Author's Note: Warning: This story is (obviously) a sequel to A Different Shade of RWBY! I strongly recommend reading that story first as this one is filled with spoilers!
Well, it's been four years (four years!?) since I wrote what would turn out to be my most popular story ever. I've had the broad strokes of this sequel plotted out from almost the moment I finished the original story, but I wanted to wait to write it until I had the time and the drive to do this story justice. That time is now. Are you excited? I'm…well I'm mostly nervous. I've seen so many creators both professional and amateur fail to make lightning strike twice. So my goal for this story isn't to make it "the original but better". My goal is to make it just as good but in a different way.
Also I'd like to reiterate that I had most of the plot points in my head back in 2019. Some of the events in canon RWBY have made a few of the things I have planned…ironic.
This is the Teen and Up rated version of the story. The Mature rated version has been posted over on Archive of Our Own.
This story was written during the interim between Volumes 9 and 10.
Chapter 1: Unborn Legacy
Weiss was walking down a hallway high up in the Schnee Dust Company's headquarters in downtown Atlas, strutting with enough poise that she might have been mistaken for the royalty of old. She was projecting as commanding of an air as she could to make it perfectly clear to anyone present that this was her domain and she was in charge. Inconveniently, that wasn't exactly true, but Weiss's years of experience in public relations had taught her that the truth was more flexible than the average person might suspect.
Weiss's snow-white hair was done up flawlessly in a loose bun with not a strand out of place, and her white business jacket sat perfectly on her shoulders over her ice-blue blouse. Ruby was walking by her side only a step behind. She was wearing what had become her unofficial uniform in her capacity as Weiss's bodyguard, a white blouse and red tie tucked into a black vest complete with black slacks and flats. She of course had her red hood on as well. The hood wasn't typical business attire, but its cape handily concealed the combat scythe that was folded up and strapped to her back. Her ever-present good luck charm was also around her wrist, a bracelet made of a simple leather strap and a metal charm in the shape of her father's crest. She had continued to let her black and red-streaked hair grow out, and it now hung past her shoulders.
A needlessly large double door loomed ahead of Weiss and Ruby, and they stopped in front of it. Weiss took a moment to collect herself. Then she turned to Ruby and said, "Wish me luck."
"Oh. Hold on a minute!" Ruby said. She reached into a tiny pouch on the small of her back and pulled out a case of contouring makeup and a brush. She quickly got to work touching up what she perceived to be an unacceptable imperfection in Weiss's appearance.
Weiss wanted to object to Ruby fussing over her. It wasn't like she had some scar or other sort of blemish to hide. However, she not-so-secretly loved every second of Ruby doting on her. Ruby had effectively become Weiss's personal assistant in recent months. It was not something Weiss had asked of her, but now she wondered how she'd ever made do without Ruby. Ruby's makeup skills had also grown considerably, which Weiss found amusing since Ruby barely wore any makeup herself.
"There! All better," Ruby said, returning the brush and case to her pouch. "Now good luck."
"Thank you," Weiss said. "You can wait for me here. I won't be long."
"Right," Ruby said. "Knock them dead! Well…not literally."
"If only…" Weiss lamented.
Weiss pushed open the double doors and walked into a large conference room. The space was dominated by a long table, and sat at it were the members of the Schnee Dust Company's board of directors. The buzz of overlapping conversations died down as Weiss entered.
"Ah. Miss Schnee," a man said with the thinnest pretense of cordiality. "Please. Have a seat."
Weiss did take a seat. She stared out at the room and saw she had everyone's complete and undivided attention. The eyes of the board members glinted like daggers pointed at Weiss's throat. She tried not to be intimidated and reminded herself that if the board really intended to act against her they wouldn't have given her the courtesy of this meeting.
The man who had spoken was Robert Hail, the chairman of the board. He was a large man, not fat by any definition of the word, but large. His once-fit body had put up an impressive effort to resist the ravages of time, but his age was as plain to see as the gray hair on his head. He said, "Miss Schnee, I trust you know why we've called you here."
Weiss knew exactly why the board had summoned her, but she feigned an innocent smile and said, "I'm afraid I don't, Mr. Hail."
"I'm sure I don't need to inform you that even with workers returning to Creek Basin Mine in the aftermath of the White Fang attack, production there remains at all but a standstill," Mr. Hail said. "With one of our largest and most important mines effectively shut down, our stock is in free fall. And now your interference with our other remote mining facilities is hamstringing their productivity as well. Our investors are, to put it mildly, upset. Just what do you think you're doing, Miss Schnee?"
