Chapter 62: Extraction

Chapter 62: Extraction

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryugii. This has been pulled from his Spacebattle publishment. Anyway on with the show...errr read.

Extraction

I saw her eyes widen in her reflection's face. Her free hand went to her necklace quickly, almost like a reflex, clutching the apple-shaped pendant as she drew away. Something flashed across her faceworry, maybe, or perhaps even panicbefore it settled on something resolved and angry.

"You can't have it," She said, voice wavering slightly as she seemed to guess where this was going. "I don't care what you've heard or what you think you knowyou can't have it."

"Now, now," I said. "Don't be like that, Ms. Schnee; I just want to talk, for now."

I saw her hands tighten around both her sword and necklace, her teeth gritting as she looked at me with furious eyes, and yet she didn't reply.

"If you're waiting for your guards to arrive, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," I said, still facing away from her. "I've locked this room down quite extensively; they didn't hear a sound. My apologies, but you seeI dislike pointless bloodshed, so I decided it would be best to keep this between ourselves. Well, I say that, butit would seem my subordinates have taken it upon themselves to assist me, and I fear their enthusiasm may get the better of them when they arrive. While I'd like to have a little more timewell, for the sake of everyone in this building, let's settle this quickly, shall we?"

The words were for Raven's sake as much as Weiss and for a moment I wasn't sure if they'd reached her, but then I saw the approaching White Fang members slow, stopping nearby but not attacking just yet.

I could have sighed in relief but instead I lifted a hand and traced two of my claw along the glass as I slowly turned. I didn't face her fully but turned my face towards her as I took several slow, slow steps, watching her all the while. With the immediate threat of the approaching White Fang out of the way, I focused on Weiss and the portal swirling behind her.

Weiss hadn't changed her stance, but I saw her breath harder as she stared me down, tracking me with the tip of her sword. I thought she might remain silent again, but as I came to a halt near the room's corner, her mouth twitched.

"Do you expect me to believe that you care about any of our lives?" She spat.

I took a moment to visibly contemplate that and then tilted my head.

"Well, at the very least, I expect you to acknowledge that I haven't killed you yet, and that there must be a reason for it. My friends in the White Fang would like to be done with you, I imagine, but I have a different idea," I said. "Or rather, I simply know something they don't. But let's stay on topic, Ms. Schnee. That's a very nice necklace you're wearing. Your mother's, was it?"

Her grip and her jaw, if anything, tightened even further. She seemed to be deciding what to say as she stared at me, weighing her optionswhether to believe my words, whether to try something dangerous, everything. I could see her emotions shifting on her profile, the possibilities flashing in her eyes as she reached a decision, and I simply continued my Observation.

Snow's AppleRank: Quest Item

An apple-shaped necklace belonging to Weiss Schnee, given to her by her mother before she passed away. A simple silver necklace to all appearances, but inside

"Yes" She said at last, apparently deciding to at least buy some time. "She"

"Gave it to you before her death," I said. "Yes, I know. But do you know why? Do you know what it is you're carrying?"

She said nothing again, but there was a flash of confusion in her eyes that made me shut my own and sigh. That route was a dead-end it seemed.

I changed tracks.

"It seems you don't," I answered my own question. "A pity; it seems there isn't any point in talking to you, then. Give it to me, Ms. Schnee."

"Never," She answered instantly, her voice suddenly fierce. "It's allbut I'd destroy it myself before I let you take it from me!"

I slowly tilted my head the other way.

"I'd berather interested in knowing how you intend to accomplish that, Ms. Schnee."

She watched me for a moment, eyes wide and breath quick. Again, I saw her eyes dart around herfrom me to the window to the door, gauging something with a quick glancebefore making a decision of some kind

And then she tore the necklace off with a sudden jerk, casting it to the floor before grasping her new sword with both hands. As she flipped the blade and thrust it down at the still falling necklace, I saw her eyes focus on the item, as if readying herself for some great pain, and watched the light gleam from sword and necklace both.

I sighed to myself quietly and then crossed the room in a series of quick steps. Reaching out with one hand, I caught Weiss' blade between two fingers and stopped it cold. I saw her eyes flick up to me, saw her mouth twist, saw her give a scream of frustration as she tried to push down even harderbut it was no use. My tail swept down and curled around the necklace before swinging like a pendulum to toss it up into the air on the other side of me, where it fell into my waiting palm. As my fingers closed around it, I released her sword and lifted my hand to her face, pushing her back gently.

