The following is a non-profit, fan-made work of fiction. RWBY and Iron Man are the respective trademarked properties of Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC and Marvel Entertainment, LLC. Please support their respective franchises and releases. This means I own jack, so don't sue me, it's all for fun. (And practice, I just wanna be a better writer.)

The Invincible Whitley Schnee

Chapter 15: Cool Down

August 19th, 2008 KC

Mantle, Solitas

Polendina Pharmaceuticals Examination Room

12:45 PM

"Extraordinary! There's just no other word to describe it, it's simply extraordinary! My boy, do you realize what this means for the world?"

"Well, I think I've got a good idea, Dr. Polendina." Whitley calmly spoke, although he was gushing in sheer joy at the compliment.

He had been complimented before on his genius, mostly by his father's legion of professional sycophants, but he had never received praise this genuine. The fact these words had been spoken by one of his idols made the boy giddy with excitement. But he still had an image to uphold and so forced himself to maintain a calm and composed disposition as Dr. Polendina examined the reactor implanted in his chest.

He watched as the old doctor's eyes scrutinized the device, mesmerized by the brilliant cerulean glow it generated. Like a moth to a flame, the doctor's focus was entirely on the reactor. Of course, the boy had informed the good doctor the danger of having it removed from his person, depriving him of the opportunity to thoroughly examine the reactor. But Whitley had the foresight to bring the original schematics of the device with him, allowing Polendina the opportunity to see its inner workings without prying it out of his chest.

"Alright, son, put your shirt back on, I've seen all I needed to see." The doctor ordered, which the Schnee quickly complied with.

After donning his t-shirt, the boy sat patiently as the doctor moved his mechanized chair over to a table, where the schematics had been placed. The doctor looked the papers over and remarked. "These plans are nothing to scoff at, either. To think you were able to build this in captivity. You, my boy, are a true once-in-a-lifetime genius."

"Thank you for your kind words, doctor." Whitley calmly said, while trying to contain the excitement building within him. "But I wouldn't have been able to build the reactor without help."

Dr. Polendina turned to the boy and asked, "And who helped you build it?"

With much hesitance, the boy replied, "...Another Prisoner. His name was Ho Yinsen."

Suddenly, the doctor dropped the Schematics and gave the young man a shocked stare. Whitley was surprised to see the old scientist react like that. With a reaction like that, Dr. Polendina must have been familiar with his late friend, the Schnee hypothesized. To confirm his suspicions, he asked his physician. "Is something the matter, Dr. Polendina?"

"Did you just say, 'Ho Yinsen'?" The doctor asked, prompting a rather nervous nod from his patient.

"Did you know him?" Whitley asked.

The doctor reclined in his chair and solemnly explained, "Yes, I knew him. He was my student, back when I was a teacher's assistant at ATI."

Whitley's eyes widened from shock when he heard that. In all the time he spent with Yinsen, the old doctor never mentioned anything about attending ATI, his own alma mater! He was more surprised to know that ATI even had a Faunus student, considering his own time spent at the prestigious academy. In the four years he was there, he was sure to have heard something about that fact.

Actually, now that I think about, there was that one time I read a student's dissertation at the library, during my first year. The student who wrote that paper was named H. Yinsen. The boy recounted. How he had not been able to make the connection upon meeting the man was beyond him.

He said nothing as Polendina continued speaking. "He was a gifted lad, probably one of the brightest students I've ever had. He came to study chemical engineering, all while attending medical school in Mantle. He had all these brilliant theories, ranging from artificially grown body organs to even nanotechnology. He could've used his ideas to help a lot of people, had he not been expelled."

Yinsen was expelled? Ho Yinsen? The man who'd even hurt a fly was expelled? The boy thought in amazement. There has to be a story there.

"Why was he expelled?" He asked, though he dreaded the answer.

"I'm afraid that's a story I'd rather not talk about, young man." The doctor answered sorrowfully. That was when he asked, "Given that he was with you throughout your whole ordeal, I can only assume that he didn't survive?"

Whitley frowned, "He sacrificed himself to save me."

"I see... my condolences." The doctor told the boy.

