"Nnh… Nooo… Five more minutes…" Weiss groggily says before pulling her blanket up to shield her face, a soft giggle ringing out in response that is rather out of place. While the giggle begins to draw her away from further slumber, what does so more effectively is a gentle squeeze given to her right hand, the blanket being shifted down before the grasping hand is squeezed in return and her eyes flutter open.
"P… Enny?" The smiling face of Penny Polendina greets Weiss as the light floods into her eyes, a few moments being taken to rub away any lingering tiredness before a yawn escapes. "What are you… Doing here?" Penny waits until Weiss is finished talking before replying, smile widening slightly as she speaks.
"Good morning Weiss!" Penny's voice is perky and full of life, showing her current mood well enough, effortlessly drawing out a nearly as good mood into the brace faced teen before her. "I wanted to surprise you with a visit! General Ironwood and Ms. Winter allowed me to visit you, but I couldn't decide when to stop by, so I came now!" Despite her initial surprise at seeing Penny, especially so early, Weiss looks to be exceptionally happy, the peppy android being pulled down before a kiss is shared.
"It's really nice to see you Penny, I… I missed you." Pausing the kiss to speak, Weiss dives back in and presses her lips to Penny's once more, electing to spend a few minutes making out before fully pulling away. "It's nice to see you as well Weiss, I missed you too!" After Penny speaks, the two share yet another kiss, enjoying the intimate moment until Ms. Amaranth knocks and enters with Weiss's breakfast.
"Well hello there you two, good morning." Amaranth hums out while pushing the cart over to Weiss's bed, both teens looking towards the nurse as she raises Weiss's bed up and settles the tray on her lap. "It's nice to see you in such a good mood Ms. Schnee. If you need anything, don't hesitate to hit the call button." Weiss's hand leaves Penny's before she swaps her headgear out for elastics as per usual, Amaranth lingering to watch her for a few moments before departing the room to tend to other patients.
Weiss enjoys her breakfast in silence, content to have Penny by her side for the first time in weeks. I'm glad my sister and General Ironwood allowed Penny to see me., She thinks with a smile, bites of food being eaten while her thoughts drift elsewhere, I wonder how Winter is doing, anyway… I haven't seen her since that day, and I'm not confident Penny knows anything, or could tell me even if she did. Eventually, once her meal is finished, she turns her gaze towards the silently smiling android she regards so fondly, Penny smiling wider as she catches her gaze.
"I'm… Not entirely sure if you're allowed to tell me anything, or if there's anything you know, but… How have you been Penny? I've been worried about you since that day, have you been able to see your father at all?" Weiss's questions and concern are regarded with slow nodding and a quick hug being shared, Penny taking a few moments to think before saying anything.
"I've been okay, I've been worried about you too, and yes I have." She swiftly says to answer each of Weiss's questions, Weiss chuckling a bit before holding Muffin out, Penny taking the feline into her arms while Weiss embraces Nickel.
"I'm glad to hear that, it's kind of lonely down here." Weiss hums out before pausing, Nickel's fur being nosed into while she thinks, More than kind of, honestly, but Penny doesn't need to know that. "So far I've only had Oscar as a visitor, I'm hoping the others will come to see me while I'm here, I still don't know when I'm going to be discharged."
After Weiss summons the nurse and her tray is taken away, she and Penny begin to chat about anything and everything that comes to mind, not particularly focusing on any one topic. Eventually, after a quick check of the time, Weiss invites Penny up onto her bed so the two can watch a movie together, despite the time of her next therapy session fast approaching. Penny gladly takes her up on the invite and the two begin enjoying an emotional, feel good animated flick Penny suggests.
"Sorry to interrupt, but it's almost time for your appointment Weiss." Ms. Amaranth says after stepping into room, Penny sharing a quick kiss with her girlfriend before climbing down off the bed. Unable to halt the soft sigh that escapes, Weiss nods, then tucks away her scroll before shifting into the waiting wheelchair, Muffin in hand.
"Will you still be here when I get back Penny?" She asks once seated, Penny nodding before giving her a warm smile and a thumbs up. "Good." As she's wheeled out to Dr. Youngwood's office, she thinks with a smile What did I ever do to deserve Penny? She's far too good for me., her mood going into this session as good as the prior one.
"Good morning Weiss, I see you're in a good mood today, any particular reason why?" Brindle greets Weiss with a smile as the teen positions herself on the couch as per usual, Weiss looking to her before nodding with a slightly toothy smile resting on her face.
"I… I know this might sound silly, but… Love, that's why." She says with a sigh escaping afterwards, thoughts falling towards Penny before Brindle makes herself heard.
"Love you say? Well know, would you care to tell me about the lucky boy or girl who's captured your heart, or would you like to talk about something else?" Brindle replies with a grin of her own, Weiss debating for a few moments before shaking her head.
