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Everyone knew Weiss Schnee.
The Schnee line stretched back several generations, all well renowned for their keen business sense, and Weiss- as the latest scion- embodied that. Cunning, keen, and above all meticulous in her counting, she’d expanded the family’s holdings in the short five years since she took over. Half the city was in her debt and her fortune only swelled when she sent her employees out to collect- but there lay a hidden price.
While everyone knew Weiss Schnee, no one liked her.
And they truly couldn’t be faulted. At twenty five, she wore a severe expression that discouraged any means of interaction as she bustled down the street, ignoring the jovial conversations and festive decorations all around her. With Christmas Eve upon them, the entire city had turned their attentions to celebrating- all except for Weiss, who only concerned herself with reaching her shop tucked into the busy town square and continuing with her work. The snow that crunched underfoot vexed her just as much as the people in the streets, too focused on their pointless merrymaking to realize they stood in the way of her progress.
When she entered her shop, she slammed the door behind her, a snarl on her lips.
“Fools, the lot of them,” she said, unwrapping the scarf from around her neck. “Yet another stupid holiday where everyone loses their minds. All this energy would be better used working rather than making idiots of themselves.”
“But, it’s Christmas,” one of her employees replied, obviously unintentionally as she clamped a hand over her mouth when Weiss’ gaze landed on her heavily.
“I should’ve suspected you’d be one of them, Ms. Rose.” A sigh left her lips as she stalked towards her desk. “No doubt you intend on leaving early today for the same pointless reason.”
Ruby Rose- a woman two years younger than herself- worried her lower lip with her teeth, silver eyes dropping to stare at the paperwork littering her cluttered desk. She adjusted the red cloak she insisted upon wearing at all times while failing to look up and meet her boss’ stare. “Yes, Miss Schnee.”
“And, tell me, what could you possibly accomplish elsewhere that you can’t here?” Sitting down in her chair, Weiss pulled her ledger out and opened it to her latest tally. “It’s not like you have family to visit.”
“Hey!” Icy blue eyes fell on yet another of her employees- a blonde brute of a woman by the name of Yang Xiao Long, Miss Rose’s sister and the same age as Weiss herself. If it wasn’t for her solid grasp on arithmetic and ability to calculate interest in her head, Weiss likely wouldn’t have hired her, despite her sister’s insistence that she could do the job. Whereas Miss Rose at least had the appropriate schooling, Miss Xiao Long had no formal training past age eight and spent most of her life working in the mines or workhouses, as evidenced by her more muscular frame. Hard labor seemed to be more her forte anyway. “That’s-“
Whatever pointless objection she had was stifled when the last of Weiss’ employees put a hand on her shoulder, in the process of walking back to her desk with a file in hand. Blake Belladonna fell into the same category as Miss Xiao Long, lacking an appropriate amount of formal education, but had proven herself at a rival money lender’s business before Weiss drove him out of business and hired her. She had the forethought to be more careful with her wording rather than allowing whatever outburst popped into her head to leave her mouth- for which, Weiss found herself thankful more often than not.
“Miss Schnee, the holidays are just as much about spending time with loved ones as it is for self-reflection,” Miss Blake said, the feline ears atop her head laying back as they so often did, blending in with her midnight black hair.
“Sounds like a waste of time to me.” Her gaze dropped back to her ledger. “Have any of you even accomplished anything while I’ve been gone?”
She didn’t feel like entertaining an argument about Christmas or time off or any other manner of distraction at present. With her next contract fresh in her mind, Weiss would be better off focusing on getting her books in order before making the next loan.
Without much delay, Miss Rose, Miss Xiao Long, and Miss Belladonna all came to her desk and handed in their reports- if she didn’t have so many ongoing loans with so many people, she wouldn’t need to pay three employees to help keep track of it all, but she’d grown the family business far more than Father likely expected she would. It would’ve been better to use family members but Father and Mother died last year, her elder sister Winter had run off when Weiss was thirteen, and her brother Whitley-
“Merry Christmas, Weiss!” The door burst open as the young man entered, a brisk wind following him and quite nearly sending the reports she’d just received blowing all over the office.
“Whitley! Shut the dust damned door!”
“Oh, sorry about that.” He did as told before hurrying over to her desk, a wide smile on his face. “I just came by because you never gave me an answer about tomorrow’s party.”
“Party?” She rolled her eyes before returning to her ledger. “Oh. Right. That.”
“Well?” Weiss stole a glance at his expectant expression. “I promise, it’ll be well worth your time. I’ve got a special surprise-“
“No offense, but I doubt anything as frivolous as a Christmas party could be worth my time.” She gestured at the papers on her desk. “Can’t you see I’m busy? Just because the rest of the city’s decided to lose their minds for a day doesn’t mean I have to as well.”
“But, Weiss-“
“The answer is no, Whitley.” She made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “And I’ll thank you to be more mindful with the door when you leave.”
Her brother stood there, at the edge of her desk, in stunned silence until she looked up at him, quirking a brow expectantly.
“Uh… right… of course…” He cleared his throat. “Well… if you change your mind-“
“I won’t,” she said, then turned her attention to her work and ignored him completely. Ever since Father chose her to follow in his footsteps and take over the family business, the siblings hadn’t had much to say to one another. She doubted it would ever change.
Distantly, she could hear him exchange pleasantries with her employees and wish them a happy holiday but he, thankfully, took more care with exiting the shop.
Unfortunately, when he left, two others entered.
“Miss Schnee?” Looking up, she found two young men standing in front of her wearing wide smiles. One had shaggy blonde hair and patches on his jacket, a monkey tail curling behind him, while the other’s shock of bright blue hair had at least been trimmed recently, though she couldn’t quite discern the purpose of the glasses atop his head. “We’d like to speak with you regarding some money matters.”
Weiss sat back in her chair, humming contemplatively. “I suppose you’ve come to the right place. I’m somewhat of an expert in money matters.”
“Indeed, Miss Schnee.” The one chuckled, offering his hand. “I’m Sun WuKong, and this is my associate, Neptune Vasilias.”
“Vasilias… of the Vacuon Vasilias?”
“The one and only,” Neptune replied with a charming smile. The Vasilias were a well-respected merchant family and one of the few affluent ones present in the city who didn’t make use of her services… yet. “We run a small organization to benefit the poor and disadvantaged. We believe society should be geared more towards helping one another and we’re trying to make those changes happen.”
“A costly endeavor.” She remarked, already drafting the loan agreement in her head.
“Indeed, Miss Schnee.” Sun grabbed the lapels of his jacket and puffed out his chest. “Which is why we’ve come to ask for a small donation-“
“Donation?” Shaking her head to clear it, Weiss regarded the two standing before her with a pinch to her brow. “What sort of fool do you take me for?”
“Miss Schnee-“
“Don’t ‘Miss Schnee’ me.” She stood from her desk, though it didn’t help her much as they both had quite a few inches on her. No matter, as they cowered before the power of her voice and her fury combined. “You come into my business, groveling for money, to help people who have plenty of options otherwise. Perhaps they should take a page from my book and work for a living!” Pointing towards the door, her voice grew louder. “Now, get out of my shop before I have you arrested for harassment!”
As the two seemed rooted to the spot out of shock, Miss Xiao Long- at least- had the presence of mind to move before she became motivated to follow through with her threat. Putting a hand on each of their shoulders, she guided Mr. WuKong and Mr. Vasilias towards the door, exchanging a few words with them before they left entirely.
Weiss sat back down, thoroughly annoyed at all the distractions. “The nerve of those beggars.”
“It’s called ‘charity’.” Miss Xiao Long bluntly informed her, stopping on the way back to her desk and obviously putting physical effort into not saying more. Then, she turned away, coughing horribly into her hand- something she’d been doing more often as of late.
Another downside to working with the woman: she had quite the mouth on her.
“That’s it.” Snapping her gaze towards her employees, she made a motion with her hand. “All three of you, leave, and lock the door on your way out. I’ll not be distracted any further. Some of us have work to do.” Then, her gaze fell on Miss Xiao Long. “And you’ll do better at holding your tongue or you won’t have a job come morning.”
Again, her attention returned to her ledger while her employees began packing up their bags and grabbing their scarves. By some miracle, Miss Xiao Long refrained from saying anything else, and the three filed out of the shop with murmured farewells. It wasn’t until the lock slid home that she deigned to return to her work, confident there wouldn’t be any further distractions.
Long after the sun had set, when the rest of the city was lost in their ridiculous celebrations, Weiss left her shop confident that she’d counted every lien three times and verified every open account. With that out of the way, she could continue with the loans that would surely follow as fools all over the city realized they’d over extended their budgets due to the holidays like fools just in time for the new year.
