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Fractal Chaos - Chapter 5
🕑 Added 2023-11-09 10:21:33 +0000 UTCNext Fractal Chaos chapter. I'll probably update this consecutively cause the next chapter is something I'm personally interested in: a switch with three of Maiden RWBY - Yang, Blake, and Ruby - from 'An Arc for Every Season' after they've already beaten Salem. Prime Yang's gonna complain about how that team RWBY's running on easy mode.
Meanwhile, Ironwood's suddenly keen on ensuring these three fully realized Maidens stay longer than necessary to help him clean up his problems. Which might cause problems of its own.
Also, I received two new commissions that are both harem stories. So yeah, gonna be writing an actual multi-chapter harem fic. First harem is Jaune/Everyone while the other is a villain harem where the Arc family adopted Cinder, Emerald, Neo, fem Roman, fem Mercury, and fem Adam/Eve. The first one is also lemon/smut, so...that's gonna be an experience. Both will also be put up on Patreon here first, unlike other comms.
For anyone interested in making a commission, email me at: storylover543@gmail.com
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The mood around the dorm room was somber when the four of them returned. Clearly, they'd all heard the news as well. Jacques Schnee, her repulsive father, was on the council. While they didn't have personal reasons to hate him (sans Blake, of course), they'd more than heard enough stories from Weiss herself to get a clear picture of what kind of man he truly was.
Not to mention his poor treatment of Mantle was plain for all to see. While General Ironwood wasn't blameless - she still found it appalling that he refused to fix that hole in the wall and thus repaired it herself - her father was a different beast altogether. At least the General was motivated by his honest desire to save the world from Salem's machinations. Her father was driven only by greed.
"Hey, Weiss," Ruby greeted with a strained smile. Ruby wasn't much one for politics - none of them were - but she could tell how frazzled her partner's state was.
"Hm." Weiss grunted and sat down on her bed with Schwartz sitting to her left. Jaune sat at the nearby while Florentius leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, "I suppose it's only to be expected. The Dust embargo has been rather unpopular and the general didn't exactly endear himself to the population of Mantle with his refusal to aid them with their problems."
"But why pick him?" Blake practically snarled, "Robyn's campaigning too and she actually cares about the people of Mantle."
"You assume they had a choice." Schwartz crossed her arms, "If Father is anything like he is back home, he has his ways of ensuring he gets what he wants. If his policies are similar then I imagine that the people have no love lost for him."
"Do you think he rigged the votes?" Nora gasped, "He's a corrupt politician! We gotta stop him!"
"Every politician is corrupt, dear. The only difference is whether they actually get caught," Schwartz said in a sickly sweet tone.
"Even if he did, what can we really do?" Jaune asked, "We're Huntsmen, but we can't really contest a vote. And..." And did they really have time to be worrying about this? He didn't say it, but the intent was clear. Salem was still out there making her plans despite the insanity of the past few days. Could they truly afford to be even more distracted than already were dealing with the local politics?
And, much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't fully disagree with her father's complaints. While he only criticized the General because it cut into the SDC's bottom line, Weiss herself wondered if the Dust embargo had done more harm than good. Cutting off Dust to the other three kingdoms was horrible and she'd heard the stories from Jaune and Ruby about how she, Nora, and Ren had to ration out their Dust since the settlements they'd encountered were selling at a drastic markup.
She knew his reasoning - denying Dust to any possible forces Salem could muster and discourage invasions from the other kingdoms. Logical in theory, but in practice, she didn't see the point. Atlas was a floating city. How could the other kingdoms hope to invade it when it also had the strongest air fleet on Remnant? And as for Salem...perhaps it was grim of her to think, but if she truly wanted to invade Atlas, Weiss doubted she'd need Dust considering she had a whole army of Grimm.
"Does this really matter?" Florentius asked, still leaning with his back against the wall, "You're Huntmsen. Whether you agree with Mr. Schnee's politics or not, it doesn't change the fact that your role is to fight the Grimm and complete contracts. I highly doubt he'll make any changes on that front, so it shouldn't matter to you." But they were no ordinary Huntsmen. They hadn't told him or Schwartz about Salem. They figured that it was pointless to make them worry about that.
"It does matter." Weiss stood up and glared at him, "While I don't agree with everything the General does, I cannot stomach the idea of my Father having so much influence on the politics of Atlas."
Florentius scoffed, "He already had that as the CEO of the largest Dust supplying company on Remnant. This just makes it official."
