Hey all, thanks for taking the time to read this story!

Decided to write another fic, this time taking some inspiration from A Second Chance (by BlackJackHero) and The Second Choice (by Coeur Al'Aran), where Jaune attends Atlas Academy instead of Beacon, but adding my own little spin to things.

A lot of how I write Atlas Academy will be heavily inspired by the curriculum and daily student life/schedule of Officer Cadet students in the US Service Academies and Sandhurst Academy in the UK, while adding a Remnant twist to everything. Not trying to make an exact one-to-one match since I never attended these schools myself, but I do want to try and make Atlas Academy really feel like a military school.

And as for some of the things I plan to include to really differentiate this fic from the above mentioned ones (which btw, definitely read them, they're great!), well…

Let's just say that my biggest sources of inspiration for this fic's story are the games Deus Ex (2000), and Fear and Hunger 2: Termina.

If you know, you know ;)

Chapter 1: New Cadets

In hindsight, Jaune should have known that this hare-brained scheme of his wouldn't work.

With how much Huntsmen were needed around the world, he was sure that Beacon's admission committee wouldn't look too closely at his papers. After all, plenty of people got in without going through a prep school, and as long as he had a pulse and a willingness to protect others, then who cared about the nitty-gritty details on his papers?

Well, apparently they cared a great deal.

The admissions team went through all his fake transcripts with a microscope, combing through every nook and cranny, and just when he had almost breathed a sigh of relief at the very end, he was hit with the bombshell task of contacting the signers of his 'letters of recommendation' for further proof of his transcript's validity.

Obviously, all the people listed on them were fake, with fake signatures and contacts, and he didn't exactly have anyone around who'd be willing to pretend to be a legit Huntsman and back him up. He was all alone in Vale, having spent nearly all his money on those papers, and to make matters worse, the application window for Beacon, Haven, and Shade had ended.

It was now impossible for him to attend Beacon this year.

While under normal circumstances this wouldn't have been such a big deal, for Jaune however, it was anything but. He had told his family that he had been accepted to Beacon, and despite them saying that he could come back home at any time if things didn't work out, the last thing he wanted was to return with his tail between his legs after everything had gone downhill, but with how he was now, penniless and without a back-up plan, coming back home seemed like the only option he had.

But one day, as he was walking through the streets of Vale with thoughts of how much of a failure he was, he happened to pass by a rather unusual building in the city:

A recruitment office… for Atlas Academy?

Confused, he wandered in and learned more. As it turns out, in a bid to boost numbers, Atlas Academy had decided to relax some of its strict entry requirements, now allowing anyone across Remnant to come apply for their school. Previous combat experience wasn't required, and in exchange for a few years of military service in Atlas and Mantle after graduation, tuition at the Academy was free, and all students would receive a monthly stipend.

The fact that previous combat experience wasn't required to apply was enough for him to sign up immediately. Sure, he would have preferred to attend Beacon and work as a Huntsman in the Kingdom of his birth, but a few years of military service hardly seemed like such a bad thing. Besides, everybody knew how hi-tech and advanced the Kingdom of Atlas was, and he didn't need much convincing in that regard after seeing how futuristic the Academy looked from pictures of the inside.

It may have been his second choice, and one that had been accepted in the heat of the moment rather than from days or even months of consideration, but at that moment, it was the best choice he could make.

Unlike all the other Academies, Atlas Academy's school year starts early in the Summer, during which all new recruits would go through rigorous training to transition them from civilian to soldier. Jaune, along with many other prospective students, would board a Bullhead that would fly them straight to Atlas itself, where their training would begin following a brief introduction to the school and staff.

Jaune felt his jaw drop when he glanced out the window. The pictures simply didn't do it justice. The city was a dazzling megalopolis, filled with hundreds of sleek towers and skyscrapers stretching upwards to the sky, all lit up by thousands of neon lights. Towering above them all was the Academy itself, situated atop a small mountain in the very center of the city. Bathed in a silvery-blue hue thanks to the Hard-Light Dust shielding every inch of it, the entire structure looked less like a school and more akin to a highly futuristic military fortress.

