Atonement VIII Part 4
"So how does it feel to be back in Atlas?"
When Weiss took Namine from the meeting room with their parents, she decided to take the younger blond on a brief tour around the city. Klein of course had elected to go with them. Normally Weiss would think her father was being overprotective of her by having someone go with her and Namine, but Klein was welcome enough company that she didn't mind as much.
"Can't say I missed it too much." Namine admitted as they walked down the sidewalk of a street in one of the districts of Atlas. "Much less restrictive."
"I know what you mean but it isn't so bad down in Mantle at least." Wiess admitted. "There are actually some plans to go to Vale soon and meet with some potential clients for expanding the SDC and meeting potential business partners. Perhaps I will have the chance to visit you at Beacon."
"I would like that." Namine smiled softly. "So, you don't plan to join Atlas Academy like your sister?"
"Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of how far Winter has come but I just don't feel like I would be making the family proud by just taking the same path she took. I feel more like I would simply be copying Winter if I did that." Weiss admitted.
"Nonsense, Lady Weiss. No one would think less of you if you did join Atlas Academy." Klein could not help but cut in. "My apologies for speaking, though."
"It's fine, Klein." Weiss looked over her shoulder with a smile. "I just feel that as the younger daughter, I should be trying to find my own path instead of the ones the rest of my family has already taken."
"Of course, my lady." Klein bowed his head for a second before lifting it up to show a smile on his face. "The I am sure whatever academy accepts you will be singing praises about you as their best student in less than a month."
"Klein." Weiss sighed.
"It is true. Your mother, uncles and sister trained you how to fight and your father tutored you himself." Klein continued. "That has to say something to be trained by the best Huntress of her generation, the top graduate of Atlas Academy and Ansem the Wise himself. That's not something you can say for most elite families. Most parents would hire tutors rather than teaching the children themselves. Not Lady Willow or Sir Ansem."
Wiess scowled but both Namine and Klein could see her cheeks turning slightly red.
"That must have helped a lot, Wiess." Namine commented with a smile, making Weiss turned away.
"Indeed. Sir Ansem would personally tutor Weiss in everything, from history, economics, the use of Dust and he made sure they would all stick through various mental techniques to help improve her mind, practicing and reciting various fallacies and theories. And don't get me started on those puzzles and riddles he had." Klein rubbed his head. "It's wonder why I never had to stock up on aspirin considering the headaches I got from watching. I would have expected poor Ladies Winter, Wiess and Master Whitely to be nursing such headaches in the middle of the night."
"It certainly felt that way at times." Weiss admitted with a soft smile. "Father believes in strengthening one's body, mind and heart no matter what profession they might take."
"Certainly, sounds that way." Namine commented.
As they walked in front of an open alley there was a sudden sound of movement. Weiss narrowed her eyes and moved in front of Namine while Klein moved in front of Weiss.
"Well, well, look what we have here."
Four men, all of them wearing Grimm masks with red markings.
Red Fang.
Or the Crimson Fang, honestly Weiss couldn't keep track of what those guys called themselves.
"We were sneaking around, waiting to see if some rich family folk would come around and who shows up? Why none other than a Schnee." One of them spoke with disgusted sneer.
Weiss had known that the Crimson Fang had serious misgivings with humanity, especially with how they had been treated in places like Mistral…
And Atlas.
Despite her father's hard work in promoting equality for the Faunus, not many in Atlas or even in Mantle thought the same. It caused issues, many of which led to them joining the White Fang and the splinter group that was formed when the White Fang had been split by a difference in ideologies, especially in the wake of such people who fostered anti-Faunus sentiments like the Wild Hunt.
She was sad to say she had much such people here in Atlas and even in the SDC when once or twice a board member would try to go behind her father's back in the name of profit at the expense of the Faunus like cutting funding for safety equipment in the SDC mines, trying to lower the payment of Faunus workers…
Some even tried advocating that Faunus workers would be moved to more dangerous locations, such as in Mistral or Sanus where the Wild Hunt had their barbaric practices of abducting Faunus and releasing them only to be hunted down like animals.
It was sickening.
Still, she couldn't let herself or Namine become an outlet for all their frustrations.
