Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Heirs of Atlas.
Many people often wonder what it would be like if something in a story happened differently. This is one of those stories.
In the frigid cold of Remnant lies the kingdom of Atlas, one of the most technologically advanced kingdoms in the world. However, it still retains aspects of its past, including two royal families that work together to maintain balance in the city. One of these families is the Schnee, currently led by a self-proclaimed king who lacks the respect to back up his claims.
The other family is the Moeruhis, known for their nobility and understanding that their rank in society is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.
Our story begins with the heirs of both of these houses, whose actions will change the world.
Within the old Moeruhi Palace in the city of Atlas, two swordsmen were engaged in a duel. The older swordsman, Ryo Moeruhi, was respected throughout Atlas for his skill in combat. The other swordsman, Aoihi, was the 17-year-old prince and heir of the Moeruhi family, and the hero of this story. Aoihi looked like a younger mirror image of Ryo, with black hair adorned with blue tips.
Clashing their swords together, Aoihi and Ryo got into a blade lock as the two held expressions of determination.
"I am going to win this, father!" Aoihi declared with a smile, as Ryo smirked and chuckled.
"Not bad, son. Not bad. But you aren't going to surpass me YET." With a lunge, Ryo deflected Aoihi's sword and pinned him down to the ground.
"You're getting very good at your technique, Aoihi. But that alone won't beat me. You're still not using Blazing Will to its fullest potential," Ryo said as he helped Aoihi to his feet.
Aoihi looked confused. "But I was going 100% on my abilities."
Ryo smiled kindly. "Sometimes, son, 100% isn't enough. At certain times, you need to go beyond 100%."
Aoihi still looked confused. "More than 100%? Is that even possible?"
With his autism, Aoihi had a hard time understanding things from time to time. So, Ryo was patient with his son and knew that there were some things Aoihi wouldn't be able to learn without experience.
"One day, son, I am certain you'll understand. But if it helps, don't just think of Blazing Will's power as percentages. Just think in your head how much of it do you need, and it will come to you."
Aoihi gave a curt nod. "Yes, father. Understood."
At that moment, Aoihi's mother, Yuki, walked in. She was one of the rare Faunus to have two animal traits rather than just one: a set of fox ears and a fox tail, which was swinging behind her.
"It seems you two were training hard," Yuki remarked.
Aoihi exhaled. "Yes, mother. Dad is helping me train just a bit more before I head to Beacon Academy soon."
Yuki smiled.
At that moment, a man with a giant hammer smashed through one of the walls that they were standing next to.
"Hey hey hey, if it isn't my favorite customer! Sorry I barged in, your butler won't let me in so I had to make my own way in. By the way, send me the bill for the repairs," Ryo pinched the bridge of his nose. "How many times have I told that stupid butler that you are an honored guest, Matthew?"
The man named Matthew shrugged. "Well, he might be annoyed because you guys make him repair old damage that I do to your home here. By the way, I'm more than willing to fix this myself."
Yuki gave a small smile. "Don't worry about that, Matthew. He needs to learn that you can't just judge people by their appearance. Plus, we do bill you for the damages so we win."
Matthew chuckled at this. "Matthew 'Mats' Warbler is a good family friend. He used to be in the Atlas science program until he got framed and kicked out. Fortunately, with the help of the Moeruhi, he was able to clear his name and sue the military for taking him out after being framed and ended up having a titanic settlement with them. It was more than enough for him to start up his own business which was doing great. And for their help, Matthew gave the Moeruhi family a 90% discount.
This included their son.
Matthew grabbed something from his back. "Well, I came here to tell you that I finally finished that commission you asked of me, Ryo."
Matthew held out a cloth covering two beautiful straight-bladed katana swords.
The craftsmanship quality was immaculate. These swords were built to be completely indestructible and handle the power of blazing will. Aoihi looked ecstatic! He had been begging his father to get him a weapon for years. Something that could truly handle blazing will, as all his other training swords and weapons kept breaking. But he knew if Matthew made it, it was definitely high quality! I mean, the guy was somehow able to keep ramming his truck through multiple buildings, and that thing didn't have a scratch on it! People wonder if his truck is indestructible or has a really good shield.
