Tipping Point: A RWBY Superhero Au

Title: The Elegant Lady Snow

Introductions #002

Rating: T

Warnings: None

Light filtered down through the city streets, every shadow chased away by golden rays. Bright, warm, and bustling, the citizens of Val Roac meandered through their daily lives, the midday sun keeping them company as they milled about.

At least until the ground shook with the force of a giant foot crashing down on the streets. People and cars alike swarmed out of the way as a massive mechanical knight worked its way downtown. Half as tall as the skyscrapers that littered Val Roac's market district, the robot paid no mind to anything that stood in its path, massive bulk allowing it to crush anything in the way like insects under an elephant's heel.

It trudged through the streets, each purposeful stride covering a block of distance. Police barricades-hastily built and abandoned with equal speed as the mech came close- stood as nothing more than one another obstacle for the giant to step over.

Nothing slowed it down, not even the rushing winds of a tornado as it slammed into the knight's chest. Unfazed the mech continued on, one sweep of its arm breaking away the funnel whilst red beams charged and fired from its palm, the laser nearly clipping the caped superhero hovering over a nearby tower.

"Woah!" Darting higher into the sky to avoid the attack, the masked woman heaved another swirling vortex towards her opponent. It was dispersed with as much ease as the first. However, the momentary distraction allowed for another hero-capeless but cloaked in the same color spandex as the first- to charge forth from an alley and, with a resounding battle cry, latch himself to a silver gilded ankle.

"Take this!" He shouted, pounding fist after fist into the metal. But the attack proved to be nothing more than bravado as the robot reached down and swept him away without ever breaking stride.

Three brick walls and a window later, the superman brushed the debris from his outfit and raced outside in just time to see his comrade swatted out of the sky.

She crashed into the dirt not far away and he rushed to regroup. "This isn't working." He said, offering a hand to help her up.

"Then I think it's time we tried something a little more advanced." Smile on her lips, the stormcaller summoned a tiny whirlwind between her palms. "How about plan delta?"

Grin far too criminal for someone that favored the right side of the law, he pounded a fist into his hand and nodded his head. "Gotcha. Give me five and I'll be in position." With a nod of confirmation his partner took to the sky. He ran off in the opposite direction, around the buildings and through another series of alleys. Two minutes later and he had flanked the robot, kept out of sight by the weaving passages of brick walls. By the third he surpassed it and in the fourth he surged far enough ahead that he could see its head without tilting his own.

Over the robot's shoulder he met his partner's gaze. A giant tornado spun between her palms, ready and waiting to be launched at the mech's back. They nodded at one another and she released it a moment after, the funnel spiraling forward with enough force to shatter the windows of the offices lining the streets. He took off in the same breath, charging forward as fast as he could. Momentum growing every second until he sped down the street like a bullet.

The twister crashed into the robot. It stumbled forward, torso curling and limbs sprawling as it fought to stay standing. Not that it had much of a chance when a second gust of wind sailed around its calves, blocking any sure footing and ensuring the giant continued its downward arc right into his fists.

He smirked, hands clasped together and held low by his waist, muscles strained and focused to pack the most into his punch. Dead on target a steel chin tumbled towards the ground, prim for the walloping he was about to deliver. Except he never got the chance. Colossal arms wheeled about, rotating in directions that no organic creature could mimic until they anchored against the nearest solid surface.

Balance regained, the mech carried its airborne foot through the dissipating gales and stomped down onto its approaching attacker. Eyes wide and jaw slack, the superman tried to get out of the way. But his speed was too great for him to reverse. Boots skidding against the concrete, he toppled over, helpless to do anything except brace for impact and whisper a prayer to the gods.

Seconds passed. When nothing more than a shadow came, he cracked open his eyes and spared a glance around.

Large, monochrome spirals twirled in the air, the runic symbols blocking a foot held not ten feet above his head. Another set bound the mech's wrists, its outstretched palm kept in place inches from the stormcaller. Astounded, both superheros gawked at the struggling machine as more glyphs appeared around its form, each one serving to restrict movement or to cut into the grooves where the plates of its body fell together.

Above the screech of metal a voice called. "Honestly, is this the best Val Roac has to offer? I'm disappointed." Sun at her back and wind rippling through her clothing, Lady Snow stood atop a rotating glyph, a quick flick of her wrist binding more magical summons to her target. "You should know better than to try and fell an opponent this large without a proper contingency plan." Cool blue eyes-half covered by a fanciful colombina mask- scrutinized the mech below while it writhed in its binds. Snow gave it no chance, however, fine nails tapping against the hilt of her rapier. It spun until the violet chamber clicked into place, little veins of lavender trickling down the sword's rounded blade.

