Note: Day 5 of 7. The last chapter was relatively light on substance, so this day is gonna be a bit heavier in subject matter. Enjoy.
Remember to turn on your camera and microphone before entering the meeting.
Weiss ran her fingers through her hair, trying to look professional. It was too early in the morning to meet like this, though Atlas Academy had so thoroughly skewed with her perception of time and sleep that 8:30 didn't seem that bad. She still had to put on makeup and some semblance of appropriate attire, unlike the swimsuit that she had worn continuously since the first day of vacation. She took care to position her Scroll so only her face was visible. So, why was she wearing nicer clothes again? She supposed that mattered less than hiding the fact she was still lying on her bed.
She entered the meeting, and despite her punctuality, she was actually the last to join. She shouldn't have been surprised the other two arrived early. The first guest was her sister, who was in her office at the SDC, dressed in a suit that she hated, under bright lights that she hated, her eyes sullen with boredom and frustration. The other guest hid her true emotion behind a sly smirk. She was clearly curled up on a couch, less worried about appearing professional. Her hair was ragged and her tiger ears drooped. Her naturally fierce gaze seemed to soften when Weiss entered the chat.
"Good morning," Sienna purred.
"Good morning," Weiss answered.
"Good morning," Winter mumbled.
The three went silent for a moment. Weiss wondered how long Sienna and Winter were waiting for her—and if they even said a word to each other before she arrived.
"How is everyone?" Weiss asked kindly.
"Not bad," Sienna replied. "The coffee machine is broken, so that's not great."
"That's unfortunate."
"Someone's working on it now. Did you know that tigers are nocturnal? That's one of the traits I inherited. Really wishing I didn't right now."
Weiss was rather sure that was a joke, but she didn't feel comfortable enough to laugh at it.
"How's Academy training?"
"Oh," Weiss stuttered. "Actually, I'm sort of… on vacation now."
"They let you take a vacation."
"Not by choice."
"Abusing your celebrity status to get personal benefits," Sienna mused. "I see."
"No, it's not like that—"
"Kidding. Just kidding." Sienna's smile tightened. Weiss didn't trust her in the slightest. She hurriedly moved on.
"Winter, how is everything?"
"That's what we're here to talk about, aren't we?" Winter said dryly.
"I guess so." Weiss sighed. Even though Winter had given everything to her—her love, her villa, her freedom—she was still a terrifying presence. It did not help she was in a bitter mood ever since taking over the SDC. Corporate life fit Winter like a noose, and Weiss wondered if the reason she was invited to this otherwise private gathering was because she was a cooler head. "Do you want to get started then?"
"Yes, let's not waste any more time," Winter groaned. It was 8:31. "We're here this morning because you wanted an update on the status of my Faunus employees."
"Well, I read the report you sent over," Sienna said with a yawn. "Three percent?"
"Correct," Winter explained. "I put in the suggestions you sent over. We held the meeting earlier this week with all Faunus employees. We promised them explicitly that they would be allowed out of any previous abiding contracts, and any of them would be given the option to renegotiate their salary. I had one of my advisors draft up the new contracts. We're looking at double pay, which is already not going over well with my shareholders—"
"Can we go back to the three percent figure?" Sienna interrupted.
"Yes. Less than three percent actually. They won't leave."
"I'm sorry, I'm out of the loop," Weiss stated. "The Faunus won't leave the mines, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes," Winter grunted. "I had the managers tell them flat out: Any of them were allowed to leave if they desired, and there would not be any repercussions. Less than three percent of all Faunus workers took me up on that offer, and I don't know why. You would think if we really treated people as badly as some say, they'd all be clamoring to escape."
"Are you suggesting that your mines were fair?" Sienna asked coldly.
"I'm suggesting that you didn't understand your people's struggles as well as you thought."
"You don't sound pleased about that."
