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ruffsficstuffplace · 6 years

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And The AWRD Goes To... (Part 31)

“My life wasn’t exactly perfect back before I fell into a depression, but you know, it was… better...” Weiss started.

“I had friends, aside from Akko. I was doing well at school. Life at home was just us dealing with our respective issues and problems, nothing we hadn’t dealt with before and knew how to handle by heart, or just the usual stuff that others our age experienced.

“You know, crushes, worrying over tests, anxiously waiting for the next episode of this season’s Starlight Crusaders to release so we could all find out what happens next. I had a girlfriend, even! Aquamarine, as Akko might have told you.

“But then… things got really bad when I got caught up in the lower city gangs.

“You know what they say, about even the smartest teenagers still being teenagers? That they’ll still get into dumb shit, make dumb decisions, even though, intellectually, they know just how dumb they’re being and how dumb it is? Well, that was me, and when I got roped into Aqua’s… business with the Steel Piranhas.

“I’m sure she’s legit now, working at the Arm And A Leg, but back before we got roped up with the Timber Wolves, she was about as shady, morally questionable, to outright criminal as you can get here in Mistral.

“If she wasn’t the one boosting the cars, motorcycles, and whatever machines she could get her hands on, she was using that charm and voice of hers to bargain with people, or distract them long enough for the rest of her friends to get to work.

“Once, I remember personally seeing her flirt with this guy who had parked his motorcycle in the middle of the street, and they just completely stole the bike from him, bit by bit, just disassembling it from right behind him with the help of a sound-canceling semblance.

“Poor bastard only realized when he leaned back, found it wasn’t even there anymore, just empty air. Even believed Aqua when she said that she was too busy being taken by his handsomeness to notice.

“She was good. Really good. She had this way of convincing you, almost like it was a semblance all on its own. And I’ll be honest, I was always way too eager to be convinced by her. But the problem was, she was cocky, too, always so sure that her charisma would never fail her, that her friends would always be by her side, that everything would turn out well for her in the end.

“Then, Aqua and the SP targeted Woody’s pick-up truck.

“He loves that car, couldn’t stop showing it off and driving it everywhere he could since his mother got it for his 16th birthday, on the condition he’d start acquainting himself with the family business—drive some supervisors around and listen to them talk, make a few minor deliveries, even take trips out to the logging camps on weekends.

“I figure they wanted him to finally put the Timber Wolves behind him, but, Woody always was pretty efficient with his time, and he spent a lot of his free hours showing off how great his car was to everyone he knew—it had some of the very best parts for any consumer vehicle on the market then, the truly heavy-duty, top-of-the-line stuff that someone would kill to have, if for less than what the manufacturers were asking for it.

“That alone was enough to get the SP’s interest, but they wisely stayed away, until Aqua ran into some money troubles.

“She always sang at the Tsukimi Festival—it’s where we met, actually. Anyway, regardless of whether or not she actually won anything, the free advertising for her family’s restaurant, and her own personal charm would have people buying all night just to get an excuse to talk with her, or buy a picture and/or an autograph—it was REALLY effective.

“That year, however, she got really sick, missed the festival, and her family lost a lot of business, too—the competitors caught on, and without the Little Sirena of Bakunawa, it was a free-for-all. Their insurance wasn’t that great, either, so now they had hospital bills looming, rent, debts—basically all the kinds of money problems and personal guilt that’d make someone desperate.

“Desperate enough to do something really stupid, like try and rip out the engine of Woody’s car.

“I don’t even remember the details of the plan anymore, don’t want to cause it’s already starting to make my head hurt just thinking about it, it was so crazy, but the Steel Piranhas made off with Woody’s entire truck engine, completely intact, sold it off for a fortune before the police even finished the report.

“To the authorities, the engine was good as gone. But not to those in the know in the black market—you can’t just put one of those up for sale without generating a lot of buzz. And it only took a little hanging out at the restaurant to learn that the Urbinas had suddenly stopped sweating about their financial situation.

