Note: I have no notes. Enjoy.
Ruby stumbled out of Team JNPR's door, tripping over herself and falling against the opposite wall. Her mind was a hurricane, and she desperately sought to reach the revelation that waited for her at its peaceful center. Nora was there by her side, trying to hold her up. Penny watched carefully from the doorway.
"Ruby, easy," Nora said gently. She tried pulling Ruby back toward her room. "I think you should lie down—"
"No!" Ruby weakly pushed Nora away. "No, I'm… I'm fine. I just need to… need to…"
She had no answer, and her face contorted in pain. She was losing her mind. That was the most parsimonious answer. All of the stress from Atlas, from Sienna and Winter, almost dying from SPIDER—it was catching up to her. She was sleep-deprived and hungry and burned out, and she couldn't trust her own senses. Because, if she could, what was that supposed to mean? That this Rosaline woman, this thing she didn't even fully understand what she was, was here talking to her? Just like it had spoken to her mom—no, that must have been a lie as well. Her mom wasn't crazy. She may have finally accepted her mother was monstrous, but hearing voices? Those memories must have been a lie, another crude illusion whipped up by her overactive imagination.
And still, despite how hard she told herself that it was all in her head… that didn't make any sense either. She knew about the Infinite Chalice. She saw her mother's memories. The details lined up far too perfectly. Rosaline, H'aboTotlitr, the Red Angel—whatever she was, she was trying to tell Ruby something. She was here, alive somehow after an impossible time. She may have been an ancestor, reaching out across the void, or maybe she had turned into something beyond Ruby's comprehension. Regardless, if Ruby wanted answers, she would have to start listening to that voice in her head.
Nora watched Ruby's face twist into several different expressions, and she felt immense sympathy for the poor thing. Team RWBY's secrets finally seemed to be catching up with her, and Nora felt a particularly strong helplessness. She knew that her efforts would be rejected, but she reached out a hand anyway.
"Ruby, whatever is going on, you can tell me," Nora promised. "We can keep it between us if you'd like."
Ruby stammered. "Nora, I—"
"That's not necessary." Penny swooped in, separating the two of them. She grabbed Ruby's shoulders and straightened her out. She flashed Nora a bright smile, one that Nora didn't believe for a second. "This is a highly personal matter between me and my friend Ruby. Thank you for teaching us about your myth, but your assistance is no longer required."
And that was slightly too far for Nora to take.
Penny tried walking Ruby away, but Nora intercepted them, spreading out her arms to block their path. "Whoa, hang on a second, lady! You don't just get to use me and throw me away like that. Clearly, something important is going on."
Ruby shook her head. "Nora, I appreciate you helping. Really."
"How did I help?" Nora protested. "I don't even know what I did."
"I wish I could tell you," Ruby insisted, slowly regaining her strength. "But honestly, I don't even know how I would begin to explain this."
"I mean, you still owe me an explanation for Weiss's 'God Hand' thing you put me through," Nora said bluntly. "How about that? Because I'll be frank, your previous explanation doesn't really cut the mustard."
Penny seemed taken aback, and she looked at Ruby, confused. "You exposed Nora to the Fables?"
"What the heck is a Fable?" Nora asked.
"None of your business," Ruby said quickly.
"You just made it my business!" Nora said, pointing a very frustrated finger at Ruby's chest. "You know something, Ruby? Velvet and I were talking not too long ago. We felt bad for you. Clearly, you need help, and clearly, something is wrong, but there are tons of things you won't tell us. You go off on wild adventures like every other Saturday, your teammate thinks she's a terrorist, and you're asking me about Mistran legends when we both have a physics exam next week. You said you wanted my help, and now I'm offering it, and you won't let me in. You're just like Pyrrha, and I can't have both of you being weird and aloof all the time. I'm a very direct person. I like it when people tell me things. So, like, please help me out and tell me what it is I actually just did!"