"My stock tumbled more than three percent. Your initiative is costing a lot of money, and the idea of spending so heavily on Faunus welfare isn't going over well. My Human workers aren't happy about it either, because Gods forbid I raise the Faunus' salaries to match theirs. So, I need to raise their salaries, too. This whole project is dramatically increasing the cost of mining. If I could get the Faunus to leave and at least automate some of the jobs, or even replace them with Human labor, that would be something. I could promote it as a cultural initiative. Instead, I'm giving handouts to Faunus who won't cooperate or act in their own best interest. So no… I'm not pleased."
Weiss grimaced. Did they really have to start fighting within seconds of conversing with each other? Sienna remained calm, unshaken by Winter's steel.
"The reason your Faunus aren't leaving is because they have nowhere else to go," she explained calmly. "Many of these Faunus haven't lived outside of your work camps. Atlas doesn't allow Faunus to work indiscriminately. If they want to make a living, they would have to go to Vacuo, but that's impractical. Even if they could find a way to cross the ocean, do you think the Vacuon government would tolerate a large influx of Faunus immigrants, taking the jobs of other Vacuons and draining their resources? The world is cold to us, and not only are your mines a home, you just offered them a nice, new blanket. Of course, they aren't leaving. That's not a critique of them; it's a critique of the world."
Weiss nodded along. Even without a crowd, exhausted and unprepared Sienna was still a masterful orator. Winter just rolled her eyes. "Spoken like a true politician."
"Do you disagree?"
"Look, I just want this problem solved," Winter stated. "For every day my shareholders think I don't have a plan to recuperate our losses, my stock plummets. That's not just my wealth, but it's also your influence. I need a way to offset these costs."
Sienna snickered. "Have you considered taking away corporate bonuses?"
"I want to," Winter stated. "Do you have any idea how many of those bastards were responsible for covering up my father's actions? I want them purged as badly as you. But, I'm sure you know as well as anyone the limits to political power. I've had thirteen lawyers reading over the Board's contracts for a week, trying to find the appropriate clauses to terminate them. It takes time… time that I probably have less of than I'd like."
Weiss felt a sharp twinge in her chest. She should have expected roadblocks. When Winter came out in that press conference, declaring war against her enemies and swearing to rebuild the Schnee Dust Company from the ground up, there was going to be resistance. Winter may have had a controlling stake, but the other members of the Board didn't get their power by rolling over. Weiss could not even begin to comprehend the clauses upon clauses, the most abstract legal minutia and fine print in their contracts that allowed them to weather out the storm, or at least make off with a hefty price as their ship sunk beneath them. She had no doubts Winter would win in the end—the power of a Schnee was too much for anyone to handle—but it was time-consuming and brittle. It would possibly take years before the last of the rats were sent overboard. The longer the fight dragged out, the greater their risks for mistakes, and the greater the damage to the vast fortune that kept them above the whims of Atlas.
Winter was a Huntress not known for her reserves of patience.
"The White Fang has a very limited presence in Atlas, unfortunately," Sienna stated. "Ideally, we could send in representatives to speak with your workers or arrange travel to take them to one of our global shelters. From there, we could work on relocating them and getting them back on their feet. I don't want anyone to work in a mine either, no matter how much you jack up their pay. Atlas has very strict policies regarding advocacy work in the Kingdom, however. Even if you approve of our mission, it could technically count as contract tampering, or transporting Faunus across provincial lines without permits. There are a lot of small policies that limit what I can do."
"I don't need your interference. I just need ideas," Winter clarified. "Our latest estimate is that only ten percent of the SDC's Faunus workforce will leave by the end of the year. How do I get them out faster?"
"Well, if you want the quickest way I can think to make them leave," Sienna suggested, "you could negotiate a labor trade with other companies outside of Atlas. The SDC already has special contracts with the government to allow them to import Faunus labor from abroad. Going through those channels would likely not get you in trouble."
"How does that help them get their freedom?" asked Weiss. "The companies the SDC trades with don't treat the Faunus any better than they are currently. Most of them aren't even outside of Atlas."
