A/N:

Hey guys, welcome to the second installment of my little passion project. I am overwhelmed by the positive responses that you guys gave for the first chapter! You have no idea just how terrified I was when it came to writing acceptable OC's and giving them a proper, likable personality.

The way the next few chapters will go is essentially introducing the main characters, that being team RWBY. First, we have Weiss and this is only because her backstory is the one that changes the most. Then we will have Blake next and then finish with Ruby and Yang in one chapter. I kind of structure it in order of those who have changed the most, to those who have changed the least. Besides, Ruby and Yang still grow up together in this story, and it didn't really make any sense for me to split it into two chapters when the two have very similar experiences.

On another note, I would like to say I had no intention of making Weiss's backstory/trailer this long. It really has no business being more than 10k words but it just kind of came out that way. She was the one who has changed the most from this, so it felt right to write her first. There was a lot to get through. Also, once again, please bear with me here, these introductory/trailer chapters are quite exposition heavy.

That's enough of my rambling. On with the story!


Chapter Two: White

"Winter?"

The teen in question slowed her movements, the hairbrush in her hand coming to a temporary halt at the strange, downtrodden tone. A frown crossed her face as she leaned to the side to peer at her younger sister's features. The child had her knees tucked close to her chest as she sat on a chair facing a mirror. Winter couldn't help but notice the despair in her eyes. No normal four year old should be displaying such serious emotions, yet her sister was far from normal.

"Yes, Weiss?" Winter replied, returning to brushing her sister's silver hair. She often took great pleasure in spending such quality time with her sister. She was unable to do such things with Whitley, seeing as he was a boy. Brushing Weiss's hair was a treat in normality, a break from her stressful teenage years. Winter cherished every moment she got to spend with her sister. Weiss loved her to bits, and the two practically did everything together. Winter made sure that whatever she was doing, Weiss would be able to join in as well. It was her duty as an older sister to ensure so.

"Why does everyone hate me?"

The question took Winter by surprise, so much so that her breath hitched in her throat and forced her actions to stop immediately. A sense of dread bubbled inside of her as her arms fell out of Weiss's hair and down to her sides. The small girl sat absolutely still, refusing to even move. Winter quickly moved around to the front of her, to see trails of tears starting to stream down her face. The look practically melted Winter's heart as she leaned in and embraced her younger sister.

"Oh, Weiss…" Winter whispered calmly. "What happened?"

The four-year-old unfolded her knees and let them dangle over the edge of the seat, leaning forward and sinking into Winter's embrace. She sobbed into her older sister's shoulder and tried her best not to cry, but unfortunately, she was unable to control her emotions properly. The waterworks began, and once again, Winter found herself being the only available crutch for the girl. If only their mother had done her job properly. Winter would have bet her family's fortune to guess that Willow Schnee was out in the garden drowning herself in exquisite wines and other toxic beverages.

"Father yelled at me again," Weiss mumbled into Winter's shoulder. "He called me a filthy animal… I just wanted a new toy."

The teenage Schnee pulled her younger sister closer to her chest, in a desperate attempt to convey her feelings of love. However, despite her attempts, it seemed like she was unable to shield Weiss from all the hatred this world was capable of producing. Winter couldn't help but allow her disgust and loathing for Jacques to grow the more he mistreated Weiss and ignored her. She had seen it multiple times, and it was only getting worse. Weiss wasn't even allowed outside and was confined to the walls of the Mansion. This place was a prison, and Winter couldn't do anything but try to make it seem like everything was okay.

"He's wrong, Weiss. You are nothing like what he described you as. You are my sister and a member of the Schnee family. Father can be… a bit forward with his words, but he is our father. You probably just caught him at a bad time," Winter smiled, a pang of guilt raging through her as she lied through her teeth. Weiss couldn't know. It would destroy her. It was no secret that Jacques despised her very existence, and Winter couldn't help but hate him for his reasons.

On the fateful day of her birth, Weiss Schnee had swiftly split her family apart.

No one had realized the implications this birth would have on the family, and no one suspected what disastrous effects this could have had on the Schnee lineage. Jacques wasn't willing to risk the prestigious title of the Schnee name with this event, so he swept it under the rug, and paid off everyone involved with the birth to keep silent about it. Willow Schnee couldn't have been more distressed. The birth of Weiss was akin to burning a bridge between herself and her husband. Accused of having an affair outside of their marriage, Jacques was beginning to make arrangements to have them unofficially divorced.

For Weiss Schnee, was born with a tail. A long brown appendage, protruding from the small baby girl's backside.

A faunus in the Schnee family.

Jacques couldn't think of anything more horrifying.

Winter had eventually learned from eavesdropping, that Jacques had planned on having the tail surgically removed, but any medical professional he queried about it, either flat-out refused or cursed the man for his disgusting outlook on faunus. There was a moral line most doctors and surgeons were not willing to cross when it came to operations on faunus. Removing what essentially made them a faunus had been made illegal after riots and protests from the White Fang and other equal rights rallies. Needless to say, Jacques was unable to bribe or blackmail anyone into proceeding with his demands.

The man was smart, and never actually mentioned that it was Weiss that he wanted to be operated on. Knowing that he was playing a risky game with the laws and ethics of the matter, he dropped it entirely and allowed Weiss to keep her tail. However, this lead to her life being comparable to some kind of prison inmate. She had no freedom, and there were strict rules she was forced to follow that Winter or Whitley never had to deal with.

"I don't like him," Weiss retorted sourly, wiping her tears away. "He's mean."

Winter couldn't help but agree. There was nothing that redeemed Jacques in her eyes. He was a businessman before a father, and Winter wasn't able to think of anything worse than a father that placed his power and money before his family.

"I know, Weiss. He is still our father, and we must treat him with respect. If you do not, he will only make things more difficult for the both of us," Winter retorted with a small smile. Weiss pouted childishly as she and Winter separated from the hug. The younger Schnee crossed her arms, frowning as she did so. Winter caressed the girl's cheek, brushing a few strands of silver hair out of her eyes. "After dinner, come to my room and maybe we can play some games. I promise, you can pick out your favorites."

Weiss's eyes lit up as she nodded vigorously.

"You really mean it!?"

"Absolutely," Winter retorted, relieved that Weiss had lightened up a bit. "Now, I must be off. Behave yourself while I'm gone. I must go meet with father. He is expecting me very soon. I will see you after dinner Weiss," the older Schnee finished as she made her way to the door. Weiss merely tackled her, giving her one final hug as Winter returned it lovingly. Parting once more, Winter opened the door and walked out, closing it behind her. No doubt Weiss would be playing with her toys for a while, so that gave her time to rest.

An exhausted look overcame her features as she dropped her head and strolled towards her father's office for another few private lessons in politics. On her way there, she couldn't help but recall the earlier days of Weiss's toddler years. Those had been much more difficult for her. Winter had practically given up her childhood to ensure that Weiss survived hers.

