Chapter 71: Shaded Purple
Willow Schnee wanted to drink to drown her newfound worries and concerns over the information she received from her unseen intruder. Plans on sabotaging Winter's military career after she managed to escape Jacques Gele's grip over her life. Arranged marriages for Weiss and Whitney to less than savory members of Atlas's high society and political landscape that hold a lot of power. To top it all off, her so-called husband paid a generous amount of lein to the doctor that was looking after her father right after his death. The implications behind this we're telling as it confirmed one theory she developed after learning of Jacques's true nature.
For the love of the Brothers, Willow wanted to drink but knew she needed to be sober when dealing with her unseen informant. She saw one of her bottles of vodka sitting nearby, and the Schnee matriarch was tempted after three days going to her fourth day of sobriety. Just a little, she thought to pass the time while she waited, but as Willow reached, an electronic voice called out to her.
" Hello again, Willow Schnee. Have you considered my offer?"
Willow jumped a bit in surprise at the sudden voice. She looked around and saw no one, then concluded that her intruder was using an Atlesian Invisibility Cloak, a high-tech piece of gear that does what the name suggests and is something not just anyone could get their hands on. The Schnee matriarch gulped her saliva and asked warily.
" How do I know the information you gave me is real?"
The unseen intruder chuckled and replied with amusement.
" Rather than asking me that, you should ask yourself if Jacques Gele is capable of what the information I gave you suggested."
Willow grimaced as she knew her husband well enough by now that he would do everything in the information provided to her and then some. The intruder's information was most likely accurate, and the Schnee matriarch asked.
" How do you plan on dealing with Jacques?"
" Just have him disappear for a while, then have you wait until someone makes a move to try and absorb the Schnee family. After that, I will provide you with all the information you need to deal with any rival's political and economic. After that help, you change the SDC for the better to try and restore the good name of the Schnee family."
Willow felt this was all too good to be true and asked with a guarded expression.
" Why do all this? Why help me?"
" Because I want to, and I am not doing this for free, but as I said before, my payment can wait until you have everything under control."
Willow then asked with distrust.
" Why should I trust you?"
" You shouldn't, as the only guarantee I can offer you is my word."
The Schnee matriarch looked surprised at what her invisible intruder had just said. Honesty for her was a rare commodity, and while Willow had her concerns, she decided to take a gamble as she may have lost a lot of things in her marriage to Jacques Gele. She did not want to lose her children as well to his machinations.
" I am willing to work with you... for now."
" Understood, be prepared as Jacques Schnee will disappear soon."
The unseen intruder warned Willow as she agreed to work with him, then left to start what he set out to do.
***
Jacques Schnee was in a good mood, thanks to his PR team spinning the Grimm attack to his advantage and keeping his name out of any blame for it. They were worth every Lein that the fake Schnee spends on them, along with his team of lawyers. Jacques took out some finely aged brandy to celebrate and would start making moves to pass the bills to reduce what he had to pay for his faunus labor force. His profits would increase even further when he could pay them chump change and no longer have to give them any benefits like health care or retirement.
And they couldn't quit either because no one else in Atlas would hire them as the few faunus own businesses were already operating at full capacity, and the rest of Atlas was content on letting them rot in the streets. Jacques poured himself a glass and let his mind idly wander. He saw a picture of his offspring and had mixed emotions towards them. Winter should've just done what he wanted and be the heir he wanted to take over for him after he retires, but that wasn't good enough for her. She goes and runs off to the military to be one of Atlas's Specialists.
Unfortunately for his wayward daughter, he has extensive connections in the military and plans on making her military career a nightmare as much as possible. Jacques's second daughter Weiss needs to get it out of her head that she shouldn't waste her time galivanting as a Huntress, such a brutish profession. Atlas has the strongest fighting force, and it is at his beck and call because he provides the necessary Dust to operate, so why learn to fight when others can do it for him.
