Brushing up her music lessons had Weiss realize that she nearly forgot the basics. Focused on being a huntress, she needed to get her vocal cords back to speed. A few practices here and a few missed notes there, were it not for her actually accepting father's request, she would have been scolded by now. But since she was willing, father was lenient for the most part. Not that he was there to watch her practice.
Father had accepted her song of choice. It was from a musical from a book that Blake read: The Man with Two Souls. Though the musical took a lot of liberties in regards to the book, Weiss found the perfect piece from it and had begun to give her own spin on it to make it her own.
Lonely notes played as Weiss listened for the right one before proceeding. The base and rhythm are the same; it is the personal flair that she was working on. She kept her voice to a hum. Weiss had time before she had to perform, and she was already returning to form.
"Some ginger tea, miss Schnee?" Klein offered. His eyes told her that it was the happy personality. "I've already set aside some honey. Feel free to add as much as you wish!"
"Thank you, Klein." Weiss remained cordial. Klein placed the tray on the table close to the piano.
"I'm surprised that you've actually accepted your father's request."
"While the request is for father, the song itself is not."
"Ah. Someone catch your fancy?"
"No!" Weiss chuckled. "Not mine. Winter's."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Klein hummed. "Alright. I don't see it but if you do, then I shall take your word for it."
It was just her right now. The rest of her team were busy seeing the sights of Atlas, well Ruby and Yang were; Blake wasn't much of a fan, especially on the anti-faunus sentiments some places have. She had been open with her faunus heritage and went without her bow this time. Their time in Atlas was limited and they had to go back to Vale and thus Beacon eventually.
Weiss took that break and had her tea. It was less the effects of it and more the soothing sensation of heat.
The Schnee home was strangely warmer lately. For the longest time, Weiss always felt that these grand but empty hallways were cold. It was still mostly empty but it had that warmth to it. She looked to the portrait of her grandfather: Nicholas Schnee. He was a good man but he wasn't a good businessman. As much as Weiss won't ever admit it, Jacques Schnee did put the SDC up there as a profitable company. It could do without the horrid reputation, though.
Not like his run for office is going to make it any better. Jacques Schnee saw opportunity. He also saw competition. Try as he might, that mister Utterson never once met the man nor did he make his plans of talking business at all. Mister Utterson's loyalties are to Mantle and with Robyn's Happy Huntresses.
Outside, Weiss could hear the faint sounds of conversation. There was no mistaking the jovial voice of Jack. Weiss still had to pinch herself just to remind that she is now, legally, an aunt. She isn't ready for this! But facts were facts and Jack Schnee-Jekyll is now a part of the Schnee family. Not even father could argue given that he married into the family and was the one who adopted the name; that information was public.
It was Jack's conversation partner that took her attention. It was Whitley.
"Because it isn't good to be drinking it so much!" he sounded like he was at his limit.
"But why does grandmother drink it so much?" Jack asked, innocence painting her voice.
"Because she has problems, you street urchin!"
Weiss was about to burst out before Jack continued.
"Can we help her? If it isn't good for her, shouldn't we stop her?"
"I—mother has problems, Jack. It isn't something that either you or I should delve into, we're too young for that."
Weiss slowly opened the door. "Am I interrupting anything?"
On one of the couches laid outside in these hallways, Whitley was reading his books and Jack was next to him.
"Auntie Weiss." Jack ran, arms wide open. She was wearing more appropriate clothing now. Weiss' old clothes actually.
Weiss carried Jack but talked to Whitley. "Do I want to know about what's going on?"
"Only if you care about making sure this street urchin is at least up the basics of proper behavior when out in the open. Father has tasked me to make sure that Jack here at least knows how to be a proper Schnee. Honestly, this should be Winter's job or at least given to Klein."
Whitley was shaking his head.
"But knowing father. I'm sure he has his own plans for Jack."
Weiss' eyes narrowed. "She's too young for this."
"Better there than with mother. It's how I found her when father gave me this task."
"Grandmother Willow was drinking from those bottles I see other women drink!"
"From your old home?" Weiss asked, eyes widening.
"Uh-huh, usually before the clients arrive."