During those first few years after Weiss's birth, Winter was forced to watch from the sidelines while all of this played out. Not being nearly old enough to be considered an adult, the most she could do was ensure that her sister was happy. Even at the expense of her own childhood and happiness, Winter was not willing to let Weiss's identity as a faunus be a factor for neglect and abuse.

Winter had often looked to her mother, confused as to why she would have the drive to cheat on her father like that. Despite her young age, Winter had made sure she was well acquainted with the way the world works. If she was to inherit the Schnee name, and its business, she would need to know all the ins and outs of politics, and have a vast intellect in the nature of life on Remnant. However, this was something she just could not understand. She was aware Willow and Jacques used to fight quite often, but not as much as they had been doing so since Weiss was born. However, there always seemed to be a bond between the two.

Now it was gone.

The two could hardly stand being in the same room as each other. Winter absolutely hated it. The fact that this had been caused because her youngest sister had a tail of all things. Why did it matter? To her, Jacques seemed more angry about the fact that Weiss had a tail than the fact that Willow had gone behind his back and had an affair. While it disgusted Winter to talk to either of her parents, based on how they were acting, she knew it was her job to ensure that her lovely brother and sister grew up with a happy life. She would gladly sacrifice her childhood to make sure those two had one.

However, as the months went on, Winter found it increasingly more difficult to follow her destined path as the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, and give her younger brother and sister the time of day. Often, she found herself having to give up time on the former, for the latter, and that was something she was constantly reprimanded for by Jacques. Willow had grown quiet and often kept to her quarters in her own personal study after the unofficial divorce. Winter would often find countless bottles of wine strewn across the room when she wanted to check in on how she was doing.

Because of this, Willow was unable to feed Weiss properly, so she was put on formula, something which Weiss completely detested. The toddler would throw the bottles across the room with surprising amounts of strength, but eventually, when she learned she wasn't getting anything else, the baby clearly resigned to drinking the horrid stuff. Winter couldn't blame her, it smelled awful and processed. Jacques hadn't even taken the time to find a good brand for her to drink, and as Winter got older, her hatred for her parents grew. Both of them tried their best to ignore Weiss, Jacques especially. Whitley got all the praise, and Winter was left to protect Weiss herself.

It was then when she made up her mind.

The Heiress title could burn for all she cared.

Jacques was a selfish, inconsiderate man, and Willow was too caught up in her own depression to notice how badly Weiss was suffering. She would grow strong enough to care for her younger sister, seeing as Jacques had put all his attention into Whitley. He had seemingly taken the hint that Winter was no longer interested in assuming the role he was building for her. The only path forward for her now was to take advantage of her own intellect and find uses elsewhere for it. Thankfully, the Atlas Military sounded like a good option for her, but that meant leaving Weiss behind.

But there was nothing else for her, and she needed to build her own life. Before she could truly help Weiss, she needed to help herself.

She tried her hardest to bond with Weiss, essentially becoming her emotional rock for the younger Schnee. The little girl practically stuck to Winter like glue. She followed her everywhere and constantly needed her around. It was a surprise to Winter as Weiss started getting older that the girl started taking an interest in combat. After seeing the Vytal Festival on the television, she had become almost obsessed with the idea of training and practicing. The dream and desire to become a huntress had bloomed within her.

With Weiss's attention not solely on Winter anymore, the older Schnee took this opportunity to pursue her own desires.

Announcing her departure to the Atlas Military -something she had discussed with General Ironwood- she informed her family she would be absent for just about four years, with little opportunity to return home due to the rigorous training regime she had been given. Jacques was livid with her decision, while Willow completely understood where she was coming from, and decided to support her venture. Whitley didn't care as much as she thought he would, but Weiss…

The look on the youngest Schnee's face almost brought Winter to tears.

After the news, Weiss left and returned to her room. She even refused to say goodbye as Winter packed up and left. Knowing that Weiss was hurt, Winter decided to leave behind a note, promising Weiss that she would return the moment she was allowed, and for her to stay strong and keep training. Training and practicing combat techniques seemed to be almost second nature to Weiss from what Winter observed of her. The girl would practice in her room when she wasn't allowed out. Despite being so young, Winter had seen monumental talent inside of her, just waiting to be given the proper direction.

Unfortunately, that direction was something she couldn't provide, and when she said her goodbyes to the family, Weiss hadn't even bothered to see her off, something which hurt her deeply, but she understood why. Maybe it was selfish of her to pursue something she desired, but Winter knew she couldn't spend her entire life catering to Weiss, otherwise, her future would be bleak and pointless. She had to do this, even if Weiss hated her for it. She couldn't imagine what it was going to be like for Weiss to cope on her own with a family that didn't want her. She hoped at least Willow would gather the courage to defend her when needed.

Five years passed swimmingly, and upon her twenty-first birthday, she had officially graduated as one of the top-ranked Atlas specialists.

She was also one of the most dangerous huntresses in Atlas, and her prowess in battle was second to none. She was Winter Schnee, serving under General Ironwood himself for the Atlas Military. Not once had she stopped thinking about Weiss or the situation back home. Instead, she used her grief over the situation to fuel the flames of her determination to return home and set things right. She would even take Weiss away from there if the situation called for it. She would not leave the one piece of that family she loved so dearly to endure any more emotional pain.

She just hoped that Weiss was strong enough to withstand what Jacques threw her way.

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Winter had walked out this door when she was sixteen, and now here she was, twenty-one years old. Standing at the front door, hesitant to even raise her hand to open it. The Schnee mansion.

It hadn't changed one bit.

Jacques was not the only person in the family that now held significant power. Winter had carved out a name for herself, along with a decent amount of support for the Atlas Military. While her father currently ran the Dust Company that held a large monopoly of the market, she also held a large influence over the Military that practically ran the Kingdom. Her father wouldn't dare raise a hand against her like he had done in the past. It was no secret that the Schnee family was rather dysfunctional, but it still held a power that people couldn't challenge.

While she was dismissed as the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, she still held the name of Schnee. That in itself held power, which now had a grip over the military, thanks to her. They were loyal to her, not Jacques. He was a politician, and she made sure there were no politics when she was in charge. No longer would she live a life under his rule. She was the master of her own fate now, and she welcomed Jacques to try and take that privilege away from her.

She walked with grace, swiftly down the corridors of the Schnee mansion, holding a long metal specialist briefcase in her right hand. She passed by Weiss's room and quickly took a peek inside after hearing silence from the outside. The bedroom was still filled with old toys, a queen sized bed that Winter had fought tooth and nail to get Jacques to buy for her. However, from memory, most of it looked the same, there wasn't anything new that the older Schnee could point out. She wasn't sure what to think of this. Winter closed the door and set off towards her father's office.