And soon, he'll be calling this place, and this Kingdom, his home for the next decade at least.

There were only a few minutes left before the ship touched down, and already the nerves were getting to him and everyone else inside. Very few among them knew what to expect, and even fewer were prepared for what living in a military environment would entail.

For most, Jaune included, they assumed that there would be a lot of physical activity and studying.

Oh, and getting yelled at by the staff. Lots and lots of yelling…

With a dull thud, the Bullhead touched down at the Academy's landing pad, and a lone Huntress, one of the Kingdom's legendary Ace Operatives, stood at the front of the ship, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Attention, all new recruits. My name is Specialist Winter Schnee, and I'll be one of your facilitators this evening. In a few seconds we will all be exiting the Bullhead and making our way towards the Academy's amphitheater for a brief introduction to the school by its Headmaster, General James Ironwood. You will all fall out in a single-file line, and swiftly make your way to the Academy, where your cadre, your upperclassmen, will escort you to your destination. Under no circumstances are you allowed to speak unless specifically addressing the cadre or staff, and you are to not deviate from your path, is that understood?"

""Y-yes, ma'am!"" Everyone shouted.

"Remember, you are not here to attend just some ordinary school. You are now attending Atlas Academy, Remnant's premiere military and Huntsman training institution, and you are here to learn not just how to be an effective and lethal Huntsman or Huntress, but an effective soldier. You will learn to not just fight like a soldier, but to talk, and act like one too. This is not a place where you can idly goof off. Discipline, integrity, and honor are the hallmarks of not just a good soldier, but an excellent Huntsman and Huntress, and you will learn to uphold those tenets to the highest degree. Failure to live up to those values will not be tolerated, is that understood?"

""Yes, ma'am!""

With a curt nod from her, everyone in the ship stood up from their seats, grabbing their things and silently making their way outside. The only luggage they were allowed to bring with them from outside was a single backpack, filled with any amenities, personal items, handmade weapons from previous prep schools, and nothing else. Food, clothes, hygiene products, and whatnot would be provided by the school itself, and as a result very few people bothered to pack more than the basic essentials, all tucked away in their tiny backpacks.

The sole exception seemed to be a young woman around Jaune's age with features that were remarkably similar to Specialist Schnee's, only with much longer hair and a lone scar traveling down the edge of her left eye, and at the moment, doing her best to lift a giant backpack that seemed ready to burst at the seams.

Looking down at his own extremely light and rather empty backpack, Jaune quickly glimpsed back to check that the Specialist wasn't looking, before stepping next to the girl and lifting hers into his arms.

"Hey!"

"Don't worry, I'll give it back. Just looked like you were struggling there for a sec." Jaune whispered, before gesturing to his own backpack. "You can carry mine, there's barely anything in it."

The girl looked ready to retort, but after seeing one of the zippers in her bag start to come undone, she lightly blushed and nodded, hastily grabbing his much lighter sack and following behind him.

Jaune made his way out of the Bullhead with the girl's heavy backpack in his arms, and immediately flinched when the cold air of Solitas hit him square in the face. It was a good thing he was wearing his Pumpkin Pete's hoodie, or else he'd have been shivering the entire day. Atlas was cold, far colder than even the worst wintery days back in his hometown, and even though it was still early in the summer, his breath was already fogging up in the wind.

Feeling the girl's eyes on his back, he quickly strode forward. Flanking the line of students on both sides were the cadre, a large number of upperclassmen dressed in military uniform and standing at parade rest, silently staring at them all as they made their way towards the Lower Dome.

Entering the Dome, Jaune felt his eyes pop at the futuristic interiors, wishing he could have gotten more time to marvel at everything. Already he could hear some upperclassmen shouting at one of the other new students for not walking fast enough, and he rushed towards the amphitheater. Thankfully, the atmosphere inside was much more relaxed, with several families and parents seated at the back of the room.

