At seventeen, Weiss Schnee's pathetic life had ended. However, the haughty young woman didn't seem to realize it yet.
The excruciating pain she had felt seconds ago seemed to just vanish so suddenly. And now, she was blinking and looking up at the sky, mind empty.
"What had happened?" she thought after a while.
A throng of seemingly distressed people in the middle of the road caught her attention. Somebody must have been involved in a car accident if a slightly wrecked car in there was an implication.
She blinked again, looking hard. She felt like there was something odd going on like she was looking at them the wrong way.
How should one look at people the right way, though?
It took a couple of seconds for Weiss to realize that she was looking at them from a bird's-eye view.
That... wasn't normal.
She gasped in surprise as she looked around, thinking maybe she was riding a chopper or something. But as she scrambled, she realized that she was... floating?
What on Salem's whale is this? A bizarre dream? A nightmare? A hallucination? Did she get into a fight somewhere and somebody one-upped her until she lost consciousness?
"Someone call an ambulance!" a random person below yelled. Weiss looked at the racket again, floating down. Her icy blue eyes widened at the scene.
There, in the middle of these random people, was her. She was bleeding in the head and from what she could discern, it wasn't stopping. Her body wasn't faring well as well. Shards were unmercifully plunged into her skin all over.
She was lying limply on the ground, seemingly dead to the world.
Apprehensively, she let herself closer and knelt beside her... body.
"This must be a nightmare," she thought to herself. "Which is odd because I feel very light right now."
The sound of the ambulance snapped her from her trance. A few medical personnel jumped out as soon as it stopped, and to Weiss' surprise, people were obedient enough to let them through. The medics scrambled, and carefully began the procedure of checking the patients.
Apparently, it wasn't just her who was hurt.
"Besides a few scratches, this boy looks just fine," one of the medics said as he finished checking on a crying little boy in the corner.
Weiss raised an eyebrow. He somehow... looked familiar.
She then heard a somber tut. "Well, at least one of them is," said the personnel who were attending to her.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
But the man merely ignored her. He stood up and pulled a stretcher beside them. The other medics helped him carry Weiss' limp body to the stretcher. They then carefully put her inside the ambulance.
Without sparing her—the Weiss that wasn't out of commission—a glance, all of them rode the vehicle and left.
Weiss stared in shock until the ambulance was out of sight. Without her realizing it, she was floating up again. She furrowed her eyebrows and thought hard.
What had happened?
This felt all so real even though this also felt bizarre. She wasn't a ghost now, was she? If she wasn't, then, how on remnant did she see all that? Her body was in front of her for crying out loud!
She decided to trace her day. Where it all started. It seemed to be the logical action to this... phenomenon.
Today started differently, she was now starting to remember. She decided to attend school after ten days of not letting everyone grace them with her presence. Not that everyone wanted her there, anyway.
As per usual, when she entered the school grounds, everyone avoided her. Ignoring her was one thing, but avoidance ticked her off a bit. But she was a little bit used to it already, she believed.
With a background like hers, it was inevitable. And her being in a fight almost every day on the street, didn't help her case. If anything, it merely highlighted how unwanted she was in society.
What was the point? They don't want her? Fine. It's not that she cared. She didn't want them as well if that wasn't obvious already. She huffed, and instead of going to her classroom, she went to the rooftop, away from everyone.
As she opened the door, she heard an echoing, "Miss Weiss Schnee, report to Miss Goodwitch's office immediately" announcement through the speakers all over the campus. She slammed it close, feeling a headache coming already.
She sighed, irritation filling her inside. The air felt good, at least. She thought there was something in this world to enjoy still.
Weiss ambled towards an empty bench. The sunlight was starting to hurt her skin, but she can manage. With that, she took a seat, hands on the bench as she turned her face upwards and closed her eyes.
Why did she even bother to come? The teachers would just take it as an opportunity to cage her inside the office to torture her with lectures about being a good student and a citizen as a whole. Didn't they realize how futile that was?
Two minutes of silence and her peace and quiet were already shattered. The door opened and heavy clicks of heels clamored at her ears.