Ruby bowed her head in silence. She didn't have a great response prepared. Her mind was busy enough as it was. Nora… she didn't deserve to get dragged into this mess. She was a nice girl whose approach to problems was to strike them hard, and if that didn't work, strike them even harder. The truth about the Fables was mind-shattering, and even if she told the truth, she doubted Nora would be able to comprehend it. No, that wasn't it, was it? Her silence wasn't caused by empathy, even if she wanted it to be. It was simpler than that—she didn't trust Nora to do any good. The only people she could rely upon were her team. At one point, she was deluded enough to think she could build an army against the world, but she had been stung one too many times.
Nora was nice to her. She treated her better than almost anyone else in this Kingdom. There just wasn't enough room in her heart anymore.
Ruby didn't notice the figure standing down the hall watching them. None of them did, not until her voice cracked in hurt and anger, tearing their collective attention away from themselves.
"You really can't help yourself, can you?"
Ruby, Penny, and Nora were made to see Ciel Soleil—her eyes wide, her jaw quivering and teeth shredded together—glaring daggers through them from across the hall. Her hands were balled into fists and her legs squared. She looked ready to pounce.
Penny tried to disarm her with an innocent smile. "Oh, Ciel. I was… just looking for you."
"Do you care about anything?" Ciel hissed. "After what Ironwood said… after what he did… the first thing you do is disobey him?"
Penny looked around uncomfortably as if searching for a convenient lie. "No, Ciel, you're mistaken. Ruby was just helping me with—"
"You were told… not… to… speak… with… her." Every one of Ciel's words was laced with toxin. "You are supposed to leave this alone. How could you do that to the General? How could you do that to me?"
Ruby waited for Penny to give an explanation, but she never did. She knew that Penny was betraying Ironwood by speaking to her, but she had no clue as to how Ciel fit into any of this. Honestly, Ciel was the last thing on her mind. It was Nora who finally prodded her, rolling her eyes and gesturing broadly to the private that she had only ever seen in passing. "Okay, now what is this all about?"
"This doesn't concern you," Penny tried to assure her. "Ciel and I simply have a matter we need to discuss privately."
"Do you think this is a joke?" Ciel challenged. "Does my career, my life, not mean anything to you?"
"Seriously, Penny, what is she talking about?" Ruby finally asked.
"Of course, you don't tell anyone about the consequences," Ciel snapped back. "You're so off in your own little world, you can't even think about the people you hurt along the way."
Penny stood her ground, though her face didn't show any confidence. If Ruby didn't know any better, she thought that Penny might even feel remorse. When the android spoke, it was in a muted tone.
"Ironwood was upset that I left the Academy to help you in Vale," Penny confessed, keeping her eyes glued to Ciel's fury. "He decided that instead of punishing me, he would hurt Ciel instead. The implication was that every time I disobeyed his orders, Ciel would be tortured in my place—and likely removed from Atlas Academy after repeated failures to keep me in check."
Ruby stepped back in shock. "Wait, what?"
Nora gasped. "That's… so messed up."
"And you decided to work with me anyway?" Ruby said in horror.
Penny continued staring Ciel down. "As I said before… I am willing to live with the consequences."
Ciel's gaze turned raw. Ruby felt her heart sink. The coldness of Penny's voice sent a chill down her spine. She thought Penny was starting to become more like her. She thought she could be trusted, but this? Throwing her only friend under the bus, letting her suffer every twisted figment of Ironwood's imagination, just to gain access to her? It made her sick. No matter how horrible things became for Team RWBY, they were determined to not let anyone else share their burdens. When Ironwood threatened their families, they fought to keep them safe.
Right? She was better than that, at least.
She thought of her teammates, of Winter's inevitable suffering. She told herself that was different.
"You… I'm through with you," Ciel growled. "You are coming with me to Ironwood's office, all of you. He's going to see that you have been disobeying him. Then, I'm going to get myself reassigned, far away from you."
Penny shook her head. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea for you, Ciel," she warned. "Ironwood trusted my safety to you. Not only would you be abandoning your duty by leaving me, but do you really want him to know that I escaped your sight again? Those consequences would be disastrous for you."
"Are… are you blackmailing me?" Ciel asked in disbelief.