"But a few of them are, and that's enough of a selling point," Sienna explained. "Look, you won't get all of the Faunus to leave immediately. These things take time. But we can aim to double your reduction of Faunus labor by year's end—twenty percent. Here's what you do: offer them a choice between staying in your mines, or getting traded beyond Atassian borders. That's a far better deal than throwing them out into the wild, and I suspect that many more Faunus will take you up on that offer. Put a clause in the trade contract that the work is temporary; the opposing company will get access to the Faunus laborers for one full year, and then rights revert back to you. Before they cross the border back, that's when we can step in and handle all the dirty work. Contract removal, cultural acclimation, relocation, employment, etc. The entire process will be much easier in a place like Vale. Again, progress doesn't happen overnight."
"That… might work," Winter said softly. "And the shareholders would be more amenable to selling Faunus than just freeing them. It wouldn't hurt to reestablish a connection to an outside business partner, either. That usually goes over well with the brass. Now we just need the Faunus to cooperate—and to not have our PR sink any further."
"Well, that's why I asked your sister to come along," Sienna claimed. "Weiss, you're in a unique position. You are an Atlasian at heart, but you have immense public sway. I know you probably want to avoid politics, but I was hoping you could help us craft a message to the public to make this process go down smoother."
Weiss was flattered, though she still felt deeply suspicious of the whole affair. "You really want me? You know I'm the least popular member of Team RWBY, right?"
"Only based on social media followers."
"But Blake is the one who usually handles the activism, and Ruby is the leader. Anything should really go through her."
"You can get her help if you want," Sienna stated. "But we are dealing with fundamentally Atlassian issues. They're the ones who invest in the SDC and whose respect you need to maintain. We need someone who can speak to the heart of a Kingdom. And also…" Sienna's smile faltered. "Don't tell Miss Kataliana, but I'd rather not work with her on anything this important."
Weiss's doubts faded, and she even cracked a smile. She didn't know Sienna very well, but she could definitely relate to that. She wasn't sure what she needed to say yet to assuage the public, but they had time to brainstorm. Without the looming threat of her headmasters, she was able to think far clearer than she had before. With Ruby's help, she could craft a message so charming that even the most racist and mistrustful of Humans would be willing to support the SDC's cause. And also, though she wouldn't admit it out loud… it felt really nice to be the wanted member of Team RWBY for a change. It was about goddamn time she got the spotlight.
As for Winter, her eyes narrowed, but only briefly. Hearing Blake referred to by a different name triggered some alarm bell in her head, but she quickly put it out of her mind. Honestly, whatever the reason was, she was sure it was something stupid that didn't affect her.
"I think I can manage that," Weiss asked.
"So can I," Winter stated, "and actually, I think I have someone in mind to sell to. They are always seemingly running out of Faunus, so I doubt they'd object if we added a few extra terms."
"Well, actually, I had a few suggestions of my own—" Sienna tried to protest, but Winter was quick to shut her down.
"I'm not partnering with some weird, all-natural, hippie bullshit that you're peddling. We already have contracts in place for labor trades, and we need someone who wouldn't mind us adding a few extra terms to the conditions of employment. Hell, I doubt they'd complain no matter what we put in."
Sienna cautiously raised an eyebrow. "Who do you have in mind?"
Winter thought nothing of its significance. "Are you familiar with the Scarlatinas?"
Weiss was taken by surprise—and Sienna's eyes grew wide with fear.
"The Scarlatinas? Are you out of your mind?" Sienna exclaimed. "We want to free these Faunus, not kill them."
"They take literally any Faunus you offer them, no questions asked," Winter said calmly. "If we need to get rid of Faunus quickly, that's how."
"You do know why they are constantly replacing Faunus labor, right?" Sienna hissed. "I can't think of a worse crop of slaveowners in the Kingdom. Have you seen their rights record? Scratch that—did you even know they had a rights record?"
Before Winter could answer in the negative, her sister interrupted, caught off guard by Sienna's outburst.
