Sienna was hot on her trail, her whip grazing the back of Weiss' legs. Weiss maintained her speed and continued running towards the collective snarls of the Grimm.
She quickly discovered how the Grimm were accessing the second floor. An abandoned pair of escalators funnelled the pack upstairs. She raced towards the entry point, sending a crescent wave of fire down the escalators. Weiss was about to set up an ice barrier as extra protection when Sienna's whip almost sent her flying into the fire. She fled further down the dark corridor.
The whip snapped again, and a cloud of dust and debris rained down on her. Weiss suppressed a scream when the loose rubble from the ceiling completely blinded her.
Sienna's foot collided with her back, sending her flying right into one of the dark openings to the lower level. Weiss cushioned her fall with a line of Black Glyphs, landing softly on her feet. She raised her sword as glowing red eyes caged her in.
She wasn't sure what attacked her first, the Grimm or Sienna. Weiss sent ice projectiles at anything that moved. Sienna destroyed all the ice fragments that targeted her while the Grimm howled in pain.
Weiss retreated when more Grimm materialised out from the shadows. She set her blade on fire and fled blindly through dark corridors, slicing down whatever crossed her path.
The fire on her blade was barely bright enough for her to see what was ahead of her. She'd taken so many sharp turns Weiss wasn't sure where she was anymore.
The narrow corridors opened up to a black open space. Weiss skidded to a stop, a decision she was quick to regret when Sienna's whip lashed into her back. Her sword almost slipped from her hand when electricity burned through her muscles.
Weiss didn't see the whip strike her a second time, but she felt the stinging across her face. Her black earpiece shattered into pieces.
She stumbled back, walking into a square cafeteria table. She leapt onto the tabletop when the whip cracked a third time. The weathered tiles beneath her exploded into a cloud of dust.
"I always knew you were a coward, Schnee," Sienna taunted from somewhere in the darkness.
Weiss moved her burning sword in the direction of Sienna's footsteps, but she could only see an arm's length away.
"I'll admit, you are a pretty little thing. I can see why he would be seduced by a whore like you."
"I don't want to fight you."
Sienna's whip bit into the edge of the tabletop, missing her foot by a hair.
"You might be able to fool them with your lies, Schnee, but I'll never let you enslave me again." Sienna's voice dropped to a dangerous tone.
Weiss rested her hand on the pocket where Sienna's photos were. How long did Sienna have to endure the SDC alone?
"What's wrong, Princess, did I see through your cute little scheme?"
"I'm sorry that awful guard hurt you."
Weiss leapt away when Sienna's whip plunged into the table, cutting it in half.
Weiss sent another wave of fire at Sienna. While it failed to hit her, the tables and chairs it passed set ablaze. The extra light let her catch and redirect another flying dagger aimed at her neck.
Weiss focused less on trying to gain the upper hand and more on lighting as many tables and chairs on fire. It wasn't the best strategy, but it helped her see where Sienna was coming from.
A chill crawled down her back when a glowing pair of eyes moved over Sienna's left shoulder.
Weiss charged towards her. When Sienna was at arm's length, she summoned a Glyph beneath her feet, launching herself up and over Sienna. The Grimm didn't expect her attack, allowing her blade to crush its skull when she plunged down. Her eyes met Sienna's again.
Sienna's whip crackled with electricity. Weiss fled even before Sienna made her move. What she didn't anticipate was for the whip to coil the leg of a nearby table, ripping it c
lean out of the ground and hurling it straight at her.
Stars dotted her vision when the table collided with her head, knocking flat on her stomach. Her sword slipped out of her hand, rolling beneath a table in front of her.
Gritting her teeth against a pounding headache, Weiss pushed herself off the ground. Sienna's weight crashed onto her back, slamming the air out of her chest. She eyed her sword. If she stretched her arm far enough–
Cold wire coiled around her neck, clamping it shut. She whimpered in pain as Sienna squeezed the wire tighter. The more she clawed at the steel restraint, the harder Sienna pulled back.
"I can't wait to rip you apart piece by piece, Princess. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this."
Weiss reached out towards her sword, her fingers brushed uselessly against the handle. Electricity ran down the length of the whip, setting her nerves on fire. An involuntary cry wheezed from her throat when her Aura flickered.
"Don't worry, I won't let the Grimm eat you, Princess. I want to see how he'll react when he sees you butchered and strung up like meat."
