Atonement XIV Part IV
"I am so glad we chose early spring for this. It's not warm but not too much and doesn't feel too cold either." Willow Schnee sighed with a contend smile as she and her husband exited the airship, followed by Weiss and Whitely. "I really wish Winter could have joined us."
"Now, now, Willow. I am sure whatever she is doing is extremely important to the General." Ansem said, trying to cheer his wife up.
However, Willow scoffed, turning her face away and crossing her arms. "I don't care. I want my baby here with us."
"Mother…" Weiss sighed, not liking how her mother got all worked up like that.
She could be very embarrassing when she is like this, especially when it comes to talking about her children.
"I am sure Winter can join us the next time." Ansem said with a weak chuckle. "At the very least, you will have Weiss and Whitely with you to check out the sights in Vale."
"You don't want us to come with you, Father?" Whitely asked.
"Well, it's only just meeting a few potential clients that I am sure the two of you will find yourselves bored out of your minds." Ansem answered. "No different from how things are in Atlas. I've taken you to enough meetings there to know how they usually go."
"Still, this is different." Weiss pointed out. "This is not in Atlas but in another kingdom. Anyone you meet here has a chance of being different than what you would expect in Atlas. Don't you think we should be present to note any differences?"
Ansem raised an eyebrow as he turned to the now amused Willow. "It seems we have a problem, Willow. Our children would prefer to go boring meetings than touring the kingdom."
"Well, you have only yourself to blame for that." Willow said with a hand on her cheek.
"Me?"
"You passed your work ethic down to all three of our children." Willow with a sly face. "Leaving poor old me to go touring all by my lonely self."
Ansem stiffened, eyes widening slightly. "Well…We still have to get checked in and then making up a proper schedule. And we are not expected for a couple of hours so perhaps a quick tour of the shopping district could be in order."
Willow's smile widened slightly as she grasped her husband's arm. "I'm so fortunate to be married to someone so considerate and thoughtful."
"And smart enough to know the right answer between seeing potential clients and partners and spending time with your wife." Whitely whispered to Weiss who quickly shushed him.
"Hm?" Willow looked at her children. "Did you say something, Whitely?"
"Nothing, Mother." Weiss hastily shook her head. "He said nothing at all."
Willow just smiled, allowing Ansem to lead her and their children out of the airport and towards the booked limousine for them.
A corvid lingered close by, following the limo as it drove off.
"I must say, Jimmy that this is a surprising proposal you have offered me."
"Yes, well I see little choice in the matter. My daughter has crossed an unacceptable line and my wife and I can't contain her disobedience any longer. We thought the school would straighten but she slipped out right from under their noses and went on a crime spree with those…delinquents."
The man before him chuckled. "That is why you should always be more hands on with your kids, Jimmy. You never know what they might be up to."
"So, you agree?" Jimmy asked, sounding hopeful.
"Of course, and in exchange I'll wipe your debt with the Hei Xiongs." The man nodded. "So, we're both pleased."
"Thank you so much." Jimmy bowed his head.
"Oh, no need to bow to me, Councilman." The man stood up. "I'm more than happy to take your girl of your hands. You just make sure she's nice and pretty for tonight. I prefer all my brides looking beautiful the first time I meet them."
The sightseeing through Vale had been relatively quiet, all things considered. Willow and Weiss helped themselves to a few clothing stores, wanting to bring a few souvenirs back to Atlas while Ansem and Whitely waited patiently. In the meantime, Whitely got to see what the main differences were between Vale and Atlas, and he had to admit, he liked the calm, spring like weather they currently had here.
"I have to admit, Vale's got this very 'down to Remnant' feeling." Whitely admitted as he and his father took a small stroll around the district. "I can see why you were open to coming down here yourself, Father."
"Well, I believed a change of scenery to be good once in a while." Ansem admitted with a soft smile. "Not everything has to be about business, Whitely."
"I get that." Whitley shrugged and closed his eyes. "So, what should we expect tonight from this party?"
"Oh, the usual, getting dressed up, meeting other people just as gussied as we will be, them saying they've heard so much about us and admire us so much for how big our company has grown." Ansem began, waving a hand in a somewhat dramatic fashion. "And would love to partner with us in the near and hopefully profitable future."
"I think that went without saying." Whitley said, the look on his face as dry as his tone. "The question is will you actually go for it?"
"It's hard to say at this point. I mean, the patriarch of this family is after a member of Vale's council so he might open a few doors. Honestly, he must have had that message he sent ready the moment word of me considering wishing to expand into other kingdoms reached his ear." Ansem sighed.
