After a short encounter with Whitley, Weiss walks up to her father's office only to hear yelling on the other side of the door. She hesitates to put her hand on the doorknob.

Jacques: I'm not talking about the good of my company; I'm talking about the good of Atlas, our entire Kingdom!

Ironwood: That is a load of garbage and you know it.

Weiss opens the door and peers in.

Jacques: I beg your pardon?!

Weiss sees General Ironwood sitting in a chair in front of a bookcase.

Ironwood: Jacques, will you please, just hear me out?

Jacques places his glass down on the table roughly.

Jacques: You are a trusted friend and ally to this family, James, but what you're suggesting is absurd!

Ironwood: You are blowing it out of proportion.

Jacques: The council will never agree to it!

Ironwood: You forget, I hold two seats on the council.

Jacques: Your Dust embargo has already cost me millions! I can promise you, I have not forgotten!

Ironwood: So this is about you.

Weiss has come into the room, and she watches to two men awkwardly while the door shuts behind her. She startles at the sound while James and Jacques turn and look at her.

Ironwood: *bowing* Miss Schnee! My apologies. I should have been gone by now.

Weiss: It-it's okay.

Ironwood: We'll continue this at another time.

Jacques: Indeed. Klein can show you out.

Ironwood: Don't worry, I know the way.

Weiss steps aside so that Ironwood can reach the door. He turns and looks at her father.

Ironwood: Until next time, Jacques.

Jacques solemnly nods at Ironwood, who turns to Weiss.

Ironwood: Please know, you'll always have a home at Atlas Academy, Miss Schnee. We'll be back in session before you know it.

Weiss nods at him and the General leaves and shuts the door.

Jacques: Did you forget your manners while you were away?

He turns and walks to his desk, which is a few steps up from the chairs and tables where he and Ironwood were just sitting. Weiss is annoyed at the comment but calms down with a sigh.

Weiss: No, Father. I'm sorry.

Jacques: Can you believe there are still people in the world that blame Atlas for what happened to Beacon? To Vale?

Weiss: Well, they weren't there. Reaper managed to shut down the hacked robots moments after they started firing at people.

Weiss begins walking across the room to stand before his desk.

Jacques: Exactly, yet those few moments were enough time it seems for the world to cast judgement. It's a wonder Ironwood wasn't stripped of his rank.

Jacques finally sits down, swinging the seat so that his back is to Weiss.

Jacques: I suppose the council trusts him, for better or worse.

Weiss: I trust him.

Jacques sighs and spins his chair to face Weiss.

Jacques: Thanks to him, Atlas is forbidden from exporting Dust to other Kingdoms. "A precautionary measure", as he puts it, "until we're certain no one is going to declare war". How anyone could possibly find that to be sound logic is beyond me.

Weiss blinks at her father.

Jacques: Which is why the Schnee Dust Company will be holding a charity concert in the coming weeks.

Weiss looks at him in surprise.

Jacques: We need to show the people of Remnant that we are on their side. That we are all victims of the fall of Beacon.

Weiss: That's... wonderful news.

Jacques: I know. And I think it would make a lot of people happy if you performed at the event.

Weiss: Excuse me?

Jacques: Many forget that you were there. My own daughter, a Schnee, on the grounds, defending another Kingdom! We need to remind them! And we need to show them that the Schnee family is just as strong as ever!

Weiss: Are you asking me if I'd like to sing, or telling me?

Jacques leans forward and makes a tent with the fingers of his hand as he meaningfully gazes at Weiss.

Jacques: I think it would make a lot of people happy.

Weiss: *sighs* I'll start practicing.

Jacques: That's... my girl.

As Weiss starts to walk out of the room, Jacques stands up.

Jacques: There's another matter I want to discuss with you Weiss. I haven't been blind to the fact that you have been... snooping into old company records. Records that are.... let's just say embarrassing for the company and family name.

Weiss sighs and turns to face him.

Weiss: For years, I never really understood why people like the White Fang hated us so much. But these past few months have been eye opening for me.

Jacques: Clearly. Well, let me tell you Weiss, the main subject of your research, the branding of Faunus workers hasn't been happening for years. And they were done mostly by overzealous managers down in the mines.

Weiss: That doesn't excuse the fact that it happened!

Jacques: No it doesn't, but it isn't something we should tell the world. Our reputation would be at stake!

Weiss: Our reputation has been at stake for years father.

Weiss crosses her arms. Jacques sighs and sits down.

Jacques: Go practice, Weiss.

Weiss leaves the room and closes the door. She sighs and turns to see Klein holding a tray in front of her.

Klein: Hot coffee, Miss Schnee? I always find he keeps his study dreadfully cold.

Weiss takes the mug off of the tray with a smile.

Weiss: Thank you, Klein.

Klein: You know what I think?

Klein lifts the tray to cover his face before dropping it dramatically as he leans forward toward Weiss making a less-than-formal face, his brown eyes having turned red.

Klein: *in an accent with a gruff voice* I think it's to balance out all his hot air.

Weiss' eyes widen in delight and she turns and looks over her shoulder at the closed office door. She turns back to Klein with a giggle.

Weiss: Klein!

The two giggle together before he fakes a sneeze, and his eyes turn blue.

Klein: *in a high-pitched accent* Uh, apologies, madam.

Klein pretends to sneeze again. Weiss giggles, hiding her smile behind her hand. Klein wiggles his mustache and looks up. His eyes turn yellow.

Klein: Ah, there's my happy little snowflake.

Weiss breathes a sigh that releases some weight off her shoulders, and she gives the butler a genuine grin.

Weiss: Thank you, Klein.

Klein smiles at her and nods.

End Part!