Whilst the color charged through Myrtenaster, icles formed in Snow's free hand. With a wave she spread them across the glyph, the he crystals pulsing and growing until they formed a smooth track curving towards the robot. Inhaling deep, Snow bent at the knees to pass a frozen palm over the heels of her boots, ice gathering wherever her fingers brushed to form a rigid pair of skates. She exhaled at the same moment she lunged, sword leading as she glided along the clear track. Tip aimed for the crevasse between the mech's helm and gorget, she breathed through each stride, every motion controlled and calculated for maximum efficiency.

So she didn't miss a beat when the shadowed visor slits started to glow red, a second path of ice deviating from the first to carry her away from the laser. The detour brought her low to the ground, frosty spikes aligning to create a foundation upon which she lay yard by yard of ice until her trajectory brought her back into the air.

Snow flew upwards till she peaked at the skyline, the whole city laid out before her in the brief second before gravity took hold and she plummeted back to earth. The robot creaked its head to face her, sockets lighting up with another attack. It fired, but she banked to the side, the tiny glyphs scattered around her body flickering to guide her through the air.

Once clear, Snow called a final glyph behind her-white circles tainting black when they seized, the pulse doubling her speed. Rapier held high by her chin, she waited till the last possible second to strike, purple encasing her blade as it blurred into dozens, each slash cutting deep into the armor.

Heaps of metal crashed to the ground, the robot left with only its head and a ribboned torso by the time Snow's feet touched earth. Mytrenaster's chamber spun again, this time settling on pure white as she jumped into the air, propelled by her glyphs and the ice under her boots. The next blow cleaved the robot's helm in two. Sparks lit up the air, electricity singing between cut wires and broken circuit boards. Snow ignored it all, skating straight into the mess until her sword found the black control center, hidden in the thickest part of the machine.

Piercing it straight through, she tore it from the tangled mass of circuitry and smashed it against a lamppost. Then, for good measure, she stabbed it through twice more with an ice spike.

"Um, I think you've killed it." A shadow towered over her, the superman picking his way through the carnage to stand at her side.

Snow rolled her eyes and tossed him the cracked box. "That's the backup control center. If left intact, the robot could reactivate and repair itself." She flicked her fingers and stepped up onto the glyph that appeared beside her. "I suggest you put that brawn to some use and crush it even further. You can never be too careful with mechs."

"That sounds like a story waiting to be told." The wind shifted, carrying the stormcaller down from the skies. "Care to share it?" She asked, hovering beside them.

Scowl on her lips, Snow clicked her heels together. "There's plenty of news footage covering it for you to use as study material." The circles underneath her feet whirred. They spun, lifting her higher inch by inch until she stared down at the pair over the bridge of her nose.

With the fight over, the street started to fill up with gawkers and impromptu cameramen. Snow watched them carefully out of the corner of her eye. If any of them took a piece of a robot, even a fraction as a souvenir, it would cause trouble later on. So, when the stormcaller raised in the air to follow after her, she lifted a gloved palm to stop her. "Enough talk, you have cleanup to take care of and my attention is required elsewhere."

Lips twitching into a smile, the caped heroine ducked around Snow's hand and stepped up onto her glyph. "Aw, come on. I'm sure you can spare a minute or two to talk to some peers." Hip cocked, she rested a hand on her side.

"Yeah!" Stuck on the ground, the superman shouted up at them. "Besides, you're almost never in this part of Remnant. Why don't you hang around and relax for a while? I'm sure your fans would love it." He tilted his head to the side. There, hanging around the edges of the defeated mech, stood several wide-eyed children, each one watching her with adoring smiles.

Snow couldn't help a smile when a few of them waved to her. She wiggled her fingers in response, expression going completely soft when they shrieked with joy. But the moment shattered when hand landed on her shoulder. Myrtenaster held firm in her grasp, Snow jerked away from the stormcaller and placed its tip into the center of the glyph.

"I appreciate the invitation, but as I said, I have more important tasks to tend to." Tone full of forced propriety, she layered her hands over Myrtenaster's hilt. The air around them thickened. A chill settled in, soft flakes of snow flashing into existence in the air around them, each defying gravity to float up into the air.

"Surely you can-"

"No." Lips quirked, Snow inclined her head. "Now, I suggest you move."

"But-uh," Frozen crystals stuck to the edges of the stormcaller's cape. She tried to shake them off, half-hovering over the glyph when they only continued to grow. "Um, why?"

"Because." Perfectly straight, white teeth flashed, Snow's decorum breaking just a bit as she grinned and raise her sword.

"I'm leaving."

In one smooth motion she jabbed Myrtenaster into the glyph. Light flared the instant its tip pierced the magical circles, flowing out in waves and bleaching everyone's sight a blinding white.

The stormcaller caught the worst of it. Tumbling head over heel, she reached for something, anything, to orient with. Her fingers scraped over smooth metal and she clutched at it, pulling in until her whole body pressed against the surface.

When she finally managed to blink the stars away, Snow had vanished, the fluttering of snowflakes-and a smashed giant- the only signs that she had been there at all.