"Well, you already have those windmills and greenhouses plus the ice trade in Vacuo." Whitely pointed out. "And that started even before you became CEO."
"Well, as I have told you and your sisters, the most daunting task-"
"-Is usually the most rewarding." Whitely finished, rolling his eyes. "How is that you can sound like you are teaching a class while on a simple stroll, Father?"
"Years of practice, Whitely." Ansem chuckled. "Years of practice."
Ansem noticed a corvid seemingly eyeing him from atop a lamp post but paid it no mind as they finished their walk around the block and ended back at the clothing store where Weiss and Willow were waiting.
"There you are." Willow had a hand on her hip while managing to hold the several bags of new clothes she bought as she mockingly glared at her husband. "Really, you two couldn't just wait for Weiss and I?"
"Apologies dear." Ansem chuckled weakly. "I thought a good walk around would be a good stretch for the legs."
"Is that so?" Willow smiled before handing her bags to her husband. "Well, maybe a little walking and carrying our bags will be of some good exercise? Will it, Weiss?"
"If you say so, Mother." Weiss handed her father her own bags.
Ansem grunted slightly from holding all the bags. "I see you two found more than a few things you liked."
"We sure did, dear." Willow replied with a cheeky smile. "Now, how about we find a nice little place to have lunch?"
"Well, if you say so, but perhaps I could be allowed to take your newly acquired possessions back to the room?" Ansem asked with a nervous smile. "Just so I can reach for my wallet when the bill comes?"
Willow brought a hand to her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Hmm…All right, dear. Since you bring up a good point. But be sure to be back ten minutes sharp and if you're a moment late, you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."
"Yes, dear."
It took a little effort, but Ansem was able to bring the bags and packages containing everything his wife and daughter bought back to the suite they were staying at.
The former king of Radiant Garden sighed in relief as he gently placed them all down on the couch. "Oh my, I cannot decide what is more challenging: being CEO or a family man?"
"I wouldn't know either." A voice said from behind.
Narrowing his eyes, Ansem spun around only to be greeted with a sharp blade pointed at his neck.
"Easy there, Ansem Schnee." Red eyes glinted in amusement while brushing a strand of dark hair aside. "Or should I say…DiZ?"
Ansem remained calm but narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid you are mistaken, strange lady."
"Oh, I assure you I am not. You know me well enough to know I was a former spy when I was still a Huntress. I have a keen for detail and noticing things." The woman held out her scroll and showed an image of Ansem at a news conference following his near kidnapping in Atlas. "Like the one with the lance, a weapon that is similar to one of the men in dark coats who showed up at the Branwen Camp."
Ansem remained composed, not alarmed from the sword pointed at his neck. "A coincidence could also be plausible. Many weapons can be mistaken for being similar."
"Is that your ace in the hole? Well, there is one way to prove your innocence." The woman said before she thrust her blade forward…only to be halted as a dark aura surrounded her, seemingly freezing her in place. "…Or maybe this is all the confirmation I need, DiZ. Darkness In Zero."
Ansem lowered the sword with one finger. "Raven Branwen. You have annoying tendency for theatrics. No doubt from your time as a Huntress."
Ansem released Raven and she jumped back, sheathing her nodachi but kept a hand on the hilt.
"So, what do you want?" Ansem walked over to a nearby table where a tea set was waiting.
"You mean, besides getting back at you for humiliating me? For forcing the tribe to call of the raids that keep us alive. Having the gall to blackmail me?" Raven narrowed her eyes. "Take your pick."
"I make no claims to knowing what goes in that twisted head of yours, Raven. Still, as I might recall you and this DiZ had reached an agreement regarding your tribe's activities." Ansem replied as he poured some tea into a cup.
"Blackmail is not an agreement." Raven retorted. "Don't think you can simply talk your way out of this. After all, I could just as share what I know with your wife and family."
"Share with them what? That you believe me to be this 'DiZ' person? A man barely known outside of what rumors speak of?" Ansem held up the cup and took a sip from it. "Let alone this claim coming from a former Huntress turned bandit. You'll have to do much more to prove these allegations."
"Maybe I do have proof. I know my way around Mistral too and I've heard what you've been up to regarding the gangs there." Raven crossed her arms. "The benevolent CEO reaching to every corner of Remnant during the day while making deals with criminals and gangs at night. Not to mention who your mother-in-law turns out to be."