"What's going to happen to the people down in Mantle?" Ruby asked, cutting off the burgeoning argument, "Will General Ironwood help them?"
"I hate to say it, but I doubt the General cares about them." Blake scowled, "The only chance they had was with Robyn. The General's fine with pretending Mantle doesn't exist as long as he can keep Amity's creation on schedule."
"Ren thinks the General's right," Nora said, "Yeah, it kinda sucks down there now, but we do kinda have to deal with the Big S. Everything else comes after."
"Nora, there was a hole in the wall. One of the kids I was escorting nearly got attacked by a beowolf." Jaune said with a fierce scowl, "The General's way too focused on Amity that he's forgetting about the people."
"We're getting off-topic," Schwartz said, " The main issue is with Father's election. Do any of you think that there's any way he was elected legally?"
"Not a chance." Weiss scoffed, "I'm sure he could convince the fellow upper-class to vote for him (if they could be bothered to do so), but the citizens of Mantle don't look too fondly on him." That was an understatement. Many of them despised him, many for legitimate reasons and some for not-so-legitimate ones. There were always a couple who only envied that he was rich rather than how he made those riches.
She wasn't immune to persecution herself. While she'd lost her status as heiress and was no longer considered part of the family, her distinct appearance and numerous public appearances in the past ensured that people recognized her all the same. To them, she was still a Schnee, no different from her Father or Whitley. There was a reason she took jobs that took her outside the city and never in it.
"What about Atlas?" Jaune asked, "Would they have voted for him?"
"Maybe, but the population of Mantle far outstrips that of Atlas." Atlas was the shining city of Remnant, but that also made it a rather exclusive club. It guaranteed more safety from the Grimm than any other kingdom and came with the latest technological marvels. As expected, the council used that as a reason to make sure that only those who could afford the exorbitant costs could stay there. The poor and disaffected were left to crowd around Mantle and the crater.
She even recalled one of the General's policies when he took over Atlas Academy: any student that passed the Initiation could guarantee Atlesian citizenship for themselves and their family. A rather enticing prospect that led to a vast boom in recruitment. Neon had admitted to her that she felt so elated when she passed because it meant a better life for her family.
She didn't know whether to think that was genius or manipulative. Perhaps both.
"So...what are we gonna do?" Ruby asked.
"Could you all even do anything?" Schwartz asked back, "Father's been voted in. As much as you all want to change the results, you're not politicians or members of the government. As Huntsmen, you're expected to be impartial."
"We could still find proof that he rigged the votes!" Nora clapped her hands together, "I mean, you guys are making it sound like he totally did that!"
"Do we have time to do that? We're kinda busy..." Jaune scuffed his boots awkwardly.
"We have to try." Weiss sat back down and sighed, "I'm not saying we should drop everything to focus on politics, but as Huntsmen, we have a duty to protect the people. My father being elected can only go against that."
"Maybe it's not my place to say, but are you sure you're not just letting your personal view cloud your judgment?" Florentius raised a brow.
"I think my personal experience ensures I know more about the kind of person that Father is better than anyone else." Weiss pursed her lips. She didn't much like Jaune's counterpart. Her Jaune was not without his flaws, but at least he truly believed in helping others, "Father is a cruel man both in his personal and professional life. The thought of him having any more influence than he already has should make anyone worry."
The conversation died down after that. There was nothing else to say, really. Her father was now a councilman and no amount of grousing would change that. She hated it. Hated that after everything he got his way again. While she wouldn't complain about Father lifting the Dust embargo, it was what came after that worried her. He already flouted the law before he was a part of the system that enforced it. He would only be more brazen now.
She awoke hours later just a few minutes past midnight. Weiss looked around the room and found the rest of her team still asleep. Schwartz had taken Yang's bed for the time being and her counterpart was sleeping just as soundly as her teammates.
Weiss couldn't blame them. The past day had been exhausting and they had no personal stake in the conflict. Well, Schwartz did, in a sense, but not really. The Jacques Schnee of this world wasn't her father any more than her Father was Weiss'.
Sighing softly, she stood up and put on some slippers before walking out. Atlas Academy had a strict curfew for students, but as full Huntresses, they were exempt from the rule. While she was sure the General wasn't happy with them being out and about at such a late hour, he wouldn't really call them out on it.
She kept walking till she eventually ended up at one of the open courtyards. The place looked almost eerie given the lack of people, but the bright lights and the stars shining above added an almost picturesque feeling to it.
