Chapter 3: Lost
4 Years Later
Exhaustion weighed heavily on her limbs as sweat dripped down her face. Weiss grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the training sword before forcing herself back to her feet once again with a deep breath. Winter looked down at her from across the manor courtyard, her own saber held at the ready for her to rush her down again. How did she always manage to make fighting look so effortless?
Weiss wiped the sweat from her brow then raised her blade and lunged forwards. Her training sword impacted Winter's saber, sending vibrations rippling down the blade and into her hand. When Winter followed up on her strike with a powerful shove, Weiss used the strength behind it to launch herself high into the air before twisting her body to face the ground.
Her sister's eyes easily followed her trajectory as Weiss focused her Aura into a pair of fingers before flicking them behind her, forming a shimmering glyph emblazoned with their family crest to act as a platform to catch her mid-flight, locking her in place.
Winter didn't give her more than a second of reprieve. A similar glyph appeared beneath her sister's feet without any visible movement on her part and launched her up into the air. Weiss slashed at her as she flew past, her strike hitting nothing but air, while Winter's saber cut through her glyph, sending her plummeting down to the ground.
Weiss twisted her upright moments before hitting the ground, casting her gaze to where Winter was still–
Cold steel tapped her shoulder.
"That's the match," Winter chided from behind her.
Weiss shot to her feet and spun around to face her sister. "See? I told you I could do it!"
"Indeed you did," Winter hummed as she sheathed her saber and slowly walked around her. "You disabled the propulsive properties of the glyph?"
"Not exactly," Weiss said with a smirk as she reformed the glyph at her feet and sat down on it. "It is a mobility glyph just like you taught me. I simply applied a trigger to it. If I activate it–"
The glyph hummed before launching her just high enough to land on her feet once more.
"–it works as normal. If you don't activate it though, you can use it as a platform."
"Fascinating," Winter hummed as she cocked her head at her. "Another tool for aerial combat. You do have a tendency to spend quite a bit of time in the air when we spar."
"Exactly!" Weiss beamed at her sister. "I've also been thinking about how Gravity Dust could be infused into our glyphs."
Winter hummed in responses as she brought her arms behind her. "What an intriguing thought. And no doubt you have been putting just as much effort into mastering summoning as you have figuring out ways to stay off the ground."
Weiss' smile slowly dropped away. "I… I just thought it would help augment my fighting style…"
"Of course." Winter chuckled, shooting Weiss a smirk. "How foolish of me. I suppose it only makes sense. How can I fault my sister for so desperately wanting–"
Weiss cut her off with a hard glare. "Nothing, because there is nothing to want. You know how I feel about them, Winter. They are nothing but a hindrance to my training."
Winter let out a sigh as she turned and walked back to her position in the courtyard. "There is nothing wrong with enjoying something, Weiss. Please, just give yourself a little more time. There is still so much for you to see."
"Easy for you to say. You get to leave home for more than just classes and parties."
"You would be able to as well… if you didn't follow mother and fathers words as if they were gospel."
"They only want–"
Winter stood and crossed her arms behind her back. "What's best for us, I know. And as I seem to be saying more and more frequently as of late, sometimes you have to think about what is best for you."
"We are Schnees, Sister. The family always comes first."
Winter scoffed, shaking her head as she stepped back and crossed her arms behind her back. "Of course. Well, I believe I still have a little more time, if–"
The courtyard doors creaked open, diverting their attention to the familiar form of Jacques' personal secretary Ira Kühl striding across the courtyard, her nose buried in her full size scroll. Her peppered hair was done up in an immaculate bun, and her outfit was much more regal than usual–
Oh… Oh no…
Weiss' eyes went wide as she quickly pulled out her own scroll and checked the time, silently berating herself as she noted the missed reminder that lingered on her home screen.
"Weiss, the next words out of your mouth had better be to tell your sister you have somewhere to be, or have you forgotten your performance for the election donors?" Ira said, her heavily accented voice cutting through the silent courtyard as she glanced up from her scroll and took in the sisters. "Ihr zwei seid hoffnungslos…"
Weiss stifled a grimace as she quickly marched over to the rack of training weapons, placing her rapier back where she found it before turning back to Ira and curtsying. "My apologies, President Secretary. Thank you for the reminder."