The two lowered their heads, taking a moment to respect the memory of the late doctor. As the boy thought over his friend's final moments, he remembered how he had died with a smile on his face. Despite everything that happened, Yinsen lived and died upholding his principals, and he left this world believing that he would see his family in whatever afterlife that existed. There was a small part of Whitley that would to believe that were the case, but his more logical and reasonable side argued against that notion. The only good thing that came out of this tragedy was Toni's survival.

Recalling the child he had unwittingly adopted, the boy told the man. "If it's any conciliation, he did live a good life. It may have ended in tragedy, but there's still a silver lining. He's survived by a daughter."

The old doctor looked at the boy with a surprised but relieved look. "Is that so? That's good to hear!"

"She's actually in Mantle now, living with some close friends of mine." Whitley said with a small smile. "Maybe one day you can meet her?"

"I would like that very much." The doctor replied. "But for now, let's just focus on you."

"Now, you say that this reactor has been experiencing problems. From what you've told me, it was built using substandard materials, with tools that were barely state-of-the-art. It's obvious that the device was not meant to be used long-term." Polendina looked at the boy with a questioning gaze. "Tell me, my boy, why is it that you've yet to remedy this problem, when you were already aware of it?"

"I'm afraid that circumstances beyond my control delayed me." Whitley confessed, careful as to not reveal his secret double life.

"Would these 'circumstances' have anything to do with those bruises on your chest and arms?" Polendina asked. "Curious ones, too, how did you come by them?"

Whitley had hoped that the doctor would not bring up his injuries. They were impossible to cover up and he knew that the old man would notice them. For all the benefits the Arc reactor had given his body, it also had drawbacks. While it may have granted him some form of invincibility, it did not come with supercharged healing. Whatever injuries he received will heal at the same rate as any other person, Aura-enhanced or not. But the Doctor didn't need to know those facts.

Whitley responded with the same excuse he had earlier given Marrow, "Got into a bit of a scrap with some local punks. They thought it'd be hilarious to throw some rocks at me. A few of them had good aim and strong arms."

Polendina winced, "Ooh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that these hooligans were dealt with."

"They booked it once Rhodey found us. They're long gone by now and I doubt anyone will find them." The boy replied with a shrug, trying to act as nonchalant as he can.

Anyone save Iron Man, that is. The youngest Schnee knew it was only a matter of time before he faced the Blizzard and his goons again.

Unlike last time, he planned on coming out the winner from that next fight.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But don't worry, son, they'll face the consequences of their actions. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that justice always comes to those who hide from it." Whitley resisted the urge to snort at the man's words.

If only the good doctor knew how right he actually was.

"And what happens next?"

"Patience, young lady, you can't rush good storytelling."

When Rhodey had brought his young charge to his appointment, he thought that was going to spend the time sitting in the waiting room alone. He had planned on finishing a book he had downloaded on to his scroll. It had a good plot, with compelling main character and an interesting premise, set during the time of Malik the Sunderer, Vacuo's first king.

He had expected he'd be enjoying his story in relative peace and quiet, cut off from the rest of the world. With Whitley meeting with the doctor and the boy's three bodyguards left to their own devices, Rhodey believed he had enough time to get some reading done. What he hadn't expected was to have some company; said company being a very curious teenaged girl who seemed to have no concept of personal boundaries.

"I am sorry, Mr. Rhodes. It is just that I am enthralled by the plot."

Correction: A socially inept girl who also had a very poor grasp on grammatical contractions, as the shopkeeper noted.

"I understand, Penny, but I can't just speed-read a 400 page novel; especially since it's on my scroll." He told the girl.

"I do not understand. I can read twelve books in an hour." Penny replied, genuinely confused by the man's words.

"Well, not everyone can rea- wait, twelve books in one hour?" Rhodey asked with wide eyes, wondering if he had heard her right.

"I mean, I read one book in twelve hours… hic!" The girl let out a hiccup and gave the man a nervous smile.

Rhodey stared at the girl and thought, Okay… that was a little odd.

"Uh, do you need a glass of water, kid?" He asked out of concern.

"Oh, no, thank you, but I do not need water," She replied.

"Oh, alright then, I guess I'll return to the book."

As he resumed reading his book, Rhodey could not help but wonder about Penny. For as long as he knew the man, Dr. Polendina had never mentioned having a daughter. In all of his appointment with him, Pietro had not spoken once about his personal life, which made the sudden discovery of his supposed daughter quite suspect. He took a quick glance at the girl and noted the distinct lack of resemblance between her and the old doctor.

