"If an injury has to be done to a man, it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."
- Niccoló Machiavelli (The Prince)
""Are you still cold?" asked she; and then she kissed his forehead. Ah! it was colder than ice; it penetrated to his very heart."
- The Snow Queen (Hans Christian Andersen)
Legends.
Stories scattered through time.
Celebrations and tragedies echo through the ages, memories of warmth and loss driving men and women to follow the deepest wishes of their hearts, to happiness or oblivion.
Desire and loss.
Love and hatred.
Trust and betrayal.
Passion and loneliness.
It is said that emotion can debilitate, to cast illusion over one's sense of direction.
Those who know otherwise understand one truth:
Passion is no weakness, but a surging fire that fuels the heart and fills one and all who stand beside them with the will to seek their desire, to overcome any doubt that comes their way.
Whether to defend those they hold dear…
Whether to seek the thing that they desire most…
Whether to overcome the monster within…
…those guided by their hearts live and die standing tall, surrounded by others who share the warmth of the dancing flame within.
White Castle Hall, Atlas
Some things never change.
An idea of which she had reminded herself for so long.
She saw it everywhere around her, from the very first memory.
The one truth she knew above all.
"Ladies and gentlemen…"
The way the cold felt as the winter wind blew snowflakes against her face.
The warmth that filled her heart when Klein served her favorite cup of hot coffee in the morning.
"...please welcome… Weiss Schnee."
The honeyed words of praise that they showered upon her at the parties.
The whispers those same people would mutter when they thought she was oblivious.
Her porcelain white heels clicked against the smooth floor of the massive stage as she stood alone upon it, like a prized relic being revealed to the world.
She lifted dainty fingers to her brow, parting snow white locks of hair to reveal blue eyes, pale and cold as ice. Those same eyes scanned the area that surrounded her, filled to the brim with adoring watchers, eager to see her.
The orchestra sat just beyond the stage, the pianist playing a tune she knew like a cherished childhood memory.
The lyrics to her favorite song.
The sting that pierced her heart as she recalled the words and the memories that they conjured.
With a deep breath, she sang.
"Mirror… tell me something…"
"Tell me who's the loneliest… of all…"
Her sister's discipline, stern but heartfelt.
Her brother's doubt, as much in himself as in her.
"Mirror… what's inside me?…"
"Tell me, can a heart be turned… to stone?..."
Her mother's sorrow, her laughter emptier than her cold silence.
Her… father.
"Mirror, mirror, what's behind you~?"
"Save me from the things I see~!"
The sweet sensation of relief that filled her as he congratulated her on her accomplishments.
The fear that filled her entire being whenever he would raise her voice, whenever she would dare disobey.
"I can keep it from the world, why won't you let me hide from me~?"
"Mirror, mirror… tell me something…"
Her future as her father's heir.
The wealth and power she would inherit alongside all of his sins and burdens.
"Who's the loneliest of all…?"
Some things never change.
Not even the answer that now escaped her lips.
"I'm… the loneliest… of… all…"
As she finished her song, the princess raised her head and wore her mask of ice cold perfection, stamping down the bite of pain that ached in her heart.
As the cue for the next song by the orchestra followed thunderous applause from the crowd, Weiss Schnee gave a delicate curtsy and prepared to sing once more, a dainty ballerina dancing upon her lonely stage.
Later that night, Schnee Manor, Atlas
The night pressed on, overlooked by a shattered moon.
The click of heels tapping against the floor echoed off the immaculately decorated walls of the vast halls, reverberating in her ears like the chimes of a grandfather clock.
The silence never stayed for very long, not if her father allowed it.
Just earlier tonight after her performance, another event was set to take place here at her family abode.
She was very much used to such occasions before. The Schnee family was one countless people in Remnant could recognize, as their company was one that allowed the world to go around.
So many depended on Dust to illuminate their homes, to enable their livelihoods, to fight back against the monsters that lurked beyond the city borders.
As the largest and most influential distributor of such a resource, the Schnee Dust Company grew powerful and prosperous beyond measure, and at the helm of it all was none other than her father.
He regularly held such parties to bump shoulders with the elite and network with partners in business, and as the girl set to inherit the company, she was rightfully also set to attend any event she was able.
With her elder sister climbing the ranks in the Atlesian military, and the sole Schnee son the youngest of three, that left her to fill in the role.
Weiss Schnee, princess of the Kingdom of ice and heiress to the largest Dust company in the world.
She continued to walk, eyes slowly wandering over the lavish furnishing and ornate architecture that burst from every wall.
