Here's chapter 14 everyone.
After her screams died down, Weiss got up and ran to the rabbit Faunus. As soon as she got to her, Weiss saw the blood on her face from scraping against the ground. Weiss looked down and saw the rabbit Faunus' chest rising and falling slowly. The heiress checked her pulse and gasped when she felt it was slow.
Yatsuhashi ran over to the car and banged on the door to make the person get out. "Come out right now!" Yatsuhashi demanded.
The man in the car was frightened by Yatsuhashi's actions, so he pulled his car into reverse and drove around the heiress and rabbit Faunus. Weiss' eyes widened when she heard the car, so she quickly looked over and took note of the license plate the best she could.
"Get back here!" Yatsuhashi yelled as he ran past Weiss and Velvet, but stopped when he couldn't catch up to the car. "You bastard!"
"Velvet…Velvet! Please…Wake up!" Weiss begged as she pulled the rabbit Faunus onto her lap. Weiss didn't care for the tears as they fell down her face. "This was my fault…I…I'm so sorry, Velvet." Weiss cried as several people around her were in shock of the hit and run.
Yatsuhashi ran over and kneeled down. "Velvet…No…I knew it…I knew you'd-"
Weiss cut him off. "Stop! W-We need to call for an ambulance." Weiss said as she was shaking from what just occurred.
Yatsuhashi wanted to push Weiss away, but knew the severity of the situation and got his scroll out. He ignored the notifications of the missed calls from Coco and called the paramedics. "Hello! Please, you need to send an ambulance right away! My friend's been hit by a car!"
"Sir, you need to relax. Please just let us know of your location and we'll send an ambulance right over." The woman on the line said.
"We're on the corner of Braun Street and Pearl Avenue! Please…Just hurry." Yatsuhashi begged.
"The ambulance is on its way right now, sir. Just do your best to keep your friend stabilized, you understand, right?" The woman questioned.
"Yes…Yes, I understand." Yatsuhashi looked to Weiss. "An ambulance is on the way…We need to make sure she's still breathing." Weiss continued to cry, but she nodded and Yatsuhashi turned his attention back to the woman. "How long will it be?"
"About a minute, sir." The woman assured.
Weiss looked down to see Velvet was still breathing at the same pace she was before. "S-She's still breathing." Weiss used her sleeve to clean the blood off of Velvet's face and saw her tears drop down on her face. "Y-Yatsuhashi…I'm so sorry…I'm so very sorry."
Yatsuhashi honestly wanted to yell at Weiss, but he knew the better thing to do was to be calm. "We don't need to talk about this right now."
Weiss sniffled and understood, but she still felt the guilt in her heart. "Velvet…C-Can you hear me…Please…" Weiss knew she wasn't going to get an answer from the rabbit Faunus.
The minute passed and the ambulance arrived. Paramedics jumped out of the ambulance and moved Velvet off of Weiss' lap to check her pulse and they nodded. As they lifted her onto the stretcher and into the ambulance, Weiss walked over to the paramedics.
"M-May I please come with her." Weiss pleaded.
"If that's what you want, then hurry and get in." One of the medics said as they jumped in to tend to Velvet's wounds.
Weiss nodded and took a seat on the side, but looked to Yatsuhashi. "A-Are you coming too?"
"No…I…I need to find Coco and bring her to the hospital…Please make sure to keep us informed of her condition." Yatsuhashi said as he looked over to Velvet. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist at the thought of the man who hit his friend driving off. "I will make that man pay for what he did."
Weiss watched Yatsuhashi walk off and the paramedics closed the back doors and drove off to the hospital. After the paramedics finished tending to the rabbit Faunus, they put on an oxygen mask on her mouth to help her breathe. Weiss hated seeing her like that and she held Velvet's hand. The heiress closed her eyes and hoped they'd get to the hospital as soon as possible.
Just please be okay.
Ten years earlier.
A seven year old Weiss was sitting down by her little piano. "Mommy, do you think I've gotten better?"
Kristall smiled and leaned down to ruffle her daughter's hair. "Of course you have, sweetie. I knew you would." She kissed her daughter's forehead and continued listening to her daughter play her piano.
"I wish daddy would stay long enough to listen." Weiss frowned.
"I know, sweetie, but your father is always so busy with the family company. I promise to try and get him to take a break one day, snowflake." Kristall said.
Weiss smiled. "Thank you, mommy. I love you."
"I love you too, snowflake." Kristall's scroll went off and she answered it. "Lawine? Is something wrong?" She asked.