Could it be that she was adopted? He wondered. Then again, it's not my place to ask. The doc probably had a good reason not to tell anyone about her.

Still, even as he read his book, with Penny as his audience, Rhodey could not shake off the feeling that there was something off about the young woman.

Meanwhile, at the Rhodes' residence...

When they had received the news from Marrow that they would not be guarding the young Schnee today, Neon and Flynt had thought they would have the day off. They were surprised when the older huntsman instead told them to meet at Mr. Rhodes' apartment. In spite of the heavy snowfall, the two teens made their way to the building, albeit with much annoyance on their part. When they arrived, they learned the purpose of this meeting.

They were not pleased in the slightest.

"Okay, I think we should use the time we've been given to work out a training schedule. Just because you're guarding someone doesn't mean you should neglect building on your skills." The specialist spoke to his two young subordinates. "Oh, and don't think I'm going to forget about your studies, either. You might not be at the academy right now, but you still need to work on your grades."

The three sat at the dining room table, where they began to iron out a working training schedule. Each party involved had a different opinion on the matter. Marrow, for his part, felt an immense sense of pride in helping to cultivate the talents of two promising comrades. Flynt, in spite of his nonchalant demeanour, was rather annoyed by the sudden meeting, having wanted to spend the day with family, especially his recently adopted niece. Neon acted as her usual bubbly self, approaching the planning process with the same energy she brought into a fight or a club. Although she'd be lying if she said she wasn't bored. The latter two chose not to voice their grievances to the specialist.

It has been close to an hour since they started their meeting.

"Alright, so I was able to get in touch with the Headmaster of Globe Academy, and he told use we're free to use the school's training grounds on the weekends. Now, we just need to figure out the best time to meet there. How does twelve in the afternoon sound?" Marrow asked the two students.

"Hmmm, I think it could work, I don't have anything planned during that time. But I think we should consider any possible emergencies that might come up, like say if I have to look after my little sister or if I have a doctor's appointment?" Flynt brought up as a possibility.

"Yeah, okay, that would be a problem. Well, if you need to watch your sister, why not bring her with you? I doubt your parents will care wherever you two are, so long as you're together. The same goes for you, Neon. If you ever need to look after your brother, just bring him along too." Marrow proposed, prompting a thoughtful hum from the trumpeter. "As for medical emergencies, I'm sure we can just reschedule. A person's health should always come first, after all."

"Ugh... this is so boring!"

Marrow and Flynt stared at the bubbly girl, who was leaning back in her chair, staring at the kitchen ceiling. When she felt their gazes upon her, she looked at them. She pouted, "We already got everything down. Globe, weekends, afternoons. So what's with the committee?"

"Neon, this might seem boring to you, but it's important that we plan for every possibility. It's all part of being a huntress." Marrow explained.

"We're just working out, not jumping headfirst into danger. Besides, shouldn't we be talking about our real mission?" She questioned in turn. "Like, say, why our client decided to go see some doctor without us?"

"Well, it was a private matter and we had no business being a part of." The specialist quickly replied.

Flynt scoffed at the statement, "Privacy? Well, we had no business being with him at Ms. Potts' home, yet that didn't keep us from doing our jobs."

Marrow tugged at the collar of his shirt and suppressed a nervous gulp. This display did not go unnoticed by Flynt and Neon, who now regarded the specialist with suspicion. Neon leaned onto the table, her usually cheerful eyes now burrowing intently into Marrow.

"Marrow, is there something you're hiding from us?" She asked with an uncharacteristically serious tone.

"Yeah, man, let us in on it." Flynt pressed the issue.

Now backed into a corner, Marrow tried to avert his gaze from them. He had made a promise to the young Schnee to not reveal his condition without his expressed permission. Of course, he hadn't the slightest idea if the boy intended to tell his other bodyguards. He can only wonder as to what their reactions would be.

"I... well... Look, it's not my place to tell you. It's Schnee's. I can't tell you anything, other than that I know. I promised not to say anything. When he feels that the time is right, he'll tell you." The specialist explained, hoping to dissuade the two teens from further questioning.

"I'm sorry, Marrow, but that's not a good excuse." Flynt spoke in a stern tone. "We're Schnee's bodyguards. If he's hiding something from us, something that could hurt him, then we have to know. I might not like the guy that much, but his health and safety are our concern."

