It was about an hour after Asher and Pietro started talking about Penny's design that Ironwood decided to take his leave. He was the general, after all—and a headmaster on top of that—so even his "days off" were packed with things to do.
Naturally, Winter left with him. Ironwood had offered to let her stay, but she'd politely declined, just saying goodbye to Weiss and Whitley before heading out. That was simply how she was.
Winter had thrown herself into the Atlas Military to get away from her father's control, but over time, her dedication became her whole reason for staying.
So, for the rest of the celebration, it was mostly just Weiss, Penny, and Whitley. With Asher preoccupied, Weiss and Penny actually got along surprisingly well, especially since Penny was so curious about the world, and Weiss passed up a chance to lecture someone on anything she knew.
An artificial girl built in a lab, protected by her father and creator, but wanting real connections, and a princess raised alone in a big, empty house, tied to a family that never really felt whole. In a way, maybe it was only natural that they clicked.
Whitley, for his part, had his usual comments whenever Weiss suggested books he thought were childish. But his curiosity kept drifting toward whatever Asher and Pietro were talking about, so he kept splitting his attention between conversations.
As the afternoon went on and the snack trays steadily emptied, the celebration slowly shifted into more of a friendly hangout.
"Wait, so you can eat metal?" Weiss asked, staring at Penny in shock.
Penny, bright as ever and clearly happy that everyone was taking an interest in her—even as an android—nodded eagerly.
"That's right! But honestly, it doesn't taste very good, so I don't do it unless I have to."
Asher, leaning against the desk nearby, added, "Penny's stomach doesn't use acid like ours, but the system inside her is way stronger when it comes to breaking things down. Other than a few super tough alloys, she could eat almost anything, even stuff that would make a regular person sick or worse."
Whitley turned to Pietro, curiosity finally winning out.
"How did you even come up with something like that?"
Pietro paused in the middle of polishing his glasses and smiled.
"Well, I had a lot of stomach problems when I was younger—indigestion, food allergies, and I'm lactose intolerant. So when I was designing Penny, I wanted to make sure she could enjoy whatever she liked, without limits. And now, with how much she loves ice cream, I'd say it worked out."
"Yup!" Penny chimed in, beaming.
"Ice cream and yogurt are my favorites. Oh, and pudding!"
"You know, it's really sweet when you think about it. Having a daughter and making sure she can enjoy everything in life." Weiss's praise was aimed at Pietro, catching him a bit off guard.
"Hm? Oh… well, thank you," he said after a moment, slipping his glasses back on.
The conversations went on, full of jokes, laughter, and the occasional question.
At some point, Asher glanced at his watch while Whitley was telling a story about Weiss's first live piano recital, which also happened to be the only time she ever completely bombed a performance.
"You should have seen it," Whitley teased, "she froze up on stage, just staring off into space."
Penny giggled at the thought.
"It's so hard to picture that. Weiss always seems so confident," Penny said.
Weiss, being the butt of the joke, frowned, but she couldn't hide her smile.
"Hey, not everyone's born confident! Well, maybe some people are. Like Asher. I can't imagine him any other way."
That drew everyone's attention to Asher, who looked up from his watch.
"Hm? Oh, trust me, I was a completely different person four years ago," he said.
But even after hearing that, Penny thought for a second, then shook her head.
"I don't know. I think I'm with Weiss on this one. I just can't imagine it."
Whitley nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, same here. By the way, what's with you and that watch?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I've got a meeting with Liv soon, but I wanted to make sure I dropped you two off at home first," Asher explained.
Penny's expression fell a little as she looked down. "Oh, does that mean you're all leaving soon?"
"Afraid so," Asher said, reaching over to give her a gentle pat on the head.
Whitley went quiet for a moment, thinking, then spoke up.
"How about we add Penny to our group chat? That way, we can all keep in touch—and maybe set up more get-togethers."
Weiss perked up right away, clapping her hands together.
"That's a great idea, Whitley!"
"I'm fine with it if you two are," Asher added with a small smile.
"Wait—a group chat? Really? I can join?" Penny sounded a little disbelieving.
"Of course you can. We're friends. And I have a bunch of recommendations I want to send you—if Whitley stops interfering," Weiss said.
"It's not interfering. I was saving her from your terrible taste," Whitley shot back, though there was a hint of a smirk.
