Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.

Disclaimer #2: This series will not be following the canon series. Instead of following along with that I chose to pull my inspiration from a fantastic rewrite series created by Celtic Phoenix over on YouTube. He and some helpers of his have created a rewrite that I feel to be genuinely superior to the product created by RT themselves. So I'll be following those events instead, though with a few twists of my own to keep things interesting.

And if you haven't watched the rewrite series for yourself then look up Celtic Phoenix over on YouTube and give it a watch. You won't be disappointed!

"So, you intend to abandon your responsibilities?" A cold voice spoke

Noel Bright shuffled awkwardly where she stood. Her father's piercing gaze sent a chill down her spine. The blonde-haired girl shifted her weight to one leg as she failed to meet his eyes. She should have known this would he his response. She should have known better.

She had come to him with a simple request, or at least, she thought it would be simple. She had requested his permission to enroll at Beacon Academy. She had no strong reasoning. Nor any passionate explanation.

Though she wasn't sure if anything could have helped her plead her case.

"F-Father that's not-"

"Silence." He cut her off, standing up from his chair. He made his way toward the window, looking out at the city below them. Noel nervously glanced around the room. "You may not be as valuable as your brother-"

She was well aware.

"But you still have value to The Bright Family." He continued, turning to face his daughter. Noel forced a smile, acting like she was listening with interest. This was far from the first time she had received this whole spiel. And she also knew it wouldn't be the last. "Your marriage to Whitley Schnee will be the most important stepping stone toward us, claiming a stake in the dust industry."

Noel glanced at the floor. She didn't dare speak. She didn't want to offend her father in any way after all. When he got like this, it took very little to set him off. The blonde's cheek stung as she recalled the last time she had upset him in such a way.

"Surely you understand this, don't you?" He asked her, his eyes burning into hers.

Noel nodded. "Y-Yes, father. I understand."

The man nodded. "Then abandon this pointless farce of becoming a Huntress. You aren't cut out for such a line of work."

Her father made his way back toward his desk.

"Your brother is Hunter-material, hence his enrollment at Atlas Academy. But why would you want the same thing? You have no talent for combat, your grades are average at best, and you trapped walking down the hallway to get here." Blaine Bright continued further, Noel tensing up more and more as he continued. "You're a very pretty young woman, so do try not to sully the one good thing you have going for you. You won't be desirable as a wife should you suffer any blemishes."

Noel felt her fists tighten for a brief moment, but she restrained herself. Thankfully, her father didn't notice her almost outburst.

"Now, I have no more time to waste on you." He spoke again, gesturing for her to leave with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You're dismissed. Do try not to be a bother."

Noel was still for a moment before bowing her head at her dad.

"Understood, Father. I'm sorry to have troubled you." Noel replied, turning on her heel and toward the door. She was red in the face, but as usual she did nothing. How could she do anything?

She was just thankful she wasn't slapped this time.

Silently, she opened the double doors, slipping in between them. And she slowly made her way down the hall. Passing by portrait after portrait, all of the previous heads of the family, her own families portrait, and her brother's portrait. She casted a glance at that one. Her emerald green eyes wavering slightly at the sight.

After a short moment, she sighed, but continued her quiet stroll down the hall. She should have known that this would be the response she received. She wasn't sure why she expected anything differently for even a mere moment.

"Ah, Miss Noel." A voice spoke, Noel turned toward the sound, perking up a bit at it.

"Oh, h-hi Jean." Noel replied, smiling a bit at the elderly Butler. Jean was a tall man, with slicked-back silver hair and a well-trimmed goatee.

The man stared at her. "You seem rather downtrodden today, my lady. I do hope that everything is alright."

"Hm- oh, uh...y-yeah, I'm fine." Noel quickly responded, earning a look from Jean. She knew that look. He gave her that look often. It was the look he had her whenever he knew she was lying. He was great at seeing through deception, and Noel herself was a terrible liar.

He motioned for her to follow him. "Come with me to The Courtyard, I'll brew us some tea, then we can talk."

Noel was still for a moment as Jean led the way, but quickly, she followed after him. She knew better than to try and hide things from him. He had been there the day she was born after all, the very same day that her mother had died. He had essentially raised her when her father was too busy to, or when he simply didn't want to.

Lying to someone who knew you that well was an impossibility.

She allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she caught up with him.

"Hmm...I see." Jean muttered as he sat across from the shorter girl, taking a sip of his tea. He spoke in response to the younger girl's story, the conversation she had had with her father. Noel watched as his expression grew more and more sour as she spoke, but the butler quickly covered up his irritation.

Unlike her, he had a masterful poker face.

Noel shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable as she waited for her own tea to cool. She had a tendency to burn the inside of her mouth whenever she ate or drank something hot. She was determined to not do that right now.