Arriving at the door, she didn't bother knocking as she opened it. Her father glanced up from his desk, which was littered with paperwork and other documents. He looked just as busy as he normally did. Nothing much had changed about him except some of the gray sprouts that were starting to show in his hair. Other than that, he looked exactly the same as the day she had left. Over the last five years, the two had shared enough phone calls that Winter could count them on both hands, and when they did, it was always something to do with business. Winter sat the briefcase at the door, strolling towards her father with her hands at her side, and a stern frown on her face.

"Ah… Winter. You have definitely grown," Jacques stated with a proud smile. Winter merely continued to stare at him, her facial features unchanging. While he had been extremely angry at her for giving up her position as a Heiress to pursue her own desires, her actions had brought more prestige to the Schnee name. It disgusted her that it seemed to be the only thing he cared about. "How goes your… profession? I hear you are highly ranked amongst your peers."

"I'm the best amongst all my peers, father," Winter retorted calmly. "General Ironwood holds me in high regard, and I am officially second in command when he is incapable of fulfilling his duties. He appointed me himself," she continued. Winter noted her father's unchanging features.

"I would expect nothing less from you. You are a Schnee of course," Jacques replied quickly. There was a moment of silence between the two of them. The older meeting the younger's glare with equal fierceness.

"Where is Weiss?" Winter questioned. The moment the name left her mouth, she could see the man visibly frown. The proud look he wore on his face fading away at the mention of the youngest Schnee's name. Winter took no surprise to this, seeing as she saw little reason for his attitude to ever change. The man hated faunus, mainly for what the White Fang had done to his family. Slander and defamation was a popular choice for the White Fang to try and damage their prestigious name. Despite them claiming to be a peaceful organization, some of their actions as of the last couple of years had been incredibly violent.

"Where she always is. The gym. I suppose you want to see her?" Jacques questioned in an uncaring fashion.

"Of course I want to see her. She is my sister," Winter retorted sharply. Winter practically dared the man to say something she could catch him out with. She wanted nothing more than for Jacques to give her a reason for her to lash out at him, but that didn't seem to be the case considering he looked relatively calm about the situation. Normally when Weiss was brought up, he would turn angry and threaten to lash out at a moment's notice. For the first couple of years, it was almost impossible to have Weiss and Jacques at the same dinner table. Eventually, the younger Schnee opted to have her food in her room.

Winter ate with her as much as she possibly could, but some nights, Weiss preferred to eat alone.

"Then by all means," Jacques gestured to the door behind him. "I'm not stopping you. Do take a moment to say hello to Whitley when you get the chance. He is family after all."

"Are you implying that Weiss isn't family, Jacques?" Winter practically hissed. The Schnee patriarch sat calmly in his chair, letting the accusation sink in. Winter chastised herself for letting that comment push her like that. She had taken the first step in the argument, automatically putting Jacques at an advantage.

Winter watched his lips curl, a disgusting feeling crawling up her spine as he did so. The man unfolded his arms and leaned back in his chair, placing his arms on the armrests of his expensive leather chair. A flash of arrogance and pride crossed his eyes as he looked at Winter, admiring her strict posture and regal attitude. If Winter had stayed, no doubt she would have become even better than he was at his current position.

"Look at you… walking in here like you own the place," his face contorted into a sneer. "Just because you have training and a respectable rank in the Atlesian Military, doesn't mean you get to talk to me on equal ground. You are still my daughter. Do not forget where you came from, Winter," the man warned. Winter had to admit, that tone terrified her. She had heard it all her childhood, and she always associated that tone with her father's anger. He used it with his business associates when he was disappointed in them, and he used it with his family for equal reasons.

"Do not take me for a fool," Winter shot back. Jacques's eyes slightly widened at the disrespect she was displaying. "I will never forget where I came from, and what I had to endure in this poor excuse of a family. The day Weiss was born, you refused to even look at her… all because she was born as a faunus. I accept that my mother was foolish for sleeping with another when she had made vows to only be with you, but that does not give you the right to treat Weiss so poorly for something out of her control," she growled, finally taking a stance on the matter. All those years she had been far too scared to confront her father about the matter. Now she was grown up, and a distinguished leader in the Atlesian Military.

She wasn't about to back down now and fall into old, submissive habits.

"I remember picking up your slack," Winter continued angrily, Jacques's hands squeezing his armrests until his knuckles went white. "Where both you, and mother had failed. I tried to give Weiss a childhood that I knew she was never going to receive from either of you. I sacrificed my childhood so she could have one, but it seems that even then, I wasn't enough to shield her pain. I hoped you were a better man than that, but evidently, I was wrong." she sneered. She watched the rage induced expression cross Jacques's features, painting a satisfied smirk on her face. Before he could even open his mouth to respond, she decided to keep going.

"Don't you dare remind me where I came from. I will never forget for as long as I live. I am glad that I broke free from the tormenting lifestyle you were trying to build for me. I have only returned to see how my sister is doing, and maybe give my younger brother some advice, so he isn't brainwashed by you. However, I know you like Whitley, so I'm not concerned with his safety. I'm more concerned with Weiss's. I will be offering her to join me when I leave tonight. Hopefully, then, she will be able to finally see the world for what it is, instead of being caged behind the bars of this mansion I have no doubt you've kept her in," Winter finished. Jacques slowly stood out of his seat, a furious look in his eyes.

"You will NOT be taking that animal outside the walls of this household!" Jacques roared. "I will not have the name I've tried so hard to protect be smeared by some illegitimate child! She will stay here where she belongs!"

Winter smirked, knowing she had won this conversation now that he had lost his temper. She turned, and slowly strolled towards the door. She picked up the briefcase she had left to the side and reached for the door.

"Do you hear me, Winter!? Answer me you insolent child!"

Winter stopped, inches away from the door. After a few moments, she turned.

"Watch me."

Before Jacques could answer, she exited the room and used her semblance to deadlock the door behind her. Part of her hoped her father would rot inside that office forever, but she knew better. One of the more talented servants they had staffed around the building would come and unlock it for him. Winter had often deadlocked the door when she had tantrums and walked out on her father. She knew he would be in there for the rest of the day. Ignoring the echoes of her father's screams of anger, she made her way towards the stairwell to head for the basement, seeing as that's where the gym had been installed.

Something told her that Weiss wasn't going to be the same person she had left behind five years ago.

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The longer she walked down these flights of stairs, the more anticipation she was starting to feel for reuniting with her sister.

She hadn't received any letters from her since she had left, but then again, Weiss wasn't the kind to write letters. She preferred the physical approach to things. She had been like that since she was just a baby. Winter had noted she was incredibly strong for a toddler, and that strength had only gotten more impressive as time went by. If Weiss had kept up her dedication with her training, Winter was eager to see how far along her younger sister had come. Weiss had often expressed her interest in becoming a huntress before Winter had left to join the Atlesian Military.

