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aurmgoldau · 8 years

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New Year 2017 Special Short Fic - Lights and Hopes

In numbers up to 10, Mei would say there were at least 3 things she liked and 7 things she hated in a semi-formal party like this one. Nevertheless, the right thing to do was to endure it.

It was a New Year Eve party, held in a ballroom designated to get the best view of the fireworks launched from the city’s central square. The fireworks would be amazing, it was one of the good thing Mei listed about this party. But the guest? And the purpose of this party itself? It was said “to experience the joy of a new year together”. The word “together” meant business partners, noble families, and important persons of Atlas, including the military.

Mei saw her aunt, Winter Schnee, together with James Ironwood, the former Atlas Academy headmaster, and Cassel Ironwood, the current acting headmaster (he was also James’ cousin). Not many people had conversation with them. Military person and business person didn’t share too many similar interests.

Finally managed to escape from any conversation, Mei went to the balcony, away from the crowd. She could look at the city’s night view. From this height, the glittery lights looked mesmerizing. It was as if--

“‘When you seek the stars, see not the sky, but the city below you. Because as cunning as ever, humanity had stolen the stars and put them within their reach.’.”

Mei turned around, recognizing the voice. “Tizana?”

“Good evening.” The tomboy girl--Mei had to admit that she was impressed Tizana was allowed to wear a suit instead of a nightgown or dress--saluted Mei by raising the tall glass she held.

“I don’t know you are invited!” Mei, secretly, was happy to have someone to talk without the needs to wear any facade. Tizana and her twin brother attended Beacon Academy, part of team DJJT. Mei knew they were from Atlas but rarely met them in occasion like this. With everyone around her kept trying to get her attention, Mei was actually surprised that the twins’ sole goal in school was to get team AURM down from the first rank.

“Of course we are. They have to. After we announced the engagement, everyone suddenly flock back at us.” Tizana sipped her drink. “Fat ass bastards, all of them.”

“You’re going to be hung upside down if they hear it.” But Mei couldn’t help not grinning.

Velsov Pharmaceutical, the twins’ family business had declined to almost nothingness and they currently climbed back. The business community of Atlas weren’t sure they could make it and for the last few years had excluded them from business party invitation. To everyone’s surprise, the Velsovs managed to survive and slowly get better.

“Wait …” Mei looked at Tizana with confusion. “Whose engagement?”

“Darion’s.”

“What? He’s going to be married soon enough???”

“Ah, nope. The deal was it had to wait until Darion and I graduated from Beacon. A year or two after that, they have to marry. The engagement is just to … ‘seal’ the contract.”

“Did he … agree with this arrangement?”

Tizana took a glance at Mei, didn’t leave her not-too-sober expression. “There’s nothing we can do about it.” She sipped her drink again.

It was simply sad to hear it. Mei had heard arranged marriage between business partners’ son and daughter, but she thought it was an old practice. To find out that someone she knew was part of that “old practice” was shocking for Mei.

“The Izara family, from Mistral, agreed to fund us in exchange of marriage between Darion and the main family’s only daughter. Darion agreed but with one condition: he wanted to go study in Beacon and becoming a huntsman first before the marriage.”

“It doesn’t sound like a fair exchange,” Mei said. “You said earlier to me that Darion and you won’t become the next director of Velsov Pharmaceutical.”

“Yeah, it’d be our older sister. As the youngest kids, Darion and I don’t have much left in family business.”

“That’s …”

“Sad?” Tizana downed her drink. “We all have a role to play, Miss Schnee. You too, have ‘the Heiress’ role to play. Don’t envy us. We’re not going to envy you either.” She grinned and saluted again. “Pleased to talk to you. I’ll be back inside, saving my brother from the crowd.”

“See you later.”

“Sure.”

Mei went back to the ballroom a few minutes later. Her mother (Weiss) had managed to slip away from the previous conversation and now was talking to Winter and Mr Ironwood. Mei wasn’t so sure she could catch up with them, so she turned around to look for her other mom.

Ruby Rose--stubbornly and defiantly wore her huntress outfit, completed with the black cloak--was standing in the furthest corner of the ballroom. She didn’t bother to hide her tired and irritated expression, going only as far as nod to everyone who stole a glance at her or directly looked at her.

Mei took two canapes from nearby table and went to meet her mother.

“I think I know how Aunt Yang describe your mood right now,” Mei said, giving one canape to her mother. “Thorny mood.”

“Am I supposed to laugh at that?” Her usual respond wouldn’t sound like this, so she was definitely in a foul mood.

“Yes, you are.” Mei nudged her mother. “You’re going to be yelled if you put sour face like that.”

“I don’t care. I didn’t even agree with Weiss to attend this party.” Ruby Rose munched her canape whole. “I want to spend the new year eve at home with my family, not with … with … argh.”

“Come on, Mom. You’re more mature than this.”

Ruby sighed. “Fine … I don’t want to mingle with anyone, though.”

“At least come speak with Aunt Winter? Or Mr Ironwood?”

“I guess I can do that.”

“Alright, shall we then?” Mei offered her hand in a gesture like she asked for a dance.

Something on the canape left behind greasy taste, making Mei almost instinctively took a drink from a waiter. She never worried about taking liquor by accident in an occasion like this. The host of the party usually provided low alcohol drinks and non-alcoholic one. Nobody wanted to get too drunk. Who knew what kind of embarrassing act they might display if they became intoxicated? Mei, on the other hand, had very high tolerance to alcohol, so it was never a problem with her.

“Good evening,” Mei took her chance to greet Aunt Winter. “I’m really pleased to see you here, Aunt Winter.”

Winter Schnee smirked and raised her eyebrows, leaving her stern expression for a moment. “I could see that, my niece. How do you enjoy this lovely event?”

