Akashic

Chapter 128 - Ball 4/4

The room turned silent as people began to look between each other seeing if anyone knew what she meant, but not a single on even have so as remotely a guess as to what she meant, "I was kidnapped" she answered, whispers beginning to fill the room as Jacques began to fume.

"The escort that brought me to Atlas were two members of a criminal organization, they drove me over the Schreien forest where they jumped from the shuttle before it was shot down severely injuring the man who I had invited, his entire back was burned to the point I thought I could see bone" she said

"I spent two days in that forest, I had lost everything, my luggage, my weapon, I didn't even have any dust, my dress was used to create bandages for that man's wounds" she continued to look around the hall, "I lived in a cave for two days with the woman who rescued me and him from being torn to shreds by grimm" she began to chuckle.

"She was the most crude and vile woman I had ever met who swore every other word, the first day I was there, she gave me a knife and made me kill, skin and gut an elk to test my resolve to live" murmurs filled the room as disgust appeared on the faces of the nobles with their sensibilities of actual doing something so demeaning as living in a cave or slaughtering an animal themselves.

"She took me hunting and taught me to use something I never thought I would ever touch, a slingshot and a stone as ammo to catch and break the neck of a hare" some girls gasped at the idea of killing a cute rabbit, "Not long after that happened we were both attack by the same person who had shot the shuttle down two days earlier"

"We fought but we had no weapons, I watched as her two arms were blown off, her face destroyed by fire, and I was unable to do anything except pelt a mech with stones" her voice began to tremble, "The person… the girl, who attacked us, she was barely a year older than me, she captured me and brought me too their base…" she began to breathe heavier

"She hung me from the ceiling, and chained my feet to the floor so I couldn't kick or even try to resist her as she cut what little remained of my clothing from my body" her voice trembled as the memory relived itself in her mind.

Shock filling the hall as murmurs filled it once again, "I wasn't alone…" she muttered, "I can still hear them, even now, the twelve other people who were in the room, all of them trapped in torture devices that destroyed their bodies, ever second there was the sound of gears and pistons straining, m.o.a.ns, screams, crying as their bodies were defiled by machines designed not to hurt but p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e" her voice trembled while Winter and Arthur grit their teeth, Willow finding tears forming in her eyes.

Whilst around the room men and women became disgusted even more, "Eleven of them are dead now from exhaustion of hours maybe even days of non stop torture by these machines, but one girl survived, I had to pull rods from her body, blood poured out of her the moment they came lose, I carried her through the forest both of us without clothing or even a way to defend ourselves from grimm or anyone who came after us"

"I was this close to being strapped to one of those horrific contraptions" she raised her hand, her index and thumb just a small centimetre apart from each other her eyes turning to Arthur seeing him giving her a small weak smile which filled her with more confidence. "The same man who had his back torn open was also the one to save me, he awoke in a cave, having no idea where he was, and found me in that base, he cut me from the ceiling destroyed my shackles and fought through every one of the leaders of that group"

"A group of psychopaths and degenerates and a girl, a girl he told me was abused by her own father, physically, s.e.x.u.a.lly and with a drug so potent it broke her mentally, and turned her into a monster unable to control her own urges, giving her the strength to break through steel with nothing but her fist, she didn't even have her aura awakened" she went quiet as she looked around the hall.

"This wasn't even a week ago" people gasped in shock at the revelation, "Not even three days ago I along with the man and one hundred people HE rescued were brought back to Atlas"

"Yet no one knew that, the news said that it was the military that rescued those people, but they didn't they didn't fight through the compound, they didn't rescue me, they brought me home, but HE rescued me and all those people, he released them from cages, he guided them through the forest to find me, he… he saved me, not the military, he saved those people, not the military" she looked to Arthur once again.

"He sat with me after my father, my own father, told me that I will still be performing here. my father's first words to me when we spoke in his study was 'Nine minutes and fifty seven seconds, you're getting slower'" she began to laugh as Jacques could feel the disgusted gazes piercing through him.

"He didn't even ask me if I needed anything or even something as simple as 'how are you'? Instead he told me to perform tonight and act as his pawn for advertising the name he married into, the name he married my mother for, and that is the only reason he married my mother, not for love, but for a name" her voice turned to hatred as she stared at Jacques who was trying to do damage control over the looks he was getting from the women and some of the men.

"Well, father… no… Jacques, you have destroyed the goodwill my grandfather built up over years and years creating the foundation of what the SDC stands upon now, only for you to tear it to pieces, destroy relations with the faunus, start a war with the White Fang, monopolize mines and dust sales"

"You are no Schnee, you do not deserve the name, you do not deserve the company, you do not deserve my mother, a man as vile as you cannot be a Schnee and will never be one" she said, the murmuring getting louder and louder as she degraded Jacques.

"I have one more thing to say" the chatter began to die down slightly as eyes turned back to her, "I renounce my title as Heiress of the SDC, I will never be you're puppet again Jacques Gelé" she began to take calm steady strides off the stage exiting from back stage and walking towards the exit Arthur, Willow and Winter soon joining her as the crowed parted like a wave until Jacques stood in the centre of the path rage on his face as he stared down at Weiss.