"Your family may be nicer to us, Schnee." One of the masked men said, pointing a knife at her. "But you're still a human hoarding all those riches for yourself. Giving away handouts to our people who work for you, so they forget all that humanity has done to us."
"And you think this will make things better? Threatening the daughter of a man who has worked to make things better for everyone, including the Faunus?" Weiss asked, sounding bold as she worked to imitate the same tone her father would make against people like the ones in front of her. "What's your plan exactly? Take me hostage for ransom so that my father will answer any demands you make? Hurt me to send some kind of message? That it doesn't matter what good my family does for the Faunus, you'll just want more and more and never be satisfied?"
"I've heard enough. Rough them up but leave heiress alive so her family can see not even a Schnee is untouchable." The apparent leader spoke.
Klein's eyes flashed red. "You will not touch her!"
He grabbed the nearest thug and headbutted them into the face with such force that the mask cracked and broke. Klein threw him at another thug while the third one moved to stab him from behind…
Only a black glowing glyph with a snow emblem appeared in front of him, blocking the knife and the thug was suddenly throw against the wall. He grunted but got back up, growling as he turned to Weiss who had her hand held out, ready to summon another glyph.
He moved to attack again…
And was blasted back against the wall again by what appeared to be a sonic blast, given the instrumental tone it gave off.
"Now is that any way to treat a lady?"
Weiss turned around to see a young man approaching them. He had dark skin with dark brown eyes. He wore rectangular sunglasses and a dark fedora with a blue trim on his head as well as an earring on his right ear. He wore a dark vest over an untucked white dress shirt, with a loose tie wrapped around the collar. Completing his attire is a pair of dark dress pants, silver dress shoes and a dark glove on his left hand.
"Flynt?" Weiss looked surprised to see him.
"Hey, Wiess." The young man greeted back with a smile. "Heard the commotion near my dad's shop and decided what was going on. What brings the Schnee heiress to my corner of town?"
Flynt Coal was the son of a Dust Shop owner whose shop was saved by her father when he agreed to supply them with the much-needed Dust to keep the shop running. Wiess had met the owner's son, Flynt who had complimented her for her singing, much to her surprise. He even suggested they do a duet, with her singing and his trumpet from time to time which had been fun times for her. There was a café nearby where she would sing while Flynt would play his trumpet and they would quickly draw a crowd.
It was no concert like the ones she usually sang at, but it was fun all the same.
The leader growled, seeing Weiss defending the butler and moved to attack while she was distracted by the newcomer…
SHINK!
But a flash of light stopped him as something was held close to his neck.
"Namine?" Weiss looked surprised to see her younger friend holding the thug leader back with a weapon she apparently summoned to her hand.
It resembled a fusion between a key and a sword with a long-pointed shaft and the teeth resembling three spikes. Although the base of the weapon appears solid, the hilt and additional detailing appear weak and delicate, forming wispy curls all along the sword. A keychain charm hung from the bottom of the hilt, resembling a heart with an 'X' across it. The overall color scheme was silver and metallic blue.
"What…" The leader gaped, seeing he and his men had been defeated so easily.
"You will surrender now and come peacefully." Namine said stoically, her soft smile replaced by a cold face.
"What are you?"
"My friend." Weiss stepped forward and put a hand on Namine's shoulder, having her lower her weapon. "And she is right. You will submit to the authorities for your attempted crime."
"I have already called the police, Lady Weiss." Klein held up his scroll. "They will be here-"
A police siren was heard as an airship hovered over them.
"Right now."
"Unbelievable." Willow rubbed her head. "Is it impossible to enjoy a simple stroll these days?"
"The four have been detained and will be booked." Winter stated, just as unhappy as her mother that someone had dared to attack her sister and the general's daughter. "They were low-time grunts, probably fed into the propaganda by the Red Fang."
"And of course, practically everyone up here will spin this as a reason to bar the Faunus living in the kingdom from coming up here." Willow rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, I wonder if they encourage actions like this just to spite your father's hard work."
Winter couldn't argue with that.
She knew there were a lot of people in Atlas who disliked her father's message of tolerance and equality with the Faunus.