"Ah, I recall you had an encounter with her." Ansem rubbed his chin. "Tell me, what prompted that? Was it because she had been found by the very family you abandoned? You must have been quite surprised."
"No more surprised than I was when I found out she used to be married to the man who built the company you are now running. No wonder you've done so well." Raven scoffed.
"You believe my work and successes have been all because of my predecessor's wife? Clearly, you don't know me at all, despite your claim." Ansem put the cup on the table. "But I know you."
"Do you?" Raven raised an eyebrow.
"I know you claim you never wanted a child but even so, not even your former teammate Taiyang would have been able to change your mind if that were the case. Willing to endure the full course of bringing a child into the world, only to suddenly leave. If a family is what you never wanted, why bother giving your former husband a daughter?" Ansem questioned. "Surely not because you wanted to wait until she was ready to join the tribe, like you had mentioned before?"
Raven narrowed her eyes. "You were spying on me back then or where you spying on her?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, I suppose not." Raven placed a hand back on the hilt of her sword. "Because I am very tempted to kill you."
"Do that and you'll have Atlas sending its army to Mistral led by my wife who will hunt you and your tribe down until there is no one left." Ansem replied calmly. "Not to mention, Ozpin will not be able to make any more excuses for you."
"You think you can-"
"Do you think you've managed to stay off the grid as long as you have with your cunning?" Ansem cut her off sharply. "Ozpin has more important things to deal with than disciplining a wayward student, though he should have seen to that a long time ago. You must know your brother has been tracking the tribe, keeping on its movements since where it goes, you go with it. If it's discovered you have committed murder in Vale and a high prominent figure from Atlas nonetheless, both kingdoms and Mistral will unite to hunt and finally exterminate the Branwen tribe as a threat."
Raven scoffed. "If it comes to that, we'll scatter. They could spend years looking through Anima and not even cover a tenth of it while we know that land along with its swamps and jungles like the back of our hands."
"I suppose there is bit of truth to your word." Ansem leaned forward. "But that would dissuade Ozpin and Qrow when the recording of my murder and your reveal as the Spring Maiden galvanizes them into action."
Ravan paused. "So, you did make some kind of insurance, in case I ever found out and tracked you down."
"Raven Branwen, I know you better than you might think." Ansem stepped forward, not even bothered by Raven partially unsheathing her sword. "For all your bravado, you're more scared of being dragged into this conflict between Ozpin and Salem than anything else. That's why I know you won't kill me because if you do, Ozpin will find out and eventually Salem will as well, and both will not rest until you are found."
Raven stiffened slightly, her eyes blazing as she glared.
"If you're willing to take the chance, unsheathe your sword and perhaps we'll both step into the light. I'm sure everyone will be interested in your activities as mine." Ansem stated. "Harboring and then killing the previous Spring Maiden, attempting to intimidate the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, kidnapping not just your daughter but the twin daughters of your former teammate."
"What are you after?" Raven asked sharply.
"Right now, I want to know what your goal is." Ansem answered. "Were actions meant to be a form of concern for your daughter and the children of your best friend was it all a smoke screen get your hands on Aqua's weapon."
"You mean the Keyblade?" Raven asked, smiling slightly at the slight twitch of Ansem's eye. "Yeah, I spied on her as she showed her weapon to Tai and Qrow. I know that weapon is magical and it's tied to how she's been appearing and disappearing throughout history and I know it's somehow connected to how you managed to take over the SDC."
"Oh?"
"I read a little article regarding your trip down to Vacuo. Apparently, the airship meant to take you back to Atlas blew up, but you knew ahead of time about the bomb and survived." Raven continued. "Now how could you have known unless someone told, that someone being an information broker whose got eyes and ears in every kingdom, especially in Atlas? The answer, the very information broker who told you happens to be your night job."
Ansem remained calm from Raven's accusation.
"It's a pretty clever little arrangement, I got to admit. As Ansem Schnee, you're the CEO of the biggest Dust company on Remnant, you've revolutionized society as we know it in both Atlas and Vacuo and now, you're setting up shop here in Vale, meaning you must have a plan for Mistral as well. As DiZ though, you already have informants, most likely already in Mistral to help you keep track of the criminal underbelly. Ozpin would likely kill to have the reach you have." Raven said, her tone mocking at the end. "No doubt, you got help from your blue haired friend who happened to be married to your father-in-law."