Opening her eyes, she smiled at the girl in front of her. Green pools glaring down, hands on her hips, scowling.
As per usual.
"I see you're still wearing that old thing," Weiss greeted.
The girl scowled a bit more and scoffed, "All of us must wear school uniforms, Weiss. Because we are students of this institution." Weiss merely shrugged, and the girl sighed, sitting beside her. "At least wear yours the next time you come."
Weiss merely looked up, bored. "No, thank you. It's expensive, Pyrrha, and it's not exactly friendly outside of school."
She huffed albeit bitterly. "It's not even friendly inside. Besides, my combat skirt would always suffice. Don't you know how bothersome it is to restrain myself just so my overpriced piece of clothing with a school logo that doesn't mean anything to me doesn't get damaged from a fight?"
"Then stop fighting," the girl said, making Weiss flinch a little. Pyrrha's tone was calm, but Weiss could tell the exasperation in there.
Pyrrha, the beautiful redhead that she was, turned to face Weiss.
She continued, "Weiss, instead of wandering elsewhere during school days, why don't you attend classes for a change? You know it's safer and more peaceful, and you won't need to worry about torn clothing."
Weiss thought about it before, of course, but she knew she couldn't. The damage has already been done. She had an infamous name even before she got the nickname "Ice Queen".
Nobody wanted to be her friend anymore. Not that she was desperate to have one. But nobody wanted her presence here. She was a nuisance, she knew. Hell, she could practically feel the hatred emanating from her teachers and other students! She wasn't even sure why she came in today.
If she tried to walk in a different lane, it wouldn't amount to anything. Thugs would still go after her regardless. Well, at least, they wouldn't avoid her like she was some kind of dirt. Granted, they only wanted to hurt her... but whatever.
There's Pyrrha, but Weiss didn't want to burden the poor girl. They were childhood friends, and all she could recall from their friendship was Pyrrha lecturing her just like those aggravating faculty staff.
Pyrrha's future was bright for she was a bright girl. But, Weiss? She'll just become a hindrance.
So, yeah, no. This was her life now. There's nothing she could do about it.
Weiss sighed as she stood up. "I'm going home," she said.
Pyrrha's bright green eyes widen as she stood up as well. Before she could even open her mouth to protest, Weiss was already looking up at her. Pyrrha was taller than Weiss by multiple inches, but it seemed to not bother the shorter girl at all as she grinned at her friend and booped her nose with her finger.
"Take care."
"Wei—" Pyrrha tried to stop her friend, but she was already outside the door, her ponytail much like hers swayed as she walked away.
She knew Weiss' life wasn't normal. Or, at least, it wasn't ideal. Pyrrha didn't know how it started, but her ivory-haired friend was slipping away. Pyrrha was lost. How will she help her friend?
She sighed and left the rooftop, too.
"Pyrrha?" one of her school friends called her. "Is she... gone?"
Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, looking at her school friends as she walked down the stairs. "Why are you ducking around the corner?"
The two shared a look and then, "B –because we're scared of the Ice Queen." Pyrrha snorted at the nickname her childhood friend had acquired.
One of them added, "I don't see how you could actually talk to her! Aren't you terrified of what she might do to you? Or worse, what people might say of it?"
Pyrrha merely shrugged. "Not really," she smiled. "She just wants you to think that she's dangerous. On the inside, she's more like a lamb."
Her friends weren't convinced, though, because they insisted, "Yeah, but you haven't heard the latest news about her, Pyrrha!"
"She's super cold-hearted, right? And apparently, she beats up people using only that wooden sword of hers!" the other friend added.
"If she whistles twice, her gang of one hundred assassins would immediately pop out, and would murder everyone they crossed paths with!"
That made Pyrrha cackle so hard her stomach started to ache, waving her hand in front of her. This was getting ridiculous. "Come on, Weiss doesn't even know how to whistle."
"What?"
"Besides," she added, "she doesn't have many friends. How on remnant would she order one hundred assassins around?"
To Pyrrha's dismay, though, her school friends stuck to their rumors and told her that they knew the truth, and believed it with all their hearts.
