Weiss increased the pace of her steps; her hand was on the hilt of her weapon. She was being followed.
It didn't take much to figure out what was happening around her when she knew that something was about to happen to Beacon. When both Blake and professor Peach had armed themselves and left the school and into the city, she had been informed that she needed to stay on guard. Whether that was as a huntress or because of her name that is the reason of her current suspicions is left up to chance. She had been doing some investigations of her own, namely out there with the many stalls and tents since there was a large gathering of people here. If there was any chance of an attack for a public statement it would be here.
At first, there had been only one. It usually starts out that way, without her realizing it. After all, the Vytal Festival had many people coming and going, what use was there in trying to predict the intent of hundreds of people? Weiss was no exception to that. If anything, she would have called herself paranoid for assuming such things out of everyone.
Then, there was another. An odd coincidence to be sure, but nothing too out of place. To make things certain, Weiss made sure that she went in circles repeatedly. If the few people that she managed to commit as much to memory from a glance stuck around, then she could safely conclude that they were following her. They couldn't be fans as those would be far more excitable and certainly not look at her general direction, hidden behind shades or beneath their hooded jackets. No masks obviously, those would be too easy to detect.
They must have alerted the others by now. Nobody power-walks as fast as Weiss does without intentions to run. It didn't help that she found herself bumping into few people as she tried to make her way back to Beacon. Weiss had already sent a message to all other team members as well as the faculty of Beacon the moment she had been conscious of those following her.
How many of them were there by now? A small group of four, five perhaps? Not all of them were trained properly from what she could glimpse and they were certainly not carrying any weapons that she could see. It must have been smaller weapons, knives and pistols. She can't pull out her blade here, not without endangering other civilians. She may alert other huntsmen and huntresses though but path also leads to an immediate chaos.
First thing she needed to do was to get them away from the populace. The numbers grew and shrunk as Weiss began to leave the general area. There was nothing that she could do to tempt the others away; they had their own purposes here.
Breaking away from the congregation of tents and stalls, Weiss' walk turned to a jog, then finally, to a run. Predictably, her maligned followers did the same as they chased after. She could hear vague sounds of shouting and commanding as they did so.
Her scroll was vibrating, from what airships were displaying the Vytal Tournament, Weiss could that the projection had been hacked, revealing a black Queen chess piece with a red background.
Weiss kept up her pace as the older sounding gentleman coughed into his own microphone.
"Well, isn't this quite the performance?" he began with a wry and sarcastic tone. "What a fanciful gathering that we have here to celebrate the peace and prosperity of the four kingdoms. Indeed, it is a great thing now that we are gathered here today in a show of peace and what better way to celebrate than by having children fight for glory and amusement in this blood sport."
Weiss drew out her weapon. Checking the Dust that have been put in the cylinder, she nodded at having various Dust types in there with an emphasis on ice. She had fire and lightning in there for her offense but it is the ice that would give her the most use. She had been experience with this after all.
"Calm and confident as we are in our walls and our vaunted weapons," the voice continued. "It doesn't quite change the fact that are still monsters that lurk much of Remnant. Though we celebrate these times of peace, still do we fight amongst ourselves and think nothing more than to fatten our own bellies when others have been more deserving of that place in the dinner table."
With a swing of her blade, Weiss easily dispatched one of her attackers. They had a knife on their person with every clear indication of only just come out of whatever training methods the White Fang may have used. The flaring of their aura meant that Weiss wouldn't feel to guilty about herself when she might be a little rough on them; they attacked her first.
Another had been smarter. Using a pistol, the hooded member fired at her, making her focus on them while another came in with a pipe.
It did little as Weiss hopped back while letting her own aura deal with the pistol shot. It had fire Dust but the concentration was far too small.
"Despite everything that we as a people have accomplished. We still have yet to move past the unnecessary barbarism that doesn't make us any different than the savages beyond our walls. Still, we fight one another. Put others down beneath our heels and have the audacity to even hide behind excuses of ideals and better tomorrows."
Suddenly, Weiss felt a strong strike coming for her at the sight. It had come from a metallic boot that had caught her off guard, causing her to fly across quite a few meters as she used her semblance, the versatile Glyphs, to slow and catch her landing.
Weiss took a quick look on her attacker, a silver-haired boy who hid his face behind the White Fang. There weren't any noticeable faunus features on him that she could easily make out. One thing was certain: this one was a cut above the rest. She had not one doubt in her mind that this one was at least at her level, likely more.
She didn't get much chance to react as a blade nearly cut off her head. Instead, she lost a few strands of her hair as she used her Glyphs to get as much distance from them as she could, never mind the precision.