Walking through the streets was a trial, doing her best to dodge carolers and other mindless well-wishers, but she eventually made it to her home. Unlike Whitley, who’d moved out when he was about seventeen, Weiss chose to remain in the Schnee Manor, home to her family for generations. Now, she remained its only inhabitant, but she didn’t concern herself with that at present. Once she could trust someone else to run the shop for a month or two, she’d find a suitor and continue the family legacy in that manner as well. Unlike Mother, though, she wouldn’t stop working entirely. Far too much to be done, too much money to be made, for her to entrust her business to anyone else.
But as she began to prepare for bed, she noticed some… curious noises. She stopped, a time or two, to listen- it sounded like… chains dragging on the hardwood floors, but each time she looked, she saw nothing there. Weiss simply thought dealing with her employees and those two pan handlers took more out of her than she thought.
As she did every night, she sat beside the fireplace in her study- Father’s study, and Mother’s before his- to drink a cup of tea before bed, wearing her silk robes with her hair loosed from its typical ponytail. As the fire roared, she glanced up at the family portrait hung above it, and had to look twice.
The first time she looked, it appeared as if Mother was staring at her rather severely, but the second time her gaze was focused off in the distance as usual.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have sent those dolts home early.” She mused, a frown tugging at her lips. “Better yet, how dare they ask for the time off in the first place.”
Again, she heard the sound of chains, and she rolled her eyes while debating whether or not to ignore it when the deep, brass bell in the study’s grandfather clock began to chime… as well as the one down the hall, and the one in the foyer, and every other bell in the manor, it seemed, the sounds far louder than they’ve ever been before.
Weiss got to her feet, looking around in bewilderment, as the chiming didn’t stop after it counted off the hour, continuing for at least another twenty chimes before suddenly stopping and leaving the entire house dead silent.
“Is… is anyone there?” She called out, trying to steel her nerves, but the sounds of metal clinking together and dragging along the wood started again. Only, this time, it came from the hall and came closer. Weiss set her tea cup down and grabbed a poker from beside the fireplace, intent on dredging up her long forgotten fencing lessons to fend off whatever attacker seemed intent on making her long day even longer. “Show yourself!”
“Is that any way to talk to your mother?” A voice she instantly recognized made her blood run cold as the fire behind her snuff out in a blink and the door to the study almost rattled off its hinges. Then, a ghastly apparition began materializing through it, the sharp lines of her brow not diminished by her otherworldly appearance. She recognized the features of her own face, traits inherited from her mother, and fear began to take hold of her heart. “Good evening, Weiss.” As she stepped through the solid oak door, Weiss saw a myriad of chains crisscrossing her chest, wrapped around her arms and legs, dragging on the floor behind her. “Or should I say Merry Christmas?”
“Wh-who- what-“ She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear her vision. “I’m just tired, that’s all. This- this isn’t real.”
“Is that what you think?” The visage of Mother stopped a mere pace away and reached a hand forward, lightly touching her shoulder, and it instantly felt like ice had run over her skin. Weiss retreated a step, eyes wide. “Are you convinced now?”
“Wh-what are you doing here?” She couldn’t be sure if she believed it, of course, but kept the poker in hand just in case. “And what are… those…”
“Ah, you’ve noticed my accessories.” Mother chuckled dryly, and she hadn’t heard the sound in so long, she’d forgotten what it sounded like until just then. “This is your penance, if you don’t heed my warnings.”
“Penance? But I’ve done nothing wrong!” She defended, though the words grew weaker as her mother’s expression morphed into one of disappointment.
“Is that what you think?” Another bitter chuckle. “Of course it is. It’s what I thought. But I have eternity to learn the error of my ways.” She lifted her arms, spreading them wide, that Weiss might see each individual link. “These chains are my constant reminder. When you die, there’s nothing you can do, no one you can help, no joy you can bring. People rely on each other for these things and only the living can supply them. Every link you see is but one instance, one chance where I could’ve helped, and I didn’t. They’re my burden to bear as I watch all the suffering in the world, unable to do a thing to stop it.” She lowered her arms, a frown claiming her lips. “And if you continue as you have, you’ll have more than I do by the time you die.”
“But- I-“ She looked around, for something- anything- to argue against this nightmare she found herself trapped in, and hit upon an inconsistency. “Wh-what about Father?”
Mother looked surprised for a moment before she chuckled again, mirthlessly. “As terrible as my fate is, his is worse. You’ll see what it is for yourself soon enough unless you change course.” Then she turned towards the window, her chains trailing after her and making that awful sound, and Weiss hesitantly followed. “You will be visited by three spirits tonight, Weiss. They will show you things you couldn’t possibly know, allow you to see through eyes that aren’t your own. If you learn, perhaps you can change your fate… but if you don’t, this is what you’ll have to look forward to, and so much worse.”
Only then did Weiss think to look at the window itself, seeing the street and sky beyond filled with other apparitions, their chains varied but all looking miserable as they looked upon the city. Some wailed in despair while others cried unseen tears but all reached out, unable to touch anything.
“Take heed while you can.” Her gaze snapped to Mother as she began floating through the closed window. “You only have tonight to learn so listen well.”
With that, she left, joining the other miserable spirits, and with a blink of her eyes, the lot of them disappeared and the fire returned, happily crackling like nothing had happened.
Weiss looked around, lowering the poker and putting a hand to her head. “I’m… just… tired. Yes. That’s all.” Returning the poker to its proper place, she abandoned the tea cup and instead went to her bedroom, hoping a bit of rest would do her good. “A good night’s rest. That’s all I need.”
With trepidation, she glanced at the clock by her bedside. Half past eleven.
She put the oddity out of her mind and laid down, intent on getting some sleep.
The clock striking midnight roused her, and for a moment she found it odd- the signaling of the hour usually didn’t disturb her slumber- but then she saw the hooded figure standing at the foot of her bed.
“Who-“ She sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest as her heart hammered. “What are you doing-“
“You already know why I’m here.” Her brows furrowed as the figure reached up, pushing back her hood to reveal… a rather familiar visage, and the surprise must’ve shown in her face. “Oh, good! I thought this form might be less alarming.”
“Miss Rose?” She tilted her head, trying to reconcile the voice and face before her with the instinctive knowledge that she wasn’t, in fact, looking at her employee at all.
“Not quite.” The figure smiled, silver eyes shining. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. I’m just… borrowing the appearance of someone you know to set you at ease.” She walked around to the side of the bed. “And I have some things I want to show you.” Holding out a hand, she waited expectantly. “Come. There are things you should see.”
Hesitantly, Weiss reached out and took the figure’s hand and felt herself caught up in a whirlwind that forced her to shut her eyes and put up a hand to protect them, though it only lasted a moment.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself still in the manor but a different room, during the daylight and…
“Wait… I remember this.”
Turning her head, she found a younger version of herself no more than eight years old, bent over a desk and working on arithmetic problems while snow fell softly outside.
“Your parents had high expectations for you, didn’t they?” The spirit nodded towards the younger her. “Doing schoolwork on Christmas morning. Such a shame.”
“I… hated it at the time.” Her shoulders fell slightly. “But, it wasn’t so bad, because-“
At that, a soft knock came at the door and the younger her quickly looked up, hope shining bright in her eyes. A moment later, the door opened and Winter slipped in, poorly hiding a wrapped gift behind her back and looked around to ensure no tutors were waiting in the room.
“Did you bring it?” The younger Weiss wiggled in her seat.
“I said I would,” Winter replied, hurrying to the side of her desk and setting the present down atop it, beaming. She knelt down so they could be closer to eye level; unlike Weiss, her sister took after their mother in the height department. “Merry Christmas, Weiss.”
Without waiting, she tore into the wrapping paper and eventually pulled out a doll from the box. Instantly, her expression brightened even further as she turned and threw her arms around her big sister’s shoulders.
Standing off to the side observing, the elder Weiss smiled faintly. “I loved that doll.”
“You kept it for many years.”
That was true; she even slept with it until… well, until Winter left. Then, it went on a shelf, and she did her best to forget it existed.
“But Winter.” The younger version of herself frowned, sadness written in her expression. “I don’t have anything for you.”
Her sister laughed lightly. “Don’t worry. When you’re older and you have your own allowance, you can buy me gifts.” Winter pulled her into another hug. “For now, a smile is the best gift I could ask for from my little sister.”
That set her younger self beaming once again and the scene dissolved, replaced by the manor’s dining hall, a few years later. The long table was set for four, the missing chair and place setting removed quietly earlier in the year. They never held any significant celebrations for Christmas as a family- Father hardly deigned to acknowledge the holiday’s existence, the same as Mother- but she recognized the year simply by how often her younger self’s gaze drifted to the spot beside her, where her sister used to sit.
“Eat your food, Weiss.” Father spoke sternly, dabbing at his lips and mustache with a napkin. “Don’t dally.”