She sat at the edge of the fountain and breathed out slowly, toeing off he slippers and placing her feet in the water. Being back home was a bittersweet feeling. She'd done so much to escape it - to escape her father's reach - and yet she couldn't deny that she still felt proud of her home. Atlas was a kingdom with many flaws, yet it was her home, and she hated the idea of it falling to Salem's machinations or her father's greed.
Footsteps came to her right and she smiled at the sight of Jaune walking towards her. Unlike her, who'd come out in just her nightgown, Jaune had come fully loaded with a thick jacket, fuzzy sweatpants, and shoes, "Someone's overdressed," she teased.
"Me? What about you? How are you not freezing?" He sat beside her and looked down at her submerged feet.
"I'm from Atlas, remember? This is downright warm for me." She had a harder time in Beacon. The rooms were insulated well enough, but sometimes she felt like she was melting. Especially when Yang was around. The woman was practically a furnace sometimes (apparently a side-effect of her Semblance), though Ruby and Blake found her natural warmth more comforting than broiling.
"Heh. You really are an Ice Queen."
"Oh, don't you start." She rolled her eyes and bumped his right shoulder with her left. She used to hate the nicknames back in Beacon, Neptune's usage aside, but now she found them more amusing. A reminder of simpler times when they didn't have the weight of the world on their shoulders, "How are you doing, by the way? With all of this, I mean. The past few days have been rather hectic."
"It's definitely new, I'll say that much." He laughed under his breath, "It's crazy, but I'm still amazed at how things could change for so many of us. A world where I married Neo and one where I'm your bodyguard. I can't help but think..."
"Jaune?" Her brows furrowed.
"It's nothing." He shook his head.
"You can tell me. I won't judge."
"Just...I can't help but think of a world where Pyrrha didn't..." Didn't die. Weiss took in a shallow breath. She'd only been told secondhand of Pyrrha's fate. So many had died in the Fall of Beacon, both Beacon students and transfers, that Pyrrha's name ended up being just one among the dozens of casualties. She couldn't help but think of the irony. Pyrrha despised her fame and she ended up as just another name on a list outside of Argus.
"Jaune..." She reached her hand out and touched his arm. They...didn't get along in Beacon. An understatement, really. She found him an immature blowhard who couldn't take no for an answer. But ever since they reunited in Anima, the two of them had gotten closer, especially after he awakened his Semblance to save her life. Her grandfather once said that bonds forged in battle matched those of blood, and she understood the meaning of that quite well now.
"I know I'm being stupid. Even if she did show up, she wouldn't be our Pyrrha."
"It's not foolish to think of what could have been, especially given our current circumstances." As insane as all this transference was, it was enough to make her ponder. Just one change or choice dramatically shifted their paths to the point that they were almost unrecognizable. Perhaps there was a world out there with no Salem or Grimm. A world where they could all have lived peacefully.
"Yeah...thanks, Weiss." He smiled, though half his face was quickly hidden by the thick fabric of the jacket.
"Oh, I just realized. You've never had an Atlesian welcome, have you?"
"What?" Jaune blinked.
"The Atlesian welcome." Weiss nodded, the very picture of seriousness, "You can't find yourself truly welcomed into the kingdom without it. You have to dip your feet into the fountain's waters and stand there for two minutes. It will cleanse you of your burdens."
"You're just making that up!"
"No, it's true. Who's the Atlesian here?" She raised a brow.
"You are?"
"Exactly. So shoes off, Jaune."
Jaune grumbled under his breath but ultimately obeyed, taking off his shoes, and socks, and rolling up the sleeves of his sweatpants. He took a deep, hesitant breath before he plunged his feet into the mildly cold water, "Oh Gods, that's freezing!" he whined.
"It's not that bad, you big baby." Weiss rolled her eyes. You didn't see her complaining every time Yang turned the room into a furnace, "If we're going to be staying in Atlas for the foreseeable future, you're all going to have to get used to the cold."
"We wear clothes for that!"
"You never know what you might not have access to." She stood up and, without showing any care for the cold, pulled up a reluctant Jaune alongside her. The water only reached up slightly past their ankles, "Think of it as training for the future. How awful would it be if you perished because you couldn't take a little cold?"
"There's nothing little about this cold!" He shivered.
Weiss smirked and, with deliberate slowness, dipped her hands into the shallow pool. Jaune's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to beg when she shot said hand out, splashing his face and chest with water, "This is for your own good, Jaune!" she said, aiming for another shot. Jaune yelped and quickly ran around the center ornament out of sight, "Hey, don't run! Only cowards hide!"