Weiss said, "Mr. Hail, you know as well as I do that the White Fang attack isn't why Creek Basin Mine hasn't fully resumed operations yet. Or have you forgotten about the army of regulators swarming over the mine, investigating certain…issues regarding our company's interpretation of Atlas's labor laws?"
The scowl that crossed Mr. Hail's face gave Weiss more satisfaction than she felt it should have. She wondered what he might have done if he'd known she was the one who'd alerted the authorities about the Company's flagrant violation of the labor laws in the first place. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to find out. She'd done a very thorough job of covering her tracks.
Weiss continued, "Our investors may want us to charge full ahead, but it's my job as well as yours to protect them from their own shortsightedness. After all, the only reason our other mines are being allowed to continue to operate at all is because I am working very closely with the Atlas Board of Labor to make sure we're moving in a direction toward better compliance."
Weiss paused, and she held her breath, hoping the board had bought her bluff. She hadn't lied to them per se, but she knew that the political establishment of Atlas would never allow the leading company in the kingdom's largest industry, one that was of grave military importance to boot, to suffer too much from regulatory oversight. Even after her whistleblowing, the Schnee Dust Company could commit mass murder and get away with no more punishment than a bureaucratic slap on the wrist. And it practically had. Just the thought of it made Weiss sick.
Fortunately, the only response Weiss got from the board was an awkward silence and some nervous shifting in seats.
Weiss said, "I was there, ladies and gentlemen. I was at Creek Basin Mine when it was attacked. I stared into the eyes of the enemy we'd created as she tried to murder me!"
A chill went down Weiss's spine as she recalled the venomous contempt that Sienna Khan, the High Leader of the White Fang, had regarded her with. She still had the occasional nightmare about how close Sienna had come to killing her.
Weiss mentally shook off her fear. She said, "But if that's too esoteric for any of you to grasp, then consider this. I was also at Creek Basin Mine before the attack, and the labor practices I saw there weren't sustainable."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Hail asked.
"Look at the numbers if you don't believe me," Weiss said. "New employment has slowed to a trickle. Our mine administrators are having to squeeze harder and harder to get the same amount of blood from the proverbial turnip. There are more job opportunities for faunus now than ever before, especially since the end of the Maiden War. They don't need to work for us anymore! The only way we're going to meet future quotas is if laborers want to work for us. You asked me what I'm doing, Mr. Hail? I'm trying to save my family's company from itself!"
"Miss Schnee," Mr. Hail said in that condescending tone that was reserved for someone speaking to a person several decades their younger. Weiss had recently turned twenty-four, but that wasn't nearly old enough to make her a person worthy of respect in the eyes of someone like Mr. Hail. "Don't think the board doesn't…appreciate your good intentions. But it's not your place to 'save' the Company. Your family's name may be on the building, but you're not the CEO. You're not even a VP."
It took considerable effort on Weiss's part to not let worry show on her face. Annoyingly, Mr. Hail was correct. But rather than backing down, Weiss went on the attack. She said, "I may merely be the Director of Public Relations, but where is our illustrious CEO? I haven't heard from Father in months. To the best of my knowledge, no one has."
A quiet murmur rippled through the room. The board was clearly concerned by Jacque Schnee's conspicuous absence. Weiss didn't blame them. It was unusual and more than a bit alarming. Weiss knew he was still alive and well; Klein would have reported any disturbances at the family mansion to her. But whatever Father was up to was anyone's guess. Unfortunately, Weiss was dealing with more pressing issues at the moment, so she hadn't been able to devote any time to solving that particular mystery.
Weiss clasped her hands together and leaned forward, reinforcing her façade of unassailable confidence. She said, "Father hasn't stopped me. None of the executives have. And for that matter, none of you have either. Do you want to know why? Because none of you know what else to do! The times are changing, ladies and gentlemen! They will continue to change! And the Schnee Dust Company can embrace that change, or it can be destroyed by it. It's as simple as that."
Weiss stood.
Mr. Hail said, "Miss Schnee, we have much more to discuss."
"I'm sure we do. But I'm very busy at the moment," Weiss said. "Please contact my assistant if you'd like to schedule some time on my calendar. She'd be happy to help you."
With that, Weiss marched away. The room's double doors swung open as she pushed past them. Then they closed behind her with a muted thud.
Back in the relative safety of the hallway, Weiss took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her stomach was tying itself into knots, and it refused to relax.