However, she could not help but entertain that foreboding feeling that perhaps Weiss was not too happy with her. Regardless, she was more than willing to take whatever her younger sister threw at her. Weiss was really the only family she cared about anyway. Whitley was too busy meeting his father's demands to care for anyone but himself, and her parents had already displayed their more selfish qualities to warrant Winter's disapproval.

Without hesitation, she pushed open the door to the gym and was greeted by an incredible sight.

Weiss Schnee was standing in the middle of a demolished, scarred and butchered training arena. There were various pieces of gym equipment lying about the place -some of it was broken- including the many machines they had. Upon further inspection, Winter could see that the signs of damage were probably caused by Weiss. It looked like someone had forcibly ripped apart some of the metal in fits of rage. Winter's eyes eventually drifted back to Weiss, who was standing incredibly still, in the center of the arena.

The girl had her silver hair tied up like Winter had originally taught her. She wore a white tank top, and black skin-tight shorts with an expertly cut hole in the back of them to let her tail through. Said brown appendage was waving about behind her in a relaxed manner. Winter had noted early on that her tail didn't exactly reflect any of her emotions, and Weiss even claimed sometimes that it had a mind of its own. However, shortly before Winter had left, Weiss had learned to control it.

She absently turned her head at the sound of a door opening.

"Oh, Winter," she didn't even sound remotely happy to see her. The older Schnee visibly winced, but quickly hid it. Slowly, Winter placed the case down on the floor and took a few steps towards Weiss before stopping. Weiss turned to face her directly, her features stuck in an almost permanent scowl. Somehow, she could have sworn that must have come from her biological father, because neither Jacques nor Willow could muster such a distasteful look. "I wasn't expecting you."

Winter idly wondered if Weiss had meant that she wasn't expecting her to come back.

"I did call ahead to let the family know I was returning for a night. It was the first opportunity that I've been given in years," Winter retorted calmly, letting the words sink in. A brief look flashed across Weiss's face, one of pain and misery. Winter knew immediately that Jacques had opted not to tell Weiss that she was returning, something that brought a hidden anger to the older sibling. Another reason to add to the list of why she hated Jacques. "You look healthy."

"Training six hours a day, six days a week does that to people. It's not like I have anything else better to do. I finished the basic education Jacques was willing to provide me. When I asked for more complicated content, he simply brushed me off, citing that I wouldn't need it," Weiss practically spat, venom lacing her tone. "Doesn't take a genius to figure out that he sees no future for me."

"Weiss…"

"Don't pretend like you care!" Weiss snapped viciously, tears starting to break at the bottom of her eyes. Winter could feel her heartbeat speed up at Weiss's fragile emotional state. What kind of emotional torment had Jacques and the rest of her family put her through? Without her here to protect Weiss, she must have felt like a stranger in her own home! Winter couldn't imagine the kind of hatred she must possess for everything about the Schnee name. The older Schnee wasn't even surprised at the animosity in Weiss's tone towards her.

"Weiss, I have always loved you."

"You LEFT!"

"I couldn't spend the rest of my young adult life waiting for you to grow up so I could take you with me!" Winter shot back, a distressed look in her eyes. "Weiss, I want you to understand. Please… I left because I needed to follow my own path, and I saw you were becoming strong enough to handle yourself. You were-"

"I was eight years old Winter! It wasn't about how strong I was! When you left, you left me with a family that hated me! They've always hated me! My father," Weiss uttered like she had eaten something sour. "Tries to pretend that I don't exist! Whitley finds every opportunity to berate me when my guard is down, and mother is constantly drinking! She's drunk so much she hardly remembers my face anymore!" she cried. Winter could feel the agony in her voice, and it was like Weiss was taking a knife and stabbing her over and over again.

"I never truly realized how bad it was…" Weiss laughed as if the life she lived was some kind of cruel joke. "Because you were always there, trying to make me laugh. You played games with me, did my hair and you even read me stories! You slept in my room when I had nightmares, and you let me into yours when I was scared. You tried to pretend everything was okay when it wasn't. Knowing all of that… you still left," the girl sobbed, tears flowing from her eyes. Weiss wasn't even trying to hold them back anymore.

"You were my hero… and you abandoned me."

"Weiss…" Winter was on the verge of spilling her own tears. "I-I'm sorry. I- I never…" Winter couldn't find the words to explain her situation. She had been thinking for years what to say to Weiss upon her return, and she always knew it was never going to be easy, but this? She could never have imagined that Weiss would have reacted this badly. Perhaps it had crossed her mind, but she always believed that Weiss was strong enough to handle herself upon her leaving. However, she had made such a critical error.

Every parent was terrifying in front of a child, but to Weiss, her father openly ignored her. How could that possibly make a child feel? To have your supposed father figure try and pretend like you didn't exist. Weiss was surrounded by people who had despised her. How could she have been so stupid to leave the one family member she loved the most, alone to fend for herself? It was cruel and moronic. Winter's defenses broke down, her own guilt weighing down upon her, and Weiss's hurtful words had only added to that guilt.

"I don't care anymore," Weiss hissed, forcing Winter to blink through her own tears. "I'm strong enough on my own now. I don't need anyone, and I certainly don't need you anymore. I've grown beyond such petty attachments. I'll live on my own strength, and when I'm old enough, I'll break free of this prison."

Something within Winter snapped, a river of anger rushing through her like a tsunami.

"You don't need me anymore!? I gave up my entire childhood to make sure you had one! How dare you have the audacity to brush aside the sacrifices I made for you!" Winter roared, Weiss recoiling slightly in fear. "If you think you're strong enough to take on the world, then why don't you come over here and prove it to me!" she challenged. Something inside of her felt betrayed on some level. Was Weiss really tossing her away after all she had given up for her?

No… it couldn't be. Weiss was just emotional. Knowing that Weiss loved to fight, Winter knew that sparring would ease the younger girl's mind, as well as her own. Weiss was still young, and now there wasn't any doubt in her mind that her words were just fueled by years of bitter loneliness.

From the looks of it, Weiss had kept up her training, and now Winter wanted to see just how far Weiss had come since she left.

"Fine! You asked for it!" Weiss exploded, she took off, flashing forward towards her sister. Winter was shocked at how fast Weiss had gotten. The younger Schnee threw the first punch, forcing Winter to dodge. Using her rigorous training and combat experience she had gained in the last five years, she knew she would outmatch Weiss in terms of technique. What she was not expecting was Weiss's incredible speed and battle sense!

The two zipped around the gym at supersonic speeds, something that Winter was astounded at. How could Weiss be displaying top level huntress speeds at her age!? She knew she was talented, but this…!? This was absolutely insane! Weiss was almost moving faster than her! In fact-!

Weiss broke through Winter's guard and landed a direct hit on her midsection. Winter skidded back a few meters from the outstanding strength of the blow. She was actually slightly winded, despite the fact her aura was still functioning! Did Weiss hit with enough force to bypass her aura!? Sure, Winter had studied some cases where if the blow was precise enough, some of the force from a strike could certainly bypass a person's aura… but that had only been recorded by professionals, triple Weiss's age!

