Been about a month, huh? Sorry. I was distracted with other stories for a while there. Even now I'm considering writing a KnightLight (Jaune x Jessica Cruz) twoshot since I'm one of the fans who really liked their chemistry in the movie.
Anyway, this chapter is more plot and the characters having 'new beginnings', so to speak. This is also another chapter where Jaune does not have the POV. Think of it as branching out and focusing more on the other characters on the team.
By the way, I'm also considering the idea of doing commissions. For anyone interested, email me at this address: Storylover543 gmail . com
Mercury didn't really know how to feel being in Mantle. Growing up the way he did, he treated every kingdom and village the same way. Just places to stay in or pass through till the old man finished a job.
In a lot of ways, every place was the same. Sure, some places were more upfront about how shitty they were and others liked to pretty themselves up, but in the end, there were always constants. Atlas trumpeted itself as this technological marvel while Mantle was where all the shit went, but they were both rotten underneath it all. Atlas just looked prettier and put on perfume to hide the stink.
Mercury watched, nonplussed, as a drunk shouted racist obscenities at a Faunus couple just minding their own business. Another thing he learned young; it wasn't just the rich and privileged that looked down on people for whatever reason they could contrive. In some way ways, the poor and destitute were even worse. They needed some reason to feel better about themselves and what better way than looking down on someone else? Even if it was just for something as stupid as having ears or a tail.
And of course, Jaune and Pyrrha stopped and had to involve themselves. Mercury stayed back and let them try to end it without fists flying. He wasn't worried. Anyone tried something and they'd be the one eating dirt.
Sadly, the drunk had enough sense to realize from Pyrrha's outfit that she was a Huntress in training and he backed off, muttering something about Animals not knowing their place. Stupid. If there was anything 'good' to be said about Marcus Black, it was that he didn't care who you were. To him, you were either a client or a target, and if you weren't either of those things you might as well have not existed. It was a worldview he'd taught - beat into - his own son.
"Sorry about that," Pyrrha smiled apologetically when she and Jaune got back.
"You know you can't play hero against every single asshole out there," Mercury said. He didn't judge - they could do whatever they wanted in their own time - but he still found it pointless. That drunk was just gonna find someone else to hassle.
"We couldn't just do nothing," Jaune said.
"Sure you can. You just don't want to."
They made their way to Professor Polendina's lab. The inside looked out of place from anything else in this city. High tech with machines that looked like it'd cost someone's entire life savings. This was the kind of place that would be a tempting target for the greedy and the desperate, but he'd also caught a couple of plainclothes Atlas soldiers milling around the area. Whoever this guy was, he was important.
"Salutations!" Oh great, he almost forgot his new teammate was here. Mercury held back a grimace as Penny ran over excitedly to where they stood. She'd taken the chance to visit her father since they were coming to Mantle. He didn't hate her, but he didn't much like her either. It wasn't anything personal - that was how he felt with most people.
"Hey, Penny." Jaune smiled.
"Hello." Pyrrha did the same.
Mercury grunted and kept looking around the place. This was supposed to be his big moment. The part where his soul became whole again after his old man ripped a chunk of it away. Amazing...if he actually believed it could work. Call him a cynic, but if killing his old man didn't bring his Semblance back, then why would this?
Still, he...appreciated Jaune going so far and Pyrrha coming all this way just to support him. Ren and Nora would've come too but he'd told them some bullshit about there being a limit on how many people there could be. Ren didn't believe him, but he still convinced Nora that he needed space.
"Hello there." A new voice greeted. Mercury turned and raised a brow at the portly old man with dark skin rolling towards them in a motorized wheelchair. That must've been Penny's dad. Huh, not much of a family resemblance, "You must be the one Ozpin told me about. Jaune Arc and Mercury Black, correct?"
"Yeah. Nice to meet you, Mr. Polendina." Jaune smiled and offered his hand, which the old man took happily. Mercury stuffed his hands into his pockets and hung back. Pyrrha put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently while Jaune and the mad scientist exchanged words. He was the one who was gonna be doing all the work here anyway. All Mercury had to do was keep his mouth shut.
"Aura Amplification is a very rare and unique Semblance," the old man said as he led them to another room. Pyrrha was chatting with Penny, giving him a chance to be alone with his thoughts, "If given the chance I'd love to be able to examine it in detail, but that can come at another time. Right now we're here to check about restoring Mr. Black's Semblance. Aura Nullification, was it?"
