Important note at the bottom.
'What about us,
Isn't it enough?
No we're not in paradise
This is who we are
This is what we've got
No, it's not our paradise
But it's all we want
And it's all that we're fighting for
But it's not paradise' –What about us? Within Temptation.
Chapter 6-
Three hours later Winter and Mizu walked downstairs following the smell of food filling the house, when they came to the source of the food they found Ruby and Neo working effortlessly around the kitchen together, stealing touches and kisses in between different tasks.
The Schnee women watched the scene play out for a few minutes until they were finally spotted by Neo who smiled at them and directed the pair to the dining room while saying that dinner would be ready shortly.
Upon entering the room Mizu was assaulted by Qrow who was sitting at the table playing with his scroll. He engulfed the woman in a tight hug telling her, "Mizu it's been so long." He said happily.
Mizu laughed at Qrow's actions as the normally quiet and stoic man was this happy and excited with seeing his friend again.
"It's been too long Qrow. I'm sorry we couldn't meet again under better circumstances." Mizu said. "This is my eldest daughter Winter, Winter this old man is Qrow an old team member of mine and a great friend." Mizu said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Qrow." Winter said politely, offering her hand out.
Qrow laughed as she hugged the younger woman, "Stop being so stiff. You're Mizu's daughter so you're always welcome in this house. Both of you are." Qrow said happily.
Winter was unsure how to react but seeing her mother laughing she relaxed slightly and said, "Thank you very much for the offer." She said happily.
Ruby and Neo both walked into the room carrying plates filled with food as she laid them down at five of the six places.
"Dinner is served." Neo said directing everyone to sit down.
Just as everyone was about to start eating a robotic female voice started to speak as she asked, "Mother, may I join you?" The voice asked.
"Of course Aria." Ruby said quietly.
In a small flash of light a figure appeared sitting in the sixth seat, she had long pale pink hair with two braids, one on each side of her face. She wore a black vest top and pink skirt while she had white and pink boots on, with one leg having a long black knee length sock on while on the other one she had a black ban on.
"Hello Aria, how are you?" Neo asked politely as she started to eat her food.
"I'm good mother. I've been busy getting the data you requested all together." Aria informed her, eating the electronic dinner she had in front of her.
"Who's that? Is she an AI?" Winter asked, sounding a little excited at the prospect.
"She is. Aria please meet Winter and Mizu Schnee. Winter and Mizu this is Aria, my AI and also daughter." Ruby introduced.
"Daughter?" Mizu asked in surprise.
"Yes, I created her and she sees both Neo and I as her mother's so yes, daughter." Ruby said kindly, with a gentleness that Mizu only saw when talking about Neo.
"I see. Well hello Aria, it is nice to meet you." Mizu said with a smile before she started eating herself.
Winter had a large smile on her face as she greeted the AI but also turned to look at Ruby asking quickly, "You have got to show me how you did it. I've never seen anything like this before." She said excitedly.
"I can't. I don't wish for this to get out of hand." Ruby said softly as she was eating.
The rest of the meal was spent in idle chatter about various topics and when it was complete Qrow took out the dishes to wash them up, leaving the women to talk.
"Aria could you dim the lights and project the data please?" Ruby asked.
"Of course." Aria said as the lights dimmed and a world map came up with various red and black marks doted around the entire map alongside green marks and Grimm symbols.
"What is all of this?" Winter asked, looking at the map.
Ruby ignored the question as she looked to Mizu, "Do you trust Winter?" She asked.
"Of course I do." Mizu said quickly.
"This as you can tell is a map of Remnant. Highlighted are areas that the Grimm inhabit. The green marks are those of the Hunter and Huntress locations who are supportive. Red is the known White Fang bases and black represent White Fang bases that have been destroyed." Ruby explained.
"How do you know all of this? And how have you got access to all of this? Half of these bases aren't known to anyone. And supportive of what?" Winter asked in quick fire questions.
"I know this because I took out those bases myself and mapped the locations of Grimm nests that are not widely known. As to the Hunter and Huntress locations that is a recent addition thanks to Ozpin providing me access to their database allowing Aria to get these locations. I also have informants inside the White Fang feeding me recent information." Ruby explained.
"So why are you showing us this? What's your plan?" Winter asked.
"My plan is to take out the White Fang for good, but also to get better Faunus rights. If that doesn't happen the White Fang would just return and most likely stronger. To do that I need the support of the strongest groups on the planet. The Hunters are one such group but they alone won't help." Ruby said.
"So you want the Schnee's to help back the Faunus Rights plan?" Winter stated.
"Yes. I was planning on making contact with Miss Mizu when I was closer, however the Fates have played it out differently." Ruby said.
"Why me?" Mizu asked.
"Why not you? You are the one who carries the Schnee name alongside the fact that you are trying to stop your husband form being too extreme with the Faunus. As such you would be the person to speak to." Neo informed the pair.