"What's wrong!?" Weiss appeared on Winter's left side and delivered a devastating kick to her side. Winter actually coughed, finding herself short of even more air than before. "All that training in the Atlesian Military must really be paying off!" Weiss mocked as Winter tumbled and hit the ground. She was quick to recover, however, springing to her feet to see Weiss barreling towards her. Winter had been surprised at first. Weiss was displaying skill levels that of a third-year huntsman, perhaps even a fourth! Even as the fight went on, Weiss was constantly catching up with her, even as she increased her own speed. It was as if Weiss was adapting to the battle conditions as the fight went on!

Winter snarled as Weiss got cocky and overextended. She didn't want to hurt her sister, seeing as she had yet to unlock her aura, but Winter was sure she could handle what she was about to dish out. The older Schnee leaned to the side with surprising speed and tripped the younger girl. Weiss stumbled forward, falling onto Winter's knee which winded her terribly. Winter kicked up, forcing Weiss into the air, and used that momentum to spin kick her again into a wall. Winter's foot found itself in Weiss's lower back, sending the younger girl flying.

Weiss hit the wall, cracking it. Falling to the ground she landed on her feet and got back up without any trouble. Winter was even more impressed with the girl's durability than before! Without her aura, she withstood an attack like that? Just what was she made of? Most, if not all humans or faunus would have certainly been dazed after an impact like that, but Winter knew Weiss was special. She had displayed feats like this in the past before. Winter couldn't help but mumble under her breath.

"Incredible…"

"You think that hurts me!?" Weiss growled, standing up with renewed vigor. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

"She's not even hurt," Winter observed as Weiss stalked towards her. Winter smirked. "Come on then, show me what you've got."

Weiss launched forward, engaging Winter in hand to hand combat. Winter was no stranger to this form of fighting. She had been forced to learn it under the conditions that as an Atlas Specialist, she would be dealing with more than just Grimm. On occasion she would be required to deal with criminals, often some without their aura active. That meant using non-lethal methods of apprehending them, thus her knowledge of hand to hand combat was that of an expert. She had mastered all the basic forms, each taking a little under a year. She was a prodigy amongst her peers and was praised for her hard work and passion.

Now here she was, being pushed to use her vast knowledge to fight her thirteen-year-old sister!

Weiss's form faltered momentarily, and on instinct, Winter took advantage of that, nailing her sister right in the forehead. Weiss stumbled backward, her anger flaring to new heights. She glared at Winter with murderous intent. A growl emitted from her throat, something Winter could only describe as animalistic. It was full of rage and intent to kill, which made her nervous.

Then something strange happened to Weiss.

Her sapphire eyes flashed green, her silver hair momentarily turning blonde. The sudden change caught Winter off-guard, and seeing this, Weiss charged again, completely unaware of what she had just done.

"What was that? She… changed for an instant," Winter thought, momentarily losing focus of the fight. Before Winter had a chance to return her focus to the fight, Weiss was already in front of her, throwing attacks faster than she could see. Winter held her ground against the constant barrage of attacks. It was almost too much, she could feel her aura fading with each strike. She couldn't believe Weiss was doing enough damage to her to chip away her aura like this! Winter watched as Weiss roared once again, she attacked from the side, throwing a devastating hook that clipped through Winter's guard.

The older Schnee was once again sent flying, but not before she countered with her own attack. A glyph appeared under Weiss and exploded, as Winter flew away. It had been by accident that Winter had instinctively resorted to using her semblance. Maybe it was the frustration of being beaten helplessly by her thirteen-year-old sister, that had a seemingly better hand to hand combat skill than her, or maybe it was just her pride screaming at her to fight back properly. She was far more skilled with her weapons anyway, using her semblance in conjunction with that. However, that didn't seem remotely fair to Weiss, who had nothing but her physical combat skills.

The explosion sent Weiss spiraling back, her entire body smoking from the attack. She hit the ground just as hard as Winter did. Both of them were a few meters away from each other. Winter noted with horror that her aura had been depleted from the backlash of her own blast. It had been enough to chip away the remnants of her aura, and somehow, Weiss was still forcing herself to stand up. From the older Schnee's prone position against a wall she had collided with, Weiss was already pushing herself to her feet with a livid expression.

"You think you're better than me!?" Weiss screamed as a wave of heat ripped through the gym. Winter would have been blown backwards if it wasn't for the wall behind her. Instead, she found herself pinned due to the force that was rolling off Weiss in waves. She couldn't understand where all this raw energy was coming from. The heat was unbearable, the constant barrage of hot air pushing into her body and practically squeezing the life out of her.

"You left me behind! I will make you feel all the pain I endured!"

A flaming golden aura erupted around the thirteen-year-old Schnee. The very foundations of the building shook violently, threatening to come down on top of them. Winter blinked away the dust in her eyes to see a golden flame consume her sister. Her physical features changed almost instantly. Her iconic silver hair that the Schnee's were known for turned golden blonde and her sapphire eyes shifted to an emerald green. Her entire body was coated in a yellow flaming aura, her pale skin gleaming at the change. Her hair reflected her wild emotions, various tips standing up defying gravity, her neatly tied ponytail looked like electricity was running through it with how many wild spikes were protruding from it.

Weiss had changed.

Before Winter could even utter a word, Weiss disappeared from sight. Not even a second later, the younger girl appeared directly in front of her. Winter managed to get a good look at the changes she had just undergone. She hadn't noticed before, but even Weiss's tail had changed color to match her hair. A golden tail, to match the golden hair and aura. Winter saw nothing but hate and loathing in her younger sister's eyes. Before she even knew it, she had lost control of her body.

Weiss had bent down and grabbed Winter by her ankle in the blink of an eye and tossed her across the room. Winter didn't even blink when she felt an excruciating pain in her side. Weiss had tossed her and had been fast enough to zip across the room and beat her to where she was going to land. Winter's lower back had landed on her knee, the younger girl then extended her knee, using the momentum she had created to fling Winter into another wall. When the older Schnee collided with the wall, her vision darkened. A brief glance up told her that her impact had cracked the wall.

Now it was her turn to be surprised at just how durable she was.

"Weiss," Winter wheezed, holding up a hand to try and surrender. Winter wasn't a fool, she was beaten. Things might have been different if she had her weapons and had been fighting with her semblance from the start, but she had vastly underestimated how impossibly strong her sister had become. It was almost hard to believe that she was being beaten like this! "Please… you… win," the older Schnee coughed, shooting pain erupting all over her body. She could taste something metallic in her mouth, no doubt the result of some internal bleeding, or maybe she had bit her tongue when Weiss kicked her into a wall.

