Weiss felt herself stumble as she tried to regain her footing. Her head still reeling from the hit, her lungs heaving, as the tightened bindings stopped her from drawing even a single full breath.
Pathetic. She had lost control for all of a second and this was the result. The ever aggravating appendages on her back had tried to flare out as she landed on one of her glyphs mid air. The resulting cramp slowed her reaction just enough the armored Grim before her to land a brutal punch.
The impact of the Gigas armored gauntlet launched her back substantially further than someone her size should have been. At least thirty feet, maybe even more, her back bearing the brunt of the initial impact. Pain, hot and piercing scorched her head as she forced her eyes open despite the blood that ran into at least one of them. Her aura must have been broken by that last hit if she was bleeding.
Nothing important felt broken though, her body moved just as crisp and fluidly as normal despite the heavy fencing jacket she wore. A small blessing, since no aura also meant the next hit was liable to kill her.
She would need to avoid getting hit at all costs. She had to be perfect.
Perfect, or dead. Just as a Schnee should be.
Are you watching now father? Good.
Her eyes locked onto the Arma Gigas knight before her. Watching as it charged forwards, bringing the massive claymore it wielded down in a crushing arc.
Myrtenaster sang in her grip as she stabbed up, pulled its trigger. A shield of hard light springing into existence perfectly deflecting the swing. Her feet were already in motion, twirling her back a few steps before stabbing down into the floor and letting the congealed ice dust surge forwards. Engulfing the armored grims legs.
Unable to move forwards, it swung the claymore in a wide arc towards her. The blade cut through the air until at the last possible moment, Weiss dashed forwards and leapt onto the blade. Her own Epee glowing a brilliant green before she let the wind dust infused slash free, ripping the sword from the Gigas hand. The heavy claymore spiking into the floor behind her as she landed.
The sword was by no means its only means of attack, but with it removed from play, she now had a possible win condition.
The ice dust disappeared with a bright flash as Weiss quickly lay a gravity dust infused glyph on the ground beneath her. Waiting patiently for the Gigas to charge at her, fist cocked back as it leaped towards her, intent on crushing her beneath its mass.
Deftly rolling out of the way as it crashed into the ground she had occupied just moments ago, a bit of stray stone shrapnel peppering her as she did so. Her wings screamed at her, but the pain only brought an icy clarity to her movements as she closed her fist and detonated the glyph sending the Knight skyward.
Her mind and body sang as one, elegantly twirling her blade in a full circle, six holding glyphs flaming into existence around her. Launching as one, the thrumb of adrenalin crests as each one hits its mark, locking the Gigas in place.
It was over.
A single gravity glyph throwing her skyward as she charged Myrtenaster with the last of her light dust. The gleaming blade taking on a beautiful brilliant glow, before Wiess launched herself forwards with all the speed she could possibly create. Straight at the imprisoned Grimm.
Instincts long ignored and rejected, joyfully sang as the wind lashed against her. For the briefest of moments, she flew. The blade leaving a vivid white trail as it was driven through the Gigas center.
Her hand and knee impacting the ground bringing her right back down to reality as the sounds of the Grimm shattering behind her.
The breath she hadn't even known she was holding, expelled as the adrenalin of victory slowly ebbed away, and the dull throb of exhaustion and pain set in.
She already knew what her father would say when he reviewed the footage that evening. It had not been a clean victory, but then not even Winter could boast a clean solo victory against a Geist at fifteen. Especially not one that possessed a suit of armor like the one she had just faced, and absolutely not without her summons.
No, he wouldn't be kind on her mistakes, but he would respect her win. It was all about reading between the lines with their father. Jaques was pushing her to be better. To become even stronger than Winter. Praise and good jobs were ultimately pointless when there was still so much to improve. He wanted her to become the best, and she would deliver. She had to. It was the only way anything would change.
At least that's what she kept telling herself.
Pulling open the training rooms sealed doors, Weiss couldn't help the small pained wine that escaped her as the cut she now realized ran along her eye began to throb. The extra tight bindings do little to aid in her regaining her breath as well.
"I wouldn't leave that untreated if I was you. It might scar."