The fake Schnee's thoughts turned to his only son Whitley. The boy was still rough around the edges but will learn how to do things his way with time and training. He was already behaving as he should, with him being his son after all. Jacques smiled as he only needed to use a carrot and stick method to mold his son to his liking. As Jacques drank his brandy, he suddenly felt himself falling and landed on a dirt floor. He panicked as he looked around to see himself surrounded by earth, then looked up to see bars about him.
Jacques postured and bellowed in outrage to hide his fear of the situation as he realized that he had been kidnapped.
" Do you have any idea who I am?! I am Jacques Schnee, and I demand to be released this instant!"
No reply came, and the silence continued to make the fake Schnee wary and asked in a more humble tone.
" Hello. Anyone there? I have money for the first person to get me home."
The silence was the only answer he received, and he continued to yell out for anyone to hear him. Unfortunately for him, he is far away from any civilization or people as he is in an uninhabited part of Anima, and only three people know his location at this time.
***
" Silva, what has you in such a good mood?"
Miltia asked me as I grinned ear to ear at dropping Jacques Gele in the cell Raven created for him with magic. By the time he gets out, Willow will have all of his assets under control, and he will be without any allies to help him. I answered the polite twin vaguely.
" Oh, there's just something satisfying about tormenting a complete jerk and all-around nuisance."
Miltia didn't know the context of my answer and looked at me with a confused expression.
" That's nice..."
Miltia dropped the subject and grabbed her snacks to enjoy while she watched her shows. I was making my fifth burger as I have been feeling ravenous as of late. Considering that I feel some aches in my joints, I think I am going through another growth spurt, and I wondered just how tall I am going to become. I'm already a towering 6'8", but I remembered that there were quite a few tall guys in the show, like Yatsuhashi and Hazel. I shrugged as I had plenty of cash for a change of clothes when needed. Unfortunately, lein can't buy all the materials I want for my lab to build not only my weapon but construction robots to build my homes and bases.
Hopefully, Willow can establish the connections needed to get the necessary items I need and want for my payment to help her. I could steal them if I wanted to, but why do that when I can get them from somewhat legal channels and not be hunted for snatching highly advanced equipment from Atlas. As I thought about what I am going to build in the future, my Scroll rang; it was Qrow.
" Hey, old man, what's up?"
" Snowball, we need to talk."
Hearing how serious he was, I decided not to joke around and ask.
" Face to face?"
" Not now, but probably later."
I waited for my drunken uncle to talk, and he finally said.
" Snowball, Jimmy, or rather James Ironwood, would like to talk to you about what you did in Atlas."
Figures, I guess Atlas's security system caught me redhanded but considering that Qrow is talking to me instead of the general himself means that there might be some wiggle room for me from a legal standpoint. Backdoor deals are popular in Atlas high society when it comes to the courts of law, so I asked my uncle.
" What are your thoughts on the matter?"
I heard Qrow sigh and say.
" While I understand your position and, heck, even approve of your choices aside from beating up the MPs, you could've just run. Not like they could catch you anyway."
" Maybe, but the fact they came only to arrest me and not those idiots in the mob kind of ticked me off."
Qrow chuckled then said with wry amusement.
" I don't blame you but anyway, back on topic. James wants to talk to you personally and make a deal to sweep everything under the rug."
It would make things easier since I am not done with Atlas just yet, and depending on the deal Tindick wants to strike, I could come out ahead. Plus, he couldn't contain me even if he wanted to, and I had plenty of fail-safes installed throughout Atlas's network that would guarantee my safety and inevitable release. I told Qrow, feeling assured that no matter what happened, I would be fine.
" Sure, just give me a when and where, and I will meet him there."
" Sounds good, Snowball, and make sure to lie low for the time being till then."
" Sure, see you later, old man."
Qrow retorted as the tension left the mood.
" I keep telling you; I am not old!"
"You're older than me."
My uncle snorted at my reply, and we gave our goodbyes for now.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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