"The evil that lurks within us. The evils that prowl outside of us. Tell me, if any of you possess even the slightest bit of wisdom: do you any of you truly know your so-called heroes? Or what they are capable off when faced with that which is truly evil?"
As if demonstrating his point, the man showed them a feed of something that Weiss could not see. She could at least tell it was in the city but that was as far as she could make out. A large monstrous thing, probably Grimm by the color of it, was rampaging across the city. Presumably, huntsmen and huntresses there were not doing well.
"Blake," Weiss said out loud. Her teammate was out there.
"So," the masked swordsman said. "You know of her, Schnee?"
"I know that she made a better choice." There was no use in hiding Blake's identity in the face of White Fang. There was no doubt that the person in front of her knew of her teammate. "Something that you could stand to follow really."
The swordsman laughed. "Isn't that just what you all want, Schnee? Have all the faunus be meek and subservient to humans like the good little cattle that they should be."
Weiss kept her lips shut. She is not her father but that man kept the name, staining her grandfather's legacy. She may have been a child and thusly ignorant of the truest extent of what her father had done for the company but she was certain that none of them cared in the slightest.
"No words?" he asked. "Or are you simply accepting of the truth?"
Her eyes darted left and right. There were wide gaps between them but the two individuals in front of her capable of catching up. Slowly and with subtlety, Weiss turned the cylinders of her weapon until it reached one of the ice Dust that she had.
As she was doing that, her feet shuffled their way to a better position; this wasn't missed by them as they moved as well, except for those two. They moved about with seemingly little care in the world, as if this wasn't anything to worry about. Weiss hated to admit that but they were right; she was outnumbered and with those two present, outmatched. Her best option was to run and get help.
Before they could move, Weiss used the ice Dust to create a wall at the same time that she used her Glyphs to create an even larger gap of distance. The wall of ice was easily cut down by the swordsman as the martial artist went after her.
With her back turned towards them, Weiss had little ways of gauging the distance between herself and those chasing her outside of what she could hear of them. Panic was starting to build and with it, the noise began to drown out their approach. Changing for fire Dust, she spun, fires bursting the martial artist that had gotten close enough to pounce at her.
Beacon was nearby; Weiss found her destination.
She raised her sword as another nearly cut her off. Between herself and Beacon, there was that swordsman. Weiss took this moment to get a good look of him. She had seen him on the news. Heard of his name in propaganda. She finally recognized him.
"Adam Taurus," she declared.
"So the master recognizes the slave she owns," Adam returned. "I'm touched."
For a moment, Weiss turned to see if the other one was behind her. But Adam had lunged at her, forcing her to raise her sword again in a guard. Their blades clashed with Weiss on the defensive, only blocking as Adam's superior strength overwhelmed her every time their steels clanged.
With quick swipes, Weiss made ice walls of growing size. It did nothing more than slow them down as she pulled out her scroll. She didn't even need to call anyone for Winter was already calling her.
"Weiss!" Winter called. "Weiss, are you al—"
She didn't get an answer as Adam Taurus broke through the remaining ice walls. As Weiss leapt back, her scroll had fallen from her hand. Winter continued to call but Weiss couldn't make out what those words were; she could only hear the mounting panic as Adam and she clashed again with the accomplice making sure that Weiss doesn't get any sort of advantage.
He moved behind her but never struck her, making any of Weiss' deflections worthless as neither of those two would ever crash into one another. Once Adam no longer locks his blades with her, the silver-haired boy came at her with his prosthetic feet. With lightning quick movements and impressive grace, Weiss's muscles strained and groaned blocking every strike.
Her arms began to quiver and shake as her sword grew heavier to carry. Weiss had to hold it with two hands; its hilt didn't have space for such and her other hand was where the pommel would be.
Adam lunged at her again. Even with both hands, Weiss struggled to parry and deflect Adam's blows as his swings lost neither momentum nor strength. He put his weight behind each of those swings as well. The anger that Weiss could feel coming from him actually focused his blade rather than distract it.
With one final swing, Weiss' arms gave in as her she fell from the force behind Adam's slash. Despite that, Weiss looked at him defiantly.
"Even now," Adam commented. "You humans have the audacity to look at those you've wronged as if you aren't guilty of what you've done to us."
Weiss didn't know any more than that for a metallic foot struck at her head, knocking her out.
/-/
She awoke in a moving vehicle, a van. Watching her was Adam Taurus and some other White Fang member, a large hulking figure that had a chainsaw strapped to his back. Tattoos decorated his arm as Weiss could hear the older White Fang member snarling at her. Her weapon had been taken from her.
Fidgeting only a little, Weiss' expectation of being tied by her wrist were met. She even had a cloth that had covered her mouth.
