Winter was busy so much that it took forever for Weiss to get ahold of her again long enough to talk.

In fact, it took two whole days.

Weiss and Pyrrha were disappointed that they couldn't talk to her the same day as the discussion, but Winter refused because Weiss said it wasn't an emergency, though it was important, and that it would take longer than 5 minutes.

"I guess this is on me," she said.

In other news, over those few days the team heard more about Robyn Hill from Ironwood, and he elected not to inform her about the Amity Tower's real purpose.

More importantly, the election was this day, as luck would have it. Which was partly why Winter had more time off. The Ace Ops and part of the kids would be attending the election victory party Robyn was having, rather prematurely, while the others had the night off.

Winter always had work to do, but seeing as how Weiss would be free, she said she'd squeeze her in.

Jaune was actually going to the movies again with Oscar, while Yang and Blake were going to hit up some clubs--Blake didn't really want to do this, but Yang was hankering for some partying in questionable company, and the others wouldn't let her go alone, nor would anyone else be talked into going... Also Qrow said a hard no on letting Ruby anywhere near a dance club.

Blake supposed she'd just end up reading a book...which sounded pretty nice actually...but she could do that later, right? She should probably make it up to Yang for missing so much...right?

[Still not a ship.]

Nora and Ren were going with Ruby to the party.

Jaune offered for Pyrrha and Weiss to join him and Oscar but was surprised when both of them declined.

"Maybe next time." Pyrrha put her hands together nervously.

Weiss wished Pyrrha wasn't such a terrible liar.

"Is something wrong?" Jaune was suddenly on guard, because the last time this happened Pyrrha was planning to turn herself into the Fall Maiden.

"No, I just--" Pyrrha began.

"We have plans already." Weiss grabbed her arm. "Just us two. I mean, we haven't trained together in ages!"

"But I thought we had the night off," Jaune said.

"It'll be fun," Weiss said.

"You train too much," Yang scoffed. "It's almost like Pyrrha never left, jeez."

Pyrrha should probably have been more appalled at Yang mentioning that, but was actually more relieved that Yang was starting to make jokes about it. Maybe even she was getting used to her.

Oscar would have liked to be part of the conversation, but he was afraid Winter would ask him questions he was not at liberty to answer about Ozpin.

Jaune was pretty sure Weiss was hiding something also, but he knew she wasn't going to tell him.

Pyrrha worried though.

"I feel bad lying to him," she said as they left the dorms.

"We couldn't exactly tell him," Weiss said.

"Why not?" Pyrrha asked.

"Because I don't want anyone else to blame Winter," Weiss said. "It's better if just those of us who are more understanding handle this."

"Jaune is understanding."

"Maybe to you." Weiss shrugged. "I think he'd lose it for sure."

"Well...I'm surprised you consider Shine and Wally to be understanding," Pyrrha said.

"I don't, actually," Weiss said. "But they were on my side about this, and I could use all the help we can get. I just hope Winter doesn't hate them."

"She never mentioned them again?"

"No...I think she must not have found anything on them," Weiss said. "I mean, I'm sure she would have told us if she did. It's strange though."

Pyrrha knew there was no way Winter had found anything, but it was odd she wouldn't have told Weiss that either.

Shine and Wally were waiting for them at the end of the hall.

"I kind of wanted to go to the party," Wally complained. "I know this is important, but there were going to be snacks! I bet."

"You ate at least 3 meals worth at dinner," Weiss said.

"Yeah, that was a light meal," Wally said.

"That's disgusting," Weiss said.

"Why?" Shine said. "You have to eat also. I know we never see you rich girls eat, but I'm sure you do."

"Hey!" Weiss said. "I eat! You've seen me."

"It was a joke," Shine said.

"It cannot be good for anyone to eat that much," Weiss insisted.

"It is if you're me," Wally said.

"Let's just get this over with," Weiss said.

Actually now that it came to it, she wasn't sure if this was such a good idea. Winter wasn't going to be happy that she told these people about it. Not that she said she couldn't...

* * *

https://youtu.be/UB3QfHzO-ho

[Lapis Lazuli]

"What is this about, Weiss?" Winter had tea ready.... She seemed surprised there were so many people with Weiss.

