Winter steps up to the large doors to the Schnee manor, her hair down from its usual ponytail, wearing a black bomber jacket that has the symbol of the Vanguard painted on its back, a silver shield with wings, as well as her callsign painted in deep blue colors over the emblem.
She takes a deep breath before knocking. How long has it been since she's been here? Almost six years since she got into an argument with her father, him delivering an ultimatum that she can either give up her dream of being a pilot or be cut off from the family fortune, practically disowned.
She obviously chose the latter, to the distress of her mother and sister. It had definitely been a learning experience, depending on only herself and working for her own funds to pay for her rent, food and daily necessities instead of getting it handed to her. She remembers a lot of sleepless nights from both working late at night at the docks moving cargo with MTs, and studying for exams.
Her hands shook a bit from nervousness as she hid them behind her back, wondering how much had changed with her family since then. Sure, she occasionally spoke with Weiss, but those moments were rare and brief thanks to Jacques disapproving of it which allowed them little chance to talk.
What had become of her mother? What was Whitley, the brother she never got to know, like now that he has grown up? The last she saw of him was before she was disowned of the Schnee name just after her fifteenth birthday, and now she was twenty, so he should be twelve and Weiss must be fifteen like she was. Five years of birthdays missed…
The doors open and she steels herself, only to be greeted by Klein instead.
"Miss Winter!" he exclaims as he bows, "It has been too long."
"It has, Klein. It's good to see you again." Winter breaks into a warm smile before hugging the butler to which he returns. She always liked the man, he was the only other warm presence in the household, the only other adult besides her mother she felt she could trust in the manor.
She breaks off after a moment, "How are you?"
"Good, Miss Winter. And seeing you after all these years has made me feel even better. Look at how you've grown." he says looking at her proudly, "But this can't compare to how Young Weiss must feel. Shall I announce your arrival? Or would you like me to bring you to your room first to settle in? It's exactly as you left it."
"Please, let my family know I'm here. I'll be waiting in the main hall for them." Winter says and he nods, walking off to find her family as she pulls her luggage through the door and into the manor, stepping foot in it for the first time in years.
Her eyes wander to the painting visible from where she is standing, a large family portrait of the Schnee family featuring everyone in their immediate family. All except for her.
Honestly, she has no idea how to feel about that…
Before she could make up her mind on that, Klein returns with two familiar figures following behind him.
"Winter!" Weiss cheered, excited and looked like she was about to jump at her, only to hold herself back and curtsey, "I mean…It's wonderful to see you again, sister."
"It's the same for me as well, sister." Whitley mimics her,
Winter smiles as she kneels, extending her arms, "Come on, is that any way to greet your sister?"
She asks rhetorically as Weiss squeals and launches herself into Winter's arms, both of them hugging as tightly as they can. Whitley on the other hand stayed where he was, with an ever-present polite smile on his face. But the way he smiled almost threw her off, reminding her of the fake smiles Jacques would put on for everyday use.
But before she could dwell on that, Weiss grabbed her attention, "You're a Huntress now aren't you? Did you join the Vanguard like you said?"
Winter chuckles at her enthusiasm as she reaches into her jacket and pulls out her official Vanguard Specialist badge to show the amazed Weiss.
"It's still fresh and new. Got it from the General himself just hours ago." she says handing it over to Weiss to inspect, taking a good look at both her younger siblings, "...You two have grown so much. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for either of you growing up."
"You're here now, that's what matters!" Weiss assures as she hands back the badge to her older sister, who reaches for her luggage,
"And here…I got the two of you some gifts." Winter says as she pulls out a small box that could fit in the palm of her hand, but when it opened it revealed a small hologram of a ballerina dancing inside as melodic music played, "I bought it with my first paycheck as a pilot. What do you think?"
Weiss gasps and takes it from her hands, "It's beautiful! I'll treasure it, Winter."
"I don't doubt it." Winter smiles at her before approaching Whitley with his gift, "And…I wasn't exactly sure what to get you, Whitley. I hope this is enough."
She hands him a silver-black watch that looks impressive, and he takes it with curiosity putting it on his wrist before a holographic display pops up.