These days, the parties all blended together in her mind, every day melting and mixing into a hazy fog that enveloped her mind. The halls were all the same, immaculately kept and cleaner than heaven, the melody of piano a constant drone in her ears.
The food was all the same, feasts prepared by the finest chefs in Remnant, taste divine and presented like works of art.
The people were all the same, eager to meet her, eager to know her.
Eager for the future, a future where she held the world in her palm. A volume of eagerness that she could barely compare with.
They would gorge themselves silly, drink themselves into a stupor, all while buttering themselves up to men and women they could only dream of measuring up to in power and prestige. Everyone had a stake in this game, and the playing field was dressed in pretty banners and divine orchestra music.
During those days, Weiss could barely hear what anyone said, and found herself increasingly uncaring and numb to it.
The drone of their drivel was a buzzing in her ears, and she yearned for other days, days long past.
However, this did not mean she enjoyed this silence much either.
As the party guests filed out, Weiss was left to wander the halls of the manor alone as everything within stood still, as if time had frozen solid like the pond outside in the garden.
Her heels continued to clack with each step she took, the rhythmic sound once again dividing the ghostly silence that enveloped the entire dark estate.
Keeping this in mind as she wandered into the manor's main lobby, she looked up at the manor's guardians standing in a silent vigil on either side of the manor's staircase.
Weiss sometimes felt haunted as she wandered through the moonlit darkness of the Schnee Manor at night. Like the massive statues of valiant and steadfast knights in shining armor were judging her from above, swords held close in preparation.
The eyes of portraits and Grimm statues seemed to follow her down the hall, waiting for a sudden move to approach.
Weiss however, didn't turn to look. She had grew up surrounded by these things all her life, grew familiar with them in all their coldness and stature.
After all, if she was to grasp her destined role, she had to embody such qualities, to instill them in her every being.
Turning to rise up the stairs, Weiss then paused in her step.
She looked up, locking eyes with a peculiar sight on the head of the stairs, staring out the window into the night sky.
He looked like a young man dressed in a long white coat, clashing with a dark ponytail that hung loosely from the back of his scalp. In his hand, he held a small glass, periodically sipping from it.
Weiss raised an eyebrow, confused. She was sure all of the guests at the party had long since filed out of the manor, and she could only assume this man was at the party, he certainly dressed the part and carried himself in a dignified way.
Either way, this wasn't his home, and she had to do something about this guest.
"Ahem! Excuse me!" Promptly clearing her throat, she addressed the stranger.
The man turned his head, his face illuminated by the moon's backlight as Weiss got a better look at him.
His hair parted to either side of his visage, in a way that was well-kept but not quite a routine. Eyes of bright amber shone in sharp contrast against the gloomy blue of night, staring directly at her and scanning up and down, as if sizing her up.
Most notable was a distinctive scar she could spot that ran vertically over his lips, lips that inched upwards into a smile.
Weiss frowned at the reaction.
"Ah, my apologies. Can I help you, my lady?" He spoke in baritone, something of an accent peeking through a gentle smile as he swirled the glass between his fingers.
Weiss's eyes narrowed further. "I believe that's my line. What are you still doing here? The party's been over for a long time."
The stranger chuckled as his pearly teeth bared in a cheeky grin. "Is that so…? My apologies, it seems I'd lost track of time. I've had to attend to some business here, and couldn't take my leave too soon."
Weiss sighed. Of course it was business, one way or another. Most likely another one of those hopeless vultures hoping to scrounge an inch more of power, one little crumb at a time. A wild duck hunt she thankfully had little need for.
"Well, it's getting late, and I believe you should be heading out right about now, sir. I'll show you the door and arrange for Klein to drive you home." Weiss huffed, about to turn back to the door right down the stairs, but was stopped as the man replied to her.
"Now hold on just a minute, Princess. I'm afraid I can't leave just yet." He declared, as Weiss could only stare back at him with indignation.
"What?" She asked, all while her brow twitched.
"I believe I haven't explained myself well enough. Now, would you give me a moment of your time?" He asked, his demeanor exuding inviting warmth as Weiss could only sigh in resignation.
"Why are you here?" She asked, plain and simple. She was not in the mood to entertain this stranger, but the sooner she did, the faster he would be out of sight and out of mind.
"I'd initially come hoping to learn more about Mr. Schnee. I've heard from certain… contacts that he had information that was of great interest to me." He answered, as Weiss listened closely.
Weiss's brow furrowed as she heard this. One way or another, her father had a hand in nearly everything in her life. With his influence, it was little wonder that his hand had a role in countless others' as well.
