A Winter Reunion
"What, a sister?"
"That's right Winter, you're going to be a big sister."
The five year-old girl looked up at her mother, twirling her snow-white hair around her finger. She was not familiar with the concept of having a sister and was quite confused.
"But, how can I be a big sister?"
"Well, you're father and I are having another baby; see?"
The beautiful, white-haired woman moved her arms aside, revealing the bulge in the middle of her otherwise lithe figure. Winter's teal eyes widened as she climbed up her mother's dark blue robe to get a closer look.
"So, in your belly is my little sister?"
"Maybe, or maybe a little brother. Honestly though, I hope it's a girl." said her mother, whispering the last part.
"Then we'll be like you and Aunt Holly."
"Hm-hm, that's right."
As they were enjoying each other's company, a mustached man walked into the living room. He had combed, steel-gray hair and wore a white business suit with a light-blue dress shirt.
"Alright girls, I think that's enough fun for one night." he said, jokingly.
"But Daddy!"
"Ha-ha, no 'buts' Winter, it's time for bed." he said, picking the girl up. "You too Willow, you could use the rest."
"Of course, Dear. Could you tuck Winter in for me?"
"Oh, could you please Daddy?"
"Well…how could I say no?" he said as he lifted Winter into the air and swung her around.
The girl and her father laughed as he carried her upstairs to her room. He tucked her into bed and gave her a kiss goodnight.
"Daddy."
"Yes Winter?"
"I can't wait to meet my little sister."
"So, you hope it's a sister you're getting?"
Winter nodded.
"I do too. Goodnight Sweetie."
"Goodnight Daddy."
Several months passed as the Schnee family prepared for its newest member. Winter's old things from when she was a baby were brought out of storage, supplies were bought in bulk, and regular visits were made from the family doctor. The day it was confirmed that the baby would be a girl, Winter was ecstatic. She was so excited, she helped one of the butlers paint and furnish the baby's room all day.
A month and a half after Winter turned six, her little sister finally arrived. Two rooms in the house had been set aside and prepared for the event, the family doctor rushed over from his office next to the estate, and the rest of the servants waited in the hallway for good news. Winter twitched impatiently as one of the maids tried to calm her down. Finally, the doctor opened the door and signaled for the young girl to come in as crying could be heard dying down inside.
"Come here Winter." said her father. "Come say hello to your new sister."
Winter's face brightened as she looked at the little bundle in her mother's arms. The baby had icy blue eyes and a small clump of white hair. She looked around curiously, not quite able to consciously recognize the new world around her.
"She's so tiny."
"Well, she's a newborn, you were like that too, once." responded Willow.
"What're you gonna name her?"
"Her name is Weiss." replied her father.
"Weiss." said Winter, getting the baby to look up at her. "Hello Weiss, I'm Winter, I'm your big sister."
The baby tilted its head in confusion, earning a laugh from her new family.
After that, Weiss and Winter were practically inseparable. Winter would help her mother take care of the baby every chance she got. She was there when Weiss started crawling, when she learned to walk, and when she said her first word. Once she was old enough, the sisters would play together all the time; even after Winter started her combat lessons with the family's private instructor, she always made time for her little sister. Those were the happy days, before their family started to fall apart.
A twenty-three year-old Winter Schnee woke up from her dream. It had been a pleasant one about when she was still able to call the Schnee Estate home. She pulled her shoulder-length hair out of her face and tied it up in a ponytail. She tossed on a gray hoodie and matching sweatpants, then headed out for a morning workout.
Military life demanded that one stay in top shape, even more so if one was a Huntress as well. Winter started every morning with a five kilometer run. She always took a route around the base rather than bothering with the track, enjoying the more varied scenery. The winter air was bitterly cold, especially in Atlas, but she had grown accustomed to it over the course of her life and the run kept her warm enough. By the time she finished, others were starting their own routines.
Winter's next stop was the weight room in the base's state of the art training center. The building was heated and the workout was intense, prompting her to shed the hoodie for a tank-top. She was never particularly fond of weight training, her fighting style was based more on speed and mobility than brute strength. Despite this, she made a point to include it in her workout to build up her upper body. She went through sets of curls, weighted sit-ups, weighted pull-ups, and the use of various workout machines. She was all set to leave when she noticed someone, probably a new recruit, struggling to do an average-weighted squat.
"Eyes up, Soldier!"
"A-aren't you L-lieutenant Schnee?" he said, nearly stumbling as he racked the bar and saluted his superior. "Y-yes, Ma'am!?"