Ruby, who had been waiting patiently as instructed, walked up to Weiss's side with sparkling eyes and a dazzling smile. She didn't say anything, but Weiss was already feeling better thanks to her presence alone.
Weiss said, "I presume you were eavesdropping?"
"As your bodyguard, I had to make sure no one was threatening your safety," Ruby said, concocting a bogus excuse. "And it was fun to listen to you put them in their place."
"I'm not so sure I did," Weiss said.
Despite the bravado Weiss had shown in the boardroom, she knew her position was incredibly precarious. She had absolutely no authority to implement the labor reforms she was trying to bully the Company into embracing, and any number of people could shut her down in an instant. She suspected her family name and her theretofore glittering reputation within the Company were the only things keeping disaster at bay. She wondered how long it would be until an ambitious rival saw this as their opportunity to take her down. But despite the risk, Weiss would not stop trying to correct her company's course. First of all, she had no doubt it was the right thing to do. Tearing down a system of what was effectively indentured servitude could only be a good thing. But more to the point, she genuinely believed it was what was best for the Company, at least in the long term.
Weiss motioned for Ruby to follow her, and the two of them started walking in the direction of the elevators.
Ruby asked, "Do you really think the board is going to try to get in your way?"
"Maybe, the idiots," Weiss said. Then she shook her head. "No. They're not idiots. But they are used to things being a certain way, and they don't know how to cope with the possibility of change."
"They're lucky to have you then," Ruby said.
"I doubt they see it that way," Weiss said.
Ruby and Weiss reached the elevators. Ruby pushed the call button, and a set of doors immediately opened. Weiss and Ruby stepped in, and Ruby pushed the button for the twenty-ninth floor.
The elevator had just started descending when Weiss leaned her head against Ruby's shoulder. She felt Ruby jump slightly at the contact. Weiss wasn't surprised. Despite them being girlfriends, public displays of affection between them were strictly forbidden, especially at work. There were already more than enough rumors about them being together floating around the office, although Weiss suspected those same rumors would be circulating even if she and Ruby weren't actually dating.
Weiss desperately wished she and Ruby could be more open about their love. Unfortunately, Atlesian high society was obsessed with bloodlines and good breeding, all things that were predicated on a traditional family unit. Someone like Weiss was expected to find a suitable husband to help produce the next generation of Schnees. The revelation that she was not only gay but also dating a woman would have been a catastrophic scandal. And it certainly wouldn't help smooth things over that Ruby was Weiss's employee. While Weiss wasn't sure she cared anymore about what high society thought of her, losing the respect of her social peers would undermine much of the credibility she desperately needed right now. It would also expose poor Ruby to the not-so-tender mercies of every news rag and tabloid in Atlas and beyond.
The potential for scandal wasn't without its upsides, however. Weiss had no doubt that some of the blowback would affect Father too, especially since she'd made sure he unequivocally knew. He would be seen as a failure for being unable to control his daughter's aberrant behavior. It was the one bit of real leverage Weiss had on him at the moment. Not so long ago, Weiss had even thought that telling Father about her feelings for Ruby had been the first step to telling the world. Oh how naïve she'd been. Fortunately, she'd remembered before it was too late that the world's capacity for cruelty far exceeded Father's.
Ruby's hand reached up and stroked Weiss's hair. Weiss might have cooed if it wouldn't have been so undignified. Ruby asked, "Was the board meeting really that bad?"
"I suppose not," Weiss said. "But it was a painful reminder of what an uphill battle I'm facing."
"We're facing," Ruby corrected.
"Of course," Weiss said. Although she knew the burden and the responsibility only truly rested with her.
Weiss felt the elevator start to slow. She lifted her head off of Ruby, and a moment later, the elevator doors opened. She and Ruby walked out onto the twenty-ninth floor and silently made their way back to Weiss's office without so much as a hint that anything intimate had happened between them.
As soon as Weiss stepped foot through her office door, her assistant, Rosalie, cheerfully said, "Welcome back, Miss Schnee! Always nice to see you as well, Miss Rose. I trust everything went well?"
Rosalie was middle-aged with smile lines creasing her face and streaks of gray in her auburn hair. She was sitting at her desk where she acted as Weiss's receptionist, administrative assistant, and gatekeeper. She had been Weiss's employee since almost the day that Weiss had formally started working for the Schnee Dust Company, and she was just as vital to Weiss's success as Ruby had become.
"As well as can be expected," Weiss said. "Did I miss anything important while the board was wasting my time?"