No matter if she tried to run from it, it would all loop back to that man.
If he was so insistent on getting to him, going through his daughter was a scummy move as far as she was concerned.
"And what makes you so sure he'll have what you're seeking? Is it really that important to begin with?" Weiss asked, her tone apathetic and cold, icy like the snow outside the window they stood beside.
The man's stance shifted ever so slightly, but Weiss could pick it up. His eyes had hardened and his brows furrowed. What she had said had set him off. Weiss grinned inwardly.
Good.
"I know he does. He can't hide it, no matter how he tries. One way or another, truth always comes to light… and family never forgets."
His voice was grave, his eyes alit with a fire she couldn't quite describe. She had no idea what he was talking about specifically, but she had a hint.
Her father's success was built upon countless hilltops, and not all of them were noble. She was well aware of the lives her company was a part of, just as much as they ruined.
Legions of workers worked the mines and factories to keep their coffers full, and accidents were not exactly rare, accidents that had given rise to plenty of critics and detractors.
And… family…
Was he truly right?
Her father had sacrificed the noble past of the Schnee family once he had entered the line by marrying her mother. To elevate the company to its roaring heights, her noble grandfather's heroic deeds were overshadowed by his ruthless ambition.
Had they truly forgotten?
Was their past buried under the mountain of her father's company?
Weiss begged to differ.
"I… I can see it. I hope you find what you're looking for." She said to the stranger, a tone of sincerity in her voice.
The stranger paused, his posture straight and his eyes staring her down once more, as if reading her reply from her spoken and bodily language alike. Weiss squirmed internally as she felt his eyes upon her, not like she felt any foul intentions from him.
For all his airs, Weiss could detect a hint of something true in him, something that yearned for a goal, wanted to chase it relentlessly. Not something material or trivial, but something close to his heart.
He was nothing like the others at the party, and Weiss could see it in him.
Then the stranger smiled warmly once again and turned to face her. "My thanks. However, that can wait for another day. I've actually just realized why I'd stayed."
Weiss blinked, confused.
"Pardon?"
She hadn't expected that.
"Weiss Schnee… I saw you perform earlier tonight at White Castle. You are truly something special, you know? A voice every bit as angelic as your beauty, Princess." He smiled, amber eyes staring directly into her ice blue.
With her heritage, prestige, and inheritance, of course Weiss was not new to these situations. Many young men had warmed up to her, hoping to have a slice of her name's power, all of them enticed entirely by her last name.
They all offered buttered words of honey, sent her lavish and expensive gifts in the hope that they could gorge themselves on her family's wealth. All of them fools who Weiss couldn't care less to entertain.
However, she was still a teenage girl at heart, and that side of her spilled through despite her best efforts as a pink flush rose to her cheeks as she stared at this young man in silence.
"I-I…" Weiss could barely reply, both stunned and flattered by his words.
"Daughter of the Schnee Dust Company, heiress to Jacques Schnee's grand empire. A flawless image of perfection and grace. I can't help but feel… drawn to you. Like a moth to a lamp, everything about you has drawn my eye."
Weiss at this point was speechless. She had no idea things would be going in this direction tonight, to be showered with honeyed praise such as this from this… admittedly handsome stranger.
As he drew closer, laying his glass down on the railing of the stairs, Weiss could feel the heat in her cheeks multiplying as the warmth of his body inched closer to hers. She had no idea how to react, nor was she able to.
"Such a figure of flawlessness, of order… and now that I look closer, I must say…"
His face drew closer, his hand stretched out to reach for her face as Weiss could only hold her breath, stunned into silence.
He brushed a thumb under her left eye.
"...that's quite a scar you've got."
She heard something.
SCHNKK
"!"
Weiss gasped harshly as whatever spell he cast on her was brushed away in an instant, as a glowing snowflake sigil appeared at her feet.
Grunting, Weiss shifted her hand, causing the sigil to glow a bright blue. In an instant, both her and the stranger were sent hurtling back over the railing and right through the massive window.
*CRASH!
Tumbling on the courtyard behind the manor, Weiss cringed as she felt her Aura bruising against countless glass shards, all while the cold bite of Atlas's snowy winds clung to her body like a second skin.
Gritting her teeth and rising to her feet, she glared at her attacker who was also getting up from his crumpled position on the stone floor, clutching a pair of straight, single-edged blades in his hands all while grinning with those pearly whites of his.
Weiss noticed that his attitude had changed as well. His smile was now lit with fire, burning with an eagerness she had hardly ever seen before.