"At least you have manners," Ira scoffed as she closed the scroll and pointed it towards Winter. "You could learn a thing or two from your sister. Now, in. Both of you."
"Yes, ma'am," the two responded in unison.
"Do not speak to me with that tone, dear."
"Oh? And I suppose that I should simply stay silent, then?! How else should I act when my own husband embarrasses me like that?! What were you even thinking last night?!"
Weiss clenched her hands tightly in front of her, willing herself to ignore her parents' barely muffled words that drifted through the study's door. It was just another squabble. Nothing she had not heard before.
"What was I thinking? You were the one making a scene, fawning over that disgusting tourist like you were."
"Tourist?! He is a new ascendent! From an SDC refinery no less!"
"A new ascendent who just so happened to be a Faunus?"
Weiss sighed at the remark. She had been forced to listen to this particular argument countless times; she just wished her mother would stop arguing the point. There was no point in disagreeing with father when he had made his mind up about something.
"Oh please. Do you take me as a fool? And to think you question why I doubt Weiss'–"
"Don't you dare bring her into this again!"
"Why? Surely you can appreciate my concern given your previous–"
"This again?! You and I both know fourteen tests proved I have never been unfaithful!"
"Anyone with eyes could see those tests were clearly–"
Weiss' head snapped up as a weight settled on her shoulder. Blinking back the stinging in her eyes, she found her sister's other hand held out toward her.
"Come on."
Confused, Weiss took her hand and pulled herself to her feet with her sister's aid before following her down the hall and away from the argument.
"Where-"
"We're getting Whitley," Winter said, barely sparing a glance for her as she marched them through the manor.
"What? Why?" Weiss stuttered, her much shorter legs struggling to keep up with Winter's pace.
"Because we are going to go out and enjoy the day like normal people. I'm not going to have my leave ruined by our mother and father's inability to act reasonable."
"But–"
"No buts," Winter said, her tone brooking no argument. "I've been home for all of three days, and I'm already sick of these halls. We're going out."
Weiss grimaced and hung her head in resignation. "Ok…"
Rather than acknowledging her attitude, Winter almost seemed to ignore her moping as they continued to navigate the manor. Only once they had arrived at Whitley's door did Winter finally turn to face her once more. "I know this isn't exactly something you're used to. It's abrupt, atypical, and not at all something mother and father would normally allow, but please, just trust me."
Weiss hesitated a moment before eventually giving Winter a single nod and a tentative smile.
"Thank you," Winter said, returning the smile before turning to rap on Whitley's door with three swift knocks. "Whitley? Are you decent?"
"Oh, wow…" Whitley said as he peered out the car window at the bustling Atlesian streets.
Weiss nodded in shared sentiment as she watched the swaths of people fly by as their chauffeur drove them down the street. Their mother often said that during the day, Atlas was a miracle unlike any other, and it really did feel like it now that she was in the heart of the city at midday. The city seemed to thrum with life. It seemed like everyone and everything around them was always on the move. Airships passed overhead, winding their way through the soaring skyline and making stops at the various highrises, while the streets around them were thick with cars making stops at seemingly random points. All around them, people rushed from one place to the next, scroll calls and social meetings conducted along every inch of pavement. It was as if every person they passed was hard at work keeping the wheels of Atlas spinning at full speed.
Whitley turned to her with something akin to wonder in his eyes. "Is it always this busy?"
"I–" Weiss hesitated, glancing at Winter. "I think so? Father and I usually go to Schnee Tower in the early morning, but it seemed very much the same."
"He once told me that a billion Lien changed hands in Atlas almost every day," Winter said with an almost hollow voice, her eyes fixed on the high rises that passed by. "A billion Lien… So many people work themselves to the bone just to ascend, and the SDC makes more money in a single day than even a hundred of them will in a lifetime of hard work."
An awkward silence blanketed the car as Weiss tried to think of something to say in response, while Whitley cocked an eyebrow at her before shrugging and looking back out the window.
Weiss clasped her hands in her lap as she glanced up at her sister. "So… where are we going?"
Winter finally cracked a small smile as she looked out her window. "Why don't you see for yourselves?"
