Cold Purple

Three months have passed since the Red Auction Incident and Jacques Schnee's disappearance. The two cases, along with the attack on Atlas's scientific community, have been filed as cold cases due to the lack of evidence and breakthroughs in the said cases. The incidents slipped to the back of most people's minds, and aside from the ones directly involved in the incidents, they are quick to forget them. During these three months, the Schnee Dust Company came under new leadership, with the owner and CEO Jacques Schnee presumed dead.

Willow Schnee took responsibility for the company and has enacted changes that have drastically impacted its profits but have made the Schnee name more respectable for its employees. With the evidence provided by her unseen ally, A.K.A. Silva, she removed most of the cancerous tumors within the company. She promoted several faunus in their place to make amends for the borderline slavery the company put them through. With that, the Schnee name is recovering its glory from Nicholas Schnee's heyday, and while there are several changes that still need to be implemented, it's a start.

***

Willow Schnee could not believe that in only three months, she had managed to gain full control over the company. Ordinarily, there would be rivals, both political and business, trying to eat up the SDC and the Schnee name through whatever means they could use. Still, the information provided by her unseen benefactor allowed her to circumvent and bypass every obstacle put in her way. The transition of power was relatively smooth, and all of Jacques's assets, hidden or otherwise, were firmly in her control.

By the Brothers, she was tired, but she wouldn't have it any other way as her conscience was so much lighter now for repairing the damage Jacques had done. Willow refrained from drinking as she went over the information and suggestions on how the company should be run. As she went over the records of the SDC in her father's time for reference, a familiar electronic voice called out to her.

" Hello, Willow."

The Schnee matriarch stiffened, then relaxed at the sudden presence of her invisible benefactor and asked as she greeted them.

"Hello, again; what brings you here today?"

" With everything set in motion and your position secured, all that is left is the matter of my payment."

Willow felt nervous as she wasn't sure what sort of payment the invisible person wanted after practically handing the SDC back to her on a silver platter. She dryly gulped and said.

" Whatever your price, so long as I can pay it and it doesn't go against my principles, you will get everything you deserve for your services."

" Don't worry; I am not going to ask for your soul or first-born child. Here's what I desire."

The unseen figure joked as he sent what he wanted as payment to Willow's Scroll. The Schnee matriarch braced herself for whatever price was to be asked of her, but when she read the list, she had to ask as she couldn't believe what was being asked of her.

" Is this it?!"

" Yes, there are no falsehoods in what I desire."

It was simply a list of building materials, heavy machinery, circuitry, and a number of other odds and ends. While Willow felt relief, it wasn't any drastic or dangerous, but she thought it was too little despite the amount.

" Is this all you want? With what you have done for me, my family, this is just too little for what we owe you."

" Oh? So asking me what else my heart desires for payment?"

" Essentially, yes."

A silence descended the office that Jacques used to use before being... removed. Willow waited for an answer, and the next thing she heard was a young, male, husky voice whispering in her ear.

" What if I wanted you?"

A shiver went down Willow's spine, whether from fear or excitement. She wasn't sure. Before the Schnee matriarch could ask another question, the now identified man told her in a calm, business-like tone.

" Consider knowing my actual voice a sign of my trust in you for doing everything you did to make the Schnee Dust Company into a more... friendly business for its employees. For now, just accept what I want right now for my current payment for services rendered, and after that, we can discuss a more long-term business arrangement if you desire."

Willow was struck by the silence, and she felt the invisible man leave as her mind wandered to who he may be underneath the Atlesian Invisibility Cloak.

***

Qrow Branwen finally returned to Patch Island after being stuck in Atlas for three months for James "Tindick" Ironwood's dead-end investigation. The reaper smirked at the nickname his nephew-slash-brother-in-law Silva gave his ally and planned to get a lot of mileage out of it. He honestly missed his nieces and even the couch he usually slept on after getting thoroughly intoxicated at one of the local bars. He went to the Xiao Long/Rose residence and saw his youngest niece sitting on the porch looking bored out of her mind until she noticed her Uncle.

" UNCLE QROW, YOUR BACK!"