"A huntsman of some description managed to navigate our bureaucracy well enough to leave a message for you," Rosalie said.
Weiss sighed. Huntsmen always wanted the same thing from her, to be the beneficiary of a PR stunt that gave them access to a supply of free Dust. She said, "Unless Cinder Fall has somehow managed to return from the grave, I'll worry about that later."
"He was rather vague about whatever he wanted to tell you," Rosalie said. "But I don't think it was anything that urgent."
"Later then," Weiss said. She started walking toward the back of the room where there was another door that led to her office proper. "Come, Ruby. I need to discuss this week's schedule with you."
"Right away, Miss Schnee!" Ruby said in a tone that sounded genuinely professional but had just the faintest hint that Ruby was playacting.
Weiss opened the door and ushered Ruby inside. Just before she stepped in herself, she said, "No calls, Rosalie."
"Of course, Miss Schnee," Rosalie said.
Weiss closed the door behind her.
Ruby asked, "Do we actually need to talk about the schedule, or—?"
Weiss shut Ruby up with a kiss. She should have known better than to indulge in that tiny bit of physical affection in the elevator. It had only whetted her appetite. She didn't usually take risks like this at work, even in the privacy of her own office. But the taboo nature of it all only made Ruby's lips more enticing.
Ruby's hands found Weiss's shoulders as she kissed Weiss back. Weiss felt her heart flutter. It was moments like this that made all the aggravation and frustration in her life bearable. How had she even survived before Ruby had come along?
Weiss deepened the kiss, not really sure how far she intended to go. But suddenly the door to her office started swinging open, and Weiss heard Rosalie shout, "General! You can't go in there!"
Blind panic flooded into Weiss. She shoved Ruby away from her just in time for the door to open fully. She turned, ready to castrate whoever had dared enter her office without permission, but she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Winter.
"Sister!" Weiss said in complete shock.
"Weiss…" Winter responded.
Weiss was absolutely flabbergasted to see Winter standing there. It was true that the two of them had finally started speaking to one another again over the CCT. But that was a far cry from meeting in person, especially unannounced.
Winter looked exactly like Weiss remembered. Her hair was cropped short, an eye patch covered her right eye, and a stern, humorless look was radiating from her left eye. She was wearing her general's uniform complete with gloves and riding boots like she'd been born in it. Weiss wondered if she'd worn civilian clothing in years.
"General!" Rosalie said, chasing in after Winter. She turned to Weiss. "I'm so sorry, Miss Schnee. I told her she'd need to make an appointment, but she—"
Weiss held up a hand. She said, "It's alright, Rosalie. Perhaps you should offer the general a drink."
"That won't be necessary," Winter said. "I won't be staying long."
Weiss was silent for a moment. Then she said to Rosalie, "We'll need some privacy."
Rosalie nodded. She gave Winter a suspicious glare, but then she left the room, shutting the door on her way out.
Weiss wandered over to her desk and took a seat behind it. Her office furnishings were very much in keeping with the current style. Clean lines, glass surfaces, and monochromatic colors were the order of the day. It all felt very sterile to Weiss, but she admitted that the décor often helped put her in the dispassionate, professional mindset she needed to do her job.
Weiss gestured at one of the chairs set out in front of her desk for guests and said to Winter, "Won't you sit down?"
"I'll stand, thank you," Winter said as she walked up to Weiss's desk. She tucked her right arm tightly behind her back. Weiss knew that arm and Winter's right leg were both robotic prosthetics. Winter had lost both limbs in the early years of the Maiden War during the now legendary operation that had safely and successfully de-floated the city of Atlas before it could be brought crashing to the ground by Cinder Fall's agents. That was the very operation that had gotten the war hero General James Ironwood killed. He had been Winter's mentor, and she had never been the same since his death.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Weiss asked Winter, unhappy with how awkward she sounded. She had not been prepared to meet her sister today.
"I've heard some disturbing rumors," Winter said. "I've come to see if they are true."
"I'm afraid they are," Weiss said. "Our family's company has been horribly abusing our faunus workers."
"That is not what I was referring to," Winter said. "Everyone of importance already knew that. The fact that you didn't until recently reflects poorly on you I'm afraid."
"Hey! Don't talk to Weiss like that!" Ruby suddenly said, sounding offended. She had quietly faded into the background as she'd proven very adept at doing while she was on duty. But Winter's unfavorable assessment of Weiss had apparently been too much for her.