Both her and Whitley moved over from their side of the car, easing past Winter to look out her window. Their eyes went wide as they took in the twisted structure that stood stark against the green fields and Academy base. Its massive intricate white and blue accented design, twisting and coiling around itself as if it was alive, dug into the rock and soil of Atlas's core.
Weiss couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her as their car turned into the park entrance. There were so many things she had envisioned they would do when Winter had shuffled them into a chauffeured car. Perhaps they would have a nice lunch, see an art exhibit, or maybe they'd even visit a theater for an opera. The last place she had expected to end up when they were finally let out of the vehicle was the Atlas Aquarium.
"Great Blue Skies…" Whitley cocked an eyebrow as he read the name chiseled into the massive white arches framing the entrance before glancing over at Weiss. "We're going to an aquarium?"
"So it would seem," Weiss replied as she glanced around the courtyard at the families that entered and exited the massive structures, the children gleefully laughing and smiling as they shared stories with one another. Some of the parents glanced in their direction - a few even seemed to recognize them - and yet, not one deviated from their paths as Winter led them to the entrance.
As they approached the ticket booth at the front door, the man behind the desk lit up in recognition. "Officer Schnee, welcome back! It's good to see you again. Are you here for–"
"I'm here for personal reasons," Winter said with a dismissive wave before scowling. "My apologies. I'm simply here with my siblings today."
The worker glanced between Winter and Weiss before he nodded. "Uh – ok? I, uh… I can just buzz you in, if–"
"No. Thank you. Three daypasses, please."
"It's no trouble, honestly. We have a policy here for many of the old noble–"
"No. The normal rate is fine."
The worker flicked his eyes between the three as he raised an eyebrow. "Really, it's not a big deal, you could have even used the military entrance at the-
Winter cut him off with a cold glare and a raised hand. "No. Just three normal tickets. Please."
The worker looked down and cleared his throat. "Right. Of course. Whatever you say."
"Thank you," Winter said as she pulled her scroll from her jacket, waiting patiently for the man to finish typing into his hardlight terminal before gesturing to the small machine that sat just outside his booth.
"That'll be… seven hundred and eighty seven Lein, please."
Weiss watched with growing confusion as her sister raised her scroll to the machine. After a moment, there was a small beep before Winter slid the scroll back in her jacket pocket, and took the three offered tickets.
"Thank you," Winter said, nodding before gesturing for them to follow her.
As they walked, Whitley nudged Weiss and whispered, "What was that about?"
"You think I know?" Weiss whispered back, shaking her head as they followed Winter through the automatic doors and into the aquarium. "All I…"
Weiss' words caught in her throat as the doors slid closed behind them and drew her attention to the long tunnel stretching out ahead of her, now lit by a faint blue glow as the outside world was cut off from them.
All around her, hundreds of creatures of every shape and size that she'd never seen before swam through a massive body of deep blue water held back by arched glass walls. The water - and the life within - seemed to stretch on forever in every direction.
Weiss knew she looked unladylike with how her mouth remained open, but she couldn't help it. It was all just so… so…
The bright flash of a scroll brought Weiss back to reality, tearing her attention from the amazing sights around them to her sister, who clearly couldn't resist flashing her a teasing smile.
"Winter!" Weiss shouted before glancing down the tunnel to ensure no one else had seen her outburst. "That photo will look horrible!"
"Perhaps," Winter said with a laugh as she clicked the scroll off and turned to slowly make her way deeper into the aquarium. Weiss and Whitley shared a look before following her, their eyes roving about the sea life that swam around the tunnel.
As they traveled down the tunnel, the three of them periodically stopped at one of the dozens of small plaques littering the tunnel's edge displaying the name and image of one of the hundreds of creatures swimming around them. Eventually, they began to make something of a game out of trying to spot whatever creature they were looking at out in the water. More often than not, Weiss found herself spotting them in the darker corners of the tank well before her siblings, something that Winter and Whitely seemed to enjoy more than she'd thought they would.
Their game continued for a while longer, right up until a flash of white and a muffled splash in the water above stole their attention. Weiss craned her neck to see what the commotion was all about, only to frown as she saw a very humanoid creature slowly floating down towards them.
