Chapter 31: When Schneedonuts Love
Weiss stirred in her bed before her eyes shot open. However, she strangely did not find Erick on her bed next to her. Considering she hadn't been cut off from Erick's darkside, she was puzzled. However, she simply sat up in her bed, a little jaded from the night.
As she sat up, she finally found Erick, looking out on the Balcony, with his hands seemingly fiddling with his black bowtie. She and him both knew the wedding ceremony would be more formal…but Jacques had been very adamant about not renting either of them actual wedding attire for said event. Something that Erick didn't really mind, and, frankly, neither did she consider the circumstances of their marriage.
She got up out of her bed and walked over to the genius' side, overviewing the courtyard garden. An odd sight to see given Atlas being a sky city in a frigid tundra. However, that was nothing that a little plant and fire dust couldn't help maintain.
"What'd he say to you?" The heiress blinked as her head turned towards Erick. The genius also looked blunt with her. A strange sort of dissatisfaction on his face, though, not rage.
"I…I don't follow?"
"My dark side." He replied, in a matter-of-factly tone. "I know he talked to you last night. I'd be stunned if he didn't given you gave him the opportunity."
She pondered for a second before replying. "Not…not much. You seemed to be having trouble with Salem…and I just figured…maybe your dark side might be able to help." Seeing the rather dissatisfied face the boy had she continued.
"He really wasn't much help…other than telling me that you and your friends weren't full of nonsense…so I now fully believe you are here for Salem." She started to rub her arm as the memory of her negative side, and what Dark Erick said about potential in the future.
The genius seemed to pick up on her uncomfortable nature. "What else did he say?" He asked. "I'd advise that you'd tell me the truth…if you lie to me, he can just tell me anyway."
"Well…when I was talking to him…he just told me that I wouldn't just be marrying you…but him as well. In his own twisted way…he feels the same way about me that you do. But…he also told me that…if you didn't have any form of romantic interest in me…he'd just trick any other girl?"
Erick just adjusted his glasses. "Truthfully, yes…it was my romantic interest in you that led to his specific interest in you. I'm sure he told you that he doesn't view himself as Giygas, but as me, so any feeling about another person I have is shared with him. And yes, if I didn't have a romantic interest in you, he would've just taken the first girl that caught his attention in a desperate situation. Whether or not you, or any other girl would be willing to make the HeartBound work, or share any romantic interest in me in the long run, did not matter to him. Not like you had a choice anyway. What mattered was getting that HeartBound active to ruin my Team's lives and yours."
"So…my feelings towards you mattered not to him." Weiss asked. "He views me like an object, not as an actual person."
"Back on the train, yes." Erick replied dully. "If, by some inexplicable act of god, you actually tried to kill me or yourself when I told you that was the only way out of the HeartBound, he wouldn't have really given a shit. He'd just view it as a problem before continuing on to try and find someone vulnerable or desperate enough to accept. However, since you were more compliant and ended up reciprocating my feelings back, he now views you as an equal to him. Even though you just started out to him as a way to torture me."
Weiss just shifted uncomfortably. It was a weird thing to think about, obviously, she wasn't exactly ever lying through her teeth about having an interest in Erick. Even after learning about the dark sides, Giygas, and other nonsense. But the thought of this…thing…just taking anyone and not really caring if they killed themselves at the expense of its host's own sanity was mental. Part of her had assumed after the dark side confirmed that Salem was real that the dark side would've said that she was chosen specifically because of her family…but no…she was simply an irrelevant factor in a great conspiracy that was swept up by mere chance.
"So marrying you…and…Giygas by extension…doesn't do anything for me?" She asked. "I don't gain any powers…or get a dark side of my own…not even some sort of title?"
"Even if you did, I doubt you'd really want them." Erick replied. "I'm sure my dark side might've said something to try and get under your skin about the potential that, if they, alongside Salem, Pokey, and Seiros were to somehow succeed, they would turn you into someone like us."
Well that answered her next question as she bit down on her bottom lip.