She looked at the bottom of the stairs, seeing Weiss and Flynt giving their account to the officer.
"I see she ran into Mr. Coal again." Winter observed.
Willow smiled softly. "Yes."
Winter had noticed the growing friendship between Weiss and Flynt after their fathers had met to discuss a deal where Ansem would supply the Coal's Dust shop with more Dust. They had both been introduced to each other during that time and their shared interest in music had led to a friendship being formed. Winter knew Flynt had applied to join Atlas Academy and his transcripts were promising.
She just wasn't sure yet what to make of his friendship with her younger sister.
Before meeting him, Weiss had shown no interest Flynt's style of music called jazz but after Flynt offered to show her by taking her to a café he liked to frequent he somehow managed to get her to join him on stage where she showed off her talent as a singer where things just took off to the point that Weiss considered Flynt a good friend.
Winter just wasn't sure if that was where it ended.
Weiss and Flynt ended their interview with the officers and walked up the stairs to meet Willow and Winter at the doors.
"Mother, Sister." Weiss greeted with a bow.
"Mrs. Schnee, Miss Schnee." Flynt greeted as well in a respectful tone.
"Mr. Coal, thank you for helping out my sister." Winter said gratefully and yet keeping herself professional.
"We were just about to sit down for dinner, and we have plenty of room for one more." Willow offered with a kind smile.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Schnee. I wouldn't want to impose." Flynt said shyly.
It wasn't that he was afraid of having dinner with Weiss' family…Well, just a little. He heard that the Schnees were hosting General Ironwood and Flynt could admit that sitting at a table with the most influential people in Atlas could be a little intimidating.
"Nonsense." Willow patted Flynt on the shoulder. "It's the least we can for you after you came to my daughter's aid, like an actual hero out of a fairy tale."
"Mother!" Weiss exclaimed with a blushing face, but Willow was already leading Flynt inside.
Winter just looked on with a raised eyebrow. "I guess we'll be having a rather large dinner tonight, sister. I hope Mr. Coal remembers to be respectful if questioned about anything."
Weiss just looked at Winter with slightly scared wide eyes.
Everyone enjoyed their meals. Everything had been like it was both homemade and the kind of food rated at a five star restaurant they would usually go to in either Atlas and Mantle. Even James Ironwood was enjoying the stake that had been presented to him. Neither he nor Glynda wished to intrude but they were surprised when Ansem and Willow had also been invited them and Namine to join for dinner.
When they had a taste of their meal the General actually wished they could actually learn the recipe and technique to help the serve their military a little bit more better standards. They didn't hesitate to enjoy simple talks while enjoying the food. Ansem spoken to the general in terms to one father to another for the sake of their children always have time for them. The general had admitted that that he was looking to spend time with his daughter who was often with her mother back in Beacon Academy.
Bree and Clover enjoyed their own meals, and it was discovered the Bree's Limit Break had enhanced her metabolism so she ended up having a lot more than she thought she would have or was capable of having. It was all the same to Klein as he was just so happy that so many people loved and appreciated his cooking. Even Glynda loosened up a bit and she had been unhappy to hear that those thugs had tried to attack Wiess and her daughter.
Flynt had been respectful, surprised that not only was he dining with Schnee family and General Ironwood but also with the Happy Huntresses and the Deputy Mistress of Beacon.
If that was not enough, he found himself also in the presence of Nicholas Schnee himself.
Talk about a huge coincidence of meeting so many important people.
Still, he had been polite the entire time and to his relief, neither Willow or Ansem had asked or even implied if he and Weiss were in a relationship which was kind of what both he and Weiss had been afraid of. It's not that they weren't open to the idea but they still considered each other good friends for the most part. Plus, Weiss was considering applying to Beacon and she wasn't sure about trying a long-distance relationship anyways.
Dinner soon came to an end and the Atlas military members left to return to Atlas Academy but Ironwood made a note to free up some time to spend with Namine. While the Happy Huntresses had specialized rooms in the manor for their special training. Robyn decided she finally had a chance to decide to speak with the Willow about watching found out from her father.