Winter turned and fixed her piercing gaze on Ruby. Her eye narrowed as she sized up the smaller woman. She said, "You must be Ruby Rose. Weiss's…'bodyguard'."
Weiss didn't like the coy innuendo dangling off the end of Winter's sentence. Especially since she herself had told Winter about her relationship with Ruby.
"Yeah. That's me," Ruby defiantly said to Winter. Weiss was impressed that Ruby hadn't wilted before Winter's imposing presence.
Winter continued to stare at Ruby, but then she extended her hand, saying, "A pleasure to meet you."
Ruby glanced at Winter's hand like it might be a trap. But she took it and gave it a firm shake.
Winter turned back to Weiss and said, "No. The rumor that concerns me is that you are attempting to usurp Father's authority."
"I suppose I am," Weiss said. "I wish it wasn't necessary. But it's the only way I'll be able to do the right thing."
"The right thing or the profitable thing?" Winter asked.
"The right thing!" Weiss said. "How can you even ask me that?! The last time you were in this office you were trying to convince me of the truth about our family's company. Well now I'm convinced."
"And yet I've noticed the events at Creek Basin Mine have been reported to the public in a very controlled manner. A manner that keeps the Company from losing too much face," Winter said. "And you're still sitting in this office, reaping the benefits of your position, rather than walking away and exposing the evils you unwittingly help perpetuate."
"Destroying this company won't fix anything!" Weiss said, slamming her fist down on her desk. "It will just allow one of our competitors to take our place! I can use the Company to effect real, lasting change! I know it!"
Winter was silent.
"Do you really not believe me?" Weiss asked.
"I believe in your good intentions. But if you truly mean to do the right thing, you'll have made some powerful enemies. And none more dangerous than Father," Winter said. She glanced at Ruby. "You'd best be on your guard, Miss Rose."
"Winter, don't be ridiculous," Weiss said. "The way you're talking you make it sound like Father will have me assassinated."
"Perhaps not right away, but don't underestimate what he's capable of," Winter said. "Have you heard from him recently? Has he made threats? Offered a compromise?"
"No. He's been strangely quiet," Weiss said.
Winter suddenly looked even more concerned. She said, "Then whatever he's plotting, he's moved beyond anything resembling negotiation."
"Winter…" Weiss said. She was starting to get exasperated.
"I've said what I came here to say." Winter turned to leave.
"Wait!" Weiss said.
Winter turned back around.
Weiss placed her hands on her desk. She missed the sister she'd known, the one the War hadn't chewed up and spat out. But rather than lament what she'd lost, she resolved to cherish what she still had.
Weiss stood. She said, "It doesn't always have to be business between us. Can't you stay a little longer? I'd like to get reacquainted with you."
Winter's expression finally softened, but she said, "I can't."
"Why not?" Weiss asked.
Winter looked away for a moment. Then she said, "Something big is coming."
"Something big? Like what?" Weiss asked.
"I do not know," Winter said. "But all the warning signs are present."
Weiss had expected Winter to blow off her question with a pithy claim about it being classified. Now she was worried. She asked, "Is there anything I can do to help."
"No," Winter said succinctly. "This is a matter for the military. But I do appreciate the offer. With any luck, you'll never notice anything was amiss. Besides. You're fighting your own war right now."
"I suppose I am," Weiss said.
"I must be going," Winter said.
"Very well," Weiss said. "But please, when you're able. Please come and see me. I'd like for you to be part of my life again."
"I will…do what I can," Winter said. She turned and walked to the door. She put her hand on the knob, but rather than turn it, she looked at Ruby.
Winter asked Ruby, "You are a huntress, are you not?"
"Yes ma'am," Ruby said. Some of her training at Atlas Academy was bleeding through. She'd no doubt had the proper way to address an officer of the Atlesian military drilled into her many times.
"I'm entrusting the safety of my sister to you. After all, if a huntress cannot protect her own girlfriend, then what good is she?" Winter said. And with that, she opened the door and left.
A painful silence filled the room in Winter's wake. Weiss slumped back down into her chair. She supposed that had gone as well as it could have.
Eventually, Weiss straitened her posture and said to Ruby, "At least Winter likes you."
"She does?" Ruby asked. "It sure didn't sound like it."
"Believe me," Weiss said. "If she didn't like you there would be no doubt."
"What do you think she meant by something big is coming?" Ruby asked.
"I don't know," Weiss said.
"Should we tell Yang and Blake?" Ruby asked.
"There's nothing to tell them yet," Weiss said. "We'll let them know the second we know something."