"It's the first smartwatch model from Urban Essentials, a NEST Inc. subsidiary that's just recently begun operations months ago." Winter explains with a smile, "I got it early from my instructor, after my partner and I aced the midterms and his surprise test. Do you like it?"
"I'm not sure what Father will say about me owning a product from NEST Inc. even if it's a subsidiary." Whitley mutters as he gives the display a few experimental taps before turning it off, "But I think I can put it to good use, sister."
He says giving her a polite nod, although she sensed it was a tad bit more genuine.
"And where is mother and father?" Winter asks looking around, "Are they around?"
"Father is busy at work like always." Whitley answers, "And mother is…in her room. Like always."
"Always?" Winter looks confused before glancing back at Weiss who cringes, "What is he talking about?"
"Mother?" Winter asks quietly as she slowly opens the door to the room Klein had told her was the one she now resided in. She was surprised to hear that her parents were now staying in separate rooms and it only made her more concerned.
The room was dark with curtains closed, something that confused her since it was in the evening and shouldn't be that late for someone to start sleeping. But then she saw her mother sitting on a chair, unconscious with an almost empty bottle of wine in her arms.
Immediately she walks up to her and starts gently shaking her by the shoulder, "Mother? Are you alright?"
The older woman grumbles and tries shaking her off with her eyes still closed, "...told not to be disturbed…"
"Mother, it's me. Winter." she repeats once again as she shakes harder,
"...not funny, Weiss…Winter left…" Willow mumbles as her eyes start to open, "What are you talking… Winter?"
She asks confused, her eyes squinting as if she had trouble seeing and Winter nods,
"It's me. Mother, what happened to you?" Winter asks, shocked to see her mother in such a state, taking a step back and nearly stumbling, looking down to see she had almost tripped over another empty bottle of wine, "Brothers, how many of these did you have?"
"Winter, is that you?" Willow asks, ignoring her question, or not having heard it, reaching out to touch her arm, almost shocked to "Oh my gods…"
"Yes mother, it's me." Winter repeats again as she squeezes her hand to confirm it, "Why were you drinking? How long has this been happening?"
"It's been so long…Why are you here? Does…does Jacuqes know? Are you here to stay?" Willow asks quickly, blurting out question after question as Winter struggles to wrap her head around how her mother turned from how she last saw her five years ago to this state now.
But what she caught on to was how she used Jacque's name, even back as a child when she would only use his name like that if she was particularly mad at him, which steadily became more frequent as she grew up. But now it sounded full of venom.
"Mother." she gives her a light shake to snap her out of whatever state she was in, "I'm sorry, but I won't be staying. He's only let me in manor grounds on Weiss' insistence."
"...I see. So you'll be leaving again. That bastard, what did he ask of Weiss now?" Willow mutters weakly, looking away and causing guilt to stew in Winter's guts.
"Mother…" Winter gasped surprised at her using such language to describe Jacques, no matter how accurate it was, that wasn't language her mother used. Something was definitely wrong here,
"What happened between the two of you?"
"Winter…It's good to see you are well after all this time." Jacques says as he digs into his dinner, a medium rare steak, "I trust you at least remember your table manners?"
Winter silently glares at her father before turning to her younger sister eating her own meal. There were so many things she wanted to say to her father, but not now. Not in front of her dear sister.
She grabbed a knife and fork and began cutting into her own steak as she heard her father click his tongue in disapproval,
"Using the wrong fork. I don't know what I was expecting." Jacque mutters barely audible as Winter almost crushes the silverware with her bare hands,
She bites back a witty retort, filling her mouth with a cut of steak to stop herself. After swallowing and calming down she spoke,
"I'm surprised you invited me back," she says as Jacque doesn't meet her eye, focusing on his food.
"It was not my suggestion and I was heavily against it. But Weiss insists, and promised she would sing at the latest SDC charity event."
"What, prices for entertainment were too high?" Winter snarks back instinctively, a reflex born from her frequent exchange of jabs and barbs with her partner, "Decide to cut cost by forcing your daughter?"
"Winter, I don't mind. I like singing." Weiss cuts in insistently, giving a smile, "And if it's what I need to do to see you again, it's worth it."
Winter melts at the sight of her younger sister smiling and sighs, stabbing into her steak with frustration at Jacque's manipulative and exploitative tendencies, her mind going back to the conversation she had with her mother.