The figure's entrance was quickly noticed by the tank's inhabitants as well; a number of smaller fish lazily turning in the divers direction, while two particularly large sturgeons and an enormous stingray whipped around with enough force to send smaller fish tumbling through the water as they made a beeline for the intruder.
The figure however didn't seem even mildly concerned as they angled themselves downward and propelled themself forwards with a single powerful kick. Weiss allowed herself a small gasp as she watched how they cut through the water. Their lithe body twisting and turning with all the grace of a professionally trained dancer, as if the tank itself were a stage. The larger fish tried to follow behind them as they soared around the tank, but many quickly gave up as the diver continued to outpace them again and again.
Weiss' eyes grew wider still as they streaked over the tunnel with another kick, almost losing them amidst the bubbles and the dark water until they spun around again and slowly floated themselves over to the glass tunnel.
She blinked as she took in the… faunus? She tilted her head and took a tentative step towards the glass. Yes, definitely a faunus; there was no mistaking the atypical coloring and rough texture of their skin. Some sort of aquatic Faunus then? The color pattern was vaguely similar to some of the larger fish that they had seen in the tank. A muddled patchwork of blues and gray stretched along their arms, legs, and even most of their back. However, the rest of their body remained seemingly normal.
It was little wonder she had lost track of them. Their normal skin blended well with the sparkling light blues of the surface, while the darker blue of their trait melded perfectly with the dark depths. Even the artificial fins and form-fitting trunks they wore matched the color of the water so well that she found herself unable to track the shape of them when he propelled himself through the tank.
Her stomach twisted with jealousy and anger at the sight of the faunus so openly flaunting and enjoying his trait. It reminded her of that avian faunus, the same one Izzy had been enamored with before, and that memory hurt far more than she had expected.
"That mask looks… interesting," Whitley whispered beside her as he pointed towards the diving mask the Faunus wore. Weiss cocked her head as she squinted, eyeing the device. It was clearly some kind of breathing mask – the soft green glow meant it likely utilized wind Dust – but she for the life of her could not remember hearing about anything like it. A prototype then? Or simply custom made?
The faunus mirrored the tilt of her head before letting out a small stream of bubbles from the mask. A laugh? It was impossible to tell with the mask they wore, though Weiss wouldn't have been surprised given how they lazily waved at Winter, who stiffly returned the gesture.
Another stream of bubbles escaped the mask as Weiss raised an eyebrow at the Faunus and crossed her arms. Their short, pale blue hair drifted in the water until they gave a small salute and kicked away, launching themself deeper into the tank as the sturgeons chased after them.
Winter rolled her eyes as she glanced down at the two of them. "That's Damion. I'll have to introduce you both some other time. It would seem he's running a few tests right now."
"Tests?" Whitley asked, instantly latching onto the word as Winter turned to continue down the tunnel.
Weiss lingered just a moment longer before finally chasing after them as she lost sight of the faunus.
"Does he make those devices?"
"Absolutely not," Winter chuckled as she glanced down at Whitley. "The military scientists use these tanks to practice and test new equipment. Damion is just one of their favorite test subjects. Apparently he helps keep the fish from getting bored."
"You don't say," Weiss huffed, as she glared out into the depths, knowing full well he was likely somewhere out there. "Well, he certainly has a lot of… flair."
Winter chuckled as she crossed her arms behind her back. "He's worse in person. Now then, I think that's enough gossip. We have a lot to see, and little time to see it."
Between the deep blue tanks filled with uncountable saltwater fish, the numerous guides directing them to various exhibits, and the placards littering the building providing small lectures on the life cycles of this or that species, the morning flew by in a blur as they constantly moved from one tunnel to the next. So much of the aquarium felt truly incomprehensible for a myriad of reasons, ranging from its jaw-dropping beauty, to its technical wonder, to the bizarre and horrifying creatures inhabiting the deep sea exhibits. It was a wonder that her parents never saw fit to bring them here before. She doubted even they would have been bored.