She flew into one of the chairs around the sitting area hard enough to knock it over and send her rolling back. She came up to her feet in an instant, to her credit, and with her blade was pointed my way. Light blue light gathered around its length before a wave of ice flashed across the room's floor and rose to cover me completely

I took a step forward, shattering it around me. Compared to breaking out of my adamant skin, this was nothing, even before Levant and Xhai conferred a resistance to Ice. Weiss leapt back as the cylinder on her weapon revolved, the dust within glowing white as symbols covered the blade. Landing on a sprawling glyph, it flashed red for a moment and she flew towards me with her sword aimed at my heart and the uncovered portion of my chest.

Unfortunately, it stopped at my skin. Part of it was just my Aura and part of it was my mask and the rest was because of my many defensive skillsbecause of Adamant Serpent's Skin and the White Tiger's Hide and Unbroken Steel and everything elsebut the result was simple. An attack like thatjust wasn't enough to really hurt me anymore. In fact, it probably hurt her more.

The moment her blade hit my skin, it stopped, with the results you might imagine for everything behind it. Her body continued to rush forward, clipping the halted blade hard before slamming into me. She spun as it was mostly her left side that hit, but continued past me as she flew towards the window. My tails came up and curled around her ankles before I turned and flung her into the couch, which she also knocked over. This time, however, she didn't roll to her feet, but continued until the wall stopped her and then coughed painfully.

I'm sorry, I wanted to saybut I didn't. And if I had, would it have meant anything? So instead, I just closed my eyes and sighed again.

A sound made me open them and I saw Weiss struggling to her feet, looking like she was barely keeping something down. I didn't move as she stumbled or when had to brace herself against the wall, but after she coughed roughly again and swallowed something down, she focused on me.

"Give it back," She said in what I thought might have been an attempt at a shout that a cough ruined. "Get your hands off of it, you bastard."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Ms. Schnee," I answered, tossing the necklace lightly up and down. "I'd recommend you sit down, however. You don't look well."

She snarled something and pushed away from the wall, falling into a roll to pick up the weapon she'd lost hold of. As she came up again, flames gathered around the blade and she threw them into my face as she leapt at me.

I blinked once and then caught the blade, halting her in place again. She managed to keep from slamming into me again butit was too late, now. Hands of Aura rose from my limbs, one curling around her own and the other just above the guard of the blade. She tried to pull away, to tear her sword from my grasp, but even beyond my vastly superior strength, Crocea Mors had already made himself at home.

All it took to snap the blade was a turn of my wrist. Our eyes met as the steal broke, hers wide and shocked, mine hidden behind a Goliath's yellow orbs. Aura limbs let go of her broken blade and caught her by the shoulders, holding her still as a tail of light curled loosely around her throat.

I considered that for a moment before observing the necklace again.

Snow's AppleRank: Quest Item

An apple-shaped necklace belonging to Weiss Schnee, given to her by her mother before she passed away. A simple silver necklace to all appearances, but inside are contained a mother's last words.

She didn't know there was anything special to it, beyond the fact that it was a gift from her mother. Why then was it named 'Snow's Apple'? Was it common to name a piece of jewelry, even one that held meaning? Had my power provided the name? Ormaybe

Well, I didn't have any better ideas, now did I?

On the holographic screen, I typed the words 'Snow's Apple.' I don't know what meaning those words held, but I hoped they meant something to a mother and her daughter. I closed my hidden eyes in sheer relief when the screen changed and something began to load.

After a moment, a woman's facepresumable belonging to Weiss' motherappeared. From the background, I could tell that she was in a bedroom or perhaps a hospitalwhatever the case, she was recording the video on a bed of some kind and it was easy to see why. Though her hair and skin were still fair, it looked like something destined to fall to whatever sickness she was fighting. Or perhaps she was wounded? I couldn't see much from the angle of the camera.

"Weiss," The woman said, smiling brightly even though the expression seemed to hurt her somewhat. "I don't know when you'll see this or even if"

She swallowed once that seemed to provoke a coughing fit until she shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"But I had to record this while I still could. I know I don'tthey don't let you see me much anymore and thatthat hurts, but it's probably for the best," She seemed to stumble over the words slightly, but she pushed through as best she could. "Some days I'm notI'm not myself. I don't always remember everyoneeven the people I love the most. Once, theI was told that the last time I saw her, I couldn't remember Winter's face and I can only imagine how"

She paused for a moment, eyes blinking shut as tears gathered at the corners. I feltI felt horrible watching this, like a voyeur peering in on what was supposed to be a private moment between mother and daughter, but I had to keep going. Thisas the pieces came together and the picture became clearer, it hurt to watch this, but this still wasn't enough to save Weiss life. I needed something more.