Not long after, the speaker blasted again. "Miss Schnee, I know that you're here today," a stern female voice said. "Come to my office immediately."
Weiss scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. What would Goodwitch want now? She was at school, yes, but so what? She decided to go home, anyway.
She grumbled, "I hope she would just let me be."
Upon ambling towards the gate, Weiss turned her head on some argument. No, it wasn't an argument, she realized. It was an act of harassment. "These idiots just don't learn, do they?"
Two male students and one cowering female student were standing in a far corner of the campus. It was their business, sure, but Weiss couldn't stop herself from prying.
She walked calmly towards them, or at least, she felt like she looked like one. In truth, though, if you ask anyone, she seemed so frosty cold, unfeeling and so ready to murder anyone. That's why she was nicknamed the "Ice Queen" in the first place.
"Do you know who I am?" one of the thugs said smugly, making the girl cringe. "I'm Weiss Schnee's cousin, you see!" he proclaimed.
The other thug slammed his hand on the wall, cornering the girl. He grinned and then, "You better believe it, girl. Schnee wants your wallet. We're one of her henchmen now."
Cousin. Pretty odd. Weiss Schnee doesn't have any family in Vale except for her mother. Sure she was... absent because she wasn't sober most of the time, but another family member? Weiss snorted. It irked her, but she couldn't help chuckling. These idiots really were something. Using her infamous name to get what they want.
The thugs heard her and immediately glared, but upon realizing that the great Ice Queen was staring ice daggers at them, they immediately recoiled.
Weiss continued to glare at them while she quietly walked. "Funny," she began. "I don't remember having a cousin in Vale. Let alone an ugly one."
She pulled her wooden sword from her side and frowned. "It's nauseating, really. Can you see any resemblances between us? Do you honestly think I'm related to you, in any way?"
With that, the two thugs ran away or tried to. Mr. Ironwood, one of the teachers who despised Weiss, was blocking the way. The two stopped their tracks.
"Schnee," he said coldly. "It's barely even lunch and you're already harassing other students." He added, looking at the other teens, "You're all safe now."
"Oh, here we go again," Weiss thought. This teacher, Weiss believed, was here to get her. He didn't believe whatever she said, only blaming her for everything.
He let the three go. However, as usual, he didn't let Weiss go out of his sight. He sighed, looking at the girl. "I do not understand why you do these things, Schnee. Hurting other students? Harassing them to get what you want? Do you want to grow up as a criminal?"
Weiss sneered. He didn't even know what really happened, and here he was, lecturing Weiss, blaming her for doing something she didn't even do. Typical teacher.
Ironwood eyed the wooden sword Weiss was gripping. "Are you going to hit me, too?"
If she wanted to, she would. In reality, she could. What's stopping her? But she wouldn't. So, instead, she said, "You know, you shouldn't be allowed to talk, Ironwood."
Crossing her arms below her chest, Weiss huffed. "You're suffering from being a closed-minded jerk and I think you need to see a doctor for your shrinking brain."
Her teacher, or in Weiss' mind, harasser, glared harder. Weiss didn't allow him to reply. She walked away without even sparing a glance.
Everyone was the same. They only saw Weiss as grime, filth. Again, she wondered why she even bothered to come to school today. The teachers merely see her as some kind of demon to be exterminated. Her classmates were afraid of her, if they were not afraid, they hated her. Or both.
Going home was the best choice. Or maybe, go somewhere quiet. Or maybe, she needed someone to beat. Whatever. She's getting away from this hellhole.
On her way out, something hit Weiss' head. It wasn't hard, but it was enough to make her turn around. An action that Weiss immediately regretted.
"Hey—uh, Goodwitch?" she sheepishly said.
One of the teachers who always lectured Weiss, Miss Glynda Goodwitch, was glaring at her as she held her crop. Weiss immediately stepped back, scowling at the woman.
"That's Miss Goodwitch to you," she sternly said. She stepped forward, making Weiss step back a little further. "I've been calling for you all morning on the loudspeaker."