"Well, it is true that your Marriage has been set in stone for years." Jean hummed, bringing a hand to his chin in a thinking pose. "But I take it you wish to not marry him?"

Noel looked away from the elderly man, almost as though she was afraid to admit that truth. She didn't want her father to overhear and punish her.

"You know, your mother was also arranged to marry your father." Jean mused. "She hated it at the time, I was the person she turned to at the time for advice."

Noel listened.

"At the time, I told her I could not help her. That it was a decision she needed to make for herself." Jean continued. "In the end, she chose to follow through with the marriage."

"And...did they love each other?" Noel asked.

Jean hummed. "I would like to believe so."

Noel sighed.

"And...what if I never end up loving Whitley?" Noel asked, looking down slightly, her hands resting on her lap.

Jean let out a small sigh, tapping his finger on the table. His expression was sour for a short moment. Until he rested a hand on Noel's head.

"You should do whatever you want to do." He advised. "If you want to marry him, then do. And if you don't, then don't."

"But what choice do I have-"

"You always have a choice, Noel." Jean cut her off. "Your life is your own."

Noel swallowed.

She always had a choice?

...

She always had a choice.

Noel looked down at her bag. Some basic rations, a pillow and blanket, and some other basic necessities. Sitting alongside those things were a twin pair of long-barreled handguns, Scarlet and Azure. From what Noel knew, they had belonged to her mother when she was a Huntress. And when she turned 12, they were given to her.

If only she was a decent shot without her semblance. Then she may have actually been worth something with those guns in her hands.

Shaking her head, she slapped herself in the face, both hands leaving faint red marks against her cheeks.

"This isn't the time for that. I'm going to Beacon for the sole purpose of getting stronger. I can't just mope around and be depressed." She told herself, pumping her fists as she glanced in the mirror.

Her outfit was simple but practical. A blue and white minidress of sorts with exposed shoulders and a pair of shorts on underneath the dress. Her lower half was covered with a pair of black thigh-high stockings. Meanwhile, her arms were covered by blue detatched sleeves. The dress itself left her upper back exposed, however, which she covered with a blue cloak that reached her waist.

Atop her head was a blue beret, which her long waist-length hair was hidden under, making her hair actually appear rather short.

Her green eyes flickered with determination as she spun on her heel, slinging her bag over her shoulder. But she paused at the sound of a familiar voice.

"You know, you really don't have that great of awareness." The voice teased, Noel jumping slightly as she spotted her big brother leaning against the door in front of her. His arms were crossed as he stared at her with an amused expression.

He had short, neatly combed, blonde hair and green eyed. And he wore a blue double-breasted jacket that reached his hips, black slacks, and a red tie. He moved his hands from being crossed over his chest to being down in his pockets.

"For someone trying to sneak out, you would think they would be more careful not to be caught." He pointed out.

"C-Colt!? I wasn't s-sneaking out I was just..." She trailed off. "Going for a walk?"

Colt rolled his eyes. "Very convincing, Sis."

Noel shrunk back, averting her eyes from his. She stepped back, looking around worriedly. This was bad, really bad. She wouldn't be able to get out or Atlas if her brother was trying to stop her. It wasn't just that their father believed Colt to be superior. It's the fact that he was superior.

She would never get away.

"A-Are you going to tell Father-" She started but was taken off guard when Colt threw something at her. It was a small bag, her eyes widened as she opened it. Inside were some medical supplies, water, a bit more rations, a picture of her, her brother, and Jean, and...a ticket? "Colt?"

"Jean informed me of your plan, and we put that together for you. You should have until breakfast tomorrow before Father even knows that you're gone." Colt explained, smiling softly at his sister. "And I should be able to buy you some extra time if I ask for some morning lessons. Those tickets are for a train leaving from Mantle tonight. Once you get to the shipping area, some soldiers have agreed to bring you down from Atlas."

"Colt...what is all this-"

"The train will take you straight to Mistral. From there, you should have no trouble finding Beacon." He finished, smiling at his younger twin sister.

"H-Hang on. Why are you doing all of this?" Noel asked, confusion etched onto her face.

Colt seemed confused. "Hm? That's a strange question. Do I need a reason to help out my little sister?"

Noel was stunned, and in an instant, she had wrapped her arms around the taller boy. Colt just laughed, rubbing the back of her head as she hugged him.

"God, you're such a crybaby. You know I worry about you." Colt joked, rolling his eyes.

Noel stepped back, wiping her tears from her eyes. She smiled up at her brother.

"W-Well...I'm off." She spoke with one last nod.

"Get going before Father notices." Colt warned.

Noel nodded, stepping past her brother. She slipped out the door, disappearing into the darkened hallway.

Pushing the door open and stepping outside, the cold wind biting at her face and exposed shoulders.

Finally...she was free.