Fear hung heavy in the air, like a stench that refused to go away. With the doors shut closed with a reinforced cover, and the elevators disabled, Mina and her friends were stuck. Yet, she did her best to keep her usual grin etched onto her face, despite her own worry. Keeping up morale was always important in an emergency. Kyouka, on the other hand, kept trying to mess with the elevator controls, to no avail.

"It's strange, why would the system go on high alert? That's not the protocol for a bomb threat." Melissa, Deku's blonde girl friend, said. It took all of Mina's self control to not burst out laughing, especially since Ochako was glaring at the blonde from her spot a few feet away. She seriously thought that Weiss was in love with the green haired boy? That was honestly the biggest joke of the century.

"Yaoyorozu, Iida, we need to get to the party." Midoriya spoke up next, with a serious expression on his face. He walked up to their class vice-president and secretary.

"Really? Why would you want to go there?" Momo had a delicate hand on her chin, deep in thought. Iida mirrored her confusion.

"Because that's where we can find All Might." The moment that name escaped Midoriya lips, the tension in the air lifted. Everything was going to be fine if the World Symbol of Peace and Justice was here. Weiss was going to be okay, wherever she was at that party.

"All Might's here?!" Ochako blurted out. The rest of their friends started whispering excitedly, aside from Mina and Kyouka. Weiss had already told them about the rumors that he had been spotted around the I-Expo.

Everyone ignored her as Deku took charge.

"Melissa, what's the fastest way to get to the party without using the elevators?" Midoriya continued. Everyone turned towards the blonde girl with expectant eyes.

"Yeah, we can take the emergency stairs." Melissa turned her head towards an discret door in the corner of the lobby. "It won't take us directly towards the party, but it'll be close enough."

"We'll follow your lead then." Momo's usual small smile was gone, replaced by a grimace. "We need to figure out what's going on."

"Yeah!" Mina pumped her fist in the air. They were all heroes-in-training after all, her friends could handle whatever was thrown at them, easy-peasy.

Class 1-A was on the case.

"Don't worry, if you stay quiet there'll be no reason to hurt anyone." The Masked Villain continued to saunter around the room as his thugs kept their assault rifles aimed at the closest hostages near them. "We plan to release you safely when the time is right."

When the time is right? Not when their demands were met? Weiss narrowed her eyes as she sat besides Yu. That didn't make any sense. Criminals who took hostages usually try to get a ransom in return, she knew that from personal experience. Back on Remnant, Weiss had seen countless members of SDC's Board of Directors get taken hostage, good family friends and maids that were just taken one day by the White Fang.

The higher ranked members would usually be ransomed back, or saved by elite squads of huntsmen from the Atlesian Military, the less fortunate, such as Weiss' old nanny, ended up dead, just so the White Fang could send a message. This was bringing back too many memories, both new and old.

"Don't do anything rash." Yu whispered low enough just for Weiss to catch. "We don't want to risk any of the hostages."

"I know." Weiss whispered back, glaring daggers at the nearest criminal. She could easily escape from these restraints, just a simple mental command and she could summon the Arma Gigas, but even its strength wouldn't be able to guarantee the safety of the other hostages. Biding her time for an opening would be the best course of action for now.

If everything went according to plan, the villain won't pay her any mind and keep their focus on the other famous heroes in the room, like All Might, Ahri and Yu. By underestimating her, Weiss would have the element of surprise on her side.

"What are you criminals after?" A hero that Weiss didn't recognize yelled, his arms looked like they were made out of blue metal.

The Masked Villain responded by kicking the Hero just under his chin, sending him flying. He groaned loudly in pain.

"Don't you heroes know how to listen? I said to stay down." The Masked Villain sounded annoyed. His free hand went to the communicator in his ear. "What's up? Yeah I got it."

Weiss tuned out the rest of his conversation, allowing her eyes to drift around the room. Dozens of heroes were scattered about, as powerless as Weiss was. All Might was still on the stage, laying on his side as he gritted his teeth, and Ahri was across the room, her own high school team huddling around her.

"Hey Tubby, are you a researcher here?" The Masked Villain asked a chubby man with light brown hair. The man flinched and scooted backwards a few inches while nodding. "Take him up."

"N-No! Wait!" The Researcher raised his hands defensively as another masked thug with a rifle approached him.

"Stop it!" The two criminals paused when an unfamiliar voice spoke up. Weiss' eyes darted in the direction of a plain looking man in a white suit that marched towards the villains. "He's my assistant, take me, not him."

The Masked Villain recovered quickly. "Ah, the famous David Shield. Bring the two of them, the more the merrier."

Why did that name sound familiar?

"And what if I refuse?" David answered darkly. He was brave, Weiss had to admit that.

The Masked Villain played with his gun for a few seconds. "Then somewhere on this island, you're going to hear a little blonde girl scream."

Melissa! That blonde girl Midoriya was hanging out with yesterday. That was her father? She could see the family resemblance, though it started and ended with their eyes.

"Very well." David Shield looked away from the villain. He looked worried, as his eyebrows furrowed in thought. The Masked Villain and two of his armed thugs led them away, with the nervous fat man turning his head to look behind home one last time just before the doors closed on him.

Weiss took several deep breaths to stop her shaking. This would be a lot easier if there weren't any hostages, even if she didn't know what kind of quirks she was up against. She turned her attention back to All Might. He hadn't made any moved yet, which meant that she should hold back as well.

The World's Number One Hero knew best after all.

Kyouka usually enjoyed the quiet, it allowed her time to think and reflect on life, a small respite in a chaotic world, especially with the kind of career she had chosen for herself. Yet the silence that befell the hotel wasn't a comfortable one, it felt choking and wrong. She stood near the railings where a circular gap allowed them to look at the party floor a few floors down. Kyouka had only taken a short glimpse, but even with that it was still hard to miss All Might who was laying on the ground, with some kind of advanced energy restraints wrapped around him.

Midoriya was flashing the captured hero with his phone's flashlight. "I think he sees us. Are your earphone jacks ready?" The green haired boy whispered.

"Yup." Kyouka drawled, with both her earphones connected to the ground. She felt uncomfortable in the pink dress Momo and Mina had stuffed her in, but she did her best to push those thoughts to the side.

"Hopefully he'll get the message." Midoriya mumbled under his breath.

"I hope you can hear me." Kyouka heard All Might whisper thanks to her superior hearing. "Some villains have taken control of the Island, they somehow have managed to take over the securiry system, and everyone here is now being held as a hostage, including the heroes."

Kyouka felt her breath get caught in her throat as she turned to Midoriya.

"It's dangerous, get away from here as soon as you can."

"W-What did he say?" Midoriya did his best to look brave, but Kyouka was used to looking past the masks her friends liked to put up. He wasn't going to be able to fool her.

"It's bad, real bad." Kyouka grabbed her wrist, massaging it gently to try and calm her nerves. Weiss and Takeyama were down there somewhere. Kyouka hoped they were okay. And hopefully, Weiss wouldn't do anything too rash, the short girl had a short temper despite anything she said. Kyouka almost felt bad for the villains.

Almost.

A/N

Sorry this took so long! I got distracted with other stories, such as Journey Through The Stars, my RWBY/Star Wars AU crossover featuring Team RWBY attending the Royal Imperial Academy and their growth as officers of the Empire.

Feel free to check it out if you enjoy my writing, it has the longest single chapter I have ever written at over 4k words in its debut alone!

Till next time on Schnee: Hero or Huntress!