“I don’t know how Woody found out, exactly, but when he did, he showed off that legendary subtlety of his and had his goons stalking her everywhere, let her know, over and over again, that he knew.

“Aqua had nowhere to go, no one else to turn to but me.

“The police had officially considered the case closed, but the Bunyan lawyers could just as easily reopen it, and the people that made their engines weren’t too happy that their new exclusive design got reverse-engineered and cannibalized so soon.

“Even the SP made her promise that their cut of the profits from selling Woody’s engine was as far as they were going to be involved with the business, in exchange for letting Aqua have the lion’s share, among other conditions.

“Her family had no idea Aqua was even involved in the gangs, she was that good at playing innocent! They only ever noticed that she always seemed to ask about the weather more often, always looking out for the next big rain storm that was going to hit Mistral.

“And when it did, Woody made good on his threat.

“I’d hoped to scare them off, take Myrtenaster with me, load it up with dust, and at the worst, freeze the street and make a getaway.

“But of course… it didn’t happen like that.”

Weiss looked down and started shaking, her voice cracking as she started tearing up. “They always warned us, you know, about how serious the charges were if you were to assault someone as a huntsman or huntress-in-training—even graver than if I were just a regular civilian, because I’d been trained to fight, to kill, have my aura and my semblance unlocked and trained, gotten all the powers and drawbacks that entails.”

She sucked in a breath, Whitley got up to get a box of tissues. “It’s even worse when you’re armed, when it’s multiple cases of aggravated assault, and you’ve seriously injured a police officer, too. Just like that, my perfect record disappeared; I was facing the very real, very serious threat of expulsion from Sanctum; and I’m pretty sure the only reason I didn’t see jail time was because of my grandparents’ connections, and the jury and judges were on my side, since Woody and the Timber Wolves were all repeat offenders.”

Whitley handed her some tissues, Weiss wiped her eyes and blew her nose, cradled Blubbermouth tighter. “But that paled in comparison, to what I saw, when I finally got to visit Aqua in the hospital, found out what I’d done to her…”

Weiss shook and sobbed for several minutes; Whitley kept on handing tissues, the others offered sympathetic looks and tried to cry quietly.

“… We couldn’t give her new legs, even just the necessary procedures to make her compatible with the technology in the first place too drastic, too risky, too expensive...” Weiss muttered as the tears slowed down. “Everything my family has with regards to health—all Huntsman’s insurance, compensation, and family benefits, whether it’s visits to a medical doctor or a therapist, getting our prescriptions filled, or our teeth cleaned twice a year.

“It’s why my grandparents’ came out of retirement and into teaching, why my mom works as a huntress, one of the big reasons why we all went into the hunting business, all three of us siblings.

“The perks just doesn’t get any better, but the savings accounts and investments are full of conditions, and as some of you might know, once a non-disabled dependent hits 17 like I did, the benefits start getting slashed, and it’s a race for time before you’re totally ineligible at 25.

“And don’t you dare mention the SDC—that abomination is not what my grandfather built, not anything we want to be even remotely related to.”

Weiss sucked in a deep, shuddered breath, and let it go. “My life was in the fucking toilet:

“I’d become a dangerous criminal overnight, and had a notoriously violent and large gang out for my blood. I’d crippled my ex-girlfriend for life, and the fact that she didn’t blame me only made me feel even more like shit. I was 14, just started combat school two years ago, and already I was at risk of getting kicked out.

“And then I got depressed, and then it was an exercise in seeing just how further down from ‘rock bottom’ my life could go.

“I didn’t want to tell you guys because my depression just… completely obliterated the already shattered ruins that was my old life. This imbalance of chemicals in my head got my emotions and my semblance going wild, and all the attempts to get it to some level of normal only made it worse, if it even got better afterward.

“If I didn’t drive my old friends and other people away by my mood swings, they started avoiding me for fear of getting killed by my Grimm—beowolves tearing them to shreds, boarbatusks turning them to pancakes, swarms of nevermores pecking their eyes out, or whatever other hellish creatures from my past were now coming back to haunt me and take their revenge, ruin my life like I’d taken theirs.