"Well consider me yellow, Snow Angel!"
"Oh, you'll pay for that!"
They chased and splashed each other for minutes. It was...immature. Father would've been appalled at any member of his family showcasing such childish behavior, but right now, she didn't give a single fuck. Yes, she could even curse now, thank you very much. She was no longer just the heiress to the SDC. She was Weiss Schnee, a Huntress spending time with the man she like-
Jaune splashed her in the face. Weiss sputtered and glared, "Lucky hit!" She shook the errant thought away and looked down at herself. The nightgown she wore was thick enough to avoid any untoward glances, but it was still hardly proper.
"C-Could we stop now? I really am pretty cold." Jaune rubbed his arms.
"I suppose, but we'll have to continue your training. No buts!" She held up a finger and grinned at his pouting expression. Not as devastating as Ruby, but effective all the same.
Weiss ended up leaving first, somehow managing to look regal despite being dripping wet in a nightgown. Jaune watched her leave and shook his head once she was out of sight. She'd really changed a lot since Beacon.
Jaune went back to the team's dorm and took a hot shower. The blonde knight let out a sigh of relief as the warm water washed over him. His hands pressed against the stark white walls and he closed his eyes. He'd taken a walk to try and clear his head only to run into Weiss probably thinking the same thing. The last thing he expected was to get into a water fight with her.
His lips curled up in a smile. As cold as the fountain was, it was fun. It almost made him forget how crazy things had gotten lately.
And it was nice to see Weiss smiling again. She'd been in a better mood when the two of them had switched with Blake and Yang, but being arrested and meeting her father again put a damper on any positive feelings she might've had. He wished there was more he could do.
Shaking his head, he turned the shower off and went through the motions. He wondered how Yang and Ren were doing. Hopefully, they were alright. He really wished they had more warning before the switches came.
Jaune was toweling his hair off again (after putting on a fresh set of clothes) when he almost ran into his counterpart on the way out, "Oh, excuse me." Florentius nodded stiffly and slipped past him. Jaune looked at the closed door and frowned. His counterpart was a lot less...open than Weiss' was. He didn't talk a lot outside of giving short responses or the required pleasantry.
It didn't take long for Florentius to step out of the bathroom, "Can't sleep either?" Jaune asked, not bothering to mask his voice. Nora was still fast asleep, and knowing her, she wouldn't wake up until she smelled pancakes or a bomb went off.
"Not really." He sat on the nearby chair and brought a hand across his face. He didn't say anything else and just sat there silently.
"So...what's it like back at your home?"
"You'll have to be more specific."
"Like...being Weiss' bodyguard?" Not that he thought Weiss needed one.
"It's the only life I've ever known. I wouldn't know what to compare it to."
"You've never thought about being anything else?" Jaune didn't always want to be a Huntsman. Like any kid, he dreamed of countless futures of what could have been.
"No. My role was set for me ever since my childhood and I never thought to deviate from it." Florentius crossed his arms, "You might think that pitiable, but I find the certainty of it comforting. Many go through their life without knowing what they truly want, being forced to settle for whatever they can muster for the sake of survival. I was given a role I could be proud of."
"So...what happens if Weiss - your Weiss - succeeds in her plans?" The plans to destroy the SDC. Jaune didn't know much about it, but he got the general details.
"I doubt she'll succeed."
"But what if she does?'
"Then...I see no reason to deviate from my role."
"Huh...you care about her as more than a boss?"
"Is that meant to be a revelation?" Florentius raised a brow, "We've spent the majority of our life together. It would be more odd if I felt nothing but professional concerns for her. You care about your Weiss as well."
"I...well, that's-"
"You don't have to explain yourself. Truth be told, I don't care overly much given that we won't be seeing each other soon enough." Ouch! Geez, his reflection was kind of a jerk, "My loyalty is to Weiss above all else. I'm not ashamed to admit that."
"Is that why you were glaring at Blake earlier?" It was a blunt question, but it'd been burning in the back of his mind since the bullhead ride. He didn't think about the Faunus much. There were a few of them back home, but apart from some grumpy old timers, everyone treated them the same. It was only with Cardin and when they went to Atlas that he saw how bad they had it.
"I have a healthy wariness of the Faunus. It doesn't affect I interact with them."
"Uh...it kinda sounds like it does? Cause if you're worried about them, I'm pretty sure you'd act different."