Neither of them noticed how Penny's eyes sparkled the moment Weiss called her a friend.
That word meant more to Penny than almost anything else, ever since she decided for herself what friendship truly meant after hearing stories about it. It was part of why Asher was so important to her.
And now, she had even more friends—people who felt comfortable around her, even knowing who she really was. She didn't even have to ask if they wanted her there; they just did.
It filled her with a bright, joyful feeling, and she couldn't help but grin.
Connecting to the group chat was easy for Penny. She didn't even need a scroll—she could just tap into any nearby CCTS node and send messages or voice recordings whenever she wanted.
Not too long after, it was time to head out. Weiss and Whitley grabbed their coats, bundling up to face the freezing Mantle air. They'd taken off most of their layers in Pietro's shop, since it was always kept so warm inside.
As Penny and Pietro walked them to the door, Penny said, "I hope you guys can come back soon."
"I'm sure they'll have plenty of chances, dear," Pietro replied, smiling.
"Certainly. And if anything, we could invite you to our home next time," Whitley added. The suggestion got a look from Weiss—not a bad one, just surprised.
It made sense. Whitley was never antisocial, but besides her and Asher, he hadn't really gotten close to many people. Weiss knew he'd changed lately, but maybe she hadn't realized just how much until now.
The three of them stepped outside, shivering a little as soon as they hit the cold sidewalk.
Penny stood next to Pietro, waving brightly.
"Bye!"
All three waved back before heading off toward the convoy.
"That was… interesting," Whitley said once they were a little ways down the street.
"Yeah, but it was fun," Weiss agreed, and Whitley nodded.
"I'm just glad you two enjoyed yourselves. For a second, I thought you and Penny were going to be an issue," Asher teased, glancing over at Weiss.
"Oh, really? And why's that?" She shot back, eyebrow raised.
Instead of answering, Asher just smirked and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close as they walked. Their sides touched, and when he spoke again, his words were right in her ear.
"Weiss Schnee, is that jealousy I hear?"
"W- What? No!" Weiss protested, a bit flustered.
"Yes," Whitley chimed in, matter-of-fact.
Asher just laughed, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"Well, either way, there's nothing to be jealous about."
Weiss let out a sigh.
"It's not you I'm worried about."
She didn't say more as the three of them reached the armored truck and climbed inside. As they got in, the scattered bodyguards who'd been watching the area started talking quietly among themselves and making their way back.
Whitley settled into his seat across from the two of them as Asher checked his watch again.
"Looks like we've still got time. I should be able to drop you both off," he said.
But Whitley raised his hand.
"Actually, could you drop me off somewhere in Mantle instead? At the Schnee Dust Company branch downtown."
Weiss looked at him, confused.
"Huh?"
Asher didn't show much reaction. He just asked, "Why?"
Whitley took off his hat, setting it down next to him, and folded his hands in his lap before answering.
"Coming down here to Mantle has been… eye-opening for me. I can't really explain it, but I don't understand how things ended up like this when Atlas is doing so well. I know what Father says, and I've seen the news, but if the Schnee Dust Company is charging people just so they can heat their homes… then what else is going on down here?"
As he spoke, Whitley's tone shifted, his gaze drifting past Weiss and Asher to the frost-covered streets outside. It was hard to tell if the roads ever got plowed, or if the ice was just broken up from all the traffic. The sidewalks were a mess, and the buildings weren't much better—cracked and worn down.
"Don't get me wrong," Whitley added, "I'm not a saint. But honestly, all of this just seems… inefficient. Sloppy, even. With how much influence our family has here in Mantle, this isn't how a city should run. I want to look at the company's records downtown, see if I can get a better understanding of what's actually happening."
There was logic behind his words, maybe a bit of self-reflection too. Whether he was convincing himself or genuinely searching for answers didn't really matter.
Asher nodded slightly.
"Guess we're on the same page, then." His own thoughts weren't so different from Whitley's.
Asher always saw potential, even in broken things. So when he looked at Mantle, he saw a city with greatness hidden beneath the surface, slowly being corroded and falling apart a little more each day.
"Hmph, please. No need to pretend," Whitley said, a sly grin on his face.
"Isn't this why you brought us down here? To open our eyes?" Asher glanced at Weiss upon hearing that. She didn't look surprised by Whitley's words, or by the way Asher didn't deny it.