"Last I remember it, yeah." Mercury shrugged. He didn't get the chance to use it a lot before the old man took it. He only realized later that Marcus Black was scared. The assassin who killed people at their most vulnerable was scared of being weak himself, especially to his own son. He hated the idea that Mercury could kill him so easily. Joke was on him. He didn't need his Semblance to kill him in the end, even if it did cost both his legs.
"Another rare Semblance, rarer than even Aura Amplification. And a coveted one. Not much use against the Grimm, but invaluable when fighting other Aura trained fighters."
"It got rid of my Aura too when I used it. Not as great as you think it is."
"We shall see." They entered the next room and Mercury looked at the machine he was going to be strapped to. A big pod with a clear window so people could see inside. Close to the machine was a console and receptacles where you were supposed to put your hands in. Mercury raised a brow but didn't say a word. It really didn't help the Mad Scientist vibes, but what did he have to lose? Maybe his life, but he didn't much care for that anyway.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.
"Absolutely!" Penny answered for her dad, "This machine is designed to transfer Friend-Jaune's Aura into Friend-Mercury's. While the first iteration of this machine was meant to transfer Aura wholesale from one person to another, a risky venture that would kill the giver and cause issues for the receiver's mental state. However, with Friend-Jaune's Semblance, the transfer should be harmless while the machine will allow the given Aura to reach deeper into Friend-Mercury's soul."
"Um..." Pyrrha looked vaguely uncomfortable at the idea of a person's entire Aura being transferred.
"The point is that there's no risk. I wouldn't consider this idea if there's any harm that could come to either Mr. Arc or Mr. Black," The old man said, "There may, however, be some discomfort. While Aura Amplification would normally feel pleasant, the point of the procedure is to overflow and 'break the dam', so to speak."
"I can handle it." His old man didn't just use his fists. He used anything he could get his hands on; his favorites were broken bottles that he'd stab into his side. Marcus said that it was to increase his pain tolerance. Complete bullshit, but it worked.
The pod opened with a light hiss and Mercury looked inside. Not enough room for him to do anything but stand and wait for everything to finish. He stepped inside and turned, waiting for the door to close. Pyrrha stood in front of the see-through glass still looking worried.
"Calm down. You're not the one who might explode," he said with a wry smile.
"That's not funny."
"That hurts."
"Alright, Mr. Black, we'll be starting the procedure now," the professor said.
The machine hummed to life all around him. Mercury looked down and saw his body covered in the white color of his Aura. Felt...weird. Team RWBY always talked about how Jaune's Semblance felt warm or comforting, but all Mercury could feel was...the closest way he could describe it was overhydration. Like he was chugging down bottles of water even after his stomach was already full.
"Dad, stop!"
Mercury winced and pressed a hand against his head. The hell?
"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked.
"N-Nothing."
"Ah! It hurts! Please stop! I promise I'll be good!"
Memories flowed in a wave and he couldn't stop them. His dad came home drunk and break his arm when he was just four years old. Mom didn't say anything and just watched, too scared of Marcus turning his attention to her. He remembered crying himself to sleep that night and his old man spitting the next day that he deserved it for not being able to fight back.
"M-Mom, please don't leave! Don't leave me alone with him!"
Mom left when he was ten. Couldn't take the abuse anymore. Old man just got madder, got it in his head that it was somehow the kid's fault rather than him being a drunken waste of human skin. The 'training' got worse. Mom was a nurse so at least sometimes, when she was feeling nice, she helped patch him up. After that, he had to learn to patch himself up. A lot of days he went to bed bleeding and bruised.
"Mercury!" Pyrrha shouted. He looked up and only then realized he was crying, "Get him out of there! He's-"
"No!" Mercury grit his teeth and wiped the tears away in frustration, "It's...It's getting close! I can feel it!"
"Give it back! I earned it! You can't take it from me! I'm your son, damn it! Doesn't that mean anything, you miserable sack of shit?!"
Mercury slumped forward and pressed his right hand against the glass to keep himself upright. He looked up again and, through his still blurry vision, saw Pyrrha press her own hand against the glass, almost as if to touch her palm to his. It was stupid - he couldn't feel anything but the glass - but he was still comforted all the same.
"You looking for the old man? You're too late. He's dead."
The dam broke.
Mercury screamed, more from shock than pain. The pod doors opened and he slumped into Pyrrha's arms, his girlfriend easily carrying him. Felt...odd. His body felt like it was tingling from head to toe and it was like he was exhausted but raring to run a marathon at the same time. He closed his eyes and panted, just relishing in Pyrrha's warmth for the moment no matter how much his instincts told him to push her off.