"I'm simply not naive," he replied in a clipped tone, "While I understand that Weiss sees the best in them, and I'm not blind to the unfair treatment they receive from Mr. Schnee, that doesn't mean I'll let them hurt Weiss in their misguided attempts at equality. The White Fang kidnapped her before we were taken here and yet she still insists that the Faunus are to be trusted. It's both frustrating and admirable."
"You can't judge people based on the actions of a few."
"It's so easy to claim that when you never have to worry about an entire race that despises the one you love." Florentius stood, "I'm going to sleep. I suggest you do the same."
"Yeah..." Well...that didn't go well. Jaune sighed and trudged over to bed.
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As it turned out, they didn't need to wait long for a chance to find proof of her father's misdeeds. The next day after his election, he'd invited the General and all of them to a party in the Schnee manor. It was foolish - the General, more than anyone, desired proof that could be used to impeach him. And yet, he did so anyway because Father was nothing if not a proud man. He couldn't resist the idea of rubbing their nose in it.
A party, of course, meant they had to dress up. Mercifully, the General agreed to cover the costs of any attire they needed. Weiss didn't admit it to anyone, but she felt downright giddy as they went shopping. While she had mixed feelings about attending her father's gatherings, she always felt elated whenever she could put on a dress she liked or found a particularly beautiful design.
Ruby, of course, was the exact opposite and whined the whole time about how she still hated 'lady stilts' and loudly complained about why she couldn't just come in with her Huntress gear. While Weiss' own huntress uniform combined elegance and grace, there was nothing wrong with varying up their wardrobe every now and then.
It was such a shame that Yang and Ren were missing this.
A couple hours of shopping later - which was far too short for Weiss' comfort, but far too long for Ruby's - and they'd found the appropriate attire for each of them. Weiss marveled at her reflection in the mirror and marveled at the white dress with red accents that left her arms and parts of her legs bare. She'd gained some muscle ever since she'd gone to Beacon, which father was quick to mask with sleeved dresses for being unwomanly. Hmph. To complete the ensemble, she'd put on a pair of white heels that added a good four inches of height, at least.
She stepped outside of the dressing room and smiled at Schwartz. Her reflection also looked rather fetching in her dark blue evening gown. She'd chosen to let her hair down, contrasting Weiss' elegant braid, and wore flats instead of heels, providing them with a noticeable height difference.
"I get taken to another dimension and I'm still attending Father's parties." Schwartz sighed good-naturedly.
"At least you don't have to censor yourself. Nothing you do here will follow you back home." Gods, she was jealous of that.
"Weiss~" Ruby moaned in despair. She'd stepped out of the dressing room in a blood-red dress that reminded her of what she wore to the Beacon dance. At least this time she'd let Weiss accessorize, giving her a tasteful pearl necklace and a pair of silver bracelets on her right arm, "Why do I have to wear these again? I just- hey!" She glared at Schwartz, "She's not wearing lady stilts! What gives?!
"Well, we'd look too close to one another if she did, but you have no excuse." Weiss smiled sweetly, "Now chop chop, Ruby! We have to look our best for this unpleasant event."
Soon enough, the seven of them were riding a bullhead to the mansion grounds. General Ironwood, Winter, and Oscar said they'd meet them there, "Ooh, I can't wait!" Nora bounced in her seat. Her pink (of course) dress left little to the imagination, though she doubted anyone would push unless they wanted their legs broken, "Fancy party and fancy food! Oh, and we can see Oscar again! Feels like forever since we talked to him."
Weiss turned her attention to the rest of the group. Blake wore a more traditional dress reminiscent of a kimono. It was the style of Menagerie, or so she told them. If she was going to be given the side-eye for her Faunus trait then she was going to own it.
And of course, there was Jaune and Florentius. Jaune had worn an all-white attire of a crisp white suit, a dark blue tie, and white dress shoes, looking fancier than any other time she'd ever known him. Florentius' attire was a bit looser by contrast, consisting of a dark blue vest, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark pants, and loafers. When asked, he mentioned that he had to draw the line between being formal and functional.
Weiss took a deep breath as the bullhead landed. She kept her head held high and walked with a purpose even as a looming sense of dread rolled over her at the sight of the mansion. It was her home, and yet it never truly felt like that. Not since grandfather died and mother had retreated into the bottle. Her room and the training grounds were the only true sanctuary they had.
"It's good you made it," the General said, standing not too far away. Unlike their teams, he and Winter had come in their full military regalia. Ruby muttered under her breath about how unfair it was that they didn't have to change.