"I don't really know how to politely say that this shouldn't surprise you." Erick replied. His tone sounded very genuine. "They aren't going to let you die…if they do you'd put my dark side in pain. So they'd probably turn you into some Dark Weiss with Giygas' soul, which would give you PSI powers and stuff…but otherwise…yeah…you don't get much out of marrying me unless Moon, Sarah, and I revert to our dark sides permanently."
As she began to rub her arm more uncomfortably, Erick placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a very warm looking smile. "Don't worry though, my team and I will work tirelessly to ensure you don't end up like this. Unlike a lot of the things that have to do with our magical nonsense from Giygas. I can personally tell you with 100% honesty that you can't get a dark side through me. I even checked with Moon when I woke up and found you'd been hugging me the whole night. So, that's why I'll be more comfortable if you want to talk to him. We now know I don't need to worry about doing to you what was done to us."
There was a small part of her that was relieved that Erick would be more open about his dark side now that he and his team were fully assured that she couldn't be hurt by it. However, even in spite of that…the idea that she could end up like them was a concerning bit of information.
There was a sudden, yet abruptly loud knock that alerted the two of them as the door flung open. Klein walked in hurriedly and sped over to the two of them on the balcony.
"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Schnee." he said, "Happy Wedding Day."
"Good morning to you as well, Klein." Weiss replied. "How have preparations for tonight gone?"
The butler's mustache twitched a little. "They're going fine…but…I've been sent for your fiance, just him. You've been ordered to prepare yourself for tonight."
Erick noticed Weiss looking at him in concern, quite frankly, he was concerned as well. He hadn't really interacted with Jacques outside of the first day he'd come to the manor. But he simply nodded his head and began to follow the butler.
Klein led him back towards the conference room he had seen Jacques in with Ironwood, where the Butler opened the door, giving the genius an immediate heart attack.
Erick found Jacques sitting on the sofa in front of the coffee table, instead of at the desk. However, what took him off guard was the man sitting next to him. He was an older man, wearing a pearly white lab coat with the Atlas symbol he'd seen on Winter's uniform. Like Erick, the man had hazel brown eyes behind a pair of glasses. And a balding head with two parts of hair that was split into two curly buns. With a white, bushy mustache that covered parts of his lips.
"Sit, boy." Jacques ordered, pointing Erick to the seat across from the two men. The genius nodded his head and took the seat across. He locked eyes with this alternate version of his dad, who looked very confused as Jacques stood up.
"Do you see now Dr. Andonuts?! I don't think you need any more proof!" Jacques said. "He looks just like you when you were younger. This is undoubtedly your son!"
Sweat developed on Erick's forehead as the doctor looked at him more astutely. Now, he was aware that Dr. Andonuts was a Multiversal constant, a version of him that existed in every universe in some capacity. However, not every Dr. Andonuts had a child, typically just the ones from his universe of games.
"I understand where you're coming from Jacques, but I'm telling you, I don't have a child. You should know that my status in Atlas' military technology explicitly prevents that. Even if I had some one night stand with a fine lady while drunk, I'm certain she'd have tried to get her hands on the wealth I've accumulated as an inventor for Atlas if she did have my child. And you of all people should know that would never happen, I don't drink."
"But he must be your child!" Jacques insisted. "The test results say it's a 102% match with a 2% margin of error! He has to be your child! You've had relationships with women before! Remember that-"
"Jacques, that would make this boy well into his 30s." Dr. Andonuts replied bitterly. "And the more you keep trying to insist this, the angrier it is making me."
"He has to be your son!" Jacques replied angrily. "You're a man of science! Yet you disregard the scientific test that says he is?!"
"Even science is not perfect." Dr. Andonuts snapped back. "And don't think I don't see through your little scheme. You wouldn't want to reunite me with a son I never knew about, you just want to expand your influence over Atlas' government by linking a family establishment that doesn't exist."
"But it does!" Jacques protested. "Look at the facts! The test results say he's your son."