"You're form is pitiful, it's no wonder you're struggling." she said, not wasting any time in criticizing him.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am!"
"Do not apologize, listen. Feet shoulder width apart, toes fanning out only slightly."
"Yes, Ma'am!" said the recruit, placing his feet as instructed.
"Not now, after you've picked up the bar."
The soldier stepped over to the rack and picked the bar up over his shoulders, placing his feet in their previous position.
"Hands should be right on the edge of the grip, now get down."
The recruit dropped down into a squat, waiting for Winter's further criticism.
"Knees should be in line with your feet, buttocks out more, and keep your back straight." ordered Winter as the recruit adjusted his stance accordingly. "Good, now try that again."
The soldier stood up, the weighted bar following his movements far more smoothly than before.
"Better."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"That wasn't a question."
"S-sorry, Ma'am."
"It's fine, carry on."
"Y-yes, Ma'am; thank you, Ma'am."
Satisfied that her tutelage paid off, Winter left the weight room for the sparring hall. She took a training sword and immediately headed towards the fencing circle. As usual, there was a crowd gathered around by this point, eager to watch and even place bets on who would win. All bets were off when Winter arrived, however; everyone already knew she would win every match. Instead, they started betting how long each of them would last.
"So," called a female soldier, "who's brave enough to take on Lieutenant Schnee!?"
"Since you so boldly asked, why don't you go first?"
The woman's face fell upon hearing Winter's request, but she reluctantly entered the circle. The crowd joked around about the irony of the situation, only to be called out for it themselves.
What followed could only be described as Winter warming up for half an hour against everyone in the circle. The first girl was swiftly parried and struck by Winter's sword. The next soldier put up more of a fight, but he was met with the same fate. The third took a more aggressive approach only to have all of his strikes blocked before being soundly beaten. At the end of the session, the entire circle challenged Winter a once and still lost.
"Unbelievable, not one of you even came close to hitting me. You all need to work on your sparring, I expect to see improvements by tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Ma'am!" replied the entire circle in unison.
Winter left the training center, concluding her two hour morning workout. She was used to reprimanding new recruits and rookie soldiers for not being up to snuff. As a Huntress, she greatly outclassed most of the Atlesian Military, but still criticized everyone harshly to ensure that they improved.
Winter arrived in her quarters and immediately headed for the shower, gladly letting the warm water wash away the cold sweat. The private shower in her quarters was a welcome benefit of being a commissioned officer, acknowledging that her noble lineage likely played a hand in it as well. She exited the shower and put on her uniform, white pants and a matching blouse covered by a dark-gray waistcoat. This was covered by a long white overcoat with slit-sleeves, a pair of black gloves, and metal thigh-high boots. She tied her hair into an off-center bun and brushed her bangs to the right side of her face before heading for the mess hall.
Breakfast was the reward at the end of Winter's long mornings. She treated herself to some scrambled eggs and bacon with a couple of pancakes on the side, a meal fit for someone as physically active as her. She found a secluded place to sit and enjoyed her morning meal. A few newer soldiers passed by and made a note of the lone officer.
"Hey, who's the gorgeous officer sitting by herself?" asked one rook.
"Pipe down. That's Lieutenant Schnee, she's Special Forces."
"Yeah man, don't even think about messing with her."
Winter reflected on their words as they walked away, she reflected on the fact that her reputation alone was enough to push people away. Her noble upbringing and strict militant lifestyle had caused a rift to grow between her and her peers. Her interactions with other people had become almost exclusively business related. Even her beloved younger sister was someone she barely saw anymore. Her mind was tempted to wander back to six years ago, to when she started down this path of personal detachment, to when she and Weiss had begun to grow apart.
Arguments with one's father was standard fare for any seventeen year-old. Arguments in the Schnee family, on the other hand, were like diplomatic meetings right before the Great War. Tension in the family had risen dramatically over the years as its patriarch came home angrier and angrier every night. Shortly after Weiss had turned seven, it had been revealed that the Faunus Civil Rights organization known as the White Fang had turned into a terrorist organization. The Schnee Dust Company was already infamous for their use of low-pay Faunus labor, making them a prime target. With all that was going on, it was no wonder that Winter found her father's office to be the most uncomfortable room in the manor.
"I'm telling you to reconsider, Winter."
"I will not, I'm going to Atlas Academy. That is my final decision."
"But why?" asked her father, bringing a hand to his forehead. "You could learn everything you need to know about combat here, with a private instructor. Why choose the military?"