“I avoided class, and failed a lot of exams and tests, maybe because I was at the hospital, I was having an episode then or the days leading up to it, or maybe because I’d locked myself in a bathroom somewhere, clutch my latest prescription in my hand, maybe take it and hope it’d actually DO something this time, or just stare at it, this physical reminder that I was sick—really, really fucking sick.

“The day we definitely found the drugs that actually worked for me, I cried—mostly because the one before that had made it physically impossible for me to. Do you know how fucked up it is, to feel your eyes water, to know in your heart of hearts that you’re sad, yet never feel those tears rolling down your eyes, the relief that comes afterward, just constantly holding it in inside with no way to let it go?

“It was pretty fucked up.

“And the day that people finally stopped talking about me, when they moved on to whatever the hell else is happening at Sanctum, and both my panic-summoning and my face had faded from everyone’s memories… it was, in its own twisted, horrible way, one of the happiest days of my life, because now I could just take classes with my one remaining friend, Akko, graduate, and leave it all behind when I enrolled in Haven, just like I’d planned...

“… I’m sorry, alright…!?” Weiss cried, shuddering and choking for breath. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you guys sooner, because I REALLY like you both, and I didn’t want to drive you away because of my depression, what it entails when it comes back around!

“I had planned to tell you both on Friday last night, go on all night into Saturday morning if need be, but before that just have ONE fucking week with my new team where everything’s all normal. Feel what it was like to have friends again, even if I was hiding a secret that could ruin everything for the next four years.

“But of course, it seems Fate just couldn’t but help but shit all over my plans yet again. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised things turned out the way they did...” Weiss said as she slowly put Blubbermouth back into the center of the circle.

Whitley spent a while handing out tissues like mad, and getting a new box when it ran out. When it seemed everyone had finally composed themselves, Diana, Akko, and Ruby all reached out for Blubbermouth.

Whitley held his cartolina sword over their hands, looked them in the eyes in turn, before he pulled it back as they held their fists up.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard, go!”

Three-way draw.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard, go!”

Diana lost. Akko and Ruby silently looked at each other with expressions of quiet acceptance.

“Boulder, Icicle, Blizzard, go!”

Ruby won, she hesitated for a moment, before she took Blubbermouth into her hands. “Weiss… you can count on me to help you out however I can. I’m not going to abandon you, just like I didn’t abandon dad when he got depressed, because we’re teammates, I’m not about to let someone I can help suffer, and because I really like you too.

“I did it back at the Bunker, I’ll do it here in Haven, I’ll do it for however long I can… I’ll start researching on depression again as soon as I can, and once you’re back in Haven, we can working out how we’re going to deal with it, how we’re going to go on to be the best team we can be!

“We had a saying in the Bunker, you know: ‘Compensate. Adapt. Then Go Beyond.’”

Ruby put Blubbermouth back in the center; Diana looked at Akko, but she made no move, silently letting Diana take Blubbermouth for herself.

“Weiss, as the latest of the Cavendish line, I swore to uphold our family’s creed: to ease the suffering and pain of everyone we could, be they ally or enemy. And as such, I, too, am prepared to assist you alongside Ruby.

“However little the favours, resources, and connections Cavendish still has and that I myself can utilize, I will use them to help, and if those falter, run out, or prove otherwise unavailable, you have myself and my own skills, be it for organization, studies, or simply a comforting hand and a willing ear, as Beatrix and my ancestors were to those they aided.

“Fate has bound our families together once more, and though this time it is not dust mines and hospitals, I will still work hard to ensure that the fruits of our partnership is just as great, if not greater.”

She put Blubbermouth back into the center, Weiss gingerly picked him up and chuckled weakly. “It’s funny… I was actually scared of you saying that, back when we first mouth!”

Diana blinked. “Scared…?” she muttered.

“Blubbermouth!” Whitley called out, pointing his cartolina sword at her.