She walked down the hallway, looking around for the Schnee Matriarch and found her in a room filled with portraits and a piano in the corner. Willow herself was staring at a portrait of her father and a woman with him. Robyn blinked when she saw the woman who was likely Nicholas' wife, noticing the blue hair and wondering if she was a Marigold.
May would probably eat her own hair if she found out the Silver Knight had actually been a Marigold.
Still, Robyn could admit the woman was beautiful, dressed in an equally beautiful blue ball gown as she stood with Nicholas, her arms wrapped around his right one.
"Something I can do for you, Miss Hill." Willow asked, not turning to face the Happy Huntress.
"I…Before dinner, I came upon a certain armor being displayed in the hallway…And then I had the honor of meeting your father himself." Robyn stuttered slightly but managed to clear her throat. "And he told me a bit about his wife…"
"And what did he say?" Willow asked, closing her eyes.
"…That she was the Silver Knight, better known as the Ocean Knight or the latest one of that time." Robyn answered.
"Ah." Willow turned around, showing a soft smile. "Hard to believe, isn't it?"
"Given that Silver Knight is considered a myth even if some claim she was once the Empress of Mistral…But I know the one who married Sir Nicholas couldn't have been that one." Robyn commented.
"And what do you wish to know, Miss Hill?" Willow asked looking back at the portrait. "…And why do you linger at the door, Winter?"
Robyn spun around, seeing Winter at the door, just outside of the room. Winter looked surprised but stepped inside the room.
"I apologize for intruding, Mother. I heard you speaking, and I was curious." Winter explained, looking slightly embarrassed. "There were some things I wished to know myself, regarding Grandmother."
Willow smiled. "I had no idea my mother would be the subject of the evening. Let me guess, you spoke to Aunt Freya, and she told you."
"Aunt Freya?" Robyn glanced between mother and daughter, looking confused.
"Mother," Winter started, knowing they shouldn't be speaking about such things.
"It's all right, Winter. Everyone knows of the Great Blizzard in Menagerie so there is no point in trying to keep it a secret." Willow replied, looking at Robyn with an amused smile. "And what Freya told you was true. I was there."
Robyn and Winter looked shocked as Willow walked over to a chair and sat down. "Might as well make yourselves comfortable."
As soon as they sat down, Willow began her tale. "I was twelve years old when it happened, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I always admired my mother who had been a staunch supporter of Faunus Rights, even during the Faunus Rights Revolution. She thought very differently from how many others thought in Atlas about the Faunus, especially since the entire conflict began when a movement had begun to effectively quarantine the Faunus to Menagerie and the Faunus refused. My mother had always respected the Faunus, she even suggested we establish a CCT Tower in Menagerie to recognize it as a kingdom and nation in its own right.
Of course, the council member of Atlas disagreed with her, claiming that because the land was barely habitable there was little reason to put a CCT, let alone a radio tower. Refusing to bend their petty prejudices as she called them, my mother took the initiative herself along with a friend of hers to perform a miracle in Menagerie." Willow's smile grew a bit.
Both Robyn and Winter found themselves drawn into the story as Willow continued.
"I was young and though I was raised to be respectful, I heard my mother speaking to Freya about her plan and I let my curiosity get the better of me. I followed them and snuck aboard the bulkhead ship that they took to Menagerie, landing in the middle of the desert where it was most dangerous. There, I witnessed it, my mother and Freya dancing in the middle of the desert, night having fallen upon the land and all I could think of at the time was how odd it was to dance in the middle of the desert. I almost feared my mother traveled all the way there just to have a secret love affair with Freya." Willow admitted, letting out a soft laugh before she continued. "And then I felt it…A gentle breeze falling over me and dark clouds covering the night sky. The wind picked up and I was almost convinced I was hallucinating but the cold air told me all too well it was real. Then, white snow began to fall from the clouds, gracefully spinning around my mother and Freya as they continued to dance. The rough ground around them turned to ice and spread out from there."
Robyn wondered if this was real or just a fairy tale, but no one knew how the Great Blizzard of Menagerie truly begun and as she looked at Winter, she could tell the woman was believing her mother's story.
