Resurgence: A RWBY Fic
By Kraven Ergeist
Chapter 36
The many, many attendants, pages, doormen, guards and other help staff at the Schnee Dust Company headquarters knew the members of the Schnee household on sight.
They all knew President Schnee, of course. His signature was on all their paychecks, and as was expected of a multi-billion lien conglomerate like the SDC, the buck truly did stop right at his desk. His word was law in the SDC, and none dared to speak up about the manner in which he did business, but all knew exactly how shady his dealings were.
The staff knew Winter Schnee as well, as she had passed through on a number of official meetings with her father on behalf of the Atlesian Military. She had already made quite a name for herself as a Special Operative, as well as having well-earned the moniker of "Ice Queen." Many in the company dared whisper as to how stunning she was, though few would ever admit to it in broad daylight.
At that moment, however, the member of the family who was making the most severe impression by far was the youngest sibling, one Weiss Schnee, who was marching clear past every single security guard, doorman and attendee in the building without so much as a sideways glance. There was a determined set to her jaw, and she strode with confidence and pride as only a Schnee could. Her destination was the president's office, and there was not a single member of the staff brave enough to try to deter her.
Whispers had been going round of course, and she would have to have been deaf not to hear them. She had been missing for some time, and rumors had been going around that she had been kidnapped for ransom or perhaps even killed by some radical group in order to set an example of some sort. The fear of what reprisal may arise from someone who was strong willed enough to come back from any such attempt without so much as a hair out of place was partly what deterred anyone from stopping her or asking her to wait until her father was ready to see her.
Weiss was determined. She would see her father now, and there was nothing that would be stopping her.
"I understand, Director."
William Eisenhardt Schnee, president of the Schnee Dust Company, was speaking to a holographic projection of an elderly man in a white lab coat, white hair and a white beard. The president was standing at the center of a well-lit office, with a ceiling that stretched over twenty feet high with tall, wide floor-to-ceiling windows lining the entirety of the back wall overlooking the city. Everything in the room appeared to be either be made of glass or brushed stainless steel. Even his desk, upon which the holographic display of various readouts, reports and visual references were visible, was made of sheer glass.
The Atlesian Citadel, the shining skyscraper that was the beating heart of Atlas' military and Huntsman academy, was visible across town, the only structure in the city that stood higher than the SDC tower. Airships dotted the sky, and the bustle of the city below could be seen even from this height through the expansive window.
The man himself stood tall and regal in a suit of purest white, a blue collared shirt underneath, and a red handkerchief adorning his left breast pocket. His white hair was matched only by his white mustache. Silver buttons lined his tailored suit, a silver ring adorned his finger, and a simple polished steel cane rested against the desk at his side.
"Just get it done as soon as you can," the president of the SDC said clearly to the projection of the elderly man. "I…"
President Schnee turned as his office doors suddenly slid open, and Weiss marched through, followed by a secretary with platinum blonde hair in a white business suit stumbling hastily after her. The secretary looking frightful of the president's scorn and completely powerless to stop the young woman from entering.
"Uhh…Miss Weiss Schnee to see you, sir…" the secretary offered helplessly.
William took one look at his daughter, who stood with her fists clenched at her side, and her rapier at her hip, before he turned to his holo-call.
"I'm going to have to call you back, Director," he said bluntly, thumbing a red button on his desk, terminating the transmission, the hologram disappearing.
"Father…" Weiss mouthed the words like they were an unfamiliar term. "We need to talk."
"Clearly…" her father said, before turning to the agitated secretary, standing just within the door. "Opal, would you give us the room? And put a hold on all of my calls until I say otherwise."
The secretary looked relieved and nodded her head. "Sir."
She practically fled through the open door, sealing it behind her.
President Schnee took a slow, cleansing breath, before clearing his throat.