"Sweetie, your appointment is in an hour. Are you ready to go yet?" Lawine questioned.
"Oh, yes, I forgot about that. I'll be ready in about ten minutes. Thank you for letting me know, honey." Kristall said as she heard Weiss playing her piano again.
"What is that sound, Kristall?" Lawine inquired.
"Weiss is playing her piano. In fact, that was something I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think you could maybe take a break one of these days? Weiss is hoping you could listen to her play." Kristall requested.
"I don't see why not. I'll try to move around some meetings next week to listen to her play." Lawine assured.
Kristall smiled. "Thank you, honey." She looked down at her daughter. "Your father is going to try and move some meetings around next week to listen to you play, snowflake."
Weiss' eyes brightened with joy. "Really?! Thank you, daddy!" She tried getting her father to hear her.
Lawine chuckled. "I see she's excited. Okay, Kristall, I wish I could talk a little more, but I need to go. Don't forget about your appointment."
"I won't, honey. Before you go, is Winter up yet?" Kristall asked.
"She should be." Lawine answered.
"Alright, I'll make sure Weiss stays with her today. I love you." Kristall said.
"I love you too, sweetie." Lawine responded.
"I love you, daddy!" Weiss smiled.
Lawine chuckled again. "Tell her I love her too." Lawine was silent for a moment. "Yes, I'll be ready in about five minutes. Kristall, I have to go. I'll be sure to call you after the meeting. Bye, sweetie."
Kristall put her scroll away and said. "Snowflake, your father said he loves you too. And I have to go for an appointment today, so Winter is going to look after you for the day, but I promise to be back later to hear you play piano again."
Weiss smiled and looked at her piano. "Do you think Winter could help you lift it up with you, mommy?"
"I'm sure we can, but first I need to let her know she'll be looking after you today." Kristall took her daughter's hand and they left Weiss' room.
After walking down the hall to Winter's room, Kristall knocked on the door. "Winter, are you awake?"
Kristall heard the doorknob turning and she saw Winter when she opened the door. "Mom, Weiss, is something wrong?" Winter rubbed her eyes from waking up a bit ago.
Kristall chuckled at her daughter's morning hair. "Well good morning, Winter. Nothing's wrong, but I do need you to look after Weiss for today. I have an appointment, so I won't be here for a few hours."
Winter looked down at her little sister and smiled. "Alright, mom. So Weiss, have you been practicing playing piano?"
"Yeah! Mommy said I'm getting better!" Weiss exclaimed.
Winter giggled. "That's good, so anything you wanna do today?"
"Um…I know you just woke up, b-but could you help mommy bring my piano to your room?" Weiss requested.
"That thing is tiny Weiss size, so sure." Winter chuckled at Weiss' reaction to her joke.
"Winter! I'm not tiny like that!" Weiss pouted.
Kristall felt joy in her heart at watching her daughters. "Alright you two, let's get that piano. I need to get ready to go as soon as we're done."
Winter nodded and followed her mother to Weiss' room. As they walked inside, the two picked up the small piano and brought it to Winter's room. Weiss was overjoyed at that and ran over to it as soon as Kristall and Winter placed it on the ground.
Winter whispered to her mother. "Getting her that piano was a great idea, mom."
Kristall nodded and whispered back. "I'm happy she loves it, just make sure she doesn't go overboard with it. She'll need breaks to eat after all." Kristall got her scroll out and looked at the time. "Oh dear, I have to get going. I love you, Winter. I love you, Weiss." Kristall kissed Winter's forehead and walked over to Weiss to do the same.
Before Kristall could walk away, Weiss hugged her. "I love you too, mommy."
Kristall returned the embrace and pulled away. She looked to Winter and got an assuring nod from her. Kristall was happy with that and left the room. Weiss frowned when she saw the door close.
Winter took notice of that and walked over. "Hey, don't look so down, little sis. Mom will be back later, and then you can show her how much you've learned."
Weiss let out a small smile and began to play her piano.
A few hours passed and Winter was sitting on her bed, watching her little sister eating her cereal. "Mom is going to be so proud of the new song you learned how to play."
Weiss ate another spoonful of cereal and smiled. "You really think so?"
"Absolutely, she'll even-." Winter was cut off when her scroll went off. "Hmm? Oh, it's dad." She answered her scroll and greeted her father. "Hello, father. Is there something-?"
"Winter…Your mother…The animals…" Lawine couldn't continue.
