It's 3:30 A.M. ...
Do you know where your Ice Queen is?
Disclaimer: RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth
Present Day, Schnee Family Manor, Women's Dressing Area
With the Champion's Gala merely a few hours away both sisters were in the midst of having themselves prepped for that evening's festivities while a team of maids were busy helping them with their makeup, hair, and anything else that would make sure that the Schnee women would shine brightly beside their patriarch.
But beauty was the last thing on Weiss's troubled mind, still somewhat concerned over having to not only be represented in a competition where she believed she could beat Maxwell Eberle with her eyes closed and one hand behind her back but she was being represented by a total unknown in this so-called "Warrior".
"You seem distracted Weiss, I assumed you would be pleased that none of those Academy boys had won." Winter would lean her head back as her lustrous pale hair was thoroughly being washed and conditioned for the night ahead of them. "I told you that I would get you someone who might actually be worth your time little sister, trust me this will be a moot point by the time the Vorbei is over and you stand at the head of our company."
The younger heiress would fume visibly and swat away the maids currently working on her makeup, more annoyed at their interference on their conversation then anything they were doing to her.
"Leave us!" Weiss would tremble visibly out of fury as the servants gave rushed apologies before hurrying out of the room and leaving the sisters to their heated discussion. "For the last time I have absolutely no interest in this..act of succession or whatever you and our father have cooked up, I'm simply here to make sure that he goes to Hell knowing what his precious little girl really thinks of him."
Winter would sigh and peel away the facial strips that were helping her skin stay smooth and glistening before standing up out of her seat and facing her younger sibling with a hardened glower.
"I can understand your hatred for our father, I'd be an idiot to not notice the insane amount of defiance you have towards his policies even before coming here a few days ago." The older heiress would sigh tiredly as she examined her reflection in the mirror, moving aside a few stray strands of white hair, looking at the younger woman in the mirror whose pale blue eyes were alight with frustration. "It's why you chose the road of a Huntress, why you partnered with a literal facsimile of Little Red Riding Hood." Winter would smile slightly, knowing what she was about to say next would definitely push her buttons. "Which reminds me, is she still fooling around with her big bad wolf?" The older woman would move away as Weiss had decided to throw a vase her way, her smile widening at her violent reaction. "Still a bit of a sore spot, as I suspected you continue to sweat the small stuff and letting yourself get riled up over a nobody."
She would turn to see her sister continuing to tremble, her muscles proceeding to spasm in response to her pent up anger.
"You don't know what kind of Hell that thing has put me through: from the minute he stepped into Beacon he has shown absolute disrespect for the rules, does whatever he wants whenever the mood strikes him, and all the nonsense he's gotten into alongside Ruby, and the way he treats women like toys it's just sickening-" Weiss's furious tirade would be cut short by a smack to the top of her head, the shock from the blow causing her more pain than the actual blow itself as Winter simply huffed in disapproval.
"And yet for all the 'chaos' and the 'madness' that you claim to have endured, you stand before me throwing a tantrum like a spoiled child who didn't get her way! Our mother would be ashamed of this kind of behavior from you." The pale-haired woman would sigh before heading over to the intercom and let her finger hover over the buzzer before looking back sympathetically, biting her lower lip as if she were debating on something before taking a breath and hitting the buzzer. "We're done here, please send the servants back in." Winter would shake her head quietly before returning to her seat, careful to avoid the shards of vase that were on the floor. "If you really want to prove yourself superior in her eyes then let this be the stage you use to hone your skills and grow as a person, don't let the problems back home distract you and instead immerse yourself into the journey ahead." The elder heiress would say no more as the servants made their way back inside the dressing room and once again began the long process of primping and preening the sisters, even as Weiss tried to reflect on what her sister had told her even as two maids guided her back to her seat as her mind thought back on one of many incidents that served to widen the divide between the woman she wanted to be and who she was at the current moment.
Two months Earlier, Beacon Academy, RWBY Dorm
She still had trouble believing it most nights; but as Weiss Schnee looked at herself in the bathroom mirror she had to face the fact that while she was technically a free woman in terms of any legal ramifications, but it had come at the cost of her dignity because now she was living with the veiled threat of some sick favor that had been placed upon her by a Faunus boy who exemplified everything that bigots like her father and Cardin Winchester preached about: A lying, cheating, swindling pile of garbage who deserved to be locked in a cage.
