A very sterile large room. Red dull lighting, just strong enough to ensure that the room's occupants would not easily trip on any otherwise unseen object. The reflection of the red lighting off the shined and buffed floors made for an interesting environment. Multiple cylindrical test tubes, large enough to fit an adult human or faunus lined the wall opposite from the doors. Cat faunus children fill these cylenders, one per tube. The interior of the liquid fulled tubes had a red glow to it, probably due to interior lighting. Consoles filled the room, presumably to sustain the series of naked test subjects which occupied the cylinders. The cylinders were shaded below the collarbone, a feature perhaps temporarily used for the guests known to be coming. People wearing lab coats and name tags, occupying the space behind the computer consoles. Two young girls, of ages four and six trail their father. The younger of the two somewhat clinging to her older sister. Both girls in their nightgowns, the father in his suit.

"Daddy, why are the boys in the bottles naked?"

Smiling down on his blunt and rarely shy daughter, came a simple response.

"Because the men in the lab coats said they need to be."

After a somewhat brief silence, came another question from the same girl. Adjusting her white skirt and shifting in the high heels that she found most uncomfortable, the innocence in her voice was almost heavy.

"Daddy, why are there boys in giant bottles?"

Dropping down to one knee, the father came to face his daughter.

"The men in the lab coats are good at what they do. I wanted them to make me better guards. You remember how... Disloyal guards made your mother go away, right?"

Nodding again in a somewhat somber matter, the explanation continued even further.

"Weiss, we found that making guards of our own, and changing them from the very beginning to promise to make very good guards."

Tilting her head to one side in a quizzical manner, the young Schnee offered yet another question.

"The boys in the giant bottles... They're all faunus... Like the guards, that made mommy go away..."

The bitterness in the voice of Weiss's father was nearly palatable, the answer more so a retort than the wise answer that the young girl had really needed.

"Those... Things were broken. So I broke them, and used something called their DNA to make new guards. These ones are better. From rebirth, these men in white coats will teach them better than any real parent. We. Will. Be. Safe."

Somewhat fearful, came a gentle reproach from the daughter. Some of the scientists had begun to quietly listen in, much to both of the Schnee's awareness.

"Daddy... You hurt people? Thats wrong..."

Rising to his feet with a certain anger and strength, came a decision which would shape the Schnee reality for many years to come.

"This is the penance that those men had paid for breaking this family. I chose irony to be their punishment, yes... I chose this for us three. What hurt us will become what protects us. You now have two options. Be a good girl, and apologize for your disrespect, and I will award you with a unique guard, these men will teach him in ways that you will find less cruel. That, or remain with something more of... My own choosing."

Walking up to a test tube, staring up at one of the modified faunus children under genetic modification, she carefully looked at the boy's face. It seemed gentle. Peaceful. His hairless head and cat ears reminded Weiss of the young pets that one of her friends kept. The girl knowing her father, this boy had something of a brutal life ahead of him. But if she swallowed this early notion of pride she carried, she could help someone.

"I'm sorry, daddy..."

Many Years Later

Scrambling in a semi-composed manner, the now older Weiss was running through her vast bedroom, dishing countless orders of clothes to pack to a series of nearly identical looking cat faunus teenagers. The dress boots and primarily black wear of these dark haired teenagers, paired with the sadistic subtle gleam in their eyes made for very intimidating and potentially dangerous With Weiss in her regular wear and the dozen faunus in their uniforms as ordered by "Mr. Schnee". Asides from the somewhat different facial structure of the boys in black, only their nametags which each had individual numbers marked on them carried any suggestion of individuality. The only thing that stood out in this situation, was one individual faunus dressed in dark jeans, a plain collared t-shirt, similar to the other male cat faunus only in footwear.

However, there was one other factor which made the casually dressed faunus stand out from there others. His voice was a bit deeper, the tone of his voice gentle in comparison to the potentially blood thirsty teenagers that reeked of military-esque organization. There was no question that you could have a conversation with this particular faunus without fearing for your life. Pausing, this unique faunus approached Weiss with a name tag on his chest. It read as: "0-4-2".

"Perhaps it would be best if you conserved your voice, and used your scroll to delegate orders rather than straining your voice any further, Miss."

The faunus was right. The concept of packing in preparation for her first day at Beacon was already tense. Verbally organizing her father's thugs could be stressful, particularly on her vocal cords. The answer which the heiress would provide stood as proof of the degree to which the girl's nerves were pressured.

"What... Do you mean?"

Offering a gentle, understanding smile, the faunus continued.

"Your scroll can send direct commands to us, isn't that right?

Pressing his index finger to the side of his temple, the cat faunus reminded Weiss of the control chips implanted at the tip of their spines. This meant that any Schnee could force these faunus to any command, overriding their very minds provided that they were in wireless range by the use of their scroll. Speaking to the droned humanoids was simply a waste of time when at the press of the button for simpler commands, or perhaps a written message for the more complex orders, the very will of these beings would be lost. The only condition, was as to who controlled what droned faunus. Both Weiss and her sister Winter each had one faunus to themselves. Their father, however, effectively had an armed service.

"Send me a list of what you want through your scroll, and I'll coordinate the others in packing. Take a break, Miss Schnee, relax."

A light grin threatening to break across Weiss's lips, the girl conceded to her servant by an extent.

"You know I hate using these things, unit 0-4-2. I'll write a list on paper instead."

Tilting his head slightly forward, the faunus unit of designation 0-4-2 answered gratefully.

"The compassion you offer to us drones is remarkable. You yourself are aware of how the scroll commands feel... Cold."

Once getting paper and pen and hastily scribbling out a list, Weiss handed the paper to the unique faunus unit. After doing so, she left her room to the slaved faunus, thinking to herself as she walked.

It hurts me more than it hurts you.