Life was stagnant until three roommates got a new neighbor right next door. After interacting with the now dubbed 'ice princess,' they discover she raises more questions than answers. High school AU with a twist.

That's the summary of my longer, upcoming fic called Redo that's freezerburn with a dash of ladybug. I also have another one that's released sooner. It's a fluffy one-shot, white rose sicfic called Flattery. Check them out when the time comes! For now, enjoy the finale of this fic!

Outside, it was tranquil. Like they were standing in a picturesque painting coated in colors of the rainbow. The sun smiled down at them, radiating warmth.

The three walked along the beautiful garden, down a perfectly paved dirt path. Encompassing the trail were dozens of daisies and lilies emitting pollen.

At last, the school day ended. Weiss and Winter were finally able to talk after not seeing each other for over a year. Due to Weiss and Blake's new relationship, Blake tagged along. She felt it was important for Weiss' older sister to know her little sister was in good hands.

As Winter enjoyed the calm breeze, she looked down at her little sister. "How is your injury?"

From the question, Weiss was surprised. As far as she knew, only her team was aware of the still-healing gashes along her side and arm.

"How did you know?" Weiss asked.

"I'm an Atlas specialist, Weiss," Winter reminded with a stoic expression. "Of course I know when my little sister gets hurt."

"I disagree," Weiss said, tugging down her sleeves. "I think you're psychic."

"That could be the case," Winter sent her a wink.

Watching the interaction was Blake. From stories of Winter, she thought the eldest was more hardened. It appeared she had a soft spot for her sister.

She was so firm before, Blake thought, liking the change in Winter's demeanor. She's not a robot after all.

Winter gazed down at Blake, who was admiring the beauty around them. "I trust you will take care of her."

From being addressed, Blake straightened up. "O-of course. She's in good hands."

In a way, Blake felt honored. A person of such high status in the military trusted her.

Noticing her tension, Weiss held her hand to put her at ease. "She's the best. She makes sure I don't move around too much."

"Much appreciated, Blake. Weiss can go overboard sometimes," Winter said, which caused the younger sister to pout. "It reassures me to know my sister is being taken care of when I cannot do so myself."

A sentient breeze kissed their cheeks, causing their hair to flutter.

Blake squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "You don't need to worry."

The monochrome pair smiled at each other. It was like their newfound love was in full bloom like the flowers around them. Simply by watching them, Winter knew they had something deep. This was truly a meaningful bond.

Wanting to confirm their relationship, Winter asked. "Are you two together?"

Blushing, Weiss mumbled. "Yes..."

She wasn't sure how her sister would react to the news, so she wasn't exactly confident when informing her. From her response, Winter crossed her arms. That might not be good.

"I assume this means she knows," Winter said, staring at her sister's arms.

If Blake didn't already know about her carefully-guarded secret, Winter wasn't going to reveal it. From her comment, Blake's cat ears perked up. A reaction Winter didn't miss.

"She knows I'm a zebra faunus," Weiss confirmed, suddenly finding the resolution to speak clearly.

Winter swallowed a heavy sigh, proud of her sister. "I don't think you've said that out loud before."

"I-" Weiss paused, musing in her mind. "I don't think I have, either."

Realizing that was true, Blake squeezed her hand again to silently support her.

That caused Winter to smile. While Winter was happy her sister found acceptance with the team, this also meant Weiss was on thin ice. It didn't take much for a carefully hidden secret to be revealed. Especially since she's a Schnee and in the eye of the public. The slightest mistake meant that the ice below would crack, forcing her to plummet through.

"I'm glad you were able to tell someone," Winter said, biting her bottom lip in hesitation. "However, you need to be careful. Does your team know?"

"Yes," Weiss admitted.

Blake interjected, sensing the eldest was concerned above all else.

"We're trustworthy," Blake reassured, which earned the quirk of a white brow. "I know you don't know me or our team well, but you can place your faith in us. Please give us a chance to show you that we would never jeopardize your sister's safety or your family's reputation."

Winter gave a thin sigh. There was no helping the situation.

"I don't have a choice in the matter. Though, I should consider that you've known for a while and nothing has changed."

