Hey guys, here is the next update in the fanfic.
Enjoy the read.
Chapter Cover: Weiss Shnee standing alone with the emblem of the Shnee company underneath her feet.
Chapter Four
Shnee Manor
They stared at the man in front of them. Ruby couldn't believe that they were going to stay here in this place. It looked like something that came out of the page of a magazine. She stared at the large mansion in front of her, unable to believe that they were actually going to stay here…
"Shnee…," Yang repeated, shocked, "As in Weiss Shnee?"
Uncle Qrow glanced at the girl beside him.
"Exactly," he said.
Ruby feels her eyes widened. Now she realized why the name Shnee sounded so familiar. It was the name of the girl that she sat beside in Literature class. In all of what had happened these past few days, the white haired girl had slipped from her mind completely. She couldn't believe that her uncle actually knew someone of that caliber here.
"Why don't you follow me," the old man in front of them said with a light bow, "I will lead you as to where you will be sleeping for the next few days."
The group followed after the man, up the stones steps toward the dark wooden doors. Ruby couldn't hide that she was curious as to how the Manor looked on the inside, but moreover, she was a little curious as well about how her Uncle was actually on terms with someone like Weiss Shnee.
"Since when were you friends with Weiss Shnee?" she asked directing her attention toward the man beside her.
"I was friends with her mother when I we were about your age," Qrow answered, "Despite her marriage with Weiss's father, we stayed in contact…she was a great friend."
"Was?" Yang asked.
"She died a few years back," Qrow said, "It's thanks to that friendship that Weiss had decided to let you two stay here."
The inside of the manor was big.
Ruby could feel her eyes widening as she took in the high ceiling roof that was designed with the most exquisite of the Vale architecture. The floor was a white marble floor similar to the ones like the school but this was so polished that she could see her own reflection on the ground beneath her. It was like she had stepped into a very expensive hotel.
They were now going up the stairs and now walking through an hallway, that had high windows and she could see an expensively large lawn down beside the building as well. Suits of armors were standing at the side of the walls in a single line file all of them quite well designed and upon each of their shields that was in front of them, there was the symbol of a snowflake upon them, probably the symbol of the family.
"Here we are," the man, Sebastian told them, "these are the rooms that Lady Shnee had prepared for your stay here in Wing of the manor. You can explore the Manor if you so wish it but the Wing where Lady Shnee reside in is forbidden unless given permission by her Lady."
The man opened the door for them and Ruby found herself staring into a very plain looking room. Thought it looked better than the room she was used to in the past, it was still as considered to be plain. Inside the room there were two beds side by side of each other meaning that both Yang and Ruby will be sleeping in the same room together.
"There is an adjacent bath here," Sebastian spoke out showing them the bathroom in the door that was at the very end of the room, "I'm sure that you would like to freshen up as well. Dinner will be served at six."
With that Sebastian gave another bow, he stepped outside of the room closing the door behind him.
"Where will you be sleeping?" Yang asked her Uncle.
"Actually, I won't be sleeping here tonight," Qrow answered her, "I have to go back to work later that evening considering that I had taken a few days off because of what had happened."
Ruby stared up at the man, feeling a little bit afraid.
"But why won't you stay?" she asked.
"Ruby," he said, "I just won't be here tonight that's all. I'll be staying in the house during the remainder of the time you two will be here…you never know, you might even make friends with Weiss."
The younger girl thought back to the time she had seated beside Weiss Shnee. The white haired girl had acted indifferently toward her, so she can't really tell how the girl's personality really was.
"Then I'm guessing Shnee is going to be taking us to school as well?" Yang said.
"That's right," Qrow said softly, "But I have something to talk to Sebastian with. Why don't you girls get settled in during that time."
With that the man walked out of the room leaving the two girls behind inside the room. Ruby walked toward one of the beds and simply threw herself down upon it. She was tired after what had happened a few nights ago and what transpired before. The girl simply wanted to go back to the days were things were simple…normal.
But the appearance of those creatures that had attacked her and her sister…that robbed figure she had seen, it had threw everything she knew on it's head.
"Hey Ruby," Yang asked her, "I'm going to take a shower okay?"