And I thought that'd actually work? The specialist mentally lambasted himself.

"Yeah, Marrow, we can't keep secrets from each other, especially if it puts Whitley in harm's way." Neon concurred, agreeing with her partner.

The specialist looked at his two subordinates, whose accusing eyes were squared solely on him. He knew from their files that they weren't the types to let things down, especially after what had happened to their teammates. He knew of only one way to keep them from digging any further. It was the last thing he wanted to do and he's not going to be proud of himself for doing it. But what choice did he have?

And so, Corporal Marrow Amin made the decision to pull rank on the two students.

Adopting a stern expression, he addressed the two teens. "Cadets Coal and Katt, you are overstepping your boundaries. As your superior officer, I order you to drop this topic and respect our client's want for privacy. That's an order."

The teens looked at the man as though he had just grown another head. They had not expected him to react like that. In all the time they spent together, Marrow had not once admonished them like this. To actually pull rank on them meant that he had no intention of divulging any more he knew.

"Did I make myself clear?" He inquired of them.

Flynt and Neon shared a hesitant look with one another, before ultimately deciding to acknowledge the man's order.

They saluted the man and spoke, "Sir, yes, sir."

"Thank you." He told them. "Now, let's return to the matter of planning your training. I doubt you two want to spend your time doing nothing, do you?"

Meanwhile, at the Potts-Hogan Residence...

It had been a long time since Winter Schnee had been grounded.

It wasn't like she had been a problem child growing up. In fact, if one were to ask the mansion's staff and her many tutors about her childhood, they would say she was a polite and respectful girl. Of course, they would mention her temper. But it had rarely been a problem for her.

The problem was that she always lost her cool if her father was involved.

Of course, if people knew what Jacques Schnee was really like they wouldn't blame her. Whenever she caught him hitting her mother, she'd fly right off the bat. Whenever he tried to "discipline" Whitley or Weiss for a perceived slight, no matter how minor, she'd fly into a rage. Her defiant attitude was often met with a backhanded slap or a flying fist.

It was only after receiving her "just" punishment that she was grounded.

It had been difficult trying to explain the black eyes and bruised cheeks she received.

When the day came for her to attend Atlas Academy, she packed her bags and never looked back. She had thought she was finally free. Free to be her true self, without an abusive father looming over her shoulder. The years passed by, her mind and body changed, and she thought she had matured greatly. Never again would she be punished.

That is, until she had all but exploded at her brother.

She didn't know what came over her. She was usually more composed. She had endured her own fair share of slender at the academy and she took it all in stride. And yet one insulting remark from Whitley had set her off. But she knew she wasn't entirely guiltless, considering she had equated him to their father; the man who had abused them physically, mentally, and emotionally. But the minute she said those unfortunate words, she knew she crossed the line.

But that didn't stop her from arguing with her brother. She had been too stubborn to admit that she was wrong. It was a trait that all three siblings shared, no matter how much they denied it. Truly, there was nothing more absolute than the stubbornness of a Schnee.

And where did that stubborn lead her?

Sitting on a bed, confined to her room, unable to leave unless it concerned her mission.

To pass the time, the young woman had begun scrolling through her scroll for the latest news bulletins. Thus far, she had yet to find anything interesting to read about. It was mostly the typical schlock of celebrity gossip, sport highlights, and whatever dull drivel that not even dullards could enjoy.

As her thumb swiped up and down the scroll's screen, she felt her patience begin to thin. How can a city like Mantle have such a slow news cycle? The city was infested with crime, menaced by a serial killer, and caught in the crossfire of a turf war between the Tong Triad and the Maggia. And yet there was not so much as a single story on any of those issues.

Never did she think that she'd prefer hunting Grimm than lounging about in bed.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Winter, it's Happy. Can I come in?"

"The door is unlocked." She called out, placing her scroll on the nightstand.

The door opened, revealing Happy standing behind it, dressed in jeans and a sweater. The man entered the room and grabbed a chair next to the bookcase. He planted the chair next to the bed and sat upon it, the wood straining under his burly frame. Her brother's bodyguard looked at her with a concerned gaze.

"How are you doing today?" He asked, surprising the young woman.

"I'm feeling well, Mr. Hogan." She replied with a matter-of-fact tone.