Still on edge from her fight, Weiss barely even registered her brother's voice before her epee was drawn once more and pointed in his direction.
"Not quite the reception I was expecting." He smiled, crossing his arms behind his back as he rocked back on his heels.
"Whitley." Weiss breathed, quickly resheathing her blade with a practiced flourish. "You surprised me. What are you doing here?"
"My tutor was sick today." He counted off each individual on his hand. "Father is currently in a board meeting, mother is in the garden already, so when Klein mentioned you were going to be facing your toughest challenge yet, I thought I would come and show my support."
Wiess couldn't help the unease that she felt around her younger brother these days. The mannerisms and slow, almost condescending way he spoke. All very clear signs of his constant tutelage under their father in preparation for entering into the company. Clear signs of his influence. And who knew how deep that influence really ran…
Still, they had both been raised to always be civil, and right now there was no real reason not to be, especially in the face of what seemed to be pleasantries. Even if she was still having trouble regaining her breath and was physically a bit of a mess.
"Thank you." Weiss nodded, her head tilted in slight confusion. "though I distinctly remember you saying that you had no interest in combat or training."
"Oh I don't." He smiled, walking ever so slowly towards Weiss as he did. "As father often says, what can a single person accomplish that an army couldn't? But it is quite fascinating to watch. A true test of resolve. No wonder you and Winter both excel."
Weiss had no response. The words he spoke were unusually nice. Normally he would have called her an uncivilized brute by this point. Their fathers preferred descriptions of Huntsmen and Huntresses.
"Now why don't we get you up to see Klein." He motioned, allowing Weiss to turn and set the pace. Falling into step beside her. "While I am sure you would love to spite our father by allowing that mark to scar, it would be better for us all if you didn't."
Weiss felt herself heat up at that comment, before quickly breathing out slowly a few times, burying the anger beneath a blanket of cold disinterest. It was an old fight between them, and not one that she had the energy to partake in right then.
Turning on her heel, Weiss began her trek to the medical wing "I was already planning on making my way there when you interru…."
"I'm also quite sure I didn't see you at breakfast this morning, so we should also get you some food."
Whitley's voice cut through Weisses' own, as she became acutely aware of exactly how long it had been since her last meal. Yesterday's breakfast, if she remembered correctly…
"I can take care of myself thank you." Weiss felt her posture go rigid as familiar ice began to seep back into her voice, the heat of battle and pain wearing off as they walked. Whitley was being nice. Too nice in fact. Which meant only one of two things then. He was hiding something, or he wanted something.
"Now why don't you drop the pleasantries and just tell me why you're really here."
Weiss heard the small hesitation in his step at her accusation. The fraction of a second that told her everything she needed to know about her brother's appearance.
"Is that what you think?" He ground out, frustration clear in his tone. "Is it so inconceivable that I simply came to see my older sister?"
Weiss paused in her stride, glancing over her shoulder at her twelve year old brother. He was still young, and she could see the hurt that he was still learning to hide. To be a Schnee was to be perfect. She may bear the brunt of their fathers expectations, but the need to be perfect was thrust upon Whitley and Winter as well. Upheld to similar degrees as well.
What other thirteen year old should be forced to wear perfectly tailored dress pants, and have their hair gelled so that not a single follicle was out of place?
"No." Weiss sighed, taking a deep breath. "Or at least it shouldn't be…"
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that you often have in the past." Weiss countered, continuing her walk once more. "You're right though. I shouldn't have assumed."
Whitley falling back into step just behind her as she spoke. "You may have simply wanted to do something other than study for a change. I know full well business tutelage is quite droll, so perhaps you wished to see something exciting?"
A small chuckle marking her words as either on point or laughable. Either was fine, better than anger. Anything was better than anger.
"No. You were right the first time." His voice flowing back into the strange almost monotone tune Weiss was used to. "I am here for something specific. I want your opinion."
"Oh?" Weiss glanced over her shoulder, taking each individual stair as they rose up a floor.
"Tell me sister, what do you think of the faunus?"
