Chapter Text
"Starboard! Heave the sails! Tie down all dust cargo!" The captain yelled orders as he wrestled with the wheel. Weiss ran around the deck with the rest of the crew. The storm had struck hard and fast. Making a staircase of glyphs she bounced up to the crows nest. Where there is a storm there's grim. Sure enough just a little south west of them there were black fins with an ominous red glow surrounding.
"Grim incoming on port side" she yelled down as she bolted to the side of the ship making barrier glyphs along the side so it wouldn't be penetrated if the monsters charged it. Grim in the south were smarter and stronger than the ones in the Northern seas. To think they were just an hour from seeing the horizon of Menagerie. Weiss' claws torn into the metal railing. She stepped away cursing under her breath as she drew her sword. She wasn't used to not having the thick gloves she normally wore. She reminded herself that this would just be a one month mission. Jacques had sent her to investigate the chieftain and undermine their government so he could put in an offer to purchase the island. It was rumored to have plentiful dust deposits that she was to also confirm.
Weiss was happy that her father had trusted her with something so important. When she was growing up he never trusted her with anything. Calling her faunus trait disgusting and turning her away. Only for her to come running back where he trained her to be his helper in the shadows.
The grim were upon them before they knew it the crew left it to her as they grappled with the ship. Weiss made a haste glyph under her. She felt herself gain energy and saw the raindrops slow with everything else. She leapt up and tore through the first wave of ray grim.
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"You will be going under cover. You will not need those gloves for you will be flaunting those mistakes of yours," Jacques leaned back in his chair not looking up from his scroll.
"Yes Father," Weiss turned out of the room and went towards her own to start packing. She didn't know why he hated her. The results came back years ago proving she was his daughter and Willow hadn't cheated. It was just a gene that was on her mother's side. Weiss closed the door behind her, slipping off the clunky sparring gloves and taking off her shirt. She walked up to the mirror and looked at herself.
Her arms up to her biceps were covered in pure white scales. They also grew in the side of her face but she plucked those out before they grew too big. She sadly couldn't do the same with the ones in her arms and legs for the skin was too fragile underneath.Weiss glared at herself for a few moments longer before turning to her wardrobe preparing her new persona. This will be the first time she would have the privilege of putting the fact that she was a fanus on display.
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Weiss skidded back on deck. The grim kept coming but they could now see Menagerie off in the distance. The storm was clearing up too. They got lucky these downpours could last for days straight. The last 6 months at sea have taught her a lot about it. Next time she would be able to use her own boat without having to be hired as a huntress.
"Ebony! The monsters are circling the boat!" The first mate called out as he drew his gatling gun from under the main post.
"Focus on the rays that are airborne I'll take care of the ones underneath, Enkle, cover me!" Weiss walked to the center of the ship as another crew member came to her side she stabbed the ground with her rapier and willed three grim rays into existence underneath the ship.
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Weiss packed her bags and started on her disguise as Ebony Clawthorn, a Fanus who went to Shade academy and was born and raised in Vacuo. She donned a black wig but kept her white hair flowing underneath making a false peekaboo hair dye job. Putting on black trousers and a white calf-length jacket and black button up blouse she then put on her weapons belt, many silver chains around her waist and neck, and retrieved a rapier that didn't scream Schnee and put dust in her pockets. She would be fine.
Forgoing the gloves she grabbed her single duffle bag and twin pistols before holstering them behind her back and slinging the bag on her shoulder. She had agreed to protect an outgoing ship to Menagerie that was captained by a former pirate. She would be a mercenary. She was fine. She stared at her claws as she gripped her bedroom door. He would love her after this. She walked out of the manor to the landing field to be shuttled to Mantle to meet up with the crew. She was going to kill an island of people and gain his love. But was his love worth that much?
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The glowing rays swirled around there were four grim sharks and also what looked like a school of tuna. They berated the ship putting dents in the fortified hull. She sent the rays for one of the sharks; it bit into one but she was able to slice it with the other's boney fins. She dropped two of the ray summons and replaced them with sharks targeting the tuna and devouring them. The sharks charged but she deftly doged having the rays twirl in the water as the sharks dissipated only to be replaced once more by rays. The remaining sharks were cut and Weiss opened her eyes back on board. The storm had cleared up and grim where gone she even saw some blue peeking through the gray clouds.
"Ebony! Good job, squirt!" The caption tipped his cap at her and she returned the gesture with a tired smile.
"Let's celebrate!" Enkle jumped in the air quickly going over to the mead barrel.
"We are going to get to land in an hour. Why not wait?" The first mate stepped in front of his friend's path.
"Don we almost died! We can celebrate our safety when we get to shore for now, a toast to our victory!" Enkle leads Don to the barrel and gets more mugs for the rest of the crew joining.
"I take it you don't want any Ebony ?" Weiss rolled her eyes. The crew had grown on her and she looked forward to when they would go on the journey back together.
"No Enkle, I, unlike you, find no joy in guzzling that filth."
"I'll go get the pudding." Don grabbed two mugs, handing one to Captain Crow before dipping into the cabin only to come out a moment later with a plastic cup of pudding. He poured a small amount of sugar in it and held his finger over it, a jet of fire escaped his finger caramelizing the sugar and then a second later leaving it terribly burnt "one creme brulee for the lizard queen!" He quipped, giving a mock bow.