Erick swore he saw a faint twinkle in the scientist's eyes. "Then let me make this simple for you, Jacques." The scientist poked his finger in the man's chest.
"No child of mine would ever be allowed to date a Schnee, let alone marry one. Your family is a filthy, immoral, abomination detriment to the world of Remnant. For centuries your family has done nothing but abuse Faunus and monopolize the dust industry to the point where your family would sooner crash the entire economy than make dust more easily accessible."
"You're speaking blasphemy." Jacques replied.
"Really?" Dr. Andonuts asked, raising an eyebrow. "You cannot honestly be that ignorant. Every word Adam Taurus speaks of you and your family is true. It's not just the Faunus, but the average middle class citizen of the four kingdoms despise you and your family. You've fucked up and backstabbed so many times through your family's insultingly long legacy that the only people that would care if your family got murdered would be the very few people coming to this insulting charity marriage event with your own daughter. Not me though, I think I'd have a grand old party in the streets of mantle with its citizens!"
Weiss' father actually looked taken aback by the scientist's statement. "But…we used to be friends! We went to school together!"
"And I hated every minute of my life being stuck on a hunters team with you." Dr. Andonuts snarled. "James and Pietro may still be willing to work with you. And Arthur loved you funding his projects before he perished. But me? No no no. I fucking despise you. If that wasn't even the worst part, I now have confirmation that you still haven't changed in how you view people, and especially Faunus. You're still so desperate for some good brownie influence to keep your family sickening wealth that you went as far as to forge a child's heredity test to get something out of me, and thought I'd sit back and take it because you thought I was a friend of yours."
"How could you possibly know I rigged it? Give me your proof!" Jacques demanded.
Dr. Andonuts retracted his hand from Jacques and crunched his fingers. To which Erick, as well as Jacques' eyes widened as ten panther claws grew from his fingers.
"Y-You…You're a Faunus?!" Jacques spluttered.
"That's correct, and that boy didn't have any Faunus DNA in him. And I know damn well he wouldn't be marrying Weiss if he did."
Erick could see Jacques' eyes twitch in rage. "Dr. Andonuts…I-"
"Save it you racist fuck." Dr. Andonuts snarled as his claws retracted. "You claim to be so much better than Nicholas was, but you aren't, you're just as bad as he is, quite the accomplishment for someone who's not a real Schnee. You only are where you are because I saw Nicholas took a liking to you. I was encouraged by James, Pietro, and Arthur, to hide my Faunus traits from everyone when we were in school because you were always busy with Willow, they told me that, if you took over the SDC, we could finally end the company's centuries horrible treatment for the Faunus…but instead…you doubled down."
Erick was certainly surprised, he'd always known his Dr. Andonuts as a well respected, well-mannered man, just not a particularly good father having left him in a boarding school. He'd seen other versions carrying those traits. Not this one though.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Jacques." The scientist continued. "Sabotaging projects, policies, and all sorts of improvements. If it wasn't for the fact that the SDC can single handedly put our four kingdoms in ruin by your policies, the Atlesian leaders and Ozpin would've never let you get away with as much as your family has done over the years."
"You're poking a bear here, Andonuts." Jacques replied. "I'll be seeing you i-"
"Go on then!" The scientist challenged. "Take me to public court! Turn over all those records of what you helped the Atlas Elite fund. Try and get anything from me. You'll only be helping Adam in the long run as we broadcast all those secrets of yours…some I may not even know of. Is that really what you want?!"
Erick looked at the current CEO's face. Much like the day he and Weiss made him donate money, his soon-to-be father in law looked ready to explode.
"I thought as much." Dr. Andonuts said after a moment. "I'll be attending your stupid charity event, not for you, but just out of respect for Pietro and James. After that though, I don't want to hear from you any longer."
As the scientist stood up, he looked Erick in the eye. Giving him a rather judgy look, followed by a puzzled confusion, the same one Erick had seen the first time he met his father from the boarding school.