The younger girl only let out a soft sound of approval at her. Yang's footsteps echoed within the room as she was simply lying there listening to the sounds of the house. It was quiet within this place, safe for the sound of the winds coming from the window and the sound of the running water from Yang's shower. It makes her wonder what kind of person was Weiss Shnee.
When they had been walking through the house, Ruby had realized that she hadn't seen anyone else within the mansion. She hadn't seen Weiss's father, nor heard any other sounds coming from the house. She was a little surprised at that.
She had thought that because they were moving in, she would have met some of Weiss's family thought her uncle hadn't mentioned anyone living here other than Weiss…
Then could that mean that Weiss was living in this large house by herself?
She seated up upon her bed, thinking about it. Ruby didn't know much about the Shnee Family other than what Jaune had told her on that first day of school. In the past, celebrities are not what Ruby ever focused.
No, she had been more focused on her life at school and her designs to be focused on what a celebrity does with her life. The door of the bath opened and Ruby turned toward her sister as she walked back into the room, a towel wrapped around her long blonde hair and she was humming softly.
"Hey Yang," she asked, "What exactly do you know of Weiss Shnee?"
Yang stared at her for a few moments.
"Not a whole lot," she answered, "The girl isn't one to talk to the media a lot, but I do know that the Shnee are one of the wealthiest people on the planet. I also know she has a sister thought I didn't see her at school."
Ruby blinked.
"A sister?" she repeated, surprised.
"Yes," Yang said, "Winter, I think her name was… but, why so interested?"
Ruby looked at her.
"Haven't you noticed how…quiet this house is?" she asked.
Yang stared at her for a few moments. She then turned her attention around her. Considering that they were out of school at the moment, Weiss is probably home somewhere in this place.
"I haven't really noticed it," she said shrugging lightly, "C'mon let's get this place feel like home."
"But…it's not home is it," she murmured.
Yang didn't answer her as the two sisters started to place their clothes inside the dresser that in the corner of the room. They had managed to grab a few uniforms from their house before they came here so they are set up for as long they stayed here. By the time they were done fixing the room to their likeness, the sun had already set down from behind the clouds and the lights were already light up all around the large courtyard of the Manor.
The two sisters had left their rooms behind to explore the vast Manor that they were staying in. At night, the house seems to be like a different world together with the shadows dancing softly at the light and the hallways seems to go on forever and it was by then that Ruby realized that they had gotten lost in the large Manor.
"Do you even know where we're going Yang?" she asked.
"Well, we're going back aren't we?"
Ruby let out a soft sigh.
"I don't know," she said, "I have a feeling we passed in this corridor already."
Yang let out a hum as she glanced around herself.
They were standing in a corridor aligned with armors as well as a staircase which lead to another level above them but there was no way down to the level bellow. Ruby was starting to feel hungry now and considering that they had left their room around five thirty, she was sure that they were already way past six o'clock.
"Let's go this way," Yang told her.
The blonde led her straight up toward the stairs and they climbed up to the next level finding that they had reached another double door in front of them.
"Yang how about we go back where we came from?" Ruby asked her.
Yang gave her a grin.
"I'll just give a quick look," she said, "if it's not where we are supposed to go, we'll turn back."
The girl took the door handle and opened it stepping inside the room. The lights in the room light up as they entered and they found themselves staring at a large room filled with paintings. They was an armchair in the distance and a fireplace that was burning quite brightly. The room was quite warm too and it made Ruby wonder who exactly used this room as they glanced around.
Her attention was drawn at the painting of the woman above the fireplace. It was of a beautiful dark haired young woman with a soft smile upon her lips. She was dressed in a white dress and Ruby can see some sort of familiarity with the woman in the painting and she stared at the plate beneath the painting.
NEIGE SHNEE
"Hey Yang do you think that was Weiss's mother?"
"Yes, she was."
The two sisters turned toward the voice finding none other than Weiss Shnee standing by the doorway they had just entered. The young woman was dressed in a simple outfit with a blank look upon her features. Unlike when Ruby last saw her at school with the off-center ponytail, she had let her hair fall down upon her shoulders.
Her pale skin looked ethereal in the light of the fireplace that was burning. She approached toward the two girls.
"As Sebastian had probably already told you," the white haired girl spoke out, "This side of the Manor is forbidden without my permission."