Both Schnee siblings had widened asked. Weiss nearly faltered. "W-what kind of clients?"
"Depends. Some wore fanciful clothes, others stink. They all go in there for a good time, they said."
Weiss held back the building panic as she returned Jack to Whitley. "Well, I apologize for interrupting your lessons, so why don't you go back to uncle Whitley, yeah?"
"Okay!" Jack's innocent smile didn't feel so innocent anymore.
Weiss ignored Whitley's cries as she closed the door behind her.
"Something of a problem, miss Schnee?" asked Klein.
"Take good care of Jack, Klein," Weiss ordered. "She deserves all the care in the world. In fact, take better care of her than you did me, Winter, or Whitley."
Klein only tilted his head. "A-alright."
Weiss returned to her music lessons. Distractions. Distractions. Need distractions. I am absolutely not ready for this!
What kind of child did Winter and doctor Jekyll pick up?
/-/
Earlier, before that conversation with Weiss, Whitley, after being given that task by father, found Jack in the presence of Willow Schnee.
He sighed. Does mother not at least have some decency to not drink so much in front of the street urchin that Winter and Jekyll picked up out of pity? No. She was too into her bottle to even realize that a child was about to take a drop out of the empty ones.
Whitley's hands moved quicker.
"Uncle Whitley?" Jack looked so confused, so innocent.
"No." Whitley made sure he was firm. "Such a drink should not be had for someone like you."
After that came the conversations and the arguments. Then, there was Weiss and their conversation. Finally, there was that revelation at the end there that caught even Whitley off-guard. He wouldn't call himself hardened by the world, far from it. Still, he knew of the vices that certain people engage in, even among their peers. Such things are scandalous if made public and yet it is that exact depravity that drew people in: that dangerous secret game of sin.
Right now, Jack was busy looking at overly-edited, high-paced, high-energy, videos on Whitley's scroll. Horrible pieces of entertainment, serving nothing more than mere brain-rot, a complete detriment to any child's development. Whitley should put a stop to it but he was currently going through a crisis.
I am not ready for this! He expected a street urchin, accustomed to going hungry, maybe thirsty, most days. An illiterate child who would run his patience thin. A child that knew nothing of fine living nor of proper decorum. Instead, he got Jack Schnee-Jekyll. Winter, what kind of child did you take? Are you even aware of this?
"Pumpkin Pete! Pumpkin Pete!" The slop on the scroll repeated. " Marshmallow flakes cereal! Pumpkin Pete! Pumpkin Pete! In the A.M. it is what I like to eat!"
"Uncle Whitley!" Jack called. "Uncle Whitley! Can I get a Pumpkin hoodie?"
"Ask your mother," Whitley said on instinct. Not his responsibility. Actually, no. Was it the right choice? "On second thought—no. In fact—maybe?"
"Uncle Whitley," Jack said. "You're not making any sense."
Whitley needed a savior. That came in the form of Klein Sieben.
"Klein!" he called out, startling the butler.
"Master Schnee?"
He was about to demand but he needed to confirm first. "Give me a minute." A quick look at the scroll only brought despair. "Purchase fifty boxes of Pumpkin Pete cereal." He gave Klein his scroll. "Take it from my allowance."
Whitley hardly spent his allowance.
"I must advise against such spendings, master Schnee."
"Please, mister Sieben." Jack gave the most puppy-dog eyes.
Klein wasn't affected. He looked to Jack and Whitley. He then smiled and shook his head. "Very well. I cannot argue much against such fine argumentation."
"Yay!" Jack raised both her arms. She turned to Whitley. "Thank you, uncle Whitley!"
"Make no mistake, you street urchin," Whitley replied. "I am doing this because father told me to. I have no fondness for you in the slightest."
Jack continued to smile so innocently that Whitley had to look away. What kind of child was she?
As Whitley, with Jack behind him, walked around the Schnee home, the doors opened. Doctor Jekyll had just arrived. He looked exhausted; his jacket hung terribly on his shoulder; they were close to falling off. His eyebags had eyebags. No scent of it, at least.
"Father!" Jack ran up to greet. So happy and so innocent. Yet, Whitley couldn't help but shake his head.