"No words?" Adam tilted his head. It was hard to tell what he was thinking with his face hidden behind that mask. His tone oozed mockery. "Is our little princess speechless or are these up to her standards? She certainly doesn't seem to mind when her pets are collared. Perhaps she doesn't mind it herself."
"So what's my part next?" There was a third person in the room. Turning around, Weiss identified the silver-haired boy. "boss."
"You are a good man, Mercury," Adam said. "One of the few, anyway. As soon as we bring her in, it's only a matter of time before the other one shows up. Once that is done, you are free to do as you please."
"Just like that?"
"Unlike your employer, I am a bull of my words. And at least the new management has kept up his end of the bargain. The Schnee are White Fang business, not yours."
Weiss was made to face the floor as Mercury's boot kept her in place, further staining her already dirty clothes. She opened her palm.
"Boss," the White Fang member asked suddenly. "What if she starts doing them Glyphs of theirs?"
She paused and halted her attempt.
Adam gave a minute's thought and smirked. He placed a hand on the chainsaw on his comrade's back. "By all means," Adam said. "Let her try."
Weiss closed her hand and gulped. Sighing, she shifted about to find the most comfortable spot that she could. A difficult task with the account of having a metallic boot using her defenseless form as a footstool.
The ride was rough and quick. Many times did Weiss find her head hitting the walls of the van whenever there was a sudden break. Screams of terror and panic could be heard from outside along with the honking of vehicle horns. The earth below them rumbled like the beating of drums as though a giant was stomping all over the city of Vale.
Hard breaks towards left or right, Weiss' aura flared as she tried to protect herself from the driver's insane route. Whatever it was that was happening outside, it didn't surprise any of her captors.
"Damn," said Mercury, looking out the small window at the back of the van. "So that's what she would be like."
"A monster," Adam commented. "She drank both despite the warning. I'll bet on that."
"Hey." Mercury's voice carried a little venom. "Cinder is hardheaded if nothing else. Bet you that she will get through this by stubbornness alone."
Adam made no arguments. Then, he received a message. The voice was unclear to Weiss but Adam can be seen nodding. Putting away his scroll, he turned to Mercury. "The airships at Amity have been compromised. The people of Amity are trapped unless they have a death wish."
Weiss' eyes widened. She couldn't hear anything more as the screeching of the tires drowned even the panicking people outside as they likely jumped out of the way with other vehicles crashing into street lights and buildings.
"Keeping them contained huh," Mercury said. "Leaving only Atlas machines and what huntsmen and huntresses are stationed here."
"Atlas machines only," Adam corrected. As if emphasizing his point, there was a faint and unnatural roar that sent a chill down Weiss' spine. "They will be busy elsewhere. Not for too long, though."
Weiss caught a glimpse of Mercury's narrowing eyes. He had been kept in the dark about this whole matter, was he? He must not have been of high enough status among the White Fang to be trusted with this information.
"He stole Cinder's plans," Mercury accused. There was another rough bump on the road.
"And he is already executing them better than she ever has," Adam mocked Mercury. "I will admit, that human certainly has his merits." He spat on Weiss. "Shame that he is one of you. Cover her face."
Blackness filled Weiss vision for a few minutes. The chaos was fading away as the van made a screeching halt to their destination. Weiss was certain that they were near the docks for the scent of saltwater was filling her nose. Temporarily having lost the use of her eyes, her other senses skyrocketed. She could feel the touch of someone carrying her on his shoulder as they exited the vehicle. The man at least had the decency of keeping Weiss' skirt down and kept his arm as low as possible; the sound of metal pinging against the concrete informed her that it was Mercury that carried her.
Large doors, likely that of a warehouse given their location, opened. No other sounds could be heard here. It must just be them, then. Weiss had been put down on a chair and had been tied to it. Only after that did the bag that covered her head had been removed. She really was in a warehouse. Looking around her, there were other White Fang members as well. Those from earlier must have went elsewhere.
"Have you got the scroll?" Adam asked.
Mercury tossed it to him. "Already has the Ice Queen's number dialed in." It had to be Winter. She was to be a hostage for Winter.
"Good." He then turned to address the other White Fang member. "Hold her down and remember: let her try to use her summons."
Weiss could imagine the grin of the muscle-bound member as his mask looked down on her. He motioned for the others, especially those who were as large as he was to gather behind her.
Adam pressed call and waited. He positioned the scroll so that the first thing that Winter would see was her own sister tied up and surrounded by larger White Fang members; one of them had tugged on her hair while his other gripped on her shoulder, like she would be able to resist in her current state.
Weiss couldn't see Winter clearly on account of how small the scroll is and how far it is from her. She could guess what her sister was feeling though.
There had been a moment of pause, shock perhaps at the sight of Weiss being in this state. Her sister went straight to the point in the moment after. There was no panic that Weiss could hear. "What are you demands, Taurus?"