"Oh my! It appears I cannot move!" Penny said, sounding more surprised than worried about that. Mercury forced his eyes open and saw the robot girl standing in a slumped posture while her father looked on worriedly.
"Are you two alright?" Jaune asked. He was panting and looked exhausted, "Man, I feel tired all of a sudden."
"I am fine, Friend-Jaune! I simply cannot move any part of my body except my mouth!"
"That doesn't sound fine..."
"Hmm." The professor wheeled himself back and looked at them, "Ms. Nikos, could you please check your Aura levels?"
"Huh? Um, sure." Without letting go of him, she deftly reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her scroll. Her brows raised when she saw the screen, "It's empty."
"Just as I thought." The professor nodded, "Mr. Black activated his Semblance and is still using it now. You two would've normally felt your Aura being suppressed, but given the circumstances, I'm not surprised it slipped past. As for Penny, her body is even more dependent on her Aura compared to the average person. Mr. Black, could you turn off your Semblance now?"
"Sure..."
It took a few seconds to remember how he used it before, but eventually, he felt the power receding. Penny started moving again while Pyrrha helped both him and Jaune to a nearby chair. Sweat was pouring down the blonde's forehead and even without his Semblance his Aura was dipping into the red. How much did he give him, Mercury wondered.
"Mr. Black, I would suggest you stay behind for at least a day so we can examine if there are any adverse effects."
"Yeah, sure..." He nodded blankly, staring past him to the wall. It was done. He'd gotten his Semblance back, gotten what Marcus took from him all those years ago. He should've been ecstatic and jumping for joy, but instead, all he got was a muted sense of understanding. Getting his Semblance back didn't magically fix things or change how fucked up he was. He was still Mercury, son of an assassin.
But he was still grateful.
"Merc? You alright?" Jaune asked to his right.
"Yeah, just..." He shook his head, "...Thanks."
"We're friends. Don't even think about it."
"Heh...you know, if it wasn't for Pyr and Rose, I would've gone for you."
Jaune blinked and his cheeks flushed slightly. Pyrrha narrowed her eyes at them both, "Oh, uh...thanks?"
"Oh! Speaking of romance!" Penny cut in. Mercury got the feeling it wasn't going to be good, "Friend-Pyrrha and Friend-Mercury, would you both be agreeable to me joining your relationship? I've heard that the kingdom of Anima legally allows for polyamorous relationships and there's no cultural stigma for non-standard relationships. Given that you both came from Anima, are you two more open to adding a third?"
"Penny!" The professor gasped.
Pyrrha...just looked at Penny in wonder, "...So long as I'm the legal wife in the future, I see no problem with it." Wait, what? Mercury looked at his girlfriend and it scared him that he had no idea if she was being serious or not.
"Sensational!"
"Wait, don't I get a say in this?" Mercury protested.
"Hush, dear. We're talking about your future here."
Mercury laughed under his breath and gave up. Thinking back on it, when that drunk Qrow first found him, he thought it'd just be more of the same - Ozpin tossing him into missions until he gave out. He had no idea why the elusive prick had him attend school. He still had no clue, but he really wasn't complaining. It was better than wandering around being a killer for hire on the ass-end of Anima.
He leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes. Staying here wouldn't be an issue. He had his own thing to deal with. A little birdie told him that one Melanie Rosewood - Melanie Black - was working at Mantle as a nurse. Maybe it was time for a reunion.
Weiss had mixed feelings about returning to Atlas. While she'd chafed under her father's (admittedly distant) watch and grown to despise Atlesian high society, she still felt pride and care for her home. It was an inevitability. For as much as she hated parts of it, it was still where she grew up. And she would've been lying if she said she grew up disadvantaged. As much as her family might've been lacking, she still grew up in the lap of luxury. The best tutors and opportunities that even the other elites of Atlas could only dream of.
And yet she never felt free. Everything was a balancing act. Her father approved of her singing, so he let her practice fencing. He approved of her perfect grades so he allowed her 'ill-advised' reading about the Huntsmen. Even her attending Beacon was done purely after she'd proven her resolve, and she knew for a fact that he'd done so only because he still considered her dreams some teenage flight of fancy.
It was something she'd done ever since she was a child. In some ways, it made her the middle ground between her siblings. Winter had always been more openly rebellious while Whitley did everything their father wanted in a desperate search for his approval.
