Act 2: Shatter and Mend
The day started peacefully. The airship captain was unaware he had a stowaway on board, and Weiss found a comfortable spot in the cargo to lay low. Her stomach growled incessantly from the lack of food onboard, but she could endure a couple more hours of hunger if it meant reuniting with Ruby again.
Neither of them could've predicted the pack of angry Grimm targeting the airship.
Weiss' fight against the Grimm was insignificant compared to the crash that threw her haphazardly around the ship. Her Aura barely saved her life when they plummeted into the ground. She was lucky to have crawled out of the rubble alive with nothing but a bad headache and what felt like a sprained shoulder.
Her ears rang from the sound of shattering glass even after she stumbled outside. Weiss collapsed onto the grass, squeezing her eyes shut as memories of that night threatened to suffocate her.
When the storm in her head quieted down, she opened her eyes to study her surroundings. Trees and bushes surrounded her. She strained her ears for signs of civilization, but there were only the rustling of leaves and the occasional bird chirping.
If there were any Grimm in the area, they were likely converging towards the crash site. She didn't think her Aura levels would be able to handle another big fight. They needed to move.
"H-hello? Are you okay?" Weiss circled to the front of the ship.
She found the captain, but she didn't need to check for a pulse to know he was good as gone. A thick tree branch was now sticking out of where his face used to be.
Weiss turned her back to the bloody mess and gathered her belongings. She pulled out her Scroll, cursing when the screen failed to activate. There went her plans to consult a map of where she was.
She threw the useless device at a tree and stumbled from the crash site. Her first course of action would be to find civilization. She needed to see a doctor and find some way to get in contact with Ruby.
She knew Ruby was heading to Haven Academy, so there was a destination in mind at the very least. The question now was whether she'd arrive in time to reunite with her.
It took about an hour of aimless wandering for her to finally hear running water. She followed the sound and found herself by a running river. Tents and travel packs were set up by the running water; a thin line of smoke rose from remnants of a campfire. She approached the camp, stopping when she caught the White Fang symbol printed on a handkerchief on the ground.
She cursed her bad luck, hurrying back to the tree line. She'd just about made it into the forest again when the rustling leaves caught her attention.
She withdrew her rapier, blocking the blade of a nameless White Fang grunt, her shoulder burning from the extraneous movement. There was no way she would win this fight, especially not if there were more of them.
She leapt back, calling upon a Boarbatusk summon to her aid. While her assailant was busy fending off her Grimm, Weiss bolted.
Her heart raced with adrenaline. She eyed every tree and bush that fell in her path, fearing someone would leap out and surprise her. Her paranoia wasn't unfounded. A red flash leapt out from a tree, blocking her escape route and forcing her to stop.
He was exactly as she remembered him to be back at Beacon. In the daylight, she could see him in more detail. It was odd to find him dressed in a stylized blazer and dress pants, she thought all White Fang scum had a dress code to follow. The heinous mask he wore clashed with the sophisticated clothes he favoured. She almost laughed at the delicate floral patterns on the left shoulder of his blazer. Nothing about him was delicate.
"You're fucking stupid for walking right into our camp." Adam unsheathed his sword.
She shivered when she remembered what it did to Yang – Weiss wasn't sure if it was out of fear or fury.
"Now what's a spoiled little princess doing away from daddy's mansion?" he taunted.
"You know he doesn't care about me," she seethed.
That wiped the grin off his face. In a blink of an eye, he was swinging his sword at her. She struggled to keep up with his movements, his speed rivalled even that of Ruby's. She knew beating him with pure strength was futile, so she tried to tire him out with her Semblance.
Her Glyphs helped her maintain agility. Though she was hitting him with everything she had, he didn't break a sweat. He was frustratingly competent in keeping up with her speed. The elegance he maintained in their fight further frustrated her. He was either playing with her or he was just that good.
She activated her Dust, hoping the ice would at least slow him down. Weiss bit back a curse when his sword melted all attempts to freeze him in place.