"H-Hey, guys!" Oscar waved not too far away.
"Hey, cute boy!" Nora squealed and tackled him in an embrace.
"I suppose we should go in. No need to keep them waiting," Weiss muttered, ignoring Nora rubbing her cheek on Oscar's.
Weiss led the way and rang the doorbell. She expected to be greeted by one of their numerous butlers, perhaps even Klein, and yet it was her brother who opened the door, "Good evening, everyone." He smiled pleasantly. To anyone who didn't know him, it might've looked sincere. Weiss could see it for how paper-thin it truly was.
"...Where's Klein?" Weiss asked.
Whitley smirked, "What an interesting way to say, 'Hello, dear brother. So nice to see you again.'" His smirk fell, "I'm afraid Klein's been...let go. Father wasn't much pleased that he assisted you in 'flying the coop', so to speak." Her eyes flicked over to Schwartz, "Hm. I assumed Father was being metaphorical when he mentioned a copy of my dear sister running around."
Schwartz's eyes narrowed, highlighting the lack of a scar on her left. It made telling them apart easy, "Ah, Whitley. Good to know that even in this dimension, some things never change."
"Hm. Are we close back home?"
"Not really. Both of you are little shits." Weiss had to hold back a laugh at the look of gobsmacked shock and offense on her little brother's face. He probably wasn't expecting someone, least of all one who looked near-identical to his sister, to be so crass and blunt, "Oh Brothers, I've been wanting to tell my Whitley that for years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity."
"I...you're welcome." His smile was brittle, "Come, I'll lead you all to the dining hall."
Weiss felt like a stranger stepping in despite her familiarity. It'd only been a few months since she was last here, far less than the time she spent at Beacon, and yet it felt almost unrecognizable. Was it always this cold, she wondered, or did something change in recent days?
As expected, a pair of Weiss Schnees coming in drew the guests' attention...for about a few minutes before they thought of something else to occupy their time. She'd never been more thankful than before for how selfish the upper class truly was.
She planned to slip by and hopefully find a way to her father's office. She doubted he'd leave proof of his illicit deeds out in the open, but it was better than nothing. His distrust for his own family ensured that if there was any proof to be found, it'd be there.
Unfortunately, Whitley had to be, to quote Schwartz, a little shit.
"Things have been moving swiftly since your exodus," Whitley drawled. He hadn't left her side since the party began and talked her ear off about how much 'responsibility' Father was giving him. She wanted to throw her wine at his face. All this time and he still thought that they were just two children fighting over the scraps of Jacques Schnee's tainted legacy. It was pathetic.
She finally got an out when Whitley mercifully changed the subject, "I must say, your teammates are a...peculiar bunch." Despite the hidden insult in the words, she didn't miss the way his eyes focused on Ruby. Her beloved partner was (poorly) trying to balance herself in the corner and trying not to draw attention.
Hmm, seemed as if her little brother had a crush. Were it anyone else, she would've found it cute. Weiss had to hold back from grimacing and instead subtly gestured for Ruby to come over. The reaper's eyes widened and she shook her head no, but Weiss only beckoned harder. There was no chance she was missing this escape.
Ruby hesitated for a moment longer before she eventually trudged over to them with shaky steps. Whitley's face brightened and his cheeks turned slightly pink when Ruby finally arrived, "H-Hey~" Ruby grinned, though it was obviously forced. Whitley paid it no mind.
"Hello. I don't believe we've been introduced." He reached forward and kissed the knuckles of Ruby's left hand. Ruby blushed and forced a laugh, more out of embarrassment than any hope of mutual attraction, "My name is Whitley.
"I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose."
Weiss quickly excused herself and, after making sure there was no one else around, went up the stairs to the hall leading to her father's room. The man himself had yet to arrive. He was always fashionably late to all his gatherings.
"Took you a while." Schwartz smirked, leaning against the wall.
"Whitley was testing my patience." She sighed. The two of them knew this place better than anyone and, as Schwartz pointed out, she'd spent years sabotaging her Father. If anyone knew where he was hiding any dirty secrets, it'd be her.
Thankfully, the hallway was empty and they faced no hindrances on the way to Father's office, "Hm...lock is similar. Electronic, but I can bypass it easily enough," Schwartz said, "Keep a lookout just in case."
"How often do you do this? Sneaking into his office, I mean."