"I've had a private instructor since I was thirteen, it is no substitute for an actual Hunter Academy."
"And what about the company? I won't be around forever, even less so with those dogs running around killing my people. I need someone to take over the family business when I'm gone."
"I'm not interested."
"You're my first-born, it is your duty to be my heiress."
"I won't be a part of your corrupt company."
"Is that what you think!?" said the patriarch, standing from his chair.
The two stood their ground, staring each other down until Winter broke the silence. "I very well may be your heiress, but not until you are ready to be held accountable for your actions."
"If you think-"
"Daddy, Daddy, look."
Winter and her father looked over to the excited form of an eleven year-old Weiss running towards them across the large office, her ponytail swaying as she ran.
"Weiss, how many times have I told you not to barge in here?"
"Oh, sorry." she said, quietly. "But Daddy, look-"
"Not now, Weiss." he said, sitting back down.
"But I can make something pretty and-"
"Not now, Weiss!"
"Don't you neglect her enough? Just look at the damn thing!" yelled Winter, finally losing her patience.
Weiss covered her mouth in disbelief upon seeing her older sister get so angry. Their father simply stared at her, having at last lost his own patience.
"Winter, get out of my office." he said, quietly.
"Father, I-"
"Winter! Don't you need to pack?"
Winter simply nodded and saw herself out. Weiss looked back and forth between her father and her sister, confused by what was just said.
"You too, Weiss."
Weiss looked at her father before running for the door. She could tell from his face that he was doing what he could to restrain his anger. She hurriedly caught up to her sister, wondering if she provide her with answers.
"Winter, wait up."
"Hey," she said, leaning down to embrace her sister, "I'm sorry you had to walk into that."
"What'd Daddy mean Winter? What'd he mean?"
"About what?" asked the elder sister as they continued walking.
"Daddy said that you need to pack. Are you going away?" asked Weiss as they entered Winter's room.
"Winter sighed, knowing she finally had to explain what was happening to her little sister. "Yes Weiss, I'm going away."
Weiss gasped. "Why, why is Daddy sending you away!?"
"He's not sending me away, Weiss. I'm going away to school." she said, calming her sister.
"School, but why? We have teachers here at home?"
"Well, I want to learn things from other people too. I want to go to school to become a Huntress."
"Huntress, like the ones who fight monsters?"
"That's right, I want to help keep the people of Atlas safe."
Weiss seemed to understand, but pouted nonetheless. "But do you have to go away?"
"Yes, Weiss, I have to go." she replied as Weiss looked away, dejectedly."Hey, don't worry, I'll still come home and visit."
"You will?"
"Of course, anytime I have off."
Weiss's face brightened, happy knowing she could still spend time with her beloved sister. She became even more excited when she realized that her sister would be able to do even more amazing things after becoming a Huntress. She pulled at the hem of her white dress as she watched Winter pack her things.
"Winter, will you look at what I can make?" she asked, nervously.
"Hm, oh that's right. You had something you wanted to show Father didn't you?"
Weiss nodded.
"Well, let's see it."
Weiss closed her eyes and put her hands together. Winter quirked an eyebrow, confused about what her sister was trying to do. Weiss stretched her arms out, causing a glowing white light to grow between her hands. Suddenly, there was a four-pointed snowflake inside a circle, floating in the air between them. Winter's eyes widened as she saw the pattern materialize in front of her.
"Weiss, is that a glyph?"
"Yeah, it's just like the ones you can make." she said, smiling brightly. "Isn't it pretty?"
Winter couldn't help but smile, herself. "Yes, it's very pretty, and I'm very proud of you."
"Maybe one day, I'll be a Huntress too."
"Yeah, maybe." she said as the glyph faded. "Hey, Weiss."
"Hm?"
"Take care of Mother while I'm gone, okay."
Weiss smiled, putting her fists on her hips. "You can count on me!"
Winter made her way to the Military Police Building on the base. Since Atlas's government, school system, and military were all one entity, the military was also charged with keeping the peace and enforcing the law in the kingdom. The young man behind the desk looked up in surprise as he noticed the approaching Specialist.
"Lieutenant Schnee, what can I do for you Ma'am?"
"At ease Soldier, I'm here for a patrol assignment."
"A patrol, but aren't you Special Ops?"
"I'm not on assignment, and I promised Snow that I would help out with the Military Police today."
"Oh, I see." said the man, checking his computer. "It looks like Sector 25A could use an extra patrol today."