Even now she still did it. Despite everything, she still thought of her father's reaction to the actions she took. Dating Sun? She'd been so scared of being found out that she'd forced Jaune into a fake relationship, however short-lived. Working with Councilman Blanche? She'd already considered a dozen different reasons why a Schnee working with a Faunus was beneficial.
To give her father credit, he was a pragmatic man; for both good and bad. He'd give to charity just as easily as he would abuse his employees if he saw profit in either. That was why she was sure he'd accept her logic on supplying Dust to Mt. Glenn. An injection of Dust into a new settlement meant a new place that would be buying Dust and would have a positive view of the SDC. While they already had a near-Monopoly on the Dust trade, it would still help.
But this wasn't just about her father...
Weiss kept a neutral expression as she took a wine glass from a passing server. Being back in Atlas high society had brought old instincts back and forced down many of the new ones she'd learned in Beacon.
When she'd first arrived, she expected people to care only for her name and wealth. She'd experienced it all before. People with bright smiles and kind words would rush to make her acquaintance and inquire about possible friendship. It didn't take her long - though it was still too long, in her own opinion - to realize that they didn't see Weiss Schnee the person. All they saw was the heiress, the favored child, the girl who had Jacques Schnee's ear. Hah, as if her father would listen to anything out of familial obligation.
She'd expected the same at Beacon. Sure, it would be less than if she'd attended Atlas Academy, but fame and wealth had a way of following you. She'd expected for people to try and befriend her only for the mask to slip. They would ask for favors, for benefits, for her to pull out her credit card so they could plumb her seemingly endless bank account because it was what friends did for one another. Especially when she received the powers of the Maiden.
Instead, she'd found her second family. People she would gladly give those exact same benefits to if they only asked because she knew they would never take advantage of her. And they didn't. They never expected anything of her nor did they take advantage of her name. Whenever Ruby asked her for twenty lien to buy some extra cookies, it wasn't because she was the heiress to the SDC; it was something she'd ask of anyone on the team.
Weiss focused on her friends now more than ever. The parties and politicians in Vale were cutthroat, but they were nothing compared to the ones from Atlas. She saw them all, sharks sniffing for blood while wearing smiling masks. It made her ill to think about how they looked at her friends that way; even Blake. For all that they looked down on those lesser than them - which amounted to everyone outside of their social circles - they were all greedy enough to take advantage so long as they benefited.
It was why she'd instructed them to stay in pairs: Ruby with Jaune and Blake with Yang. It left her all alone, and when they worriedly asked about it (which made her feel warmer than she would've liked to admit), she'd assured them that she was used to these kinds of parties. Besides, Father spent the first half hour preening and praising her for being such a dutiful daughter by 'personally leading the charge to take down that reprobate Sienna Khan'.
She sipped at her wine as she regarded them all. Dinner had not yet been served, allowing the guests to mill around and enjoy the ambiance. Or, to quote Yang, 'hang out and get high on their own farts'. Weiss suppressed a giggle at that. Less than a year in Vale and she'd gone native. For shame. While she still preferred fine dining to a buffet at a steakhouse, the freedom to choose what she wanted wasn't something she was willing to ever give up.
"Evening." She took her eyes off the crowd and looked sideways at the one who greeted her. A young man who looked about her age. Half-shaved turquoise-colored hair, a black and red suit, and a charming smile.
"Good evening." Unlike Ruby, she gave her own smile in turn even as she still faced away from him. Ruby wasn't used to getting attention like this, but Weiss was. Even at ten years of age, she'd had men old enough to be her grandfather already trying to set her up with their sons. It only got worse when she became the heiress and she'd turned from a child to a young woman. Then their eyes burned with lust not just for the SDC, but the heiress herself.
"The name's Henry Marigold." He offered her a hand.
"Weiss Schnee." She reciprocated the gesture but offered nothing more. She wasn't interested, and even on the off-chance that he wasn't just another parasite looking for a connection, she already had a boyfriend she was quite happy with.
"Oh, I know. Hard not to know the woman of the hour." He took his own glass of wine and sipped it, "I heard the story about how you single-handedly stopped Sienna Khan."
"Hm." She didn't bother to correct him. Nothing she said would stick to these people.
He tried to say something else, likely some rehearsed line trying to charm her, when an all too familiar voice cut in, "Good evening, dear sister," Whitley greeted her. He bowed slightly and smiled, looking as fake as everyone else here did. She reminded herself of what she was planning to do and internally grimaced. This was a risk, but it was one she had to take.