Every single thought in Weisses mind came to a sudden and screeching halt. Her heel stopped mid step as she felt her entire form stiffen. Her wings flaring at the surge of emotion that coursed through her, a pained hiss escaping her as she was suddenly quite glad for the padded fencers jacket she wore when training.
"Sister? Are you ok?"
"Fine." She gritted out, taking the remaining stairs with a slight bit more force than necessary. "Your question simply caught me off guard."
"Oh? Did it now?" Whitley clasping his hands behind his back as he climbed the rest of the steps. "How rude of me."
Walking right past her he continued to head towards the medical wing of the mansion. Waiting patiently for Weiss to answer.
Taking a deep breath she rattled off her practiced party answer with almost no hesitation.
"The White Fang have directly been involved with the stealing of SDC dust shipments, countless injuries, and deaths not to mention they claimed responsibility for shooting our grandfather. They are a bunch of terrorists and will recive no mercy from me."
Whitley nodded, before pausing to turn slightly and look at her directly. "Yes but what do you think about the faunus? Not the press release answer. What do you sister think of them?"
The intensity of his gaze bore into Weiss with an unfamiliar ferocity. He was still a head shorter than her, but at that moment she didn't feel like it. Instincts long ignored flaring up, something akin to the feeling of being watched by a predator in the wild. The message was quite clear. He wanted the truth, and would not be taking no for an answer.
How very father-like…
Weiss felt herself look away first. Grabbing her left arm with her right as she dropped her eyes to the floor.
"...I…don't…Why do you suddenly want to know so badly?"
Whitley dropped his eyes again as he began to pace. It was a familiar movement, one she had seen their father do many times when agitated.
"As I'm sure you are aware, father is in talks to expand the dust mines." He began. "And I have been reviewing some of the documents. There have been a number of ignored statements from geological survey companies stating that they are very concerned for the miners safety, if the mine's expansion goes forwards as planned. The cost for safely expanding them however, as far as I can calculate, is over twenty times the current estimated cost."
Weiss didn't even bat an eye at the words Whitley spoke. The mines and cost cutting was an old tune to her ears. One of, if not the biggest controversy that the SDC regularly faced. On one hand, they provided a stable and steady source of income for the citizens of Mantle, dust for the heaters, and provided their kingdom with an extremely valuable export. On the other hand, they were almost exclusively staffed by faunus, leading to many MANY questions about the ever worsening working conditions. Each drop in quality suspiciously correlating with major White Fang attacks against the SDC. Their fathers preferred way of sending a message.
Weiss crossed her arms, feeling the blood over her eye still sleeping down.
"Are you asking me my opinion on the faunus or whether you should say anything in regards to the expansion?"
"Technically neither." Whitley gracefully coming back around to look her square on. "What I really want to know is how you're going to be different from our father when you inherit the company. How would you handle this situation?"
It was a valid question. One they as siblings had never really discussed. Winter had never been interested in taking over the company, the topic never being broached by either of them once she had made her choice, joining the rank and file. Whitley on the other hand, was already well on his way to being an integral part of the SDC. The simple fact that Whitley was asking her meant he was thinking about it too. Not just from a Lien standpoint, but a moral one. He may well even want to know if she felt the same way as him on specific issues, or if she was going to undermine him the majority of the time. It was a complicated situation, and as mature and educated as he was, he was still only thirteen. Still learning.
She would have to navigate this tactfully…
"After all" He finished, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "You would be the first faunus CEO in the SDC's history."
Weiss felt her breathing halt. Her world suddenly compressed to a single pinpoint as her brother's words washed over her.
"...I don't know what you're talking about…"
The words felt like it took almost every single bit of effort Weiss had left. She knew it wouldn't be enough but had to try, even as her brother smelt blood in the water almost immediately, circling back around.
"Oh really?" The smile he gave her was nothing short of malicious. "So you wouldn't mind taking off that rather ridiculous fencing jacket then?"
Any hope she had of salvaging the situation evaporated instantly. Replaced instead by a slowly creeping fear of what he might know and who he might tell. He had ambushed her and it was paying off in full at the moment. Her hand unconsciously coming to rest on her Epee as she tried to keep her thoughts in order. A single question running rampant.