"And yet everyone treats him like he's some kind of patron saint, a golden boy who can do no wrong in their eyes." The heiress grit her teeth as she recalled the feral growl in his voice as he laid down the reason for why he saved her.
"it would break Ruby's heart if anything bad were to happen to you, and that is the only reason why I decided to spare you from the darkness I had to endure growing up."
She would slam her palms down on the polished sink while shaking her head in disgust at the memory playing through her mind, how his eyes softened as he spoke Ruby's name despite the fact that he was leaning against Yang heavily during their interrogation by Ozpin.
"How could he claim that he was doing everything for Ruby when at the end of the day he ended up dating Yang, and then to make such an asinine deal with me afterwards just to make sure that I stay in line!" Weiss shuddered at the speculation of whatever depraved fantasies that the wolf Faunus had been harboring for her since the young man's first days at Beacon, no doubt that he was no better than the rest of the other boys who hit on her: Only after her money, her body, or the prestige that came with dating a Schnee. Jaune Arc was an exception to this rule, only because there were some points in his vain attempts to get a date that she honestly found him funny.
"Well whatever pathetic little scam that he expects to gain out of this doesn't matter, because when the time comes I'm going to put him through a nightmare so awful that he regrets EVER making this deal!" With that firm resolve in mind and the flames of revenge burning in her heart she would head back to her bunk to rest up for the next day, however as her eyes began to close she would hear a small giggle from up in her partner's bunk.
"I can't believe that he actually managed to do it, this is gonna be so awesome!" Ruby would clearly be laughing at yet another antic that her furry idiot had no doubt concocted to show his loyalty to that..Gun Club of his.
"Oh Ruby, what do you see in that rabid nutcase, what does he have that I don't?" She refused to let the tears brimming and threatening to fall down her face and send her into sorrow, her precious rose going further and further down a rabbit hole that would no doubt lead to ruin.
"Weiss. Weiss get up, you really need to come and see this!" Yang's jubilant voice would drag her out of a less then fruitful sleep even as she turned away and attempted to try and return to the blank void of sleep, only to feel the impatient blonde literally drag her out with her covers and carry her off into the hallway.
"Dammit Yang you put me down this instant, I don't care what elaborate stunt that your moronic asshole of a boyfriend has set up I don't want any part of it!" She growled at the sensation of being set down as the blonde brawler turned her to face the wall, leaving the heiress to look up at what was normally a fully functional if under-decorated wall.
Except that on this day it had been thoroughly painted to display the members of Team RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, even a grumpy Team CRDL along with even Sun and Neptune smiling back at her while holding up the Bullet Club's 'Too Sweet' hand gesture. "Of all the underhanded, egotistical, stupid-" Weiss would be about to turn away from the mural when she noticed the message above the illustration, causing her to frown in confusion. "True friendship..it's 4 Real." The heiress would read it aloud and think back to the night before, hearing her partner giggling at something on her scroll.
"So this is what she was laughing at last night, that mutt must have spent the entire night working on this." The pale-haired Huntress would frown, looking around for the mural's creator, only to find the silver-haired Faunus being chewed out by a less than pleased Goodwitch. "Does she really think that he's actually going to face any kind of punishment, that fleabag is a made man thanks to Oz-" She would stop upon seeing no trace of Ozpin in the hallway, usually he would be the voice of reason that would keep Glynda from giving him some much deserved punishment.
Yang would pout quietly as she watched the bespectacled Huntswoman giving her beloved wolf what was no doubt a long repressed lecture for his actions, even as the amber-eyed Faunus struggled to remain awake. "Ozpin's away at Signal for some big meeting for the Academy heads, so Goodwitch is in charge of anything and everything Ozpin usually handles." The blonde would smile sadly as he sleepily made his way back to her side, gently scratching behind his ear even as he groaned in annoyance. "C'mon big guy, let's get you to bed..you can worry about your punishment later."
Weiss would step aside to let the couple pass before seeing him stop and turn back to the heiress with a weak fire in his eyes.
"Not so stupid now is it princess?" The wolf Faunus would lean against the taller blonde as she lead him back to his dorm room.