The new students were guided towards the first few rows of seats in front of the massive stage inside, and Jaune sat down next to a rather pretty orange-haired Faunus girl, the only one among their peers who didn't seem even the least bit nervous. Noticing his gaze, she gave him a playful wink when he took the seat next to her.

"Howdy!" she said, when he finally sat down, massaging his aching arms. "Nervous about the whole thing?"

"Oh, definitely." Jaune answered. "Honestly, it's a miracle I didn't throw up on the ride here. I've got bad motion-sickness, and the stress didn't help in that regard either…"

Sighing, he smiled and stretched out his hand. "The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and the ladies love it!"

To his relief, she let out a hearty laugh at that and shook his hand with gusto. "Now that's a pick-up line I've never heard before! Well then ladies' man, I'm Neon Katt, and let me remind you that the trash can is over there if you need it."

Jaune laughed. "No worries, the fear already took care of the nausea. Honestly, I'm surprised you aren't as scared as I am right now. You've done something like this before?"

Neon shook her head. "Nah, first time for me too, but it really isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Everyone's afraid of getting smoked by the Instructors, but so long as you keep your head down, avoid getting noticed, and don't mess up on something, then they'll leave you alone. Besides, what's the worst they could do? It's not like they'll beat you up with a stick or something."

"I suppose that's fair. I just hope I don't end up getting chewed out on the first day. I'm already pretty hopeless as it is…"

"Relax! Just don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine. And besides," a teasing grin grew across Neon's face. "If you happen to screw up in front of that scary lady from earlier, just use your pick-up line! 'Sorry ma'am, I didn't mean it! The name's Jaune Arc, by the way. Short, sweet, and the ladies love it!' She'll be eating out of your hand in no time!"

Jaune visibly paled, imagining himself trying anything of the sort in front of Specialist Schnee. "Absolutely not!"

"Absolutely not!"

He wasn't the only one who said that. Turning to his right, he spotted that same girl whose backpack he helped carry, now giving him a fierce glare.

"I refuse to let some playboy try to seduce my sister!"

"I wasn't trying to seduce anyone!" Jaune argued. "Wait… did you say 'sister'?"

The girl realized her slip-up too late, biting her lip and turning her head away with a frown.

"Huh, now that I think about it, you two really do look alike." Neon remarked. "Wait, are you Weiss Schnee!?"

The girl, Weiss, flinched in response, and to her horror, a few other students around them had overheard Neon, and were now openly gossiping about her.

"Weiss Schnee?" Jaune asked. "Is she anyone important?"

"Duh! She's the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company! Richest corporation in the entire world!" Neon answered, though she winced after seeing all the students now openly gawking at her. "Though… I probably shouldn't have said that out loud. Sorry about that. I'm Neon Katt, by the way. Hope we can let bygones be bygones?"

Weiss glanced at Neon's proffered hand and hesitantly reached for it, but then she noticed something sticking out from Neon's back and hastily jerked her hand back.

"You're a Faunus!?"

Puzzled, Jaune looked to where Weiss was pointing, and sure enough, a long orange tail swayed back and forth from Neon's lower waist. How had he not noticed that before?

Come to think of it, aside from Neon, were there any other Faunus here amongst the First Years?

To her credit, Neon didn't flinch when Weiss pulled away from her. "Is something wrong?"

Weiss glanced back at Neon's tail, her eyes narrowed in deep thought, before she shook her head and reluctantly reached out to shake Neon's hand. "It's nothing."

If Neon was perturbed by Weiss's behavior, she didn't show it, instead returning to her usual peppy self. "Excited for Atlas Academy? Honestly, I didn't expect you to also be joining us. Following in big sister's footsteps?"

Weiss cast a hesitant gaze towards Winter Schnee, still standing at attention as the rest of the seats in the amphitheater continued to be filled with the rest of the students and family members. "Sort of. It's… complicated."