Doctor Jekyll still had strength to carry the child. He even kept up the face of someone not at all tired. "Jack!" the same cannot be said about the voice that came out. "How are you doing. Have you been good?"
No matter how exhausted doctor Jekyll appeared, once he was there, he took over, making it his duty to be some kind of father for Jekyll. Whitley's eyes narrowed at the currently absent space where a certain woman should be, by Jekyll's side.
"Winter is finalizing her new workplace," Jekyll said.
"Does mother not want her current job?" Jack asked.
"No. It's so she can spend more time with you."
"Yay!" Jack raised both arms and held Jekyll in tight embraced. She then let him go. "I'm going to go prepare for mother's return later!"
Jekyll waved Jack. Once Jack was gone, doctor Jekyll had his back on the wall, his head facing the ceiling and his legs flat on the floor.
"Exhausting day, doctor Jekyll?" asked Klein. "Would you like me to take your jacket?"
"I'll do it, Klein," said Whitley. "Why don't you check on the st—on Jack and see if she needs any help."
After a while, Whitley spoke again.
"You know," he said. "This mister Utterson of yours wouldn't be much of a problem had you just accepted father's offer."
"I'm not so sure the SDC needs another avenue for their monopoly," Jekyll replied.
"But the SDC does provide funding," Whitley argued. "Funding that makes a huntsman's salary less than pocket change."
"What counts as pocket change for you, Whitley?"
"A pauper's pocket change," Whitley's emphasized. "I'm sure Mantle is going to benefit either way."
"I have doubts on that," Jekyll replied. "I'm terribly sorry, but I do not trust your father has the best interest of the people at heart."
"And you do?"
"I don't suppose not." Jekyll looked away. "But I do believe some competition is good. If only so that your father would try to better the company."
"Somehow, I doubt that." Whitley wasn't sure if Jekyll had been informed of father's run for office. "Still, these are your decisions and I see your reasoning from all our sessions together."
"Only trying to make sure you get the best that I could offer." A doctorate degree was still a doctorate degree.
Whitley helped Jekyll to his feet. Winter had yet to arrive, it was still day time. Mister Utterson's businesses were a nightly activity, without the moonlighting.
His tutorial sessions were held as they would have, with Jekyll somehow managing to stay awake with only a cup of tea. How that man was able to remain awake and still be cognitively sound will always amaze Whitley.
After the usual sessions, Whitley had to ask, "were you aware of Jack's backstory?"
"Backstory?"
"In that place where you and Winter found her."
"What did Jack say?"
"She never explicitly said it. But I have a suspicion that she had come from a brothel, doctor Jekyll."
"I… didn't know that. It was hard to tell with the building's structure." He was looking away.
"She's surprisingly innocent in that regard. I do not think that it even registers to her."
"I think that Jack is surprisingly mature as well."
"I can tell. Doctor Jekyll, she is surprisingly a fast learner when it came to proper decorum for an abandoned child." And Whitley had a dark guess as to where it comes from. "I also feel that there is a danger to her, sometimes."
"She wasn't given much of a childhood, Whitley."
"And forgive me for saying this, but I will be the first to say that here isn't a good place."
"You aren't the first, actually. Winter fully admits it herself one time."
"And yet sister brought her here, anyway?"
"It was… the request made from Jack's previous guardian."
Whitley shook his head. "I see. Well, I still don't think that here is the best place for it but if it really is a dying wish, I suppose Jack could have gotten a worse outcome."
Their tutorial sessions ended there. Rather than leave, Whitley insisted that doctor Jekyll at least take a break in one of the guest rooms. Most of them go unused anyway. It didn't take long for Jekyll to start snoring and Whitley shrugged and was at least courteous enough to cover the man in a blanket. Atlas was always cold and the Schnee home was no exception to that.
Outside the hallways, Whitley heard the unbalanced footsteps of her mother. She was currently drunk since she wasn't nursing the headache that was the hangover. He sighed.
"Perhaps I should dispose of the empty bottle, mother?" Whitley offered.
Willow Schnee didn't even bother to thank him. She probably did but she was incomprehensible and whatever it was she was trying to say came out as a verbal mess. She at least gave him the bottle so Whitley could imagine that she did, for once.