Diana awkwardly shut her mouth, Weiss handed Blubbermouth back to her. “Thank you… now, why would you be scared of my saying such? Ah, I wasn’t too cold and intimidating back then, was I...?” she asked nervously as she handed Blubbermouth to Weiss.

“I can’t even remember now, Diana, but honestly, it didn’t really matter if you were,” Weiss replied as she cradled the plushie once more. “I remember this feeling, though, it felt like… it felt like… ‘Yes! Here’s someone who gets me, who’s in the same boat as I am, who knows this feeling of having a legacy to live up to, except with my case a monster charmed and married his way into it, before proceeding to gut and shit all over it for personal gain!’

“… I’m sorry, that was graphic, wasn’t it?” she muttered as she sheepishly put Blubbermouth back in the center.

“Not any worse that a lot of the things I’ve heard coming from Yang!” Ruby said as she picked him up. “Or Uncle Qrow, for that matter.”

“I actually think it’s quite an appropriate metaphor, if leaning too far into the scatological than I normally would,” Diana said as she was handed Blubbermouth. At Akko’s look of confusion, she passed him over to her.

“Scato-what now?” Akko asked, before she gave it to Weiss.

“Stuff about poop, Akko,” Weiss said.

Akko nodded in understanding.

“Anyway… I was thinking to myself, ‘Yeah, we’re in this together, it’s fucking horrible and shitty and awful, but we’re going to be like a support group, as for cancer, or dust lung, or depression!’ But then, as soon as that thought ended, I started thinking a new one:

“’Oh, shit, look at her, she’s obviously got her shit together, she’s got this, she will do whatever it is she set to do here! Meanwhile, I’m just a disaster, she’s probably going to think I’m going to be just as put together as her, she’s going to have super high expectations, and I’m just going to go fail at meeting any of those, and she’s going to realize that the Schnee legacy is pretty much doomed if I’m going to be the one bringing it back.’

“I was fucking terrified!

“So much that I just sat down at Grandpa’s favourite spot at the Jennifer Memorial Tree, and stared upwards into the leaves, until my scroll told me it was finally time to head to the Great Hall. I think I was supposed to be thinking of all the ways I wouldn’t show you, Diana, that I was a complete and total fuck up, but I’m pretty sure it just became me thinking about all the ways I could show you I was a complete and total fuck up.

“I know it’s pretty illogical and paranoid, but like my old therapists said: ‘When you have depression, nothing ever needs to make sense, or be true for you to believe it or act on it.’”

Diana held back a sudden bout of laughter, let it out as soon as she got Blubbermouth back. “Funny, that… I was thinking similar thoughts, if not nearly as intense, about how you were the one who had the better shot at your goals—you’re the one with two famous, still living grandparents who are still making waves her in Remnant, and are ready to personally guide you, after all.”

Weiss couldn’t stop her own laugh, earning her a glare from Whitley until she stifled it. He looked at Akko, she nodded as she took Blubbermouth into her hands.

“Weiss, I just want to say: everything I said all those years back, in this very room?” she smiled. “I still mean them today, and Ruby, Diana? Just tell me whatever it is you need my help with, and I’ll do my best as your leader to help you.”

Akko put Blubbermouth into the center, Whitley looked at all of them. “Well, have we all said what we needed to say?”

Akko, Weiss, Ruby, and Diana all looked at each other, before they placed their hands together on Blubbermouth, and said, “I’ve said all I have to say.”

Whitley clapped his hands, got up, and stretched his legs. “Good talk, everyone! Very productive, very honest, and as Weiss’ little brother, I’m very happy you’re all as committed to helping Weiss with her depression as our whole family is.”

“Thank you, everyone,” Weiss said, tearing up again. “You have no idea how much this all means to me.”

“Group hug?” Akko suggested.

“Please no, Grandma already crushed by ribs once...”