For their age, both siblings were sharp prodigies, no other way to put it. Maybe not quite at Asher's level, but that wasn't a fair comparison.
"I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from the Schnee siblings," Asher said with a small shake of his head and a wry smile.
Once all the bodyguards had returned, Asher told the driver to take them downtown to the Schnee Dust Company branch in Mantle. The ride didn't take long—barely half an hour.
As they drove, the scenery changed. Through the windows, tall buildings and skyscrapers began to fill the view, giving this part of Mantle a completely different feel. It wasn't as polished as Atlas, but right at the center, Mantle looked like a real metropolis. Neon-lit billboards flashed against the sides of buildings, their glow coloring the streets below.
The convoy soon pulled up in front of the Schnee Dust Company. The building wasn't the tallest around, but it was far from small, with the company logo standing out front like a statue for everyone to see.
As Whitley got ready to get out, Asher asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to have someone wait with you?"
Whitley shook his head.
"No, I'll be fine. I may not have spent much time in Mantle before, but trust me—we have plenty of ways to get around, down here and up in Atlas."
"If you say so," Asher replied with a shrug. The truck's door slid open automatically as Whitley stepped out into the cold. Instead of heading straight for the building, he paused on the sidewalk, taking in the sights for a moment.
"Whitley," Weiss called, leaning out the door toward her brother.
He glanced back as she said, "Be careful, and don't catch a cold, alright?"
Hearing that, Whitley paused for a moment and nodded.
"I'll be fine, don't worry." With that, he started toward the building. The doorman at the revolving entrance noticed him, looking puzzled at first—until he caught sight of Whitley's unmistakable hair and formal clothes. Recognition flickered across his face.
Without missing a beat, the doorman stepped forward and motioned for Whitley to follow, saying something neither Asher nor Weiss could hear from the car.
"Looks like he'll be fine," Asher said as he closed the door and told the driver to head for the airships. The convoy pulled away, leaving just him and Weiss in the back seat.
Weiss was unusually quiet at first, and Asher glanced over to see her deep in thought.
"What's on your mind?" He asked, nudging her gently with his shoulder.
She snapped out of it, turning to him.
"Nothing, really. Just… I agree with a lot of what Whitley said. Mantle… It's so much worse than I ever imagined. I don't even know what I thought this city was like before. All my ideas about Mantle have been completely off my whole life." Asher nodded, letting her know he was listening.
"I get it. So now that you've seen what Mantle is really like—at least a little—what do you want to do about it?"
"I-" Weiss hesitated, thinking for a second.
"I want to try to help. I want to make things better, but…" She trailed off, her gaze shifting to the window and the city rushing by.
"But I don't know how. It just seems so big. I don't even know where to start."
"Well, I could probably help with that," Asher offered.
"I mean, making Mantle better—easier to live in. Changing the crater, fixing the city… that's part of why I started my company in the first place. And you're the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Throw your brother into the mix, and honestly, I don't see why we couldn't make things better for everyone down here."
As he spoke, Asher reached over and took Weiss's hand, gently threading his fingers through hers.
"So, you want to help me with that?" Their eyes met, and Weiss saw that familiar intensity in Asher's gaze—the same look he always had when he was deep into a project or sharing his ambitions. It wasn't excitement, or hope, or even idealism. It was pure determination—the thing that had drawn her to him in the first place.
Faced with that, how could she say no?
"Yeah. I do," Weiss whispered.
As for what happened next, Weiss couldn't really say. Maybe it was that hint of jealousy she'd felt seeing him with Penny, or maybe it was just the mood—the two of them alone together for once after a while. Before she knew it, she had leaned over in her seat, surprising Asher for a moment.
Then she kissed him, pressing up against his side. He only hesitated a moment before responding, one hand slipping around to her waist and pulling her closer. Heat rushed through her, even more intense with the heavy clothes she wore.
When they finally broke apart, Weiss was left breathless, panting softly.
"It's been a while since 'that' night, huh?" Asher murmured, his voice low and teasing, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Want to make up for lost time?" He asked, making Weiss's eyes go wide as she glanced at him, then around the car.
"W-what? You mean… here, during the drive?"
Asher nodded, leaning in a little.
"Why not? The windows are tinted, the driver can't see back here, and… we're still a good distance from the airship dock. It'll be fun."