"How?"
"Oh don't fret." Whitley all but waving her concerns away with complete disregard. "It wasn't anything you did. You're remarkably good at keeping them hidden, even during your fights. Sadly for you however, our mother let it slip out in the garden during one of her wine laidened rants a few days back."
Pausing to examine his nails, as he let Weiss stew in the revelation. "Normally I write off anything she has to say given the amount of wine she enjoys before hand, but her tale of how you were single handedly responsible for the downfall of our family was a bit too detailed to ignore. Quite the shock as I am sure you can imagine."
Weiss could barely keep her hands from shaking. A hot boiling anger brewing just under her skin as he spoke. Years of secrecy. Of suffering these abysmal bindings. Hiding or disposing of feathers constantly. All of it brought down on her head by the drunken ramblings of her own mother. The same one who had been partially responsible for putting her in this situation in the first place. The same one who claimed she was faithful despite the walking evidence that was Weiss…
Whitley kept talking. Clearly trying to keep her off balance as he positioned himself for the killing blow. "I always wondered what that fight in the medical wing had been about. Why Doctor Watts had been brought in. What Winter had been so enraged about. Father had been so mad that day…"
He was all but flaunting it now. He knew her secret and he was openly talking about it where anyone could hear. Talking like it was his secret. His life on the block should it get out. Weisses anger spiking as Whitley continued to talk so casually about something he knew nothing about.
"Though I confess, the fact you managed to hide something like wings for so long is quite amazing."
Weiss heard her brother's words, but they barely registered. Her mind was already miles away. Her hand clasped her epee so tightly it shook from the force. Every iota of her body screamed at her to act. She was cornered. She needed to get out of the corner. But how?
What would father do? Flee? No, never. He would fight tooth and nail till the end. Put them back in their place. Anger coursed through Weisses veins as she solidified her resolve.
"Had you been hiding something smaller like ear…"
Whatever words Whitley was about to speak was abruptly cut off by Weiss drawing and slamming her epee into the floor. The marble cracking as the sharpened blade bit deep into the hard rock. Anger in her eyes burning so bright Whitley felt himself taking a step back, as Weiss felt herself finally regain some control of the conversation.
"Not one more word brother."
Whitleys smug grin vanished in a flash. He was clearly caught off guard by her actions. Good. Now he knew how it felt.
"Let me make something perfectly clear." Weisses voice was soft, but the icey tone she used brokered no argument from Whitley as she put every inch of her height over him to full use. "You will not talk about this. With anyone. Ever. Not father. Not Winter. Not a peep. Not a joke. Nothing. If I find out you told anyone, I will burn this family, its legacy, its reputation, everything you have worked for, to the ground. I will ensure you never even see the inside of the SDC for the rest of your life. Are we clear?"
Whitley was naturally a little pale, similar to Winter and Weiss in that manor, but even she could see the palpable change in his face. Her message was clearly getting through to him as he slowly nodded.
What Weiss was not prepared for however, was how good it felt to unleash all this anger. To see the fear and obedience in his eyes. To see him slowly inch back from her out of both fear and respect for her. There was clearly a part of her that was reveling in this, and suddenly she understood why father got angry so often.
"This problem of mine will be fixed as of my eighteenth birthday." Weiss continued. Wings twitching under the heavy padding of the jacket as the anger continued to course through her. "If you keep your mouth shut until then, I might just consider letting you work for me."
It was a bluff. But Weiss would let him think she was as cold and untouchable as the situation demanded to sell this bluff. If Whitley smelled blood for even a second, it would be over. She would don a mask of anger and indifference so perfect that it ensured Whitleys cooperation even in the future.
"And as for your question, I think what you really want to know is whether I can put aside my… heritage… and lead the company properly. Whether I am an animal controlled by nothing but instincts, or if I am a Schnee, capable of putting my own feelings aside for the greater good."
Weiss leaned down and stared him right in the eyes. "I already knew all about the ignored geological reports. And I haven't said a single word to him about it. The company always comes first, Whitley. Always."
Whitleys eyes hardened as Weiss spoke the words. Words she didn't even believe but needed Whitley to. Words that she would come to regret just like the mask of cold anger and indifference she now wore.