"I see. How do you know I carry the name and not my husband? He is the man in charge of the entire company." Mizu said.
"We have our ways. You were a Huntress, like your daughter is doing now however you had to give up that dream in a few short years to marry your current husband and with family tradition it is the male that must run the company as it is seen that women cannot do it." Neo stated.
"How do you know all of that?" Winter asked in surprise.
"There is not much that escapes our notice. We wish to work together, if you promise to help aid us in our mission and to create better rights for Faunus then we shall support you when you decide to take over your company." Neo offered to them.
"Why would we accept your offer?" Winter asked carefully.
"Because with the Reaper by your side, alongside the Hunters and police forces you will not be stopped in your takeover." Ruby stated.
"Why are you so interested in achieving Faunus Rights though? Not many humans would do that." Winter asked suspiciously.
Neo turned to Ruby as another silent conversation played between the two as they seemed to debate if the Schnee women read the eye movements and turning of their heads correctly.
Ruby reached up for the headphones hidden amongst her hair to reveal two black wolf ears with red tips, as she wiggled them around after being hidden by the headphones for so long.
"I am a wolf Faunus as you can tell so it is a personal issue to I, and Neo is my fiancé so we both have interests in this. Other than being decent people." Ruby informed them both.
"Mother I have the information on your extended family you asked for." Aria interrupted the four of them.
"Aria could you please store that data and jump please." Ruby said kindly but her voice was firm.
Aria nodded as she vanished from the table and away from the four women.
"Our plan is to systematically eliminate the White Fang bases in the different Kingdoms. Currently it may seem we're taking random bases down but instead it is all planned. There is one person or rather a group of people we are hunting." Neo explained as she manipulated the holographic projection to bring up photos of different people.
"The two men, are Roman Torchwick and Mercury Black. Roman seems to be the top person just under Cinder Fall." A picture of a woman came up to the forefront. "She is the one leading the White Fang currently, we do not know her current location but I have fought her on multiply occasions but each time she has escaped." Ruby informed them all.
"But she's human, correct? How is she leading the White Fang?" Winter asked, surprised that a human could be leading the White Fang.
"We believe she is working alongside this man." A man with short red hair and a mask appeared on the screen in front of them. "Adam Tarsus, leader of the White Fang. We believe there is some sort of plan for Vale involving a large amount of Dust but we are unsure what exactly the plan is." Ruby informed them all.
"I see, so what is your current plan on dealing with this?" Winter asked.
"What it was before. Systematically take out the bases, weakening the whole structure and maybe we strike a goldmine of intelligence or maybe we have to wait for them to make their next move. Either way we have things to do in between now." Ruby said.
"How do you mean?" Winter asked.
"We're students at Beacon Academy, or rather we entered into an agreement with Ozpin. We have full Hunter support behind us and I will teach some classes to a select few students, mainly about combat but we'll see what happens." Ruby answered.
"I see, so what is your plan now?" Winter asked.
"Now? Bed I think, then tomorrow we need to return to Beacon as I have my first class tomorrow." Ruby informed them.
Almost as if on cue Qrow entered back into the room telling them the time and saying about heading to bed, but he asked for Mizu to remain behind.
Qrow didn't speak for a few minutes as he waited for the others to be upstairs and out of listening range before speaking, "Aria could you not listen in to the conversation please and also silence the room so no one outside can hear us?" Qrow almost ordered.
"Of course Uncle." Aria said before silence.
"She's Summer child isn't she?" Mizu asked quietly.
"She is. I didn't know about her until she suddenly arrived at my door, bloodied with a tear stricken face. That's where I learnt about what happened to her and Summer death." Qrow said coldly to the woman.
"Is she truly dead?" Mizu asked weakly.
"No body was found but it's been over ten years by now so I wouldn't get your hopes up." Qrow stated.
"I see." Mizu said quietly.
"She's been looking for her father for quite a while you know? She's asked me many times about anything related to him, but each time I tell her I don't know. She's looking into every available lead but it always turns up nothing. Like her father never wanted to be found." Qrow said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Mizu asked, looking at the man.
"Summer left Ruby everything, I've been told by Neo that she's actually quite rich. Rich enough to just vanish from the planet like Summer did all those years ago. We've always wondered why she vanished and where she went but now a new question is how Summer accumulated all that wealth as well. It was really strange." Qrow said.
"It was her choice." Mizu said weakly.
"Oh I don't doubt it. But some things just don't add up over the years. When we were in school and even afterwards you and Summer were always very close, pairing up together, working together and doing all sorts. Ozpin and I both thought you two were together but didn't want to tell us, so we respected your privacy." Qrow started saying.
"Then suddenly Summer vanished and about a month later you were married to that horrible man you call a husband. Ozpin and I both attended your wedding, although we tried to talk you out of it. But Summer was nowhere in sight and we quickly found she vanished, but it's odd that she didn't attend the wedding of her best friend." Qrow explained.
"So what? I invited her and she didn't bother to come." Mizu stated harshly.