He disposed the bottle. Whitley sighed. This household wasn't always the best of homes. It was only in recent times when things have become somewhat lively. On one hand, Whitley will admit that this good news. On the other hand, he had only known the cold indifference that part of him was rather bitter about it.
Whitley still had a job to do. He went looking for Jack. He didn't call out her name. He wasn't some barbarian and his father was probably in some meeting again; he would have many harsh words if Whitley raised his voice even remotely. Jack has yet to be revealed publicly as part of the family. Father would make that announcement clear soon enough.
Finding Jack was easy enough. She was there in Winter's room. Fluffing the pillows, smoothing the blankets, and cleaning the floors, part of Whitley praised her for being so responsible at such a young age. The other part of him pictured a dark image of Jack doing this in that horrid place that she come from. Innocent, unknowing, and yet there was a maturity in those eyes of hers sometimes.
"I'm sure that Winter will be proud and appreciate your work, Jack," Whitley said.
Jack beamed absolute sunshine; it was nauseating to look at. She was swaying her head to the rhythm of Weiss' singing and piano from a few rooms down. With how empty the Schnee home generally is, Whitley supposed there was no need to raise his voice at all. It would echo anyway.
Whitley continued to humor whatever whimsy Jack had which, thankfully, led him back to Weiss. Jack had wanted to listen and Weiss was happy enough to accommodate though there was no hiding that discomfort in her eyes.
For Jack's sake, Weiss played a different tune, more of a lullaby as Jack was lulled to sleep on her lap. Girl had been active for a while now. Whitley decided that it was best to leave her in Winter's room.
Speaking of Winter, the door opened and there were no mistaking Winter's steps. She may be in a hurry but there was still that marching rhythm to be heard. It paused. She must have met up with either Klein or mother. It resumed after a time, probably Klein.
"She's asleep," Whitley said.
"Thank you, Whitley," Winter replied. There was a cold distance between them. She looked surprised though.
"Father," Whitley explained. "You know how he is."
Winter bit her lip. "I… I will have to draw the line there."
"Will you now?"
"Jack is… she's special. She shouldn't be paraded in that manner."
Ah. So, she does know of Jack's backstory.
"If that is really what you desire, perhaps I could pitch in. Since father already intends to have me be the good influence on Jack."
"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Her eyes narrowed
"Make no mistake, I am only doing this in regards to her pitiful background. I have no interest nor am I fond of her." He crossed his arms. "I will say this: mother isn't a good role-model to emulate, Winter. It isn't good to be absent."
Winter closed her eyes and nodded. "You're right."
"Surprised that you would agree."
"I've… learned things out there, Whitley. Things that I wish I'd rather not know."
Jack's background. It had to be.
"I don't plan to treat Jack as mother treated us. But I know that I couldn't always be there. Neither could Jekyll. If anything, Klein has all the rights and all the betters in that regard."
Whitley will admit that as well.
Winter looked rejuvenated just being in the presence of a now happier and contented Jack. Whitley left them there and close the door.
He sat on one of the many couches. He needed to rest for a while.
Jack Schnee-Jekyll was brought out of a terrible home. She herself may seem innocent but there was no doubt that she had seen things that not even Whitley had seen. He doubts that even father saw any of that.
Something inside of Whitley awakened. Father was absent and cared only for the Schnee Dust Company. Mother had long since drowned herself in drink. Weiss was far too busy being a huntress. Winter may have taken that step but she couldn't possibly be there all the time.
"Master Whitley," Klein said, interrupting Whitley's thoughts. "Your father has called for you."
Taking that time to fix himself, Whitley walked towards father's office. Passing-by the portraits of grandfather, Whitley was the last of the Schnee siblings to have seen how grandfather was like. But that was more that grandfather had carried him at some point; there were pictures of that. Reality was that Whitley never knew of his grandfather before grandfather's health had begun to fail.
By then, Whitley had been taken under the watch and care of father. Winter running off to join the military had cost her the status of heiress which then fell to Weiss. Weiss shouldn't have been made heiress since she was going to Beacon to be a barbaric huntress but she was just as stubborn.
One final check and Whitley knocked on the door. "Father?"