"Well then…" he said, his expression unreadable. "The last I saw of you, you were still adding an overabundance of nobility to one of the civilian triage units. The next thing I heard was that you had terminated your assignment there, and had not been seen by anyone since. I also happened to learn that your sister had requisitioned an Atlas shuttle for her personal use, a shuttle which also has not been seen since your disappearance."
He clasped his hands behind his back, turning away to look out the window.
"I've got shareholders breathing down my neck with this Grimm crisis on the rise, as well as the Atlesian military stepping up production of Atlas Tech in response, and the demand for dust in this kingdom has never been higher," he intoned, matter of factly. "Tensions are at an all-time high, and this company cannot afford another financial misstep, much less the PR crisis that would result from unfettered family matters going public."
He turned to stare at his youngest daughter, the veins in his forehead beginning to show.
"In the midst of all this," he growled, "The last thing in the world that I need is to be worried sick that my youngest daughter might, for all I know, have been kidnapped by the White Fang and locked up in some disease-riddled hole in the middle of Heaven knows where!"
Weiss did not flinch as he slammed the palms of his hands upon his desk.
"So tell me, my dear," he said with scarcely restrained impatience. "Would you deign to explain to me where exactly you've been for the last few days?"
Weiss offered her father an incredulous look, placing her hand over her heart.
"Where have I been?" she demanded incredulously, repeating his words. "I've been in a Mistralian prison cell! Did you know that the kingdom of Mistral was at war with Atlas!? I certainly didn't! I doubt anyone in the entire city knows!"
William narrowed his eyes. "I am in no mood for jokes, young lady. You would be wise not to test my patience right now."
"It's no joke, father," Weiss replied, hands on her hips. "But that's not even why I'm here. I'm here because the kingdom of Mistral has been utterly decimated! It was besieged by the creatures of Grimm, and now lies in ruin!"
Weiss' father straightened his back, his eyes widening. "My word…you're quite serious, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid so," Weiss shook her head. "This crisis affects far more than your stockholders' portfolios, father. The entire world of Remnant is at risk! If something isn't done, then I fear Vacuo or even Atlas itself may share in the fate of our neighboring kingdoms."
"The entire kingdom of Mistral?" William shook his head in disbelief. "How could this be? None of the supply ships I ever sent that way have ever returned."
"It's the Grimm, father!" Weiss exclaimed. "They wiped out the city, and they're attacking any large airships that get within range! They pose an incalculable threat to humanity! And if the Schnee Dust Company does not do its part in this conflict, then our very kingdom may well fall!"
William wasn't even listening anymore. He had turned to stare out the rear window, placing a hand against the glass as he stared down at the city.
His city.
"Another kingdom lost…" he muttered to himself, his eyes glassing over, as if in a foggy haze. "I never thought I'd see the day…"
He shook his head, focusing his attention back on his daughter, clarity returning to him.
"And you're telling me that you, my youngest daughter, were right in the middle of a Grimm invasion that leveled an entire kingdom?" he demanded.
"I'm a Huntress!" Weiss clenched her fists. "It's my job to protect people from the creatures of Grimm! And if Atlas had been there in force, we may well have saved Mistral! If we had been at all prepared during the Vytal festival, we may well have saved Vale as well! But instead, we've all become divided and we squabble amongst ourselves like children! And while we do, the Grimm pick off the kingdoms like roaches!"
President Schnee clenched his hand into a fist, eyes closing, remorse visible on his face.
"How could I have let this happen…?" he asked, as if to no one.
Weiss shook her head in dismay. "Father, can't you understand? We have to do something! We both do!"
William opened his eyes, fixing his daughter with an irrefutable gaze.
"Oh, I understand clearly, my child," he said brusquely. "I understand that I've given you far too much liberty with your actions."
Weiss' face fell. "What?"
"Moving about on your own like this?" her father said, disapproval in his voice. "Stumbling blithely into the middle of dangerous battlefields? Facing down monsters in such number? It simply will not do, young lady."