Mei sighed, rolling her eyes. “With defensive stance?”

“Don’t worry,” Aunt Winter raised her glass, taking a sip to perhaps hide her amused smile, “you’re doing great.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t seem to take my compliment very well?”

Mei almost choked on her drink. It happened again: what she thought as a small talk was taken as a pretty serious conversation with Aunt Winter. Sometimes Mei wondered was it her reply that sounded sarcastic or did she fail to understand Aunt Winter’s intention.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I apologize.”

Aunt Winter smiled. “That’s alright. Since you already here, you might as well try to enjoy the night.”

“I will.”

Mei suddenly wondered what was her teammates doing tonight. Since she was granted the title the “Heiress”, Mei always spent her new year eve in a party like this. If she ever spent the night at home, Mei couldn’t recall it clearly.

If I’m allowed to make a wish, I wish I could spend the new year eve with Li …

The first fireworks had been launched, acting like a calling for everyone waiting. It was five minutes before the bell struck midnight.

“I’m going to take it slow,” Aunt Winter said. “Years in military have numbed me for this. Go ahead if you want.”

Mei nodded and walked to the balcony, trying not to look too excited. Along the way, she held Ruby’s hand, inviting her to come along.

“Come on, Mom,” Mei chuckled. “Cheer up!”

Ruby pouted and looked away, making Mei laughed louder since she knew her mother just put up a childish act. Atlas Kingdom had the best fireworks in Remnant and it never failed to fascinate both Ruby and Mei.

When Mei arrived at home, she turned on her Scroll. The device beeped with several incoming messages the moment it finished booting up. There were messages from Mei’s teammates, saying happy new year, sent a couple minutes after midnight.

Mei felt a bit down when realizing none of them from the one she had been waiting.

And her Scroll rang, with Li’s name appeared on its screen.

“Hello, Kitty.” Mei almost couldn’t contain her joy. “Happy new year.”

“You turned off your Scroll?” Instead of replying the “happy new year”, Li--a bit expected from her--replied with question.

“Yes. Why?”

“I’ve been calling.”

“Oh! I’m sorry! I was in a party and I thought I turned it off, so it didn’t disturb … I’m really sorry, Li …”

“That’s okay. I should’ve known.” A brief pause and shuffling noise. “Umm, happy new year too.”

Mei chuckled. “You should’ve said it earlier.”

“I’m sorry.” Li paused again. It was understandable since she wasn’t very fond of verbal communication. “There’s … something I want to show you.”

“Fireworks in Vale? Did you record it?”

“Umm, no. I’m not in Vale now, actually …”

“What?” It was almost two o’clock and Mei was very sleepy until she heard Li’s last sentence. “Where are you now???”

“Menagerie. I had to stay for remedial exams … and I didn’t get any ticket after that, so I went to Menagerie. Yang and Mom are here too.”

Mei did a quick calculation for time zone difference. If it was two in Atlas, it would be about five o’clock in Mistral.

“There’s no fireworks here,” Li continued. “But before sunrise, there will be lanterns.”

“Lanterns?”

“Yeah. It’ll start really soon. Umm, if you’re tired and want to go to sleep, I’ll record and send it to you.”

“Who do you think I am?” Mei acted as if she was insulted. “I can wait a little longer. Make sure you call me when it start, kitty. I won’t forgive you if you don’t do so!”

“I-I will!”

“Good. I’ll expect to hear from you soon.”

And Mei immediately regretted her statement about “staying up a little longer”. The moment she ended the call, drowsiness caught her. She sneaked downstair to get some strong coffee after changing to her pyjamas and went back to her room and waited.

Li called as promised. This time it was a video call. Mei couldn’t see her cousin very well on the screen.

“Where are you?” Mei asked. “Why it’s so dark over there?”

“Everyone turn off their front lamp. Because …”

Mei noticed Li switched her Scroll camera to the back camera. Some blurry movement in the dark and …

“The lanterns,” Li said.

Li aimed her camera to an open square which lit with orange lanterns on its perimeter. Several silhouettes walked around what seemed hundreds of unlit colorful lanterns. Some of them were holding lit candles.

“Wait. A bit.”

Mei held her breath when the first lantern was lit, followed by another, and another one and--

--the lanterns floated to the dark blue sky.

Mei watched in silence. It was totally different from the bright and loud fireworks. Those lanterns were … solemn. A solemn beauty.

“Grandma told me the lanterns represent our hope,” Li said. “We want the sky to hear our pray first thing before the sun rises for the first time this year.”

“It’s really beautiful …”

“Yeah. That’s why I want to show you.” A pause. “I … I wrote two …”

“Wrote what?”

“On the base of each lantern, we tied a piece of paper with our wish for the new year. Four paper on one lantern. Grandma said I can only have one wish, but I-I wrote two.”

Mei chuckled. “Silly cat. What are you wishing for?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Not failing in exams again?”

“No.” Li mumbled, “But maybe I should’ve written that one too …”

“Don’t be so greedy, kitty.” Mei smiled. “Happy new year again, Li. I hope you get what you’re wishing for.”

“Thank you.”

As for Mei, she already had her little wish came true. More or less.

Author’s Note: As promised, here’s the last short stories from team AURM!

I started this story with really vague ending. My first ending plan was related to Mei and her moms, but I felt it didn’t give the “impact” I want for the ending. I didn’t quite remember how or why, but then I thought about “Li stuck in Menagerie because she had to take remedial tests”. And from what I know from vol 4, Menagerie has this strong “Asian vibe”, so I adapted this event to the story.

Anyway, I know it’s super late, but happy new year!

-juun-

-Team AURM and Team GOLD Main Index-

#side story #mei schnee #winter 2016 #new year 2017 #sfw

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