“But, Father, when’s Winter coming home?” She didn’t often talk back to the man- especially not in the following years- but this rare bit of defiance earned her a scathing look.
“She’s not coming back.” He shook his head, looking down at his plate. “She made her choice.”
“ We made it for her.” Mother pointed out from behind her wine glass, draining it as a means of ignoring the heated glare shot her way.
Whitley used his fork to push his peas about his plate. “I miss her.”
“As far as I’m concerned, she’s no longer part of this family.” Father banged his fist on the table and growled. “That disobedient hooligan is no child of mine and no sister of yours. Put her out of your mind.”
From her spot near the entrance of the dining hall, Weiss frowned. It was so long ago, she couldn’t recall the exact details, only the way Father referred to Winter after she left. Now, listening to the conversation again, a few things occurred to her and guilt began to gnaw at the corners of her mind. “Winter didn’t run away, did she?”
“Your father threw her out,” the spirit replied, softly. “She was caught sneaking you and Whitley cookies earlier in the year, remember?”
“Vaguely.” Winter got in trouble for a lot of the things she did. Only now did Weiss remember that most of those things were acts of kindness for her younger siblings- doing their homework for them so they could play, bringing them sweets and toys, feigning ignorance whenever tutors came looking for them, and so much else. She thought it a game at the time, one she couldn’t lose, but Winter obviously did. “He disowned her over something so small?”
This time the spirit didn’t answer her, the scene before them changing to one particular holiday she spent away from the Schnee Manor. One she had fond recollections of, when she looked back upon it.
A small store just a block from where her family’s shop sat, filled to the brim with toys and knickknacks. The owner had borrowed money from her family to start the store and finished paying off his loan before becoming something of a friend of the family. He offered Weiss a job when she was sixteen; Father only agreed because he wanted her to have some experience before touching the accounts.
On Christmas, though, the shop opened for only three hours, so that children from all over the city who may not have access to them otherwise could come and play with the toys on the shelves. As long as they showed care, the shopkeep didn’t charge their parents anything, and Weiss was the one to supervise them while the shopkeep talked with their parents.
Weiss watched herself as she moved carefully among the children, a polite smile in place until the sounds of soft sobbing caught her attention. Her younger self followed the sound until she found a little girl, perhaps seven years old, clinging to a dolly and crying.
“Excuse me.” The younger Weiss knelt down. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s so pretty.” The little girl looked down at the doll. “I love her. I named her Jasmine.”
“I don’t see why that’s a reason to cry,” she replied, clearly at a loss. Even the older version hadn’t much experience with children but the younger was truly out of her depth.
“I have to say goodbye.” The little girl’s lip trembled. “Goodbyes are hard.”
Blue eyes fell on the dolly and then- just as now- Weiss saw more than a passing resemblance between it and the doll Winter had given her many Christmases ago. “Well… who said you have to say goodbye?” Getting to her feet, Weiss held out a hand to the little girl and lead her towards the shopkeep. “Sir? Would it be alright if she could keep the doll? I can cover the cost out of my pay.”
“That was a very kind offer.” The spirit noted.
“His was more generous,” she replied as the shopkeep chuckled.
“If you feel like it’s a good fit, she can have it.” He clapped her on the shoulder. “In fact, in the spirit of Christmas, all the kids can choose one toy. No charge.”
The younger Weiss perked up, proud that she’d inspired such an offer, and the children rejoiced as their parents thanked him profusely. He gave her part of the credit.
“Indeed.” The spirit hummed thoughtfully. “How much of your pay did he take to cover the cost of this generosity?”
“A fraction. Hardly anything, really,” she replied. “He could’ve taken it all but he didn’t. I always admired him for that.”
“Really?”
“Of course.” She nodded, watching as her younger self continued to help children pick out their one free toy, a genuine smile on her lips the whole time. “He was strict but fair, and he tried his hardest to ensure I enjoyed my time working for him. While I prompted him to make the offer for the other children, I’d only intended to cover the costs of one. It was a fair deal.”
The spirit turned towards her. “Do you think he’d be proud of you?”
Weiss opened her mouth to respond but stopped short, thinking about the question. Would he be proud of her success? Absolutely… but would he be proud of her actions? When Miss Rose, Miss Xiao Long, and Miss Belladonna left the shop every day, they looked haggard and harried, or angry, or just this side of depressed. Even Miss Rose, who seemed to be perpetually in a good mood, found her smile diminishing the longer she stayed in the shop, to the point most days she left, it was nowhere to be seen.
“I… I don’t know…” Her shoulders fell a little. “He passed away a few years ago but…”
“But you didn’t go pay your respects.” The spirit supplied, a hint of disapproval in her tone. “Your time’s too valuable for something like a funeral.”
Guilt settled across her shoulders. “I…”
“My only question is… what happened? When did the girl who wanted to buy a little girl a dolly she couldn’t otherwise afford become the woman too stingy to spend a day honoring the death of a friend?”
Again, the scene dissolved, and instead turned to one she remembered vividly. The day Christmas always reminded her of- the inside of a well decorated house, with holly on the walls and a tall tree standing into one corner, bedecked in ornaments. By the mantle, a familiar redhead stood, nervously wringing her hands.
Weiss’ expression crumbled. “Pyrrha…”
“Ah, yes. You loved her dearly at one point, didn’t you?” The spirit sighed. “But… not dearly enough.”
A knock came at the door and Pyrrha hurried over to it, smoothing out her jacket before opening the door. Weiss bustled in- twenty years old and with big news.
“You won’t believe it.” She bypassed the woman completely, moving into the living room so she could pace as excitement overcame her. “Father’s transferred the majority of control into my name. It’s finally happened; I’m finally in control of the family legacy.”
“Well, that’s- that’s great news.” Pyrrha recovered, shutting the door and following Weiss into the living room. “I suppose that means-“
“It means I can finally begin expanding the business.” She shook her head and chuckled. “Father had his sights set too low. There’s so much potential in this city, if one knows where to look. By this time next year, I’ll have our profits increased fifty percent, I’m sure of it-“
“Weiss,” the redhead said, just enough force in her tone to draw her younger self’s attention. “Is this what you wanted to talk about? That- that you’ll be making more money?”
“It’s not just ‘making more money’, Pyrrha, it’s seizing the reins of a legacy.” She tilted her head, obviously confused. “Don’t you see- this is what I’ve been working for and I’ve achieved it. The plans I have going forward-“
“Do they involve me?” That caught Weiss off guard, forcing her to be silent long enough that Pyrrha’s entire countenance began to crumble. “You haven’t even thought about it, have you?” Running a hand through her bangs, it was the redhead’s turn to pace, green eyes looking anywhere but at Weiss. “We’ve been dating for two years. When you called and said you had something important to tell me, I thought- I thought you were finally ready to propose. I’ve been waiting, ever since you turned down my proposal on the excuse of needing more time, but that didn’t matter to you, did it?”
“It’s- of course it matters to me.” Her voice lacked conviction as she floundered. She did love Pyrrha but her work, the legacy she wanted to control and expand, that had always come first. Weiss thought they had a clear understanding of that. She tried reaching for the woman but the redhead pulled away. “Pyrrha-“
“Answer the question, Weiss.” Green eyes filled with tears finally landed on her. “Do your plans involve me?”
Many things she’d done in her life but she didn’t lie. “Not specifically.”
Pyrrha nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, closing herself off while holding back her tears. “Leave, Weiss. I can’t… I can’t wait for you any longer. I’ve given you too long already and you’ve abused that.”
“Pyrrha-“
“I said leave.”
From her spot near the tree, the older Weiss braced herself, because she knew which words were about to leave her mouth. They’d echoed in her head enough times.
“Fine.” The younger version’s brows furrowed, a snarl on her lips. “But you’ll regret this one day. Happiness is built on security and money is the surest way to find that.” She turned towards the door but didn’t reach it before more venom dripped from her mouth. “If you’d been a little more patient, I would’ve given you everything. Now, I leave you with nothing and I’m glad I didn’t waste the effort.”
When the door slammed, the older Weiss flinched while watching as Pyrrha stumbled towards the living room couch and collapsed upon it, sobbing heavily.
“I do regret saying that,” she said to the spirit, as if that counted for anything. “I just… I was stupid.”
“And selfish, and petty, and wrong, and-“
“Yes, yes.” She sighed, the words stinging slightly more considering it looked like they were coming from Miss Rose. Weiss couldn’t imagine the young woman saying an ill word of anyone without ample justification, making the list all the more brutal to hear. “But… she found someone, right? Someone who treated her better?”
The spirit made a motion with one hand and the scene melted away, replaced by a more rundown living room that had only sparse decorations. The light from the fireplace illuminated Pyrrha’s profile as she read, stretched out on a couch that had seen better days. She had a bandage on one hand but it didn’t seem to worry her too much as she turned the page, her head snapping up when the sounds of heavy footfalls sounded on the porch, followed by someone shuffling in through the door.