Her words did not reach the younger Schnee, and Winter could see that Weiss had no intention of stopping the fight. Her small, intimidating frame turned and stalked towards Winter, her eyes promising absolution. Was this really it? If Weiss continued, she was definitely going to die. There was no way her body could hold out against that kind of strength. In a last-ditch effort, Winter used her semblance to summon one of the most durable things she could think of. The head of a Goliath Grimm appeared in front of her just in time to intercept Weiss's fist.

The impact of her attack shook the entire room, as the ghostly image of the Grimm shattered after a few moments. Winter's form faltered, her eyes fluttered closed as she raised her hands in a pathetic attempt to ward off Weiss's monstrous strength. Weiss had broken through her older sister's semblance with moderate difficulty when her attack landed. Weiss's fist impacted the wall, millimeters from Winter's head. When the older Schnee realized she wasn't dead, she opened her eyes to see the conflict in Weiss's eyes. She saw burning anger, sadness, and loneliness.

Had she been in control at all?

"Weiss please," Winter whispered, her voice labored from her injuries. "Just stop… you win."

Slowly, the girl retracted her fist, and the golden aura dispersed. Her golden blonde hair reverted to its normal silver tone, and the wild spikes and flattened out to its normal smooth soft length. Her emerald eyes returned to the familiar sapphire blue that Winter loved, and at the same time, a fresh set of tears started to stream out of her eyes. Winter smiled in relief, blood slightly leaking from the corners of her mouth. Weiss had grown up so much since she had left, Winter couldn't have been more proud of her strength and skill. The only thing that worried her, was her seemingly monstrous power. She had practically no control over it!

"W-Winter? I-I-I-"

Winter, with her remaining strength, managed to pull Weiss into a hug, despite how much it hurt her to do so. The younger girl practically fell into her older sister's embrace, tears streaming down her eyes as she did so. Winter calmed the girl, as her wails and cries echoed in her chest. All the years of emotional torment came pouring out all at once, and Winter, despite her weak, fragile state, was more than willing to shoulder all of her sister's pain. She had practically let herself become Weiss's punching bag and emotional outlet. While the damage she sustained was quite extensive, she had no doubt her aura would regenerate and heal most of the damage done to her.

"I will always love you, Weiss. Nothing will ever change that."

=/=


=/=

It had been difficult, but after the reuniting of both sisters, Winter had made sure she left that night with Weiss.

The younger girl had watched an argument break out between Jacques and Winter once more as she was packing, but ultimately the man could not sway her older sister. The man had even threatened to call the authorities, but Winter had been quick to remind the man that the authorities actually worked for her to some extent. It hadn't been a pretty scene that Jacques had made, but Weiss quickly found herself on a plane with Winter, heading to a different part of Atlas.

Finally, she was free from that accursed home. Not once in her young life had she been allowed to step foot outside the boundaries of the property. Jacques had made sure to keep her locked in her room when the media, or business associates had arrived. She wasn't going to lie when she said she wouldn't miss the place, but she hoped that Klein would be okay. The poor butler had stood up for her many times, and had been the only person she could even remotely call a friend in that hell-hole. However, Jacques had assigned him to Whitley, essentially stripping her of the time he could spend with her. He only managed to see her on the rare occasion.

Winter had even brought her a present, the case she had been carrying around that day. It had been a special weapon that her older sister had ordered to be made for her. The highest quality and materials had been brought together to forge a multi-action Dust Rapier, one Winter had helped her name: Myrtenaster. She wasn't much for weapons, but she would treasure this gift like it was part of her soul. She had never received a present so valuable to her, and for all it was worth, it really showed just how much Winter cared about her. Despite fighting hand to hand coming more naturally to her, she vowed to learn the ways of the sword.

Thankfully, Winter was more than willing to teach her when she had the time.

Weiss was brought to a small apartment, one that Winter had bought with the benefits of her career. While it was Winter's official home when not on duty, Weiss often found that it was rather empty, seeing as Winter seemed to hardly live here. Despite that fact, Winter had made sure to take a month off to live with Weiss and get her reacquainted with the way things worked. The younger Schnee already had a rather basic grasp on personal hygiene. She wasn't a terribly good cook, but she was fussy about keeping things clean, considering that she had no butlers or servants assigned to her. It was up to her to keep her quarters tidy back home.

The two sisters bonded like they never had before. It was a completely different experience for Weiss, and it was a welcoming change for Winter. She was more of a mother figure than Willow ever had been, and now Weiss was seemingly starting to mature. While she knew a lot on her own, she lacked the more... regal standards that Winter had been taught as a child. Manners, for one, was something Weiss was never good at. Winter was astounded at how much the girl ate, comparing her appetite to that of a black hole. Seriously, sometimes she wondered where exactly all the food went.

Naturally, it would be a slow process, teaching Weiss all the elegant mannerisms that a Schnee would have. Weiss despised it, countering with the argument that she hardly considered herself a Schnee, but Winter was having none of it. She came from Schnee blood, despite the fact that she was born from an affair. Her mother had Schnee heritage, and that was all Winter needed to continue pushing Weiss down a pathway of pride and elegance. After the first few months, Weiss was starting to get the message, and adjusted accordingly.

Winter even got an extended vacation, courtesy of General Ironwood, seeing as Jacques had made quite a scene talking to the General about his oldest daughter's behavior. Ironwood had, in the nicest way possible, told the man to grow up, seeing as Winter was an independent adult with a stable, respected career as an Atlesian Specialist, and there was no power he had that he could use over her. Jacques eventually resigned to his fate and dropped the subject altogether, making things easier for everyone involved.

As the months passed, Winter had returned back to her work and Weiss was leisurely living out her days in that small apartment block in the higher district of Atlas. She would often go shopping and because she was wearing Schnee-branded clothing, people always made sure they were wary of her. Not once was she disrespected, but she definitely noticed some of the glares she got. They were few and far between and it never really bothered her. She had come to ignore it, but that didn't stop the rumors from spreading. There were times where she was approached by a few troublemakers, but they left with black eyes and broken noses. Weiss wasn't one to beat around the bush when it came to people who insulted her.

Eventually, Winter started training Weiss using Atlas Academy's facilities. Learning how to use her Rapier came rather slowly to Weiss at first, but once she had picked up the basics, her fighting instinct kicked in and her skill rapidly increased. Winter's expectations had once again been blown away as she watched Weiss train day after day to master the techniques she had been teaching her. Stances, postures, elegance, and level-headedness all came with the mastery of the sword. Weiss's head had to be clear and calm for her to have been able to effectively use her weapon to its maximum potential.

Surprisingly, Weiss had started mixing her own fighting style in with her rapier style combat. She demolished training units with ease, something she had done with her eyes closed! Winter had no choice but to admit that Weiss was a natural fighting genius. She was in her element when in the midst of combat. Slash, kick, jab and uppercut… all in the space of a second. Weiss was so fast and concentrated that Winter believed she was born to become a huntress. It was her destiny to fulfill a role like this.