"I am simply pointing out the obvious," Penny stated calmly. "You see, Ciel, in studying Team RWBY, I have learned about the value of leverage. We both know Ironwood will not punish me. The best outcome for you is that you are given your wish and reassigned far away from me. Naturally, this will reflect a failure on your part and a demotion as well. I doubt you will ever come close to achieving something like protective responsibilities over a vital Atlasian asset. The worst outcome is more physical punishment." Penny smiled at Ruby as if expecting her to be proud. Ruby just stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend Penny's cruel threat. When she didn't get the response she was looking for, Penny shrugged. "Anyway, it seems like your best option is to keep this incident to yourself. Less conflict will work out better for all of us."
Ciel seethed. "I can't believe you. I genuinely cannot believe you. You have everything a Huntress could dream of. You have the General's admiration, his trust, and that means nothing to you. This school means nothing to you. How dare you wear that uniform when you spit on everything it stood for."
"I quite care for my Kingdom," Penny said defensively. "What I am doing is essential to its survival. Honestly, Ciel, I don't know how I would begin to explain its significance. It's… none of your business."
Ruby cursed under her breath. Penny… stop antagonizing her…
"Everything you do is my business," Ciel snapped back.
"No, I'm afraid not," Penny said with a slight smirk, her inspirations on her sleeve. "If Ironwood truly wants me to stop, he's going to have to stop me himself. Do you think that he's going to do that? I don't."
Ruby grabbed Penny's arm. "Stop talking, Penny."
Ciel stamped her foot. "I am ordering you to—"
"You can't order me to do anything," Penny said bluntly. "You aren't the General, or a Professor, or my supervisor. You don't have any of the clearance Ironwood gave me regarding this subject. You have less training and experience than me. You don't have the weapons I have, or the durability I have, and we both know your Semblance is useless against me. You don't have any allies either, by the looks of it. You are just Private Ciel Soleil, and the best you can hope for is to spend time around people with vastly more importance than you, playing music in the background of their accomplishments. I am very sorry to say, Ciel, but your opinion just doesn't matter here."
A silence hung over the hall. Penny's clueless smile sliced through Ciel's brave façade like a knife. As the moment lingered beyond its breaking point, she turned to Ruby and Nora, both dumbfounded at her callousness. She seemed almost giddy.
"Was that a good takedown, Ruby—"
The words barely left her lips when a blast of energy struck her in the chest, sending her flying backward. She bounced onto the floor past Nora and Ruby, looking down at her singed chest in surprise. Down the hall, a mounted arm cannon had emerged from nowhere to latch onto Ciel's outstretched wrist. Ruby caught a brief glimpse of Ciel's blue eyes, violent and crazed before the private took off sprinting. The arm cannon suddenly transformed before Ruby's eyes. It seemed to shatter into dust before reforming itself, swirling like a swarm of locusts until it formed a long, glowing blade. Ciel leaped into the air with a scream, aiming the sword toward Penny's chest. Sensing her ally defenseless, Ruby's instincts kicked in. She snatched Ciel out of the air, grabbing onto her waist to hold her back.
"Hey, let's wait a second!" Ruby begged. Nora ran over to help, grabbing onto Ciel's wrist as the furious soldier flailed in Ruby's grasp. Nora's physical strength was enough to hold Ciel back under normal circumstances, but she suddenly found herself winded and wincing as a sharp pain rushed through her side. The injury from JJWL's ambush had not fully healed, and sensing weakness, Ciel kicked the wound hard, forcing Nora off her. Ciel drove her head back into Ruby's nose, and the young Huntress stumbled back as well, dropping Ciel to the floor. The two were spread on either side of Ciel in the hallway, and the private finally had space to attack again.
It was short-lived. When she turned toward Penny again, the android launched herself into Ciel's chest, tackling her down the hallway. Carried by rocket-powered legs, the two crashed through the far wall, barreling through several layers of the Academy. The fine stone crumbled into the crater until it was filled with debris, leaving Nora and Ruby alone, coughing up fumes from Penny's rockets. The two eventually managed to look at each other in terror, as the sounds of a distant battle echoed through the stone.