"An ice storm had appeared, and they danced in the eye of it. Luckily, I and the ship were close by or I likely would have frozen to death without my mother ever knowing but I still remember the look on her face when she saw me. She ran over to me and hugged me close, warming me up as she brought me inside the airship, scolding me for sneaking onboard. She told me to stay and wait as she finished with Freya…" Willow continued. "It lasted for three days and the end of it those lands were more habitable and better environment for all of Faunus to live there. It left the council stunned and their objections defeated thanks to what my mother had done and since my father was free to make business deals with the Faunus living there they were free to set up an SDC presence on the island. And with SDC funding and the knowledge of how to construct a CCT Tower on our own, the council couldn't stop my mother from submitting her plan through and my father approved. Sure, they tried protest but we had a few supporters that managed to push the proposal through and thus, Menagerie had its own Tower, becoming the unofficial fifth kingdom of Remnant."
Robyn and Winter shared a look once the story was ended.
"It may sound hard to believe but I give you my word as a Schnee, what I said was completely true. Robyn, if you wish you can tell this tale to your fellow Huntresses but only them. There are other people wouldn't hesitate to take this information for themselves for their own benefit."
Robyn thought it over and nodded. "All right…I guess, that's all I want to know for the night."
As Robyn got up and left the room, Willow turned her daughter. "…So tell me, Winter. What else have you and Freya talked about?"
Jacque Gele have been brought back to his office in the Diamond Dust Company, thanks to Vanitas granting him that very short transportation. He admitted to himself that it was quite handy along with the rest of this boy's abilities that were beyond any huntsman and huntresses. Vanitas would be a great asset to his cause not just to his revenge but finding greatest allies that he knew long ago while joining forces with the Black Queen. He never felt more grateful in his life and now he has a chance to rise above everything and have his revenge on who had truly ruined it all.
Not on the Schnee family but the one that married to Nicholas.
"Good work Jackie boy. You got the black queen liking you for what you said about goody two shoes Aqua. As long you keep your words in check around her, she'll end up helping you to achieve all your goals." Speaking of the masked devil, Vanitas walked around his office. "Even more so, you seemed to have had a good time reuniting with your old friends afterwards the meeting. The mostly highly skilled huntsman leader of the Wild Hunt, the inventor of great technology of weaponry, and your business skills of funding, negotiation, and resources and you also have connections to with the single group of the criminal network can help you become greater than you ever were." The boy grandly threw his arms up. "Just a few more steps to achieving your dreams once again. That also includes your revenge."
"Vanitas," The man spoke, making boy stop and turn his attention to him. "I really appreciate everything that you have told me. I even admit you were right about for anything I will do to succeed. Especially reuniting with my associates that I had lost contact to for a long time that will help me become greater than I used to be."
"I appreciate the compliment. But I think there is something else you had in mind in particular." The boy pointed out, knowing what the CEO of the Diamond Dust Company was really asking.
"You truly catch on very quick." He admitted. "What I am very curious about is why you didn't tell me about Aqua being the one that ruin my plans to be owner of the SDC and the Black Queen."
This boy is chuckled lightly. "Have you ever heard the saying. 'Seeing is believing'. Do you think you would have believed any word I said about Aqua or Salem without cold hard evidence?"
Jacque could admit that Vanitas have a very good point. He wouldn't have believed this boy before him about everything that had happened unless he had seen it with his own two eyes. At least he has a greater foothold for his position to reach for the tops along with his greatest allies.
"You're correct I wouldn't believe it until I see it. At least now I know I'll have my chance to have everything I wanted." He mused.
Vanitas nodded, glad that he had Gele onboard but left the man in the dark about the fact that he had his own personal agenda to attend to and Jacquie Gele was just a small part of this grand plan for his world's destruction and for bringing out Aqua under the orders of his master and the Organization. So far, no sign of her but he knew she was out there and when he had the chance he would retrieve her to have what he wanted for the final outcome.
"As for me right now I have to attend to my personal needs for the meantime we'll meet again in 3 days. I will take you back to your associates of the progress and projects of our plan." The boys departed in his dark corridor, leaving the CEO of the Diamond Dust Company returning to his desk, eager for the next stage of the plan to set sail.