"Pyrrha and I have something to talk about," Weiss said hastily.

Pyrrha shot her a look like "I'm sorry?"

"Yes?" Winter said. "I have to warn you, I only have about 30 minutes."

"So you ever sleep, woman?" Wally asked.

"Not much," Winter said. "Sleep is for the people not protecting Atlas."

"Also for the sane," Shine added.

"May I ask what they are doing here?" Winter asked coldly.

"Moral support?" Pyrrha suggested nervously. "Um, Weiss, perhaps if you explained it would be better..."

"Right, right." Weiss drew a deep breath. "Winter, remember that thing we were talking about a few days ago?"

Winter's gaze hardened. "You talked to them about it?"

"I had a good reason, I promise!" Weiss cried.

"These two don't even have entry level clearance!" Winter thundered, standing up. "And while Miss Nikos is highly respected, she's still new at this. How could you do something so thoughtless?!"

"Perhaps she thought it was serious enough to be worth the risk." Shine sipped some tea casually. "Is this jasmine tea? It's pretty good."

"Yes, yes, that's it." Weiss ignored the tea part. "That's exactly right--I had no choice. I had to clarify something."

"If it helps--" Wally was eating the snacks Winter had out. "--we already knew anyway. We figured it out."

"How comforting," Winter said flatly. "While we're on this subject, you know you two have no records at all with the kingdoms? What territory did you come from?"

"Here and there," Shine shrugged. "No place you'd ever heard of."

"Try me," Winter said.

"No thanks," Shine said.

"Wait, you two don't have records?" Weiss glanced at them. "You grew up outside the kingdoms?"

"Wouldn't that make the most sense?" Shine asked.

"I guess... It's just funny you seemed so familiar with them..." Weiss said strangely. "But...uh, anyway, yes, they knew already. And I wasn't going to tell them, but Pyrrha said they knew, so I thought it wouldn't matter."

"So you told Miss Nikos?" Winter seemed to be trying to decide if that was better. "I suppose at least she's a fellow huntress...but still...I had hoped this would go no further than team RWBY at most."

"You can't really think Qrow didn't figure this one out," Shine said.

"And if, for once, he had the discretion to keep his mouth shut, I would not be the one to discourage that," Winter said.

"That's, like, the nicest thing you've said about him," Wally said.

"So you all know about the Winter Maiden," Winter surmised. "Fine...what is this about?"

Pyrrha gripped the tablecloth in her hands.

Weiss wasn't sure how to begin, so she ended up just blurting out what came into her mind: "Winter, you can't go through with this."

Winter looked shocked.

"Weiss," she began, very tightly, "I thought I made myself perfectly clear the other day--this is my decision, and I did not ask you for your permission---"

"Winter," Shine cut in, "shut up."

"I beg your pardon?" Winter was shocked.

"Your sister is perfectly aware of your feelings on the matter," Shine said coolly. "Do you think she would be saying this if she didn't have a good reason? Give her some credit. She's spent a lot of time with Ozpin and Qrow, both people who know more about this than you do. Perhaps hearing her out would be wisest?"

Silence.

"I don't like you," Winter said stiffly, "but I suppose that is a fair point. Proceed, Weiss." But she folded her arms like she wasn't about to soften.

"Look, I get why you decided this," Weiss said, now emotional enough to just barrel on, "but I saw those...machines that were in there...and I just have to know...did General Ironwood tell you about what they do? To people?"

Winter's eyes flickered, which meant yes. "I know the risks."

"Do you?" Pyrrha said quietly--but the kind of quiet that usually means an outburst is coming soon.

"Winter, they could... Your aura..." Weiss faltered. "You're...really okay with that?"

"If it's how I can serve my country, then yes." Winter didn't sound nearly as sure as she intended to.

Shine and Wally exchanged a look.

"You're okay with destroying your soul?" Wally said in disbelief.

"This is not the time to make selfish choices," Winter said. "And, if I might add, it's none of your business."

"It is their business," Pyrrha said. "And mine. Winter...did the General tell you about me?"

"What do you mean?" Winter asked.