Pyrrha stood, setting aside her book and walking towards the newcomer with open arms and a bright smile. “Welcome home, Bug.”
“I love it when you call me that,” the other woman replied, pulling off her cap to reveal auburn hair that fell around her chin, the freckles on her cheeks partially obscured by the dimples that appeared when she smiled just as wide. “C’mere.”
As the two embraced, Weiss averted her gaze, feeling ill at ease with bearing witness to such an intimate scene- especially with the tide of jealousy rising in the back of her throat. “When is this?”
“Just last year,” the spirit replied, nodding towards the couple. “They’ve been together for two, married after one. But this one is… important, I think.”
“I kept a kettle on the fire for you.” Pyrrha murmured, running her fingers through the other woman’s hair. “And some stew.”
“Thanks. I’m so tired.” A soft sigh. “But! Not too tired!”
“Too tired? For- whoa!” In the blink of an eye, the woman scooped her wife into her arms, grinning like mad. It prompted a laugh from the redhead as she laid an arm around the woman’s shoulders. “Nora! What are you-“
“Hey, it’s Christmas!” Nora craned her neck to press a kiss to the underside of the redhead’s jaw. “I get to sweep you off your feet!”
“Oh, my little Lightning Bug, you do that every time you come home.”
Weiss’ chest clenched painfully. Is this what she could’ve had? This open affection, this outpouring of love- she didn’t miss the way Pyrrha cupped Nora’s cheek, the same way she used to do to her.
“I’m glad she found happiness.” She muttered, shuffling away as the couple made it to the couch, exchanging kisses and just barely managing to not knock over any furniture. Blue eyes roved around the interior of the living room. It didn’t look anything like the fine living they were accustomed to. “Where are we?”
“A small fishing town by the coast.” The spirit inclined her head. “Nora is the town’s blacksmith. Pyrrha left the city behind and began wandering after the two of you parted. She’d spent most of her inherited fortune by the time she met Nora but they get by. With a little help.”
Suddenly, Weiss caught the sound of little feet pitter-pattering down the hallway, and turned in time to see two children rush into the living room, with wide smiles on their faces.
“Mom’s home!” One shouted while the other busied himself with attaching to Nora’s leg.
“Children?” Weiss’ brows raised, watching as both of the little boys were scooped up and the bright smiles on everyone’s faces.
“They adopt.” The spirit chuckled. “They may not have much but they have enough to share. They believe that happiness is found in others and they do their best to encourage the light in everyone they meet.”
“Alright, boys.” Nora’s expression turned serious, though a gleam remained in her eyes. “Have you been good?”
“Uh huh!” They both responded, with the elder of the two- maybe ten- piped up. “Will you finally tell us, Mom?”
Weiss raised a brow. “Tell them what?”
“About their Christmas present,” the spirit replied.
Nora and Pyrrha exchanged a glance before nodding, the redhead answering instead. “Boys, how do you two feel about getting a sister?”
Much to Weiss’ surprise, the boys began beaming, enthusiastically pleading for a sister- a little one, though they wouldn’t mind a big one, either.
She thought, for just a moment, that if she tried hard enough, she could picture herself in Nora’s place, in a nicer home, with Pyrrha and their adopted children smiling at her…
“Is this what I could’ve had?” She looked to the spirit. “Is this what I gave up?”
“Perhaps.” With a shrug, the scene around them began to dissolve. “There are many paths a person’s life could take. You chose yours, though.” Weiss blinked and found the spirit fading away, becoming translucent as the seconds passed while her own body became weightless, falling through an endless sky. “The past can’t be changed. It’s set in stone. Remember that.”
In the blink of an eye, the spirit disappeared entirely and she fell until she hit something soft but solid, her limbs pinwheeling as she tried to gather her bearings…
… and only then did she notice she was in her own bed, as if she’d never left it.
Weiss glanced at the clock, noting the time to be a quarter to one.
Running a hand over her face, she laid back down, intent on putting these bad dreams from her mind.
When the clock struck one, Weiss turned over, furrowing her brows and trying to ignore the chime. It usually didn’t bother her but coupled with the music drifting in-
Wait… music?
Pushing herself up, she looked around her room until her gaze landed on the door, noting the thin strip of light coming in from under it. She’d turned out all the lights in the manor before retiring, so there rightly shouldn’t be any light to creep in through the door, but yet, there it was, and it happened to be in the same direction as the music. With a furrow to her brow, she threw off the duvet and stalked towards the door, throwing it open with a scowl on her face.
“Merry Christmas!” The hallway that previously existed on the other side of her door somehow didn’t exist as she walked through the doorway into the dining hall, which was bedecked in full Christmas splendor as a giant of a woman looking almost exactly like Miss Xiao Long sat atop a mountain of presents, a wreath of holly settled around her temples like a crown. She smiled wide and made a gesture towards the table, filled with a full feast. “Come, eat, drink, and be merry!”
Weiss narrowed her eyes. “And you are?”
“I am the Ghost of Christmas Present.”
“Of course. First the Ghost of Christmas Past, and now Present- I suppose you have things to show me, too?”
“I do but we have some time at present.” She winked. “Or would you rather get down to business?”
“I don’t see what you can show me aside from people sleeping.” Despite the rebuttal, she shuffled forward. “Unless there’s some special loophole-“
“I can show you anything that happens today and there’s a fair few things I think you should see.” She held up an arm, allowing one massive sleeve to dangle. “Grab my sleeve and we’ll start.”
With a sigh, she did as instructed and found herself whisked away. It wasn’t quite the same sensation as before- less falling and more of a pull in a single direction, though she couldn’t be sure which direction that was- until she found herself standing in front of a humble doorway to one of the squat little houses on the fringes of the city, just at sunset. It appeared to be decently cared for, with signs of fresh repairs along the gutters and siding, but what caught her eye were the two men approaching the door- Mr. WuKong and Mr. Vasilias.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” One said to the other, his blond brows furrowed slightly.
“It’s the address she gave us.” His counterpart replied, stepping up and knocking on the door while Weiss and the spirit stood off to the side.
When it opened, Miss Rose looked surprised at first before smiling wide. “Oh! Yang said you two would be coming by. Hold on.”
“Of course,” Mr. Vasilias replied, inclining his head as Miss Rose ducked back into the house, only to be replaced by her sister a moment latter. “Miss Xiao Long.”
“Please, call me Yang.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out some lien- half a week’s pay, by her guess. “Here. For your organization.”
Both of her guests appeared surprised, and Weiss right along with them. When had this been arranged?
“Well, thanks, Yang.” Mr. WuKong accepted the lien, putting it in his coat pocket. “You can call me Sun, if you want.”
The woman smiled, preparing to reply, but got cut short when she began to cough horribly. From somewhere within the house, Miss Belladonna appeared, a worried pinch to her brow as she rubbed Miss Xiao Long’s back.
“It’s getting worse,” she said, ears lying flat as the fit began to taper off. “Have you gone to the doctor yet?”
“Don’t worry about it.” Lilac eyes darted away as she cleared her throat and shook her head. “It’s… it’s not going to go away but… it’s fine.”
“What does she mean ‘it’s not going to go away’?” Weiss looked at the spirit, suspecting the apparition might be willing to part with information just as her predecessor had.
“Working in the mines coated her lungs. She has difficulty breathing now, and the city air isn’t doing her any good.” Although bearing a striking resemblance to the woman trying to stifle her cough, the spirit somehow looked… older than before, certainly older than the real Miss Xiao Long. “She needs rest and a holiday in the country but…”
“It’s not fine, Yang.” Miss Belladonna sighed. “Have you told Ruby? You know we can cover your work at the shop for a few days; I’m sure Miss Schnee will-“
“Dock my pay and probably fire me.” Miss Xiao Long grimaced, rubbing at her chest. “A few more months and we’ll be set. We’ve been getting by just fine with using my salary to cover expenses and saving up Ruby’s. Then, she can open her own bakery; that one down on Fifth is still up for sale. We’re almost there.” As if suddenly remembering her guests, the woman offered a small, apologetic smile while running a hand through her hair. “Uh, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to be so rude.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” Mr. Vasilias chuckled, a quirk to his brow. “But, if it’s alright for me to say so, your boss is, uh…”
“A hardass?” Miss Xiao Long supplied.
“A curmudgeon?” Miss Belladonna offered.
“I would’ve gone with ‘piece of work’ but, yeah, those fit, too.” Mr. WuKong laughed. “Seriously, is she always like that?”
“Basically,” Miss Rose replied, squeezing between her sister and her other guest. “I don’t think she’s trying to be so mean, it’s just how she is, but… it’s… not good.”