"As for you, young man." The scientist said. "You still seem to share a youthful innocence. And seem very intelligent. If I WERE your father, I wouldn't let you near this family. After what you've heard, I beg you to call this nonsense off. Atlas can take care of you."
Erick shuffled as he looked the scientist in the eye. "I…uh…" he replied. "I won't…I'm in love with Weiss…and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
His alternate universe father looked disappointed as he gave one final glance at Jacques, who had a curly evil smile.
"Your intelligence will be going to waste…just like everyone in this disgraceful family, you'll just become the exact same." Dr. Andonuts said. "I can only pray that, unlike the fool you see before you. Your love for Mrs. Schnee is genuine, and you aren't just doing this for your own personal gain like this monster next to me."
The Scientist then turned his head and walked out of the door. When it shut, Jacques turned himself to Erick. Adjusting his clip-on-tie.
"In due time Mr. Andonuts, you'll learn to tune that nonsense out. I was told the same by Nicholas when I first took over the company marrying Willow."
"You took some of my own DNA to try and link it to someone you'd know didn't have a child. More importantly, an old work colleague that specifically hid how he was a Faunus. What would you have done if I turned out to actually be his son?" Erick questioned.
"Firstly, Weiss would've known better than to date you if you were a Faunus." Jacques replied, giving Erick a harsh glare. "Secondly, even if you did share Faunus genetics, since you don't have a physical trait, and only the gene, the Schnee's would have a way to rid you of the filth gene inside of you."
"You…can genetically modify me?" Erick questioned.
"Technically." Jacques replied, the man walked over to the desk and mentioned with his hand for Erick to sit in front of him. "Though I won't really be the one doing it…Weiss will. It was actually part of the reason I had Klein call you here, just so you understand when this happens."
"Do I even want to know…" Erick mumbled to himself as he took his seat in front of the desk. Watching as Jacques rummaged through his desk for a brief bit before silently cursing to himself, clearly frustrated by being unable to find something. He then placed his hands together as he looked Erick in the eye.
"Based on what you and Weiss have told me, I'm sure you've done your research and know that our family is quite notable for the strange oddity that the glyph semblance is hereditary. No other semblance functions like this. A mother and father's semblances will always be different from their childs. Not every human ever activates their semblance either, more often than not, they are usually forced out in their huntsmens' education, that's what the initiation test is for. Most children whose semblance activates before that are often considered destined huntsmen."
"Yes, yes, I know that whole schtick." Erick replied. "I imagine it's likely due to the hereditary nature of your family semblance that you all end up looking the same somehow?"
"You catch on quickly." Jacques replied, giving Erick his weird smile that looked completely ungenuine. "There have been several tests on the glyph semblance over the years as technology advanced. But we've never gotten a concrete answer as to how it is possible the semblance seemingly overrides the spouse marrying into the Schnee family. But, once you marry Weiss, you'll probably start seeing changes to your general biology."
"And…why does this concern me?" Erick asked.
"Well, Weiss said something about how you share some of the same biology of your little…friends. I'm well aware that you don't have any magical abilities…and while Ozpin and Ironwood may be lying to protect the general public, I know that your little leader and his lover are aliens." Jacques seemed to look for a reaction, which he was certainly not going to get.
"You don't seem very phased by the information I have presented."
"You're an eccentrically, worldwide hated billionaire who sponsors government technological funding." Erick replied dully. "Funding that went to inventions that seemingly are designed to neutralize and potentially kill my family. I'd be more shocked if you were stupid enough to not question what your money was going too."
He could sense some fury behind Jacques' eyes. Now that he had to fend for himself, he could see why Moon enjoyed toying with people who thought they'd cornered them.
"So…now that you'll actually let me speak back." Erick replied. "How about you do me a favor and start spilling what your concern is with my alien heritage. Because I have a sneaking suspicion that you were specifically told by Ironwood and the others NOT to inform me you know out of fear my friends would kick your door down. Why are you so concerned about my half-alien DNA now?"
