Well a new chapter has arrived! I've been trying to keep the character development natural-feeling, but since I'm not 100% sure if I am, please do comment if you notice anything that feels a bit..rushed/forced. Thanks so much! Now onto the next chapter!
Cassian was trying his best to look calm and collected, but it was very difficult when he knew about his impending doom. He was standing to the side of the courtyard, giving him a perfect vantage point of the rapidly filling up seating area. At the far end of the courtyard a small pedestal had been set up. Winter sat on a chair next to the pedestal, her gaze focused solely on him.
Cassian had been unable to explain exactly why he'd been making out with his ex-girlfriend, as an Atlesian soldier had come along right after Silvers disappeared to tell them that they were almost ready to start. Winter had thus been whisked away, but not before she made it very clear that the two of them would have a long chat once they returned to the hotel.
Even from this distance, Cassian could feel an unnatural chill run through the crowd. While it was nearly winter, Cassian knew that the chill was Winter's doing. Her semblance, unlike her younger sister's, allowed her to directly manipulate temperature. While it may not have been as versatile as Weiss' glyphs, Winter's semblance made Winter an absolute demon in combat, with or without her weapon. There was a reason that she was called the Mistress of Ice and Snow back in Atlas.
"And now her rage is directed at me." Cassian muttered under his breath. Not that he blamed her of course. If he had seen her passionately making out with an ex-lover, especially after all they'd been through together, he would have been very pissed. Cassian couldn't help but feel some measure of self-hate for his actions, which in his eyes were incredible douchey. "Even if I explained the circumstances behind why that happened, I don't think she'd believe me. Heck, even I wouldn't believe me!"
"I'd believe you." A very familiar mischievous voice said from behind Cassian. Thin arms wrapped around Cassian's waist. "Hey Cass."
"Silvers…" Cassian looked over his shoulder at the short girl who was currently embracing him. "Do you want to die?"
"Wow, death threats already?"
"Not from me!" Cassian shot a fervent glance at Winter. She had been holding a complimentary plastic water bottle in her right hand, which was now ruined. The plastic had ruptured, the water inside having turned to ice and expanded. As Cassian watched, Winter crushed the ice into tiny fragments, her expression never changing. The message however, was very, very clear. "If you don't let go of me, Winter is going to kill us both."
"Over a harmless prank?" Silvers pouted. "Cassian, I think you deserve someone with a sense of humor-"
"First, that was anything but a harmless prank." Cassian felt his face grow colder. Running his hand through his hair, he noted the frost that was beginning to build up. "Second, I thought you agreed that anything between us was done once I kissed you."
"Brrrr, it's cold." Silvers, completely ignoring Cassian, instead choose to snuggle deeper into his back. At the same time, Cassian noticed tiny snowflakes beginning to fall throughout the courtyard.
"Winter is making if friggin snow!" Cassian hissed. Around him, students were commenting on the early snowfall. Some were squealing in delight at how pretty it was, while others were praying for a snow day. "If she gets even madder, she'll summon a bloody blizzard!"
"She can do that?" Silvers asked.
"She can and more." Cassian shuddered at the last time Winter had lost her temper. The ice pillar had been pretty, save for the fact it had added an extra six stories to a seventy story building. "Do you see now who you've pissed off?"
"We've pissed off." Silvers corrected him, finally letting him go. "She's mad at you as well."
Cassian wondered if his day could get any worse. As it happened, it could.
"Hello Colonel." Weiss Schnee suddenly appeared in front of Cassian. Behind her stood Yang. On either side of Yang stood a black haired girl with a matching bow, and a short girl with black hair with a reddish tint. "I just wanted to introduce the rest of my team."
"Hi!" The short girl said, waving her hand. Cassian noted the red hood that was clasped around her shoulders. Along with the numerous ammo clips on her belt. "My name's Ruby!"
"Blake." The girl with the bow said quietly. Cassian found himself drawn to her bow, specifically how it seemed to be unnaturally still considering the cold wind that was blowing through the courtyard.
"And I-"
"He already knows you Yang." Weiss cut in, not wanting Yang to cause another spectacle. Or imply that she was stealing her sister's boyfr-bodyguard. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you."