"Did he not?" Shine was surprised...then not so much so when she considered Ironwood might prefer if Winter had no questions about the nature of this.

"Winter, I was supposed to be the new Fall Maiden," Pyrrha said.

Winter raised an eyebrow. "I heard that Cinder Fall stole those powers... I also heard that she killed you. I'm sorry, but, how were you in line to be the Fall maiden?"

"The exact same way Ironwood intends to make you the new Maiden if you run out of time," Shine said flatly.

Winter stared at them somberly.

"Amber...was in a coma." Pyrrha found this difficult to talk about now. "And they thought Cinder would find her soon, so they had...a desperate plan to try to prevent it. If it would have worked, I cannot say. For a moment it seemed to. But she found us and...killed her."

She looked at her teacup. Her hands were shaking.

"And you saw this?" Winter said.

"I was in the machine when it happened," Pyrrha said.

Winter's mouth dropped open. Then she recovered. "I'm sorry," she said, uncomfortably.

"The thing is," Pyrrha said, "if I wasn't there, maybe that wouldn't have happened. I led Cinder right to her. Well, Ozpin and I both. And we couldn't stop her. I tried, but..."

She went silent.

"I regret your experiencing that." Winter was as close to sympathy as she got. "However, I don't think we can compare these two situations. And perhaps you feel personally responsible for Cinder getting the powers, Miss Nikos, but she's likely dead, and she does not already have part of them."

"That's not it." Pyrrha banged her fist on the table, and suddenly all the silverware lifted up and then dropped back down.

Wally was so startled he dropped his scone.

Weiss leaned away.

Shine flinched but otherwise remained calm.

Winter was taken aback by the calm and collected Pyrrha doing something like that.

"I don't feel bad only because I failed," Pyrrha said. "I feel bad because what I was willing to do to Amber was wrong. And I knew it. And I still almost did it."

She looked up at Winter intently. "And for what? In the end, Cinder still doesn't have the Relic. She might be dead... Perhaps we overreacted... Whatever the case, we played into her hands. I don't think doing things that we know are wrong, just because we think it will help us, is all right. Winter, trust me, you do not want this guilt on your hands."

Winter was clearly taking this seriously now, just by her expression, and Weiss was stunned to hear Pyrrha talk like this. She'd never heard Pyrrha ever sound guilty before.

Pyrrha swallowed and went on. "Had I known then what I know now, I wouldn't have made that choice. Please, don't do it. If you inherit the power naturally, then...that's your choice, I suppose, what to do about it. But don't...force it to happen. It's still murder. We can't keep putting a different face on it."

"I don't know if murder is the right word," Winter said.

"Did she consent to it?" Shine interrupted.

"She could hardly do that," Winter said. "She doesn't remember who she is half the time."

"So she literally can't consent to it," Wally said. "That is seriously messed up, Winter."

"Perhaps, but if Salem was to get the powers--" Winter began.

"And what?" Shine was the one to raise her voice now, startling them all. "What will happen? Nothing that you couldn't reverse later. You can't guarantee she won't get them just because you get the powers first. That's what's so infuriating about this--you can't be sure either way. You are not invincible! So it's a pathetic excuse. It's not right either way, but even your own reasoning is empty if you think seriously about it. Amber had the powers, and she went out like a sucker, no offense."

"I would have worded it differently, " Pyrrha said. "But the point stands, Winter, that it is wrong. And I can sense you must know it. Deep down."

"Please, please don't do it," Weiss urged. "I can't... What if you end up like Oscar?"

"I don't know what you mean," Winter said.

"That's what changed my mind about all this," Pyrrha said, in her quiet, serious tone again, "listening to Oscar suffering with Ozpin inside his mind, struggling to know who he is and who he isn't...and knowing all the time that it's only getting worse... He hates it. And he can't get away from it. It wasn't even his choice...and to think I almost did that on purpose...to myself and to someone else. Don't you think you would live to regret it every single day?"

Winter was clearly disturbed by this take on it. She was quiet for a long time.

Shine didn't think she had changed her mind though, and, sure enough, she finally spoke.