"Well…as I was getting too, the Schnee semblance being hereditary always came with the odd quirk that it would somehow be passed into one who marries into the family. It's why the man of the house is always able to take over, even in spite of the true heir being female. I didn't always look like the handsome man you see before you with my white hair and blue eyes. After marrying Willow, I turned more into this."
"And, you're concerned that I won't…" Erick replied dully. "I frankly don't see the big deal. I don't have a semblance or even powers like my teammates do, so…"
"As a Schnee, you and Weiss will have to produce an heir to the company." Jacques replied flatly, "If the baby being born doesn't have the Glyph semblance, they cannot be recognized as a legitimate Schnee. If your half-alien DNA were to reject it…"
"I'm really not in the mood to be talking about this." Erick replied grumpily. "Weiss and I are both still 17…judging by family history, you'll be running this company till you drop dead. Don't you think it's a bit overreacting to try and get a child out so hastily when neither of us even have any finished experience."
Jacques eyes twitched at his response, before glancing at the ticking clock in the office. A faintly cruel smile twisted on his face as he pointed a finger at Erick.
"Don't play with fire…boy…" he grunted, "Your little freakshow friends might be the hot talk of this world, but I can smell that you have some ulterior motive…me giving Weiss to you is purely for business…and don't think I won't hesitate to get rid of you and your friends just as easily as those who have stood in my way before. Now, go get yourself ready, you say I do in less than an hour."
Traditionally, weddings were meant to be joyous and happy occasions. Or so Erick had really thought, it wasn't like Moon and Sarah's was equally as gradious considering the consequences. And while he was much more accepting of the idea that this would be a more political marriage, boy did Jacques know how to suck out the fun.
Even when standing on the alter with Weiss, who had sported the same dress he'd seen her in the past few days, just with a longer skirt to come off as more formal, the eerie awkwardness and sheer embarrassment he'd felt looking at the crowd, consisting of what he had to guess was 1% of people he knew, could not compare to sheer awkward silence that came from a lack of any type of music or even banter.
But hey, what were they really expecting? It wasn't like either he or Weiss had friends that would have been able to attend.
Even still…given that Winter didn't even show up told him everything he really needed to know, even if his conversation with Jacques never happened. This really wasn't a wedding…it was a political alliance.
Though the kiss he and Weiss shared to seal the vows and stuff was genuine, the surrounding atmosphere was nothing short of dry, corporate, sludge.
As he and Weiss waited for the more obligatory reason they both knew people actually showed up for, that being to the aftermath press interview, they both shared an equal amount of uncomfortability.
"Sorry about this, again…" he said, after a moment. "I know this isn't exactly…the life you would ever want…"
Weiss just sighed as she took a sip from the punch bowl. "If it wasn't you, I would've had to do this eventually." She replied glumly. "Father had been looking to marry Winter off in the middle of her own education…had you not shown up, he probably would've done the same to me as well. I'm just lucky you and I managed to develop an actual interest in each other before I had to marry some elite ass from here I've never met in my life."
As he nervously chuckled, Weiss continued, turning her head to him, and showing him the pearly white ring with the company symbol on it. "Besides, now that father's publicly tied the knot between us, once he learns that you and I can't give him the heir he really wants, he'll be forced to find a way to disown me…which will put Winter back at the heir of the company."
"Still…this can't be what you ever wanted…" Erick looked around, seeing nothing but people he could only assume had some type of influence in some parts of Remnant. Or maybe just Atlas given the rather snooty closed community feeling.
Ironwood, alongside Dr. Andonuts, and the man he recognized from his research as Pietro were all here, and they were more or less hanging around the corner of the room, just quietly observing the overall party. Erick had keenly noted Jacques made no attempt to acknowledge their presence, instead going around to various other people in rather lavish outfits, occasionally getting stopped by others with pens and papers, who would jot down whatever his response was.
"So…do you have any idea how this is going to work?" he asked, after another moment of silence between him and Weiss. "Like…am I just going to have to answer questions from whoever paid your family the most?"