Weiss swallowed. Out of all the teachers, Goodwitch was the hardest to read. She didn't seem keen on cornering Weiss as the other teachers did, but she was always lecturing her with that strict, warm green eyes of hers that reminded her of Pyrrha's.
"I –I didn't hear anything," Weiss lied. She heard the teacher hum. And Weiss again swallowed.
The teacher pulled Weiss' ear without hesitation, making her groan in annoyance. And without changing any of her expression, Goodwitch said, "I couldn't help but notice that you're leaving the school grounds."
Pulling herself away, Weiss touched her ear in defense. "I got kicked out, okay!"
"Is that so..." Goodwitch said. Pulling Weiss' ear again, she walked back towards the school building, making Weiss follow her, which Weiss didn't have a choice.
"I would like to discuss this... you being kicked out in my office, then."
What was she, a child? The teen gritted her teeth. She will not tolerate such disrespect! She pulled herself abruptly from the hand, making Goodwitch turn in surprise. When she was free, Weiss backflipped so she won't fall from being outbalanced.
She smirked at the teacher and said, "Thanks, but no thanks." She walked away while the woman was still in shock, and as she did that, Weiss looked at Goodwitch and concluded over her shoulder, "Please, just leave me alone."
Weiss heard Goodwitch call out for her as she was further away from the school gate.
"It figures!" Weiss hissed to nobody in particular. Perhaps, she wanted it to say to the sky or the gods or Salem. She didn't know. What she did know was she was truly and absolutely vexed.
The one time she felt like going to school, everyone immediately got on her case. Harassing her, hating on her. And those stupid lectures that didn't do anything to help her! It only made her feel smaller and angrier.
"I hate that school," Weiss spat. "I hate this town!"
Weiss decided to go home. At least, a nap inside her room would help her calm down. Even just a little bit. What she saw upon entering their little apartment, though, made her irritation double.
"Oh, Weiss," her mother drawled. She was drunk. Again.
"Hello, Mother," she greeted stiffly.
Of course. What did she expect? That woman was never sober. It's not so surprising that she's here, too, wallowing in her misery instead of going to work like a normal adult.
Weiss swallowed a grunt and walked passed her mother when she said, "Would you be a dear and make me a coffee?"
"Unbelievable," Weiss whispered as she paused. She took a glance at her birth-giver. Same white hair, same blue eyes, same... fate, Weiss guessed.
Maybe Ironwood was right. She would be a criminal. If this continues, there's no doubt about it. She would be worse than her irresponsible mother, then.
The haughty teen began to start making coffee when her mother spoke again, "Why aren't you at school?" Weiss thinned her lips and didn't say anything.
"Snowflake, school is important. Don't you have friends there? Study hard so you could get away from here. You can then get a job and be happy."
Oh, so she's lecturing Weiss now, too? That does it! Weiss growled, facing the woman. "Great. Now you're being present? Really, mother? You think you have any right to make a speech looking like that?"
She held her arms, emphasizing her mother's appearance. "You're still in your pajamas for Grimm's sake! You're not even abstinent enough to make your own coffee!"
To her annoyance, her mother merely smiled. "Dear girl, I was just looking out for you."
Looking out for her? How dare she say that! All of Weiss' life, she never had a mother! On paper, yes. But in reality? She was alone! She never had anyone! She had to take care of herself! And now this woman who she merely got her genes from was saying something absurd like she was looking out for Weiss?
If Weiss could laugh, she would. But she couldn't for now. She's seething.
Without blinking an eye, Weiss scampered out. Going home was a mistake.
"I swear this day couldn't possibly be any more vexing!" Weiss stomped a can on the street out of spite. School was hell, home was hell... Where the hell was Weiss supposed to go?
She stopped her power walking when numerous thugs surrounded her in surprise. Four thugs to be exact. Three boys, one girl. A smirk was evident on the leader that immediately irked Weiss.
"Hey there, Weiss Cream," she greeted. Her golden mane and lilac eyes were evidently shining.
"Are you that happy to see me, Xiao Long?" Weiss responded dryly.