"Come in, Whitley," Jacques replied from the other side. He was neutral and uncaring. That was the best mood he'll ever be.
The door made no creak but that didn't stop Whitley from opening it slowly. Father may be slow to anger but he was quick to frustration.
"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Jacques leaned forward. A business meeting. "How would you evaluate Winter's new… acquisition?"
Whitley paused and gathered the words. Then, he reported, "Winter has taken up different duties, father. She intends to stay close to her adopted daughter."
"I have no interest in what your sister intends to do. My interest is in what that street rat she picked up could do."
He took a deep breath. "She is still, for the most part, childish."
"Unacceptable."
"But she also displays some sense of maturity and responsibilities beyond her years."
"Hmm. Very well, that is workable. Perhaps I should encourage Winter to take more missions then. With that upstart doctor that is your tutor returning to Beacon, that leaves the street rat to be trained properly."
"Father."
"What, Whitley?"
"That maturity of hers," Whitley said. "I have reason to believe that the place that Winter and doctor Jekyll picked her up from is not of good reputation. I have reason to believe that Jack has come from a brothel."
"And it should matter why? Any other records of her existence prior to that are non-existent. As far as the paper is concerned, the street rat has no past."
Whitley's jaws tightened. A Schnee must always be in control. It is of no good to let one's emotions take control. It should be channeled properly.
"I was thinking that perhaps there are… individuals who might not want to be recognized," Whitley said. Brother gods, let it not be so. "Her innocence could easily point them out."
"Then, we shall keep her quiet. I'm beginning to reconsider doctor Jekyll's place as your tutor if this is the result. Whitley, such things have no place in the SDC. We have, on our shoulders, the weight of the world's economy. We cannot afford to let trivial matters get in the way."
Whitley delayed his response. "Understood, father. I am only arguing in the case that someone outside wishes to take over. Our… competitors may see opportunity."
Father leaned back into his chair. He hummed. "Perhaps you have a point. Very well, I will consider it. You are dismissed, Whitley."
Whitley bowed. One thing was certain: Jacques Schnee would not consider it at all. He would pursue that seat in the council above all other things. At most, he could hope that Jacques would be forced to address this if it turns out to be the case. There was a winning move there, if Jacques Schnee painted himself as someone caring for the tainted innocent. Cruel? Yes. Jacques Schnee? Absolutely.
Later, Jack was running around the halls after waking. The Schnee manor grew livelier as Weiss' teammates came back. They carried with them many bags, souvenirs.
"Uncle Whitley!" Jack cried out. Her arms were wide.
Whitley nearly buckled under the weight as Jack climbed on his back. He protested at first but Jack didn't listen.
"Onward!" she pointed.
He sighed. "I'm only doing this because you demanded. I have no fondness for you, child."
Despite that, there was some hurried pace to his steps. Said pace increased when Jack asked to go faster.
/-/
The sheer number of Pumpkin Pete boxes was enough to earn Winter's glare. Whitley coughed into his fist. Weiss and her team looked confused. Mother was absent. Father was in a meeting. Jekyll and Klein kept their lips straight. Jack was absolutely overjoyed.
"Couldn't you have just purchased the hoodie?" Winter asked.
"I checked," Whitley. "We have to send in about fifty box tops."
Winter sighed. "Drink lots of water, and brush your teeth. If I hear a peep of Jack needing the dentist…"
"I'll prepare a snack bowl of sorts," Klein offered. "I think we'll be good for about a year."
Jack was already on her second box. She was incomprehensible with all that cereal in her mouth. But Whitley was sure that she was trying to say "thank you, uncle Whitley!" She offered the third box to one of Weiss' teammates, Ruby.
Ruby was also incomprehensible but she was trying to say, "come on, Yang! Free cereal!"
"If it is of any consolation," Whitley defended. "It is out of my pocket." He took a fourth box. It wasn't what he normally would eat but better that than let it expire. He reeled back by its taste.
Winter raised an eyebrow.
Whitley visibly struggled. "Tastes like… victory?"
Weiss looked at the box. That was the cereal's tagline.
AN: Writing this and I thought, "why stop at mother and father? I'm giving Jack an entire extended family, dang it"
I have no idea how it got there, but it did.