"Almost certainly…" Weiss replied, The two of them spotted Jacques motioning his hand over towards the more royal table he'd set up. "Let's just get this over with."
As the two of them sat down, Erick was very quick to spy a ton of cameras and reporters. As well as a few well dressed people that looked like they played suck up to Weiss' dad.
Jacques then took a microphone, tapped it for a bit, and then began to speak.
"Good day my fellow Atlesians, it seems it has been quite some time since a Schnee has been engaged, and, as per tradition, it is time that we figure out more about the newest addition to our family. And I just know that you all have quite the interest in him."
"More like in your family…but I digress."
"I'll deal with you later." Erick grumbled to his darkside.
"Alright, first up we have…" Jacques said, looking at the list. "Ah, Mr. Shido."
A bald man with small sunglasses stood up, much like Jacques, adjusting a rather flimsy clip on tie as he looked at Erick.
"Mr. Andonuts, my question to you comes not so much for your friends, but rather, what you intend for the future of the SDC, and its relationship with the Faunus."
Erick blinked in confusion as he heard Weiss' breath hitch. Now, he was entirely familiar with the current position based on what Adam had said, and granted, he knew very well based on what his Multiversal Father had said that he was expected to carry on slavery for Faunus. So the answer sounded obvious on paper.
"Personally, I'm aware that the SDC's current relationship with the Faunus is not the greatest, I think improvements should be made in regards to our relationship…perhaps it's time for the SDC to actually have conversations with the White Fang?"
There were some distant murmurs amongst the crowd. Erick glanced over, spying a more satisfied look from Weiss, but a rather disinterested focus from Jacques, who wasn't even paying attention, instead in a bit of a discussion with the aforementioned Atlas Elite.
Seeing that, Shido then continued, "Well then, I'll just get it out the way, how do you and your teammates intend to-"
"I'm not here to talk about my family." Erick replied bluntly. "I made that abundantly clear to Jacques, so I hope he communicated that to you."
There was an irritated murmur amongst the crowd.
"Mrs. Schnee, I must know." A tall, balt, fat man with a thick accent spoke, looking at Weiss. "The children of Team MESS have been all of the rage, it's unlike people so protected by Ozpin and especially the lowlifes of Beacon to partake in giving up such a wondrous attraction."
When Erick looked over at Weiss, he noted she also looked particularly annoyed with that type of comment from someone.
"Mr. Eggman, I'm sure you of all people should know how insensitive of a comment you could be making about my fiance's family. You should know that my father would have figured it out."
"Yeah, I would have expected a more intelligent question." Both of them looked over at a rather large woman with a not appealing facial and body structure spoke. "The Kingdom of Vale has been nothing short of a problematic concern. All the blame they've put on our fine kingdom."
"I'd say they deserved such a tragic event." Mr. Shido spoke again. "Now there's a better chance for exploitation as they need dust. Unfortunately, someone won't let us export our products too-"
"How about you shut your goddamn mouth." Erick snapped back. Getting a big gasp from the crowd audience, but a rather satisfying look from both Ironwood and Dr. Andonuts.
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?!"
"You heard him fine, shut up." Weiss replied to the woman. "Look at all of you, both of us were there in Vale, we both could've died, and then what? Where would be your money? Certainly not here asking us stupid questions."
"And yet, all of you sit here like the wealthy pricks you are, more concerned about my family and how you could exploit their popularity for cash than about the future of Remnant." Erick continued. "In my eyes, you're no better than the people who destroyed the kingdom. And what makes you all think they won't come for you next…unless you guys WERE the ones who had something to do with the destruction of vale."
"What an outrageous accusation! Of course we had nothing to do with it! What do you think we are? Insane?!"
"You sure aren't doing yourselves any favors." Weiss replied. "How about you stop sitting on your butts and actually try to make it look like that. Instead of calling death to Vale on RemantX like you've been doing for the past six years. And then you all wonder why you have a bunch of radical faunus who want us all dead."