Weiss’ brows furrowed as a frown claimed her lips. “So, this is how they see me, is that it?”
“You act as if what they see is different from who you are,” the spirit replied and the words cut deep.
“Sorry I had to ‘throw you out’ by the way.” Miss Xiao Long chuckled. “Figured it was better than testing how thin her patience was.”
“Oh, it’s fine!” Mr. Vasilias waved a hand. “It’s not the first time it’s happened.”
With a nod, the woman turned her attention to her sister. “Hey, Ruby. Why don’t you check to see if we have enough room for two more?” Instantly, both of them tried to politely refuse, but she silenced their protests with a look and a raised brow. “Unless you two have plans?”
“Well… not really.” Mr. WuKong scratched at the back of his head.
Mr. Vasilias looked much the same. “I’ve spent what lien I had getting the charity up and running. Most weeks, we’re lucky to make ends meet, if that.”
“Yeah, I kinda figured, but it’s Christmas. The more, the merrier.” As Miss Rose disappeared, Miss Xiao Long obviously did her best to resist coughing until her sister was out of earshot. When she finally succumbed, bright red blood covered her hand as she tried to turn away, clinging to the doorway for support while Miss Belladonna offered what help she could.
“Yang.” Feline ears twitched. “You need a doctor.”
“They’re too expensive.” She shook her head, glancing at the blood before looking up at her guests. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing contagious.”
Miss Belladonna sighed. “She’s telling the truth; Ruby and I live with her and we aren’t sick. It’s probably all that work you did in the mines. You know you spent too many years in there without a break. It’s not good for your health.”
“Someone had to put food on the table, Blake.” Miss Xiao Long shrugged before her lips pulled into a wide grin. “But it’ll be worth it to see Ruby open up her bakery. I’ve already placed the first order.”
She then pulled out a rag that was likely orange at one point but had obviously been used to clean away any evidence of her cough before, given the stains all over it. By the time Miss Rose returned and informed them there was plenty of food for two more- though the look on her face made Weiss doubt she was being entirely truthful- her sister was back to appearing in good health. The five of them shuffled into the small house and closed the door, leaving Weiss and the spirit standing outside.
“I didn’t realize she was that sick.” She’d heard Miss Xiao Long cough a few times- and promptly informed her to stifle it, lest it break her concentration- but she’d never suspected it had any connection to something other than the weather.
“She hides it well.”
Weiss turned towards the spirit, slightly taken aback by the streak of white in the ghost’s hair and the wrinkles beginning to etch into her face. “But… once they’re able to open that bakery, she’ll have time to see a doctor. Then she’ll get better.”
The way the spirit’s expression pinched said more than her words did. “It’s not my place to say.”
She tried to inquire further but found herself whisked away, towards the other side of town, where the houses were bigger and more lavish. To one she recognized, even if she didn’t visit often. Rather than being outside, they appeared just inside the foyer, able to see into the den where several people were sat around a roaring fire and chatting idly while their host stood and led the conversation.
“But, really, it’s no small thing,” Whitley said, taking a small sip from his champagne glass. “Enforcing a law like that only hurts people- it takes away a vital resource that the poor depend upon- and it serves no purpose otherwise. Mandating the closure of bakeries on Sundays is just pointless; it’s denying a bit of kindness and compassion on false premises. It’s a criminal suggestion, in my book.”
“And what’s your sister’s opinion on the matter?” Someone asked- and she didn’t recognize the man at all, though the curl to his lips implied he already knew the answer.
Much like her brother’s wry grin. “If there’s no profit in it, she doesn’t possess one, and would think us both fools for even giving the situation any thought.”
The party chuckled lightly, and she would probably be more offended by the jibe if she knew what they were talking about in the first place. “Is this what you wish to show me? How badly people think of me?”
“If that’s all you’re taking away from this, you’re more doomed than I thought.” The spirit sighed, stepping back as a knock came at the door.
“Excuse me.” Whitley bowed slightly to his guests before heading to the door, opening it to reveal two people standing on the stoop, both wearing clothing that had seen better days. That didn’t seem to register to him as his expression lit up. “You made it!”
“Winter?” She could hardly believe it. Despite her gaunt appearance, that was her sister there, standing tall and proud as ever. Gone was the rebelliousness from her youth- though Weiss began to suspect that perhaps that was a figment of a poor memory- and instead it was replaced with a hard expression that softened almost instantly.
“Indeed I did.” Winter smiled, her hands behind her back as she glanced down at her companion. “Penny, this is your Uncle Whitley.”
Weiss blinked. “Wait, uncle? I- I have a niece?”
“Salutations!” The young woman- a ginger, with a smattering of freckles across her nose and wide, sparkling green eyes- held out her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you!”
“I could say the same.” Whitley shook her hand with a chuckle. “When Winter said she adopted a little girl she found while travelling, I’ll admit I was surprised, but I do hope she’s been good to you.”
Although it looked as if Winter might respond to that, Penny beat her to it. “Oh, yes! She’s a really good mom!”
“Trust me, I remember.” He beckoned them inside, pointing towards a small pyramid of wrapped gifts. “And you’ll find I’m a very good uncle!”
Penny’s eyes positively lit up as she gasped. “Those are for us?”
“No, those are for you .” Instantly, Penny wrapped him up in a hug, which seemed to catch him off guard for a moment before he returned the embrace. “You can even open them tonight, if you’d like.”
“Can I, Mom?”
“Of course, Dear,” Winter replied before sliding her gaze to Whitley. “You’ll spoil her at this rate, you know.”
“Good.” As Penny went to inspect the pile, he shrugged. “Weiss still allots me a generous allowance. It’s about time I put it to good use.”
At the mention of her name, she stiffened while Winter looked around. “Is she…“
But their brother’s shoulders fell as he looked down briefly. “I… couldn’t convince her to come. She’s… just like Father was…”
The comparison should’ve made her proud. The fact that it made her ashamed, though, cut deeper than the words themselves.
Winter’s expression fell, too. “Ah… I see…”
“Sometimes, I find myself thinking… that’s how I would’ve turned out, if she’d taken more after you. If Father hadn’t snuffed out the rebellious streak you shared…” He shook his head. “But, if it’s not money, she has no time for it. Not even family.”
Weiss winced, feeling the guilt from before return full force. It was easier to ignore when she could focus on her wounded pride at being spoken of behind her back in such a fashion but, seeing how both her siblings had hoped for something different from her… it hurt more than she ever anticipated it could.
“Well… let’s not dwell on unhappy memories. It’s Christmas, after all.” Winter moved her right arm, pulling out a small, wrapped box from behind her back, with Whitley’s name written across the top in that distinctive flourish. “Merry Christmas.”
“You shouldn’t have,” he replied, accepting the gift with a wide smile. “I didn’t forget about you, either, and Penny’s not the only one I intend to spoil.”
She laughed, gesturing towards the girl. “Speaking of which, I think she may need your assistance. We… don’t often have many presents on Christmas. I believe she’s overwhelmed.”
As Whitley moved to help Penny decide where to start, Weiss’ gaze remained on her sister, and she watched the way her shoulders fell even further while she moved her left arm, revealing another box with Weiss’ name on the top. Winter regarded it for a moment before sighing and setting it aside in the foyer. Then, she moved to join the others.
Weiss felt tears prick at her eyes. “She… brought a present… for me?”
“Yeah. I’ll be honest, it’s not much,” she spirit replied. “But it was all she could spare. Not that it matters; you’re too busy for such a foolish holiday, right? This sort of sentimentality means nothing to you.”
She took a step forward and reached out, trying to touch the box that reminded her so much of one she’d received long ago from her sister… but she couldn’t touch it. “It… it does, though. It means something to me.”
“You have a funny way of showing it.” The spirit guffawed. “Your brother lives so close and he visits as often as you allow, but you hardly give him five minutes of your time. If he doesn’t mean that much to you, how could she?”
“Listen here, you-“ She rounded on the spirit but stopped still. Somehow, in what felt like minutes, the apparition looked to have aged entire decades. She still looked like Miss Xiao Long, still appeared strong, but not like before. Deep wrinkles etched into her face, blonde hair turned white beneath her crown, and she was stooped over now, as if standing up straight was too painful for her back. “What’s… what’s happening to you?”
“I am Christmas Present; I die when the day ends.” A soft sigh. “And isn’t it ironic? The woman whose visage I’ve borrowed… she won’t live long enough to look like this. Or perhaps she will. The present is a fluid thing.” Weiss opened her mouth but it worked, soundlessly, as she tried to formulate a response. None came and the spirit chuckled. “You weren’t wrong, you know. Money provides security. You have plenty of both. But what does it get you in the end?”