"Good afternoon, Miss Schnee." The concierge greeted as she stepped through the doors of the hotel. Palm covering the mouthpiece of the phone against his ear, he offered her a polite smile and a bow, free hand working to enter the passcode for the elevators. "Did you enjoy your walk?"

Weiss nodded. "Yes. Val Roac is quite impressive. Not as impressive as Bavaria, but nice enough for a visit." Several shopping bags hung from her arms, the plastic crinkling when she set them down to wait for the elevator.

"A-ah, yes. I doubt there's a city in the world that can compete with the home of the Schnee Dust Corporation." He jittered, mumbling something into the phone before setting it aside. "But I'm glad to know our fair town has managed to entertain you." Fingers curled into the collar of his suit jacket, he scuttled around the lavish desk and reached for her packages. "Shall I carry these up for you?"

"No thank you," She said, picking up the bags before he had the chance. "I can handle them myself." The elevator chimed in the same moment. Weiss stepped through the wood doors the minute they opened, elbow knocking her floor number while her finger tapped the close button. The doors sliding shut worked better than any dismissal she could voice.

Alone at last, Weiss sighed and dropped her burden, kicking the packages aside with her foot so she had more room to stand. They were filled to the brim with useless purchases. Gaudy clothing, jewelry, a few trinkets she had snatched from some tourist shops. Nothing she actually cared to buy. But she had learned early on the importance of maintaining the image others saw of her, and it was a little difficult to use a shopping trip as an alibi without any goods to show for it.

The floors ticked by one by one. Once it reached the top the elevator stopped, its doors hissing open to reveal the pentagon suite. Weiss stepped inside, tossing the bags off to one side. She rested a hand against the lacquered walls, leaning into it as she reached down to strip off her high heels.

"Ahem."

Weiss jumped. Hand over her heart, she whirled around and reached from the nearest mirror. Two seconds away from dipping her fingers into the reflective surface, she paused when she recognized the figure seated at the suite's dining table.

"Oh! Hello F-Father. I thought you had conference meetings all day." She snapped her hand back to her side, praying that no one had seen the little glow of light beneath her palms. "Did one of them get canceled?"

"Something like that." He spun the glass in his hand. Red wine-the highest vintage- swirled within. "We were evacuated halfway through. It seems a giant robot nearly crushed the hall."

"Really?"

"Mm," Lips pressed together, he hummed and sniffed the contents of his drink. "I swear the superheros around here are as incompetent as the businessmen. If it hadn't been for Lady Snow's timely intervention, I have no doubt we would've been squashed like bugs."

Taking a half-step forward, Weiss let surprise creep onto her face. "Lady Snow?" A false excitement tinted her tone, volume and pitch one notch louder than her usual voice. "She really is watching out over our family. We'll have to thank her as soon as we go home to Bavaria."

"Indeed." Mr. Schnee tilted his drink, pouring a drop onto his tongue. He mulled it over for a minute, shadows playing over his cheeks as he swished it around in his mouth. Finally he swallowed, disappoint adding lines to his brow as he leaned forward to set the glass down.

"Mr. Addelo." A snap of his fingers sent the servant by his side into action. The man took the glass and placed it back upon his serving tray, back rigid as he bowed.

"Yes, Mr. Schnee?"

"This wine is subpar to what I ordered. Please return it to the front desk and ask for a replacement." He gestured to the bottle cooling beside him.

Weiss waited until the servant had exited the room, leaving her alone with her father. Only then did she step up to the table, hands folded neatly in front of her. "Did you have a chance to see the fight?" She had seen the helicopters hovering in the distance, no doubt recording the battle for every news channel to flaunt later on in the evening. Surely her father, with all of his resources, had already acquired a copy of the footage. Or even found a way to stream it live.

Silent, Mr. Schnee pulled an envelope from his pocket and rested it on the table. "I wouldn't call it a fight so much as a slaughter. Those idiots would've died had you not intervened." He pushed it towards her, waving when she hesitated. "Go ahead, it was on your dresser. Now," Fingers lacing together, he rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "Normally I would want to discuss some of the weaker points of your attack, but I feel that this takes precedence."

Weiss blinked. Her father rarely passed up an opportunity to help refine her skills as a superhero. Whatever that letter contained, it had to be important for him to skip over a lecture. Tentative, she reached for it, fingers brushing over the gold-imprinted letters on the front.

"Beacon….Academy?"

"Open it."

She didn't waste a moment in doing so. Painted nail picking at the edge of the paper, Weiss pulled the letter free and unfolded it.

Dear recipient,

Due to your performance…

….is not official acceptance…..

Sincerely,

Squad #203

Port coordinates …..

Trembling, Weiss' gaze snapped up to stare at her father. He stared right back, a cheshire grin on his face and a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Excellent work, Lady Snow."

And there's the next one! Blake is next in the roster.