"I told you, father!" Weiss placed her hand on her chest. "I'm a Huntress!"
The president shook his head. "Weiss, be reasonable. You were never going to be a Huntress."
Weiss' eyes widened in confusion. "What!?"
"Weiss, you were always so strong willed," he said, taking a breath. "So much like your sister. But this dream you had of being a Huntress…it was never more than a dream."
"What are you talking about!?" Weiss demanded, brow narrowing in anger. "Of course I'm going to become a Huntress! I'm already well on my way!"
"I am sure you believed that when all this began," he reasoned. "You may even believe that now. But sooner or later, you're going to have to grow out of this phase, young lady, and realize just where it is you truly belong."
Weiss inhaled sharply. "Excuse me!?"
"My dear," the president sighed. "I only allowed you to go to Beacon so that you'd have a chance to see a bit of the world, acquire some new experiences, and bring whatever training you received back home with you to Atlas so that you could apply those skills here. But I never intended to allow my youngest daughter to risk life and limb on the field of battle, and certainly not against the creatures of Grimm. I was more lenient with your sister, but you are still but a child. I am drawing the line here."
Weiss' eyes flared in outrage.
"You…never intended to…allow me!?" she demanded incredulously, repeating her father's words with increasing disbelief.
"I am sure this must all seem quite unfair to you right now, my dear," her father held up his hand. "But I assure you, this is only for your own good. We are in the midst of a crisis, my child, and we must look after our own, first and foremost. As such, you will not go anywhere without an armed escort from now on."
Weiss was stunned. She was absolutely speechless.
"I…I don't…" she shook her head, eyes widening in revulsion. "You simply cannot be serious!"
William sighed and pressed a blue button on his desk, his office door sliding open with a shrill beep. Weiss turned her head to see a dozen armed guards march into the spacious office, standing at attention on either side of her.
"I assure you, my child," her father said, gravity in his voice. "I am quite serious."
Weiss turned back to stare at him, jaw set tightly in growing anger, but was otherwise silent.
William ignored the unruly expression his daughter was making, and waved his arm forward.
"Guards," he commanded softly. "Please escort my daughter back to the residence. And do be discrete about it. She will be remaining there for the foreseeable future until this all blows past."
The armed escort turned to face Weiss, the two nearest her placing a hand on each of her arms.
Weiss didn't even turn to look at them. With a flick of her wrist, a series of glyphs appeared beneath all twelve of them, sending them flying up to slam roughly into the high ceiling, before tumbling back to floor in a disorganized heap.
Weiss let a small twinge of satisfaction wash over her at the astonished look in her father's eyes at her outburst.
"You think this is all going to simply blow past!?" Weiss demanded in outrage. "We are dealing with the single greatest threat the world of Remnant has ever seen, and your plan is to hunker down and let it blow past!?"
She stamped her heel into the hard glass floor, the guards each moaning in pain behind where she stood.
"Father, there will no longer be a Schnee Dust Company when this is finished, or even a Schnee family, if we do not attack his problem head-on!" she exclaimed resolutely. "And I am not your little girl anymore! I am a Huntress, father! And I will not be locked away in my room while you continue to sit here and do nothing to stop this!"
William's eyes were growing darker by the moment as Weiss spoke out, but he still remained silent as she did.
"If you won't help me, father, then I'll join up with my sister and enlist with Atlas Special Forces instead!" she cried, tears in her eyes. "If you insist on hiding away like coward, then so be it! But I intend to fight this war, father! I am going to keep moving forward! And there is nothing you can do to stop me!"
President Schnee remained still and silent for a long while, before he slowly stepped behind his desk to retrieve his cane.
"Guards…leave us," he commanded simply.
One by one, the armed escort slowly got to their feet, collected themselves, limping and staggering out the door dejectedly, before it sealed itself behind them.
A cold chill began to fill the air inside the office.