The thought of Adam finding her corpse ignited a white-hot fire deep within her. She could still hear the anguish in his voice when he mourned for his family.
He couldn't go through that kind of grief again.
She couldn't put any of her friends or family through that pain.
Weiss slammed her fists into the ground and called forth a blinding white Glyph. Sienna's whip dug into her skin, but she refused to give in, focusing everything she had on summoning Arma Gigas. The moment Sienna's weight left her, Weiss gasped for air.
She coughed, her throat and lungs burning from the smoke choking the battlefield. With trembling hands, she untangled the whip from around her neck, throwing it into one of the fires.
Weiss scrambled for her sword and hurried back up to her feet. Despite losing her main weapon, Sienna wasn't afraid to face Giga Armas. She fought it with a small throwing dagger.
Sienna scowled in her direction. With a blink of an eye, another throwing dagger was in her other hand.
The photos in her jacket continued to weigh her down like chains, but surrendering to Sienna was not an option. She still had people to return to, and Weiss had no intentions of losing.
"I'm sorry," she breathed, her voice still rough from Sienna's assault.
Arma Gigas stepped in to interfere as Sienna tried to lunge at Weiss. With Sienna distracted by Arma Gigas, Weiss used her Glyphs to propel herself forward and swung. Sienna blocked her sword with twin daggers.
Sienna moved away when Arma Gigas tried to slam its sword down on her. Weiss didn't let her get away too far, closing in on Sienna with the aid of her Glyphs.
They exchanged blow after blow. Weiss used her Glyphs to help keep constant pressure on Sienna. Arma Gigas followed her lead, trying to catch Sienna off guard.
Sienna, despite taking on two opponents at once, didn't break a sweat. She parried and dodged nearly every attack they threw at her, sometimes even shifting the pressure by landing a few strikes of her own. The occasional hits Weiss landed didn't make a difference as Sienna maintained her breakneck speed without a hitch.
Hints of Sienna's exhaustion were subtle. Weiss had only noticed it when she no longer strained herself to keep up with Sienna's agility. Her suspicions were all but confirmed when she observed how Sienna dodged Arma Gigas' blade. She didn't retreat as far back anymore.
Seeing her window of opportunity, Weiss put everything she had into her next few attacks until Arma Gigas attempted another hit.
Sienna predictably bounced back. Weiss created a Black Glyph on the spot Sienna was likely to land. She heard Sienna cursing when she realised what Weiss had done. The moment her feet touched the Black Glyph, it locked her in place.
Weiss moved her head in time to avoid a dagger from flying right into her eye. Sienna's attention shifted from Weiss to Arma Gigas as it charged at her. Guilt churned in Weiss' gut as Sienna struggled to break free from her Semblance's hold. She desperately dug her knife into the Glyph, but it did nothing to weaken its hold.
She couldn't let Arma Gigas kill her.
The blade in Arma Gigas' hand vanished in a cloud of white. It leapt over Sienna, fists raised over its head, and hammered its hands down with a resounding crunch.
Weiss deactivated the Black Glyph when she heard Sienna's Aura shattering amidst the cloud of debris and dirt. Victory was hers to take, but she felt no pride over winning such a difficult fight.
Arma Gigas vanished into an ethereal white mist, leaving behind a crater with an injured body at the centre. The fires still crackled around them, infecting the air with smoke that burned her eyes and throat.
Weiss sheathed her sword and forced her legs to move towards the crater. Sienna took short, shallow breaths. Her hand clutched her chest. A dagger laid loosely in her other hand.
"I'm sorry," Weiss whispered, snatching the dagger and throwing it into one of the fires.
"You bitch," Sienna insulted her with a weak cough.
"You look like you're in a lot of pain…" Weiss knelt next to Sienna. "Let's get you out of here. We have medical help–"
"Don't touch me!"
She recoiled her hands and clasped them on her lap. Sienna continued to glare at her. It reminded her so much of the hateful looks she'd received from Anima, except Sienna's felt so much more personal.
"We can't stay here forever," Weiss reasoned. "There's still Grimm around here."
"I'd rather get ripped apart by the Grimm than go anywhere with you."
"No one deserves to die like that–"
"Drop the act. I'm not falling for it." Sienna grimaced when she rolled to her side, her back facing Weiss.