"Oh you also know me?" Adam replied. "I'm flattered that my name is mentioned at your fancy dinners."
"What. Are. Your. Demands?"
"Nothing too much. Just that you come here, alone. Out of all the Schnees, save for the big man himself, you are the guiltiest of them all, Atlas Specialist."
The call ended there. Those five gathered behind her left with the one gripping her hair taking the pleasure of yanking her hair hard and smacked the back of her head. They had expected a reaction out of her for she could hear their disappointment when she had stayed silent; in her time growing up, such instances were not unknown to her. Friends and acquaintances had been lost because of their association with her. Weiss had been close to becoming one herself.
"You five," Adam commanded. "Guard the warehouse. The rest of you, help our comrades out there."
"And you, sir?" one of them asked.
"I will handle the Schnee personally."
When the other White Fang had gone off on whatever assignments that they have been given, Adam stayed closed to Weiss. Gently, he removed the cloth on her mouth. Despite that, Weiss did not move a lip.
Don't say anything, Weiss, she thought to herself. Winter will be fine. She's more than capable of dealing with these criminals.
"No words, Schnee?" Adam prodded. "And here I was being considerate as to let you at least speak your mind. Your kind always were when it comes to those you think as beneath you."
Weiss raised her chin. She would not grace the man in front of her with a single word.
"Shame." He shook his head. "It really is. I was hoping for a little conversation to pass the time." Outside, both of them could hear the faint noises of panic and chaos. What was happening out there? "The other one certainly would be late. Good thing I didn't give her a time limit. Now aren't I the generous one?"
Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the Grimm mask that he wore. She could make out the horns protruding from his head. A bull faunus, then.
Adam pulled a chair and sat across her. "Ah, but where are my manners. Humans like you always did spout that human decency a lot, especially at your fancy galas, I'm guessing." He called for one of the grunts to get a glass of water. He even went so far as to put the glass to her shut mouth. "Isn't this what you're used to? Having a faunus feed you? Can't overwork these tired hands from chaining many faunus, after all."
What little drops that Weiss did take from having a glass shoved to her lips told her that it really had been just water. It was only after that did she accept Adam's hospitality and drank.
"Thank you." She wasn't about to let that action go without some manners. Weiss had some decorum, after all.
"And she speaks at last," Adam said. "You Schnees really are the epitome of manners." There had to be great effort on this act of his, Weiss was sure of it. "Let's move to other topics then, shall we? Hardly a concern for someone like you, certainly not as a Schnee. Much closer really to being a huntress."
Weiss sighed. "What do you want to know?"
"Simple, I have this… colleague who has a strange interest in someone you know. This fellow is also responsible for the deaths of many of my comrades. He can wait another day, though."
"Who?"
"Who else? She always called him Hyde—whatever that was supposed to mean—but you call him Jekyll."
"Professor Jekyll," Weiss felt like correcting. Adam did not deserve to call any of the faculty and staff of Beacon without giving them their proper respects; professor Jekyll is no exception to that. "And he, along with the other professors that thwarted your plans, were simply at the right place at the right time."
"Yes." Adam nodded. "And it is only by that coincidence that grants him however many days he would have left before he would be next."
"Why only him? The other professors were there as well."
"Were they? I never noticed. The lucky few that survived certainly didn't have time to notice."
"Is that it? Is that why you're targeting him? Just because he happened to be there and killed most of your comrades?"
Adam sat there in contemplation, probably. It was hard to tell with the mask covering much of his face. The nodding head was the only hint she had.
"He's not one of yours, then," he finally said. "As for his relationship with your sister, that remains to be seen." He stood up and walked away.
"You know you won't win," Weiss called out. "Your forces here are far too few, even with whatever the cause of all that chaos outside."
Adam shrugged his shoulders. "The White Fang has already played their part in the grand scheme of things around here."
"You're nothing more than pawns, then."
"That's the funny thing about pawns. No matter how clever you think you are or how grand your schemes may be, it means nothing if the pawns refuse to move from their spot. She learned that lesson, at least."
The leader of the White Fang took a few more steps away from her. A wilted rose design on a black jacket stared back at her as Adam went down on his knees in a fashion akin to meditation.
Weiss looked around her. All the White Fang members that were watching her had bladed weapons at the ready; each one was watching her with one or two focusing on her tied hands especially. They want her to try using her Glyphs.
AN: Not sure if I'm the only the one who thinks this but out of all the Schnee siblings, Winter would probably be the most hated among the White Fang. Not just for bearing the name of Schnee but for being an Atlas Specialist as well and likely has fought against White Fang directly (plus being older means more years of experience under her belt).