"I knew you were something as soon as I saw that scar, but that… I'll admit, didn't see that coming." The stranger laughed, as if he hadn't just been sent crashing through a glass window half a story down into rough and cold cobblestone.
Weiss's fury mounted as she pointed an accusatory finger at her attacker.
"You'll be getting a hell of a lot more where that came from, you sad excuse of an assassin! Now I'll warn just this once and only once." Weiss yelled, her voice darkening with biting cold like the blizzard that surrounded them.
"Leave, before I'll have to force you out."
The stranger laughed once again, his blades hanging loosely from his fingers as he directed those fiery amber eyes her way once again.
"You misunderstand, Princess! A dance is all I'm asking for! You and me, alone under the snow-kissed skies of Atlas."
Weiss growled at the man's flippant reply, her nerves grating as she stared him down. "What the hell are you saying?"
The stranger's smile morphed into a furrowed glare, blazing with a lust for battle.
"You want me out? Then push me. With every ounce of your strength!"
Weiss's fists clenched tight and her glare froze impossibly colder. This man wanted her to fight? Then she would prove just how sorely he underestimated her.
"Very well."
Weiss stretched out a hand, reaching for something, only for the stranger to drop one of his blades to the floor, sending it clattering against the ground before delivering a harsh kick to its side, sending it sliding to Weiss's boots.
"What's this?" She asked.
The stranger tilted his head with another cheeky grin. "No fair, no fun, Princess. If you're unarmed, I see it only fair I offer you one of mine."
Weiss looked down at the sword with a blank stare, before huffing and projecting another snowflake glyph under the sword and along the hilt, ejecting it back towards the stranger.
Said stranger looked down as well, raising an eyebrow wondering why she would reject his charity.
"Like I need one of your cheap trinkets. I have my own arms, thank you very much." Weiss snarked, finding her target with her other hand.
She tugged with great force, hearing the noise of shattering glass.
Her room had a generous view of the courtyard, with a window overlooking it as well as the city down below and beyond. She prized keeping things neat and tidy, but occasions like these warranted a shift, and she knew that well.
Weiss had no need to worry for anything all her life, but she knew the dangers her name carried with it. Her family had made many enemies with her father's leadership, and there were some who would see fit to set their sights on her to hurt her father.
Prepared all her life, Weiss had also prepared for this.
She didn't think she'd ever see the day she'd thank her past self for routinely resting her weapon against her bedroom window, but life was ever full of surprises.
A line of glyphs appeared at her will, guiding her beloved weapon into her outstretched hand.
Catching the hilt, she pointed its blade at the stranger.
It was a work of art, a thing of pristine beauty. The long, thin blade of the rapier extended from a bell-shaped handguard that contained a rotating revolver cylinder that clicked in place, a glowing Dust vial housed in each chamber.
The sword was elegant, refined, and a perfect fit for the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.
Myrtenaster had never let Weiss down ever since she first picked it up, and it would not fail her tonight.
"On guard."
Silence filled the air, interrupted only by the howling blizzards of Atlas. The snowy winds lifted their ponytails to dance much like their clothes, all while their stances stood ready and waiting for something to change, something to give.
One second passed.
Two.
Three.
"SHOW ME WHO YOU ARE!"
The stranger burst into a sprint, grabbing his weapon from the ground and rapidly closing distance on Weiss, who raised her rapier high as the Dust seeped into the blade, causing it to glow a bright, fiery red.
Sweeping her weapon in a wide slash, roaring flames erupted and surged along the ground before Weiss, sending a wave of fire hurtling the stranger's way.
The man in white grinned widely and smashed the ends of his swords' hilts together, causing them to conjoin. Gripping both hilts and pulling, he transformed his weapon into a long twinblade staff.
"So that's his weapon's transformation?"
The stranger spun his weapon in his hands with exceptional grace, the whirlwind of his blades catching the flames and guiding them along its furious dance, dispersing them away from him and along his weapon.
Grinning once again, the stranger swung his staff in a long sweep, flinging Weiss's flames back at her. Immediately, she reacted, her rapier's chamber clicking as she erected a wall of jagged ice to stop the counterattack, watching as they slammed against the ice and dispersed into the snowy winds.
Summoning strength into her Aura, Weiss coiled her blade back and conjured another glyph beneath her feet, launching herself forward.
Within a blur of movement, she thrusted her rapier into the ice wall and released a burst of Dust, creating a terrific explosion that sent frozen shards scattering into the air directly at her opponent.
Undeterred, Weiss watched the stranger's determined smile reemerge as he once again spun his blade, directing his body to twist with it as his dance deflected many of her projectiles away.