"That's-" Cassian could feel Winter's gaze on him. It was not a nice feeling, since it caused his body temperature to plummet a good three degrees or so. "-completely unnecessary Ms. Schnee. It is my pleasure to serve the Schnee family."
"Wow, he's really whipped isn't he?" Yang noted, shivering a bit. "Geez, it's getting cold."
"Maybe you should consider wearing more clothing." Blake commented dryly.
"But these babies need to get their air!" Yang jiggled her breasts a bit, before giving Cassian a wink. "I'm sure the Colonel here will agree~"
"..." Cassian felt his body temperature drop another two degrees or so. Depending on how he responded (and more importantly, how Winter interpreted his response via body language), Cassian would either survive this ordeal or get turned into a popsicle. Luckily, his scroll begun to ring, saving him from having to construct a coherent rebuttal to Yang's teasing. "Sorry, I need to take this." Cassian woke up his scroll, only to be greeted by a single line of text.
Proximity alarms activated.
Cassian's mind flashed back to his early morning climb. He hadn't chosen the climb solely for the exercise. Cassian had also been testing whether or not it was possible for an individual (such as a Faunus) to climb up to Beacon with a weapon. The cliffs were reputed to be impossible to climb, but Cassian had learned long ago never to trust hearsay. Hence throughout the climb, Cassian had been placing tiny proximity alarms along the cliffside, in the off chance that if an attacker attempted to infiltrate Beacon via the cliffs, he would be alerted.
"Damn." Cassian breathed, noting that the air came out white. "Silvers, we have a potential infiltration via the Beacon cliffs."
Silvers immediately snapped to attention, her body language and expression becoming that of a highly trained soldier. No matter how she acted, Silvers was ultimately a Hunter from Atlas. "Estimated time till arrival?"
"Twenty minutes tops." Cassian checked the scroll again. The intruders had just set off the first set of alarms, which were located thirty minutes from the top of the cliff. Taking into account that the intruders were most likely White Fang (and hence were more physically gifted than humans), Cassian estimated that they'd be able to finish the climb even faster than he had. "I'll move to intercept them. Hopefully I can get rid of them without causing a scene."
"Get rid of who?" Weiss, having heard only parts of Cassian and Silvers' fevered discussion, exclaimed. "Are we under-"
"Please remain calm." Silvers interrupted, gently escorting Weiss and the rest of Team RWBY to the seating area. "The Colonel will take care of everything."
Looking back, Silvers realised that Cassian had already disappeared.
Within a few minutes, Cassian had arrived at Velvet's garden. Checking his scroll, he noted that the third set of alarms had gone off. The intruders were probably five minutes away from reaching the top of the cliff. Reaching behind his back, Cassian drew Regis Damocles from its sheath.
The blade shined in the morning light. Designed by the Atlas Military's Special Weapons Projects Team, Regis Damocles (or Damocles, as Cassian called it), was made from a special mix of metals that Cassian himself didn't understand. The blade itself was dark gray, with miniscule whorls and patterns on the steel, courtesy of its long and labor-intensive smelting process. The hilt, crossguard and rainguard of the sword were made of a carbon-steel based alloy, making it charcoal black in appearance.
Cassian remembered when Winter first saw him swinging Damocles back in the Academy. At the time, their relationship had been good, but not romantic in any way.
"Is that your new weapon Cassian?" Winter asked. The two of them were in one of the Atlas training rooms.
"Yes ma'am." Cassian replied, giving Damocles a few more practice swings. While the Academy demanded that all trainees in the same year treat each other equally, Cassian still referred to Winter as ma'am in private, something that he knew annoyed her to no end.
"It's different from your old weapon." Cassian thought back to his old weapon, an [Automated Turret Cannon Lance]. "What does it transform into?"
"Nothing." Winter raised an eyebrow. "Damocles doesn't have an alternative form at all."
"...So it's a sword?"
"Yes."
"Nothing else? No dust, gun or anything similar?"
"None at all."
"So what does...it do then? I mean, if it was designed by the Atlas Special Weapons Project Team, it must have-"
"It cuts stuff."
"And…?"
"Stabs stuff?"
