." Winter smiled at Weiss as she and their father walked out the door. "Frank? How do I wash a teddy bear?" Winter immediately asked once they were out of earshot, not knowing how to do such a thing.
"Well... you handle it with care, for one." The man smiled as he walked Winter through the steps of how to properly wash a teddy bear, the small girl following each of his instructions. Soon Mr. Slate was being gently and safely washed.
Weiss and her father headed upstairs to the girls' bedroom, and Weiss dug through her toys and books until she found the coloring book she was looking for. She opened to the page of the snowman she was working on the day before. She grinned as she showed it to her father.
He smiled proudly at her work. "It looks wonderful, Weiss."
She beamed up at him. "Can we hang it on the fridge?"
He let out a thoughtful hum. "How about... we hang it in my office? That way, I can look at it when I'm doing my work," he suggested, knowing the fridge wouldn't be a good place to put the drawing if Edith were to somehow stumble upon it.
"Okay." Weiss nodded happily.
"So what now?" Winter asked Frank as she looked into the washing machine.
"Now you wait for it to finish," he told her.
"Oh... that's boring..." Winter said with a small frown.
"Yes, it can be quite boring." Frank chuckled lightly. "How about you talk with Jim while you wait? I'll tell you when it's finished washing so you can put Mr. Slate in the dryer."
"Okay, thanks Frank." Winter skipped over to Jim, still covered in the quilt and scrunching his face at the papers in front of him. "Hi, Jim."
"Hey, Blizzard," he said, turning to her with a grin. Winter looked at him in confusion and Jim's smile fell. "I... It's a nickname... you know, because you threw all that snow and stuff... I'll stop if you—"
Winter grinned and interrupted him. "No, it's fine. I've never had a nickname before." Jim brightened at the realization that he wasn't being reprimanded by his new friend. "So what are you doing?"
"Homework," he answered with a groan.
"What type of homework?"
"It's history. I mean, how am I supposed to know when the first Dust quarry was founded in Atlas?"
"Hmm... it was forty-seven years before the first Dust-powered machine... Wait, do they mean first mine or first mechanical quarry?" Winter questioned for clarification.
"What? There's a difference?!"
"Well, yes. With the mine, crystals have to be dug out by hand while the quarry is created by man-powered mechanics, though nowadays they're powered by Dust."
"How do you know this?" Jim asked in amazement.
"I'm a Schnee," Winter answered proudly. "Also, we already learned this in my school."
Jim nodded as Winter sat down to help him with his homework, the two reading through his text book and finishing his assignment together.