The Shadow of Fire
Chapter 10: Gifts and trouble
Weiss and Ruby arrived back the team's dorm room to a cranky Blake and an irritated Yang, neither of which was a good thing for the duo.
"Where in the Gods names were you two?!" Yang nearly shouted, her teeth clenched tightly in her jaw.
"Yes, where were you two? You know better than to sneak off." Blake growled under her words, she sure knew how to be scary when she wanted to.
"Erm..." Ruby began, her ears flatting down on her mop of crimson hair in a state of panic. "We went to the park for a walk?" Ruby explained, the statement coming out as more of a question than anything. Ruby had seen Yang mad before, and that was one ride that she didn't want to go on ever again.
"Is that a problem, Yang?" Weiss asked the brawler, crossing her arms angrily over her chest.
"Yeah, its Christmas morning and you two just disappeared for no reason! That's what's wrong with it!" Yang hissed back to the heiress, her Aura levels rising, causing the room to feel much hotter.
"Y-yang! Don't yell at Weiss!" Ruby shouted back, her ears and tail point up at attention. "You shouldn't be so mean!"
"And whys that Ruby? What did I tell you about sneaking out?"
"Your being a hypocrite, you sneak out all the time." Ruby snapped back, clearly angry at the reaction Yang was having over such a simple thing. "Now can we all make nice or am I going to have to tell Blake about your little "field-trips" back when you were at Signal? I'm sure she would LOVE to hear about what happened with Jackson." Ruby threatened, knowing Yang would cave in.
Instantly Yang's Aura was suppressed to normal levels, her eyes widening as she processed Ruby's threat. "You little brat..."
"So Blake, back when Yang went to Signal, there was this guy who Yang..."
"NO!" Yang shouted back at Ruby, causing the Faunus to jump slightly along with her partner. "Fine, sorry for... Over reacting."
"That's better, anything else you guys need to overreact about before we open our presents?" Weiss asked sarcastically, gesturing to a small tree in the corner of the room, decorative gifts surrounded the base of the plant.
"Actually, there is one more... issue." Blake mumbled, which was very uncommon for the quiet team member.
"Go on..." Weiss answer, looking towards Blake, expecting a very minor problem like how there was no more tuna in the mini fridge or that there was a lack of milk.
But it just had to be worse.
"You left your new scroll when you left with Ruby, and it started ringing which is why I woke up." Blake said slowly, as if it was the most important thing in the world.
"And?" Weiss asked impatiently.
"A woman was calling you, requesting that you have a video chat with your father. She had a very sophisticated attitude as well as an extensive vocabulary." Blake finished, tossing the heiress the scroll from a desk.
"M-my father?" Weiss asked no one in particular, nearly missing the scroll by a few inches. "Did they say anything else?"
"No, just that it was very urgent that you reply."
"Alright... Thanks Blake, you're a good friend." Weiss thanked her fellow team member. "Do you all mind if I take the call now? I'm sure it will be a video chat so I will request that you all are to leave the room for a short time." Weiss asked, holding the scroll tight to her chest.
"But it's Chris- OOF!" Yang started before being hit in the stomach by Blake. "Sure thing princess, we'll be over at JNPR's room."
Blake and Yang pulled a frustrated and girlfriend deprived Ruby out of the room by her legs, Blake slamming the door shut before the scythe wielder could escape into the room.
Weiss took a deep breath before holding her scroll out in front of her, walking over to an empty spot on the wall. The heiress placed the scroll against the wood that adorned the wall before pressing a small blue button at the base of the pad, a soft click following. The heiress let go of the device and took a few steps back, the scroll physically connecting itself to the wall.
"Expand." Weiss spoke clearly, her voice firm and strong.
The scroll began expanding into what appeared to be a large screen, easily 50 inches wide.
"Schnee." Weiss spoke out again, the distant sounds of Nora yelling in joy echoing from across the hallway.
The scrolls massive screen began to flash white before a large white snowflake appeared in the center of the screen, a soft chime echoing throughout the room from the speakers.
A well built man appeared on the device, his white hair in a freshly trimmed business man like style, save for a grown out bang that covered his left eye, giving him a sort of emo look. His icy blue eyes could see right through your soul, his face recently cleaned up, his beard recently removed by his hairstylist.