Matthew grabbed one of the swords. “Now, I was able to put the dust tank in the handle as per your request, Ryo. It doesn't hold many variations of dust, but it can hold blue fire dust, so you should be good on that. I also was able to build some long-range weapons, but I haven't finished them yet. They should be finished by tomorrow.”
Ryo smiled. “That is good to hear, Matthew. Seeing Musashi updated and restored, and the shards of Shinano being reforged into a new sword is great to see, for two important family heirlooms are being saved.”
That fact alone made Aoihi’s eyes widen with shock and wonder. He was not expecting his swords to be made from the ones of his ancestors. Ryo saw this and gestured for Aoihi to come over.
“Aoihi, these swords are special and yours. I know you might question your worthiness of them. But trust me, my son. You are worthy of these blades just as you are to the throne.”
This made Aoihi a little reassured as he took the swords and the scabbards Matthew provided.
"I'll do my best to take care of them and not take them for granted," Aoihi said as he placed the swords on his belt before looking at his parents. "Anyways, isn't it time to head to the Schnee Manor?"
Ryo sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. It is not easy tolerating that scumbag, Jacques Schnee, especially after what he did to you, Aoihi."
Aoihi sighed and recalled the horrible memory. It was all during when he was 7 years old, and having a playdate with the Schnee heiress and middle child, Weiss Schnee. He was just simply playing a game of huntsman with Weiss, when Jacques came into the room, saw his fox teeth, and slashed Aoihi’s face with a knife as he screamed in pain and fear.
"Weiss never left my side ever since that day," Aoihi reminisced. "I am so glad Nicholas was there too. Otherwise, Jacques would have gotten away with his actions."
"We are grateful for that, Aoihi," Yuki remarked as she gently gave Aoihi a motherly caress on his cheek. "We won't let Jacques simply get his way as we meet with the Schnees."
"Then how about I give you a lift? I mean, my truck is outside, fully fueled up, and ready to go," Matthew said, holding the keys of his truck in front of him, which have a chibi face of him, his lion, his fiance, and her dragon.
Yuki grinned. "Under one condition, Matthew."
Matthew tossed his keys into the air and caught them. "Anything, your majesty, just as long as you don't expect me not to do anything crazy," Matthew said this nonchalantly, like this was a regular occurrence for him – which very much was.
"I want you to scare the crap out of Jacques Schnee and his unruly golden son."
"Will do, your majesty," Matthew said, a manic grin coming across his face, knowing exactly how he could scare those two.
Letting the Moeruhis board his truck, Matthew drove it to the Schnee manor, knowing what entrance strategy he should use.
In the manor, Jacques and Whitley were busy arguing with Willow and Winter on the stairwell. Suddenly, without warning, there was a loud crash as Matthew's truck rammed through the front door, startling Jacques and Whitley.
As they all looked at the damage, Matthew stepped out of his truck and gave a quick, happy wave to them.
"Hello there! I just delivered your guests and I'm going to be leaving now! Oh, and by the way, you can take the money for the repairs of the millions you guys owe me!"
After that, Matthew got back into his truck as the Moeruhi family stepped out, and he drove away, destroying more of the front drive before flying off to go and meet his fiancée at the restaurant. Jacques grumbled as he looked at the damage from Matthew’s truck.
"Stupid mechanic," he grunted. "He shouldn’t be here, in Atlas."
"I will NOT hear any more of THAT, Jacques," the voice of an elderly man spoke as a man with a cane walked towards them. "That mechanic has done a lot for Atlas as well as creating life-saving technology as a passion project! He deserves far more respect than YOU. Now stop grumbling and pay some money to him! You’re already in deep hot water with me for treating faunus workers as slaves, attacking Aoihi, ruining my company, and most of all, TODAY’S blunder! Now get to it before I strip you of more of your power!"
Ryo and Yuki chuckled as Jacques huffed and opened his scroll to start paying off the debt he owed Matthew. The elderly man walked over to Ryo and Yuki and smiled warmly at them.
"Ryo and Yuki, I am glad you both are here."
"As are we, Nicholas," Ryo remarked with a smile. "Still punishing Jacques, I see?"
"Indeed," Nicholas replied with a smile. "I may be old and slowly dying, but I have no intentions of letting my son-in-law win ANYTHING, including the right to be Atlas's main ruler. So, to ensure that, in my will, I gave you two the right to BANISH my son-in-law and the right to assist and approve any divorce papers that my daughter would draft up."