Weiss raised her guard, bracing for impact as he swept his body low, blade and boot aiming for her heels.
Jumping with a flip, Weiss let her blade dance, raking his back as she landed on her feet as another glyph was summoned to catch her landing.
Flicking her eyes back, she burst backwards, her blade outstretched, feeling the jarring impact of steel on steel as the stranger raised his staff's hilt across his back and swung up to parry her strike.
His movements were fluid and fiery, reminding her of a skilled dancer, not unlike how many had described her own swordplay. He was seamless in his swings, his body a honed weapon synchronized with the blade in his hands.
The stranger slashed at her in the wake of her opening, but Weiss was every bit the dancer he was, and through gritted teeth, she would not hesitate to prove it so.
Flipping back and harshly kicking upwards, her boot struck his blade on the way up, knocking back up on his feet as he mirrored her movements, using the momentum to flip back on his feet, just as Weiss returned to her feet and assumed a ready stance.
Weiss scoffed.
Two graceful dancers performing on a stage all to themselves, blades ringing in perfect synchronicity, with not a soul but the shattered moon above as their adoring witness.
Some dance partner he was, that battle-crazed devil.
What a sick joke.
The two stood there, awaiting a cue of some sort. Not a soul moved as the wind howled between them as they stood ready, blades wound back prepared to strike at the drop of a hat.
He clicked his tongue.
Weiss's eyes bulged at the sound, coupled with the mischievous, unapologetic smirk that graced his face, the same face he'd been wearing ever since they'd stepped outside.
Taunting her?! The nerve of this… ingrate-!
"YOU-!"
Chaos exploded onto the dance floor.
Their dance grew frenzied, as if a raging fire had consumed both their souls in unison. The falling snow dispersed in their wake, the force and intensity of their clash scattering the winds all around them.
A small, enclosed space where it seemed the world stood still, just the two of them.
And only one would emerge victorious.
Weiss's fury infused into her rapier, her slashes and thrusts delivered like bolts of lightning through the storm. Her hands weaved through the air, her feet moved in tune and full awareness of every great step and leap she took.
Her fingers were deft, casting her Semblance all around her with her free hand while her sword hand worked the trigger with absolute precision, the positions of every chamber and type of Dust ingrained into her very muscle memory. She had no need to second-guess herself. She only had to keep in tune with the rhythm of her dance.
She slashed four times against the stranger's weapon, each strike deflected handily. She sent a barrage of thrusts aimed at his heart. He spun the staff, swatting away her sword strikes.
Her body darted from angle to angle, from glyph to glyph as her mind chilled to a frozen stasis, her graceful movements and maneuvers fueled by years of practice and training, a deadly dance she had been preparing to perform her entire life.
A choreography her limbs knew long before her brain could recall the steps.
One. A dash to the side, slashing along his side.
Deflected.
Two. An upwards jump, her blade swinging in an arc.
He's open.
Three. A flick of her wrist, seven glyphs appearing all around him.
MOVE!
Four. Dash. Slash. Dash. Slash. Dash. Slash.
Again and again and again and again, slingshotting between the glyphs before he could realize her next move.
Until he could barely stand again.
She dashed low, her sword slashing out, causing the stranger to take a harsh knee. Flicking her eyes back, she burst backwards.
She had done this already.
Weiss knew that well. Every movement she made, she made in tune. Every beat, every step of rhythm, every second she moved, she adapted. After all, the dance could not be perfect if the dancer could not read her own body.
She had no more patience for this man, but she would be a fool to underestimate his skills. Besides, what a terrible dance partner he'd be if he couldn't keep in time with her.
Like clockwork, the stranger raised his staff behind him to block the attack once again.
Grinning, Weiss changed her routine.
Her blade aimed right in the middle of his staff, a single slash cleaving the twinblade in two.
Seizing her chance, Weiss aimed for his heart.
"Ahh, you're good!"
Weiss's brow rose as the stranger immediately switched up his stances, gripping both ends and resuming his previous dual sword style. His reversion was seamless to perfection, adapting to this shift in the air without fail or hesitation.
Weiss felt her sword being batted away, the tempo of their dance switching in a single second.
It wasn't as if he moved faster or was stronger, Weiss was still fighting the same man. But his movements shifted in such a way that it gave Weiss pause.
With the twinblade, his movements were wide and sweeping, his entire body twisting to guide the longer weapon, much like she did with her rapier. However with the swords, he seemed to… clean up with his style.
