Vale
Two Weeks Ago

Weiss pulled the hood of her dark blue cloak over her head, shielding the sight of her snow-white hair that was such a giveaway of her identity. She knew there were now several warrants out for her arrest in Atlas, and surely such information had been conveyed to authorities elsewhere. The situation in her homeland had simply become untenable for the time being, and so she set her various contacts into a sleeper mode of sorts, telling them she'd be in touch when she could. Packed what few belongings remained to her and smuggled herself aboard a freighter bound for Vale.

The diminutive girl paused at the end of the docks, gazing around with a bittersweet smile. It had been so long since she'd been in the town that bordered Beacon Academy, long enough that she was surprised at the reconstruction efforts. Gone were the destroyed homes and shopfronts from the Breach, as it was referred to. And off into the distance, standing proudly on the cliffs on the other side of the bay, were the spires of Beacon, reconstructed and towering.

She sighed slightly, pulling her cloak tighter around her slender frame with her left hand as she clutched her duffel bag in the other. Time to go to ground and rebuild, prepare for future fights against the corporate tyranny that pervaded Atlas like a virus.

But did she really have the heart for it anymore? Why was she still doing this, other than to prove a point? Was it really worth this exile and excommunication?

It was then, during her meandering walk along the streets of downtown Vale, that she noticed a presence had been pacing her, steadily moving closer. She pulled to an abrupt halt and, unfazed, the tall, angular man did the same.

He looked vaguely familiar to her somehow, from long ago, before the Vytal tournament, on the grounds before Beacon… her sister…

Weiss gasped softly, her hand on the hilt of Myrtenaster as it came to her who this very dangerous man was. Hunter and Uncle to her former teammates. Qrow Branwen.

"Welcome back," he rasped, still not looking in her direction. Though his sword was at the small of his back, his hands were nonthreateningly stuffed into his pockets. "I figure things have changed a bit, huh?"

"You know who I am?" she whispered, injecting a bit of a dangerous tone into her words. She highly doubted she was at the level of the veteran Hunter, but if he presumed to take her in, he had one hell of a fight coming. Perhaps a surprise attack, might break through his aura quickly enough to slash his throat… No, he's faking his inattention. It didn't take but a moment to recognize the way Qrow was holding himself, seemingly slouched and easy but poised to react to any threat.

"Yeah, sure do." He scuffed a shoe against the concrete, glancing around surreptitiously. "Now, I figure you don't wanna make much of a scene here, lettin' everyone see that white mane of yours. How about you just listen in for a sec to what I have to say, alright?"

Weiss nodded slowly, stepping back until she was against the wall next to the window for a cafe. "Go ahead," she stated calmly.

He nodded as well and sauntered over to the side so that he wasn't obstructing the foot traffic that was beginning to pick up from the afternoon crowd. "Right. Well, I was told to make you an offer."

"An offer?"

"Mmhmm. From someone you used to know."

"Who?" she asked sharply.

He sucked in a quick breath and let it out slowly, his head still on a swivel. "Ozpin."

Weiss blinked her eyes in astonishment. Whyever would the Headmaster of Beacon be interested in a former student, one who hadn't even completed her studies?

"Very well," she murmured, wincing at the uncertainty that leaked through. "Continue."

"So, here's the deal. You come back with me to Beacon, meet with Oz and some others, see if you accept the deal or not. That part's up to you, I don't even know what the offer entails."

Questions still swirled around her brain regarding what use Ozpin would have for her, or what others would be there to speak with her. But she was focused on the fact that the other shoe had yet to drop.

And in hostile negotiations such as these, there was always another proverbial shoe to drop.

"And if I refuse?" she asked through numb lips, her knuckles tightening around the hilt of her trusty rapier.

Qrow shrugged unconcernedly. "Then I let you go. Of course," he smirked, turning to face her for the first time. "Every authority in Vale will know your location. Won't be a very restful holiday for you."

Weiss glanced away from the intense crimson orbs of the Hunter. She was a skilled enough businesswoman to recognize an untenable position when she saw it.

"Very well," she murmured with only a trace of reluctance. "Lead on, Mr. Branwen."

He shot her one more smirk as he turned towards the airbus terminal. "Color me surprised. Pretty damn reasonable for a Schnee."

You have no idea, she thought to herself darkly as she followed in his footsteps.

Mistral
Today

[Ch021: Weiss' fight. Over the wall, landing in the side courtyard and surprising a group of mechs and robots that were on their way to stop Yang's assault. Smirks and lays into them, summons Knight to decimate the mechs.]