Just the thought has her accidentally infused her hand with Aura, crushing the silverware audibly and snapping her out of her thoughts.
"...Forgive me, I was lost in my thoughts." she apologizes before looking at a servant nearby, "May I have another set, please?"
The servant nods and goes to retrieve one as Jacque not so subtly clicks his tongue in disapproval once more. If Taurus was here he'd likely make a threat of tearing out his tongue if he does that one more time, something she wishes she could voice out now if not for the risk of ruining the dinner her sister had worked hard to arrange for her.
"Weiss, how are your studies going?" Winter asks, eagerly wanting to distract herself, "You should be starting middle school already, right? Have you made any friends?"
"Yes, the academy has a superb staff and I find myself befriending many children whose parents work in the SDC as well." Weiss answers with a smile as WInter bites her lips, knowing full well from personal experience how at least one of these 'friends' was just under orders from their parents to befriend their boss' heir. But then Weiss' next words cut her off guard, "And Father has allowed me to pursue Huntsmen training from private tutors!"
"...He has?" Winter asks after a pause of disbelief, taking a drink from a glass of mineral water. She'd thought after what happened with her, he'd double down against the idea.
"Yes, I have. I'd rather not have my heir runoff in some foolish act of rebellion, joining the military to get herself killed. And once she gets to the right age, she should be able to receive her first set of Gen III Sentinel augments." Jacques says as he cuts another piece of his steak to eat as Winter spits out her drink in shock, "Ah, more bad manners you picked up from the barracks? Can you be any more of an embarrassment?"
"Sentinel augmentations?!" Winter asks in shock, slamming her hands on the table and glaring at her father, "How could you talk her into this? You know how invasive the surgery is!"
"No more than what NEST Inc. does to its mercenaries, or provides to Vanguard personnel." Jacques shrugs as he takes a sip from his wine,
"At least NEST has the decency not to make the surgery permanent! Options exist for their safe removal! You would lop off parts and replace them with cyberware!" Winter shouts, turning to Weiss who was looking frightened, "Did he not tell you that?"
"W-winter…I know what it entails." Weiss says, her voice shaking from the volume of her sister's voice, "I know what I'm getting into."
"No, you evidently don't!" Winter says turning to her father in anger, "I've heard what your first Gens go through! The failed pilots and mental issues you try to sweep under the rug!"
Jacques remains unfazed as he wipes his mouth with a napkin, "NEST propaganda. While there were minor technical issues, none on the level you describe, the Third Generation has resolved all of them and combat records state that the average Sentinel pilot outperforms both the Vanguard Specialist and NEST mercenary. As her sister, wouldn't you agree that Weiss deserves every edge to ensure her safety in such a dangerous field?"
Winter growls before turning back to her sister, "What else did you agree to? Enlisting in his Sentinel Program? His Sentinel Support Network?"
"Better than wasting her life in the military." Jacques cuts in, "Or wasting away as a Huntress, a profession that holds no future with our technology. Or being sent to die by the military. Or risking her life for petty Lien as a mercenary in the oh-so-righteous NEST."
"All of those choices are better than you!" Winter snaps, years of pent-up fury bursting, "I know how you treat people! Your employees! Your Sentinels! Your 'indentured servants'! Even your damn family! How you treat my mother! Nothing is sacred to you, is it? You'd sell us all to devils if it'll grant you just the slightest bit more power, fortune and fame won't it, Father?"
She hisses the last word with venom in her voice, but through all that, the man just stares at her calmly like watching a child throw a tantrum, and it serves to infuriate her further. She was about to do something to wipe that expression off his face when her eyes glanced over to her frightened-looking sister and brother, and all the hate vanished in a near instant.
Not in front of them…Even if she did, her father despite the bastard he is, was a powerful man. If she tried she'll lose everything she worked so hard for. So she does the only thing she can do,
"...Forgive me, it appears I've made a mess out of dinner." she hisses out through gritted teeth, sparing an apologetic look towards her sister before walking off, "I'm sorry, Weiss."
"Winter, wait!" Weiss pleads as she enters Winter's room through the open door, with her older sister quickly packing up what little she packed, ready to leave.