"Do not bother returning to the Manor Weiss, consider yourself disowned" he growled.

"No, she's not" Willow stepped forward and looked up at Jacques, "You may have had free reign over the family while I was drinking myself away, but no more, as the mother and a true Schnee, I have full reign over the entire family, I have the final say in the matters of the Schnee name, and Weiss is more than welcome to return to the manor, now goodbye Jacques, enjoy fixing this with what little reputation you have left" Willow giggled and walked past him along with Weiss and Winter.

While Arthur stopped next to Jacques, "Be very careful Gelé if you so much as send someone after them I will tear apart the SDC brick by tiny brick until I hang you by your own bowels, and not even you're butler will be able to save you" he whispered, every word venomous, "Be, very, careful, I am NOT a hero, I am the plague that will ravage everything you have built, I am the rats crawling beneath you're feet waiting for the boards to break and feast upon you" Arthur let his words sink in, "Good night, Jacques, I will see you at the manor" he stepped forward ignoring the stares of those who had heard him and walked towards where the three Schnee girls were waiting for him outside the hall.

"What were you talking to him about?" Winter asked, still cautious about where Arthur's loyalties lie.

"A warning Winter, it was a warning" he answered her his hair shifting to white the moment he stepped through the door, not going into depth as to what his warning was, "Shall we head back?" he asked.

"Yes, that would be grand, I am actually quite famished after today and Klein offered to serve us a feast in honour of the ball" Weiss's eyes opened quickly as she heard that.

"Roast?" she asked, excitement in her eyes.

"Of course, Klein can never help himself to make his roast every time there's a big event" Willow chuckled as a large white and grey limousine like shuttle appeared in front of them, slightly larger than the one they had arrived in, Weiss looking confused as she saw it.

"We never had a shuttle like this" she commented.

"Dear, there's a reason I was late, I went to business meeting, this, was one of the things I got from the deal I made" As she was saying this Arthur felt as if he was being watched, but as he looked around the outside of the hall he couldn't see anyone.

Luckily he had another option up his sleeve as he shut his eyes, immediately seeing the numerous silhouettes and flames inside of the hall, one of which was quickly storming towards the door, opening his eyes he saw Jacques exit the hall, sending a glare his and the girls way before entering his own shuttle and quickly driving off.

"Arthur?" Weiss asked, a little more confidence in her voice after having gotten everything off her c.h.e.s.t, even if it was in a very public area with cameras recording everything she said.

"Get in the shuttle" he said, his eyes locking onto six figures which had surrounded them, none of which were moving as they silently watched him and only him, waiting for a chance to jump him.

Seeing his strange way of searching the area Winter also squinted her eyes and began to look around, noticing very subtle shaking of leaves of shadows disappearing behind walls, "There's six of them" he told her, "You three get in the shuttle, let me deal with them" he said.

"I can not do that when there are threats around, I will not allow whoever these ruffians are to assault a single citizen, no matter how suspicious said citizen is" Winter said pulling her rapier off her hip.

"Winter, get in the shuttle, I have no interest in discussing this" Arthur said and walked past her and down the steps walking away from the honour hall, "Ill contact you when I'm done" he said, ignoring her protests as the shadows darted from their positions to others as they followed Arthur

"Winter, he can deal with it, let him do it" Weiss grabbed Winter's arm, "If he really can't then you can step in, but let him do it" she said, releasing winter and entering the shuttle.

Winter watched as Arthur stopped in the centre of a large courtyard in front of the hall, six figures popping out of their hiding spots to surround him, "I will wait here then" she said, "Exiting it would just hinder my speed at intervening"

Weiss and Willow shared a glance, both also not really willing to let Arthur do it on his own, but both realizing he could most likely take them on himself, that,and Weiss didn't have her rapier with her, both letting out a sigh at the same time as they accepted it and watched through the window as the first person charged Arthur to test his reactions.

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Arthur stopped in the centre of the yard, six navy blue wreathed figure standing around him, all of their faces covered along with the rest of their bodies, the only skin visible being their eyes. Arthur silently looked between them, awaiting their first move.

"We have come to pick you up sir, please do not resist" all six of the figures said together, their voices blending together preventing Arthur from telling where which voice was coming from.

"I'm flattered, but I don't really think it's a good idea to go with six cloaked figures without a first date" He replied to them with a smirk, "And, I don't think I could deal with another six people in my life"

"Her ladyship wishes to spend the night with you, please come with us, we do not wish to fight you" they said together, while Arthur rolled his eyes as he realized who they worked for.

"Yeah, no, I've already told the syrup squad I'm not interested" Arthur smiled, "Twice" he said, "so are you going to come or do I have to go to you?"

The figures turned silent for a moment before one of them charged Arthur, "To me it is" he chuckled

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Alternate Chapter names: [Gelé] [A stolen Name]

I realize now... I do not like stockpiling, it makes me feel lazy, I haven't done any writing today.

Words: 2,464

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