This was Geist Schnee, the most powerful man on the face of the planet, aside from government officials that is. The old man who was in his early 40's sat at a wooden desk plated with silver edges, arms crossed in a stern manner.
"Weiss." He spoke, his voice a mix of relief and anger, his eyes scanning the teen.
"Father." Weiss replied simply, giving a small curtsy.
"Good to see you remember your formal training." Geist responded, nodding in a slow approval.
"You requested my presence Father?" Weiss asked softly, looking at the floor, not meeting his eyes.
"You have gotten into a bit of trouble, according to recent reports. Care to explain?"
"I... There was an incident at a local café." Weiss replied, recalling those horrible events.
"Yes, please give me your report on the matter so I can finally put these press at my door to rest." Geist said, tapping the edge of his desk slowly.
"Yes Father. My team was taking the day off from classes and went to a nearby café. Nearly 5 or so minutes after our teams leader finished her meal, a sniper from a few blocks away fired a shot and nearly killed her. A second shot was fired before our team attacked the sniper while I took our leader to the hospital, sir." Weiss explained, taking a deep breath afterwards.
"I see... Very well, I will have a word with the press. You are free to g-"
"Father." Weiss cut off Geist, stepping forward slowly.
"Yes?"
"Who is Saturn?"
Geist suddenly froze on the other end of the line, his mouth moving slightly but not forming words.
"Can you repeat that please, dear? It sounded like you said-"
"Saturn or Anubis or whoever the Hell that disgusting excuse for a man is." Weiss said in an angry tone, her eyes shooting bullets into her father's own. "Who. Is. He?"
"How... First how do you even know that name?" Geist asked, ducking his head under the desk and reaching into a drawer.
"A friend told me, and I want to know why he wanted me and my team dead." Weiss demanded.
"That's quite a long tale, Weiss. A harsh tale that I haven't recalled in such a long time..." Geist said softly, opening a file on his desk.
"I have time."
"Well... It started a very long time ago..."
18 years earlier...
Geist Schnee stood outside the Vale Dust Research Center, looking off into the distance at the lush forests nearby. His mind was torn, two sides arguing for control over the situation.
"Geist, congratulations are in order my friend! We've just replicated the D.C.A of the White Dust fragment. If things go according to plan, we can have it duplicated at an increased rate, which will benefit both of our... Organizations." A cold but happy voice spoke from behind the Schnee, a voice that he knew all too well.
"Saturn... We need to talk." Geist said slowly, turning to look at the man.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Saturn... You have been a very good ally, a family friend in fact, but this can't go on." Geist said slowly, looking in Saturn's good eye, recent events with a Faunus representative and a strange man in a trench coat resulting in his eye being damaged.
"What do you mean old friend?" Saturn asked, confused by the man.
"My wife has become pregnant with my child, and I can't be in this type of business with you anymore. It's too dangerous, even if what we are doing is stopping the Faunus groups from becoming too powerful." Geist said slowly. "Times have changed, Laos."
"But the formula... It's nearly completed... We can still go through with this!" Saturn argued, his lab coat blowing around in the wind.
"No. The Dust Composition Alignment data will be destroyed with all the computers here. Nothing remains... I'm sorry Saturn."
"But all my work! My dreams, OUR dreams! Making infinite amounts of Dust, destroying the White Fang! Will you throw that all away!"
"I have to. For my child." Geist responded to his comrade. "I need to be a true business man again. You should return to your place too my friend."
"Crime lords don't take orders, Geist..." Saturn warned.
"Laos... We are doing wrong here..."
"No! We are creating a better future for man! We can do this!"
"No... We are done." Geist said softly, locking eyes with Saturn.
"I... But... Geist, please..." Saturn begged.
"I'm sorry."
"You know my line of work Geist..." Saturn threatened.
"And you know mine. We are old friends, Saturn. You leave me and my family be, and I'll leave you be."
"But if a contract shows up, regardless of the contractor..."
"I understand... Just, please Saturn, don't harm my child."
"I... Only for you Geist, you have my word for now. But times change, and nothing is the same forever."
"I understand." Geist said, nodding his head slightly, his white hair flickering in the wind. "Goodbye Saturn Laos." Geist said and held out a hand.
Saturn stood still for a minute, eyeing the hand out to him. Slowly, he took hold of the mans hand, a firm handshake.
"Goodbye old friend."