"Very well then, Weiss…" William said slowly, pressing a yellow button on his desk, retracting the entire structure into the floor, where it sealed without so much as a seam where it disappeared. "You leave me no choice…"
Weiss tensed as she saw her father withdraw the head from his cane, revealing a long, thin stiletto blade.
"I'll make you a deal, child," he said calmly, though Weiss could see scarcely contained emotion swirling behind those eyes. "You claim that you truly wish to be a Huntress? Fight monsters? Save the world? Well, here's your chance to prove it…"
Her father held out the blade of his stiletto towards her.
"Prove to me that you are capable of handling yourself out there," he said, as all around him, furniture began to retract into the floor and walls, leaving the entire office devoid of obstacles; a stark steel floor, brushed white glass walls, and a transparent window behind him were all that remained. "Prove to me that you are capable of defending your principles like a true Schnee…do this, and you shall have my leave to go on whatever damn fool idealistic crusade you intend to go on."
William held his blade up to his face in a fencer's salute.
"But if you fail…" he said ominously. "You shall never disobey me again. You shall live under my protection, and you shall obey my rules to the letter. Are my terms clear to you, Weiss?"
Weiss swallowed as she slowly drew her rapier. This would be it, she realized. This would decide everything. This would be her final confrontation with her father.
"This charade is a waste of time for the both of us, father," Weiss said clearly, adopting her own fencer's salute, before assuming a ready position. "But if you will not see reason…then I accept."
William inhaled, and then flipped a thumb switch on his stiletto blade. As he did, crystal clear dust crystals began to grow all along the length of the blade. They started small at first, coating the steel with a thin sheet of ice, and then the crystals began to grow in length, extending off the edge of the blade like the branches of an evergreen tree, the entire length of the blade more than doubling in length as crystal grew upon crystal, until he was wielding a massive great sword made almost entirely of dust.
"Then defend yourself, my child," he said, forebodingly. "I shall not hold back."
Weiss was the first to leap forward, Myrtlenaster flying like a dart, striking at her father's defenses, forcing him to parry her blade. His massive dust blade moved surprisingly quick for its size, the dust crystals chipping and re-growing at an accelerated rate. Weiss leaped all around him, lithe and agile, using her speed to her fullest advantage as she struck with the speed and precision of a cobra.
Then he swung the massive dust blade, and when she blocked, she was thrown back almost to the wall, her heels skidding along the pristine steel floor, her sword completely covered with a thick coat of ice, hanging awkwardly in her hand.
"Sloppy," William chastised indignantly, staring down his nose at his daughter.
Weiss gritted her teeth, firing off a round of fire from the chamber in her weapon, shattering the ice that encased her sword. She then cast a yellow glyph around her feet, hastening her speed, before lunging forward like a bullet.
As she attacked, her sword easily got past his sword defense, but was deflected by a defensive glyph which appeared in an instant and repelled her attack like she was attacking a mountain face. She lunged with her sword again and again, easily out-maneuvering his immense dust blade, but each hit she landed simply bounced off of a defensive glyph which seemed to appear faster than she could attack.
Weiss leaped back, assuming a defensive stance and setting her jaw. Her father's glyphs were formidable. She would need to wear down his aura if she was to break through them, and a battle of attrition like that did not suit her at all. She needed to outthink him.
"Giving up already?" he demanded, before changing his stance to a more aggressive one. "Is this the extent of your convictions, young lady?"
Weiss waved her sword, casting a glyph beneath her father's feet, but before it could lift him into the air, he cast his own glyph on top of hers, countering its effect.
She smiled. So it was to be a battle of glyphs then? Thus was a fight she could win.
Weiss thumbed the switch on Myrtlenaster's hilt, toggling it to blue. She then waved her sword again, casting four glyphs on each wall in the office, sending a shower of icicles towards her father from every direction.
"Ice?" William demanded in amusement. "You must be joking!"