"While this is...unfortunate to hear, I'm afraid my duty is still clear. I hope it will not come to what you are saying and she'll go peacefully. But...we don't have the luxury of taking chances. It's different now. Two Relics exposed would give Salem far too much of a chance against us."

"Ugh, why are you all so afraid of that witch?" Shine rolled her eyes. 

"Are you mad?" Winter said. "Do you understand what Salem is?"

"Better than you do, actually," Shine said. "And she's nothing. She is not worth corrupting your morality over. When will you people realize that is why you keep losing to her? You cannot beat her if you cannot be better than her. Put whatever face on it you want, there is no getting around that you do exactly the same things as her. Who is the good guy here?"

Those were strong words, but as soon as she heard them, Pyrrha knew it was exactly right, and that this had been bothering her under the surface ever since they arrived here.

Weiss was bothered by it and wondered if Shine was right... It couldn't be that they were really this bad...could it?

Winter was angry.

"How dare you compare us? We're trying to protect people," she said.

"Sure," Shine said. "Well, whatever you call it."

"What do you know about it? You've never had to make these kinds of decisions," Winter said sharply. "You have no right to sit there and lecture any of us on the kinds of choices we are forced to make--"

"Don't pretend to know what I have had to do!" Shine stood up, angry now. "You know nothing about me. This is not the first time I've battled magic--I doubt it will be the last--and spells that bind people to a certain fate, over and over and over again. Do you think I would tell you this if I didn't know it firsthand? I'm not Ironwood, Winter Schnee, I'm not shooting in the dark hoping something will work. I'm telling you the actual facts. This is not going to work. And you are making the same errors as everyone else who's been trying this. When will people realize that this does not work?"

"Didn't that one smart guy say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?" Wally spoke up.

"Einstein," Shine said.

"Right, him," Wally said.

"How dare you talk to me like this!" Winter stood up also. "Who are you to tell an Atlas official what to do? You have no authority here."

"You're wrong." Pyrrha looked up. "They have authority."

"In what way?" Winter demanded.

Pyrrha looked at them questioningly.

"Go ahead, tell her," Shine decided. "I think we can trust her."

Winter was probably more surprised to hear that than anything else so far.

"You sure?" Wally said.

"She'll have to know sooner or later, and right now seems like the time that will matter the most," Shine said.

Winter waited.

Pyrrha drew a deep a breath. "Winter, this is not going to be easy to believe, but...I did actually die to Cinder."

There was a long pause.

Then Winter sat back down slowly.

"What...?" she said blankly.

Weiss pursed her lips. "It's...true," she said. "I swear...Pyrrha was dead...for months. Ruby saw it."

"But you said..." Winter said slowly.

"I didn't want everyone to know," Pyrrha said. "And...the reason for that is partially...well, the General... I wasn't sure how he would take it."

"We asked her not to tell you," Shine spoke up.

"Why?" Winter said.

Wally shrugged.

"Because it was them--they brought me back to life," Pyrrha said.

A very long pause followed this.

"You?" Winter said incredulously.

"Surprise." Wally waved half-heartedly with jazz hands👋👐.

"Yes, us," Shine said, "in a manner of speaking. More like we were the conduits. In ourselves we can do nothing, but we have this gift, not unlike the maiden powers, I suppose, except no one has to die to pass it on. It's just a gift. One of the things we can do is raise the dead...on specific occasions."

The weird thing was that Winter bought it. She wouldn't have probably if Weiss hadn't been sitting there nodding silently, but she couldn't believe that her sister would even dream of making this up.

Still, it was hard to swallow.

"And you...brought Miss Nikos back?" she said. "But...I had heard such things were impossible. Even...forbidden."

"By your gods," Shine said. "But not ours. Ours is stronger."

"This is a lot to take in..." Winter said.

"I don't know about their god," Weiss said, "but it's a fact that Pyrrha was dead, and now she's not. It's...taken a while to get used to it, but I mean, we all watched her, and you've seen--she's clearly herself."

Pyrrha shook her head. Was that really still a question for some of them? Why?

"You see," she said, "they have authority that even Ozpin doesn't. No one else could do what they did, except the gods...so if they say that what we are considering doing to the Maiden is wrong...shouldn't that bear some consideration?"