While his twinblade reminded Weiss of her acrobatics, his swords reminded her of her fencing.
He swung both blades around his body, forming a deadly barrier around him as Weiss could only back off, flipping back to her feet and raising her blade once again.
"Try to keep up, Princess!"
The man taunted her again, much to her ever-growing chagrin. The pair once again resumed their dance, blades clashing in the snow like they were drawn by fate.
Despite her surprise, Weiss was not completely helpless against this kind of play. After all, her own sister was a disciple of such a style, her sabre able to split into two identical blades.
With those blades, Winter had trained her personally and ran her ragged to hone her style into what it was now. Despite never formally attending a combat school due to her father's reluctance and her responsibilities as the future heir of the company, Winter was the best teacher she could have ever asked for.
Not to mention, she was the only one who could teach her more about their family semblance. With her mother out of the question and her grandfather long passed, Winter had been the one to coach her in the ways of the sword and her glyphs.
This stranger didn't entirely share Winter's style, but regardless, she had done this dance many times over.
Their duet now tempered in a way. He thrusted twice, she would deftly swat them away, she'd return the favor and he'd parry with one sword and strike with the other. She made a slight dodge with the help of a glyph and his eye would follow.
One. Parry.
Two. Strike.
Three. Right foot forward (not that forward.)
Four. Clash, clash, sweep, jump.
One. Feint, watch for an opening.
Two. Pick up speed, multiple strikes.
Three. Keep pace with him, remember your training.
Four. He's winding up.
"Now!"
*CRACK
She twisted her body, launching herself off of a glyph to clash her boot with his in the air, the energy from their Auras crackling from the impact, pealing like thunder.
Momentum shooting her feet back to the ground, she widened her stance and summoned another glyph, delivering a thrust aimed straight at her opponent.
The stranger crossed his blades and ate the hit head-on.
*CLANG
Both fighters skidded backwards, the force of the strike sending both to the floor on their knees.
Weiss breathed with great labor, the sweat off her brow freezing in the snow-laden winds, gnawing against her skin as she summoned the will to return to her feet.
The stranger was much the same, his breath misting as soon as it left his scarred lips, hoisting himself against his blades with a noticeable tremble in his arms.
"I knew it."
The stranger spoke once again, shooting her another grin beaming with excitement and the slightest hint of mania.
"There's more to you than meets the eye." He smiled, standing to his feet with his blades hanging loosely from his hands.
Weiss brushed her hair aside, scoffing as she did so. Her eyes stared at the young man, narrowed in a deadpan stare.
"I wouldn't exhaust my breath, especially when your words are painfully obvious." Weiss replied plainly.
Of course there was more to her than the image she put forth. Anyone would do the same, anyone has secrets to hide underneath. If anyone could, she could do it better.
"Are they? Is that how you see it?" The man asked, a brow raised as he relaxed his stance.
This made Weiss stop in her tracks and her train of thought.
She watched the stranger's eyes meet her own, staring directly through her as he started to pace around the stone circle in the center of their arena. Keeping pace, Weiss kept her wary eye on him.
It appeared he noticed her hesitation as well, from the way he smirked knowingly as if he'd come to a strange epiphany about her.
"Did you know why I asked you to dance? To cross blades with me?" He asked, Weiss remaining silent as the wind echoed in her ears.
"I'm sure you know it well, how we all have something to hide, secrets to contain. We hide behind smiles and perfect performances, hoping to distract everyone from what's truly underneath. If there's anything I've learned over the years… the most perfect of performers often have the most to hide."
Weiss clenched a fist, her grip around her rapier tightening ever so as her anger and frustration boiled to the surface.
"Are you questioning me? What do you really know about anything? What I stand for? You think I sing, dance, and fight with all my strength just to cower away? You presume too much." Her voice leaked with traces of venom, angered that this man dared to think he knew the faintest detail about her as a person.
"I don't have to. After all, one way or another, the truth always comes to light… especially in the heat of battle." He gave a smile, warmer this time. Weiss didn't know how to react, unknowingly dropping her icy scowl.
"You didn't have to indulge me, but you went and did anyway."
"You didn't need to cue me in to split my blade, but you did anyway."
"Hell, you didn't have to match my kick! You did anyway!"
He paused, staring at her with genuine fondness, a gentle smile on his face.
"You didn't have to fight me. You could have called security and been done with it. Yet…"
He stretched a hand out, smiling brightly.
"... you still let me have this dance. You're matching your pace to mine, you're enjoying the thrill of it. Either that… or you're trying to prove something… what might that be?"