He plunged the tip of his dust blade into the floor, casting a blue glyph of his own. Before the icicles could reach him, they began to slow their speed as they collected and swirled around him. With a swing of his sword, the icicles flew out in all directions, embedding themselves into the far wall as Weiss cartwheeled over and somersaulted under his attack.
She smiled, and cast her blue glyphs again, showering her father with ice once more. Again, he riposted by turning her attack upon her, which she dodged and then cast her ice yet again.
"When will you learn, my dear?" President Schnee demanded. "That isn't going to work!"
Weiss sent her blades of ice at him once more, and again, he swung his sword to send them flying back at her.
But this time, he had become much slower in doing so.
It was working, she realized! Each time he parried her ice attack, the more of her ice crystals clung to his sword. Her father's strength was formidable, but even he had his limits. And as his dust blade became larger and larger from all the ice forming upon his sword, it was becoming heavier and heavier and more difficult for him to wield.
Now all she had to do was overcome his glyphs.
When he was forced to rest the tip of his sword against the floor, her father appeared to gleam her intentions, but it was too late.
"Two can play at that game, father!" Weiss called as she lunged.
She did not need a time glyph to grant her speed anymore, as her father's sword arm was no longer fast enough to counter her as heavy as it was. Instead, she cast another glyph upon her sword. A counter-glyph, as it were. And when her sword was resisted by her father's defensive glyphs, her own counter-glyph reacted and shattered her father's defensive barrier, leaving him exposed to attack.
Her sword struck true, and her father recoiled from the impact, dropping to one knee.
"Very clever, my child," he smiled, a hint of pride creeping into his voice as he got to his feet. "You've managed to counter both my sword and my glyphs…"
With a mighty heave, he raised his sword and slammed it into the floor, shattering the crystals that clung to it, leaving nothing more than a stiletto in his hands.
"But you have yet to taste my true power," he warned, his sword once again covering itself with dust crystals, forming a blade of razor sharp ice across his weapon. "For there are none more skilled than I in the use of dust in all of Remnant!"
Weiss took up a defensive stance as he began to whirl his blade wildly, sending pieces of his dust blade flying off like massive bullets, embedding themselves into the wall. Weiss had to flip and roll out of the way to dodge the incoming missiles, but when the crystals hit home, they began to grow and expand, freezing any surface they came into contact with.
Soon, nearly the entire office was coated with ice, and Weiss was running out of room to flee. Then one lucky crystal found the hem of her dress, and she stumbled as the dust crystal pinned her to the floor, her dress freezing in place.
Her father pressed the attack, leaping forward to swing with his sword.
"Not good enough!" he declared, bringing his sword down towards her.
Weiss gritted her teeth as she loaded a red dust cartridge into Myrtlenaster's chamber, before blocking his sword with a red blade of flame, deflected it in a shower of sparks and fire.
As William recoiled from the explosive defense, Weiss cast glyph after glyph around herself, ten in all, layering them around herself like a stack of dinner plates, before sending them shooting outwards in all directions. With a burst of heat, she had freed herself, and melted away most of the ice coating the office around them.
Without missing a beat, she then loaded a second cartridge, before casting a final red glyph in front of her sword, launching a series of red tinged dust bolts, each one nimbly maneuvering through the air to zero in on her father's location.
Her father was easily able to deflect each bolt with his blade, but each shot that impacted against his blade destroyed a chunk of dust crystals that made up its body. With each strike, his sword became less and less, until finally he was left with nothing more than his stiletto once more.
Weiss came flying in with her sword, and William counter-attacked with his now far nimbler weapon. He was faster than he had been before, but now Weiss had the reach advantage on him, and she managed to keep out of range of his stiletto while picking away at his defensive aura. As the dust began to regrow upon his sword once again, his sword began to get heavier before it was able to exceed her reach, and his attacks slowed enough for her to manage a strike to his sword, knocking it aside to land a solid blow upon him, his aura absorbing the strike and draining all the more for it as he recoiled again.