"Anything else?"
"Um...does vivisections...on stuff...?"
"...it really is just a sword isn't it?"
Cassian looked at his trusty sword. Despite its lack of an alternative form, he had still managed to become one of the best students in his graduating class in Atlas.
The sound of grunting, as well as the vibrations of Cassian's scroll, indicated that the intruders had arrived. His sword hanging loosely in his right hand, Cassian watched as several individuals climbed into Velvet's garden.
The intruders were dressed in White Fang outfits. Numerous weapons, ranging from guns to knives, were strapped onto each of the intruders' bodies.
Cassian patiently waited for them to notice him. It didn't take very long. Like all Faunus, the White Fang member's had enhanced smell. After a few seconds, they realised that there was someone standing there who was most definitely not a Faunus.
"Who are you-" One of the White Fang asked, only to fall silent upon seeing the crest on Cassian's breast. "Pale Horse!" The White Fang snarled, drawing his knife. The others, upon hearing the name of the Schnee's military wing, also drew their weapons.
"Hi there." Cassian said, completely unperturbed. "My name is Cassian Gr-"
"The White Knight!?" Before Cassian could finish his introduction, three of the White Fang had rushed him. "For our brethren-"
"Tch!" Cassian's right arm blurred. In an instant, he had disarmed all three of the White Fang, having used Damocles' flat end to break their hands. Their shrills screams echoed through the clearing. "Damn it! I was going to tell you to surrender and-"
"Let you kill us?! As if!" Another two White Fang sprinted forward, knives aimed to run Cassian through. "For the White Fang!"
"No, I was going to say-" Cassian sidestepped both lunges, before using his free hand to grab one of the White Fang member's weapon hand. With a brutal twist, he dislocated the Faunus' thumb, causing him to drop his knife and scream in pain. "-you'd be treated in a way that follows the Faunus Rights convention of-"
"Ha! A member of Pale Horse telling us about Faunus rights?! Do you remember Galantine!?" Cassian winced. Galantine was a region in Vacuo where the Schnee Dust Company had a major Dust mine. A few years back, an uprising had occurred among its Faunus workers about the slave-like working conditions they had to endure. A Pale Horse detachment, unit name [Vanagandr], had been sent to stop the uprising.
To make a long story short, they had. Violently. Cassian remembered Winter's fury upon hearing how the [Vanagandr] had deliberately escalated the situation in order to provide justification for its extreme violence. She had tried to have the members tried, only to be met from resistance from someone "with higher authority than her".
In other words, the Schnee Patriarch.
"...So is this in retaliation for Galantine?" Cassian asked, his blade facing point down.
"Yes!" One of the two remaining terrorists hissed. "We'll kill the Schnee who was responsible for this ourselves!"
Cassian knew that any attempt to persuade them that Winter was not to blame would be useless. "It isn't like I don't understand your sentiment."
"Huh?"
"I too feel anger when Faunus are injured and killed without reason." The two Faunus felt a chill run down their spines. Their animal sides were screaming at them to flee. "Like I said before, I intended to incapacitate you, out of respect for my belief. You'd spend sometime in hospital, but ultimately you'd survive without any permanent injuries."
Cassian pointed Damocles at the two Faunus. "But then you said something that changed things."
Suddenly, Cassian was standing next to the two Faunus. He had, in an instant, seemingly teleported next to the two White Fang members.
"You said you'd kill Winter Schnee." Cassian whispered softly. The two Faunus, sensing incredible danger, immediately slashed at Cassian.
Snick.
Weiss Schnee watched as General Ironwood finished his speech. She, along with the rest of the audience, clapped politely.
"Mughnh?" Ruby suddenly snorted, jolted awake by the sound of applause. "I wasn't sleeping, I promise!"
Weiss rolled her eyes. While the General's speech had been both long and full of praise for Atlas' military power, it was not proper for her leader to simply fall asleep halfway through the speech. Especially considering that Team RWBY were seated in the front row.
This seating arrangement had been decided by Lieutenant-Colonel Silvers, who had stated that for 'security reasons' it was best for Team RWBY to be as close to the stage as possible. Weiss had tried to push for more details about where Cassian had went, but Silvers was adamant that Weiss not get involved. The moment Team RWBY was seated, the Lieutenant-Colonel had disappeared.