"Very well, thank you." she said as she turned to leave.
"You're welcome." the receptionist called after her.
Sector 25A was a secluded area on the edge of the capital city. Not many people lived there so crime was generally low. Unfortunately, the sparse population also meant that the occasional criminal had no qualms about hiding things there. Drugs, money, stolen goods, and even bodies had all been found out there in the past. People thought they could get away with it since there was almost no one around, remaining ignorant to the fact that law enforcement had kept a tighter watch there after the first incident.
Winter was scouring an area known for the trafficking of unprocessed Dust. The raw energy propellant had started selling exceptionally well on the Black Market after her father monopolized the industry in Atlas. She was about halfway done checking the potential hiding places when she spotted something strange in the corner of her eye. A crowd of people carrying what appeared to be torches was moving down an old, out of the way road.
The mob arrived at a particularly secluded house. They were all lower-class workers that lived in one of the shanty-towns in the outer part of the city, and they were all armed. Torches and spears made up the bulk of their arsenal while a few others carried guns.
"Come out hereboy!" called out the man in the center.
The crowd responded, some echoing his call, others yelling insults of their own.
"We know you're in there, White Fangscum!"
Again, the crowd responded to the man's call.
"We're here to bring justice to all the people your kind have killed!"
Again, the crowd responded. Already, two of them had broken down the door and were dragging a young, deer-antlered Faunus out onto the ground.
"P-please, I've done nothing wrong, I'm not with the White Fang!" he pleaded.
"Sure you aren't!" said one man.
"That's what they all say!" said a woman.
"Why should we believe you, you filthy animal!" said another man.
"You're a terrorist working for the White Fang!" said the leader as a man slung a noose over a nearby tree's branches. "And you know how we treat terrorists! How!?"
"They hang and burn!" responded the crowd.
The Faunus shook his head in terror and disbelief as the crowd laughed and cheered for his death.
"Break 'is antlers off first!" suggested one woman.
"Yeah!"
Two men grabbed the deer-Faunus by his arms while two others closed in to grab his antlers. He shut his eyes and abandoned hope as he waited for the pain to come.
"Enough!"
The Faunus man's eyes snapped open as he turned to look at who had called out. The mob simply stared angrily at the person who dared to interfere. Winter Schnee stood on the sidelines, saber drawn and eyes furious.
"M-miss Schnee?" said one of the people.
Whispers circulated through the crowd, some of fear, some simply wondering why she was there. The ringleader grew frustrated as he watched his mob slowly start to fall apart.
"Quiet all a'ya! Miss Schnee, to what do we owe the pleasure?"
"I can assure you it isn't a social call, much like this whole situation before me isn't one either."
"Now see here, this animal's a member of the White Fang. We were just-"
"That remains to be determined and is a distinction that will be made by me, not some band of vigilantes. Since you are so familiar with me, I assume that you are employees of the Schnee Dust Company?"
Many of the people nodded, some of them inching back towards the road. The leader was growing frustrated again as he saw fear on his subordinates' faces.
"Now look here Schnee, you may be Daddy's little girl, but you got no pull in the Company. Our jobs ain't goin' nowhere."
The crowd murmured in approval, feeling more confident after hearing that statement. Winter scowled, the 'Daddy's girl' comment having struck a nerve.
"True, but Iamwitnessing a hate-crime taking place, so as a Huntress and a member of the military I am placing you all under arrest."
Gasps swept through the mob as they stared at her in disbelief. "You wouldn't!" one of them yelled.
Winter's response was to create a circle of glyphs around the entire mob. Some stood their ground, others tried to run, all in vain. The gunners opened fire only to have their shots blocked by another glyph. Icy white and blue Beowolves materialized from the other glyphs, corralling the people in the center. Winter called forth another glyph beneath them, raising it up their bodies as it froze their ankles and wrists together. The last man left was the Faunus they had attacked who now stared at the ice-shackled crowd in disbelief. He looked up at his savior and bowed his head in respect as she approached.
"Th-thank you so much Ma'am! I-I'm forever in your debt!"
"Nonsense, I was just doing my job. Tell me, what is your side of the story."
"They've been harassing me at work for weeks, threatening me…" the man said as he recounted his circ*mstances to Winter.
Winter called a transport truck to bring the criminals back to the Military Police Building. They brought the deer-Faunus, Elwood, back as well so that he make a formal statement and help build the case against his attackers. The receptionist laughed as Winter came back into the lobby after making sure everyone was locked up.