He let out a gasp as he felt his aura growing dangerously low, and he smiled.
"Impressive…" he said with a smile. "Your command over dust would make any Schnee proud…"
Weiss smirked at that, but did not respond. She knew her father was not finished, and she would not give into to complacency just yet.
William nodded gravely. "One last test…"
With the last of his aura, her father cast a summoning glyph, bringing an enormous white ursa major onto the battlefield.
Weiss gasped in astonishment. The summoned creature was gigantic! Its bulk filled nearly half the room, and one swing of its arms looked like it could probably flip an Atlesian Paladin on its head!
Had her father truly defeated such a creature?
The summoned ursa let out a ferocious roar as it charged her, swinging its massive claws, which Weiss was forced to roll under, getting behind it. It was slow and imprecise for all its strength, but it would still be incredibly durable, and she had doubts that summoning just a single sword-arm could defeat this creature.
"There is no shame in backing out, Weiss," her father offered gently from behind her. "I know you have yet to master summoning. But you have fought well. You've done all anyone could ask of you. But now it's time to give up this foolish errand and come home. Please…"
Despite his confident words, the old man was utterly spent and was no longer a threat to her, his aura depleted. Only the summoned ursa major remained as it lumbered around to face her, letting out another ferocious roar.
"I'm…" Weiss breathed, her own aura running low as well. "I'm not nearly finished yet!"
She charged the white ursa major, sword raised. This would take every last drop she had left!
Closing her eyes, she focused on the knight in shining armor from her nightmares. There were nights where she still woke up in a cold sweat from memories of that battle. It had been one of the most difficult fights of her life. She had been woefully unprepared that day, and paid dearly for her lack of foresight. To this day, she bore a scar from the encounter.
Sometimes, she would look at her face in the mirror and not know who she was looking at anymore. Was she Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the SDC? Weiss Schnee, the Huntress? Weiss Schnee, the scared, foolish little girl who thought she could change the world? Sometimes, all she could see was the childish ideal, forever marred by the one painful scar. It would never leave her, never let her forget, forever lingering, forever reminding her that she was all alone. That there was no one who would come to help her, and she had only herself to rely upon. That when it came right down to it, she really was the loneliest of all.
The gargantuan ursa swung a massive claw, which Weiss caught with the edge of her sword, recoiling back with a flip as she sailed across the room, landing with grace and regaining her footing. The mighty beast then roared, cold fire in its eyes, rearing up on its hind legs, before lunging forward to charge at her.
Weiss stood resolute, staring down the summoned creature, the symbol of her father's might, defiance in her eyes.
It made no matter. She was Weiss Schnee. She was the one who would save her family's legacy. She was the one who would save the Schnee Dust Company. And she was the one who would save the world. She would do so because her honor as a Schnee demanded that she do it. She would do so because it was the right thing to do. She would do so because she had the help of her friends. She would do so because that was what a Huntress did.
She lifted her sword, a massive glyph appearing behind her, and she saw a familiar sword arm emerge from the glyph to raise high into the air to block the oncoming Grimm. She stepped forward, pressing her defense into an attack, and a massive white greave stepped out of the glyph to impact the floor alongside her heel. She pushed forward again, and a pristine gauntleted fist came flying out of the glyph to slam into the creature's face, knocking it backwards.
And as Weiss whirled into an all-out assault with her sword, the white knight emerged fully formed from the massive glyph, its armor glowing pristine and flawless as it mirrored her attack, striking at her father's summon with the ferocity of a hailstorm, sending the creature flying into the far wall.
Weiss lunged, and the knight lunged with her. And as their two swords sunk deep into the massive ursa major, the creature let out an agonized roar of defeat. With a shower of white, the beast dissolved into nothingness, leaving Weiss and her silent guardian standing tall.
William Eisenhardt Schnee stood aghast, his eyes and his jaw hanging open in awe.