"Not too often. If I did, he'd catch on. I find most of my information through different sources and weak links." The door clicked open and Schwartz smirked, "Father's always been a cocky man. Never believed anyone would ever truly stand up to him. He thinks himself perfectly safe in the mansion."
Weiss pushed the door open and breathed in the smell of old wood. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd been here. Father cherished his work - the company - more than he did his own family, and his office was a representation of that. A barrier that only Whitley, his little suck-up, was able to go through.
"Any hidden bookcases I should know about?" Weiss smiled weakly.
"No, but Father would leave everything on his personal computer." They turned it on and were met with a password screen, "Hm, I might be able to guess, but if we fail too many times it'll shut down. Do you have any ideas?"
"This is Father. I assume he's using the recommended password provided by the computer."
Schwartz typed in something and cursed at the 'Access Denied' pop-up, "Father went through multiple passwords back home. We won't have the chance to-"
"Weiss?"
Weiss' eyes widened at the all-too-familiar voice. Looking up slowly, Weiss grimaced at the sight of her mother walking into the room. Her footsteps were silent, a reminder of a bygone time when grandfather had trained her, but everything else was just as she remembered. Her shaky stance, the bottle in her hands, the look of absolute fatigue on her face. The image of her mother ever since she was ten years old.
"Mother," Weiss greeted stiffly.
"Am...Am I imagining things, or are there two of you?"
"Perhaps. How deep into that bottle are you?" The words came out before she could stop them. Mother winced at the blunt accusation, but held onto the bottle regardless. It only made Weiss angrier.
"You're still drinking?" Schwartz asked softly, "Back home Mother...she gave that up. You're still doing it?"
"I have no idea what's going on here." Mother shook her head.
"Think of me as another version of Weiss. A Weiss that Could Have Been." She pursed her lips, "Answer the question, please. You're still drinking?"
"Hm." It wasn't exactly a yes, but Schwartz saw it as one. Her expression turned bitter and she looked away, "What are you both doing here?"
"We could ask the same of you, Mother. You don't belong here any more than we do," Weiss asked back. Father was very specific about who was allowed access to his office.
"I heard noises and came to investigate." She looked down at the holographic screen, "You're trying to see into your father's computer?"
"I suppose there's no point lying." Weiss sighed, "Yes, we have reason to believe that he did something illegal to get elected into the council. We're here to find proof of that."
"Illegal." Willow laughed, "Everything he does is illegal. What makes this instance different?"
"Nothing, except this time, we can do something about it." Weiss looked away, "I doubt you can help us, so just please stay out of our way. All we need is to find proof of Father's misdeeds and you'll never have to see me again."
"Do you think that's what I want? To never see you again?'
"You weren't exactly trying to spend time with me - with us - when we were here." She didn't hate her mother. She pitied her for being married to a man like Jacques Schnee. Yet, she would be lying if she said she didn't resent her. She was still their mother and yet she left them to be raised by the servants after her tenth birthday. There was a reason she'd appeared as a shadow back when the Nightmare Grimm had taken her.
"...You're right." Mother finally set the bottle down on the table and pulled out her scroll, "If...If proof is what you're looking for, then I might be able to help you. I was always worried that Jacques would finally do something that would put us in danger, so I made some insurance.
She tapped the screen and showed them both a camera feed right above and behind their heads. Weiss looked back and saw nothing but a blank wall, "When did you install this?"
"A while ago. This may be useful."
Another tap to a saved video and she saw her father talking with a man she didn't recognize. What was more important was the subject of their conversation: a guaranteed win in the election in exchange for specific codes into Atlas' systems. And he said yes. Weiss' hands shook in anger as the video ended. She always knew her father was a greedy man, but to put Atlas itself at risk for his ambitions?
"This is what we need." Weiss took the scroll in a shaky grip, "Thank you, Mother. This will be really helpful."
"Hm. You're not planning to come back, are you? Even after Jacques is gone?" She picked up the bottle again.
"No." There was no hesitation in her reply, "This place isn't home anymore. Maybe it never was."
"I understand." Mother smiled, though there were tears in her eyes. Weiss didn't know what to do and could only watch as her mother slowly walked to the door, "Just one thing? Please don't forget your brother."
"Whitley wants nothing to do with me or Winter." Weiss scoffed.
"Of course not. You both left him. With us." The words felt like a spike to the chest. It was true, but-
"No." Schwartz's sudden reply drew both their attention. Her counterpart's face was twisted in barely restrained fury and she walked towards mother, angrily grabbing the bottle of alcohol from her hands, "No. Don't put that on her or Winter. You are his mother. You should've been there for him. It's unfair for you to put all the responsibility of ensuring your son was raised properly to your children!"