“I thought…”
“No.” The spirit shook her head. “You didn’t think. That’s the problem; you believed what you were told without ever examining it for yourself. Don’t you see? You’re your father’s daughter, unquestionably.” A nod towards the party. “Listen to the way they speak about you. Have you not spoken of your father the same way?”
Her gaze drifted to the others- Whitley, Winter, Penny, and the other guests- and everything started falling into place. She remembered, vaguely, receiving the news her parents had died… but now that she tried to remember, she couldn’t recall how or any other detail. She didn’t even shed a tear. There were loan agreements to draft and lien to count.
“Some of it, admittedly, is not your fault.” The spirit acknowledged, pulling her attention back. “You simply fell victim to society’s two greatest enemies. They’ve sunk their claws so deep into you, I’m not sure if they can be pulled out.”
With that, the spirit turned and walked through the door, prompting a startled Weiss to chase after her. Despite the snow blowing on the wind and an encroaching cloud of mist, she could feel nothing save the ground beneath her feet as she tried to catch up. “Wait! What enemies? What do you mean they can’t be pulled out?”
The apparition paused in the middle of the street and turned back, obviously nearing the end of her time. Reaching for the lapels of her coat, she pulled it open to reveal two starving people huddled at her feet. It was impossible to tell their age, given their state- emaciated, exhausted, weak and small.
“The two greatest enemies to society are want and ignorance.” Lilac eyes glanced down at one of them- a woman with gold eyes and black hair, scraps of a red dress clinging to her form. “She is want- the desire to have and take, to accumulate, regardless of consequence or necessity.” Then, her gaze shifted to the other- a Faunus with horns sweeping back over red hair and blazing blue eyes almost bright as her own, with a ragged black jacket covering a thin frame. “He is ignorance- the willful disregard for others, for the world, for the truth, for fact or for the plight of those around you.” Then, the spirit’s gaze landed on her with all the force of a sledgehammer. “Look at them. They are part of every person but they are eternally starving, afflicted with the need to infect and exacerbate. Charity and love temper them and, in most people, keep them starving. But in you?” A sad, slow shake of her head. “In you, Weiss, they are well fed. They truly took a page from your own book; they never stop working in you.”
Weiss looked on in horror, trying to find some justification, any explanation to deny the allegations. But she’d seen too much tonight, learned too much, to be able to defend herself. “What… what does all this mean?” The apparition sighed and closed her robe, turning to walk into the encroaching mist. “Spirit! Answer my question!”
She moved forward, trying to catch the robe in her outstretched hand, but in a blink of an eye, the ghost had gone.
But she didn’t wake up in her bed like she did last time, though she could hear the chiming of the hour.
Instead, Weiss found herself running through the fog, searching for any sort of landmark, only to stop cold in her tracks when she caught sight of a figure approaching her.
Dressed head-to-toe in black robes, with a hood pulled low and obscuring all other features, the figure approached slowly and quietly, almost gliding through the mist. She tried to backpedal and turn away, but upon trying to go back the way she came, the figure was there in front of her still, slowly approaching.
“Wh-who are you?” Her voice wavered, unsettled by the cold silence that met her. The other spirits were forthcoming and had a friendly air about them, despite the harsh truths they delivered. This one, though, had a different sensation cloaking them, one that instilled dread and fear in her gut. “Are you a spirit? Like the others?” A nod answered her. “Then- then you must be…” She swallowed harshly. “The Ghost of Christmas Future.”
Another nod as the figure stopped a few feet from her, lifting its right arm to point into the mist.
“You… you want me to go that way?” Her eyes darted towards where the spirit indicated but saw nothing except more thick fog. Still, the ghost didn’t speak, and she started turning. “Very well… I’ll go that way.”
Weiss began walking, the spirit a few steps behind, and no sooner had she reached the fog then it fell away, and she found herself somewhere in the town square.
“She’s dead, you know,” someone said, his voice hushed while leaning over his stall- a fish monger she’d seen several times. “I think that calls for a celebration.”
“Perhaps.” His prospective customer hummed. “It’ll take months for everything to get sorted. Couldn’t have come at a better time, I reckon.” Then, he nodded. “Yeah. I think I can spare a bit for a special occasion like this.”
Weiss’ brows furrowed and she looked back at the spirit. “Who are they talking about?”
No answer came but the scene shifted and she found herself somewhere else in the city, a gathering of some sort in a seedy little tavern as people clinked their glasses together.
“A toast!” A woman called out. “To our personal devil being vanquished- at least for a time.”
“Oh, we won’t have to worry about her anymore. All her meticulous planning’s for naught,” a man replied, pulling a very familiar ledger from his coat pocket. “They’ll have a hard time tracking all of us down without this!”
Cheers and shouts went up as the reality of the situation sank in, prompting Weiss to round on the spirit. “Are they celebrating my death? Is that what this is?”
Again, the scene shifted, and now that she had a proper look at the spirit in some decent lighting, she could see the feline ear protruding through the black hood, but her attention was quickly pulled away.
“It’s a relief, I’ll say,” someone said, low, as chatter filled the hall- one of the official buildings, a government one, though she couldn’t place it off the top of her head. “If she’d kept carrying on, that woman would’ve bought the whole city and drove the lot of us to the poorhouse!”
“Yeah.” Several nods as a group of officials listened intently. “The Maidens saved us from that whole retched family, taking them so young.”
Disgust swirled in her gut that people could refer to the dead in such a manner and it doubled as she became more certain that she was the one they mentioned.
“Well, now, there’s still a few of them left.” Someone pointed out.
“Apples that fell far from the tree, though.”
“Must be why they aren’t poisonous.”
“Should keep an eye on them, just in case.”
“This… this can’t be the only thing…” Weiss looked to the spirit. “There has to be someone who isn’t glad I’m dead. Someone who feels… something!”
The apparition tilted her head to the side briefly before the scene changed, and she found herself back in the Manor, though much of the furnishings had been removed.
Whitley stood in the middle of the foyer, looking at the grand staircase with a thousand yard stare as Winter came through the door. “Lien for your thoughts?”
“I wouldn’t charge family,” he replied, obviously recognizing the joke fell flat. “I didn’t think I’d ever come back here.”
“Nor I.” She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you sure selling it is wise? It was in the family for so long…”
“It’s a testament to a legacy neither of us intends to carry on. It’ll be better off in someone else’s hands.” His expression twisted. “Or burned to the ground.”
The door opened and Penny, older and taller now, entered the Manor as Winter spoke. “I’m surprised Weiss lived here alone. It must’ve been… so lonely.”
“Who’s Weiss?”
The woman in question put a hand to her aching chest. “Did I…. did I never meet her? How many years has it been by this point?”
The spirit didn’t say but it couldn’t be more than ten years, given her siblings’ appearances. Still… their family had the genes to age gracefully, so she couldn’t be sure… and that just made it worse.
“She’s… someone we used to know,” Winter replied, motioning back towards the door. “Wait outside for us, Dear. We won’t be long.”
Penny nodded and left, prompting Whitley to raise a brow. “You haven’t told her?”
“Weiss made it clear she wanted nothing to do with us.” Though she wouldn’t have blamed the woman for being angry, nothing but sorrow reflected in her tone. “I thought it best for Penny to never know. I wouldn’t want her thinking she’d done something to warrant it.”
Whitley nodded, sighing as he glanced back towards the interior. “This place is depressing. Let’s go.”
As she watched them go, Weiss felt her heart sink in her chest. “I’m dead, and the closest to remorse anyone feels is depression? Is there… no one in mourning in this whole city?”
Again, the spirit appeared thoughtful before the scene changed, and she found herself in the dining room of a small house she’d only seen the outside of but couldn’t mistake, not with the three familiar faces seated at the table. Miss Belladonna, Mr. WuKong, and Mr. Vasilias all sat quietly, each seemingly engrossed in their thoughts, until Miss Rose entered bearing a tray laden with chocolate chip cookies.
“They smell delicious, Ruby,” Miss Belladonna said, trying to infect her voice with cheer, but her ears and expression fell as sad, silver eyes landed on her.
“They’re Mom’s recipe,” she replied, setting her burden down and staring at them. “It was the first thing Yang taught me how to bake, once I was old enough. She said it was up to us to keep Mom’s memory alive by making them the way she did.” Tears slid down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. “I think… I think I’m going to keep Yang’s memory alive the same way. Make it a special- the Xiao Long special. Five loaves of bread for five lien. I think she’d like it.” Her voice caught on the last word as tears sprang to her eyes. “We… never had enough bread. She used to work extra shifts in the mines so we could have more than one loaf a week.”
Weiss watched as Miss Rose collapsed into the nearest empty chair, Miss Belladonna moving to give her a hug. “My own siblings won’t mourn me like this… how could I expect anyone else to…” She turned towards the spirit. “I didn’t even mourn my parents’ passing like this. Why did I expect any different?”