"Whitley. So good to see you." She turned and gave him her full attention. Henry seemed to realize that his attempt at conversation had ended and left, leaving the two siblings.
"And you as well. When I heard about all the things you did, I was so worried."
"The life of a Huntress is a dangerous one." She looked away at the crowd. Dinner was an hour away and the guests were distracted enough that no one would notice the two slipping away. And even if they did, she could just make up an excuse of wanting to reunite with her younger brother in private. No one could act offended if she used familial obligation as the reason.
"So it is. Father was positively beaming when he heard about what you did."
"What my team did." She set her glass of wine down on the closest table, "May we speak alone?"
"In the middle of your party where you're the guest of honor?"
"Yes. It's something that can't wait."
He looked like he was going to say something else passive-aggressive, but seeing the serious look in her eyes, he closed his mouth. There was silence for a moment before he reluctantly nodded, "Alright, my study should be empty by now, though I wouldn't suggest staying away for too long. It's bad enough that Winter isn't here. Having both of us missing would be a scandal."
Weiss silently followed her younger brother out of the party and down the empty halls of the Schnee manor. After spending months with the rest of team RWBY-J, it occurred to her just how...lonely it all was. A family that didn't spend time together in a mansion that felt more like a prison than a home. Father was cooped up in his study, Mother drank the day away in the gardens, Winter was never there, and both she and Whitley were always preoccupied with lessons from personal tutors.
"Come in." Whitley opened the door and stepped inside with Weiss following after. It'd been years since she'd been in one of Whitley's rooms. The most time they spent together was when they saw each other in the halls. It was economical, and yet she saw a few touches of personalization. Books that didn't fall under the purview of his studies and even intricate robot figurines on his desk. Since when did he like those, she wondered.
Weiss sat primly at one of the seats while Whitley took the one opposite her. For the first time in a long while he looked genuinely confused, likely unsure of what was happening here.
"I'd like to start with something first," Weiss said slowly, "Being back here in Atlas has only reminded me of why I chose not to attend the academy here. For our discussion I'd like to ask that we be honest with one another."
"Dear sister, are you implying that I've been anything but-"
"Whitley. Stop." His practiced response trailed off at the firmness of her words, "I know it's...difficult given our relationship, but this is something that will only work if we don't wear masks."
"...This is interesting." He leaned back on his seat and crossed his arms, "And what did you come here to discuss."
"Giving up my position as heiress."
That got his attention. His eyes widened, his brows shot up, and his mouth parted open in slack-jawed surprise. If it were any other situation, she would've taken a picture for posterity. Instead, she kept her face neutral and waited for his response. There was no use dodging the issue. She'd come here to make peace with her brother, and the best way to do that was to lay all her cards on the table.
"I don't believe you," he said eventually, "Being the heiress was the one thing you fought to keep despite all your foolish decisions recently."
"I've...had a change of heart." She sighed and looked away for a moment, "Events have made me realize that becoming the heiress isn't-"
"I don't believe you," he said again, voice turning more agitated, "This...This is some kind of trick. Some ploy to make me embarrass myself and ensure that Father will only ever choose you."
"And what would be the point of that?" She raised a brow, "I'm already the heiress, Whitley, and in the past few months, I've only ever improved Father's opinion of me. I helped stop the Dust thefts in Vale, I'm working with a councilman, and I was part of the team that stopped the leader of the White Fang. All the while you've been at home, no doubt attempting to curry favor, but we both know that Father only sees results and not effort. The White Fang fracturing is on the top of that list."
"Sounds like you've only strengthened your position, which only adds to my doubt about you willingly giving it up. So why now?"
"Because I can't be the redeemer." Whitley blinked in confusion, "I'd had it all planned in my head that I was going to be the one to redeem our family name. That when I took over the SDC I would somehow turn everything around. But I can't. I have... responsibilities that lay elsewhere. You're not a fool. That power I wielded when I defeated the Arma Gigas, it's not something that belongs to our family."
"I had wondered."
"It's part of the reason why I can't do this." Her eyes blazed with light blue fire before quickly flickering away, "I...may not survive the things that will come."
"The life of a Huntress is a dangerous one, you already know that, so why-"
"It's not typical Huntress work. If it was, these powers would only make me more confident." She smiled wryly at her little brother. She couldn't tell him. Would he even believe her? Magic sounded like insanity even now, "I was sworn to secrecy, but the chance of me dying isn't small. If so, I believe that making plans would be the best for both our sakes."