"That's not… good, is it?" Nora asked slowly.
Ruby shook her head. "No. Very not good."
"No, you are not punching her unconscious."
Weiss's order was fierce despite Yang's objections.
"I don't know how else to do it though!"
"Yang, do you remember the time Blake got knocked unconscious and then lost her memories? My sister is about to get open-skull surgery. The last thing she needs is brain damage right before someone cuts her open."
"That's… a good point actually," Yang grumbled. "But then… you know what that means, right?"
Weiss took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm aware."
"It'll be okay, Weiss," Blake promised. "He'll be fast, and Winter's tough. She can handle it."
"Of course, she can handle it," Weiss said knowingly. "Doesn't make me feel better."
"Then, I guess the plan's in order," said Yang. "It seems doable."
"There is one more thing," Weiss added regretfully. "Apprehending Winter might not be difficult, but there is something else we have to worry about. If she truly gets desperate, she might try to Summon."
"Like… God's Arm Summon?"
"Yes."
"That would be bad."
"I know."
"Okay, so how do we stop that?"
"Well, if she was unconscious, it wouldn't be a concern," Weiss explained. "But if she's going to be awake the entire time, it's an issue. She doesn't need to move to trigger her Summons, so it doesn't matter how well we tie her down. We would have to do something else to distract her?"
"Define: distract her," Blake said, unhappy with the implication.
Weiss hated the words as they left her lips. Even when she tried to speak objectively, she could feel her throat trembling. "Summoning requires an incredible amount of focus… or rage. Speaking from experience, of course. I couldn't summon anything when Ruby was in danger, or when I was in pain. The only exceptions were when things really upset me—like you, actually."
"You're welcome."
"So… we would have to hurt Winter? In what way?"
Weiss wished she didn't have to answer.
The lunch never had an official ending. At some point, long after Jacques and Willow left and Weiss' appetite diminished, Klein arrived back in the dining room and informed her it was time to leave. Weiss wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it was more than enough to complete her task; and far longer than she could stomach Whitley's presence. He continued to smirk at her even when she was out of his sight.
As Klein led her and Winter out of the Schnee Manor, he took a lingering moment to bid them farewell. For some reason, as he shut the door behind them and left them in the cold, windy courtyard, she felt like it would be the last time she ever saw him. A wholly unfounded belief, though she still felt it affect her. It didn't matter—she had a job to do.
While Winter started her walk back to the airship, Weiss took out her Scroll and made a tactical phone call. She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, as she did during so many recitals in her youth. She hoped she could deliver a worthy performance.
"Hello, Yang," she spoke calmly into the Scroll. She planted her feet firmly on the ground. "We have finished with our lunch. Are you ready to meet up again?"
She paused as Yang answered. Winter had continued walking, unaware and unassuming of her sister's plans. She was over a dozen feet away when she heard Weiss shriek over the wind.
"Are you kidding me?"
Winter spun on her heels as if she had heard a gunshot go off. Weiss's face was red and flustered, and she threw her arms around in an exaggerated manner as she screamed into the Scroll.
"What do you mean you're lost? Where the hell did you go?"
Winter's heart skipped a beat. Lost? No, not again…
She marched toward Weiss, her brow furrowing as her concern rose.
"What is happening? Is that Yang?" she asked.
"I don't understand this!" Weiss cried out. "How can you be lost? You weren't supposed to go anywhere. How hard is it for you idiots to just stay in one spot? No, don't you give me any excuses. It is unbelievable how phenomenally stupid you are!"
Winter snatched the Scroll from Weiss's hand and pressed it against her own ear. "Yang, this is Winter," she spoke authoritatively. "What is going on? Where are you and Blake?"
Yang stuttered when she spoke, seemingly overwhelmed by her nerves. "H-Hi, Winter. Look, I promise this isn't my fault."
"Answer the question," Winter demanded.
"We're staying in a shop on the Third Rung."
"The Third Rung?" Winter couldn't believe her ears. "How did you end up in the Third Rung? It's not even close to where we left you."