Weiss closed the distance between them again, only for the hilt of his sword to knock her hard on her injured shoulder. Pain numbed the entirety of her left arm. She stumbled back, colliding with a tree.
"What's wrong? Too embarrassed to associate with me?" she taunted against her better judgement.
Weiss threw herself to the ground when he lunged his sword deep into the tree trunk behind her.
"You mean nothing to me, Schnee." He yanked his sword free.
She jumped to her feet. "That's not what I remember about us."
That was the wrong thing to say. He threw his sword at her head - the blade washed in flames. She pivoted her body, wincing as the edge of the blade skimmed over her left cheek. The tree trunk behind her let out a loud crunch when the sword pierced clean through it. Wood chips and sparks exploded from the impact.
His fist collided with her face, knocking her flat on the grass. She tasted metal and spat it on the ground.
"You disgust me," he sneered.
"The feeling's mutual." She staggered back up to her feet, ignoring a dull throb on the side of her face.
"A Human disgusted by a Faunus for existing, how typical." With one hand, he pulled his sword free.
"You cut my friend's arm off! This has nothing to do with you being a Faunus!"
"Your family mutilated hundreds of us! Welcome to the club, Princess!"
Lies.
She ducked as his blade shot forward, rolling out of the way before he could kick her flat on her back.
"Get off your high horse! You're nothing but a murderer making up excuses to hurt innocent people!" she snapped.
"Better a murderer than a victim."
Her shoulder seared in pain when he attacked again, swinging his sword so fast she could barely keep up. Weiss triggered her Dust, conjuring an icy barrier between them.
Weiss gathered as much energy as she could to summon Arma Gigas to the battlefield – or at least a part of it. Arma's Gigas' sword shot out from the ground right as Adam melted the ice standing between them. He retreated when its sword lunged toward him.
She used that chance to run, using her Glyphs to help give her an extra boost in speed. Outrunning him was hopeful thinking, but it was better than standing still and letting him take her life.
Twigs and branches snapped behind her. He was closing in on her like a predator cornering its prey.
Weiss pushed her Semblance to its very limit. The roar of gunshots prompted her to press for more speed. The ground suddenly dropped off beneath her feet, sending her tumbling down a hidden drop-off.
The descent down the slope was even more painful than her disastrous crash on the ship. Her stomach lurched as she rolled down the incline, her body at the mercy of whatever rocks and twigs lay in her path.
Weiss landed on flat ground chest first, knocking the wind out of her. She needed to run while she was ahead, but everything hurt. A sharp pain in her injured shoulder kept her arm paralysed.
"Oh gods!" a woman's voice exclaimed in front of her.
Weiss groggily lifted her head. A woman with long auburn hair stared at her with wide orchid-coloured eyes. She clutched a basketful of herbs in one hand while the right sleeve of her beige tunic dress hung limply by her side. What caught Weiss' attention was her wolf ears.
"Help me," Weiss pleaded.
If Adam saw she was with a defenceless Faunus, there was a chance he'd spare her. He surely wouldn't want to hurt his own people.
The woman took a slow step away from Weiss. For a moment, it seemed like she was going to turn around and abandon Weiss, but she nodded and set her basket aside.
"Thank you," Weiss cried.
The woman's eyes widened as a small hesitant smile stretched on her face.
"My name is Violet," the stranger introduced herself softly.
Violet walked Weiss to a quiet village deep in the forest. She was half-expecting for Adam to jump out of the trees to ambush them along the way, but the forest remained uncomfortably still.
"Welcome to Rumduol," Violet said when they arrived. "We're a small but strong community."
Small was a complete understatement. The village was so tiny Weiss saw it all with a single glance.
Weathered cabins huddled together in a cosy clearing, with the forest hugging it on all sides. The buildings looked to have been constructed using the same blueprint. Each cabin was only a single storey tall with a low porch at the front. Some residents decorated their porches with flowers and others draped laundry over their railings. The clothes worn by the locals appeared to be hand-sewn out of old fabrics, with mismatching patches mending any tears.