"Really? You got married about nineteen years ago, Ruby is eighteen years old. With when her birthday is, it places her conception just a little before your wedding, when Summer disappeared. A little odd don't you think?" Qrow said.
"So what? It's just a coincidence that she got pregnant at the same time I was getting married." Mizu said violently, standing up and glaring at the man.
"Summer left everything to Ruby but she took her father's identity to the grave. She gave me a letter telling me on Ruby's sixtieth birthday I was to show her the letter. I'm assuming you know what's in the letter?" Qrow asked, smiling slightly at the woman.
"What do you want me to say? That I married some asshole just to appease my dead father who was so old in his traditions I'm surprised the company is still together. Do you want me to tell you that she'll find my name in that letter detailing the shit I put Summer through?" Mizu practically shouted.
Qrow said nothing as he just looked at Mizu, waiting to see her explain her side of the story, not letting on about how much he knew.
"I broke her heart when I told her what my father was making me doing. He had this man all lined up and ready to take over the company but needed me to marry him in order to do so. I was threatened with being disowned from the family, do you know what that is like? I knew if I didn't marry him things would only get worse and I told Summer it was too dangerous to keep a secret relationship while I was married to that man." Mizu shouted.
"She asked me to have a child with her. It might seem impossible on the outside but Dust is amazing and it gave us that chance. She claimed it was those bloody Fate's she always spoke about but I gave her a child. I have two children already caught up in my horrible family and I have a child barely fifty metres away who is the daughter of the woman I love, and I didn't even know until today that she was even alive." Mizu shouted, her voice breaking as she started to cry out.
Qrow was silent as he moved to hug the woman, allowing her to cry for the seventeen years of loveless marriage. The grief of losing the woman she loved and simply for the entire situation surrounding everything and now for her child who didn't know she existed.
As Mizu calmed down enough to stop crying Qrow spoke up, "I never gave her the letter, didn't have the chance to and I didn't know what she would do. She still doesn't know, you should tell her." Qrow said gently.
"But how? How do I apologise for not being there? For letting her go through everything she has been through." Mizu said with a stutter.
"She won't care. All she cares about is knowing who her father is, I think she believes they're dead but she still wants to know." Qrow informed her.
"But how do I tell her? I can't just walk upstairs and say, 'I'm your father, I left your mother to marry a man who is as evil as the Grimm.' Can I?" Mizu stated.
"Well I suggest you don't put it like that, but you will need to tell her at some point. I was supposed to give her the letter a few weeks ago but this is the first time I've seen her since her birthday." Qrow said, attempting to cheer the woman up slightly.
"Why was she really in the forest? She said she was visiting Summer but she's dead, isn't she?" Mizu asked.
"She is, but I still hold onto that little piece of hope she's still alive as no body was ever found. But her grave is on the cliff at the edge of the forest. Ruby goes there every year on the day she died." Qrow informed her.
"She wanted to be buried there?" Mizu asked quietly.
"Yes, she said in her Will that the place held big significance in her life so she wanted to be buried there." Qrow told her.
"I see. Summer and I would go to that forest and cliff to get away from everything and just spend time together, be that training or other activities. I go back there when I can in hopes of finding her there." Mizu said weakly.
"That explains why you were there today. Lucky that Ruby was there as well. Anyway I think we should head to bed, sleep on the idea of telling Ruby and we'll see in the morning." Qrow said gently, helping Mizu get upstairs and into her room.
A/N
Couple housework things really.
First thing and main thing is this. I love all my reviews, I read all of them and even if I don't response I still read them and take it to heart what people think, it really brightens my day and warms my heart when I see positive reviews and I've been so lucky to not have any negative reviews except some simple criticisms which I happily acknowledge.
One thing I've seen happen a few times however is where people either mention getting a Beta, which I've done before but it just didn't work out well for my style of writing and took quite a while. Secondly if you wish to say something is wrong with my grammar, instead of just saying that I kindly ask that you tell me what's wrong otherwise I have to go through the process of sending a PM asking what is wrong. So unless you actually point out what's wrong with my grammar I kindly ask you not to mention it. Thank you.
Another thing as I'm about ten thousand words ahead in the story I want to point out now, I do not hate Yang or anything however I do make her out as a bit of a bitch for some parts of the story this is for a reason and an element for it.
Also I want suggestions for what Aria can called Ruby and Neo, one of them will remain Mother but I wish to have some thoughts over other ideas.
Lastly I am planning to try and find people to run the new raid in Destiny over the weekend at some point and also do a Nightfall as I need it for a quest, if anyone wishes to take part then please add me on PSN with the username- RavenRose8. Thanks.
Anyway that's it for this update, sorry for the long authors note and I've been waiting for so fucking long to reveal who Mizu is because she's going to be a part of some of my other stories as well. The big reveal to Ruby though will last a very very long time.
Thanks for reading and hope you liked the update, until next time. ^_^