At first, Winter had insisted that she and Whitley stayed nearby, but as the day went on, she allowed them to stray further and further from her side as they explored the vast complex. Though, contrary to what one might expect, both she and Whitley never did meander too far. Their sister's insights into the facility's day to day functions, such as how they used Dust to regulate temperatures or how they made clever use of optical illusions to make the tanks look and feel even bigger than they were, were quite fascinating.
And, as if to make their day even better, Winter insisted on treating them when she caught Weiss' eyes lingering on a small confectionery stand. The far away smile on Winter's face as she handed them each a small bowl of ice cream before unwrapping a popsicle for herself was a bit strange, but then, Weiss couldn't even remember the last time any of them had had ice cream.
Both she and Whitley did their best to avoid spilling any of their melting treats, even as they continued to explore the hub of sorts they had stopped in. Unlike the halls they'd been exploring before, the larger room was much louder with plenty of other families walking about, their kids excitedly leading them to the different tunnels, their laughter ringing out before they disappeared into the darkness.
"I will admit, this is a little bit more interesting than I thought it would be," Whitley said between spoonfuls of ice cream.
Weiss scoffed before taking a small scoop from her own bowl. "Really? Only slightly more interesting than studying the SDC's asset appreciation rates? Are you quite sure?"
"Hm…" Whitley cocked his head thoughtfully as he glanced over at her with a sly smile. "I suppose it would depend. Would you like the amount of interest expressed as a ratio or a percentage?"
The sarcastic joke earned a quick roll of the eyes from Weiss as she scraped the last spoonful of her ice cream into her mouth and carefully considered her response. "Considering we are comparing two quantities of the same unit, a ratio would be most appropriate."
"I'm no mathematician," Winter's words caught both of the siblings off guard as she sauntered over to the two of them, her face rife with mirth and a finished popsicle stick held deftly in her gloved hand. "But comparing two ratios would make it a battle of immense proportions no?"
Weiss couldn't help but stare at her sister, mouth practically agape while Whitley stared at her with disbelief plastered over his face. Winter… Winter had just made a joke. And as if that wasn't enough, before either of them could properly digest her words, she simply gave the two of them a coy smile before walking over to drop the stick into one of the many trash cans lining the walls.
She looked… happy. Lighter. Nothing like the stern officer Weiss saw more and more at the manor, even with her saber still strapped to her side…
Then, almost as quickly as the moment came, it disappeared with the buzzing of a scroll. Winter stood and smoothed out her jacket, her smile fading into a frown as she fetched her scroll from her waist pouch and held it to her ear.
"Yes, Mother?"
Weiss glanced over at Whitley as he dropped his empty bowl in a nearby trash can. The ghost of a grimace she found on his face mirrored her own feelings for the interruption. They both knew better than to forget who they were, and yet it still seemed like such an unfitting end to what had been a rather pleasant day.
"Very well. We will be back soon," Winter's clipped response was punctuated by her ending the call, and turning to the two of them. "Mother has requested you return to the manor as soon as possible Weiss."
Weiss nodded and smoothed out her skirt. She knew better than to ask why; the call had been far too short for that. Moreover, it didn't matter. Their parents were never to be ignored. "Shall we call for Russet then?"
Winter glanced down at her scroll for a brief moment before a canny grin crept onto her face and she shook her head. "No. I believe we have time for one last adventure today. Provided neither of you are afraid of heights."
Whitley and Weiss both shared a glance before shaking their heads in response, Weiss sending her older sister a pointed glare as she did.
"Perfect." Winter chuckled as she tapped the scroll in her hand a few times and held it up to her ear once more, motioning for the two of them to follow her as she quickly made her way down one of the tunnels.
Whitley nugging Weiss as they quickly rushed to follow after her. "Do you think we have time to see the mask that… faunus wore?"
"I doubt it," Weiss sighed as they walked, catching the flash of disappointment on Whitley's face. "But perhaps we will come back here again. Father is always saying we need to learn all we can about Dust and its uses."
They both knew that was unlikely, but the sentiment seemed to help all the same as Whitley glanced up at her. "That is true."
There was always a chance after all, no matter how fleeting it may be.
Winter hung up and glanced back at the two of them with a sly grin as she led them out of the tunnels and back to the main entrance. As they exited the main doorway, the light of the setting sun clipped just above the city's edge and directly into Weiss' eyes, prompting a pained hiss from her as she raised a hand to shield them from the glare.