Ruby didn't know why but something about Weiss screamed authority. It was the same feeling she'd get whenever she is called to the principal office and that you can't help but feel like you should obey her. Yang however, didn't seem to be feeling like that at all, considering that she was taller than Weiss was.
"Is that so?" the blonde said, "Well, we didn't know where exactly we're suppose to go to get to dinner and we wanted to explore this place a little if are to stay here for a few days."
Weiss blinked at her.
"You may explore but this side of the Manor is forbidden…," she said, "but I suppose, I can let you slide this time. Come now, then, dinner will be cold if we don't hurry."
Weiss turned away from them and the two sisters quickly followed after her. They walked through the many corridors and soon enough, they had reached the familiar wing where the sister's room was situated. As they were approaching, they recognized Sebastian along with another young man standing beside him.
"Lady Shnee," Sebastian said noticing her, "I see you found our lost guests. Dinner is already served and waiting."
Weiss gave a nod and addressed the young man.
"Something you need?" she asked.
The young man raised a hand toward his hat and pushed it down closer toward his eyes.
"You could say that," he said, "It's work related."
Weiss let out a soft sigh.
"I see," she said, "Sebastian, can you take my dinner to my room? It seems that I will have to eat it later."
"Of course Lady Shnee," the man said, "I will make sure to keep it warm till your return."
Weiss turned away with the young man following after her. He gave both Yang and Ruby a salute before the two of them walked forward leaving the two sisters along with Sebastian.
"So these two girls were the ones you rescued the other night eh?" the young man said as they walked out of the Manor, "What are the odds they are related to that old dusty Qrow?"
Weiss gave him a sideway glance.
"I can hear what you're saying without you actually saying anything," she said, "Have you done what I asked you?"
"I have reinforced the Barrier around the Manor's ground," the young man told her with a smirk, "Just as you asked to do. I must say, their Auras are quite something. With the right training, they could become splendid Huntresses."
Weiss let out a soft hum.
"Maybe," she said, "but the way they are now, there is no way that they can even become Huntresses even with their Aura. They're afraid."
"That's the power of the Grimm for you," the young man sighed, "Have you told them the truth of what happened that night?"
"No," Weiss answered him, "I have let that task to their Uncle, after all, he used to be part of that world."
The young man let out a soft hum.
"What is it that you said needed my attention?" Weiss asked, "Is it Grimm?"
"It's difficult to say," the young man told her.
A frown appeared upon the girl's face.
"Why?"
"They have been strange Aura reading recently," the young man told her, "If it was the Grimm, it would have been a steady feel but it kept fluctuating and I had found it strange."
"Do you know where you've been sensing these strange Auras?" she asked.
"East side of Vale," the young man said, "Seems to be where the girls lived."
Weiss nodded before transforming into her Huntress's form, the black cloak she wore dancing in the wind. The girl used her Light Steps technique to fly forward through the city heading straight toward where the signal had been coming from. The young woman had keep her sense out for the usual darkness of the Grimm but there was nothing she could sense.
She was surprised at that wondering if the Grimm had somehow disappeared back into the Shadow World they had come from…but something about what odd after all, to open a Doorway between the two worlds will require a high level amount of power.
This could be why they have been a fluctuation, she thought.
She reached the place where she had saved the two girls and landed down upon the street below. She glanced around herself as she walked, her hand upon the hilt of her sword, ready to be drawn if something attacked her. Weiss glanced around herself, frowning.
There isn't any sign of Grimm anywhere, she thought, I would have expected them to be actually still there but, there is nothing…
She relaxed herself as she inspected the surrounding of the entire East side of Vale but there was nothing in the area that gave away that something was amiss. The white haired girl raised a hand toward the communicator in her ear.
"I haven't found anything that gave away anything," she said, "Is there anything picked up on Scanner?"
"It's Clean," the young man on the other side said, "I'm not picking up anything. Do you think someone had tried to open a Doorway?"
"Maybe it's from the other side," Weiss answered, "I have received nothing that could give way at anything amidst, but I'll patrol around the city, just to be safe."
"Alright," the young man said.
Weiss nodded before jumping away, never noticing the black cat that was across her on the rooftops, and the two intelligent golden eyes that were staring at her retreating form.
A mysterious cat observes from the shadow...What emotions lies in those eyes?
Next Time: Cruel Reality
Jacques0 out.
R&R