Winter looked very concerned at how her father sounded. "F-Father, what's wrong? What animals? And what about, mother?"
Weiss looked over at her worried looking sister. "Winter, is that daddy?"
"Hold on, Weiss." Winter said. "Father, please tell me what's going on."
"I don't want you or Weiss to leave home, even for a moment…Your mother is in the hospital right now. It was the animals…They…They attacked her." Lawine explained.
Winter's eyes widened and she felt like her heart dropped when she heard that. "M-Mother…S-She…Father, which hospital?"
"Winter, I just told you that you and your sister are not to leave home. Do I make myself clear?!" Lawine resorted to shouting, which Weiss even heard by that point.
Weiss knew her father could get angry, but it still made her shake whenever she heard his shouts.
"Tell me which hospital, father!" Winter demanded and Weiss was getting more nervous about what was going on.
"You will see her when I say you will! It's too dangerous right now, Winter...I…I won't let those damn animals get you both as well." Lawine said with a saddened tone.
Winter started to calm down, but she was still wishing to see her mother. "W-What's her condition?"
Lawine took a breath. "She's alive, but…she's in critical condition…I will be heading out there to see her."
"W-What?! You just said we're not allowed to go, yet you're going?! That isn't fair!" Winter complained.
"I'm sorry, but I don't want my daughters to be out there while our family is under attack! This is why I had you train!" Lawine fired back.
Weiss didn't know what to do at that point and Winter sighed. "I'm...Ugh! Fine, but please…please let me know how she is when you get there…if you'll even know by then."
"I will, Winter…Just please, stay home…keep your sister with you at all times." Lawine begged.
"Okay…I will, father. I love you." Winter said as she felt a few tears fall down her face, which Weiss took note of, but said nothing.
"I love you too…Um…Let me speak to your sister." Lawine requested.
Winter looked over at Weiss and frowned. "I…What are you going to say to her?"
"I…I just need to speak with her, Winter." Lawine said.
Winter nodded. "Weiss, father wants to speak to you."
Weiss put her bowl of cereal down and walked over to Winter. "I-Is daddy still mad?"
"He won't yell, Weiss. I promise." Winter said, knowing her father heard that as well.
Winter handed her scroll to Weiss. "D-Daddy…Are you okay?"
Lawine sighed. "No…I am not, but this isn't about how I feel. I need you to understand something…Your mother is…She's not going to be home today. Something has come up." Lawine couldn't bring himself to tell his daughter about what happened.
"W-What do you mean, daddy? W-Where's mommy?" Weiss asked with even more worry in her voice.
"I'll tell you as soon as I go see her…okay, Weiss." Lawine said. "What I want you and your sister to do, is to make sure you don't go outside. Not even for a moment, understand?"
Weiss looked at Winter, who had a few tears still falling. "O-Okay, daddy…Will mommy be home tomorrow then?" Winter turned away when she heard that and held back her cries, but Weiss still took note of that. "W-Winter?"
Winter said nothing and Lawine spoke up. "Y-Your mother may not be home for a few days, Weiss." Lawine took a breath. "I need to go now, Weiss…Let me speak with your sister. And…I love you."
"I-I love you too, daddy." Weiss looked over at her sister, who was standing close to her window with her hand up to her mouth to keep herself from crying out. "W-Winter, daddy wants to talk to you."
Winter took a breath and walked over to take the scroll. "You said you were going there now, correct?"
"Yes. I will have enough bodyguards here to keep those animals away. Goodbye for now, Winter. You'll know about your mother as soon as I do." Lawine ended the call and Winter dropped her scroll on her bed.
Weiss took Winter's hand and looked up at her big sister. "Winter…You're crying…What's wrong?"
Winter suddenly leaned down and held her sister close. Weiss was taken aback by that, but responded by hugging her back. She felt Winter tighten the embrace and heard her beginning to cry.
"E-Everything will be okay, Weiss. It will…" Winter sniffled.
Weiss felt her heart racing. "What happened? W-What did daddy tell you?"
Winter shook her head. "I need to figure out some things first, Weiss. Right now…All you need to do is stay here and be safe."
Weiss pulled away and looked to the door. "W-When is mommy coming home?"
"Listen…Mother is going to be…away for a bit. H-How about you play more of your piano?" Winter tried keeping the awful truth from Weiss, at least until she knew everything about her mother's condition.
Weiss shook her head. "I wanna talk to mommy. Can't you call her?"
"Mother is busy right now, Weiss." Winter continued to keep her sister from the truth, but hated it so much.