The villagers all consisted of Faunus, with almost everyone sporting scars on their faces or missing limbs - as was Violet's case. Weiss figured they must get bad Grimm attacks as none of the residents appeared to be trained Huntsmen.
Weiss felt like a spotlight was following her, everywhere she went the locals stopped what they were doing to stare at her. Some looked at her with curiosity, children gawked at her like she'd grown a second head, while others followed her every move with a glare – the latter was the most common look she was getting.
Growing up as a Schnee had numbed her to the prying eyes of the public, but she's never faced so much hostility before.
Could they be supporters of the White Fang?
No, it was absurd. If they supported the White Fang she would've been dead by now. That or they planned to hold her prisoner.
"You'll need to forgive my neighbours. We rarely see Human visitors," Violet said quietly to her.
"It's okay. I understand," Weiss assured her half-heartedly. "Do any Humans live here?"
"We have a very silly Human who resides here, but he's the only one."
That would explain the archaic state of the village. Her books detailed the Faunus' simplistic lifestyles when untouched by Human influence. If more Humans lived amongst them, Weiss was sure they'd at least have more modern buildings.
Violet's house was tucked at the far end of the village. The inside was cramped and stunk of burnt wood. It was the first time Weiss ever stepped into a building with no wallpaper. Wooden logs lined their walls and wood support beams remained exposed on their ceiling.
The open kitchen faced the living room where a weathered coffee table stood between a patchy couch and a stone hearth. Black soot licked the outer frame of the fireplace, staining the ashen stones like mould. Some unknown animal skin acted as their rug, sprawled beneath the coffee table like flattened roadkill. She was most unnerved by the collection of battle axes mounted on top of the fireplace, with one axe missing from the collection.
Weiss almost wished she was back in the Manor.
Violet led her into a tiny bedroom in the back. It was only big enough to contain the twin bed and nightstand. At first, she thought Violet had accidentally led her to the servant's quarters.
"Make yourself at home," Violet said, seeing nothing wrong with the minuscule bedroom. "I'll be right back with some bandages."
Weiss didn't think anyone could be comfortable in such a small space - her closet in Atlas was bigger than it. She awkwardly sat on the lumpy mattress. The knitted blanket beneath her itched and the bed squeaked under her weight. It was nothing like the smooth silk blankets and pristine mattress in the Manor.
When Violet returned, she addressed Weiss' injuries quickly. After she was patched up, Violet offered her an Anima-style wrap dress while her clothes from Atlas were being washed. The cotton white gown reminded Weiss of bathrobes. It wasn't something she would normally wear, even inside the Manor, but it was better than nothing.
"Your shoulder will need to rest for a while before you can fight again," Violet said once she helped Weiss dress. "My husband will be back soon with dinner. Please be patient with us until then."
"Thank you for saving my life back there," Weiss said.
"It's no problem. The most I did was bandage your shoulder up."
She also saved her from a heartless killer, but Weiss kept that information to herself.
"Do you have a Scroll I could use?" Weiss asked.
"I'm afraid not. We have access to some walkies and radios you can use, though."
"Oh…uh…that's okay." Of all the places she could've stumbled into, it would be the one without modern technology.
"If that's everything, I'll be finishing up a few chores."
"Do you want me to pay you back for the medical supplies?"
Violet tilted her head. "You wish to pay me?"
"I did crash land into your life and use up your bandages. It's the least I can do."
"You're a strange girl. I like that." Violet giggled. "I don't want your money, but if you're feeling generous I could use some help around the house."
In the end, Weiss helped organize their spice rack while Violet dusted. Weiss could only get so much done when her shoulder ached with even the slightest of movements, but Violet didn't mind her slow progress.
"I'm home!" Weiss jumped when the door swung wide open, revealing a large burly man with a dead elk swung over his shoulder.