Winter swallowed hard. "I suppose I couldn't dismiss it...but you two are not gods yourselves?"

"No," Shine said. "Not in the sense you think of it anyway... One of our writers has compared us to gods in the sense that we make judgments between what is right and wrong, which I believe is even in your lore, but we are not deities. That is reserved for only One, and One alone. Don't worship us, I will smack you."

"I wouldn't." Winter came a little back to herself. "But even so, if you are not gods, I'm not certain that you have all knowledge in this matter. It's...something to consider. The General should know about this."

"NO!" everyone said at once.

"Why not?" Winter frowned.

"For Pyrrha's sake, Winter, we ask that you do not mention this to him," Shine said. "The reason for it, he will not care."

"You can't know that," Winter said.

"Ozpin comes back to life and he ignores his direct instructions," Shine said. "Do you think he'd treat a 17-year old girl any different? She is not even immortal."

"Yes, I'm still mortal," Pyrrha said, "I'm afraid. Although, I don't think I'd want to be immortal like Ozpin is."

"Even so, I think he should know if there are other...things to reckon with," Winter said.

"No," Shine said. "If you respect us at all for this, do not tell him. And for Pyrrha also."

"Surely you don't think Miss Nikos would be in danger anymore," Winter said, in derision.

"Funny that you went right to danger there," Shine said. "And, frankly, Winter, I do not trust the General. That machine was his invention... If he was to get the idea that Pyrrha is somehow, in fact, invincible--which is not true, but I can't imagine us talking him out of it once he heard this...then he may decide she's the best choice still."

"What?" Weiss lowered her teacup that she'd picked up again, hoping the exchange was smoothing over.

"What?" Pyrrha said. "Is this what you were worried about?"

"I didn't want to put the idea into your head without proof," Shine said. "But now that it's staring us in the face, I have no choice. I'm sorry, I don't think the General is the right person to hear of this. He has always tried to use any advantage he can against Salem. Any girl who seemingly can't be kept dead would not be one he'd pass up for the Maiden powers. And while I'm not enthusiastic about Winter getting them, I feel even worse about you, seeing as how it ended before. And you no longer want them."

"No, I don't," Pyrrha said, shaking her head. "I no longer feel I can, in good conscience, be a Maiden, not like this."

She spun a fork around over her hand slightly. "But, Winter, I would hate to see you feel the same burden that I feel, or worse, because I at least did not get to go through with it. I'm begging you to reconsider what you will go through with."

"I admit this is something to consider," Winter said. "But I will not let you intimidate me by these grand acts into forgetting my duty. If I was to change my mind, it would be because I felt it was not my duty to do this. And it's not that simple. The General has given his orders already."

"I'm sorry, Winter," Shine frowned, "but he has no right to demand such a thing of anyone. At least Pyrrha was given an option. Do you have one?"

"I...could refuse." Winter was not convincing at all.

"No, you can't," Shine said, "not without losing his respect. That is not fair. He is only a man, Winter. He can command your body, if you choose to serve in his army, but only in as much as it befits a soldier. Your soul is your own. This is not a thing you can demand of anyone. If he tries to pressure you into it, he is overstepping his bounds--not you if you refuse. This is your right, the right God gave every human being, slave or free, to choose the fate of their own soul. Do not let a man take that from you...or woman, if a woman asks the same thing."

She could be quite persuasive when she chose to be. Even Winter, who still wasn't sure she even liked Shine at all, found her hard to resist.

But she was too stubborn to just give in either, as Qrow had quite accurately predicted.

"I still will not be making any decision based on this," she said.

"Winter!" Weiss protested.

"Think about it. If not me, then someone else will be asked to step up," Winter said. "In a way, this solves nothing. If you do not want to tell the General about Miss Nikos, then there is no reason for him to care what you think of this method. And it seems necessary. So, in that case, we will not spare Fria by my hypothetical refusal. If anything, it might end her life at once. And I do not know who would be asked to give themselves up."

Perhaps she thought it might be Weiss or one of her friends, Shine thought to herself. Or Pyrrha herself again.