She then turned to Jaune. "And thank you for helping me move my belongings, um?"

"Jaune. Jaune Arc."

"Short, sweet, and the ladies love it!" Neon added with a grin.

He let out a groan. "I should have kept my mouth shut…"

Neon laughed at that. "Alright, enough teasing."

"What was in your backpack, anyways?" Jaune asked, turning to Weiss. "It weighed like a ton of bricks."

"Dust. I know Atlas Academy has a large enough supply for students to use, but since my weapon relies heavily on it, I wanted to keep an ample stock on hand just in case."

"I'm surprised Daddy didn't just send a Bullhead's worth of Dust for your personal use on the first day. Planning on using his money to bribe your way through classes too?" a new voice interjected.

"Excuse me!?"

Weiss sharply turned her head towards the speaker, a dark-skinned young man who sat in the row behind theirs, dressed in a fancy black vest with a matching hat, who returned her glare with one of his own.

Before either of them could continue, however, the lights in the amphitheater dimmed, now aimed towards the podium at the center of the stage. Entering in from the side of the room was an absolute unit of a man, broad-chested and easily a head taller than Jaune. In addition to wearing a military uniform adorned with medals, ribbons, and aiguillettes, the sheer aura he gave off made it readily apparent that he was the real deal. The epitome of a highly experienced soldier and Huntsman.

Grabbing the microphone on the podium with a metal hand, he gave a proud smile aimed at everyone inside the room. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is General James Ironwood, and it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to Atlas Military Academy. I would like to begin by commending each and every one of you for making the difficult choice to come here. I've no doubt in my mind that many of you are nervous about making the transition from civilian to soldier. I won't lie, these next four years will challenge you in ways you could not have imagined, both physically and mentally. It will be grueling, it will be painful, and it will push you to your absolute limits, but understand, we wouldn't be putting you through all this if we didn't believe that each and every one of you has what it takes to succeed.

"Becoming a Huntsman and a soldier is no easy task, but that is what we are all here for: to give you the training, the education, and the confidence you need to make it through these next four years and beyond. See all the cadets lined up at the back, and all the Instructors you will be acquainted with in due time? All of them, myself included, have been in your shoes before. We've all gone through the same challenges that you will face, and we've all managed to come out as stronger and more resilient, confident individuals. Mark my words, they will teach, and you will learn. They will always be behind you, giving you the push you need to succeed and never give up, even if you have given up on yourself.

"And lastly, I want you to look around you, especially your fellow students. These are not just your future classmates, but your comrades-in-arms. Your family. What most people forget is that our strength, the key to our continued success and survival against the ever-present threat of the Grimm, is not in our technology, our weaponry, nor our Semblances. It's in our unity. We fight, not just to protect our fellow man and Faunus, but each other. There is no 'I' in 'Team', and here, there are no more individuals. You all are now one family, one team. As individuals, you may accomplish great things, but as one unified force? You can accomplish anything. I hope you remember that. Remember that, no matter what, your fellow students and cadets will have your back through thick and thin.

"You will have approximately 45 minutes to spend time with your loved ones before you will be guided by the cadre for in-processing and instruction on the essentials of your time here in the Academy, from your schedule, living arrangements, training, and basics on military etiquette and marching. Once in-processing is complete, you will be assigned into different companies, each made up of four teams, and each team is composed of four students who will be your roommates for the remainder of your time here at the Academy. Once again, I congratulate you all on choosing this path, and I hope to see you all again soon, no longer as nervous civilians, but as newly-trained cadets ready to become Remnant's next protectors, fighters, and leaders. Welcome… to Atlas Academy."

A thunderous round of applause echoed throughout the amphitheater at the end of Ironwood's speech, with Jaune, Neon, and even Weiss joining in with great enthusiasm.

"Now that's how you give a motivating speech!" Neon cheered. "Still feeling nervous?"