However, no matter how hard Winter tried, Weiss had refused to use her semblance while sparring with her. That incredible golden blonde transformation she had achieved through their emotional spar when they had first met was undoubtedly her semblance. It was rather strange that Weiss was unable to use glyphs or summoning, but ever since that day, Winter had been convinced that she had awakened her semblance. However, Weiss's reaction and realization of what she had done in that form had prompted her to refuse to use it while fighting her, or anyone. Winter could understand, she was deeply terrified that Weiss had almost killed her own sister, the only person who ever cared to love her in the first place.

That was more than enough to repress the use of her semblance.

Weiss had said it was too dangerous, and that she was better off without it.

Winter had to disagree multiple times on that account, but Weiss was stubborn and dug in her heels on the matter. That was going to be something she would have to work on with her over a longer period of time. Although, as the months turned into years, and Weiss's sixteenth birthday rolled around, Winter was starting to realize that it was time for her little sister to move on. She had stagnated, and she knew she couldn't remain in Atlas anymore. The girl had to go out and see the world. She couldn't be trapped on this icy continent any longer. Winter had even confronted Ironwood on what to do.

After learning about Weiss's inner potential as a huntress, he was interested to get her inducted into Atlas Academy upon her seventeenth birthday. That mindset of his suddenly changed when he decided to view one of her training sessions with his own eyes. Winter had volunteered to spar with Weiss while Ironwood observed. Winter had used the excuse that he was merely observing the younger girl who he had heard so much about. Weiss was thrilled she was getting attention from a man with such a high prestige.

As the two sisters sparred, he came to realize something vastly different about Weiss Schnee. For a girl of her age, she was demonstrating skill and power, that of an experienced huntress. Seeing her almost limitless potential, he had wasted no time about talking to Winter about getting Weiss enrolled in Atlas Academy early, seeing as she was already leagues better than most others her age. However, it became quickly apparent that Winter did not see eye to eye with him on this matter.

Winter was more interested in getting Weiss away from Atlas, and away from her family. It was no secret that the Schnee Dust Company held some power and influence in Atlas Academy, and so the older Schnee had no intention of sending Weiss there. Instead, she was looking at sending her sister to the best huntsmen academy on Remnant.

That title belonged to none other than Beacon Academy, stationed in the Kingdom of Vale. Run by the mysterious Professor Ozpin, that school had thrived under his guidance and produced some of the best huntsmen ever to walk Remnant. As much as Ironwood wanted Weiss's potential to shine within Atlas, he wasn't going to go behind one of his most trusted lieutenant's backs to get what he wanted.

It seemed Winter was set on sending Weiss off down her own path.

That path, lead away from Atlas, and towards Vale.

The youngest Schnee was conflicted, between wanting to stay in Atlas with her sister and leaving to get as far away from the Kingdom as possible. She desired to have more distance away from her supposed father figure, and the rest of the family that she deeply despised. However, both Weiss and Winter had come to an agreement, the former begrudgingly accepting that it was time to move on. Weiss would be moving to Vale if their meeting with Professor Ozpin went accordingly. Ironwood had been kind enough to call ahead to set up a meeting, for the two sisters. Ozpin was a busy man, after all, running one of the best Academies in Remnant.

Upon landing in Vale, Weiss noted that the climate was much warmer and that the temperatures she had grown used to in Atlas simply didn't exist here. She wore a white tank top, covered by a Schnee jacket with an inner red lining. It was a gift from Winter, and she found the jacket to be rather comfortable and fitting. She wore dark skin tight pants with a small hole at the back to compensate for her tail and faded white and blue shin-high combat heels, custom made with the Schnee family symbol. Winter had told Weiss to take pride in who she was, despite the fact that everyone in her family other than Winter tried to pretend she didn't exist.

With Myrtenaster clipped to her side, she walked next to her sister as they exited the bullhead that delivered them to Beacon's front courtyard. As the Schnee sisters walked, Weiss noted the kinds of people that were strolling around the courtyard. Various people, human and faunus all getting along without a hint of animosity. It almost felt too good to be true. As she passed some boys, she even got a few winks from them. Slightly flustered at such attention, she turned away and picked up the pace to catch up with her sister, who seemingly had ignored all the attention.

They made their way through the corridors of Beacon Academy, Weiss making sure to take in all her surroundings. She couldn't help but grin at the prospect of fighting so many new people. She hadn't really gotten the chance to test her strength on anyone other than Winter. While fighting her sister definitely gave her a challenge, she also desired the thrill and excitement of seeing the skillset of other huntsmen. Each person she passed seemed to have a different weapon, and that gave her enough information to know that each person had their own unique way of fighting. She could feel an itch that demanded to be scratched, but she knew she'd have to wait until she was old enough to apply.

"Having second thoughts?" Winter queried as the two stepped into the elevator to head to Ozpin's office. Weiss took a moment to think about the question. She would definitely miss Winter, but even she knew it was time to move on. She had practically attached herself to Winter the moment the woman had returned. She had rescued her from that household prison and had taken care of her, teaching her various life skills that she would need to know going forward. The last three years had been the best years of her life so far, she could only hope that these next few would be even better.

"Everything is quite overwhelming. There's just… so many people!" Weiss stated in awe as the elevator thundered to life, slowly ascending to the top of Beacon Academy. She glanced out the windows to see masses of crowds, huntsmen and huntresses alike, all different sizes and builds. Faunus, human… it didn't matter. They were all going about their business, laughing and spending time with their teams. Weiss could only hope her team could be something like that in the near future. She was several months away from her seventeenth birthday, so she would have to wait a while. However, the plan was for her to stay here until that time.

"Yes," Winter replied with an impassive look on her face. "Beacon Academy is the most populated Academy for Huntsmen in all of Remnant. Some travel across the entire world just to come here because it's renowned as the best. Atlas, being the close second, but the expenses put people off. Only the most prestigious of families manage to get their child into Atlas Academy. Atlas is a wealthy Kingdom, and it only makes sense that the wealthy live there."

"Why is the price so high? If Beacon is better, then why does Atlas keep the cost up?" Weiss questioned. Winter merely sighed, knowing the answer was going to make the younger Schnee unhappy.

"The Schnee Dust Company sponsors Atlas Academy, and in return for free Dust Supplies and high-grade weaponry development, our father Jacques demands a hefty cut from those who apply and enter Atlas Academy. To meet those demands, the council that runs the Academy has set the entry fees rather high. Beacon may produce the best huntsmen and huntresses, but if you want the best weapons to go with your training, you go to Atlas."

On that somber note, the elevator dinged, the doors sliding open to reveal a man with silver hair sitting at his desk with a hot cup of chocolate next to him. The sweet smell made Weiss scrunch her nose up. Winter walked out of the elevator, followed by Weiss looking rather disgruntled at the news her older sister had just given her. Yet another reason to hate the man that had made her childhood a misery. It was all about profits and money with that man. It made her utterly sick to even think about him.