Weiss looked at her piano and sat next to it. "W-Why can't we go outside?"
"T-The gardener is busy outside, so we need to make sure not to bother him. Now please, no more questions, little sister. I promise that everything will be okay." Winter said as she walked over and kissed the top of her sister's head.
Weiss still wanted to know what was really going on, but she decided to stop asking questions like her sister requested. She put her hands back on the piano keys and began to play.
Present day.
Weiss opened her eyes and looked down to see that she was still holding Velvet's hand. The heiress felt the ambulance stop and the paramedics opened the back doors.
Weiss spoke up. "Please…let the doctor know that her name is Velvet Scarlatina. Her mother needs to know of her condition." Weiss requested.
The paramedics nodded and they got Velvet out and onto a gurney as they got her into the hospital.
When Weiss stepped out of the ambulance, she just stared up at the hospital with reddened eyes from her cries earlier.
Will…Everything really be okay?
Weiss just stood there for the next fifteen minutes without moving an inch. Suddenly her scroll went off, but the heiress couldn't move her hands to answer it. After a few moments passed, her scroll went off again. She still didn't even move from the spot she was standing at, but that time, she answered her scroll.
"Weiss?! Weiss, please tell me you're there!" Ruby begged.
"Ruby…" Weiss said without much emotion.
"Weiss…We ran into Yatsuhashi…Velvet…Is she okay?" Ruby asked.
"I…I don't know." Weiss felt tears fall down her face and onto the ground.
"Where are you right now?" Ruby inquired.
"Outside of the hospital." Weiss answered with no emotion again.
"Can you go in and see how she is?" Ruby requested
"I…I can't." Weiss said.
"What do you mean you can't?" Ruby asked.
"I just can't." Weiss answered.
Weiss heard someone else talking in the background and Ruby spoke up again. "O-Okay, we'll be there soon, but…Coco wants to talk to you."
"Alright." Weiss responded.
Coco was heard taking Ruby's scroll in her hands. "Weiss…you need to go in that hospital right now and find out if Velvet is going to be okay. Please."
"It was my fault…I caused this, Coco…I can't go in." Weiss looked to the ground with guilt driving her to the state she was in.
"You and I are going to talk about what happened later, but Weiss, you need to think about Velvet right now. I'm begging you right now, to please go into that hospital and find out what condition she's in." Coco pleaded.
Weiss blinked and lifted her head up to look at the entrance of the hospital. "Where are you guys?"
"We're on our way to the hospital right now, but I need to know how she's doing. Just go in and ask. That's all I want from you right now, Weiss." Coco said.
"O-Okay." Weiss walked into the hospital and looked around. "I'll go ask now…Do you want me to keep the call going?"
Coco took note of how Weiss sounded, but she knew it wasn't about to change, so she took a breath. "Yes…And like I said, we'll talk about this when we get there."
Weiss walked around and found a nurse. "E-Excuse me…"
The nurse turned to Weiss and sighed. "Yes, what is it? I'm really busy right now, so please make this quick."
"There was a girl…She was taken into the hospital on a gurney…Is there any way I could know about her condition?" Weiss inquired.
The nurse picked up her clipboard. "Name?"
"Velvet Scarlatina…That's her name." Weiss answered.
The nurse flipped through the pages and nodded. "It looks like the doctor has tended to her wounds. There are a few scrapes, cracked ribs and a broken leg. The cuts on her face, let's just say she is very lucky about that. I know that shouldn't be the word to describe it, but that could've been much worse if not for the fact that she didn't get hit too far."
Weiss started to shake at hearing that Velvet's leg was broken. "I-Is she going to be okay?"
"I don't have an exact answer for that. Her life isn't in any danger, but she'll need x-rays done." The nurse said.
Weiss took a breath and nodded. "T-Thank you…I'm sorry for bothering you."
The nurse frowned. "Hey, look, your friend is going to be okay."
Weiss nodded and walked over to sit down on one of the chairs in the waiting area. The heiress lowered her head and let the tears fall.
Okay, I know this chapter and the last one have been on the sad side, but happy times will come back soon enough. And yes, Weiss' dad wasn't a complete dick to his children, but people can change, even when that change isn't necessarily a good thing.
To Death65783- It was a tough choice, but she is alive at least.
To JJ- Times like this can really help people see what they truly should cherish in life. I do actually feel bad for having Velvet get hit, but things will get more positive soon. So you know, look forward to that.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 14. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 15.