Akko frowned. “Aww, but we gotta commemorate this moment with something, as a team!” she began to get up, gasped, and picked up the Shiny Rod. “I know—let’s put our hands on top of the Shiny Rod, say our names, then ‘Team AWRD’ all at the same time!”

“Wait, Akko, doesn’t the Shiny Rod, oh, I don’t know, electrocute people...?” Whitley asked.

“It only forced me to drop it, somehow,” Diana said.

“I’ve never touched it myself, though...” Weiss added.

“I’ll ask it if it will shock Weiss,” Ruby said, Akko handing it over. She was silent for a moment as she held the Shiny Rod upright and stared intently at it, before handing it back to Akko. “It says ‘No.’”

“How did you…?” Whitley began, before he shook his hand. “Oh, never mind... I’ll just be here, waiting with healing in case one or all of you injure yourselves.”

“Well, team AWRD?” Akko asked, holding the Shiny Rod upright with one hand, her other on top of the golden ornament at the top. “Here, I’ll start: Akko!”

Weiss smiled and put her hand on top of Akko’s. “Weiss!”

Ruby happily put her hand on next. “Ruby!”

Diana put hers shortly after. “Diana.”

“Team AWRD!”

All five of them stared as four of the seven gems in the Shiny Rod suddenly started glowing—ruby red, silver, and two similar shades of blue.

Akko screamed. “OH MY GOSH! This is the first time I’ve ever seen it do that, EVER!”

“WHITLEY!” Ruby cried, her eyes wide with excitement. “YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR HAND ON TOP OF OURS, WE NEED TO SEE IF IT’LL REACT TO YOU, TOO! QUICK, BEFORE IT FADES!”

“Like hell I will!”

“Putting my hand off now, thank you!” Diana said as she jerked her hand back, Weiss doing the same.

“Aww, it faded!” Ruby whined.

“Quick, maybe you can ask it what it was all about!” Akko said, thrusting the Shiny Rod out to Ruby, who took it in both hands and stared at it intently.

“Could you guys do it outside?” Weiss asked. “I’m really tired after all that, and would like to go to sleep now...”

“And perhaps you can save that until after we finish studying, and recreating Akko’s study materials?” Diana asked. “I doubt the Shiny Rod will be suddenly start revealing all it’s secrets just like that.”

“WAIT!” Ruby screamed. “I’M GETTING SOMETHING! ACTUAL WORDS, AND LETTERS IN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD THIS TIME!”

That got Diana and Weiss’ attention.

“IT’S SAYING…” Ruby paused. “‘Diana…?’”

“What…?” Diana asked. “What about me?”

“Uh, it’s just that, like spelling your name out: D-i-a-n-a.” Ruby replied. “Proper capitalization, too!”

“Do you think it’s telling us to listen to what Diana said…?” Akko asked.

“Lemme ask it...” Ruby muttered. “’Yes.’ It says ‘Yes.’ Like, spelled out ‘Y-e-s.’”

“… OKAY!” Whitley said as he held his hands up. “I’m just going to leave now and pretend none of this incredibly creepy, unnerving shit just happened, bye!” he said as he spun around, tossing his cartolina sword up into his bunk while he marched out the door. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be watching Starlight Crusaders in the living room!”

“… Consider my opinion of the Shiny Rod permanently changed!” Diana said. “For better or worse, I really can’t tell at the moment...”

“You guys should probably go…” Weiss muttered. “Just ask Grandma where Akko’s old study notes are, she knows where everything is in this house. Akko, I’ll be taking your bunk for now,” she said as she crawled onto the bare mattress, taking her pillow from earlier with her.

“Go ahead, Weiss!” Akko said as she stood up, tied the Shiny Rod to her sash once more. “Anyway: team AWRD, to the storage room!”

“To the storage room!” Diana and Ruby said.

Weiss, Akko, and Ruby stared at Diana, now doing the pose like they all did.

“What...?” Diana asked. “If this is going to be our team’s ‘thing,’ might as well roll with it, I suppose!”

#and the awrd goes to #fanfic #white rose #dianakko #rwby #little witch academia #au

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