A toothy grin was the opening. "Yeah, my head feels so hot right now, I needed ice. So, I needed the Ice Queen." She immediately threw a punch at Weiss that she easily dodged.
Now, the thing about Yang Xiao Long was that she was taller than Weiss. But she wasn't as fast as Weiss. Crouching, Weiss stretched her leg to outbalance the blonde. It did work, but Yang didn't fall completely. Using her hand as a support, the blonde pushed herself up and twisted her body to make a kick.
Weiss immediately shielded herself with her left arm as her right hand pulled up her sword from her side. Flipping sideways, Weiss' left hand took the stick and took a stance with her wooden sword pointing at the blonde. Which the brute blonde merely whistled at.
"Damn, Ice Queen, you mad or something?"
"Very."
Attacking first this time, Weiss calmly walked toward Yang. When Yang didn't move, Weiss made an advance thrust, making Yang bend backward in surprise. The ivory-haired girl took advantage and let her left foot support her body, kicking Yang on the side with her right leg.
With that, Yang jerked at the force. Weiss then used her already raised right foot to step on Yang's side, so she could maneuver herself to the blonde's other side. Using her wooden sword, she hit Yang's neck or tried to. The blonde girl merely caught it with a hand.
"Gotcha," she said ever so smugly. She then threw a punch which, this time, Weiss barely avoided. Now that she was trapped, she didn't have a choice but to let go of her sword. As she did that, she immediately flipped away from the girl.
As much as it was irritating to be a target for these gangsters, Weiss was glad that one of them was Yang Xiao Long. Sure, sometimes, she would lose, but at least, it was a fair match. It was always one-on-one.
Yang Xiao Long wasn't a pushover, either. She knew mixed-martial arts. And for some reason, she would always pick on Weiss. It made Weiss' life exciting a little bit. At least, it wasn't just anger she felt every day.
Physical pain helped her forget how pathetic her life was. And pummeling someone always, always felt great.
Other thugs didn't hurt her. They couldn't, really. They were too weak for her. But Yang Xiao Long? Weiss had to admit, that she enjoyed their fights.
But not today.
Sighing in indignation, Weiss glared at the brute. "You really are testing my patience today, Xiao Long."
"I do my best," she shrugged in mockery, throwing Weiss' sword to the side.
"Yang!" one of her friends bellowed. "Cops!"
Both Yang and Weiss grimaced. They could kill each other for all they care, but not in front of the authorities. Not sparing a glance at each other, they dashed away. Weiss picked her sword up on the way.
"See ya later, Ice Queen!" she heard.
When it was certain that the police would never find her, Weiss continued her directionless amble on the street. A soccer ball then stopped on her foot.
"What is it now?" She picked it up, frowning.
A little boy came to her, looking up. "May I have my ball, please?" he asked. And Weiss felt a figurative nerve pop. "Another idiot!"
She half-knelt in front of the child and said, "Listen! Don't you know how dangerous it is to play ball on the side of the road? Cars are going by that would splatter you on the pavement!"
When the boy merely looked at her, Weiss sighed. She handed the ball back and ruffled the kid's hair. Smiling at the kid, Weiss added, "Go back to your mom. And be careful, it's not safe here." The boy nodded, and Weiss stood up, continuing her little wasteful journey.
Weiss crossed the road, unsure where to go. Well, at least she was away from school and her home. She took that as a win today. Turning around, the teen saw the same kid still playing with his ball.
"That dunce! He could be crushed by a car! Where's his goddamn mother?"
She saw the boy kick the ball a little stronger this time, and the ball bounced towards the road. It stopped in the middle. It made Weiss' heart stop as well.
Her eyes widen when that cute, but idiotic boy ran to get his toy. Weiss' attention was caught by a car's screeching. What's worse was that it was driving toward the boy, and the driver didn't seem to realize they were about to smash someone.
Looking back at the boy, Weiss exclaimed, "Hey!"
Moving on instinct, she ran fast towards the kid.
Everything went slow motion as Weiss jumped to push the little boy out of the way. And before she knew it, everything hurt, and then, everything went black.