"Well, I guess since nothing happened…" Weiss mumbled to herself. Her eyes moved to her sister. Winter hadn't moved a muscle since the presentation begun. Her gaze was frigid, but Weiss could tell that she wasn't staring at anything in particular.
"-and that concludes my speech." With a start, Weiss realised that Professor Ozpin had already finished speaking. "Now then, please welcome Ms. Winter Schnee from the Schnee Dust Industries."
A smattering of applause. Weiss watched as her sister stood up and walked to the pedestal. Without even looking around, Weiss knew that the eyes of every single person was focused on Winter.
Her gait, her presence, her frown. Weiss could hear a few very disturbing murmurs from the boys behind her.
"Good morning, Hunters and Huntresses in training." Winter's voice echoed throughout the courtyard. It was a voice that demanded obedience, yet at the same time indicated dissatisfaction. Weiss could hear the boys' fantasies get progressively more disturbing and specific. "As I am sure you are aware. my name is Winter Schnee."
"Hey Snow Angel." A voice whispered into Weiss' ear, causing her to jolt in surprise. Twisting around, she found herself staring at Team SSSN, specifically Neptune. "You have a prett-"
"You were the ones who were muttering about having my sister step on you and call you trash!?" Weiss hissed. Neptune looked at Sun who looked at Scarlet who looked at Sage. Sage blushed.
"..." Weiss gave him a look that indicated just how deplorable she found him.
"W-what?" Sage asked defensibly. "Scarlet agreed with me!"
"I did not." Scarlet replied. "I said that she'd look amazing in a leather and latex catsuit with a whip in hand."
"Mmm I can see that actually." Sun agreed, only to shrink in his seat when Blake gave him a scathing look.
"Anyways Snow Angel-" Neptune gave Weiss a grin. "-how'd you like to be my date to the Vytal Festival Dance?"
"Wait, we're having another dance?" Yang asked, surprised. "Didn't Weiss and I just plan one?"
"Yeah, apparently this one is a super formal one for all the Hunters and Huntresses who came for the festival." Sun smiled at Blake. "So Blake, how about you and I take on the dance floor again?"
"Sun, I think you'll need a suit to get in."
"Hey, I can wear a suit!"
"What you wore last time doesn't constitute a suit."
"What!?" Sun sounded genuinely surprised that his previous outfit hadn't been considered formal wear. "Seriously-mugnah!?" Whatever Sun was about to say was immediately cut off when a pile of snow landed on his head.
"As I was saying." Winter's voice cut in, causing both Team SSSN and Team RWBY to stiffen. "A Hunter must always be focused on the task at hand. A single mistake on the battlefield could lead to crippling injury or death. You all, as defenders of humanity, must accept that you may die any day. With that in mind, I would like to finish with a piece of personal advice."
For a moment, Weiss thought she saw Winter hesitate before she continued.
"Seize the day. Speak your mind. Form bonds. Forgive your loved ones. Because you never know when you'll no longer be able to. Thank you." Weiss swore that Winter's gaze had locked on her as she finished.
As Winter returned to her seat amidst the applause, Weiss wondered whether Winter had wanted someone in particular to heed or hear her words.
Cassian Gray thought he was going to die. As he leaned backwards, Cassian felt the chainsaw's blades narrowly miss the tip of his nose.
"Damn!" Cassian flipped backwards, creating distance between him and his new opponent. He hadn't even noticed the newcomer until the chainsaw was mere inches from his face. "You're not like the others are you!?"
Cassian's new opponent simply rolled his shoulders and rotated his neck. He was dressed in a similar manner to the other White Fang that Cassian had dispatched, save for a far more elaborate mask. Also, Cassian noted, he was bloody massive. His weapon, a chainsaw with an extended blade, was gripped tightly in the man's right hand.
"I'm no pushover White Knight." The White Fang member rumbled. Looking around, Cassian realised that the other White Fang members he had incapacitated had been murdered. Apparently this particular White Fang member didn't take survivors very well.