"Well… see, we finished lunch early… and then Blake thought it was a good idea to maybe get ahead of schedule on the tour, since you were busy—"
"Don't blame this on me!" Blake shouted in the background.
"Look, we may have taken a wrong turn somewhere. The important thing is we aren't in any danger or anything. We're just hanging out in a store—"
"Stop," Winter groaned. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Send your location over. We can land at Patommy Field and we can walk to you. Do not go anywhere, do you understand?"
"Yes, Winter. So sorry about—"
Winter hung up immediately and thrust the Scroll back into Weiss's chest. Weiss tried her best to hide her relief. That was actually far easier than she anticipated. Perhaps Winter's full stomach was affecting her judgment, or maybe Yang was just that convincing. Either way, the trap was set. Now, Weiss just had to get her there—easier said than done when Winter had no interest in doing anything but scold her.
"Are your teammates insane?" she asked pointedly. "I give them one specific instruction: to remain in my sight. And they cannot do that for even an hour. I understand you are young, but they are acting like literal children."
"I know," Weiss said quickly. "They can be incredibly irresponsible. It's very frustrating."
"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Weiss," Winter warned her. "You ran off on your own in Vale—twice. If anything, their influence is rubbing off on you."
"Can we please not have this argument now?" Weiss pleaded. "Let's focus on finding those two morons before they cause any more trouble."
Winter sneered. "You understand that you aren't getting away with this again. The instant we meet up with them, we are coming back here, and I am telling Father about this. You had one opportunity to prove that you can be responsible, and this is not going to slide. You will be lucky if he doesn't drop you from your stupid RWBY Fund on the spot."
Weiss stood her ground. "I understand, Winter."
"Then show some more remorse," Winter fired back. "Because Father isn't just taking this out on you. When you learn that your actions affect others, maybe you'll actually earn the title of Huntress." She turned and sighed, sharply exhaling the last of her frustrations. "Gods, you girls are going to be the death of me."
There was no "bad" part of Atlas. Winter believed that wholeheartedly. It wasn't Vale, where Faunus were allowed to fester in the city's bowels, sucking away its resources. It wasn't Mistral, where the youth culture had degenerated so badly that they risked upheaving the entire social order. Nor was it Vacuo, where anarchy had reigned over its citizens far longer than she could fathom. In Atlas, people carried themselves with a certain poise and respect. Those who desired to work could properly build themselves up and contribute their efforts to the project of their great Kingdom. While the city was divided in its many rungs of wealth and privilege, those who didn't fit into the Kingdom's vision had long since been expelled to the frozen wastes of Mantle, outside the mountain ranges—or dug so deep into its trenches that they did not deserve a second thought. The government had put in so much work in the past few decades to clean the city that one would have to actively search out danger to put themselves in harm's way.
Of course, somehow, Yang and Blake did such a thing. Because they were idiots, they had somehow managed to stumble into one of the worst sections of the city she had ever seen; where the Public Rehabilitation Project had run out of funds, where the buildings jutted unevenly into their stone surroundings, where the temperature regulators fluctuated so often that she was now boiling in her coat. The Third Rung was supposed to be the home of smaller businesses and those blessed by the Middle Gods. The Healer. The Librarian. Some fortunate craftsmen of the Blacksmith lived there as well, in addition to the followers of the Banker who were not as fortunate as her family. It was a nobler section of the city, and yet this corner, located not even a brisk walk from a major transport station, seemed to be falling apart at the seams.
Winter looked over to Weiss, who, face red with embarrassment, stared at her own two feet. Winter hadn't said a word to her during the flight over, and now her sneer deepened further.
"This is where your teammates are?"
"That's… what they said," Weiss said anxiously. She looked over her shoulder. No security. No cameras. No witnesses.
"The Heroes of Vale," Winter muttered with disgust. "How did they not manage to die tripping over their own two feet?"
"Let's just get this over with. Please."