"Ha ha." Weiss took the cup, popped the small spoon in the bottom, and started to devour it."I thought we didn't have any more?"
"Wanted to save a few others so they wouldn't be gone before we left Atlas waters."
"I could say the same about you and your booze."
"Touche."
"All right lads and lass we have an hour, clean up and get the stock ready for unloading!" Crow shouted out, "Ebony come here,"
Weiss walked over finishing her treat and stood next to the Captain. He was an old man but tall and willowy. His white hair was peppered and skin was rough like leather but still had the sheen of life."take the wheel I'm going to rest "
"Yes Captain." Weiss took the wheel and kept the ship on course as she let her mind wander.
Her goal was to build relations with the chief. He had a daughter around her age so maybe she could befriend her? All the plans she made seemed less and less attractive as the voyage came closer to a close.
All she wanted to do was sail the water with Captain Crow and Enkle and Don. They would get in fights and Don would call her lizard queen even when she said it was offensive, where he would say that he meant it as a teasing compliment and ignore her sputtering. Where the twins would dunk her in the ocean during wash day because she hated getting her hair wet and she would be left to fumble with her wig so it wouldn't fall off. Where Crow would help her work on her summons as he could summon things too. She didn't want to kill all the Faunus; she hated them when she was at Atlas when the White Fang was killing the people her father used. Because then he would hate her more.
But as she was sent time and time again to fight the white fang or infiltrate mines so SDC would stay on top, she would meet people and faunus that taught her about the world and soon she just saw it as pointless to hate them. She would tear the world apart for her family. But she was finding it harder than ever. And Menagerie was so big and surely Father wouldn't leave them all to die.
"Ebony, pay attention."
Weisses came back from her thoughts and saw that they were almost there. Crow was standing next to her, a look of concern in his face as he took the wheel back.
"What's eating you?"
Weiss sighed, Crow was too perceptive for his own good," I am beginning to regret taking this mission."
"Oh? The one you refuse to talk about? Why?"
"Well it's very very illegal and it goes against my morals "
"Why take it then squirt?"
"The reward is worth more and if I fail I will be killed."
Crow furrowed his brow."What's this reward?"
"My dream. To be loved regardless of my species." Weiss looked at the island; she could now see the buildings clustered at its shores and could smell the faint waft of civilization.
"You are loved here, you're always welcome to stay."
Weiss snapped her head to look at the Captain, her mouth gaping open and eyes welled with tears."I- thank you. I have been debating it. But you wouldn't want me here."
"If it's about you being a Schnee I do not care that man has hurt you just as much as all the other people in the world.
Weiss chucked to herself. She was suspecting that he found out her secret but by now, she was grateful he never brought it up. It was very awkward when people knew that she was Jacques Schnees dead daughter.
"I helped in that hurt. And now I am going to do it again."
"How long do you have to decide?"
"A month on the island to do research and 6 more months at sea to decide if I will give it to him."
Crow stroked his goatee thoughtfully,"Well dear me and the crew will be staying at the ports helping with grim and patrolling the borders if you ever need a break come here and we can go anywhere you want for your first voyage as an official member.
Weiss sniffed and whipped away the tears, her scales smooth against her face." You'll be hunted by my father you know."
"Pirates don't back down from a fight,"
"Aren't you retired?"
"Only in name; makes getting jobs easier, and people never notice if a crate or two go missing, they know how rough it is on the sea."
"Are you going to steal from this?"
"No. The faunus have enough problems they need all the help they can get. Might even stay a little longer just to help out."
"I can't believe you are supposed to be a bloodthirsty legend."
"That my dear is what I'm retired from." Crow gave her a smirk, she always loved his smile. It seemed so genuine even if it never was too big or pretty."Now go help out the twins before they bite each other's head off."
"Aye aye captain," Weiss joked, giving a mock salute.
"You better fix those manners of yours when you join my crew "
"Can't, you are my break from manners," Weiss rushed off to the twins with a silly smile on her face that she knew would be going nowhere soon.
"I'm tellin' you Tearith I am way taller than you! I should be the one to go down first and all the ladies will be impressed."
"No! You are covered in grim and shit i am a gentleman. They'll run for the trees when they see those rags you call clothes! "
The twins Fern and Tearith were the life of the boat though they didn't have much humor, their skills in the kitchen and music saved the crew from long cold nights. Fern was tall and lanky with waist length red hair that he tied back into a low ponytail, as Tearith was a few inches shorter with equally bright hair but he kept his shorter, keeping it messy in a way that made it look like feathers and soft waves.
"Ebony! Who is hotter?"
"I am, you guys are going to scare all the women there if you run after them."
"Ebony!! Fern is insisting that we become the rogue pirates that woo all the women; give him some sense to find a lady and settle down."
Weiss picked up the barrel that lay abandoned at their feet, summoning the knight to get another 3 as they moved them to the loading dock."Fern, don't break too many hearts. Tearith, settling down when you are only there for a month isn't going to work."
"Ha! See I was right! We should live as heartbreakers. I don't even want to settle down. I'm married to the sea.
"How poetic now come help me you two," Weiss made her way back leaving the rest of the work to her knight and the twins as she climbed up the rigging to check how the sails were.