"Good evening, Ms. Schnee. I take it this is the young huntress I've heard so much about?" Ozpin greeted gesturing to Weiss as the Schnee sisters took a seat in front of his desk. Weiss made sure to sit quietly and observe the conversation. Winter had taught her that inside or outside a battlefield, always take care and observe your surroundings, even the people you share proximity with. You can never learn too much about the people you surround yourself with. The lesson had been lost on her at first, but it eventually started to make sense. She had become more aware of the world around her as a result.

A rather unorthodox method of training. It had never occurred to Weiss to train her mind as much as her body until then.

"Of course, Professor. As you already know, Weiss is very talented and a capable huntress. She desires to learn and fight for the betterment of mankind," Winter started. Weiss wanted to protest that but kept quiet like Winter had warned her too. Really, she had no desire to fight and protect mankind, it was more or less something that she was going to do anyway. She desired to become stronger, a constant drive to better herself was evident. Winter knew that Weiss's torment from her family would put the rest of humanity in a bad light for her, but she was coming to realize that there were people worth saving. "I've made sure to include documented statistics on all her strengths and weaknesses. No doubt you have also seen the videos Ironwood has given you."

Weiss nervously glanced towards her sister. She wasn't aware Winter had filmed her when she had sparred with her. Not that it mattered anyway.

"Yes, indeed I have. I am very impressed with what I saw. While extremely talented, I can see she still has a lot to learn, but I must ask, why would a representative of Atlas Academy be sending such a promised student my way? I suspect there is more to this than the controversies surrounding the ethics of Atlas Academy's systems," Ozpin stated, causing Weiss to raise a curious eyebrow. Winter merely huffed quietly at the man's smug tone. Weiss understood that Winter didn't want to elaborate earlier on the problems with Atlas, but she had no idea there were ethical problems over there.

There was a brief moment of silence before Winter managed to find her voice.

"You can clearly see that my sister is a faunus," Winter started, causing Weiss to flinch. The brown appendage unfolded from behind her and snaked its way around to her front. She absently griped the tip of her tail with both hands and squeezed a little, her nerves starting to get the best of her. Being a faunus made fitting into society difficult. It was even more difficult being a one in Atlas of all places. However, it was living Hell, being a faunus in the Schnee family. "I think you can understand her situation, being born into the Schnee family as a faunus. You've met my father, so take a guess as to how he reacted to Weiss."

Ozpin sighed, a look of sadness crossing his face. Weiss looked a little shocked, not from the emotion that crossed his eyes, but just how old he looked. It had only been for a brief moment, but Weiss could have sworn she had seen countless years of regret and disappointment, like he had failed to do something important. It was gone in a flash when his brown colored eyes landed on her. A warm feeling washed over her, something that put her to ease when the man gave her a warm smile.

"I couldn't imagine the kind of prejudice you have suffered, young lady. I know it is not my place, but I am sorry for what you have been through. You will be glad to know that nothing like that will ever pass here within this academy. Any racial problems here at Beacon are dealt with swiftly, and harshly. You can rest easy, knowing that this is a safe place for you," the man said, his words almost intoxicatingly attracting. Weiss couldn't help but feel relieved hearing those words come out of his mouth, and it seemed that Winter had noted her relief, as her own smile broke out across her face.

"Thank you," Weiss replied softly. "You have no idea how good it is to hear that."

"Anyway," Winter stated, returning to the issue at hand. "I feel it is best for Weiss to be as far away from Atlas as possible. Our father has been known to use some… less than ethical tactics to get what he wants. While he hasn't tried anything so far, I fear that if Weiss were to attend Atlas, that might give him some hold over her. I will not have that, so I have taken it upon myself to seek out other solutions to avoid a potential problem. Besides, after what she has been through, I think she deserves the best education and opportunities we can provide her. I know I shouldn't be saying this, but the answer was obviously Beacon."

"I appreciate your kind words, Ms. Schnee. I would be more than happy to provide Weiss with residency until she can attend classes here at Beacon. We have a few dorm rooms open after our last batch of students graduated, so finding her a room shouldn't be a problem. However… should she fail the initiation exam," Ozpin trailed off causing Weiss to flinch. Winter merely rolled her eyes while Ozpin chuckled to himself. "Well, I don't think we need to worry about that. Given from what I've seen of her, I'm sure she will pass with flying colors."

Weiss's distressed face lightened up at the joke. She hadn't quite caught onto the fact that Ozpin was merely teasing her. While she wasn't exactly sure that this was the appropriate time to make jokes, she had to admit she felt rather at ease with his calm attitude. Winter had constantly told her that she would be years in front of her peers in terms of skill, strength and overall speed. She would have to pay attention in classes though, seeing as she hadn't had the high-class education taught to her in Atlas. She was given the most basic materials to study. She would be a bit behind in the academics department, something that she was determined to fix.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm sure my sister will surpass all expectations," Winter replied with a smile.

"I'm sure she will. While she waits, I'll have Glynda tutor her until the next batch of new students come in. She will be allowed to join in then, and sit the initiation exam just like everyone else," the headmaster stated. Winter nodded while Weiss exhaled quietly, relief flooding her body. She had no idea she had been so nervous!

"I won't disappoint you, Professor Ozpin!" Weiss declared with determination. The man merely chuckled, an amused smile crossing his features.

"I'm sure you won't. Welcome to Beacon, Weiss Schnee."


A/N:

So that's a thing. So allow me to clear some things up.

Yeah, Weiss is a Super Saiyan already. Don't mistake this for me just giving Team RWBY the transformation for kicks. There is a reason why Weiss is the first to be introduced, and let me say this right now, she is the only one that knows / can transform going into Volume one. It might seem like a strange choice and yes, Weiss might be one of my favorite characters, but her emotional backstory is tragic enough to allow her to trigger the transformation earlier than the rest of team RWBY. That being said, she isn't going to be using it willy-nilly. As this chapter has established, she is hesitant to even use the form.

I also don't really want to fall into the trap of writing a childhood / growing up arc, because I would be following four characters, and that's something I don't want to trap myself in. I want to get straight into the juicy stuff, but at the same time, I want to give the proper context for the differences each member of team RWBY faces seeing as they are now half-Saiyans. So instead of writing a childhood arc for each of the characters, I've settled on a single chapter trailer for each one of them.

Lastly, I am unsure about using DBZ Movie Villains. A few of you have commented giving a few ideas on who and what to use. I can honestly say that I've taken your suggestions to thought, but don't expect them to happen. I've never been a fan of the Movies to be quite honest, aside from Bojack Unbound, Battle of Gods, and Resurrection of F.

Phew, have I covered everything? Goodness, I hope so. Hopefully, future closing chapter notes won't be as long as this one.

Until next time!