"I'm sorry Weiss, but after what I've learnt…what I've seen…" Winter winces, stopping her packing for a moment before continuing, "I can't spend another minute here, not with him. What are you thinking, enlisting in his pet project?"
"...I know what kind of man our father is…the day he told our mother he only married her to get the company." Weiss says quietly with tears in her eyes and Winter turns to her surprised, "And all the thing the White Fang say…they may be mindless brutes barely better than Grimm, but I know that at least half the things they say about what the SDC does to the Faunus are true…"
She says, her voice shaking and Winter stops what she is doing, kneeling down to look her sister in the eye,
"If you do, then why this?" Winter asks confused before sighing, "If you come with me, I can-"
"I want to fix our family name!" Weiss says, cutting her off, "I've heard what it was like, back when grandfather ran things! And I look at it now, the SDC I know is nothing like what I've heard. I'm father's heir! Once I take over the company, take over the Sentinels, I can bring things back to how they used to be! We can make it better if you help me-"
"Join the Sentinels?" Winter mutters in disbelief and a sad sigh, "Weiss…have you considered that maybe our family name is too broken to be fixed? You don't know the things the SDC's done."
"I know-!" Weiss tries but she cuts her off,
"No, you heard ." Winter corrects, "I've heard as well, and I thought I knew the limits of cruelty the company was capable of. But then I saw first hand…I don't think it can be fixed. Our father turned it from a symbol of Atlas resilience and innovation, twisted it to a symbol of how far people would go for profit."
"...I don't believe that it can't be fixed." Weiss says, determined, despite her voice shaking and looking about to cry at the harsh words of her sister, "I sometimes hear what people think of us…We're not bad people…I'm not a bad person…"
Winter's heart breaks at the sight, moving in to hug and comfort her sister, "No…our father's sins, his company's sins, are his own. We're our own people, and you don't have anything to prove."
"No…but it's what I want to do." Weiss declares, sniffing and wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve. And behind the tears, WInter sees a familiar flickering flame of determination in her eyes.
"...If that's what you want." Winter sadly pats her sister on the head as she gets up, "I won't stop you. Because you have the freedom to choose what to fight for. I only regret that I have my own path to walk."
"...You can walk it with me." Weiss suggests, "We can fix it together…fix our family name together."
"...I'm sorry, Weiss." Winter touches her shoulder one last time, before grabbing her luggage, "I'll try visiting whenever I can…supporting however I can…though I doubt Jacques will allow it. Mother and Whitley…they're depending on you now. I'm sorry I can't share the burden with you."
Six Months Later*
Ayre takes a breath as she walks out of the corner of the stage, stepping up to the podium as dozens of reporters start taking her photo immediately, filling the room with bright flashes that would've been difficult to look at if she didn't dim her light sensitivity.
She takes a breath with artificial lungs and begins. This was only the first, and easiest step, out of it all. The worst was yet to come.
"Good morning. I would like to thank you all for your time today, to hear what I have to say." she starts out politely as some reporters immediately start raising their hands, "Please, wait until the end before you start asking questions. So that you have the full picture."
Hands were reluctantly lowered as the room quieted, although the flashes of cameras did not cease.
"I'm sure you all have heard the rumors by now. There is no hiding what we are planning, nor do we plan to any longer. We have done this in hopes of avoiding both panic, false hope and expectations from rising up, but now it is with great pleasure that I confirm that what you have heard is correct." Ayre speaks in an assuring voice with a hint of pride, "In twenty-four hours, with permission granted by the Council of Vale, the combined might of NEST Inc., the Atlas Vanguard, and the SDC, will commit a joint assault into Mountain Glenn, with the largest deployment of armored forces in history, to begin an operation to reclaim the once great city from the grasps of the Grimm."
There was stunned silence among the reporters, the flickering of cameras paused for just a second before resuming, but they all remained quiet still, allowing her to continue.