"There's something else I wanted to talk about today, I can tell you about Penny the next time I see you." Weiss falls silent long enough to gauge Brindle's reaction, the kind therapist giving her a simple nod before gesturing to continue, which she does after squeezing Muffin to her chest. "I told you about when I got Muffin, but… Not about what happened after that, with my… Well, I don't think I'd consider him a father, at least not anymore."
Weiss begins to go on and on about Jacques, how abusive he was to her, her siblings, and Willow, how he only seemed to care about one thing and would do anything to ensure he got his way, leading up to the day she got braces for the first time. Brindle quirks an eyebrow when Weiss mentions the day in specific, but does nothing but nod, Weiss taking a deep, deep breath before finally starting to talk about that day.
"Moooom… My mouth huuurts…" Weiss quietly whines out, Willow pulling her into a firm hug before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"I know it does darling, once we get inside we can get you some pain medicine and a cool treat, how does that sound?" Weiss nods as Willow lays out the prospect of something to help with pain and a treat as well, then hugs Willow back before skipping up to the entrance of the manor. Willow, following close behind, opens the door for Weiss who skips inside, Klein greeting the two with a smile and a slight bow.
"Welcome back you two, I trust the appointment went well?" He asks, Weiss nodding before flashing a smile that shows off her braces, Klein leaning forward to inspect them. "Oh my, you look simply precious, Ms. Schnee, truly you do. If your mother allows, I know just the thing to help with any pain." With a glance up to Willow and a nod given in response, he smiles down at Weiss, then slips away to the kitchen while Weiss and Willow head upstairs, only to be intercepted by Klein, who frowns at the two before looking down at Weiss.
"Child, open your mouth." He demands, Weiss hesitantly doing so and making her braces visible. "I can't believe how ridiculous you look." After sneering down at his daughter momentarily, he looks to Willow, who pulls Weiss to her side protectively.
"Jacques, that is no way to talk to your daughter. She needs braces, and I think they look lovely on her." Willow's retort is met with a deepening frown from the Schnee patriarch who advances towards them a few steps, Weiss partially hiding herself behind her mother in the process.
"Weiss will become a proper heiress, I swear on that, and I will not let you make her out to be anything different." Weiss whimpers in pain as Jacques cups her chin and roughly squeezes her cheeks, this forcing her mouth open wider against her will. "Tch… You look like a child."
"Jacques, she IS a child, lest you forget." Willow snaps back, Jacques's scowl fading into a coy smile as he releases his daughter and stands upright.
"Yes, of course. She may be a child now… But she'll be much more when I'm done with her." Jacques turns and stalks off to his office, Willow picking Weiss up after he's gone before hugging her close.
"Shh… It's okay darling, he won't hurt you anymore, I promise." She softly coos out as she carries Weiss to her room, Weiss clinging to Willow firmly as they traverse the halls of the manor. Once inside Weiss's room, Willow seats her on the edge of her bed, then gives her Muffin before brushing a few stray strands of hair away from her face. "It's going to be okay."
"Since that day, father began to treat me worse. If I wasn't acting how he wanted me to while in public, I'd get hit, or be grounded… If I talked back to him, I got hit, if I said something I shouldn't have, hit. Yelling was common place up until my tenth birthday…" Weiss, struggling to maintain her composure, takes a few deep breaths, keeping Muffin tightly held to her frame. "Mom confronted father after he didn't show up for my birthday party, and he finally revealed that he only married her for her name. I'm sure she suspected this long before, but to hear him say it… It broke her. She started drinking, at first a glass of wine here, a glass of wine there, then a bottle of wine here, a bottle of vodka there…"
"I'm so, so very sorry to hear that, Weiss. I'd say I can't imagine what that must feel like, but I know far too well how it does. I'm proud of you for having the courage to share this with me, I know many can't bring themselves to talk about their abusers, even in private like this." Brindle's smile softens as she speaks, taking on a comforting appearance, Weiss just nodding for a few moments before finding the nerves to speak.
"I've never… Told anyone about this, aside from my teammates, but they don't know how badly father abused us… I thought I'd be safe having run away, but now that I'm back in Atlas he's just… I can't take it, knowing he can still get to me even when he's not actually around me…" Weiss can't hold back a shaky sigh coming out as she trails off, face being buried into Muffin's fur in the process.
"I know, Weiss, abusers always have such a nasty effect on their victims, you could be miles and miles away from them, and they'd still be able to affect you. Just know, you're stronger than you may think, you're here talking to me about all this after all, and that's not something many can handle." Hearing Brindle reassure her so consistently, Weiss can't help but relax slightly, face pulling away from Muffin before she looks to Brindle.
"I… I never thought to see it like that… I always valued ignoring my feelings and what happened to me in favor of focusing on the current, but… I guess I wasn't thinking that it would be a terrible idea to do that." With one final sigh leaving her lips, Weiss finds herself able to smile, albeit only a little, Brindle's smile growing as she sees this happen.