"Wait, wait. I know the Scarlatinas," Weiss said quickly. "I work with a Scarlatina. I've never heard of any of this—"
"You work with a Scarlatina?" Sienna said, nearly dropping her Scroll as she bolted upright.
"She's an upperclassman we're close with. Velvet," Weiss explained casually. "She's training to be a Huntress. She's a Faunus rights activist, and she once told me the reason she fights for the Faunus is because of her experiences on her family's farms. She's a good person."
Sienna held back a growl. "Are you so sure about that?"
"Don't judge her without knowing her."
"Weiss, do you know anything about the Scarlatinas? What they do to Faunus every day?"
"I—"
"I mean, maybe you've found one of the good ones," Sienna sighed. "I don't know. From the rumors I've heard, I wouldn't trust any member of the Scarlatinas to be innocent. I don't know if they have the choice. Then again, I'm not really worried about your teammate; I'm worried about all the Faunus your sister is sending to be abused so she can get them out of her hair."
Weiss was still trying to formulate a response when Winter butted in.
"If you are going to throw this much of a fit about it, we don't have to pick the Scarlatinas," the elder Schnee groaned. "It's not that important to me where I send them. I just want them gone."
"There are plenty of businesses in Vale that take Faunus workers that won't torture them like animals," Sienna said, calming down somewhat. She combed back her hair, and her ears perked as she lay back down on the couch. "Okay, for example, there's a great organization called…"
Sienna and Winter went back and forth for a long time, working out the details of their plan. They must have gone over a dozen prospective businesses, each one more complicated than the last. Yet, Weiss heard none of it. Her ears went numb and her gaze wandered off somewhere far and unassuming.
Something was triggered inside of her, something she tried not to remember from one of the worst days of her life.
Projects false honor. Hast slain and tortured those they sWear to protect.
On that dark day, Weiss's mind was sucked into the Astral by a cruel God and subjected to a horrible test. Seven mannequins were placed before her, each bearing the secret of one of her classmates. Deciphering them took all of her mental energy, and she still recalled—no matter its lack of reality—the blood dripping from a gash on her face as she reasoned her way to the depths of her team's minds. She learned the truths about them. Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Jaune, Blake, Yang… and Velvet. Though locked behind the form of a riddle, she was able to uncover a secret Velvet held close to her heart, one she didn't dare let anyone else glimpse. Projects false honor. Hast slain and tortured those they sWear to protect. Those were the words the Reveler etched into the mannequin. That was the horrid truth plucked from Velvet's thoughts.
And now, how many months later, all that was behind them. It shouldn't have mattered anymore. Weiss didn't want it to matter anymore. The other secrets from that test? She could ignore them? Pyrrha's contempt for others, Yang's relationship with Yin, Jaune's whatever lies, Blake's feelings toward her—none of them meant anything to her. But Velvet… sweet, innocent Velvet… projecting false honor.
They would need to talk about this—though not before asking a friend for advice.
"Sienna didn't invite me? Figures," Blake sighed. She reclusively lay in her bedroom, uninterested in whatever fun activity the others were engaged in. Weiss sat at the foot of her bed. It took a lot of convincing for Blake to let her in; she was damn sure Weiss was going to hit her with another cruel prank. Blake only allowed her in once she patted her down and swept the perimeter. This would be their relationship forever, wouldn't it? Constantly on edge not of vicious insults or mortal wounds, but of dumb pranks. Weiss wasn't sure if this was an improvement.
"That's not what I wanted to discuss," Weiss muttered. "Though… can you blame her?"
"Yeah. I thought I did a pretty damn good job the last time we worked together," Blake complained. "It's a little insulting she thinks I can't stick to a script."
"I could talk to her about it, if you want," Weiss suggested. "Maybe we could work together."
Blake considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "It's fine. I don't want the trouble. What is it you really want to talk about?"
Weiss bowed her head. She glanced over her shoulder, even though she was certain no one could hear her. "What do you know about Velvet's family? The Scarlatinas?"