She gestured for Winter to take the lead, and the Huntress unhappily obliged. She marched brazenly into the worn building labeled Straw to Gold, stomped up each of the small steps, and forced open the door. Once she was inside, she was confronted by a cramped, featureless room and a terrible odor. She did not see either of the two failures of Huntress students—only some plastic waiting chairs, a desk, and a… well, a freak standing patiently behind it. He gazed up at her with mismatched eyes and flashed a hollowed, yet warm smile. Weiss awkwardly shut the door behind them and lingered in the back as Winter approached the desk, moving her hand over her hilted blade.
"Hello, there. How may I assist you today—"
"Shut it," Winter said with a snap. "Yang. Blake. Where are they?"
The man's face lit up. "Ahh, you must be their bodyguard. They were looking forward to seeing—"
"Where are they?" Winter said. She thought she heard a sinister intent leaking from the man's voice, and she was not in any mood for theatrics. His smile weakened, and he turned around, opening up the door to the backroom. He propped it only a crack, sticking his face into the opening.
"Girls, your friend is here."
Winter heard some commotion behind the door, and then an irritatingly upbeat voice call.
"Hey, Winter! We're in here! Just gathering our things!"
Winter rolled her eyes. At least they were safe, she thought. She half suspected them to be bound and gagged and sold on the black market. Somehow, the fact they really were just waiting around for her only pissed her off more. Could they not just walk back to where they were supposed to? Did they have to wait around in the backroom of a store owned by an obvious meth addict? Wait, was that what they were doing back there? Did they come to this place to score drugs? Oh gods, that made so much sense…
Winter crossed her arms and waited, then waited some more, and waited even longer. At some point, the movement in the back stopped, and she heard nothing at all. She suspiciously stared at both the door and the man, though he seemed to know nothing at all. Weiss was just waiting around uncomfortably, and over the course of a few minutes, Winter gradually became more frustrated until a growl escaped her lips.
"What the hell is taking them so long?" she asked.
"I don't know," Weiss said. "I can't explain them."
The man behind the counter raised his voice. "Would you like me to—"
"You—keep out of this." Winter let another minute pass, and when she was still met by silence, she took matters into her own hands. Every moment wasted was a moment her Father would question her, and she was not going to displease him. "By the Gods, I don't have time for this. Move."
The man did as requested, passively raising his hands and stepping away from the counter. Winter again grabbed the hilt of her sword and moved. She shoved the man further out of the way, taking up his spot behind the door. She pounded three times on the door, threatening to knock it down.
"Get a move on, already!" She forcefully grabbed the door handle and swung it open. "How long does it take to—"
Winter froze. She saw the medical chair in the center of the room, saw the many cluttered boxes and paper-covered walls. She did not see Yang and Blake, who had positioned themselves carefully out of view behind the door, nor did she see Stiltskin slink out of the battle he knew was coming—nor did she see the golden chains that slowly filled the room behind her. She only suspected something was off when she heard the clink of metal behind her. Her instincts took over, and she whipped around as fast as she could. She was barely able to catch the chain flying at her before it hit her chest.
Her face, first struck with disbelief, quickly turned to fury. "What are you doing?"
Weiss clenched her fists, and the chains all snapped to attention. "Saving your life."
"Now!"
Yang burst from behind the door before Winter could react, and she locked her arms around Winter's torso, pinning the Huntress's hands to her sides in a powerful bear hug. She hoisted Winter off the ground and dragged her into the backroom, the Huntress kicking and screaming in protest. Winter was strong, with a metal limb and years of superior Atlasian training, yet she found she was helpless against Yang's nightmarish physical power. She didn't know how this teenager was outmuscling her, but it didn't matter. It took only a second for Yang to fall back to the medical chair, and she threw Winter into the seat. Yang straddled her, holding down her arms against the rests to stop Winter from squirming. The elder Schnee sister lifted up her head to scream, but suddenly, the tight cord of Gambol Shroud was pulled into her mouth. Blake sunk beneath the chair, tightening the band and forcing Winter's head back.
"You're not gonna believe this, but this is for your own good," Blake said as she kept Winter's head in place. The Huntress's bright blue eyes were wide and pierced through her like daggers, but she ignored the hate and focused on her fight. "Anytime now, Weiss!"