"How horrible it must be to have a mother who can't remember her own daughter," She continued, brushing away tears sloppily with the back of a hand as she opened her eyes. "S-so, maybe it's better this way. But while I still canwhile I rememberI wanted to record these messages for you both. I want to tell you, while I still remember, how much II-I love you. How much I've always loved you and how much I wanted to be there for you when you grew up and watch youwatch you live your lives and grow up happily. I want toI wanted to be your mother."

She stopped brushing her cheeks for a moment, but the tears continued to fall unhindered as she took a shaking breath. She wasn't statuesque while she sobbed, either; her eyes and cheeks reddenedthey looked like they'd gotten a lot of that lately, toowhile her nose became stuffed, altering her voice. It was the type of crying that was hard to look at because it looked real. This was a person crying.

I watched anyway, not averting my eyes. I didn't have any right to complain now.

"Butbut it looks like that might not be possible," She said at last. "So I'll record this for you both. There'sthere's more I want to say then I ever could, but I don't know how much time I have andbut I want you to have this. It'sI feel horrible, passing this onto you, but I'm sure you've already heard us fighting. Your father and Iwe always disagreed on a lot of things, since the day our parents first introduced us. Iheh, it seems silly now, but the first time we met I got so upset over something stupid he said that I threw a punch bowl at him."

A smile flickered across her face, as brilliant as it was fleeting.

"The only thingthe only thing we've never disagreed about is the two of you and how much we love you. I knowhe's not very good at showing it, especially since I became like this; he's gotten colder and tries to act like nothing's wrong, even when he" She swallowed, turning away. "I love him. I have since my sixteenth birthdaydid I ever tell you about that? He doesn't look it, but your father can be romantic when he wants to. But after your grandfather and grandmother wereafter he took over the businesshe can be cold, too. Pragmatic, he says, and maybe that's truebut cold most of all. And we've fought about it; disagreed over so many thingsI don't know if I'm right. I've never had all the answers, was always just abut you deserve to see this, too, to see everything. One day, you two will be grown up and on top of the world, but there are some things you'll need to know. So thisthis is for you. I'm not telling you to do anything with it. I'm not even asking. You two have always been my beautiful, intelligent girls, so when you see this, you'll probably know what to do better than I will."

She took a deep breath before slowly exhaling.

"The password is 1_w_1_4_s_1_3_y_u," She said. "You know what for and it'll tell you everything. Just remember, no matter what you choose to do with thisI love you. I love you both. And IIBraun, if you would? I'm getting"

The image faded abruptly and I finally closed my eyes.

"Another password?" Raven said after a moment of silence, her voice sounding ever so slightly off.

"Yes," I said.

"To what?"

"What we're looking for," I said. Hoped, really. But as Pathfinder changed, I took a breath. "We'll find it within the Schnee Company servers. Would you like to drive?"

She tilted her head and then nodded slightly before turning to Weiss.

"And the girl?" She asked, her tone still sounding strange. I looked at her for a moment and then walked slowly past her, kneeling by Weiss's side. My fingers curled around the necklace again as Crocea Mors shaped the metal back into its original form. Slowly, I lowered my hand over her neck, letting the two halves of the chain pool on either side before tilting my hand and dropping the pendant on her chest.

"Her mother gave use something valuable," I said. "And so I will repay her words. And perhaps"

I closed my eyes and chuckled, glancing over my shoulder to look at Raven.

"Perhaps I'm feeling vaguely sentimental," I said, remembering what Adam had told me about his family so long ago. She would know about it, surely, but would it matter to her? "Even you and I can understand the bond between parent and child. Even if it's not the wisest decision, I proved she's no threat, soI'll allow her to see her mother's face again, at the very least. I've never been much for passing on grudges, either, sois that okay with you, Raven?"

She looked from me to the girl and for a moment I thought should wouldn't say anythingor, worse, that she would disagree, but when she spoke

"Very well," She said. "It doesn't matter, so long as it doesn't affect the mission. We got what we came for."

I chuckled and it wasn't entirely faked I felt so relieved.

"Shall we go, then?" I asked before she waved her sword, a portal opening in the space before us. Without a word, she stepped through and I rose to follow before pausing, sighing slightly.

One last thing before I go, I thought.

I reached into my Inventory and drew out the blade I'd taken from her so long ago, placing it by her side. It wasit a meaningless gesture, I knew, and stupid, but

"I suppose I should give this back to you, as well," I murmured before turning away.

Goodbye, I thought again.

I'm sorry.