It didn't take long for uproar to commence as various elites began shouting over each other. As the two teenagers looked at each other, both were quick to spot the rather annoyed look Jacques seemed to have.
Eventually, however, a gunshot was fired as they all looked at Ironwood. "I'd advise you all to take what the new Schnees say to heart. If the rioting keeps up, I'd have half the mind to arrest you all, these teens are the only ones making sense, the rest of you don't know shit about the politics I do."
Jacques looked at both Ironwood and Dr. Andonuts.
"Thank you very much for having us here, Jacques." Dr. Andonuts replied with a rather smug smile. "But we best be off, it would seem that Ms. Hill and those Happy Huntresses are being problematic towards the military resources again."
Once both men left, Jacques looked at the wealth elites who were still silent, before looking again at both Erick and Weiss, and boy did he look absolutely enraged as he locked eyes with both of them.
"Well then, I do have one more part of this event for you all. The bidding for a short time for private questions with my daughter and her new fiance."
"I'm sorry…what?!" Erick questioned. When he turned his attention to Weiss, he saw that she looked just as confused.
That certainly did not stop the audience though.
"1000 Lien!"
"10000!"
"50000!"
"75000!"
"For the love of everything holy." Weiss sighed. "I don't know what they're expecting…it's not like being alone with us is going to make a difference."
"Something tells me these people aren't interested in asking us questions alone…" Erick replied. "And I don't think I exactly want to know if they'd be allowed to ask for such a thing."
"600000!" The portly woman said. "And I WILL fight for such a-"
"2 million Lien!" Erick flinched, the very distorted, yet still irritating voice was all he needed. It was a voice with too much of a distinguishing trait, and ordinarily, he'd question how they'd be allowed in.
Unfortunately, the gasps from the crowd and the final attention turning as Pokey finally stood from his hidden position in the back with a sneery smile was enough to confirm it. And Erick also heard Weiss' own breath hitch.
"SOLD!" Jacques shouted. Before turning to the two teenagers. "You both better not fuck this up. If I get one complaint from this fine gentleman, you'll both be sorry."
Happy New Years everyone and thank you for another year of more insane chapter writing!
As you can imagine, that is all for this chapter. Not a whole lot to discuss for this, just a few tweaks here and there and my absolute depraved sanity for making Jacques basically as unlikeable as a possibly can.
To be frank, all of the Atlas Elite at this party aside from Ironwood are basically perceived to be scumbags, so making a handful of them nods to human villains from various Smash Franchise's homegames was a very easy idea to let it sink in that Jacques isn't exactly the best person.
Granted, these are versions of these villains in a separate reality who serve as nothing more than a cute little reference, don't expect them to have any plot significance.
Oh yeah, Robyn Hill and the Happy Huntresses, a plot point from the Atlas Arc that, I'll be honest, I really FUCKING DEPISE. Not hate to Robyn's voice actress, she's a fantastic person who I'm sure did the best she could. But even her talent couldn't save such a terrible goddamn character's abysmall writing.
I still don't know if I'll even include her and the Happy Huntresses later on when we eventually get to Atlas, personally I dislike the arc so much, but it's so integral to the volume that I don't know if I'd be able to suitably replace and rewrite it. But I'll throw her a better bone as someone Ironwood is having trouble with to get him out of this part with Pokey.
Speaking of Multiversal References, making Dr. Andonuts a Faunus was actually a last-minute decision I made to include in this chapter. I had already established that, technically, he is exactly the same person as Erick's actual dad, and knowing how Jacques can be, I wanted some way to sort of get it across that, while he may share some mannerisms, he's still not Erick's dad from the actual universe's Dr. Andonuts. Making him a blended in Faunus similar to Ghira was the best I could come up with, as most Faunus traits tend to not do a good job at hiding a Faunus in plain sight.
Oh well, that's all for this chapter, if you have any criticisms, feel free to let me know.
See you all, next time.