"Guess it's a good thing Snow asked you to help, you leave for a couple hours and make fifteen arrests by the time you get back."
"Nonsense, this is all in a day's work." replied Winter as she continued towards the exit.
"Ah, wait. General Ironwood said he needed to see you when you got back."
Winter quirked an eyebrow, wondering what was urgent enough for the General to want to see her in person.
General Ironwood sat at his desk, sorting through the mess of papers strewn throughout his office. He ran his gloved right hand through his graying black hair. Sometimes he wished he had someone to help keep him organized and keep his stress down, like his old friend Ozpin did. He was broken out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on his door.
"Enter."
The door opened and Winter Schnee, one of his most trusted lieutenants, walked in. "General Ironwood, Sir." she said, saluting him.
"At ease Schnee." he said, finally able to put his papers down. "Have a seat."
Winter obliged and waited for him to continue.
"Now, you're probably wondering why I called you to my office." he said, taking a quick drink from a circular flask. "Well, first of all, I'd like to congratulate you for your outstanding performance. I don't think I've ever had a soldier as diligent as you under my command."
"Oh…thank you General." she replied, a little taken aback by his compliment.
"That being said, I also noticed that you've never once taken any leave since graduating the Academy."
"I've never found the need to, Sir. Especially with the amount of work that needs to be done here."
"Be that as it may, everyone needs a break every now and then, even me. With that in mind, I'm ordering you on two weeks mandatory vacation, effective immediately."
"Sir, you can't be serious?"
"It's non-negotiable, Winter, I've even got Health and Safety breathing down my neck on this. I will contact you if anything comes up that requires your attention. Understood?"
Winter sighed. "Yes Sir."
"Take some time, see the world, visit your family."
Winter got up, saluting the General before making her way to the door. "My family and I don't get along very well." she said, leaving.
"At least you still have one." said Ironwood, softly.
Winter was at a loss. Having never taken a vacation, she genuinely had no idea what to do. Her family had fallen apart years ago, and even though she still had a fairly good relationship with her mother, she never visited home unless she needed to keep up appearances with her father. Given what had happened earlier, her father would undoubtedly give her an earful when he saw her. The only other member of her immediate family was her sister, Weiss, but she was at school on Vale. Could she even go there, just barge in during the school year?
"I could always check to make sure."she thought, pulling out her scroll.
She checked Beacon Academy's website and was surprised to find that they were holding some kind of Holiday Festival. Atlas never had such events, most students went home or held their own small celebrations in the barracks.
"I guess a festival is as good a time as any to drop by. Maybe Mother would want to visit her as well."
Winter arrived at her airship, noting that all but the most essential crew members had been relieved of duty.
"Ah, Lieutenant Schnee," said the pilot, "as you can see, we will be flying with minimal crew for the next two weeks."
"Understood, set a course for home."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Winter's ship arrived at the Schnee Estate shortly. Winter was greeted by one of the butlers who helped raise her as a girl.
"Lady Winter, it is good to see you home again."
"Thank you, Dusk. Is my mother home?"
"She is, but before you go see her, your father would like to have a word with you."
Winter cringed internally, her father had probably seen her ship approaching from his office. Knowing she wouldn't be able to avoid him, she went along with Dusk.
"Good luck Milady." said Dusk as they arrived at the large oak double-doors.
Winter nodded in thanks before entering alone. She found her father as she always did, reading and signing away at the latest bundle of paperwork that came with running the biggest corporation in the world. She walked across to his desk, swearing that the room never felt any smaller.
"Father, I have returned home." she said, standing at attention in front of his desk.
The now middle-aged man looked up over his rectangular glasses. "So you have, welcome home."
Winter sighed internally, relieved at the possibility that her father hadn't heard the news yet.
"So tell me, why did you arrest fifteen of my employees earlier today?"
"Dammit."she thought, lamenting her father's connections. "If you mean that lynch-mob I found about to hang their co-worker in his front yard, I believe that it's self-explanatory."
"That co-worker was reported to be a member of the White Fang."
"A report based on a shallow internal investigation conducted by the very people who tried to kill him. My own investigation team will discover the truth."
"I see," he said, returning to his work, "I hadn't realized they demoted you to the MP."
"They didn't, I just help out from time to time."
"Ah, and is this the only reason you've come home?"
"No, I actually wanted to see Mother."
"A social visit? I didn't realize you were on leave, or ever took any."
"I don't, they forced me to because of that very reason."
"And where are you planning on going during your time off?"