The man frowned, "Winter, when I'm off the clock, you can just call me Happy. Considering your brother has a new security detail, I'm off for who knows how long."

"Right, sorry, Happy." She apologized before asking. "Forgive my bluntness, but is there something you need?"

"I just wanted to check in on you." He answered. "Plus, with Pepper at work and Toni at school, I have no one to talk to."

The specialist let out a small laugh. Leave it to Happy to make a joke during a tense conversation.

"But, in all seriousness, I want to talk to you about yesterday." He told her, prompting a glare from the woman.

"What's there to talk about? You saw everything and you know how it ended." She curtly replied.

"Yeah, I did. And so did Pepper, the hunters, and Toni." He spoke seriously. "And Toni is the reason I'm here talking to you."

Winter said nothing as he continued, "I know you think Pepper grounded you for arguing with Whitley, but that's not the case. She's upset that you two argued in front of Toni. I know you two have your problems. Given your history, it's natural that you'd both get into a shouting match. But you shouldn't have done it in front of Toni."

Winter frowned at the mention of the young girl. In the short time she spent staying in the Potts-Hogan household, their newly adopted daughter had come to consider her as like a sister. The girl practically idolized her, viewing her as a sort of infallible role model. Of course, that idolization extended to Whitley, whom she had learned was the one who had seen to Toni's adoption. To see both of her idols, who were actual blood siblings, shout at each other was a sight that broke her already fragile heart.

Winter glumly responded, "I know, Happy. But I couldn't help it. I haven't had an actual conversation with my brother in years. Honestly, I would have been shocked if we hadn't gotten at each other's throats."

"And I understand that. But, you know, I have to take Whitley's side in that argument." Happy told her, eliciting an incredulous look from the specialist. "Now, before you start accusing me of being biased, just hear me out first."

Winter kept her silence and allowed Happy to explain himself.

"Winter, I know you probably meant well, but a single apology's not enough to erase years of neglect. And that's the root of your problem. You neglected him, Winter. You left him, and Weiss, at the mercy of your father. Don't be surprised, I know full well how Jacques treated you three."

Before Winter could say another word, he interrupted her. "And before you ask why we never reported it... well, you know how good your father's lawyers are."

"Yeah..." Winter can't argue against that.

The only reason Jacques hasn't landed in legal trouble was due in part to his absurdly skilled team of lawyers. She can't even begin to count the number of times her father's lawyers had kept him from serving jail time, no matter how severe the lawsuit. From money laundering to exploitation of workers, there was nothing Jacques Schnee couldn't get away with. If Happy or even Pepper had tried to accuse him of child abuse, they would have lost the trial before the opening arguments even started.

"But I'm not here to talk about the glorified sperm donor who doesn't even pretend to be your father." The man clarified. "I'm here to talk about how you can patch things up with Whitley. Winter, it's not enough just to say 'sorry'. You actually have to make an effort to show you truly are."

"And how do I do that, Happy?" The specialist sincerely asked.

"You can start by getting to know your brother. Learn about his interests and hobbies, find some common ground, you know?" He answered, earning a thoughtful hum from the young woman.

"But above all, try and be patient with him. He just went through a traumatic experience, and I've a feeling that he hasn't told us about everything he saw." Winter looked down in guilt at that reminder.

She hadn't been fair to her brother, and that was a gross oversimplification. Given all the horrific things he witnessed, the last thing he probably wanted to hear was to be equated to their father. She had really messed up in doing that. She had a lot to make up for, that much was sure.

"If you promise me to do that, I can talk Pepper into ending your punishment." He proposed, surprising the former heiress. "But only if you're really serious about making amends with your brother."

Winter took the moment to consider Happy's proposal. Once she had reached a decision, she sighed and answered honestly. "I'll try, Happy. That's the best answer I can give you. I do want to make things right with Whitley, but it all depends on whether he wants to."

Happy gave her a fatherly smile, "Trust me, kid. He wants that more than anything."

She gave the man a content smile. She can only wonder what her childhood would have been if her father was like Happy. She knew that he and Pepper we're going to be great parents to little Toni. Whitley was right in making them the girl's guardians. Maybe there were a lot of things he had been right about. Perhaps, after they started acting like real siblings, she can finally get to know the kind of person her brother truly was.

Polendina Pharmaceuticals...