Present Day
Weiss would sigh as she felt her hair being gently pulled into a rather fashionable bun by one of the maids, for a moment she found herself smiling at the woman looking back at her: Strong, beautiful, elegant, a woman worthy of being called a Master Huntress, someone who was fit to be called Ruby's partner in more than a professional sense
"Beautiful, simply marvelous." Gideon's raspy voice would cause Weiss's blood to run cold as she finally remembered why that she was being dolled up, forced to act like a prop while someone else did her fighting for her.
She was an angel in white, trapped inside a cage of her father's cold fiery ambitions.
Present Day, Men's Dressing Area
Pain was something the warrior knew all too well, it was a constant reminder that he was still alive, that he was still someone of value in a world dominated by the strong and the corrupt.
But even so, the burning pain he felt upon his tightly dressed wounds was troublesome as he was slowly slipped into his tuxedo jacket for the evening as Maxwell Eberle was busily coming back his hair while humming a jaunty tune.
"You know, you should really remove that garish mask you wear if you want to score points with Lady Weiss." He would chuckle and admire his handsome visage in the mirror as he had opted to drape himself in a deep purple cape in addition to the tuxedo that both Champions had been gifted. "Besides, it's not everyday that one gets to spend time with a woman as elegant as a Schnee..unless you're in my position that is."
The masked man would be grimacing in disgust as he did some final adjustments of his own, straightening and adjusting his gold lined mask as he thought about how best to approach things with Weiss.
"Master Eberle, while I admire the fact that you take pride in your position here I still choose to view the people we represent on the battlefield as creatures of beauty and grace, the lucky few who can carry the weight of a world in their womb not unlike the mighty Atlas." Warrior would wince as he popped his knuckles and put on a small token of his religion, a reminder of what helped him survive up to this point. "They are to be respected and admired, regardless of wealth or social lineage."
The battle school wunderkind would look back at his fellow champion before rolling his eyes and turning on his heel and preparing to exit the dressing room. "Whatever, freak." He would snort and saunter off, no doubt wanting to make a confident entrance to wow the masses of blue bloods that awaited them in the grand ballroom leaving the masked champion to collect his thoughts and ponder the road ahead.
"I'm a Champion, someone who fights to uphold the honor of the individual they fight for. I must do my part to help Miss Weiss to achieve whatever goals she has set for this strange competition." He would whisper a small prayer to the heavens before exiting the dressing room, only to find himself face to face with the heiress herself.
Unfortunately, it would be the heiress he would soon be competing against as Winter smiled thinly in approval of what she saw.
"You truly are a magnificent specimen Warrior, it's a shame that we find ourselves on opposite sides of this little contest." The older woman would gently stroke his cheek with one hand while using his free hand to slowly lift up his mask, looking straight into his vibrant blue eyes. "My sister has no idea of just how wonderful a man she has at her disposal."
But the young man would gently push her hand aside and shake his head calmly as he looked back towards the large oak doors that lead to the grand ballroom.
"Lady Winter, while I appreciate your kind words..I am your sister's Champion, it would be very inappropriate if someone were to find us like this. Please excuse me ma'am." With a bow of his head he would walk towards the oak doors as two servants quickly approached to open the door for him, unaware of the elder heiress's impish grin.
"Presenting, the Warrior!" The lovely tune that had been playing during the opening waltz was cut short as all eyes turned his way, causing the masked man to straighten his posture and fold his hands behind his back even as the wealthy party-goers dissected him with their predatory gazes. Even Weiss who had been busy dancing with the overly confident Maxwell would stop to give him a curious look, raising an eyebrow at the pale snowflakes adorning his mask.
"Please, no need to stop on my account." He would nod to the musicians who would begin their song anew while he slowly looked around at the lavish setup that awaited him, the tables lined with gold trim while lavish chandeliers hung overhead creating the illusion of a sky full of stars. "It's as if they opened the heavens themselves and took a slice back with them, just for this room." He would have been content to just find a place to enjoy the faux heaven above, but a tap on his shoulder would bring him back to reality an a sharp-nosed woman was now standing in front of him.
"Excuse me young man, but would you mind giving this old gal the privilege of a dance?"
Warrior would smile pleasantly and hold out his hand for her to take, wrapping his free arm around her waist. "It would be my honor madame." He would proceed to begin to dance slowly but assuredly, earning a squeal of delight from his older dance partner as she reveled in the excitement of it all.