Weiss was still, once again speechless. She couldn't deny his words, either. Not when he had seen right through her. It was true, all of it.
At her core, even while this man's teasing rattled her beyond belief, no matter how much she could attempt to feign her apathy, she still enjoyed the thrill of the fight. The sensation of clashing blades, the rush of keeping pace with a lightning quick opponent.
The fire that filled her as she danced in perfect sync with a worthy partner.
A fire that burned to prove that she was more.
That yearned to proclaim her strength from the heavens above.
A desire to prove herself superior to him.
That she could match him.
Meet his pace.
Completely and utterly crush him at his own game… by playing it her way.
With that, determination surged within Weiss, her Aura ablaze in tune with her heart. Raising her blade once again, she met the stranger's eye with a slight, but genuine smile.
"What's left to prove? What's there to make out? I know who I am, and I know exactly what I want." Weiss declared, her voice rising from her chest as the stranger's smile grew in excitement.
"And what might that be?" He asked.
"For starters, the name of my dance partner?" Weiss replied plainly.
The stranger let out a loud chuckle, before smashing both his swords together, back-to-back against their blunt edges. This triggered yet another transformation, causing the blades to expand and align to form a double-edged greatsword.
The stranger heaved this weapon, spinning it in his hands before plunging it before his feet with both hands into the stone floor.
"Ezio Auditore. An honor to have this dance, Princess. Truly."
Her newly named dance partner announced his name proudly, his smile beaming through the cold of the night. Weiss felt its warmth reach her heart as a smile of her own blossomed on her face.
"Well then, Ezio… shall we continue?" Weiss grinned, heart afire and blazing in very much the same way her partner had ever since she had crossed blades with him tonight.
With the searing flame of passion.
"Let's."
With that, the dance resumed in full force.
Weiss had noticed how easily Ezio had been able to shift between fighting with each form of his weapon. For starters, that was an oddball sight even in Remnant, where design philosophy for weapons had taken a skydive from the shattered moon and corkscrewed all the way down to Menagerie.
So many personal weapons in Remnant were designed with a transformation mechanism, to shift easily between attacking up close and from a distance. Her own Myrtenaster lacked such a drastic shift in design via transformation, mostly because Weiss didn't see the need.
Her specially designed Dust chamber worked wonders, and a sword-based design was always reliable. However, Ezio's weapon was very strange in that his lane of design veered into an entirely different line of thought.
Instead of choosing to opt in a ranged form, Ezio forwent ranged combat entirely, instead focusing on a variety of melee combat forms, adjusting the way he fought and moved with each one.
His staff was long-reaching and defensive, his twin swords were elegant and precise. On top of it all, a third transformation was already rare in the world, but this was simply ridiculous.
Yet again, Ezio shifted his weapon into an alternate melee weapon and this one took the form of a larger greatsword. It was nowhere the size she had seen elsewhere, after all it still consisted of the two long, thin blades he was fighting with.
However, the weapon was still noticeably heavier now with their combined weight, and Weiss could tell in an instant how differently he fought with this blade. His swings were wider, his windups were much longer, and his strength was far more pronounced with each slash he swung with it.
Both hands grasped the blade, guiding it with great effort. Weiss landed her hits, dancing around him with her glyphs, but Weiss could tell that even with his reduced speed, he wasn't weaker by any means.
Before, their blades matched more easily, and every clash resulted in an equal reaction from them both. However, with his much heavier sword, Weiss's strikes bounced right off the flat of the blade as he raised it to defend himself.
Conversely, while he struck at her, she raised her sword to block the hit, only to eat a jarring impact that sent her skidding back on her heels.
Incredibly, this was also deeply familiar to her.
It brought to mind a different memory, one that held a very recent, but profound significance to her.
Another night in the White Castle, the most important night of her entire life.
Ever since she had assumed the title of heiress, Weiss had known the difference she wanted to make, the one thing that set her apart from her father, the one truth that she held close to her, that would never change.
She wanted to hold that throne while fighting for the people that depended on her family's company. To live comfortably, to complete their daily lives, most of all, to fight back against the Grimm.
She didn't want to go to Atlas Academy, that much she agreed on at least with her father. The Academy was deeply integrated with the Military, and many students ended up as government operatives and soldiers. Her next option was of course the famous Beacon Academy.
Only as a Huntress could she restore the honor her father had robbed from the Schnee family name, and she would not let any naysayer veer her away from this path, not even her ever-stubborn and hard-headed father who had continuously contested her decision.
Ever since losing Winter to General Ironwood, her father was much less eager to lose his grip on his second daughter. Unfortunately for him, if Weiss would not inherit his heart, she at least did his stubborn streak.