On cue, the ex-heiress entered the room, flanked by her army of chains. The golden Melodies of the Reveler flew through the air and began encircling the medical chair. They wrapped themselves tightly around Winter's legs, binding them together. One hugged her midsection; another two took over the work from Yang's arms. They laced together in an intricate knot, squeezing Winter until she struggled to breathe. The Huntress rocked violently back and forth, threatening to upend the chair entirely, but Weiss drove one final chain through its base, pinning it to the floor.
There was one more crucial step to do, however.
Weiss hated every second of it.
"Yang," Weiss ordered. "Her leg. Go for it."
Yang nodded and followed through with the plan they had discussed over the Scroll. She lifted her fist over her head and drove it down into Winter's shin. The bone snapped under the force, and Winter howled into her restraints. Weiss shuddered at Winter's screams. The break was clean and manageable. With enough focus and Aura, it could be healed within a few days. But in these precious hours, it would flood Winter's body with endorphins. It would numb her senses. It would make focusing for a summon all but impossible. But if that pain ever subsided, well…
Winter had over a hundred bones left.
That was the strategy she came up with, the thing that made her sick to her stomach. They would never let Winter get used to the pain. They would never let her rest. They would assault her, heal her, break her down as many times as they needed to so she wouldn't escape.
All in the name of love.
Blake wedged her grappling hook into the floor and stepped away to test its effectiveness. It was a sight to behold: a pompous, racist, fascist Huntress, covered in so many chains that she could not move even an inch, desperately groaning and screaming into her restraints. At least, it should have been. Winter had been hounding her for months, and getting one over on her should have been far more cathartic. Yet, seeing the elder Schnee whimper in pain just made her bitter. She tried not to look at Weiss's face. She didn't need to know her reaction to it.
"Sorry about that," said Yang. "I tried to make the break clean."
"It's fine. Let's not talk about it," Weiss said hurriedly.
"At least the chains will hold her."
"They better," Weiss said, tired from manipulating so many Melodies at once. "I don't want to know what she would do to us if she gets out."
"Honestly, that went way quicker than I thought," Blake admitted. "I swore one of us would get stabbed."
Weiss had to agree. They did have the numbers and the element of surprise on their side, but she always thought of Winter as an unstoppable force. She was a skilled enough Huntress to make anyone from Beacon weep. She likely would have dominated her year's Vytal Festival had their Father allowed her to compete. But, here she was, tied up and conquered, defeated by three teenagers in a matter of moments… one empowered by Fables and the other with a Semblance that could let her punch buildings in half, but still. It was easy. Almost too easy.
Like something would go wrong at any moment.
Or… maybe something worse than that. Maybe Winter was never that strong at all. Maybe, in destroying her mind, her Father had stripped away all of her resistance. She wasn't sure which thought disturbed her more.
It took several minutes for Winter to stop struggling. Eventually, she closed her eyes and became still, accepting her fate. No, not that. Weiss saw her hands still clenched into fists. She wasn't accepting anything. She was just trying to let the pain subside Weiss, overcome with guilt, hurried to Winter's side, kneeling by her head to speak with her.
"Winter, I'm so sorry we have to do this," she said, pleading for forgiveness. "I promise, when this is over, you'll understand why we did this. I love you. I promise, I'm… I'm doing this because I love you." She pressed her forehead against Winter's. Blake quietly walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, you okay?"
Okay? No, she was not okay and Blake knew it. She just kidnapped her sister and tied her up in some strange place to be experimented on. Nothing about this was remotely okay. Weiss let her head rest against Winter's for a moment longer before rising back to her feet. She didn't answer Blake at all, simply walking out of the room. She passed by Stiltskin, not saying a word. He poked his head into the room.
"Is it over?" he asked politely.
"Yeah. It's over," Yang sighed. She turned to Blake, her hand still extended as if resting on that invisible shoulder. "Do you… want to go talk to her, or something?"
Blake's expression turned sour. "What the hell am I supposed to say?"