"I see." He replied. His words wilted and forced. "Thank you sister. I think I know exactly where I will need to stand in the future."
Turning on his heel, Weiss watched him stalk away with what little remained of his dignity. He really was so much like their father in so many ways. Just one more reason she had to be the one to take over the SDC. She was the only one who could be trusted to make the changes needed.
For now though she would have to be even more careful, especially around her own family. She would inform Klein of what transpired, to ensure another incident like this never occurred again. And she would have to don that mask again and again to ensure Whitley never spoke a word of this. But that was ok, she knew who she was underneath it. And he would come to forgive her once he saw what she really planned to do…
She just needed to get through another three years of this… Just three more years…
Mirror
Tell me something
The soft vocals echoed through the empty ballroom, answering the question in earnest as silence overtook the room once more. The manor had been much quieter during the day, especially since she and Whitley had their falling out. Much like Winter, he seemed to be constantly out of the manor, being tutored from early morning till late in the evening in the ways of business much like she had been at his age. Their father, likely at the SDC working on Remnant knows what.
Even the servants barely paid her mind anymore. Worse, some of them even seemed to actively try to avoid her, which while understandable, stung all the same.
She counted herself lucky that Klein had not taken up a similar habit, despite his time being split between her mothers care and herself.
Her mother… Weiss shook her head. Better not to dwell too much on her…
So here she sat, alone at the piano, hands clasped in her lap as she stared down at the ivory keys with disdain. Her wings cramping had put a pause to her singing practice as the last notes wavered. Nothing short of perfection would do. Her father had ensured she knew that by now, but with the wretched appendages growing larger with each passing day, not only was it becoming harder to hide them, but they had started to hinder her growth almost on the daily.
The instructors noticed her drop in performance of course. Reporting everything back to him. At best earning her a glare and a reprimanding. Smoothing things over with more promises to be better, to try harder, to push through the pain, the sickness, whatever was ailing her that day.
Cramps, molting, rashes, skin irritations, the list went on. The new bindings Jacques ordered for her were so tight even on their loosest setting that her breathing and cardio suffered drastically. Fencing sets that once barely worked up a sweat now had her heaving by the end. Songs and notes she could have handled with ease now stretched her to the upper limit of her lung capacity.
Worst of all though were the urges that continued to pop into her mind no matter how much control she exercised. The urge to flare them when landing. The unconscious pull towards the sky whenever she was airborne. Each and every movement either cramping or irritated her, and the frequency at which they occurred was beginning to be a massive worry for her.
She was supposed to be perfect. Yet more and more each day she felt like a failure. Like she was losing control of herself, becoming more and more like the filthy animals in Mantel. All instinct and unconscious impulse. A complete waste of her Fathers time, and worst of all, a disgrace to the Schnee name. Everything he had feared was coming to pass, and all because Winter refused to let them remove the blasted things until she was eighteen.
Well no more. Today Weiss was making the decision that should have been made years ago.
Slipping from the room, abandoning her practice early, Weiss quickly moved to her bedroom and locked the door. Myrtenaster sat gleaming on her desk exactly as she had left it, along with her preferred company of dust vials.
Her hands shook as she took the freshly sharpened blade, and a vile of fire dust out of the carrying case, along with a small bag of medical supplies. Carefully carrying everything with her to the bathroom, and closing the door behind her.
Placing them both on the bathroom vanity, she quickly began to remove her top and bindings. The ugly appendages expanding out as the fabric fell away, tingling as blood flow suddenly resumed to them. The bony thin membranes poking out, and molted feathers fell to the bathroom floor around her, a stark reminder that she would never have been able to fly anyways. It was a pathetic dream of hers, one that she had many times, but also one that after a decade of binding would never come to pass. Her wings were nothing more than deformed, broken, ugly nuisances. Something she should have had removed long ago.
He will make you just like your brother and sister. No more hiding. No more secrets. Doesn't that sound wonderful?
Maybe Winter could read her mind. Knew she secretly clung to them in the vain hope that one day her father might allow her to use them. Might one day look past them.