"You give my friend much credit, but I'll admit you are right about the fact that she wanted me to be Nicholas's successor, but she had faith I would find a way to prove I was worthy. Just as I also know that she will be able to do for that family just as well as she did for the Schnees." Ansem replied before glaring. "A responsibility that you shirked, passing it off to your teammate Summer Rose and then you exasperated it further in trying to gain Aqua's Keyblade."
Raven scowled.
"But while we're on the subject, perhaps you can clear the air on a long and distressing puzzle that I have yet to solve." Ansem admitted.
"And that is?"
Ansem leaned forward. "What happened to Summer Rose?"
Raven's eyes widened before she narrowed them. "What makes you think I know?"
"I know how your Semblance works, Raven. Not only can you create a portal to those you bond with, but you can also sense their emotions and know when they are in danger. It stands to reason you would have sensed something from Summer when she disappeared." Ansem reasoned.
Raven stepped back. "I don't."
"…You're lying." Ansem narrowed his eyes.
"Am I?" Raven retorted.
"I've trained myself in psychology, Raven. I've learned the traits that come from dealing with hardened criminals and backstabbers. I know how to spot a liar when I see one." Ansem explained. "My question shook you but not from mere surprise, I could see the brief bit of fear and regret in those eyes, I could hear the nervousness you tried to hide, and I can feel the unease around your very being. You know what happened, likely even knew what Summer Rose was up to when she went on this mission that no one, not even Ozpin knew about."
Raven narrowed her eyes and reached for her sword, swinging it out but to her surprise a dark portal appeared in front of Ansem and swallowed her sword.
"That portal will see to it your sword never cuts anything but air." Ansem stated as Raven pulled back her blade and jumped back. "Whatever secrets you hide, Raven. If you present a threat to this world, I vow I will stop you."
Raven snarled. "I'm not the one you'll be worrying about, DiZ! Just remember, I know your secret too!" She swung her sword and created her own portal, jumping into it without another word.
The portal vanished, leaving Ansem alone in the Schnee suite.
BEEP-BEEP!
Ansem took out his scroll, seeing a text message from Willow saying: You are late!
"Good grief." Ansem sighed as he put the scroll away. "Well, Raven you are right about one thing. You aren't the one I'm worried about right now."
"I am so sorry, dear." Ansem gracefully bowed his head. "I was waylaid by some characters claiming to be my fans and I had to take a long alternate route back here."
Willow simply had her arms crossed, her face turned away, refusing to look at her husband. Weiss and Whitely wisely chose to focus on their meals as their father worked to make his way back into their mother's good graces.
Ansem sighed. "I don't suppose the surprise I had been planning for you would help me."
Willow opened one eye. "Depends on what the surprise might be?"
"Well, if the children don't mind having the suite to themselves after attending the party tonight," Ansem glanced at Weiss and Whitely who nodded in agreement. "You and me, take a grand tour of a new skating ring that has just opened. And I may have…booked it for just the two of us, with some of your preferred music."
Willow was looking at Ansem now. "We can skate as long as we want?"
"Even past midnight." Ansem clarified with a smile.
"All optional music is classical?"
"As if a Schnee preferred any other."
Willow brought a hand to her chin, considering it carefully before she smiled. "All right, you are forgiven…"
"Thank you-" Ansem was cut off as Willow silence him with a single finger over his lips.
"Just as long as you remember if you are late again, you are sleeping outside the suite." Willow added with a perky smile.
Whitely snickered a bit. "I would have another room prepared in advance if I were you, Father."
Ansem sighed. "…Yes, dear."
"Now, let us enjoy our lunch." Willow's mood took a hundred and eighty degrees as she was now happy and perky, just pleased to be spending time with her family.
Ansem felt his scroll vibrate but didn't answer until he was sitting down and carefully brought it out.
To Darkness In Zero:
Some carrot top idiot is shouting for you.
And on the screen was a picture of Roman Torchwick in Junior's bar, making a loud-mouthed fool of himself as usual.
Ansem sighed. 'I can't seem to get away from that buffoon.'
Still, spending time with his family was more important than whatever Roman wanted from him so he would enjoy lunch first before going to see what his ex-partner wanted.
When he arrived at the bar, he was greeted with the sight of his old partner and protégé hitting on all the females in the bar.
"Oh, my Oum! You look A LOT better from the back!" Roman winced, taking a step back.
"You jerk!" The woman snapped and turned back around.
"Hey there sweet cheeks you wanna- Wait! Wait! Roman, remember what's on the other side!" Roman caught himself.