Once she'd adjusted to the sudden light, she found the grounds around the aquarium were mostly devoid of families, and the sky was beginning to become tinged with the reds and oranges of twilight. Just how long had they been in those tunnels?
"So…" Whitley began awkwardly Winter continued to lead them further from the facility and into the wide open fields. "As much fun as mysteries are. How exactly are we getting home if not our chauffeur?"
Winter stopped and turned to the two of them as she took a deep breath. "With this."
Weiss instinctively took a step back, pulling Whitley behind her as Winter's aura flared. Her sister's eyes closed and her mouth twisted into a grimace as she concentrated before she drew her saber and raised it in a motion she'd seen Winter perform many times during her training in the courtyard.
A large, intricate glyph slowly formed in front of Winter as small strings of light filtered into place, like her Aura was being weaved by nothing more than Winter's own will into the complex form of the Schnee's family crest, mixed seamlessly with the rotating multitude of smaller symbols that rapidly increased in speed until the entire glyph seemed to be nothing more than a white blur.
Moments later, Winter's eyes snapped open and, with a loud yell, she thrust her saber toward the glyph, causing the sigil to explode with a bright light as a massive pale blue beast began clawing its way through the bright glyph. With a piercing roar, it finally ripped itself from the glyph and slammed onto the grass, shaking the area with a small tremor.
Whitley stumbled back with a sharp yelp as the creature hit the ground, while Weiss barely managed to keep her footing. However, despite her brother's shock, the creature seemed to pay them no heed. Instead, the thing seemed more concerned with acknowledging Winter as she leaned against it, sweat coating her brow as she began gently stroking it along its jaw.
"What is that?!" Whitley shouted with barely restrained panic.
The shout seemed to fall on deaf ears as Winter briefly struggled to catch her breath before offering them both an almost feral grin. "That is our ride home."
Weiss looked to the summon, watching warily as the summontook a single step toward them, its elongated snout flaring as it sniffed at the air. She's only ever seen Winter summon small packs of Beowolves and flocks of tiny Nevermores before. Compared to this monstrosity of a summon though, all those previous summons seemed like little more than an afterthought. Every single aspect of the summon screamed danger. Jagged, bony spikes jutted out from all over its body, forming a sparse, rudimentary armor to deter potential attackers, while two wicked horns adorned the crown of its bony mask. As if that weren't enough, it also sported a massive bone-like mane to protect its body from any front-facing threat and a long tail tipped by a deadly-looking hooked stinger. If it weren't for the fact she'd just watched Winter conjure the summon, she'd have likely be too terrified to move; however, in the face of a harmless summon her eyes instead remained glued to the final and - in her opinion - most important feature the summon possessed: two enormous, feathery, and powerful wings sprouting from its back.
"Winter!"
Whitley's frustrated shout tore Weiss' eyes from the summon and back to her brother as he scrambled to pick himself off the ground.
"Don't do that ever again, or I- I'll tell Father!"
"Oh come now," Winter said with a teasing grin as she took a few tentative steps towards them, her breathing still labored. "It's just a Manticore. Nothing to worry about. Well, not anymore."
"You killed this… this thing?" Weiss couldn't help the way her voice went shrill as she eyed the massive summon. She barely even came up to its jaw…
"Yes, that is how our semblance works," Winter replied dryly, her breathing finally evening out some. "It attacked a transport that my team and I were assigned to about a month ago."
"I see…"
"Quite," Winter replied with a coy smirk. Slowly, she stood back up to her full height and walked over to the Manticore before resting a hand on its side. "Now then, I can't hold this forever, so we had best hurry."
"You mean for us to ride that thing?!" Whitley's shrill yell was only a few pitches lower than her's but it certainly matched the sheer incredulity it had possessed.
"Manticore," Winter said teasingly as she used a glyph to leap onto the Manticore's back. With a brief nudge, the summon let out a low growl before dropping low enough for Winter to hold a hand out toward them. "And yes, I do. Unless you'd prefer to wait for Russet, of course."