"OK so you obviously know who I am." Cassian took his typical combat stance, with Damocles pointed down and hanging loosely in his right hand, and his left hand held in front of his body. "But I have no clue who you are."
"Lieutenant." The man replied, before rushing forward. Cassian immediately sidestepped, but winced as the man's fist caught him in the ribs.
"You're pretty fast for a big guy." Cassian stumbled backwards, his ribs stinging. He had mistimed exactly how quick the man could sprint.
"And you're slow." The chainsaw was swung again, this time at Cassian's neck. Cassian immediately parried with Damocles, his arm nearly going numb underneath the sheer force of the blow. "And weak."
"Well I'm sorry." Cassian stepped back, dodging another swipe by a hair-breadth. "But I'm just a normal human after all."
"No you aren't." The man continued his assault, Cassian weaving or parrying the attacks. "You're Cassian Gray, the White Knight of the Schnee and a Colonel in the Atlas Army."
"Ex-Colonel." Cassian corrected. He could feel his arm shudder with each blow. "And I don't see-"
"You've become weak Colonel!" The Lieutenant's strength suddenly tripled, his next blow sending Damocles flying out of Cassian's hand. Before Cassian could react, a hand grabbed him by the neck, before smashing his body into the ground.
Cassian gasped in pain, blood spraying out of his mouth as his organs bled. The ground beneath him cracked under the sheer force of the Lieutenant's smash.
"We fought once, back when you were a Colonel in the army." The Lieutenant's grip was like iron, constricting Cassian's windpipe and preventing him from breathing properly. "I remember you effortlessly cutting down my allies without mercy."
"I did?" Cassian grinned. His hands suddenly blurred, his leg striking the Lieutenant in the chest. A second later, the Lieutenant found himself on the ground, Cassian straddling his chest. A reversal technique. "Well you must have threatened Winter then."
The Lieutenant tried to grab Cassian's neck, only to grab at thin air. At the same time, Cassian smashed his fingers into a pressure point in the Lieutenant's pectoral, causing the White Fang member to cough up blood.
"Payback." Cassian said simply, only to be sent flying when the Lieutenant suddenly leaped up with a roar. Using his hand to brace his fall, Cassian landed in a crouch a few meters away. Behind him, less than a meter away, were the Beacon cliffs. "Now then, did you say you were planning to kill Winter? Because that's a death sentence in my book."
"All Schnee are enemies of the White Fang!" The Lieutenant roared. "We will never stop until they're dead!"
"Really?" Cassian raised his fists in an unarmed combat stance. "Then I'll just have to keep killing you all until there aren't any of you left."
The Lieutenant coughed again, spewing drops of his blood all over Velvet's garden. Suddenly, the man charged at Cassian. "For the White Fang!"
Cassian raised his arms to block the blow, only to yell in surprise when the Lieutenant shoved him off the cliff.
"What the Oum!?" Cassian shouted, as he and the Lieutenant begun to fall. Cassian remembered his previous calculations about how there was no chance in Hell of him surviving a fall from the cliffs. "AHHHHHH!"
Winter listened as Ozpin gave his closing remarks. She was still trying to figure out what had possessed her to say what she had said at the end. Those last few words had most definitely not been in the speech Cassian gave her.
Winter resisted the urge to grab her head and shake it. She knew exactly why she had said what she'd said. This was the first time since they'd started dating that she'd ever had an actual fight with Cassian. That, coupled with her conversation with Weiss, had made Winter a melting pot of numerous emotions, a number of which she'd never felt before.
This abnormal condition had actually affected her public persona and made her unconsciously speak her mind. Luckily, the context of the speech had actually matched what she had said, so there was no harm done, at least publically. Internally however, Winter was anything but alright.
Winter wanted nothing more but to make up with Cassian, but at the same time she didn't want to make it easy. In the end, Cassian had made out with his ex-girlfriend. Winter may not have had much experience in love, but she was certain that sort of behaviour was not acceptable.
"I wonder what he wanted to say." Winter mumbled to herself, something she never did in public. Cassian had been about to say something before they'd been interrupted by the Atlesian soldier. "It seemed important."
Winter allowed herself a few moments to mentally mull over her options.