“Yang would loaf it,” Mr. WuKong said, softly, but loud enough that it stifled Miss Rose’s sobs for a time. The way he pronounced ‘loaf’ was an awful lot like ‘love’ and, despite themselves, Miss Rose and Miss Belladonna both cracked smiles.
“She’d- she’d say it should only be in the mornings, though, because bread rises in the yeast.” Miss Rose managed through her tears, and that prompted some weak laughter from the others.
“She’d insist whe-eat it every morning.” Mr. Vasilias offered, putting a small emphasized pause in the middle of ‘wheat’.
“It’ll be your bakery’s bread and butter.” Miss Belladonna offered, and was promptly reminded of how she’d never gotten the hang of puns the way Miss Xiao Long had.
But they were laughing, rejoicing in the memory, and in this Weiss could see a stark change in how their deaths were regarded. Though people expressed happiness in both, hers sparked such because she was gone, while Miss Xiao Long’s life was a source of joy to those whose lives she touched. Her memory was honored while Weiss’ would sooner be spit upon without remorse.
Mother was wrong. The dead could bring joy to the living… but not those cursed to bear witness to the suffering of others.
“This is my legacy,” she said, softly. “Is that all there is?”
Still, the apparition remained silent, but the mist swirled around them again and disappeared to reveal a graveyard on the edge of town. She recognized it- her entire family tracing back to the first Schnee to start their family business were buried here- but it made her sorrow multiply. The headstones- once pristine- were overgrown and neglected. Among them sat a fresh plot… but no headstone.
She didn’t even warrant that.
“Spirit… is this a vision of what will be? Or what could be?” Blue eyes sought any manner of answer- anything at all.
Much to her surprise, the spirit reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing Miss Belladonna’s face. In a cool, placid voice, she spoke. “Does it matter?”
Weiss drew back at the question. “Of course it matters!”
The ghost’s lips twitched ever so slightly into a frown. “Then this will be.”
With that, the mist returned, swirling about the apparition untouched. “Wait!” She reached out, trying to grab the spirit’s sleeve. “Wait!”
The moment she caught the cloth, she began to tumble through a void until she landed solidly on her back, staring up at her own ceiling as dawn’s light began to trickle in through the curtains.
She laid there, blinking, feeling something akin to a hollowness in her chest.
So, that was it, then? She’d leave this world, not missed, not mourned, with people figuratively dancing on her grave? She could do nothing?
Slowly, Weiss pushed herself up, looking around her bedroom. Before, she thought it well kept and tidy but, now, it just looked… empty. Much like her life.
Putting a hand to her head, she tried to sift through the fog in her mind. Everything felt so real- the sounds, the expressions, the places, so crystal clear in her mind’s eye- and for all it felt like a prophecy, it put a pain in her chest to think she’d proven her mother wrong. She’d follow in her parents’ footsteps, as she always had.
Does it matter?
That seemed to be the nail in the coffin, figuratively speaking. The moment when the Ghost of Christmas Future gave up on her. She turned the question over in her head several times, trying to figure out why.
When it hit her, she felt ashamed it had taken so long.
All through the night, the spirits had shown her what her selfishness had wrought. The Ghost of Christmas Past had said as much- she was selfish, and she asked after her future to serve her peace of mind. Not for the reasons everyone she’d witnessed had acted with kindness. Winter and the shopkeep, Miss Xiao Long and Nora- what they’d done, they’d done to bring joy. Not to avoid an unpleasant fate.
“I… really didn’t learn anything, then,” she said, getting to her feet and going to the window. Throwing it open, she looked upon the city beyond with a heavy heart.
And then, it occurred to her- was that any reason to not try?
Perhaps she couldn’t avoid her fate and she would end up roaming the world, bearing witness to the suffering of people while dragging the heavy chains of her own sins, or she’d earn herself a worse fate. Maybe she couldn’t change that.
When you die, there’s nothing you can do, no one you can help, no joy you can bring. People rely on each other for these things and only the living can supply them.
But there were some things she could change.
Resolute, she turned, heading towards her wardrobe to prepare for the day. There was much to do and little time to accomplish it all.
But she knew where to start.
The sun was nearly set when she arrived at Whitley’s house. Although exhausted from running all over the city accomplishing her goals, she found the strength to march up to his door and knock, though nervousness tried to break her resolve. Luckily, it didn’t have the time, as her brother promptly answered the door, appearing startled when he registered who was on the other side.
“Weiss?”
“Whitley.” She took a step forward and pulled him into a hug, trying to stem the tears that rushed to her eyes. The shock in his expression- it cut into her deeper than any blade and reminded her all too well of watching him take final stock of their family home, not mourning her passing but mourning what they could’ve had instead. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
Hesitantly, he returned the embrace, and let out a small chuckle. “It’s about damn time you came to your senses.” Then he pulled back, grinning. “And I still have quite the surprise for you.”
“I can’t wait,” she replied, reminding herself to act surprised when Winter showed up later. She looked forward to the reunion and to meeting her niece but there was still some things she needed to discuss with him. “And we need to talk. I have a proposition.”
His expression fell. “Don’t tell me you only came to talk business-“
“Nothing of the sort.” She smiled- a small, fragile thing. “But there’s a personal matter I must attend and I would like your opinion.”
“Well, in that case.” He turned, inviting her inside. “I’m all ears.”
“Perfect.” Weiss glanced back. “But first, I’ll need your help on another matter.”
Only then did he notice the small mountain of presents being unloaded from the carriage on the street- and she quickly came up with an excuse that would make it easier to give Penny hers when the time came. It took a bit of her fortune to convince the shopkeeps to allow her some last minute shopping but she swore it would be the last time she’d do something as foolish as forget to buy presents.
When Winter arrived, Weiss feigned the appropriate amount of shock before hugging her sister for the first time in over a decade, and she felt the same as she did that Christmas morning all those years ago. Then, she apologized for taking so long to be able to buy the woman’s gifts- and that she’d forgotten that kindness in the first place. Much like Whitley, Winter understood and forgave her, and introduced her to the young woman she’d adopted. Penny was a delight and her excitement over meeting her aunt somehow exceeded her enthusiasm when unwrapping her gifts. Though, upon learning that Weiss had originally intended on “donating” them, refused to take more than a quarter of what she was offered. Obviously, Winter had begun raising her to be charitable, and Weiss endeavored to follow her niece’s example more often.
For the first time in years, the Schnee family sat at a dinner table together, and it marked the first time a meal passed with more laughter than talk of taxes. A tradition she hoped to continue through her remaining Christmases, should they come to pass.
And before the night drew to a close, she begged of her sister a favor.
Weiss arrived early to the shop the following morning, beating her employees there. Generally, she preferred to meet with prospective clients or stop by the bank first thing, leaving the minor trivialities of starting the day to the other three. The day after Christmas, though, she had a few plans to enact, and needed every spare minute of time available to her.
But when she heard the shop door open, and the shuffling and general ruckus that came with three people trying to hurry through a door only for the one in front to stop short, she prepared to pause her work.
“M-miss Schnee.” Miss Rose swallowed, nervously watching her while Miss Xiao Long and Miss Belladonna tried to collect themselves. “You’re, uh, early.”
“Am I early or are you three late?” She made a show of looking at the clock mounted on the wall, humming contemplatively. “I suppose it’s a bit of both, isn’t it?” Then her gaze fixated on Miss Xiao Long. “And why are you here? You shouldn’t be.” The woman drew a breath- either to grovel for her job or burst out in anger, Weiss couldn’t be sure- but she began coughing before a word escaped. Which, frankly, worked out rather well. “And that is exactly why. You shouldn’t be at work in your condition. You need to see a doctor and take a vacation or you’ll never get better.”
“I- She-“ Miss Rose searched for words, looking back at the other two- who seemed equally bewildered- before her shoulders fell. “I’m confused.”
“Well, seeing as I hadn’t anticipated you three being late, I’m afraid there’s not much time for explanation.” She glanced at the clock again. “Miss Xiao Long, you have an appointment with my private physician in thirty minutes. Her office is close but you’ll need to hurry. Miss Rose, go with her and see that she makes it, then head home and begin packing a bag for her. As it happens, my sister owns a small house out in the country, and her train leaves tonight.” She reached into her desk drawer and retrieved not only the extra train ticket but a stack of lien as well. “And here’s an advance on your pay, to cover any expenses you might incur on the trip.”
Miss Xiao Long swallowed thickly, looking as if she didn't want to object. “B-but that’s- that’s a whole month’s pay.”