Weiss suppressed the urge to help her when Sienna shook with heavy, wheezing coughs.
"I know my words mean nothing to you." Weiss ignored the sharp humourless laugh she got from Sienna. "It's not fair to ask you to trust me, but you can't make it out of here without my help. Not in this state."
"Listen, Schnee, you might've been able to seduce and manipulate Adam with your pretty words, but I won't be so easy to break. I'll fucking die before I let you enslave me again."
"I meant what I said about that man. What he did to you and your family was disgusting. I'm sorry my family caused you and your loved ones so much pain."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Weiss took out the photos of Sienna and her family.
"I know this is nothing compared to seeing them in the flesh again, but I found their photos."
Sienna's ears perked up. Weiss walked around to her other side, laying the photos out in front of Sienna. Her eyes widened, a small gasp escaping her lips when she saw the photo of the woman only known as #CB7119.
Weiss turned her back on Sienna, scanning what little she could see of the cafeteria for signs of Grimm. Distant growls sounded from somewhere in the darkness. She touched the spot where her earpiece had once sat, hoping Adam and the others hadn't tried contacting her yet.
"Is this your idea of a joke, Schnee?" Sienna interrogated between laboured breaths. "Do you find it funny to mock me?"
"I had no intentions of digging into your past, Sienna. I came across your story by accident," Weiss said without looking back. "It meant a lot to Adam when we found his parents' pictures. I thought you would feel the same way."
"So this is how you get them to stay loyal to you. You find pictures of the relatives your family murdered and shower the survivors with fake sympathy." Sienna scoffed. "You're evil, Schnee. Like father like daughter."
Weiss sighed, turning to face her again. Sienna had taken all the photos in her hand, staring at them so intensely she didn't notice Weiss looking down at her.
"When my mission is over, I'm going to help repair the damage done by my family. I know it can never bring back the people who died, but maybe it can help save a life."
"Am I supposed to applaud you?"
"No. I'm not expecting anything from you. I don't even expect you to believe me." Weiss knelt in front of Sienna. "I'm telling you this because I want you to know that things will be different going forward. I promise something like this won't happen again."
"You've got one thing right, Princess, I don't buy a single fucking word you say," Sienna spat. "I don't give a fuck what you promise or what you plan to do. I'll never forgive you and your species for as long as I live."
Weiss smiled sympathetically and nodded.
A loud crunch of rubble made her shoot up to her feet. She scanned the cafeteria for the source of the noise, but she couldn't find anything moving in the darkness. Another crunch made her hand fly to the hilt of her sword, yet her eyes remained blind to the creature stalking them in the night.
"We need to move," Weiss whispered, turning to face Sienna again. Sienna hugged the photos against her chest, her eyes wide and ears straightened with alertness.
"I'll carry you," Weiss turned around and knelt down.
"I can't tell if you're stupid or bold for turning your back on me like this."
"Look, you can't face the Grimm in this state, and I can't see what's in front of me. For the sake of surviving the night, let's call it a truce until we get out of here."
A snarl to her left made all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Sienna clasped onto her shoulder, fingers clawing into her skin. Weiss bit back a wince.
"Don't expect anything to change, Princess," Sienna breathed into her ear. "I'm not weak like Adam. Once I regain my strength, your life is mine. I don't give a damn about your new goal in life."
"I'll worry about that later. How do we get back to where we first found you guys?"
"Head straight and take a turn on your first right."
Weiss used her Glyphs to skate across the cafeteria. Carrying Sienna on her back significantly slowed her down. Combined with the fatigue from their battle, it was like trying to run while carrying a backpack full of weights.
She was less worried about tripping over unseen garbage when they left the cafeteria space. With Sienna's guidance, the dimly lit corridors were less of a blind maze.
"Schnee, on your left!"
Weiss pivoted to avoid a charging Grimm. Sienna groaned in pain at the sudden burst of movement. The Grimm didn't wasn't deterred from trying again, lowering itself to the ground to prepare for another pounce.
Weiss glanced up at the opening connecting the main and second floors. She whispered a quick apology right when the Grimm lunged at them.
A White Glyph propelled them up into the air. She summoned another Glyph midair to launch them the rest of the way to the second floor.
"It might be easier if we try moving up here," Weiss explained.
"Yeah," Sienna breathed weakly. "Take a right."