"Maybe a little, but if everyone else was able to make it through it all, then I can too. Hopefully." Jaune replied, feeling less anxious about the whole thing, for now anyways. "Let's see how long that lasts."

"You know what they say: Embrace the SUCK!"

Laughing, Jaune then turned to Weiss. "What about you? Ready for what's to— oh, she's already gone."

"Probably went to go talk to her sister. We only have 45 minutes to talk to family before we get going, after all." Neon said.

"Ah, then I guess I'll just wait here until time's up."

Neon winced in sympathy. "No one here to wish you off?"

Jaune shook his head. "I doubt my folks back home would be thrilled if I told them I was attending Atlas Academy. You?"

"Same. You should have seen my Mom and Dad's faces when I told them I wanted to come here, especially since..."

"Since?"

Neon shrugged. "Eh, it's nothing really important. Anyways, what do you think they serve for food here? I dunno about you, but I pray to the Brothers that the cafeteria food isn't as bad as what they show in the movies!"

It may have been against military decorum, but at that moment, propriety was the last thing on Winter's mind as she welcomed an emotional Weiss into her arms, pulling her into a tight embrace, before the two made their way to a row of empty seats away from everyone else, determined to spend as much time as they could together as sisters before Weiss would have to head out for in-processing.

Once these precious 45 minutes were over, the two would no longer be able to speak to each other as siblings anymore. The moment Weiss walked out that door alongside the rest of the other students, she would become a student cadet, and Winter her Instructor and Commanding Officer. Weiss would be expected to address her only as 'Specialist Schnee' or 'Ma'am', and would also be required to salute her in the halls should the two pass each other by.

Outside of the few days and weeks of vacation the two might have, this would be their relationship moving forward for the next four years, and maybe even beyond.

The thought alone made Winter hug her sister even harder.

"There's still time for you to back out," Winter gently whispered. "You can apply for Beacon next year, and I'll try to pull some strings to make it happen if Father tries to interfere."

Weiss shook her head. "It was already a huge challenge trying to convince him to let me come here rather than stay at home. I can't back out of this now, not when I finally have a chance to be free of him."

"Are you sure you'll be up for what lies ahead? Attending Atlas Academy won't be the same as attending Beacon or anyone else. Not only will the classes here be much more difficult than anything back at home, but the training will be brutal. Summer CBT will only be the first of many brutal challenges, and the staff here won't tolerate failure."

"I already expected as much." Weiss replied. "I'll just work harder than I have before."

"You'll have to, especially once your classmates recognize who you are." Winter warned. "They'll see you and think you're just a spoiled brat who doesn't care for what it means to be a Huntress or a soldier, and they'll be convinced that your time here will be easy not only because you're the Heiress of the SDC, but also because I'm your older sister."

Winter let out a sigh at that. "I had to go through the same thing myself back when I came here for the first time. No one expected me to measure up knowing who I was, and it wasn't until I pushed myself above and beyond all my peers that I finally managed to earn their respect. I don't expect everyone to be like that, but it is something to keep in mind, especially given recent events."

Weiss's eyes narrowed. "The White Fang?"

"I've heard from the General that the Fang have been making more moves in Vale, especially in the main city, where the number of Dust robberies have increased. He's trying to convince the Vale Council and Headmaster Ozpin to let him come to Vale with an armed battalion for the Vytal Festival this year, with mixed success."

Winter shook her head sadly. "It was a bout of bad luck that the train robbery happened so soon. Had it not, you might have been at Beacon right about now."

Weiss fought to restrain her anger at that. Not because of Winter, but for the unfortunate circumstances that forced her to make such a drastic change to everything she had planned for herself.

In truth, while she did set her sights on Atlas Academy early on, once the situation back at home became unbearable, and fearing that she would be stuck under her father's thumb forever, she had decided that she would attend a different Huntsman Academy instead. Beacon had been widely regarded as the best one across Remnant, and even General Ironwood had spoken highly of it and its Headmaster, Professor Ozpin.