Weiss scowled. “Don’t be daft; it’s only two weeks’ pay.” She could see in their eyes the difficulties they each had in trying to reconcile the amount of lien on her desk with their pay, the two sums not equaling in the slightest. Another of her many failings and her brow softened accordingly. “I’ve been paying you three far too little for the amount of assistance you provide. It’s time I correct that; I’ve doubled your salaries, all three of you, effective immediately.” She paused, allowing for that to sink in, before her expression slid into one of contrition. “I was an awful person. Arguably, I still am, because a few kind gestures don’t undo the things I’ve done. But between when we parted ways on Christmas Eve and now, I’ve… had a revelation and reflected on some things you’ve taught me- things I doubt you even noticed. It simply took a while for me to understand the lessons.” She spread her hands. “For that… I’m sorry. I hope to do better in the future… though I may need some help.”
The three turned to look at each other, all of them in disbelief, until Miss Xiao Long reached out and pinched the other two, which drew a sharp look from Miss Belladonna and a light slap to her shoulder from Miss Rose.
“Yang! What was that for?”
“Make sure we aren’t dreaming,” the woman replied, reaching into her pocket to pull out her rag in time to cough into it, recovering a moment later. “I… guess we aren’t.”
Miss Rose blinked, then looked back towards her. “Miss Schnee-“
“Weiss. Please.” She bit her lip while looking down at her desktop. “Perhaps it’s a bit personal but… the woman I was- the Miss Schnee who refused to be kind and charitable, she’s gone. I’m just Weiss now.” A rare bout of nervousness threaded through her as her hands curled into fists. “And, aside from that… you three are perhaps the closest thing to friends I have. I’d… rather we not be formal. If… that’s alright.”
Silence hung heavy over the shop for a few moments before Miss Rose rushed over, practically leaping around her desk to grab her by the arms and pull her into a hug. It took her a moment to get her feet under her but, once Weiss did, she returned the embrace as best she could.
“See, Yang? I told you!” Miss Rose beamed. “There really was a heart under all that ice!”
“Well, color me surprised,” Miss Xiao Long replied, setting her hands on her hips for a moment before she began to cough again.
That effectively redirected her attention, white brows furrowing. “Now, Miss Xiao Long, I believe I told you that you have an appointment with a vacation to follow. Don’t be late.”
Miss Rose made a startled noise before releasing her and scooping up the lien, heading to her sister’s side and lightly pushing her towards the door. “Right away! I’ll make sure she makes it, promise!”
As the sisters bustled out the door, Miss Belladonna slowly unwrapped her scarf. “So… Weiss.” When she offered no reprimand and, instead, looked curious, the Faunus continued. “Where would you like me to start this morning?”
“Ah, yes, I need your help tracking down some individuals.” She bent over her desk, checking the figures again before continuing. “I believe you’re familiar with Mr. WuKong and Mr. Vasilias- the two gentlemen who stopped by on Christmas Eve?”
“I am.”
“I owe them a donation.” Weiss pulled out a stack of lien and set it on her desk. She’d stopped by the bank early that morning to withdraw the funds from her personal account- after convincing her banker to be less grouchy at the early morning request. “Would you be able to pass the message along? I also have something of a business proposition for them; if we join forces, the interest from our loans could go a long way towards funding their charity.”
“ Our loans?”
“Ah, yes- so much to do, so little time.” She pulled a stack of papers from her desk, ones her brother had combed over and vetted himself as well. “Would you be able to look over this in the near future, Miss Belladonna?”
The Faunus quirked a brow. “What is it?”
“A draft of your contract going forward- Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long will have identical ones to review.” She handed over the papers. “Clearly, left to my own devices, I’m… not a very good person. Being aware of that doesn’t make me immune to falling into old habits, so I thought a partnership might help keep me on the right path.” She reclaimed her chair. “Of course, seeing as Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long have their own plans, I’ve added clauses that allow each of you to exit the contract whenever necessary with no ill repercussions and a payout of any investments made.” Grabbing her ledger, she opened it to the appropriate page. “You have until the end of the month to make a decision and I hope the time limit doesn’t come off as arbitrary. With the changes I’m making, I’ll need to know how best to manage our bottom line.”
“If I may, the profit margins have always been generous.” Miss Belladonna pointed out gently, though suspicions lay heavy in her tone.
“While true, between the donations and increase in pay, those margins are going to be a bit tighter.” Weiss winced. “The family manor is… a significant investment of my budget and I’ll need to decide whether or not I should sell it and find alternate living arrangements.”
In the back of her mind, she waged the debate once more. While the only home she’d ever known, Schnee Manor… was ostentatious for a single person. And, lonely, now that she’d been forced to confront it. Even when she was young, it had always felt like that. She only clung to it as a bastion of what little she could claim. While her siblings were more than ready to let it go, she… hadn’t quite reached that point.
“How much is ‘significant’?”
She flipped to one of the later pages in the ledger. “See for yourself, Miss Belladonna.”
“Blake.” A ghost of a smile flickered across her lips. “We’re friends. Right?”
Weiss grinned. “Of course.”
After a few moments, Blake hummed. “Have you considered taking a roommate or two?”
“A roommate?” A slow shake of her head. “No one’s lived in that house besides me since my parents died. Whitley… has already expressed that he has no interest in returning and Winter’s rather happy with her cottage in the country.”
“When Ruby gets back, we’ll talk.” The Faunus chuckled softly. “Yang will go along with whatever we think is best and, all things considered, I think the four of us could swing it. Is there a fireplace in every room?”
“Yes, and an oven bigger than this desk in the kitchen.”
“Well, those are two big pluses for Yang and Ruby.”
“What about you, Blake?”
Her feline ears flicked, briefly, as her eyes darted away. “If there’s a room with a good view of the night sky…”
“There’s an observatory in the east wing.”
“Sold.”
Weiss smiled, resolving to wait until later before making any significant decisions regarding the Manor.
Ruby returned about two hours later, short of breath but with a wide smile. The doctor gave Yang some medicine and advised her to stay in the country for about a month and see if her cough improved and, after a bit of pleading from her sister, the woman relented to following the instructions. Weiss quickly produced the next advance of the woman’s pay and gave Ruby their contracts, providing a brief explanation before handing over the train ticket and sending the woman on her way.
By the end of the day, Weiss and Blake had reworked the entire business model, with Ruby joining them at the end to work through a few hypothetical loans and check their work. When it came time to part ways, though, Weiss found herself invited back to the house she’d only visited in her dreams to join the two for dinner- seeing as they had leftovers from a mysterious donor who had an entire feast delivered on Christmas Day. She agreed, on the stipulation that they not mention to Yang where the food came from, though Ruby suspected she already knew.
They enjoyed their dinner and discussed the possibility of becoming roommates a bit further. In that moment, Weiss felt certain; regardless of what fate lay ahead of her, she’d made the right decision.
Spreading joy was its own reward because it always seemed to come back around.
Weiss woke up on Christmas Eve with a smile in her heart. The heavy scent of pancakes roused her fully and she followed it to the kitchen, where Ruby and Yang were lightly teasing one another while cooking breakfast, their designated helpers trying to keep up with the sisters’ easy motions from one task to another. Winter followed directions well enough but didn’t possess Yang’s innate ability to guesstimate while Penny struggled with the names of the utensils. Whitley and Blake were talking quietly, nursing their morning tea as snow fell gently outside.
Ruby said something and Yang laughed, deep and rolling. She breathed easier now, her periodic trips to stay with Winter and Penny improving her health and her mood by leaps and bounds. In turn, Ruby’s spirits were higher than they’d ever been before, at least as far as Weiss knew, and it became slightly exhausting trying to keep up with the two of them. Weiss suspected part of the reason Blake opted to continue working with her in the shop was to avoid the potential overload of working in the bakery but Ruby’s boundless energy was well suited to running it by herself when Yang was away, and there was talk of Penny coming to the city and apprenticing under Ruby for a time.
Weiss took a seat beside Blake, listening to the conversations and laughter and clinking of utensils. Her eyes slid closed briefly, perhaps a touch too tired but unwilling to stay in bed when her friends and family were up and about. When they opened, she thought she caught the faintest glimmer of a silhouette out of the corner of her eye.
It looked like her mother, bearing those dreadful chains, but smiling. Idly, she hoped Mother was proud of the changes she’d made in her life. She certainly was.
“Weiss?” Her gaze slid to Winter, in the process of setting plates stacked high with pancakes on the table. “Lien for your thoughts?”
“I’d never charge family,” she replied with a soft smile. “Just thinking about how little consideration I had for the holiday before and how foolish I was for that.”
“I did say it’s a time for self-reflection.” Blake pointed out, lips curled at the corners.
“Indeed you did.” She regarded the tea cup set in front of her. “Is it too early for a toast?”
“Technically, yeah, but go ahead.” Yang took a glass of milk into her hand, her sister sharing the preference while the rest of them had tea. “A toast.”
She lifted up her cup. “A toast- to friends and family, and being unable to tell which is which.”
Glasses clinked together and they drank before settling down for breakfast proper.