"The farm people?"
"Yes."
Blake did not seem particularly bothered. "I mean… not much. I know they control a lot of wheat in Vale. They use a shit ton of Faunus labor. Their daughter is a bit naïve and insensitive. That's really it."
"You… don't know anything else?"
"No. Why would I?"
Weiss was more perplexed than ever. "When Sienna mentioned them, she sounded… frightened. She talked about Faunus being abused on their property. Tortured. It sounded like there was something truly awful going on there."
"Maybe. I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Weiss said, barely hiding her annoyance. "Don't you know everything about the plight of your own people?"
Blake just rolled her eyes. "Weiss… I'm eighteen. I don't know everything. Vale has always been a blind spot for me. I was always more worried about Faunus treatment in Mistral, Atlas… Menagerie? You know, places important to me. I don't know every fucking scandal from every fucking Faunus owner on the planet. Like, come on. Seriously."
"But—"
"I'm sure they are huge assholes," Blake said reasonably. "The are a ton of fucking semi-slave owners who have tons of money. But Vale isn't Atlas. There are limits on how you can treat people, even Faunus. I'm not really concerned—I mean, not more than usual."
Weiss was deeply unsatisfied by that answer. She trusted Blake on these issues more than she cared to admit. The authenticity of her struggles was enough to rattle Weiss's beliefs to their core, and it was sad to admit that in times of needed growth, she would rely on Blake to teach her rather than experiencing the vast swaths of research available elsewhere. Now, her teammate was failing her, and she wasn't sure where to go next. She knew Velvet was hiding something terrible. Her next step was clear—she would have to interrogate Velvet herself. Velvet trusted her. She would confess. It was vital that she come clean.
Though, why was that? Weiss did have to stop and consider that. Why did she care what Velvet did in the past? She looked at Blake, directly in front of her. Blake, the assassin. Blake, the rebel. Blake, who had burned Beacon to the ground, killed police, Huntsmen, who had shot their professor in the chest, who once stabbed her so deeply that the scar left a thick, coarse ridge over her flesh. None of that mattered with Blake though. She didn't hate Blake for what she did, try to remove her from the team, or chastise her. Blake had changed, and like Ruby would tell her over and over again, Blake was trying to become a better person. Wasn't Velvet like that, too? Even if Weiss's worst fears were realized… that Velvet was some murderer, a tormenter, clearly that was in the past. Velvet stood up for the Faunus… poorly, maybe, but she still did. If she realized the error of her ways and took steps to make a difference, what gave Weiss the right to dig up her past? What would possibly justify bringing that trauma back to the surface and igniting a firestorm in their team unity?
The answer was obvious, and just a tad sickening. Blake justified it. Because no matter how much Weiss wanted to let the past be buried… could her Faunus teammate? If Velvet had hurt the Faunus, Blake deserved to know. She had been betrayed so many times in her life, and Velvet was just there, keeping the truth of the matter just out of reach. If she had done something terrible, Blake deserved to know and come to her own conclusions. Weiss didn't have the right to bury it, and neither did Velvet. Only Blake would be allowed to forgive, and if she didn't…
Well, Weiss wouldn't think of that.
Weiss stood up from the bed, awkwardly turning away to not show her concerns. "Thank you for being honest with me. I might talk to Velvet about it anyway if that's okay."
"You can do whatever you want," Blake stated. "I'm sure she's got some wild stories about how much her family sucks."
"Don't we all?" Weiss sighed.
Blake snickered. "Nah. Just you two."
Weiss pursed her lips to hide her smirk. She left Blake's room without another word, heading off to find her answers. Blake continued to lie down on her bed, letting Weiss's face linger in her mind. The longer it sat there, the more her eyes came into focus, that sharp blue gaze that was usually so sure of itself even when it didn't deserve to be. Blake had seen them waver just now.
Blake carefully stood up, and after waiting a moment to ensure the coast was clear, she stalked Weiss to Velvet's room.