"I see, so if I realign the wiring here, it'll decrease the chances of the reactor shorting out."

For as long as he can remember, Whitley Schnee had the type to accept input when it came to his inventions. He had been a very proud and arrogant person then, his ego too bloated to accept the possibility that he had botched something up during the design process. That attitude had mostly been ingrained into him by his father, all so he can mold the boy into another Jacques Schnee.

But that wasn't who he was now.

Besides, who was he to deny helpful feedback from the great Pietro Polendina?

"Indeed, Mr. Schnee. Other than that, I can find no other flaw with this design, other than the inferior metals you had to work with." Dr. Polendina told the boy, only to stroke his beard pensively. "However, I am concerned about the palladium core. Are you sure there aren't any other viable substitutes?"

"I'm afraid not. No matter what element that I thought could be used as a replacement, they were never able to generate the output needed for the reactor to work." The young genius informed his fellow scientist, adding with a shrug. "Besides, I haven't experienced any side-effects, so the palladium will have to do for now."

"That's not exactly reassuring, young man."

"Doctor, there's nothing about my situation that's reassuring."

The continued use of palladium wasn't the most ideal solution, but it was the best one given the circumstances. He had tested literally every element known on Remnant, along with every known isotopes of each element. But none could match palladium when it came to versatility, as well as possessing an acceptable decay rate. The only silver lining to be had was he had yet to experience any kind of side-effect of having the core inside his body.

And he hoped that he'll never experience any.

"Still, I really do appreciate your help, Doctor. Seriously, you have no idea just how much of a life saver you are." He told the old man.

"Think nothing of it, son. Just think of it as a favor." The doctor replied, waving the compliment off. "Besides, I've wanted to meet you for a while now. I've been following your work since your time at the Baxter Foundation. Your grandmother would be proud of you."

Whitley smiled at the doctor's kind words. "Thank you, Dr. Polendina. Everything I do, I do to make her and my grandfather proud."

The doctor smiled, "I've a feeling they're already proud of you, young man; especially your grandmother."

"You sound like you knew her pretty well." The boy commented.

"I did know her. In fact, she was my mentor when I attended ATI." The doctor's smile turned wistful. "And she was a good friend. I was quite heartbroken when I heard about the accident."

Whitley frowned sorrowfully upon hearing that last sentence. It had been more than five years, but the pain of his grandmother's death was still fresh. He remembered that day as though it were yesterday. He had just learned that he had been accepted into ATI. While most of his family offered their obligatory congratulations, the one person who would have been genuinely proud was his dear, old grandma. He had tried calling her to tell her the good news. All that he had received was a voice mail. He had tried calling her again, only to receive the same response. Every few minutes, he would try to call her, only to hear the same automated voice requesting a message.

It wasn't until late in the evening did he learn the terrible truth.

Antoinette Stark-Schnee, at the age of 70, had died in a car crash. She had been running some errands and while returning home had crashed. The exact cause behind the accident was never found out, but many were of the opinion that her advanced age was the most likely factor. All Whitley knew at the time was that grandma was dead and nothing would be ever be the same. His sisters became distant, his mother's drinking problem worsened, and his father hadn't cared in the slightest. In fact, from what he can remember, the man had been indifferent to the news that his mother-in-law had died.

Of course, Whitley had been too young and foolish to realize it.

The boy sighed morosely, "I wish she was still here."

"As do I, son; as do I." The doctor spoke. The man looked at the boy and frowned.

He had not meant to reopen old wounds. Wanting to lift the boy's mood, he asked. "You know, if you ever feel like it, I can tell you some stories about her; about what she was like back in the old days?"

Hearing that suggestion made the boy smile, "I would like that, Doctor."

"It'd be my pleasure, Mr. Schnee. Of course, all I ask in turn is that you help my daughter."

Whitley was rather surprised to hear the man's request. While he was accepting of the proposal, he hadn't expected the old man to ask in helping his daughter. It wasn't that he didn't dislike Penny. In fact, he found her to be quite nice and friendly, if a bit odd. But there was just something off about her. He can't explain it, but he just had this feeling in his gut that there was something strange about the girl.

With much hesitance, the boy asked. "Uh... pardon my bluntness, doctor; but why?"

The doctor could understand the boy's confusion.

*Line Break*

With much hesitance, the boy asked. "Uh... pardon my bluntness, doctor; but why?"