As Roman moved on he was still looking around until he finally just gave up and went to sit in the booth.
"That was painful."
Roman rolled his eye as he sat down. "Glad you found enjoyment in watching. I knew if I made enough of a spectacle you would show up."
Sitting across from him in the booth was none other than his former mentor and partner, DiZ. "You had over a dozen of my contact filling up my messages. Why would you even need to do that when you had me on speed dial?"
"I deleted that number as soon as Malachite branded you with the Bite of Death, not that you stuck around to receive it." Roman retorted, glaring at the man. "So how long have you been here? Since you had to flee Mistral?"
"Flee? I come and go as I please and not you or Malachite would ever know unless I allow it." DiZ replied.
"Tch, you haven't changed a bit." Roman grumbled. "You know that Mistral wine that Malachite liked to have on special occasions?"
"The Mistrali Grape Wine?" DiZ raised an eyebrow.
"Kept a bottle of it for myself, planning only to use it on a very special occasion. And the night you tried to stab me in the back and Malachite put out a kill on sight order for you, I opened it up and nearly drank the whole bottle in celebration. I was finally free, and I thought I'd never see your stupid bandaged face ever again." Roman turned his face away, the sheer anger he felt from seeing his old mentor slowly rising up.
DiZ smirked. "How sweet. I remember how I celebrated also by setting that bomb off in your apartment."
"I KNEW IT! I knew that was YOU! YOU MOTHER-" Roman lifted his cane and aimed it right at DiZ's face, but the bandaged man continued smiling. "Gah, you make me sick! That little confession would be more than enough reason for me to kill you but that's not why I came into club shouting for you to show your bandaged face."
"Well, if it was to remind me of the difference in the skills in the art of courting, I can safely say-" DiZ started but ducked as Roman swung his cane at his head.
"Will you shut up already?!" Roman growled before he sat down. "I need information on a family called the Vanilles and anything you got Lady Browning's Preparatory Academy For Girls."
"Ah, so you figured out Malachite's connections here." DiZ remarked with an impressed smile.
"And you already knew because you sent those three girls there, didn't you?" Roman replied. "You already knew that school was affiliated with Malachite, so you recruited those girls to be your spies and then they recruited the Vanille's daughter to join them and help them start a spree of theft across Vale. It sure got the attention of the council, Beacon and Malachite and it got my attention too when you oh so just happened to show up and reveal how the girls managed to steal an entire vault of money without robbing a bank."
"I never hired them to commit theft, Roman. They did that all on their own." DiZ calmly rebuked.
"But you knew they would do that. I know how you work, and I heard you forged their transcripts to get into that preppy school so they could be with their new girl. Really tugs at the heart, you know, those girls welcoming a new one into their little family, a band of sisterhood. And the new girl just happens to be the daughter of a councilor who's running an illegal Dust trade through the kingdom." Roman smirked. "All the good things usually have your hand in it, somehow."
"Well, I admit I have been aware of councilman Jimmy Vanille's less than honest dealings for some time but if anything, I never thought of using his daughter as a pawn. In fact, I did her a favor when sending Gullwings her way. Those three have done more for her than her own family have ever done." DiZ replied, narrowing his eye. "You know how I hate children being mistreated, Roman."
"So does that mean you'll cooperate this time?" Roman asked.
"This time?"
"I am dealing with the Spiders, their school and Neo's parents tonight. I know the evidence you've complied on the kid's parents which I will be getting right after my talk with you is finally finished. Once they're out of the way, I am taking over the Dust trade." Roman narrowed his eyes. "And if you try and stop me, I'll out my former partnership with you and your current partnership with the Gullwings to Ozpin and the authorities. See if you can run your business here in Vale when they find out you've worked with the very criminals who have been turning this kingdom upside down."
DiZ calmly stared at Roman for a moment before smiling. "Very well, I wasn't planning interfering anyway. You want to wipe the board clean, that is fine."
"Just like that?" Roman raised an eyebrow.
"Just like that." DiZ nodded. "At the very least, crime will be reduced heavily in Vale and since you operate small, it won't be that much of an issue."
Roman scowled but stood up. "Fine and just so you know, this is the last civilized conversation we'll be having. Next time I see you, I will kill you."
"I've heard that before, Roman." DiZ's smile remained ever while he was being threatened. "Maybe one day, I'll actually believe it."
Roman grumbled and walked out of the booth. "Smug mummified bastard…"
DiZ simply rolled his eye, knowing he needed to get back as soon as possible.