"Schwartz-"
"Mother stopped drinking back home," she continued, "She started after my tenth birthday - same as you, I imagine - but then she realized that if Jacques wasn't going to be there for us, someone needed to. She tossed away the alcohol and did her best to raise us despite knowing her husband didn't love her. Whitley still grew up to be a little shit eager for Daddy's approval, but at least she tried. Did you? Or was it easier to lose yourself at the bottom of a bottle and pretend you didn't have children who needed you?"
"I..." Mother looked down in shame.
"Schwartz, that's enough."
"If you wish to wallow in pity, so be it, but don't push your responsibilities onto her because you failed as a mother."
Schwartz stepped past her, leaving Mother to close her eyes and cry. Weiss didn't know what to do. Provide words of comfort? Maybe embrace her? It was cruel of her to say, but was she wrong? Mother had essentially abandoned them after her tenth birthday. Weiss remembered spending the next year trying to gain her attention and giving up when it became clear she cared more about drinking herself to oblivion than caring for her children.
Even the scar across her left eye was a permanent reminder. She'd gotten mutilated fighting for the right to enter the academy she wanted all because her father unilaterally decided she had to prove her worth. Her Mother hadn't argued for her sake, and she was drinking out in the gardens as she was fighting for her future against the Arma Gigas. She doubted Mother even realized what day it was back then.
In the end, she could only mumble another 'thank you' as she quietly left the room. What else could she say? They needed to have a conversation, a proper one, but this was neither the time nor the place for it.
Schwartz was at the stairway leading down and standing near the first step, "...My apologies. It wasn't my place to say anything.
"No, it's...I'm not sure if I completely agree with you, but I can't say you're wrong either." She sighed and looked down at the scroll. She had the proof ready to arrest her father right in the palm of her hands, "Is it weird that the thought of arresting father isn't as cathartic as I thought it'd be?"
Schwartz made to reply when the familiar green sphere of energy covered her, "Looks like this is the end of our correspondence." Schwartz laughed, "Good luck!"
"You too."
Weiss looked away, and when she looked back, her counterpart was replaced with a very irate-looking Yang, "Ugh, finally!" the blonde groused, "You know they thought we kidnapped your copy? Me and Ren were fugitives the past couple of days!"
"Sounds like an adventure." Weiss chuckled softly.
"Wait." Yang looked around, "Why are we at your mansion? This is the last place I wanna be again!"
"That's...a long story. I'll tell you when we get back. Come on." She led Yang downstairs back to the dining hall. Father was still nowhere to be seen, but that was for the better. She needed some time to compose herself and show both Winter and General Ironwood the proof. Much as she might've wanted to wave the video around, they had to do this properly.
"Hey! You got it?" Jaune greeted her and Yang with a smile.
"Mhm." Weiss nodded, "How's Ren?"
"Take a guess." Jaune laughed and gestured to Nora hugging her not-boyfriend so tightly his eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. Meanwhile, Whitley was still making a valiant effort to chat up Ruby despite the sudden dimensional switch.
"Good to know some things don't change."
"So...I know this might be a bad time to ask, but do you wanna go out tomorrow? Just the two of us?"
"We don't exactly have much free time given the switches, Jaune."
"So...is that a no?"
"It's more a postponement, at least until we get this situation under control. But once we do? Yes, I'd be more than happy to." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his right cheek. His eyes widened and his face flushed. Weiss had to hold back from laughing, "Now come on, let's go rescue Ruby from my brother before he invites her to go horseback riding."
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That's done. Like I said, I'll likely update this for the Seasons chapter then either to start the harem works or create the PI Jaune comedy fic. The former gets a lot of attention from readers, so we'll see.
Questions:
1. So, do you guys agree with Schwartz that Willow was deflecting and putting all the responsibility on Weiss or not? While she was callous about it, she's not wrong that Willow checked out and she has more a responsibility to Whitley than Weiss does since she's his mom and abandoned her and Weiss when they were children.
2. What do you guys think of the White Knight pairing? I'm tempted to stick with that or imply War of the Roses (Jaune x Ruby x Weiss) in a later chapter. Mostly because Ruby sees her brawler counterpart flirt with Jaune and then her Maiden counterpart gushes about her Jaune. Makes her feel like the universe is trying to tell her something.