Whitley glared at the summon for a moment before looking back up at Winter and slowly extending his hand. "Don't drop me…"
"Have some faith in me, brother," Winter scoffed as she effortlessly hoisted him up and dropped him in front of her. "Coming Weiss?"
Weiss didn't need any more prompting to form a glyph and launch herself into the air where Winter snatched her hand and dragged her to the summon's back. As the Manticore slowly stood back to its full height, Weiss clutched at the summon's pale fur. She could practically feel the steady thrum of Winter's aura flooding pulsing just beneath the surface of the summon as she gripped the creature with all her might.
"Make sure to hold on tight with your legs as well," Winter chided from behind her as the Manticore shook open its two massive wings.
Weiss instinctively curled herself forwards, gripping the summon's flanks tightly with her legs just as it took its first bounding step forwards. Whitley let out a sharp yelp behind her, but the Manticore didn't slow in the slightest. Two. Three. Four bounding steps, each accompanied by the loud whoosh of flapping wings as it rocketed them forwards faster and faster until, with a final massive leap, it launched into the sky, wings pumping with all their might, lifting them higher and higher into the evening light.
For as much as Weiss had secretly dreamed of this moment, nothing she had imagined could compare to the feeling of the cold wind screaming past them even as the summon leveled out then carried them in a large arc over the aquarium. Every heavy thump of the Manticore's wings reverberated through its body as they climbed ever higher into the sky before soaring back towards the manor in the center of Atlas.
Between the shearing winds and what her tutors had taught her of propriety, Weiss knew she should show more restraint, but something in her rebelled against common sense, urging her to release the elated cry that had been straining her chest as she watched the ground below race by with teary eyes. As if in response, the Manticore echoed her cry with a booming roar of its own, one that was doubtlessly nerve wracking for the civilians below; however, she simply let herself enjoy the way it caused her heart to race in excitement rather than worry about the displeasure of people she'd never know.
She tried to push the summon forwards, silently begging for Winter to make it go faster, dive lower, soar higher… anything to feel more of the excitement that the open air brought her.
Alas, the summon diligently kept its course, easily navigating the maze of towers with little flair or drama. All too soon, the familiar view of the manor came into view as the Manticore swooped around a building. Moments later, the summon began its slow descent towards the airship landing platform.
With each powerful but slow beat of its wings, the ground grew ever closer and Weiss' disappointment at the end of the flight grew that much more. Finally, with one final beat of its wings, the Manticore landed, bounding forward three steps before at last coming to a complete stop.
"Off!" Winter ordered with a ragged breath as the summon knelt to the ground.
Reluctantly, Weiss slid off the summons back with a fluidity that she only barely managed thanks to the training she'd been receiving. Behind her, she heard a yelp as her brother no doubt stumbled his way to the ground, prompting her to turn and catch him just before he fell to the pad.
"Stupid beast," Whitley muttered as Weiss held him steady for a moment. "I think I'll call Russet next time. I never want to set foot on that thing ever again."
Father would likely expect her to agree with the sentiment, but as Weiss watched Winter dismount the Manticore before it dissipated into a cloud of white with one final roar, she couldn't help but feel a little hollow.
"It seems I might have overestimated myself," Winter groaned. "Don't worry though. I'll be fine."
"Miss Schnee!" Klein called as he rushed out onto the pad and knelt down next to her. "Are you quite alright?"
"I'm fine Klein," Winter huffed, her legs shaking even as Klein helped her stand. "I just held a summon a little longer than normal. Some tea would be wonderful though. With a bit of sugar, if you would."
"Of course, Miss Schnee," Klein replied with a kind smile as he led the three of them inside. When they reached the entry hall, Klein turned to Weiss. "Ah, yes. I do believe your parents would like to see you in the west wing clinic."
"Right… Thank you, Klein."
"Of course," he said with a smile before turning to Whitley. "And young master? Your father wished for me to inform you that your piano lessons began thirteen minutes ago."
Whitley paled at the words, pulled out his scroll and turned the device on. His posture instantly went rigid as he returned his gaze to Klien. "Thank you. I'll head there now."
Weiss watched him rush off with a frown, the pit in her stomach only deepening as she was forced to turn down a separate hallway.
The manor's pristine halls had never felt more suffocating.