"O-oh my..I had heard that you were a man of great strength, but I had no idea you were such a nimble dancer as well." She would smile pleasantly as the young man blushed at her compliment, before letting out a girlish laugh as he dipped her.
"You flatter me ma'am, but I'm just a simple man from a simple village who happens to enjoy a fine dance with a beautiful woman such as yourself." The warrior would gently continue to waltz with the woman for a few minutes more until the song finally ended, bowing politely as she simply nodded her head in approval.
"Mind if I cut in Lady Wisteria?" Weiss would stand beside the grey haired partygoer, her hair tied up in an elegant bun as she wore a powder blue gown with white gloves emblazoned with the Schnee family symbol as she flashed a small smile towards the young man as she held out her hand for him to take.
"It would appear that duty calls my lad, now Weiss dear do take care now to wear out the boy." The two women would share a flighty laugh before the elder of the two would exit the dance floor as Weiss would firmly take the lead in their dance, her smile dissolving quicker then an ice cube on burning coals. "You seem to be enjoying yourself this evening, you're almost as good a suck up as Maxwell with the way you were handling things with that old crone." She would growl and stomp on his foot to further emphasize her contempt towards her masked Champion. "Oops, my apologies."
Warrior would do his best not to show the agony that was running through his feet thanks to her errant footwork, instead giving a polite smile as he twirled her about.
"Think nothing of it Miss Weiss, it's only natural to be nervous on a night such as this. Actually, I myself am a little nervous at the path that lies ahead of us." The young man would proceed to dip the heiress gently even as she smacked the side of his head as they straightened their stance. "I..really wish they would give us some clue of what kind of competition we're in for, a footrace, feats of strength, some convoluted riddle perhaps?"
She would scowl at his pleasant banter even as a more jaunty song began to play in the background, forcing a jovial laugh before leaning in close with an icy gaze.
"So what did Winter promise you: Money? A spot in her honor guard? A night with some rich celebrity you wouldn't normally have a chance with?" The younger heiress would ask her questions in a low hiss, careful to retail her happy smile as the two of them continued to dance. "Tell me what your thirty pieces of silver are worth Judas!"
The warrior would sigh, doing his best to keep his temper from blowing and causing a scene as he looked her straight in the eye.
"Do you really wanna know, if so then please join me out on the balcony my dear." He would let go of the fuming heiress and bow politely before making his way out into the cold night air, leaving Weiss to follow after him before Maxwell could ask her for another dance. She had had enough of false platitudes and pleasantries for the night and simply wanted answers from this masked buffoon before daring to trust him with anything related to her representation.
Although she would shudder once the cold air caressed her bare shoulders, making her immediately regret not bringing some kind of a coat with her beforehand.
"A-alright clown, spill the beans and tell me your time is worth!" Weiss would continue to shiver as she awaited his response, only to instead be greeted instead with his coat as he looked upon her with some concern. "Thank you…now answer my question dammit!"
He would sigh at her continued contempt towards him despite having done nothing to earn her scorn, instead he would place his hands in his pockets and stare out at the bizarre moon that hung overhead. "A few years ago, I had the peculiar misfortune of having to attend an opera with a rather uncouth client: She was vulgar, petty, obsessed with reeling in a cash cow using her feminine wiles." The masked young man would sigh as he stared down at the expansive garden maze below them. "It truly was a most deplorable night indeed."
The pale-haired Huntress would scoff in annoyance as she began tapping her foot in order for him to get to the point.
"However, that all changed once I heard the voice of an angel: One who seemed to sing of loneliness as she questioned her "Mirror" for the answers, wondering if her heart could be turned to stone." He would place his hand on the cold edge of the balcony, his body shuddering as he felt the tears trickle down his face as he was glad that such a horrible sight was hidden from her.
Unfortunately it would also keep him from seeing the look of surprise that adorned the heiress's face as she recognized the song that he was referring to, it was one that she had sung herself on more than one occasion.
"So..you want to find the woman who sings this 'song of despair' is that it?" Weiss would frown as her suspicions were confirmed, this warrior was just another piece of trash looking to win her over. "And what will you do once you find this..songstress, woo her with a song of your own? Perhaps make her your bride of some kind?"