A change in scenery from Atlas to Vale was something she had been eagerly looking forward to. Weiss had been sick and tired of all the fake smiles and rigid structures of Atlesian society. She wanted real change; to broaden her horizons and experience the world not from the Schnee mansion, but from actually living and breathing in it.

And so, she made her announcement that she would be going to Beacon rather than Atlas Academy, and naturally, her father had refused. So she offered a compromise: if she managed to surpass her father's expectations and pass his test, then he would have no reason to refuse her. He agreed, and she was tasked with defeating an Arma Gigas, one of the strongest Grimm the SDC could find for her.

It was a tough battle, but she managed to pass, coming out with only a scar on her left eye. She had done it. She had persevered through her Father's demands, and proved that she was capable of handling herself in Beacon.

Everything was going well for her… until one day her Father heard some unfortunate news.

Several Days Ago…

"What do you mean, I can't go to Beacon!?"

Under normal circumstances, Weiss wouldn't have dared to raise her voice at her father, but the news he had given her had all but eroded years of etiquette training in an instant.

"You heard me, young lady." Jacques Schnee replied from behind his desk. "Recent developments have shown me that it's too dangerous to send you to Beacon."

"But what about our promise!? I completed every task you asked of me, and I also defeated the Arma Gigas! You gave me your word that I would go to Beacon if I passed your test!"

"Against my better judgment, yes, I did agree to your foolish demands. But that was before I learned of this."

Jacques swiveled his computer monitor towards her, and Weiss winced at the headline on the news article.

'SDC TRAIN BOUND FOR VALE DERAILED BY WHITE FANG AMBUSH. ALL CREW MEMBERS REPORTED DECEASED.'

"An entire train full of Dust, derailed by the White Fang." Jacques continued. "All of its crew, brutally murdered by the White Fang. And if that wasn't enough, news has also come up of White Fang robberies all over downtown Vale. That, and further protests by the Faunus in the streets. And of those robberies? 95% of them were all conducted on SDC-affiliated stores. Innocent shopkeepers have been extorted of their money, held ransom, or killed by those vile animals. Tell me, Weiss, do you think these are signs of a safe and prosperous Kingdom to you?"

Weiss bit her lip, knowing that she had no way of rebuking him.

"How can I ensure the safety of my daughter, the Heiress of the company, in a school filled with other Faunus like them? How can I be sure that you will be safe wandering the streets of Vale, knowing how many White Fang sympathizers are out there? And what of the Vytal Festival? Wouldn't that be a perfect moment for those animals to strike? Imagine the horror I and the company would feel, seeing their prized Heiress captured by the White Fang and demanding a ransom?"

"I would be in an entire Academy filled with other Huntsmen and Huntresses!" Weiss argued. "Do you really think the White Fang are capable of going through all those people just for me?"

"And what about when you're outside its walls?"

"I'll have teammates with me! And I'd never be foolish enough to wander the streets at night or alone!"

"And what about your teammates? What if one of them is a Faunus? Or worse, a White Fang sympathizer?"

"I…"

Jacques Schnee shook his head in disappointment. "You see where I'm coming from? Vale as it is right now is not a safe place for one such as yourself. It would be foolish of me to allow my daughter to spend the next four years in a Kingdom with abominations like the White Fang running amok."

"Then what about Haven Academy!? If Beacon is a problem, then I can—"

"Out of the question." Jacques interrupted. "Mistral is even worse than Vale, and the city is ripe with corruption and strife. The Fang would have a much stronger presence there, and the Headmaster of Haven Academy is a weak, pathetic man. Besides, didn't you say that you had no desire to go to Haven because Pyrrha Nikos would not be going there either?"

Weiss mentally face-palmed herself for that.

"Then, what about—"

"Vacuo is just as bad as Mistral, if not worse." Jacques continued without missing a beat. "And the Kingdom has never looked favorably on the SDC since the days of your grandfather. I shudder to imagine what you would do in a city full of degenerates like that."