"But you won't tell him about me?" Pyrrha said.

Winter hesitated. "While I advise your being honest, I feel this is a little beyond my jurisdiction... I suppose it is your secret to tell, not mine. All this was off duty?"

They nodded.

"In which case, I don't have to report it," Winter said. "But if you wish to keep it that way, you had better not speak of it around me again."

"Thank you," Pyrrha said. "But still...there has to be another way."

"I see no other way," Winter said.

"And Fria's well being means nothing here?" Shine asked.

Pause.

"As I said, we would not save her," Weiss said. "You won't dissuade the General by mere philosophy. He's a soldier."

"What are you?" Wally asked. "Even if you think he won't listen, is it right to do this when you know it's wrong? Come on, lady, I can tell you think it's wrong. You're making all these excuses, but that's not a good reason to do this to someone."

Winter seemed to be trying very hard to keep her composure. "I understand your feelings, but I cannot think the way you do," she said stiffly. "I...thank you for the warning and thinking of me, Weiss, but this is my life, and I must decide what to do with it. Unless you can stop Salem now...?"

Silence.

"I do not think that is our job," Shine said slowly. "We help... We could teach you how to stop her perhaps...but it would mean abandoning the ways you're trying to save yourselves. And you are not allowed to do that. I know Ironwood would not be willing to either. He holds onto things so tightly that they break... But I'd rather have you as an ally than him anyway, Winter."

"I thought you disliked me." Winter wasn't buying it.

"I said I was a fan," Wally said.

"I thought you were being sarcastic," Winter replied.

"Oh, no, we love you," Shine said. "You're such a good sister to Weiss, there, and...well, you're pretty funny, honestly, though I'm sure you won't take that as a compliment. That's why it would really hurt to see you throw you life away like this."

"And while I don't know you well, I always respected you," Pyrrha spoke up. "I think you deserve better than to be a pawn."

"You're my sister," Weiss added. "I don't want to lose you, not to some curse! If you inherited the powers, I'd live with it, but not like this! It's too risky... What if you don't even remember me anymore?"

"I..." Winter was clearly pretty close to breaking down, if Shine knew her well enough. "I suppose we all take risks. I'm afraid our time is up now. You should all rejoin your team--"

Right then her scroll went off.

She picked it up. And then her eyes widened.

"What is it?" Weiss said, then she checked her own scroll. "Ruby and Nora are sending me messages... Something happened at the party!"

"What?" Pyrrha jumped up.

"Tyrian was there!?" Weiss cried in horror.

"My father won the election?" Winter said in exactly the same tone.

Wally almost laughed at that but then realized. "Wait, that doesn't make any sense!"

"I'll say it doesn't. Have the people of Mantle lost their minds!" Winter cried.

"Tyrian killed a bunch of people at the party!" Weiss squealed. "Robyn thinks it was us!"

"What?" Winter said. Then her communication link began going off.

"Schnee?" It was Ironwood. "Where are you. This is a disaster."

"I'm coming, Sir," Winter said at once.

"What about us?" Pyrrha said. "Who is Tyrian?"

"I... Some crazy guy the others ran into on the road," Weiss said. "Jaune said he tried to kill Ruby."

"What?!" Pyrrha knocked over some of the silverware by accident.

"I remember him," Wally said.

"We have to get down there," Shine said. "He could follow them...but he couldn't have done this alone, not if the election results were part of it."

"What makes you think the two are connected?" Winter paused.

"Duh," Shine said. "You think your father won over Robyn Hill? Really? I may not like her that much, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out Mantle adores her. They hate the Schnees, no offense."

"It was pretty close..." Weiss said.

"One thing," Winter paused. "Penny should have been able to stop any interference at that close range long before he killed anyone. Something about this is not right."

"Tyrian is a bigger threat at the moment," Shine said. "Ironwood can figure out the part about the results with his team of tech people, no doubt, but I'm concerned about the known murderer. Tell him to try to find traces of him."

"You don't order me--" Winter began.

"Come on, let's go get the kids," Shine said. "I hope to goodness Oscar and Jaune were far away from this."

"Oh!" Pyrrha gasped at the thought.