"Right," Ruby said.
Yang and Blake were not the kind of people Weiss had ever expected to make friends with, much less hire. But they had become her preferred solution to any unconventional problems that might crop up. Technically they were employees of the Schnee Dust Company itself, although Weiss had buried any information regarding their employment under so much bureaucratic chaff that they effectively only worked for her. It was more convenient that way. Especially since Yang and Blake were wanted by the Atlas police, despite Weiss's best effort to sweep all that under the rug.
Suddenly, a horrible thought struck Weiss. It must have shown on her face because she saw Ruby look at her with concern. She stood and wandered over to her office's windows.
Ruby walked up to Weiss's side and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ruby…" Weiss said as she gazed out at Atlas. "Am I becoming a villainess?"
"W-what?" Ruby asked. She had obviously not anticipated Weiss's question. "Is this about what Winter said?"
"No," Weiss said. But then she confessed, "Maybe. What if she has a point? Why haven't I resigned?"
"You already told her why," Ruby said. "You're trying to fix this!"
"And to that end, I'm attempting to usurp control of my family's company. I'm using my power and influence to manipulate the system. I even have hired mercenaries," Weiss said. "What's next? Will I cackle madly as I order my minions to drag my enemies away from my evil throne?"
"Well, that'd be…uh…." Ruby's voice dropped to a quiet mumble. "…kind of hot."
Weiss blinked in surprise, her emotional turmoil somewhat defused by Ruby's unexpected reaction. She turned and saw that Ruby was blushing.
Weiss chuckled. Leave it to Ruby to accidentally find a way to make her feel better. She said, "Perhaps I should start wearing a peaked cap and greatcoat to complete the evil dictator look."
Ruby's blush got a little deeper. Weiss made a mental note of items to buy for their next special occasion. It was usually Ruby who got her flustered, not the other way around.
Ruby suddenly shook her head and looked serious again. She said, "Weiss, you're not turning into the bad guy."
"But if I was, how would I know?" Weiss asked.
"Because you have me!" Ruby said.
Weiss thought about it. She said, "Then I need you to promise that you'll tell me if it ever looks like I'm about to cross a line."
"I promise," Ruby said solemnly.
"Good," Weiss said. She was eager to change the topic, so she asked, "How are your sister and Blake doing? We haven't seen them in a while."
"They're just hanging out at their cabin right now," Ruby said. "I'm sure they'll be ready whenever you've got another job for them."
"I have no doubt," Weiss said.
In many ways, Weiss was jealous of Yang and Blake. Some days she wished she really could just walk away from it all as Winter had suggested and quietly live her life with Ruby. But she could never abandon her duty to the Schnee name. It was a burden just as much as it was a blessing.
"Well that's enough lollygagging for now," Weiss said. "There's a lot to do, and it's high time we got back to work."
"I'm right here with you," Ruby said.
"I know," Weiss said, once again thanking her lucky stars for Ruby. With the two of them working together maybe her harebrained scheme to make the world a better place might actually work. Maybe.
Author's Note: Back when I wrote the original story not only had Atlas not crashed into the ground, we didn't even know yet that it was a floating city. Actually, if I recall correctly, we found out it was a floating city about halfway through me writing the story. So yes. I've explained away that little disconnect from canon. I think it works out rather nicely actually. It gives Winter a diverging backstory, explains why she's not the Winter Maiden, and lets Ironwood die the hero (instead of living long enough to become the villain). I also like the idea that not everything is automatically worse just because Team RWBY wasn't there. The whole idea of this series is to explore the good and the bad caused by the one change to each of the characters' lives.
Also, I'm jealous of Ruby's contouring skills. Yes, I've watched tutorials. As far as I'm concerned it's black magic. Maybe I need to become a warlock's apprentice or something and learn the dark arts.
Oh! And yes I'm once again coming up with chapter titles by taking lyrics from the soundtrack and reversing their meaning. (Except for the last chapter of each story.) And I'm also once again kicking myself for thinking up this idea since it's actually surprisingly hard. Especially since I've already used up most of the more iconic lyrics. I'm having to dig pretty deep this time, so unless you like word puzzles I wouldn't recommend trying to figure out where everything came from. I'll have a master list in the author's note at the end of the last chapter just like I did in the original story.
As always, I welcome constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave a review. And if you like what you've read, taking the time to favorite and/or follow really helps me out. You can also find me on tumblr (electronicyarn) if you want to send me a message or be notified of updates.