"But that only leaves Atlas Academy!"

"So? You were originally going to go there anyways, weren't you? Before you changed your mind for Beacon?"

"I don't want to join the military!" Weiss argued. "I want to become a Huntress!"

"Well then, it seems we have reached an impasse." Jacques sneered, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin on his face. "If Atlas Academy does not please you, then you are more than welcome to end this nonsense once and for all and return to your proper role as Heiress. And, if by chance, you happen to go against my wishes and attend Beacon or those other schools, then I'm afraid I will have to pass on the role of Heir to young Whitley who, unlike you, understands his role and is more than happy to take up the responsibility.

"So what will it be Weiss? Will you attend Atlas Academy? Or will you resume your role as Heiress?"

Weiss silently fumed, her hands curled into fists as she barged out of her father's study and marched her way back to her room.

Unfortunately, while she angrily paced through the halls, she happened to run into the one person whose company she desired the least at that moment.

Wearing his signature mocking grin, Whitley leaned against the wall, no doubt having waited to hear the news of her plans falling into ruin. "Why, salutations Weiss. I'm guessing your conversation with Father didn't end well?"

"Shut up, Whitley." Weiss hissed. "I'm in no mood to entertain you today."

Whitley simply raised his hands up placatingly. "Does everything have to be a conflict between us? I just wanted to offer my condolences about—"

Weiss grabbed him by the hem of his shirt and threw him aside, sending him tumbling to the ground as she stormed past him. Ignoring the hurt expression on his face, she rushed into her room, locked the door, and proceeded to scream into her pillow.

All of her dreams, ruined because of things outside of her control! All because the White Fang couldn't be satisfied with not just ruining her family and company, but other Kingdoms too!

And the look on her Father's face as he gave his ultimatum! Was this his plan the whole time? Wait until something horrific happened in Vale so that he could keep her here? Did he ever have any intention of following through with his promise!?

Of course not. How could she have been so foolish? Jacques Schnee never forgives a slight done to him, even if it was from his own daughter, and he probably saw what she had planned on doing all along. There was no way he'd let any more of his children escape his grasp, ever since Winter left to pursue her own future.

Weiss lost her energy and flopped lifelessly onto her bed.

This wasn't what she wanted at all. Unlike Winter, she had no interest in becoming a soldier. She much preferred the freedom and individuality that came with being a Huntress, not the rigid structures of the military. She wanted to be more like her grandfather, not General Ironwood.

After a few hours, Winter finally arrived and knocked on her door, and Weiss reluctantly let her in.

"I heard what happened earlier today. I'm… so sorry, Weiss." Winter lamented, taking a seat next to Weiss on her bed. "I know this may not have been what you wanted, but… there's still a chance for freedom in Atlas Academy, if you're still interested. The military is a separate entity from the SDC, and General Ironwood is more than enough to deter any influence from Father."

"That's not the problem, Winter!" Weiss replied angrily. "I don't want to be a soldier! I wanted to be a Huntress! I wanted to become a better person so that when I become CEO, I can finally fix our grandfather's company! Restore it after all the damage Father has done to it, and us, over the years! How am I supposed to do that as a regular soldier!? I can't even leave Atlas or Mantle once I graduate!"

Winter sighed, placing a hand on the back of Weiss's head and rubbing it soothingly. "Just because you're a soldier doesn't mean you can't do any of those things, Weiss. I'll admit, I joined the military for selfish reasons, but not once did I think that my work wasn't meaningful or unimportant. While missions outside the Kingdom are rare, I still do my part to keep Atlas and Mantle safe as best I can. I protect people from the Grimm as well as keep the White Fang in check, and I've no doubt in my mind that you'll do great things as a Specialist here as well."

Weiss raised her head up from her bed. "You really think so?"