Grimm littered their path. While she could out-manoeuvre an individual Grimm, large groups forced them to take detours and backtrack. She didn't want to take any chances when they were both in such weary states.
Eventually, Weiss was forced to hide them both in a small store to rest. She blocked the entrance with a thick wall of ice before collapsing onto the ground. Sienna rested against an old checkout counter.
"It might not be worth trying to get out," Sienna said quietly. She curled up into a tight ball, shivering. "There's already so many of those things trying to get in."
"It's better than freezing to death," Weiss argued. "Let me catch my breath for a bit. If we're lucky, the others might bump into us."
Sienna shrugged, redirecting her attention to the very first photo stacked in her hands.
"What was her name?" Weiss asked gently.
"Why do you care?"
"I'd rather know her by name than her label."
Sienna curled further into herself, continuing to stare at the photograph without saying another word. They both jumped when a dark mass began scratching at her ice barrier. Weiss got to her feet. A second monster emerged, and then a third.
Weiss couldn't tell how many conglomerated around their hiding spot. The blurry dark shapes on the other side blended into a large, shapeless pack. Fractures in her ice barrier grew until she met soulless red eyes through the cracks. Her sword trembled in her hand. Whether it was from the cold or her lingering fatigue, she couldn't tell.
A flash of red blinded her vision, followed by a cloud of dust and the collective screeches of the monsters outside. Weiss used her White Dust to help clear the air of dirt. The Grimm and ice barrier she set up was completely demolished.
The tension in her body melted when Adam stopped short of the store entrance. Her knees buckled from beneath her weight.
"A-Adam–!"
He charged inside and collapsed right in front of her, kissing her forehead before pulling her into his arms. She let out a shaky laugh, hugging him with as much strength as she could muster.
"We couldn't contact you." He kissed her cheek. "Gods, you have no idea how worried I was."
"The earpiece broke, but I'm alright. I promised I would see you again, right?"
"Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed from the storefront.
Adam still had his arms around her when Ruby barreled into their hug in a flurry of rose petals. Weiss almost fell onto her back when Yang tackled them with equal enthusiasm. Weiss could barely catch her breath with so many people holding her. They were all freezing to the touch, but they left her chest bursting with warmth.
"When I said no self-sacrificing bullshit, that applies to you too, dummy," Yang chided.
"As the leader, I'm making it illegal for anyone on our team to do something like this again," Ruby piped in.
"I'm sorry for worrying you guys."
When they finally let her go, Weiss saw Blake was the only one who hadn't jumped in to join them. She stood protectively in front of them, facing Sienna with her blade drawn.
"You look like a little brat again," Sienna drawled, eyeing Blake's new haircut with a blank look.
"She's hurt," Weiss said. "I think there's something wrong with her ribs. Is the airship still here?"
"No, the pilot left for the hospital right away," Ruby replied. "A second airship should be on its way."
"Is she armed?" Adam asked.
"I got rid of her last knife before carrying her up here."
"You carried her here?"
"It's a long story."
Sienna avoided her gaze, her hands clasped tightly on her lap, concealing the tiny photographs from plain sight.
"She's going to need some help walking. She might be more comfortable with either you or Blake carrying her." Weiss changed the subject.
Adam and Blake exchanged glances. They both turned their attention to Sienna who stared back at them with a stony expression.
"I'll do it," Adam volunteered.
"I'll watch your back," Blake offered. Sienna rolled her eyes but didn't say any more about the matter.
Sienna didn't complain nor insult Adam when she climbed onto his back. Ruby and Yang took the lead in guiding their group back to the rooftop. Weiss insisted on helping them clear the Grimm, but it was clear she wasn't going to fight until they got back to Robyn's base.
She walked side by side with Adam. Blake resigned herself to the very back, watching Sienna like a hawk. Adam tensed when Sienna let out a wheezing cough.
"Does it hurt to breathe?" he asked Sienna in a whisper.
"A broken rib isn't going to kill me," Sienna croaked. "I'm sure that's unfortunate news for you."
"I never wanted you dead. I just…never mind." He exhaled tiredly. "We'll make sure you get treated. You'll feel better soon."
That was the last of their exchange. Adam apologised whenever he needed to adjust his hold on Sienna, which always left her gritting her teeth in pain. Still, Sienna didn't say anything else to him. It was like he was a stranger.