"I suppose the question running through your heads now is why would we do such a thing? Two reasons, the practical reason and what I call a personal reason. The practical is that Mountain Glenn was chosen to be colonized by the Vale Kingdom decades ago because of the sheer mineral and Dust wealth, unrivalled across the continent of Sanus. Those resources would prove themselves to be a boon to NEST Inc., and the people of Atlas, which is why the Vanguard has agreed to send a force of twenty personnel to aid us in this endeavour, led personally by its founder, General James Ironwood." Ayre pauses before continuing, "As for the personal reason? First a question, how many settlements do you suppose are out there? I want to reclaim something far more than just land and resources. I want to reclaim something for all of Remnant…Pride. Justice. Honor."
The reporters were taken aback by this, confused about what she could mean by all that as she clarified,
"Let me ask you a rhetorical question. Across all of Remnant, how many settlements once full of both Humans and Faunus are attacked by Grimm, then declared unreclaimable and abandoned? How many survivors were forced to abandon their homes? Forced to abandon those they loved? The answer is one too many." Ayre says in a low tone before raising her voice, "Is that to be our future? To be helpless against the insurmountable numbers of Grimm? To forever be on the defensive? Clinging onto what little we have? The answer is no. Our future is out there, beyond the walls that both protect us and remind us we are trapped, beyond the frontier where the Grimm constantly prod and push back against us, beyond the Grimm themselves. They say we prosper in an era of peace? I say, look at the map and tell me how little we grew, how much more we lost. This is not prospering, this is barely survival, despite all that may tell you."
She lets that point sink in and with her advanced sensors she picks up changes in the crowd of reporters. Some remained neutral as ever, some were uncomfortable, but some were seriously considering her words, pondering on them. Good, it means they were listening.
"Our future lies beyond our cradles. And that is why I initiated this operation to reclaim Mountain Glenn. Let it be the first of many. Let it be a message that we can do so much more than merely survive. We can thrive." Ayre finishes passionately, taking a quiet breath after speaking so much and looking at her audience again, "That is all I have to say. Thank you for your patience. Are there any questions?"
Not a single hand in the auditorium was unraised.
"That was an excellent speech, Ayre," Ironwood says as he sits in her temporary office in Vale, with the CEO slumping on her chair in exhaustion despite her body being mechanical,
"Now I know why Raven doesn't like talking much. I thought I'd never finish in time." she groans before sitting straight, "Your Vanguard, are they prepared?"
"The 1st and 2nd Squad are armed and ready. Ten of the best pilots I have, including myself, and fourteen of your security personnel including Raven, and six independent mercenaries. It will be the first time the Vanguard fight in a battle of such scale." he confirms and Ayre sighs,
"Thank you for doing this James. Convincing the Atlas Round Table to sanction your part in this operation must have cost you favors." she says, "You're putting a lot at risk for this."
"Yes. I normally don't consider myself a gambling man but your plans with Glenn…" he pauses as if worried they'll be overheard, "When it happens, I want to be there. I have to be there. It'll be a big step for all of Remnant. The biggest after the discovery of Dust I dare say."
"Oh? Discussing secret plans without me? I feel left out." a third voice chimes in as the two turns to see a man enter wearing a gray coat and yellow scarf, with the SDC emblem on the back of his coat, entering Ayre's office with a bottle and three glasses in hand, "We all have them I suppose, so I can't begrudge you. Carry on, pretend I'm not here."
"If it isn't the infamous Doctor Arthur Watts." Ayre responds neutrally, "So glad you can join us. I take it the SDC has no plans on withdrawing?"
"Of course not." he smirks as he sets down the glasses and bottle of vodka, "We're far too deep to pull out now. It would embarrass me, and the entire company."
"What's your game, Watts?" Ironwood glares at the man, "SDC doesn't pull this kind of stunt unless it's profitable. There's not a single Lien for you to make here, so how did you convince Jacque to give you the green light?"
"Oh but there is profit." he smirks as he pours the drink into the three glasses, "Live combat data will be valuable to AEGIS' development. And think of the PR, brave SDC Sentinel pilots volunteering to risk their lives for no reward. To the future of humanity."
He raises a glass but Ironwood declines,
"I don't drink before a sortie." he insists, pushing the glass away. Leaving out a retort that he doesn't like drinking with the SDC either.
Ayre however takes a glass, and after a quick scan to make sure it wasn't tampered with in any way, clinks her glass against Watt's repeating his toast,
"To the future of humanity," she says as they both drink, knowing only one of them meant what they said.