"Everyone has their own way to cope with trauma they endure, yet not everyone realizes that some ways are worse for you than others. I'm proud of you for realizing that your method of coping wasn't healthy, in time we'll be able to help you develop better coping skills that will follow you as you grow older. Now…" Brindle pauses for a few moments as she looks up at the clock, then gently claps her hands together. "It's just about that time again, Weiss. I'll have Ms. Amaranth escort you back to your room, and I'll see you again in a week."
Once Weiss nods, Brindle departs before being replaced by Amaranth a few minutes later, Weiss settling into the wheelchair before being taken back to her room where Penny is diligently waiting as she had promised. Amaranth leaves to fetch Weiss's lunch while the two teens embrace, Weiss clambering back up onto the bed before Penny nestles in against her side and they resume watching the movie from earlier.
Knock knock knock.
Three hearty knocks echo out against the door to the Schnee Manor, Winter Schnee stood waiting surrounded by a small contingent of Atlas soldiers. A short while passes before the door is answered by Klein Sieben, Winter nodding before being motioned inside. "Where is father?" She asks as the soldiers file in behind her, Klein looking upstairs in the direction of Jacques's study.
"He's in his study, the man he had been with was here earlier but is not now." Klein replies before turning and heading towards Whitley and Willow's rooms, leaving Winter to lead the soldiers to where Jacques is presumably at.
"Who is it? What do you want?" Jacques calls out with annoyance when Winter knocks on the door, the group filing in to his surprised without a word being said. "Winter? W… What is the meaning of this?!"
"Jacques Schnee, you are under arrest. Your accused crimes are as stated: Supplying false footage to defame the reputation of a huntress and incite violence against her, aiding and abetting a known criminal, inciting a panic and furthering the Grimm attacks against the city of Mantle, and both child and spousal abuse." Winter says in a commanding tone, handcuffs being drawn before she approaches Jacques.
"I… You must be joking, you can't possibly think anyone would believe this… This nonsense!" He exclaims while backing up against the nearest wall, Winter pulling out her scroll before showing him footage of the recently aired news report.
"This is Lisa Lavender, live from outside Atlas Academy with a breaking news report. General James Ironwood has called a press conference to talk about the recent Polendina-Schnee scandal, saying he has definitive proof the two have caused no harm." Lisa says before the camera pans over to General Ironwood, who clears his throat before beginning to speak.
"Good morning Atlas and Mantle. I come to you today to clear the names of Ms. Weiss Schnee and Penny Polendina, who had been besmirched by the doctored footage that surfaced on the DustNet recently. It came to light that both Ms. Schnee and Polendina were the subject of a smear campaign perpetrated by one Jacques Schnee and Arthur Watts, the later of who had been thought to be dead until recent."
After speaking, James plays prepared footage, firstly showing Penny's memories from both incidents, proof that the footage on the DustNet was falsified, and secondly, footage from the Schnee Manor showing Jacques and Arthur conversing, discussing how they will sully the name of Weiss and Penny through the release of doctored footage to further Jacques's goals. As the footage of Jacques and Arthur plays the watching crowd erupts in outrage, the clearly alive state of the former scientist and him working with Jacques proving to be vastly angering.
"Oh my. Considering this damning footage, I feel that Ms. Schnee and Polendina are owed an apology for what we said against them. I for one hope both Schnee and Watts are apprehended and punished for these actions against both two innocent souls and the people of Atlas and Mantle who were hurt by the increased Grimm attacks."
"I… H… How did you get that footage?!" Jacques stares at the scroll's screen incredulously as he processes what he just saw, never having expected to been taken down by something said from the sanctity of his office.
"Our source is of no concern to you. Do not resist, or things won't go so smoothly." Winter commands her father before cuffing him, two soldiers escorting him out of the study. As he's lead outside Whitley and Willow watch him, having gathered with Klein and a few of the other servants after hearing the commotion going on in the study. Jacques regards them all with a scowl before he's put in the waiting transport, Willow stepping back inside before approaching her family.
"Father will stand trial for his crimes, there is no way he is getting out of this scot free. Mother, thank you for giving us this footage, it has proven to be exactly what we needed to finally take him down." Winter's harsh demeanor softens as she speaks to her mother and brother, the two being hugged and hugging her back before she steps away. "I must return to the academy, General Ironwood will want an update on the mission."
"Go, and if you see Weiss, tell her we miss her and hope she's doing okay." Willow says before looking to Whitley, who nods in agreement before moving closer to Willow's side. Winter nods, then turns and steps out of the manor, boarding the other waiting transport before it departs. Father… I hope jail treats you well, it's the least you deserve after everything you've done. Winter thinks while glancing out the window, watching the passing landscape fondly before sighing quietly.