The doctor could understand the boy's confusion. "I know that we just met, and that this is a strange request, but hear me out."

Whitley motioned the doctor to continue. Polendina explained, "Penny is not like other girls. She hasn't had many chances to mingle with people her own age, and I can tell that she really wants a friend. She's a kind girl, but lacking in social awareness. I will help build your improved reactor, my boy, but all I ask is a favor in lieu of payment. Whitley Schnee, will you help my daughter by being her friend?"

The young Schnee took a moment to consider the man's words. It was honestly mindboggling. His idol was willing to help him, yet all he asked of him, rather than monetary compensation, was to befriend his daughter. He can't help but feel that the doctor knew more than what he was telling him. He hadn't even been aware the man had any children. Of course, being one of the most brilliant men on Remnant warranted some concern for possible threats against whatever family he had. But there was still something suspicious about this situation.

The only he can find out was to accept the man's proposal.

Besides, what kind of person would he be to deny such a seemingly innocuous proposition?

"Very well, I agree to your proposal." The doctor smiled at the boy's answer.

"However, while we're still on matter of favors, there's one I'd like to ask of you. I know you'll have your hands full with the reactor, but there's one more thing I need to ask of you."

Polendina blinked at that. "And what is this favor?"

Whitley gave the man his best smile.

"Tell me, doctor, do you have any protective bodysuits... preferably, of the bulletproof variety."

And that's the chapter!

Originally this chapter was meant to be much longer, with segments featuring Pepper, Toni, and the police investigating the destroyed warehouse. Oh, and V.I.C. too. Also, something involving Blizzard, but that will show up in the next chapter. But I had a deadline to meet, so I had to cut those out. Of course, the other stuff will appear in the next few chapters.

Also, I finally got a new job as a busser. I've only been working at this restraint for three weeks and its already more rewarding than stacking boxes for Amazon.

Anyway, here are the titles of the next three chapters.

Chapter 16: From Scratch (March 2021)

Chapter 17: Silver Lining (April 2021)

Chapter 18: Golden Opportunity (May 2021, End of Blizzard Arc)

Also, regarding my Assassin's Creed story, I have decided to postpone its release to June, as I still need to plan it out. So please, be patient as I work on the first chapter for ASSASSIN'S CREED: REVENANTS.

I will tell you all one thing though. The setting of the book Rhodey was reading is a hint to the first ancestor whose memories Whitley will relive. Also, Malik the Sunderer is a historical character mentioned in one of the RWBY Tie-in novels. He will be the major antagonist if the first ancestor's memories, and he is a Templar.

Also, as promised, here's a little vignette featuring one V.I.C.'s prank calls

Messing with Jacques (Call 1)

Once, on a fine Saturday morning...

In his bedroom, located in the east wing of Schnee Manor, Jacques Schnee laid asleep on his bed, his body caressed by fine silk bedsheets and blanket. The man was fully caught within the grasp of the sandman, snoring loudly like a bear. Of course, the man would deny he snored. That was something only his wife does. He was glad she slept in a separate bedroom, in the west wing, as he couldn't stand listening to her obnoxious snores. As it was his day off, the man had decided to sleep in through the whole morning.

VRRRMMM-VRRRMMM-VRRRMMM!

His tired eyes shot open at the sound of his vintage Telescroll ringing upon the wooden nightstand. Too tired to be upset at whatever idiot was calling at this ungodly hour, he picked up his scroll and pressed the answer button on the screen. He pressed the device against the right side of his face and tiredly asked, "'Ello?"

"Hello, Mr. Schnee, this is your doctor. This call concerns the colonoscopy you had last week. I finally have your results."

Jacques frowned in worry as he listened to the person claiming to be his physician. As he was not yet fully awake, the businessman could not differentiate this voice from that of his actual doctor.

"The good news is that you're completely healthy. No ulcers, infections, or any of the like."

At that bit of news, the false Schnee smiled in relief.

"Unfortunately, we're unable to remove the stick you were born with."

"Wait, what?" He asked in confusion, now suspecting that this was not his actual doctor.

The call ended right there, leaving the befuddled entrepreneur to wonder as to the identity of the caller. Ultimately, he decided he didn't care in the slightest and promptly returned to sleep.

Damn prank callers. He'd been getting a lot of those lately.