The Moeruhis sniggered. “That sounds fun,” Yuki remarked. “Let Jacques and his bigoted buddies cry. They don't deserve any power.”
Nicholas chuckled and nodded in agreement before settling down and looking over at Aoihi. "Hello, Aoihi, how are you?"
"I'm doing well, sir," Aoihi replied. "My training has been good, and my parents are treating me well and correctly. Nothing like that pile of garbage you have for a son-in-law."
Whitley was offended by Aoihi's comment about his father. "How dare you treat my father that way! He is the best man on Atlas, on Remnant, the worthy ruler of..."
“Oh shut it, you bratty piece of worthless Grimm excrement!” Aoihi said with a scoff at Whitley. “Learn your place! Your father is NEVER going to rule ANYTHING. I am Atlas's next ruler, and that will NEVER change.”
Whitley growled, "How dare you! I am the Heir to the Schnee name and..."
"Weiss is the heir, not you! Isn't that right, Nicholas?"
“It is indeed,” Nicholas replied to Aoihi. “Whitley, your father has ZERO authority on who inherits what. He has NO Schnee blood or legal Schnee parentage. Just Schnee in-laws earned through marriage. Now silence. I refuse to have my surname tainted by yours and your father's detestable ideals of Faunus enslavement.”
Whitley grumbled and fell silent, upset that he and his father were always being treated as outcasts by Nicholas and the Moeruhis. Silence fell for a moment until footsteps sounded from the stairs. Aoihi immediately recognized them as he began to head towards them. He found her very quickly, his childhood friend, Weiss Schnee. Just as beautiful as she had been in her teens. However, his smile faded as he saw the scar running down her left eye and the left side of her face.
"Weiss, what happened?"
Weiss sighed as she took Aoihi’s hands into her own, before snuggling up to him for comfort.
“Dad had me fight an Arma Gigas as a ‘test’ to determine if I can go to Beacon with you or not.”
Aoihi’s eyes immediately widened as he heard these words.
"He did what?!" he cried out before looking at Jacques with rage. “YOU UTTER PIECE OF TRASH!!! HOW DARE YOU FORCE WEISS INTO A DANGEROUS TEST!!!”
Jacques scoffed and looked at Aoihi with disdain. "She's my daughter. I can do whatever I want with her. And if she dies, so what? Whitley is a far better heir than her and a very good replacement for her.”
This made Aoihi snap as he leapt from the stairs and PUNCHED Jacques in the face, before pinning him into the wall.
“You are a terrible man, Jacques. And to be honest, if given permission, I WOULD kill you without hesitation. So watch your mouth! Because EVERYONE here hates you and your golden child!”
“That will do, Aoihi,” Nicholas stated firmly. “Jacques is in MAJOR trouble with me already for that and for not having professionals at the ready to jump in and protect Weiss from a fatal blow from the Arma Gigas. That is why, when he’s done fixing his mistakes I will have him clean the ENTIRE manor with NO help from ANYONE.”
Jacques gulped at this, for he hated doing manual labor. He was TRULY that stuck up and self-centered. As Aoihi let him go, the prince turned his attention to Nicholas, knowing that the elderly man would always have something to keep him engaged and focused on things that matter.
"Now, Aoihi, I want to test your teamwork skills with Weiss and see how well both of you work together. Rest assured, I will make sure that your parents and I will step in if you encounter any difficulties, and that you both will come out unharmed. This test won't have the high stakes that Jacques foolishly imposed on Weiss. It's simply an assessment of your capabilities to see if you both need help and additional training."
Aoihi gave a nod as he walked over to Weiss and took her hand, heading toward the Schnee Manor’s training hall. However, as they walked, Weiss noticed how upset Aoihi was.
"Aoihi, I know what my father did was wrong, and yes, it hurt. But listen, I am not going to let this stop me, okay? I have you, mom, my sister, grandfather, and your parents. I have your support, and I KNOW you all will protect me from him, just like I protected you and made sure that you were all okay when Dad slashed you long ago."
Aoihi sighed and said nothing as he turned around, gently hugged Weiss, and nuzzled her. They had been doing this gesture since they were kids, finding comfort in it. As usual, Weiss smiled and nuzzled in return, melting in Aoihi’s arms. They trusted each other a lot and had done so for a long time. Perhaps one day, their bond might blossom into something more.