She had been so naive.
There were things she couldn't remove of course. Parts of her that marked her as not entirely human. Things like her hollow bones. Her night vision. Her uncanny sense of direction, and of course her balance and comfort in the air. Unlike the abominations strapped to her back though, those could be easily explained away or outright ignored. He would never care about those, and besides she wasn't the only human more comfortable in the air than on the ground.
Once the wings were gone, no one would be the wiser. She wouldn't need to be so cold to her brother. Her father would finally accept her. Her mother would stop drinking. They could get back together, be a real family like they used to be before Weiss was born.
Once they were gone she would finally be perfect. Just like he… she always wanted.
Quickly starting the room's shower and fan, she stripped and moved her supplies to the shower. No need to make a mess when the shower would wash all evidence away.
Myrtenaster shook in her hands as she gripped it, her knuckles going white as she placed the dust veil carefully into one of the chambers and spun it to activate. The blade instantly began to glow red hot, steam quickly building up in the shower as each droplet that hit the blade vaporized instantly.
Taking a deep breath, Weiss tried to stretch her wings out as far as she could in the somewhat cramped space of the shower. They didn't even move, only slowly expanding out to their natural resting position.
Fine. It wasn't ideal, but it was enough room for her to work.
Bringing the blade up and over her head, careful of the ceiling, Weiss adjusted her grip and the blade angle very so slightly. She had practiced this many times in the Manors gym over the last months in preparation. The motion needed, the angle, everything. The space she was in was much smaller, but Weiss felt ready. As ready as she was ever going to be.
Another deep breath. Slow exhale. Hands had to be steady otherwise she risked taking off part of her shoulder. Nice and calm. One clean cut. Doctor Watts can handle the rest after that. Winter would never be so cruel as to stop that.
The blade's heat barely even fazed her as it came within an inch of her right wing.
One breath
Two
Three
A feral yell bursting from her lips as her wrists finally brought the blade directly up over her head, slashing it downwards with all the force she could muster…
The tip hitting the ceiling and dragging the blade off course. Colliding instead with the shower wall moments before impacting her wing.
The blade cutting a small divot into her left wing, before stopping completely. The red hot metal burning her, a pained yelp echoing through the room as she cranked down on it.
The Epee stuck fast, caught on something behind the shower wall, refusing to move any further no matter how much force Weiss put into it. Smoke curled up from the wall as the fire dust began to eat into the drywall and tile, joining with the steam of the shower. Weisses hands clinging to the hilt as all her drive was washed away under the intense pain and heat.
Her hands finally releasing the metal and dropping to her side as the cruel reality of the moment finally dawned on her.
Tears mixing with the steam and smoke of the shower, her knees giving out moments later as she tumbled to the shower floor in a sobbing mess. Myrtenaster was out of her reach, the blade instantly cooling as she released the trigger.
"Why…Why do you continue to torment me!? Why must I be the one to suffer?!"
Her hands shook. Thoughts flowing at a rate far too fast to ever keep up. Why had Winter insisted on doing what Grandfather had wanted?!
Why had she left not long after? Abandoned her own sister… never seeing how Weiss was suffering each and every day. Winter never had cramps so intense she was unable to move. She hadn't spent every waking hour checking for feathers. She didn't have to drag all this dead weight around…
Yet she had damned Weiss to this fate all the same. Selfishly taking the decision away from her. Taking her mother, brother, father, everything she wanted away all in one fell swoop.
"Why… why couldn't I have been born a human…"
Silence, as she was used to by this point, was the only response she received.
Weiss stayed like that for quite some time, hating, crying, begging for answers from the universe. A pathetic, decidedly shameful waste of time, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
The hot water eventually ran out, and one of the servants came to knock on her door asking if she was alright, finally bringing her back to the present. Hauling herself out of the shower, drying off, drying her hair, reapplying makeup, her outfit and bindings. By the time she exited the bathroom, there was not a hair out of place to show what had transpired behind those doors.
If anyone had heard her, they didn't say anything, or maybe like her, they simply didn't care anymore.
It was at that moment Weiss knew she needed to get out of there…