"...Fine. Let's say I believe you. What is your plan now? Do you renounce your position? Do you keep it until Father retires then suddenly name me your successor? Because if you die-" he paused, seemingly uncomfortable with even voicing the thought, "-then the position would go to me by default, so you must have something else under your sleeve."
"Right." She took a deep breath. Here was the most difficult part, "I want you to help me oust Father."
Whitley just looked at her with a blank expression for a moment before he suddenly started laughing. It was so loud that she was sure anyone passing by would hear it, "You've gone insane, haven't you?" he asked, still laughing under his breath, "Less than a year in Vale and you've decided that a coup is the best course of action?"
"It's what has to be done." She stood and walked to the window, seeing the lights of Atlas shining bright in the distance. The shining beacon of Remnant, they called themselves, "We've had our differences, Whitley, but neither of us are fools. You know what Father has done." He didn't answer, and that was telling enough, "How many people have suffered because of his actions? How many people look at our name and think of us as greedy bastards who'll do anything for more? Under Grandfather-"
"You are a fool, Weiss." She turned, both surprised and angry, and saw Whitley standing to meet her gaze, "Under Grandfather? You still believe that Father is the only one who's responsible?" He shook his head, "Is that why you went to Beacon? To emulate his example?"
"Grandfather wasn't corrupt. He led from the front and-"
"And he stole from Vacuo alongside Mistral," Whitley finished. Weiss felt an indignant anger bubbling in her chest for her departed loved one, "Maybe you didn't pay attention to it, but I've read up on all of our history. You act as if Father is the only reason the Schnees would be hated, but did you know what they did? Father and the Mistral Trading Company mined Vacuo out of all its Dust without anyone in the kingdom seeing a single Lien for the endeavor. The reason Vacuo hates Atlas is because of him, not Father."
"That's..."
"I can't complain since I grew up in the luxury of his choices, but if you're going to spout at me about redeeming the family name, then don't pretend that Father is the big bogeyman and that once he's gone it'll all just go away. Father is no saint, I'll admit that, but Grandfather wasn't much better. The only difference is he cared about the family and treated his employees well as a robbed a Kingdom blind."
She wanted to protest, to defend Nicholas Schnee, but she couldn't. Whitley was right. She had read up on what happened with Vacuo, but she'd always brushed it off as the cost of doing business. Was that how Father justified it to himself? So what if employees were paid pennies and died in the mines because of a lack of proper safety? That was just the cost of doing business.
"You're right." Whitley raised both brows. He was clearly expecting her to argue back, "While I still think Father is dragging our legacy through the mud, grandfather isn't...he isn't the flawless knight I thought of him as." She shuddered. The words tasted bitter in her mouth, "The difference is, are we going to be different or are we just going to follow in their footsteps?"
"I...I don't know." For the first time in years, Whitley looked vulnerable. So did she, "I'll admit, this...wasn't what I expected when you came back to Atlas. I thought we'd continue our sniping."
"We can still snipe at each other." She smiled weakly, "So...what do you think?"
"I think you're insane...but I don't think you're lying. That's not something you would do." He crossed his arms again and looked away, "You know, I could tell Father about this. Secure my place as heir while ensuring you lose yours."
"I'm sure you could. Then he would disown me and you'd be right back to where you started, except now he'll be even more paranoid about his remaining heir. You'll never have freedom as long as he lives."
"Hmph. So, what is your plan? I assume you have one."
"The plan is...in progress." Whitley gave her a very unimpressed look, "We need Father ousted from the company without bloodshed. To do that we'll need help. I can trust Klein, and I'm sure General Ironwood and Winter will agree once I explain the situation. Then..." She chewed on her lower lip, "I'll have to talk to Mother at some point."
"You think she can help?"
"Once upon a time, she knew him better than anyone. Perhaps she can." Weiss looked down at the floor, "And...I think this talk is long overdue regardless."
"Maybe." A beat, "So...now what?"
"Now we go to the party and you can pretend nothing's changed or you can publicly expose me for my plans."
"I have no proof, so that wouldn't really work." Whitley laughed under his breath, "Assuming this succeeds, are you planning to leave redeeming the family name to me?"
"I'm going to spend most of my time being a Huntress, but I'll do my best to help you. I always thought that it would be me to drag our name back from the mud. Now I realize just how selfish that thought is. If this is going to have any chance of succeeding we need to work together as a family."