"I'll make sure to hear what he has to say." Winter finally told herself. She trusted Cassian implicitly after all. Considering what they'd gone through together, there was no doubt in Winter's mind of Cassian's loyalty to her. Hence, whatever Cassian said was the reason behind his actions, Winter would take as the truth. In her heart, she knew that Cassian would never do anything to hurt her. "That's what a girlfriend does, right?"
Her mind significantly calmer, Winter turned her attention to the other reason for her emotional turmoil.
Weiss was still seated in the courtyard. At the moment, she was yelling at one of her teammates (Winter recalled that Weiss had mentioned a girl called Yang. She was guessing that was who Weiss was yelling at). As Winter watched, a blue-haired boy suddenly said something to Weiss. Weiss immediately stopped talking and looked away, hiding her face away from her friends.
Winter however, could clearly see the red-tinge on Weiss' face. Weiss, noticing Winter's gaze, looked up at her older sister. Her face blushed crimson upon realising that Winter could see everything.
Winter smiled at her sister, causing Weiss to look away bashfully, before resuming her conversation with her friends.
After a few moments, Winter suddenly thought of something. A small smile danced on her lips as she stood up and approached her sister. As she approached, Winter noticed how the boy's slowly stopped talking and focused on her instead. She found it amusing.
"Little sister." Winter said, placing her hand gently on Weiss' shoulder. "I apologise for interrupting your conversation."
"Winter." Weiss said, sounding surprised. "I really enjoyed your speech. I thought it was very moving."
"Is that so?" Winter chuckled, surprising herself. She never laughed in public. "I'm glad. Though, I did not come here to ask you about that."
Winter glanced over at Weiss' friends, who were trying to best to act like they weren't listening in on their conversation, before returning her gaze to Weiss.
"Spar with me little sister."
Winter couldn't help but laugh when she saw the surprised reaction on Weiss' face, as well as the looks of joyful expectation on Weiss' friend's faces.
There were things which could only be understood through conflict.
That was something Winter had learnt from Cassian.
"Ugh." Cassian rubbed his aching head. "What happened…?"
"Colonel!" Yin's voice said in alarm. Looking up, Cassian saw Yin standing over him. "Are you alright?!"
"Hmm?" Cassian flailed around for a bit, checking if he had injured anything. Satisfied that he was alright, Cassian pushed himself up into a seated position. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Thank Oum." Yin breathed a sigh of relief. "I managed to grab you before you'd fallen too far, but by then you were already unconscious."
"Fallen too...far?" Cassian's eyes widened as he remembered his fall. "Yin, what happened to the other person who fell!?"
"Other person?" Yin tilted his head in confusion. "Colonel, you were the only one I saw when I dropped down after you."
"Really?" Cassian scratched his chin. Teleportation abilities were incredibly rare. Off the top of his head, Cassian could only think of a handful. "Nevermind then. We'll worry about it later."
"Very well." Yin stuck his hand out, which Cassian gratefully grabbed. With a single pull, Yin pulled Cassian to his feet. "You'll be glad to know Colonel that the presentation finished without a hitch. None of the White Fang infiltrators managed to make it even near the school."
"Good." Cassian brushed himself off. Looking around, he realised that he was in Velvet's garden. "Where is Ms. Schnee now then?"
"Both Ms. Schnees went towards the training arenas with a group of students."
Cassian, who had just located Damocles, froze.
"Did you say the training arenas?"
"Yes."
Cassian wondered what exactly had happened during the presentation that had led to Winter doing something so out of character.
"Yin."
"Yes Colonel?"
"Take me to them."
Cassian re-sheathed Damocles and slid his shades back over his eyes. Satisfied with his appearance, Cassian motioned for Yin to lead the way. The two of them immediately settled into a light jog, with Yin saying that they'd arrive at the training halls within fifteen minutes.
Hopefully no one would be dead or horribly injured by the time they arrived.
Ahahaha we still haven't gotten around to Winter and Cassian having their big argument/discussion! Though we're starting to get a feel for Weiss, which I think is good. Plus, it seems like Winter has sorted out her feelings regarding her sister...kind of? Well, the combat will help I'm sure!
Ferris