Lurking Darkness

Ashes to Ashes

As you close the door to his office, you breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hello darling." Your eyes widen.

"Mom?"

"What're you doing in your father's office?" Willow asks you.

"Just looking for something I left."

"That's right, you... left..." A moment of silence shoots through the room.

"I need to see father's computer."

"Why?"

"I feel like he's doing something wrong, really wrong."

"I thought we all just assumed that at this point."

"Yes, well some of us are trying to do something about it." You retort. She picks up her vodka, and she tips up straight out of the bottle. 1..2..3..4 seconds of just drinking... Her eyes look empty.

"He started locking his computer, but... he still has his blind spots." She pulls her scroll up to reveal a camera in the corner of the office.

"You put a camera in here?"

"I put them in every room of this house, for our safety, in case I ever needed to..." She wanders off.

"Please tell me you haven't come back to stay Weiss."

"No." You answer.

"Good." She smiles as tears run down her cheeks.

"A man, came by, I think your father is involved in something much bigger than he realizes." She pulls up a video of Jacques meeting a man.

"Whatever happens Weiss, please don't forget about your brother..." She adds.

"Whitley wants nothing to do with me."

"Of course not, you and Winter left him alone. With us." She states. You look down at the scroll after Mom leaves.

"Who exactly are you?

Y/n's P.O.V

A slam is heard and felt on the table. It's a very angry Winter.

"You can't just buy trust like everything else! You have to earn it!" She screams at her father. That demon smiles.

"I... couldn't have said it better myself..."

"Wha..." Winter is taken aback.

"General, if I may be blunt, you have spent what little trust this council had left in you. I'm afraid of the ever growing list of classified information and need to know bases of information we as a council need."

"That's not what I—!" She's cut off by James.

"Winter. That enough."

"Excuse me." She says as she walks out of the room. You decide to follow. You follow her a few feet out of the room.

"Winter, I understand." She looks at you.

"What?"

"I understand how you feel." She nods her head Penny walks out.

"Are you okay?" She asks Winter.

"I'm going to go back in. I'm here if you need to talk." Winter nods again before turning to Penny. As you walk in, you see Robyn holding her hand out,  toward Ironwood.

"Here and now." She says.

"Wait! You've got the wrong man on trial." The doors behind Jacques smash open.

"Weiss?"

"Hey Y/n. Anyway, Ironwood isn't the one you should be interrogating, I know who rigged the election and who is responsible for Mantle's depression." Everyone's eyes widen.

"And my father knows him too." She sets her scroll on the table revealing a video.

"Is that... Arthur Watts?!" Councilman Camilla asks.

"That's impossible! He died during the Paladin incident years ago!" Sleet says next. James stands up.

"Play it."

A few minutes later

"Stop." James says as everyone looks at Jacque.

"I-I can explain— that..." He looks like a scared animal in a corner.

"I can't wait to hear this." You say.

"That. Isn't real." You laugh loudly.

"So that's not real, but what happened at that warehouse is real?" You retort.

"Shut up boy! I know you, your moth—!"
You speed over to Jacque and grab his throat, you pick him up with one hand against the wall.

"I. Would pick your next words. VERY. CAREFULLY." You tighten your grip around his throat as your eyes shine a bright red glow onto his pale face, indicating your heat is high. His throat begins burning.

"LET ME GO!" He screams out in pain. You drop him.

"Smart choice of words Jacques." He attempts to run out the door.

"AH!" His path is blocked by Weiss' Arma Gigas.

"Weiss?" He pleads.

"Jacque Schnee, you're under arrest." She holds out her Huntress license. You look at her smiling. She turns to James.

"Can I do that?"

"I don't see why not." James adds.

A few more minutes later...

"Jacque Schnee needs to stand trial, for treason, and accessory to murder!" Councilman Sleet yells out.

"These assumptions are outrageous!" Jacques protests.

"No, they're not really, now that I know Arthur Watts is involved and working with Tyrian Callows, it all makes sense now." James explains Watts' plan to everyone and explains why Tyrian is here as well.

"And now that Jacque is a Councilman, Watts is going to have practically unlimited access to all of our systems, he's already locking us out. I bet that you didn't even think about that did you?" He's face to face with Jacque now. Suddenly, Clover and Oscar come through the door.

"General! The Grimm have invaded Mantle." Clover says.

"We need ground support immediately sir."

"Can't you just move the fleet from Atlas to—?" Oscar asks.

"IF I MOVE THE FLEET ATLAS IS VULNERABLE." He says loudly, not so much a yell, but talking loudly. Oscar makes his way to James, you turn to RWBY, who are now all in the room.

"This can't be good you guys, Mantle cannot be another Haven, or even worse, Beacon, I won't let Atlas fall."

"I agree." Weiss adds.

"Same here." Yang adds, rubbing Weiss' back.

"I'm with you babe." Blake says holding your hand.

"Alright team! Let's all get to work. All of us." Ruby looks at Penny. She smiles and is back to her old self.

"Agreed. Let's do it Huntsman!" Clover says leading the charge to Mantle.

Fight time! Time to save Mantle! Again, thanks for reading! -P