Ignoring every instinct she had, Weiss took a couple of steps forward and pulled Whitley into an awkward embrace. Her younger brother froze; it'd been years since anyone in the family had shared such intimate a gesture. Even Winter was cold in that regard. Whitley took a moment to reciprocate the gesture, hands fumbling clumsily for the small of her back.
They stayed like that for a few more seconds before they slowly parted, "We should go back before people notice we're gone."
Neither of the siblings said a word as they returned to the celebration. Despite the quiet, however, there was an unmistakable weight that had been lifted from them both. One talk couldn't repair years of strain, but it was a start.
"Weiss!" Ruby greeted them excitedly when they returned. She looked at each of her team in turn and hummed internally in praise. It had taken the better part of a day, but they appeared for all the world like they belonged in Atlas high society; as mixed praise as that might have been. She'd even managed to style Ruby's hair into something neater rather than the spiky, windswept look she kept after the Breach.
Ruby had pouted after the styling when Jaune admitted he liked her windswept look better.
"Oh, this must be your brother! Hey, name's Ruby!"
"H-Hello?" Whitley shook her hand, a faint blush adorning his cheeks. Weiss raised a brow and then smirked. Whitley had a crush. Oh, that was adorable, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ruby."
Weiss cut in before he could embarrass himself further,
"Let's get to dinner, shall we? I'm famished."
This was a bad idea.
That was the thought that ran through Blake's head with every step she took. The Schnee party had barely ended, and not too soon. If she had to hear one more trophy wife and old racist talk about how she was probably bringing in fleas or planning to steal something, she would've lost it.
Her heeled boots clicked against the dull gray hallway. She'd barely changed back into more fitting clothes before she left to come here, telling the others that she had to do something by herself. Yang and Jaune had offered to come with her given what happened last time, but she insisted.
Besides, it wasn't like she expected to get attacked by the White Fang in a maximum-security prison.
Blake kept her head held high and she followed the guard without a word. Prisons for those with awakened Auras were the most secure in all of Remnant. There were no chances taken: every single prisoner was outfitted with shock collars and they were constantly pumped full of drugs that kept their Aura at their lowest possible point. It was cruel, but when dealing with superhuman warriors with possible Semblances, there were few options other than this, execution, or permanent sedation.
The guard stopped at the cell at the end of the hall, "Thank you," Blake said. He nodded stiffly and stood outside while she entered. The room was soundproof - all the more to emphasize the solitary confinement - and even if it wasn't, the prison was staffed by people General Ironwood personally vetted. None of them would say a word.
The inside of the room was bleak. Gray walls with no windows and nothing inside but a bed, a sink, and a toilet. Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall was Adam. He looked...defeated. Gone was the man who touted himself as a revolutionary hero and in his place was a broken prisoner. He wore an orange jumpsuit with a collar around his neck, his scarred face bare for all the world to see.
Despite how much she hated him, seeing the person she once loved like this...it hurt. She knew he deserved it, knew that he'd planned to destroy an entire kingdom, but the pain was still there.
Adam looked up as the door hissed close behind her. He could attack her now, but then what would that accomplish? There were cameras in the walls and if he took one step outside then the collar would shock him into unconsciousness. That wasn't even considering the fact that she had her Aura and Magic while he had nothing.
"Blake..." His voice came out in a rasp.
"Adam..." She didn't know what to do. Sit down? Keep standing? Spit in his face? She'd come here for...honestly, she didn't even know. To understand? To try and make sense of everything? When she'd left the White Fang, a part of her still hoped that Adam could turn his way around. Naively, she hoped that her leaving would be the catalyst to make him change. Because they loved each other.
She was such an idiot.
"Come to gloat?" He stood up weakly, his posture a far cry from the always vigilant warrior, "Here to rub in how much you've betrayed our kind?"
"Betrayed?" Whatever embers of pity she had were quickly snuffed out, "Adam, you tried to destroy a whole kingdom! There were innocent people there, Humans and Faunus! How can you say that you're fighting for us when you do something like that?!"
"It was to make them fear us!" Adam shouted back, spite and rage pushing through the fatigue, "If we want to be treated as more than animals, we can't just bow our heads. Everyone in that city...they were part of the problem. When Vale fell, the rest of the kingdoms would've understood."
"The rest of the kingdoms would treat every Faunus as no better than the Grimm!"