Present
Team RWBY Dorm Room
"And that's why he is out to kill you all. A contract, no doubt by the White Fang."
"But why me?" Weiss asked her father.
"You're my heir, so the White Fang want you and your friends gone... most likely."
"Well, how can I stop him?" This was going considerably well in Weiss's opinion. Geist seemed to be coming out of his frosty exterior for once.
"He told me everything dear, I have files on-"
"WEISS-Y! I found a baby bird in the hall! Can we..." Ruby said excitedly, running into the room with a bird in a cardboard box, her Faunus like appendages moving around wildly.
The bubbly girl suddenly appeared in frame, Geist able to see the leader of his daughter's team; a young, somewhat pretty Faunu... WHAT!?
"Weiss... Is that your leader?" Geist asked in a harsh tone.
"Ruby! I said don't come in!" Weiss said quickly, attempting to delay the inevitable.
"Well, Yang said that-"
"Weiss... Why isn't she kneeling like the trash she is?" Geist suddenly asked, a strange calm tone added to the horror that Weiss was feeling.
"Um... What?" Ruby asked the Schnee Dust company leader.
"Ruby, I need to talk to my father. I'll be around soon." Weiss said quickly before turning to her father. "Dad, I-"
"Not before she recognizes her place as an animal."
"What? I'll have you know I'm not an animal!" Ruby hissed out, a growl escaping her throat.
"I'm waiting..." Geist said to his daughter.
Weiss slowly turned to her girlfriend, a hopefully look in her eyes that Ruby would, just maybe, understand the situation that she was in.
"Kneel." Weiss demanded.
"Weiss... I-"
"I said KNEEL peasant!" Weiss nearly shouted at her partner, a tear running down her face.
Ruby slowly placed the box on Weiss's bed, kneeling on the floor behind Weiss.
"Better. Now I will send you the data over scroll my dear. Be careful, Saturn has a much larger amount of resources than he lets on." Geist said before ending the call, the scroll turning off and falling onto a luckily placed pillow on the floor.
"Ruby..." Weiss turned around to face the kneeling teen. "I-"
"Save it. It's in the past. Just know that I won't kneel to him ever again." Ruby said, her voice harsh, standing up before continuing on another train of thought. "So about that bird!" Ruby chirped, her voice the usual bubbly and happy sound that it is.
"I don't think that's a very good idea. Let's give it to Velvet, she likes birds and we have Blake... Birds and cats don't mix." Weiss suggested.
"Kay!" Ruby said happily, giving a warm smile before jumping forward, planting a kiss on Weiss's lips. "Gift time?" Ruby asked.
"Sure, go get the girls." Weiss said, laughing slightly.
Ruby raced off into the hallway, yelling Yang's name over and over as she knocked one JNPR's door. Weiss stood back in the dorm, picking up the scroll off of the floor. A message popped up seconds later, no doubt the file from her father.
Saturn would pay for what he did to Ruby.
Ruby and Yang raced into the dorm, running in circles for no reason, chanting "we got presents" over and over, while Blake simply picked up a black book from her desk and sat down by the tree.
"Girls, calm down. It's calm time." Blake said, the duo freezing in mid-air before sitting down too.
"Good." Blake commented before looking at Weiss. "Weiss, come sit. There's plenty of room."
Weiss walked over with a smile, sitting down next to Ruby. "Ready for gifts?" The heiress asked, Ruby shaking with anticipation.
"Who would like to receive the first gift?" Blake asked the trio, Yang and Ruby's hands shooting up faster than a bullet.
"Weiss! Thank you for volunteering!" Blake joked, reaching towards the tree and taking hold of a white box, blue strips adored the gifts wrapping paper.
"Thank you Blake." Weiss replied, looking down at her box before reading the name that was scribbled on to the tag. "From Ruby, to a pretty princess who is super-duper cute." Weiss read before looking at her girlfriend with a raised eyebrow.
"What? Too little? I knew I should have added the rest of my idea." Ruby said before pouting, looking at the floor in disappointment.
"Seriously? A simple "Weiss" would have sufficed, although I do appreciate the compliment." Weiss said quickly, pecking Ruby on her cheek, bringing Ruby back to her care free self.
Weiss slowly unwrapped the paper covering, placing it neatly to her side to the sounds of Yang booing. Weiss pulled the top of the present off and was greeted with a...