Thus, he compromised.
A final test agreed to by Winter and her superiors. She could not be swayed from learning to fight, so if she could not pass, she would stay in Atlas. If she prevailed, she would go as she pleased.
So that night in the White Castle, she fought a Grimm, unlike any she had ever seen before.
The monsters took on many forms, this particular one bonded to a gigantic suit of armor and trapped within the confines of the Castle. The test was simple; all she had to do was slay the beast.
It was an arduous trial, one that left her with a single scar on her face to remember it by. A scar that she would always wear with pride, as a trophy and living proof of a single undeniable truth.
Weiss was worthy of her destiny, and she had the strength to make it her own.
Ezio swung the blade, and Weiss recalled the Arma Gigas swinging a colossal claymore much like it. She remembered how the blade rendered the ground asunder with each slam and swing. How that punch had left her with blood trickling down her eye like crimson tears.
She summoned Dust into her blade and activated it, erecting a barrier that Ezio's blade bounced off of.
Shifting the cylinder and plunging her blade into the ground, massive shards of ice exploding out and racing towards Ezio. The warrior saw the play she was making, and while his movements were slower, his mind remained sharp.
"RAGGHH!"
Swinging his weapon with a roar, Ezio swung his weapon in an arc, sweeping the area in front of him as the ice shattered into fine shards and flakes of snow, scattering into the white blizzard all around them.
Ezio looked up and his eyes widened to see Weiss was missing from his sight.
*clink
Only to immediately turn at the noise of heels clicking and a sudden weight on top of his blade. Weiss's swordplay was top-notch, but what truly made her shine was her immaculate footwork, a true dancer on the battlefield and the stage, sure enough on her feet to even land and stand upright on his blade.
Ezio's surprise gave him a moment of pause, brief enough for Weiss to send a sharp kick right at the side of his skull, completely stunning the warrior as he staggered back.
Seizing her chance, Weiss drew a finger to the ground and wound her rapier back, a new glyph appearing beneath her feet, not of her family's prominent snowflake crest, but the face of a clock, hands rapidly turning as she felt her Aura shift and her senses explode.
Within a fraction of a second, she moved.
Weiss's hand shifted, and a wall of glyphs surrounded Ezio. A split-second later, a barrage of slashes and strikes from every possible angle.
Her body darted back and forth, up and down at impossible angles and speed. Ezio, still dazed could barely react as he could only take each hit by the hundreds.
Finally, Weiss shot straight up, gazing down and locking on to her target, Myrtenaster pointed straight at Ezio.
Her opponent's eyes groggily opened to face her, widening as he realized the outcome of their duel. To Weiss's surprise, he simply smiled once again and opened his arms.
It was her move now, and she made it.
A glyph shot her back down to the ground, her face meeting Ezio's as he braced for the finishing blow.
Which never came.
Weiss grabbed ahold of Ezio's waist, scooping him along as they both landed on the ground, Weiss spinning her body to stick her heels first, before swinging Ezio's body around hers and bringing him down low like a proper dance partner would, her rapier pointed an inch away from his jugular.
"Yield."
With that word, Weiss watched in amusement as Ezio sighed with a smile, releasing the grip on his sword to raise both hands up in surrender.
Raising him back to his feet, Weiss smiled as well as she sheathed her weapon at her belt, Ezio disconnecting his blades and sheathing them at his hips, laughing all the while.
"Forget your singing, your dancing is a thing of divine beauty, Princess!" Ezio chuckled, his teasing charm presenting itself once more.
Scoffing once again, but with a smile she shared with her opponent, Weiss snarked back. "Oh please, you know what they say; it takes two to tango. Furthermore, don't sell your skills short, you're quite something yourself."
Ezio's laugh echoed out again, the warrior shaking his head with a light bow. "Well, I aim to please, Princess. Only the best for someone as beautiful as you. And if you ever again seek a dance partner on your lonely nights, call and I'll come running."
Weiss turned back to stare at the man and his gilded words, half-unbelieving he was actually saying these to her. If they were true, admittedly she wouldn't mind at all.
At the end of the night, she could at least go to bed wishing for this dream to return once again.
"I'd like that… Ezio Auditore." Weiss smiled gently, nodding as she turned back to the manor.
As she walked with heat in her cheeks and a profound warmth in the depths of her heart, Weiss could hear Ezio's parting words before she returned to the manor's confines.
"A pleasure to dance with you, Weiss Schnee."
She hoped that this too, would never change.
AECE