"Good! At least then we would've been forced to stand together." Blake didn't know whether to scream or laugh at the response, "What would you prefer, Blake? To live the rest of your life as a slave to Humans, or face death with your head held high? Not too long ago, I knew what you would've chosen."
"And not too long ago, I thought you actually cared about the Faunus." She laughed bitterly, "You can justify it to yourself all you want, but all you care about is your spite. You were hurt so you wanted to make everyone else hurt. The Faunus...you never cared for them at all." She exhaled sharply, "I came here...I guess a part of me hoped that you weren't as deranged as I thought you were, that there was something left of the man I cared about before. But there's nothing left, is there? Nothing but your spite."
Or perhaps he was always like this and she was too blind to see it.
"You're a traitor, Blake. Working with the Humans, with Atlas, after what they did to us."
"And you're a madman. I'm done talking."
She shook her head and turned to leave. Adam reached out to grab her, but she turned and grabbed his wrist in a harsh grip before he could. Neither of them said a word. Adam looked at her in a rage while Blake looked back with both hate and pity. This was the man she loved once, the man who she thought she'd follow into hell itself, and now she was seeing him for what he really was.
"Goodbye, Adam."
Blake pushed him back and left without another word said. Adam shouted at her, cursing her name, insulting her as a traitor, and blaming her for everything that happened to him. He kept shouting till the doors hissed close and Adam Taurus was once again locked away from the world. This was what the rest of his life would be like now, just staring at the same gray walls till he went mad from isolation.
She waited till she was outside of the building itself before she finally cracked. Blake pressed her hands against the wall and both laughed and cried in equal measure. Solace fought against grief as she finally began to put it all behind her. This was it. Whatever happened to Adam next wasn't her concern anymore. She'd truly severed whatever connection they might have had.
She returned to the hotel where they were staying (after making sure that there weren't any tear marks) and stopped when Yang pulled her inside the room, "There you are! We've been waiting." She gestured to the other members of the team, "Come on, Weiss cream's planning to show us around Atlas. You're coming with us, right?"
Blake laughed under her breath and smiled, "Of course I am. You don't even have to ask."
Geez, this chapter felt kinda heavy. Oh well, with that out of the way, we can go back to more lighthearted stuff. Like dealing with the Branwens. And yes, there's something weird going on when dealing with a band of murderous bandits/raiders is one of the more lighthearted segments.
Like I said before, I might do the KnightLight fic or focus on Student Counselor Jaune a bit before returning here. Hopefully, you guys enjoy those stories too :)
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Questions:
1. So what do you guys think of Weiss' plan again? She's not just renouncing her heiress position but actively working to try and oust Jacques rather than waiting for him to retire ten or twenty years down the line. It's risky, but it does counter Sienna's argument about her just waiting while Jacques harms people.
2. I'm torn about something. With team RWBY planning to reclaim Mt. Glenn, what makes more sense: announcing it before they start so people have an idea of what's going to happen? Or announcing it only after they beat Kevin and the place is safe? Both options have their ups and downs.
Announcing beforehand allows people to prepare to move over there and make other preparations for rebuilding, especially for Blake who'd want to give a heads up to people from Menagerie, but it could lead to unrealistic expectations and announcing where the Maidens will be at all times.
On the other hand, announcing it only after everything is said and done could lead to a mad scramble and panic as everyone rushes over to the newly reclaimed settlement and chaos as people fight over spots rather than it being done in a more organized manner. However, it avoids the above issues.
Review Answers:
oldtimeydude - Weiss and Jaune do mention that they talked to Ozpin about Mt. Glenn. On the other hand, why would Weiss discuss her plans with the SDC with him? That's a personal issue unrelated to her Huntress work, so Ozpin has no business with it. They have a wary trust of him, but that doesn't mean they trust him with their personal lives.
Chuck B. Winanaki - It's not obvious, but all the Maidens are multi-elemental at this point. We see Blake using it the most because she got the POV, but the whole team is varied right now. Hell, Yang could create elemental construct weapons.
I'm the one your mama said (don't mess with them or you'll end up dead) - Jaune doesn't really go public. He gets some fame because of what he did with Adam, but as Cinder pointed out, people will move on from him quickly because he's not as flashy as the Maidens and doesn't keep up the momentum of doing more and more absurd shit like retaking a failed settlement.
And yes, he does get stuff like Dust-weave clothes and other tricks. Jaune's archetype leans towards healer/jack of all trades. He can't match the team in specialization, so he throws everything at the walls and sees what sticks. Versatility over Specialty.