"A cape?" Weiss asked, holding up a replica of Ruby's cloaks, however its coloring was white as opposed to red.
"A cloak Weiss-y!" Ruby chirped out happily, grinning wildly. "Do you like it!?"
"Y-yes, it's beautiful." Weiss said, showing Blake and Yang.
Yang let out a harsh gasp, covering her mouth with her hands. "Ruby! Isn't that one of moms?"
"Yep!" Ruby said, her smile weakening slightly but still keeping its warmth.
"It was your mothers?" Weiss asked. "Won't she be upset about you giving it away."
"No... I don't think she cares much about them anymore." Ruby said, exaggerating the "anymore," Yang looking at the floor momentarily before grinning at Weiss.
"That looks like one of the ones that she never wore, so it's practically brand new." Yang commented on the cloak as Weiss wrapped it around herself. "Looked just like Ruby's did a while back."
"Yes, but Ruby's is red." Weiss said, wrapping an arm around her teammate.
"It was white." Yang said eerily.
"S-she dyed it?" Weiss asked, looking back at the cloak that had saved her life just the other day.
"Let's go with that and save you from vomiting, alright princess?" Yang said and gave a loud laugh, Blake snickering along with her girlfriend.
"Now you give a gift to someone Weiss." Ruby said happily, snuggling up next to Weiss.
"Alright alright, I'll indulge in your antics a little while longer. I wasn't raised with this holiday so I may have gotten you all a few bad presents." Weiss said, plucking a tiny red box off of the floor.
"A few? How many did you get?" Yang asked, looking at the semi-large pile of presents of assorted colors under the tree, easily 25 boxes.
"Well there's some in here with us, and under my bed... And 5 semi trucks coming here in an hour." Weiss said, recalling her purchases while looking at Yang and Blake whose jaws had bit the floor. "Did I not get enough?" Weiss asked, a bit concerned for the holiday. People considered her an icy and cold person, ruining a holiday wouldn't help that one bit.
"I believe you went a bit overboard, Weiss." Blake answered before Yang could say something stupid, which probably would have caused Weiss to overreact.
"Oh." Was all Weiss could say before smiling. "At least you will like the presents." She said an handed Ruby the gift in her hand.
Unlike Weiss, Ruby tore the paper covering to shreds, her fingers seemed to have transformed into claws, which even if that happen it wouldn't have surprised Weiss, she had seen some crazy things already. The red loving girl threw off the lid of her present and pulled out a small circular object.
"What is it?" Blake asked, sitting up a bit to get a better view on the present.
"It feels like leather, and it's has all these shiny beads on it." Ruby said, examining the new item.
"No, those aren't beads, they're diamonds." Weiss said as if it was just a stone, which technically it was.
"D-diamonds?" Yang stuttered out, eyeing the object. "Hey sis, can I borrow your, uh... thingy for a while?" Yang asked, her eyes sparkling with desire.
"No! I don't even know what it is yet!" Ruby countered, inspecting the object. "Well it is my color, red and black, so that's good." Ruby commented, putting her hand through it thinking it was a bracelet. Nope, too big.
"Hey, this is too big." Ruby complained, pouting at the strange object.
"Oh my goodness, Ruby! It goes on your neck!" Weiss replied, snatching the object from her grasp and pulling the circle apart, a clip in the back coming un-done. Weiss wrapped it around her confused girlfriends neck and locked it in place, a perfect fit.
"It's beautiful Weiss!" Ruby chirped, her tail smacking Weiss on accident. "Erm, sorry." Ruby felt the new object around her neck with her fingers, her fingertip met with a metallic object with a square shape. "What's this?"
"That's would be a square of metal, where someone could put a clip or hook on." Weiss answered, smiling slightly.
"So it's a collar... Wait, what?" Ruby asked.
The sounds of laughter echoed across the west wing of Beacon as Blake and Yang rolled on the floor, nearly at tears.
"Oh my Gods. I don't care how racist this is, it's too funny!" Blake made out before breaking out into another stream of laughter.
"This is perfect!" Yang laughed out, hugging her chest to control her breathing.
Weiss and Ruby sat watching the duo, exchanging eye contact before Weiss gave a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Fine, you can do it." Weiss told Ruby, covering her ears from the yelling that would follow.
"Don't you mean PURR-fect?" Ruby asked, Blake freezing before letting out a loud yell of protest.