"Incredible…" he breathed in disbelief. "You've already progressed this far?"
Weiss was breathing heavily, struggling to maintain the summon, but maintain it she did as she held her sword out towards her father.
"I have…" she gasped as her summon mirrored her movements. "Now…will you grant me your blessing, father? Or must I prove myself yet again?"
The old man held up his hand in defeat.
"I yield, Weiss," he stammered, his voice hitching tremulously. "I yield…"
Weiss let out breath of relief, the knight at her side dissipated into thin air. She sheathed her sword.
"So…" she breathed, not wanting to give her father a chance to go back on his deal. "I have your leave, then?"
William waved his hand, before gesturing to the floor, which signaled the mechanism to raise his desk back out to its original position.
"I am man of my word," he said in resignation. "If this is to be your destiny, my dear child…well, you've proven that I am not at all capable of stopping you."
Weiss grimaced as a wave of guilt rose over her. As much as she longed to be free of her father, a part of her heart still went out to him. After all, in the end, he was nothing more than a concerned parent trying to protect their child.
She shook her head. This was no time for second thoughts.
"I will be enlisting with Atlas Special Forces," she declared, standing up straight. "They have the resources that I need, and I intend to take full advantage of everything they have to offer."
She fixed her father with a pointed stare.
"I need your guarantee that this decision will not affect the dust trade between this company and the state," she said, bluntly. "I need to know that you will not impede the flow of dust to the military in an attempt to hamstring them for some foolhardy desire to keep me from fighting."
William shook his head. "Nonsense, my dear. I am not so foolish as to think that such an act would keep you safe. If anything, cutting off the supply of dust to your future employer would only endanger you and your sister. No, my child, I intend increase the amount of dust this company supplies to the state, as much as I am able. It is the least I can do for you, and for your sister, who are both counting on those resources out in the field."
Weiss' expression softened. Perhaps her father was not so unreasonable after all.
She ran over to her father and threw her arms around his chest, causing him to let out a sudden grunt of surprise as his tired old body ached under the affectionate squeeze.
"Thank you, father!" she cried, embracing him tightly. "Thank you for understanding."
She felt her father caressing her hair.
"I'm sorry, my dear," he said remorsefully. "I'm sorry, but I do not understand. I have never understood. It is doubtful that I ever will…"
He took her by the shoulders and held her at arms length.
"But I do not need understanding in order to see what is right in front of my face," he said softly. "And I can see clearly now that you, like your sister, are determined to live your life according to your own path."
He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers.
"It is clear to me now that any attempt on my part to inhibit you in this would be a fruitless endeavor," he shook his head. "And would only serve to further drive a wedge between us. That is not what I wish."
Weiss reached up to take her father's hand in hers, pressing it to her cheek. She was surprised by how warm it was.
"I only ask…" he said wearily. "I only ask that you be careful, my dear Weiss. That is all I can ask. Can you grant your foolish old father this request?"
Weiss smiled back up at him, a tear trickling down her cheek. She had honestly never thought that this day would ever come.
"Of course, father…" she said, her voice lilting.
William drew his daughter into another crushing embrace, before finally releasing her, opening the office door with a gesture.
"Now, be sure to contact me if you need anything," he said as she turned to go. "By any means necessary."
Weiss nodded as she stepped towards the door. "I will."
Weiss did not look back as she crossed the threshold out of her father's office. She did not look back as the befuddled secretary watched her leave, a look of utter confusion on her face. She did not look back as she strode down the hall, amidst the gawking eyes of onlookers as she passed, curious and jabbering as always.
It was only when she reached the elevator, and was confronted by a reflection of herself in the mirrored walls of the small, isolated chamber as it descended, that she could truly pause for a moment to realize just who it was that was staring back at her now.
She saw Weiss Schnee. The Huntress. The Heiress. The foolish girl who thought she could change the world.
She saw all of these things. And she saw so much more.
And she was just getting started.