Blake eagerly nodded. "It's no one's secret to tell."

Reassured from her words, Winter addressed Weiss. "Does anyone besides your team know?"

"You and father," Weiss said, almost smirking.

Winter let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and pinched her nose. As Blake watched her, she slightly smiled. They had the same mannerisms.

When Winter found the words to say, she spoke. "My hope is that one day you can be yourself without worrying," she said somberly as if to hide the sadness in her voice. "However, that day is not near."

While Schnee Dust was still a powerhouse, that was a dream. Although, who knows what the future could bring.

Weiss only shrugged, accepting that fact every day. "It's okay. One day, I'll be able to. I'm hopeful."

Glad to hear that, Winter asked. "Is there anything else you'd like me to tell Jacques?"

They call their father by his first name, Blake noted, watching her girlfriend. Weiss looked unfazed. I guess that's normal, she felt a pang in her heart. She didn't know what it was like to dislike her own father.

As the older sister, it was Winter's responsibility to report Weiss' whereabouts and progress to their father. Winter usually gave him vague reports to appease him. Mainly, she was interested in her sister's life, so she was content with checking in.

A negative cloud of thoughts warped Weiss' mind when she was asked that question. What did she want to pass along to Jacques?

"You're a failure. A nuisance."

"You can't do anything right."

"You shouldn't exist."

"... an abomination."

"Yes," Weiss revealed, pushing his evil words out of her mind. "Tell him…"

Weiss thought back to the entire year at Beacon. She found her friends- her family- and they accepted her without hesitation. With them, there was suddenly a new twist in her life. She found a new reason to exist.

"Tell him I said 'checkmate,'" Weiss smirked smugly.

For several years, her father considered her life a game. And when she didn't play by his rules, he got angry. Her whole life, Jacques told her no one would accept her. That their family would be ruined if anyone found out she was a faunus. He couldn't be more wrong. With her defiance, she was able to defeat his ploy of a game. She rewrote all the rules and was victorious.

From her response, Winter sincerely smiled for the first time that day. "I will give him the message."

Truthfully, Winter was elated. For the first time in forever, her little sister was genuinely delighted. Winter hadn't seen that grin in too long. It was a complete change from when Weiss lived in Atlas.

There was a brief silence as the three enjoyed a calm breeze that smoothed over their skin. The birds chirped, performing a melody and the insects hummed along.

Blake bent down to pick a flower and graciously gave it to her girlfriend.

"Here," Blake said, which earned a blush. "You can use it as a bookmark."

"How thoughtful," Weiss said, gingerly holding the delicate lily.

Winter watched the sweet gesture and a warm feeling encompassed her heart. If this was how her sister was treated, she would be spoiled in no time.

Blake gazed up at the eldest. "I heard you two have a beautiful garden at home."

"It's quite magnificent," Winter quickly agreed. "It was our favorite place to play in as children."

Weiss beamed from the memories. "She played with me even with her allergies."

Blake looked impressed. "A true sacrifice.".

Winter almost chuckled and said with an uplifting, hopeful tone. "You know, Jacques will be on a business trip around the time your exams end..."

A glimmer of hope.

"Really?!" Weiss exclaimed, which earned a nod.

She always dreaded going back to the mansion during breaks since he was there. But now…

"Maybe you can come to the garden, after all," Weiss squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "Are you still interested?"

Blake gave her a look, surprised that was even a question. "Of course!"

Before, Weiss would never consider bringing her friends and girlfriend to her favorite place in the world- her garden. After this year, that dream could actually become reality. Before, there was always a flicker of hope that maybe her friends could get a glimpse into her private life. Now they can.

Maybe some things can change, after all.

I have a fluffy, sick fic white rose one-shot for ya'll coming up soon. Then I'm releasing a longer Freezerburn fic called Redo (summary is at the beginning of the chapter). It's a high school AU with quite a few twists and turns, so check it out when the time comes.

This chapter is called Checkmate because Weiss won the game against her dad, proving she could make a respectable life for herself and have friends. And Monochrome/Checkmate is also their ship name. Get it? Guys?

Thanks for reading this one.

Remember to stay dandy,

~Toto