Meanwhile
White Fang Military Division
Storage Base Alpha-5
Saturn walked down a path of velvet colored carpet in the heart of the main command center of the White Fang Organization. He wore his casual wear, a light brown leather jacket and a white shirt underneath, with slightly worn navy blue jeans. On top of his head was a simple Santa Claus hat, the red section of the hat made of actual blood, some fresh as it dripped on the floor. However it would be un-noticeable with the color of the flooring. White Fang soldiers and scientists walked down the path past him, some entering nearby rooms or stopping to talk to comrades.
Saturn hummed to himself as he proceeded further down the hallways, eventually coming to a stop outside a large steel plated door. A duo of White Fang soldiers stood in front of Saturn, two red swords in hand.
"Mr. Laos, this is a restricted area. Please wait back in the conference room." One guard said, glaring at the older man.
Saturn simply smiled and as fast as a thought, whipped out a silenced pistol, firing two shots from the hip at the pair of guards. The duo dropped to the floor, dead instantly.
Saturn dropped the weapon on the floor by the bodies, picking up one if the guards arms off the floor and pressing his hand on the scanner. The door unlocked with a quiet "beep," allowing Saturn to drop the guards arm back on the floor.
"Merry Christmas, my good men." He said happily as he walked in the room, the door closing behind him.
Saturn entered a massive storage center, all the lights out showing that he was now alone.
Perfect.
"Oh Dawn! Dusk! Are you here yet?" Saturn called out, walking over to a small command room nearby. As he entered, a small lamp nearby came on, its light shining on a desk of buttons. The crime lord walked over and pressed his thumb down on a red button, all the lights in the storage room sprang to life.
Saturn walked out of the room, walking down isles of small tanks and jeeps, weapon lockers, and a few other things, all stolen from various places around the world at equally various times. The man paced the room before he felt the presence of three individuals behind him, the crime lord pausing in his walk.
"Hello Lord Saturn." A duo of voices came from behind in unison, the crime lord knowing them all too much.
"Ah! How are my good friends?!" Saturn asked to his crime pals, turning to face them.
The pair of Dusk and Dawn stood in the exact same posture, both wearing a copy of the White Fangs uniform with the exception of the logo on the back and a mask or hood. Dawn had her long blue hair in a large ponytail, the end reaching her lower back. The woman's sea foam green eyes shined brightly in the well lit area. Dusk wore a pair of black sunglasses, his black hair kept in a military style format, his yellow eyes were visible from the outside of the glasses, looking blood thirsty as ever.
"We are perfect Lord Saturn, and ready to assist." The duo said together, giving a salute before moving apart for Touko to pass between.
"Anubis, please don't kill all my security next time, it's quite hard to clean up." Touko said bluntly, tossing the pistol and a black sniper rifle to the crime lord. "Make great use of our weapons and vehicles. The plan has been set in motion and you need to carry out your part." Touko said slowly to make sure he heard under that Santa hat.
"Got it, and I can use anything?" Saturn asked happily, a wicked smile adorned his face.
"Correct, make haste." Touko said before walking off towards the exit.
"Well merry Christmas to me, eh kids?" Saturn asked, smiling at his teammates on this misson.
"Correct. But what is this mission?" The duo asked together.
"Simply put, destroy Beacon."
Team RWBY Dorm Room
"Thanks for the book Weiss, I never knew Doctor Wilatham was signing his books. Didn't he refuse to ever do that again?" Blake asked, holding the last unwrapped gift from the tree in hand.
"Yes, but I can convince anyone to do anything." Weiss said before laughing slightly. "You're very welcome. I hope you liked your new motorcycle wheels Yang."
"Yep! Thanks princess, that's awesome of ya. I needed new ones but Schnee built tires, these babies can't break." Yang replied to the heiress, earning a warm smile. "Hope you liked our gifts."
"I do, and I bet I was hard shopping for me since I am a. Very wealthy person." Weiss said, hugging a new pillow that Blake and Yang had made for her, along with a few other things from Ruby.
"Well this was a good Christmas." Blake said, standing up with her pile of goodies in hand.
"Yeah, thanks everyone!" Ruby said smiling; clinging on to her new stuffed animal Beowulf.
"Merry Christmas everyone! Now, let's get something to eat!" Weiss shouted out, leading the team out of the room.