Winter smiled. "Absolutely. Don't forget, our Grandfather was also a soldier before he became the founder of the SDC. While people may not look fondly on our own father, our grandfather's fame and legacy still lives strong amongst the people of Atlas and Mantle. He did many incredible things for our Kingdom, and I know you'll do the same. It won't be easy, but I know better than to underestimate you when you're determined to do something.

"That said, I understand that this wasn't what you had in mind, and I won't force you to go if you don't want to. I'm sure you can apply to Beacon again, and this time I'll make sure that Father won't have his way. You'll have to wait another year, but…"

Winter recoiled, a sentiment Weiss also shared.

It had been 7 years since their father revealed his true colors to the family. 7 years of caving to his demands and acting as his most prized possessions. Dealing with their father was one thing, but Weiss also had to deal with a mother who preferred the company of wine over her own children, and a younger brother who'd love nothing more than to take her place as Heiress.

Enough was enough. Weiss had worked tirelessly these 7 years for her chance at freedom, and she couldn't wait another year longer. Even if it meant becoming a soldier, she was more determined than ever to escape her father's grip.

"I've had enough of waiting." Weiss finally responded. "It may not have been what I wanted, but I'm not going to lose this opportunity while I still have it. Who knows if Father will even allow me to go to Beacon next year, knowing him?"

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Weiss?" Winter inquired. "It'll be quite the culture shock coming from a decadent life like ours to a military lifestyle. No one would fault you for backing out, least of all me."

"All the more reason why I should go." Weiss countered. "How can I ever prove myself to be a good CEO if I don't understand what it's like for ordinary people? How can I ever learn more about myself and broaden my horizons if I continue to stay here inside the Schnee Estate? If going to Atlas Academy means that I can finally learn to be a proper Huntress that can finally steer the SDC away from Father's influence, then yes, I'll go to Atlas Academy."

Weiss shook her head. "Bad luck or not, I'll still keep moving forward. 'Focus on my actions, not the outcome, as that's the only thing you can control'. I remember you telling me that."

Winter smiled. "In that case, I wish you all the luck in the world, Weiss. I'm so incredibly proud of you for taking this step in spite of everything, and I know you'll succeed as long as you put your mind to it. Remember what I told you and don't be afraid if you make mistakes. Nobody expects you or anyone else to understand things the first time, but once we teach you something, we expect you to put it into practice. Follow the instructions of the drill sergeants, and most importantly, keep pushing forward, no matter what."

Winter then glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up, gesturing for Weiss to do the same. The allocated time for all the First-Year Cadets was nearly up, and at this point most of the new students were saying their final goodbyes to their parents and loved ones. Once in-processing began, they would have limited to no contact with the outside world outside of emergencies, and for Weiss, Winter would be observing her progress through Summer CBT with a critical eye.

Winter had, of course, warned her that she wouldn't give her any leeway just because they were sisters. If Weiss wanted to garner any respect amongst her peers, then she'd have to prove that she wouldn't rely on nepotism to succeed in her classes. And that meant that Winter would have to be even harder on her as a result.

Letting out a shaky breath, Weiss wrapped her arms around Winter once again, relishing the last physical contact she could have with her sister like this for several months at the least.

"I promise I'll make you proud, Winter." she whispered gently.

"You already have, Weiss." Winter replied warmly. "I know you'll never let me or yourself down. Now, head out there and show me what a Schnee can do when she puts her mind to it."

Nodding, Weiss hugged her one last time, wiping away a lone tear on her eyes, before making her way back to the other two students she sat next to a while back. After agreeing to split the Dust stored in her backpack between herself and Jaune to avoid having to carry so much weight all at once (with Jaune promising to not touch even a single bit of Dust inside), both she, Jaune, and Neon gathered their belongings and followed the line of other students as they were beckoned by the cadre towards the rooms outside.

Neither of the three knew what they'd be facing once they stepped out those doors, but all three were prepared to face it head-on nonetheless.

And that's a wrap!

Hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter! I've never written anything like this before, so any feedback, especially from those with prior military experience or who have been to a Service Academy before, would be much appreciated!