"Please don't get blood on the floor, we have a guest staying with us tonight," Violet chided gently before greeting him with a kiss.
"A guest?" The burly man searched the house until his eyes landed on Weiss.
What intrigued Weiss the most about him was that he was Human.
The man, whose name was Ash, was a stark contrast to his wife. Where Violet was borderline aloof and soft-spoken, he was loud and bursting with energy. They were polar opposites, but they worked so seamlessly together. This was most evident in the way they prepared dinner together.
They moved around the small kitchen like they were dancing. There was never a moment either of them got in the other's way, completely in sync with the other's movements. They worked on the recipe as a unit, preparing ingredients for each other without having to ask what the other needed.
How a Faunus and a Human made their marriage work better than even her parents' left Weiss dumbfounded.
Ash spoke of his latest hunt with the enthusiasm of a six-year-old throughout dinner, making even the most mundane detail sound like a life-or-death scenario. Violet was visibly annoyed by the exaggerated tale, but she never made a complaint. Sometimes she'd even laugh despite her hardest to appear calm.
Weiss was completely speechless throughout the meal, stuck between the odd couple on their lumpy couch. The animal hide beneath her bare feet was softer than she expected. Fire from the hearth, combined with the steaming plate of food in her lap, left her face flushed with warmth.
"So, what brings you out here, Weiss? Do your folks know where you are?" Ash asked her once he was finished with his story.
"No, it's…complicated," she replied. "I won't stay for long. I promise I'll be gone by sunrise tomorrow."
"That would be unwise," Violet said. "Your body needs rest."
"She's right! We're happy to have guests over anyways!"
"Thank you." She blushed from all the kindness thrown at her. It was so different from the treatment she got at the Manor. No one said a word to her except for Father and Whitley.
"I can help however I can in the meantime," Weiss offered.
Violet burst out laughing. "Sorry, I just find this scenario rather funny. I never imagined having a Schnee over for dinner or helping us with housework. It all sounds like a bad joke!"
Weiss wasn't too surprised Violet recognised who she was, but it still left her uneasy at how easy it was to identify her even in the middle of nowhere.
"I'm surprised there isn't a manhunt for you. You'd think Mr Schnee would be more worried about his daughter disappearing from home," Ash said. "If my little girl disappeared, I'd be using all that money to turn Remnant upside down."
Father didn't care about her now that she lost her title as Heiress. Weiss doubted he was losing any sleep knowing she disappeared into thin air. He's still got Whitley, her brother worshipped the ground he walked. If anything, Father was likely relieved to have gotten rid of both his problematic children.
"Regardless of your circumstances, we welcome you to our home." Violet placed her hand around Weiss' trembling fists.
When had she balled her hands up?
"Violet's right! We don't have a fancy mansion, but we hope you can still make yourself at home, kiddo. If you want to help out, I'm sure Violet wouldn't mind taking you out to forage!"
"We'll see how that shoulder is doing tomorrow first," Violet said sternly. "Our guest isn't here for free labour, Ash."
"O-of course, I totally didn't forget that!"
"Mm." Violet's ear twitched. "Be a dear and grab us some dessert, please."
"Anything for you, cutie pie." Ash pecked Violet on the cheek before leaping off the couch to fetch the sliced apples.
"Softie." Violet grinned once he was out of earshot.
Despite being hundreds of miles away from her mansion, Weiss was unusually at ease with the unusual couple. She kept to herself for the rest of the meal, grateful Ash did most of the talking.
The house still smelt like burnt wood and roasted pork even after she closed her door to sleep that night.
I'm sure some of my older readers have been looking forward to this particular part of the story. Editing/rewriting next week's scene was very cathartic given the new changes haha.
Special thanks to TerraCut017 and a Guest reader for the reviews!
Lemme know what you guys think of this week's stuff! Happy Lunar New Year to anyone who celebrates and I'll catch you again next week! :)