The warrior would shake his head at her pointed questions, had it been any other individual who dared to mock his dream then he would show them no mercy before praying for their eventual understanding later on. But he know that he needed to keep his composure in order to achieve his own endgame.
"As much as I would like nothing more then for that to be the case, even I know that someone like me would never be worthy enough to be called her husband. All I want is to find her, let her know that she's not as alone as her song suggests and thank her for reminding me that even in a world of devils and monsters that there's still some light left in this cold, cruel world."
She would truly be at a loss for words after the story he had told her, on the one hand her song had clearly moved his heart on some level of emotion but he seemingly had no desire to try and win her heart through some grand, elaborate gesture. Instead he had simply wanted to thank her for shining some metaphorical light in what was probably a very unhappy time in his life, unbeknownst to him that he had in fact already done so after having shared his story with her in that moment.
"How could I have missed someone so quixotic in the audience that night, a man in a mask is a difficult thing to miss!" Weiss would furrow her brow as she tried to remember the many faces in that crowd from years ago, but before she could question him on his exact location in the audience that night she was be interrupted by the buzzing of her scroll. Then a buzzing from somewhere on her person, quickly remembering that the jacket she had draped on her shoulders belonged to her Champion before checking her scroll. "It's a message from my father, he's finally decided to announce the start of the Vorbei an der Mantel!" She would frown as she read the details over in silence, feeling her Warrior standing by her side as he too began to memorize the details.
"Your journey begins tomorrow so be sure to get as much rest as you possibly can, from this moment forth you have full access to your allotted portions of your inheritance in order to purchase supplies, travel, and anything else you need to survive."
He would frown in contemplative thought at how best to use their now-expansive travel budget, only for his thoughts to be interrupted as Weiss continued to read aloud. "Remember that just because you have the money to afford luxury travel, this by no means makes this a vacation. If you stay in one location for more then twenty-four hours, it will be deemed an automatic forfeit and you will be swiftly disowned and left to rot in whatever place you dared to languish." This would cause the Huntress to bristle in disgust as it meant they would be afforded little time to rest in-between the trials.
"Furthermore, if in the course of competition your Champion should be physically incapable of continuing or is killed, this too constitutes a forfeit and will lead to disownment." The masked Huntsman would read this aloud and feel his stomach turn in disgust, it would seem that she needed him alive as much as he did her. "Finally, any sign of refusal to compete from either Champion or his Lady shall be considered an act of cowardice, punishable by death."
Weiss would feel a cold chill crawl down her spine despite the warmth of his coat, knowing that Gideon Schnee was not the kind of individual who minced words.
They would either give this competition everything they possibly could, or be killed on the spot like rabid dogs.
"I guess the only question is here is whether I return to Beacon as the head of a massive Dust-mining company, or a penniless girl with no family." The young heiress would shudder at the thought of never being able to see her fellow classmates or her beloved partner again, as much as she dreaded dancing to her father's tune no act of defiance was worth the look of pain she imagined crossing Ruby's face when she learned of her eventual demise.
That is, if Gideon hadn't already devised a way to cover it up beforehand.
"Miss Weiss, there's no need to be afraid." The warrior would place a gentle hand upon her shoulder as he looked down at the scroll, which was now beginning to transmit coordinates to the site of their first trial. "I intend to make sure that we make it through this 'Vorbei', not just for the sake of my dream..but because your life is on the line and a true warrior never lets an innocent life by snuffed out by anyone, be they creature of Grimm or a mad Patriarch." His piercing green eyes would meet her wavering pale blues before smiling confidently. "I swear to you, that we will win the day and bring you back to the place you call Home."
Weiss couldn't believe that a masked face could emit such honest emotion, yet as she locked eyes with her Warrior, she felt the emerald flames of his conviction warm her soul. He would protect her, and ensure that she returned home to her precious Rose.
The scroll would suddenly chime once more, as a set of coordinates displayed on the screen, along with the map of the area they were headed.
"Seems like our first trial is…"
In the hands of the audience! That's right, I plan to put up a poll to let you, the Audience decide which nation the first trial of the Vorbei gets held in (as well as the corresponding Mission that accompanies it) and just to keep things interesting the missions that don't get picked will be altered to reflect the increase in danger for the next trial, this poll will be put up on my profile page and will last until Monday morning at 9 A.M.