"Straighten your back." A wooden stick smacked Weiss' back, causing her to stand straight, a sting causing pain to lance through her body.

"Your legs are too far apart." Another slight smack to her legs forced her to change her stance, Weiss' fencing pants protecting her just a little bit. Her aura hadn't been unlocked yet, so she felt the full brunt of each hit.

"You are gripping the handle too tightly. You'll just damage your hands at that rate and you'll lose control of the blade." This time, Winter didn't smack her arm or hands, much to Weiss' relief.

"I'm sorry." Weiss whispered. Her legs were tired from ballet practice, and she had ice skating once she was done with Winter, who decided to take over for her fencing instructor for today. She was hungry, her stomach sending pangs of pain throughout her body, but her ballet instructor said she was too fat. Father agreed as well, not verbally, but Weiss could see it in his eyes. She needed to be perfect if she was to be his successor.

"Don't apologize, you're a Schnee." Winter said sharply, dressed in the Atlesian Military Academies uniform. This was the first time she returned home since she left, and Weiss had to beg her to stay. "What has your fencing instructor been teaching you? Am I going to need to talk to them?" Winter's face was harsher, no longer the sister that Weiss used to know, but that wouldn't stop Weiss from loving her. Big Sister was amazing! Weiss wished she could be like her one day.

"No!" Weiss held her hands behind her back. "I'll practice more." She would have to fit that in between ballet, ice skating, and singing practice. That wasn't even mentioning the lessons Father was giving her on running the company. There would be no rest for the eleven year old.

Winter's face softened just a little before holding up a simple practice saber, made for slashing, the opposite of the practice rapier that Weiss held in her left hand. The portrait of Grandfather felt like it was staring at the Schnee sisters in the middle of their mansion's gym. Suits of armor similar to the one Grandfather wore were decorated around the room.

"Let's see how much you've learned in a year." Winter said, entering a simple stance with the saber aimed at Weiss, it wasn't a fencing stance. That must've been the one she was practicing at the Academy!

Entering her own unsteady stance, Weiss took a deep breath as Winter spoke in the old Mantle dialect. Weiss hardened her gaze. She would do her best to make Winter proud.

"En Garde, prêtes, allez!"

You want to become a huntress?" Father said coldly, his eyes harsh and full of disgust. Weiss nodded slowly, her eyes meeting the ground. "First Winter and now you? Do you think I've been teaching you how to run the company just so you can go off and kill monsters?" Father's voice was bitter.

"I wish to bring honor to the family, Father. Just as Grandfather did when he went out to hunt the Grimm." Weiss said carefully. She had been practicing for this moment for weeks now, waiting for Father to be in a good mood. It seemed that she miscalculated.

"Yes, yes, I'm quite aware of your Grandfather's eccentricities." Father's hands were closed. "At least you're not thinking of applying to Atlas Academy. I don't need another second Winter that's under Ironwood's thumb, but at least there you would be able to create connections."

"Beacon Academy is known for producing the best huntsman." Weiss insisted. "And I can use what I learn to hunt down the filthy faunus that keep attacking our properties!"

Father's white mustache twitched, he then formed a smirk. Weiss didn't like the look of that.

"Very well, I shall allow you to attend on one condition." Father's demeanor changed, but Weiss could tell that his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Yes?" Weiss lifted her head sharply. Father was going to let her go?! Would she finally be able to escape his grasp?!

"As I'm sure you're aware, the SDC has been experimenting with suits of armor with the Atlesian Military in a collaboration with Merlot Industries." Father stood up from his desk and walked over to an armor stand that held Grandfather's ancient armor. "We just recently had a breakthrough, by using possession Grimm that were recently found in a cave far from Mantle."

Weiss' eyes widened in shock. They were experimenting with Grimm? The very creatures that wanted to exterminate all of humankind?!

"By using it to control a mech suit that's vastly stronger than the suit of armor in the Schnee Family museum, it will change the future of warfare forever once its trials are complete." Father continued.

"Why are you telling me this, Father?" Weiss said, holding her hands together. Even as the heiress, there were many projects that Weiss wasn't privy to knowing.

"I want you to fight it."

What?

"Father?" Weiss started before she was cut off.

"Defeat the mech and I shall allow you to attend Beacon Academy." Father turned back towards her, his smirk still on his face. "That is, unless you wish to give up on this insane idea of yours."

Weiss shook her head. "No! I'll do it, I'll fight." She swallowed the saliva that had built up in her throat.

"Excellent. You shall be its first combat subject. I shall schedule it for tomorrow." Father walked back towards his desk and stared at her. "Just let me know when you want to give up."

Weiss took a deep breath and nodded, staring back without flinching. She hated him, but she loved him at the same time. Weiss hated herself, what kind of daughter didn't love their Father? The hate was starting to outgrow the love she once had for him. "I won't give up."

Father shrugged and spun around in his seat. "You are dismissed."

Weiss bowed respectfully and started walking towards the exit, when Father suddenly spoke again.

"By the way, just so you know, it's called the Arma Gigas."

Winter felt a grimace form on her face as Weiss hissed in pain. She didn't like seeing her sister in pain, but life was cruel. Her training would prepare her for life.

"My apologies." The elder Schnee said, lightly pressing the disinfectant wipe against Weiss' newly formed scar. She had refused treatment for it, claiming that it would be a symbol of future battles to come. Winter pressed her lips into a thin line as she finished wiping away the blood.

"You should have ended the fight the moment you took that hit." Winter whispered, placing a pad on top of Weiss' eye, it would have to remain there until it was healed. "Why did you act so foolishly?"

"And let Father win?" Weiss spat before regaining her composure. Her eyes met Winter's own. "I want to go to Beacon, somewhere where I can choose my own path, and restore our family name, Grandfather's name."

"There's nothing I can do to convince you to attend Atlas Academy?" The instructors there were the best in all the Four Kingdoms, and General Ironwood would no doubt take care to ensure Weiss' comfort, she was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company after all.

And that would keep Winter close to her, ensuring Weiss' instructions were the best that were available to her.

"Nothing." Weiss whispered as a silence filled the room. Winter stared at her, and sighed, pulling her sister into an awkward hug.

"Then make sure you behave, and remember to eat your meals, no skipping or purging them like you used to." Winter said firmly. "And make sure to always show the utmost caution, not like the risks you took today."

Weiss only smiled in response.

"No promises, Winter."

"Specialist Schnee?"

Winter turned her head slightly, a nervous private standing at attention behind her. What did he want? General Ironwood would have called for her directly through military channels, and Father, though he called rarely, would have gone straight to her scroll. Father had started calling more often after Weiss' disappearance from Schnee Manor.

"At ease, Private. What is it?" Winter turned her attention back to the skies. Today it was her cruiser's rotation to keep an eye out for smugglers.

"W-We have received word from our operatives in Haven."

Oh, the ones that Father convinced General Ironwood to send in return for cheaper androids for a month? But why was he bringing this up to her instead of the General? Winter bit the inside of her cheek and waited for him to continue.

"They have reported that Weiss Schnee has been killed in action."

Time slowed to a halt as Winter's heart stopped. Tightening her fist, she marched off of the bridge, ignoring the looks of her subordinates.

It was only in the safety of her quarters that she allowed herself to scream.

A/N

I finished writing this earlier since some of the scenes are flashbacks from Schnee: Hero or Huntress, the same way Interlude Red had them, albeit with newer scenes.

PHO chapter should be next. Fair warning, I've been told that I'm pretty bad at writing them so no promises whether it'll be good.

To help me with writing it, I'll be taking some of YOUR comments so feel free to leave some below! I'll use whatever username they are left under.