The airship arrived right when they made it back up to the rooftop. Winter and Qrow were both on board. Winter bombarded her with questions as soon as she stepped onto the ship, and Qrow simply ruffled her hair as he passed by to check on his nieces.
The happy reunion came to a screeching halt when Adam climbed on board with Sienna still on his back. Winter and Qrow locked eyes on her. Sienna, despite being completely weaponless, met their stares. Weiss jumped in to explain the situation before either of them could make any rash decisions.
"We still can't let a wanted criminal go free after this," Winter said pointedly. "She's a threat to Mantle and Atlas citizens."
"You mean you're going to throw her in prison?" Weiss asked. The idea of locking her in a cell after knowing her history didn't sit right with Weiss. She didn't save Sienna to lock her in another prison.
"We can't let her walk free after killing so many civilians."
"What if we arrange different accommodations?" Weiss suggested. "Is there an all-Faunus facility or rehab we can look into?"
"Weiss, there's no such thing in Atlas. We need to make sure she can't hurt anyone first and foremost."
Weiss knew Winter had a point this time. Sienna even confirmed she'd try to kill Weiss again once she was better. Setting her free would only sentence more innocent lives to an early grave, but abandoning her in a prison cell wasn't an option she wanted to accept.
"My parents have been talking about starting a support program for White Fang offenders," Blake said to Weiss. "We don't have the funds to do anything yet, but in the future we can help people like her–"
"How much do you need?" Weiss cut her off.
Blake blinked in surprise. When Weiss pressed her on the issue again, she stammered out an estimated cost range before waving it off as a problem her family hadn't considered yet.
"I'll pay for it."
"Weiss, y-you don't have to–"
"I have more money in my bank than most people. I'd rather use it for good than have it collect dust. Let me worry about the finances."
Blake gawked at her like a fish out of water.
"Just say you'll accept my offer. We can work out the details later."
"O-okay." She took Weiss' hands, giving them a firm squeeze. "I-I don't know what else to say except…thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. I'm only trying to fix the damage Father caused."
A hush fell over their group once Winter gave their pilot the instruction to fly back to Robyn's base first. Adam set Sienna down between Qrow and Winter.
Sienna curled into herself, rubbing her bare arms despite the heating in the ship. Adam regarded her for a moment before shrugging off his coat and draping it over her shoulders.
"It's poor practice to treat your enemies well." Sienna scoffed.
"Give yourself more credit. You're more than just an enemy to me."
"I don't want your sentimental bullshit. I've got no respect for traitors."
"I'm sorry." He smiled sadly before retreating to Weiss' side.
Sienna hugged his coat around her trembling frame. Her eyes returned to the photos in her hand. If she caught Winter and Qrow peeking over her shoulders, she didn't comment on it.
Weiss and her team stuck together at the back of the airship, speaking only in whispers. Blake and Adam kept their eyes on Sienna the entire time, but she was too occupied with the photos to notice.
When the pilot announced they arrived at Robyn's base, Weiss approached Winter with one last request.
"You want to get Marrow to stay with her?" Winter repeated incredulously.
"Or any Faunus Huntsmen that's available."
"I don't see why they must be Faunus. We have plenty of competent Huntsmen that can stand guard over her."
"It's not that. It's…" Weiss caught Sienna's glare. She smiled assuringly before turning her attention back to Winter. "If not a Huntsman, then can you make sure she's seen by a Faunus doctor? Please?"
Winter studied her like a puzzle she couldn't quite crack. "I'll get Marrow back to Atlas if it means so much to you."
"Thanks, Winter."
A rush of cold air blasted into the ship when the doors opened. She'd just about followed the rest of her friends out when Sienna spoke up.
"Hey, Princess."
A curtain of black and red flew at her face. Weiss barely caught Adam's coat before it could all tumble onto the ground.
"Um…thank you." Weiss gathered up the rest of his coat that pooled around her feet.
"Clementine."
"E-excuse me?"
Sienna crossed her arms, turning her head sharply to the side.
"Her name," Sienna said curtly. "Her name was Clementine Khan."
"Clementine," Weiss said the new name carefully. She repeated it to herself internally, rolling out each syllable until every letter and sound was as familiar as her own name.
"I'll remember it," she promised.
Big thanks to everyone who left a review (I'm not home atm so this AN is pre written)!
We're so close to the end. I've got a few more loose ends to cover and then I have a treat for you~