With a burst of rose petals, the little cookie monster tackled her relative, and he was even staggered by his niece. Ruby then pestered Qrow with questions.

" How was Atlas? Did you bring back any souvenirs? What was the mission there? Was it confidential?"

The bad luck charm pressed his finger against his niece's lips to shush her and said.

" One at a time, kiddo; I just got back from a long flight. Anyways how have things been?"

Ruby wilted, and her eyes looked lifeless, which started to scare the living daylights out of Qrow as she muttered.

" Dad... Yang... they... they..."

The reaper was now alarmed and asked gently with concern.

" They, what, Ruby?"

After a moment or two of silence, the cookie monster told her uncle with despair apparent in her voice.

" THEY STARTED A "JOKE-OFF" AND HAVEN'T STOPPED FOR TWO DAYS!"

While a rush of relief hit Qrow that it wasn't anything life-threatening, he still winced at the thought of his pun-loving niece and his dad-joke-making teammate trying to one-up one another. It may not be life-threatening, but it is a threat to one's sanity, and the reaper pats his niece's head to reassure and comfort her. After Ruby calms down from her not-so-funny family drama, Qrow offers.

" How about we go to the bakery and get you a couple of dozen of your favorite cookies."

"YOU'RE THE BEST UNCLE EVER!"

The cookie monster hugged her uncle, and he replied, looking smug.

" I know I am."

Qrow went back to town with Ruby in tow as he wasn't going to set foot in a terrible comedy warzone, at least not without being thoroughly plastered to next week.

***

My name is Silva Branwen, and I am about ready just to give General James "Tindick" Ironwood the bird and put Atlas far behind me. I have stuck here THREE WHOLE FREAKING MONTHS without any missions to complete as part of my deal with the tin man to avoid getting into an Atlesian Court of Law for stopping an idiotic mob from attacking faunus because of some BS theory by Jacques Gele. Thankfully, things aren't completely terrible. I get to spend time with Winter Schnee, plus after making an example of the first racist fool to antagonize me, nobody tries to bother me outside of Combat Class which helps make my stay here at Atlas Academy more tolerable.

I have no shortage of practice dummies to beat on even though they don't give me a challenge, even when I am facing a whole team. I used Soul Archive on all the teachers, so none of the classes could teach me anything about book smarts or theory. My practical experience rivals the teachers, actually, but that's all. I sighed in my dorm room, feeling bored and ready to... I don't know, cause mayhem, maybe? It would be better than attending classes where I already LITERALLY know everything a teacher would. My roomie asked me as she heard my sigh.

" What's the matter, Silva?"

Winter has warmed up to me a bit, and the fact I can give help with her homework helps, but it still galls and impresses her to know that I know the subjects as well as a teacher despite being half or even a third their age. I do sneak off to Vale and Mistral to see Raven and the girls to help me maintain my sanity and temper when Winter is asleep. Late night picnics with Raven and regular movie nights with Miltia, Melanie, Emerald, Neopolitan, and Argint. I told the ice queen my frustrations.

" Just tired of waiting for the missions that Tindick was supposed to assign me as payment for sweeping the Mob Incident under the rug."

" Do you really hate Atlas?"

I told her truthfully.

" Yes, and I know there are some good people in Atlas, but unfortunately, they are a minority."

Winter nodded solemnly in agreement and decided to keep the conversation going with a change of topic.

" Quick question, with your Semblance Glyphs, can you imitate a Grimm's special ability like an Apathy's will-draining screech with a summoned version of that Grimm?"

" So far, there have been any issues with physical traits like a Manticore's fire balls or a Nevermore's feather projectiles, but I am not sure about Apathy Grimm as that ability seems more than just physical, but again, I have never encountered one before, so I won't know till then. But that was out of the blue."

I told her with a grin at maybe going on a mission with her instead of being cooped up.

" I know where there is a high concentration of Apathy Grimm, and you have to admit their ability will be helpful in capturing people."

" True... but let's wait and see if the general will have anything for you soon first since the recent incidents have become cold cases, and the public has mostly forgotten about them."

I sighed and agreed to wait one more week before seeking out missions of my own.