"I haven't decided yet, but I was planning on stopping by Beacon."
Her father hesitated, having been reminded of his younger daughter's more defiant educational choices. "I didn't realize that a top-tier academy would just allow a student's day to be interrupted like that." he said, almost certainly aware of the Holiday Festival already.
"I'm sure they wouldn't mind letting family visit for a short time." she replied, rolling her eyes at the man's condescending tone.
"Yes, well, do make sure your sister is making good use of her time." he said, ignoring Winter's sign of frustration. "If that is all, I should be getting back to work."
"Of course, Father." she said, turning to leave.
"And Winter," her father said, stopping her, "try to get her to call home for once."
"Of course."
Winter breathed a sigh of relief as she walked down the hall. Seeing her father was always the hardest part about coming home; he always had to find something to scrutinize, something to give her a hard time about. She still showed him proper respect to keep up appearances, but she couldn't bring herself to say she loved him anymore after seeing all of the horrible things he and his company had done. Despite this, it was still worth it to stop by every once in a while to see her mother.
Willow Schnee sat comfortably on an armchair in the study, happily reading the latest romantic comedy by her favorite author. Upon hearing a knock on the door, she looked up to find her eldest daughter entering the room.
"Winter," she said, getting up, "you're home."
"Yes, I just sto-" she started, but was cut off by her mother pulling her into a hug.
"It's wonderful to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Mother." she replied, returning the embrace.
"So, how have you been? Is your job going well, have you been eating healthy, do you have a boyfriend yet?"
"Wait, what? Um, yes, yes,no."
"Oh, that's a shame, a beautiful woman like you should be looking for a husband at your age."
"I'm not as…traditional as you and Father." she said, reminded of how overbearing her mother could be.
"Well, in any case, I'm glad you're doing well. Do tell me though, why the surprise visit, did something happen between you and your father?"
"No, well, yes, but that's not the reason for my visit."
"Nothing serious I hope."
"No, just some trouble in the company."
"Oh, well that's nothing new, there's always something at work causing trouble for your father; but enough of that, whydidyou stop by."
"I've been forcibly put on leave from the military, something about how I never take a break."
"Well…they're not wrong." said Willow with a laugh.
"Anyway, I was planning on stopping by Beacon Academy and checking up on Weiss."
"Oh yes, would you please? I've been awfully worried about her, she really should call home more often."
"And that's when I found out that they're having some kind of Holiday Festival."
"Oh how wonderful, it's a perfect chance for you to spend some quality time with your sister."
"Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."
Willow stopped, looking at Winter confusedly. She seemed to ponder her daughter's request carefully before responding.
"I can't do that, Winter. Who's going to look after your father if I go? Besides, this should be a holiday for you and Weiss to spend together."
"I see. You're…sure about this?"
Willow simply closed her eyes and nodded with a smile.
"Very well. I should be on my way."
"Oh, say hello to Weiss for me."
"I will."
"Have a safe trip. I love you, Winter."
"I will, and I love you too, Mother."
They finished their goodbyes with one last embrace before parting ways, Winter to her ship and Willow to her armchair. The older woman smiled as she watched her daughter's ship depart.
Winter had a course set for Beacon Academy. With her state of the art airship, it would only take a few hours to reach her destination. She looked back at her childhood home and couldn't help thinking back to the last time they were all together here, the day Weiss has left for Beacon.
Weiss Schnee stormed into her father's office. Her off-center ponytail swayed behind her, her calf-high boots rang out with every step, and her bolero practically tightened around her dress in response to her frustrated movements.
"Father, I demand to know what you've done with my acceptance letter to Beacon!"
"Weiss, how many times do I have to tell you not to barge into my office unannounced?"
"That can wait." she said, ignoring his question. "I want to know where my letter is."
"It's right here, on my desk." he replied, gesturing to the piece of paper in question.
"And why is that? You know I need that letter for when I arrive."
"Yes, and as long as it's on my desk you'll not step foot on that campus."
"You have no right to-"
"I have every right! I'm your father, and as long as you live under my roof you'll do as I say."
"When I move out of here, I won't live under your roof anymore."
"Well then you'd better start pleading your case on whether or not you can attend Atlas, like your sister!"
Weiss gritted her teeth, staring her father down as he looked on in pity.
"Did you mention me, Father?"
Weiss and her father looked up to see Winter walking up to them in what looked like a new military uniform. Weiss brightened up at the sight of her sister, earning a smile and a nod in response.
"Ah, Winter, I was just telling your sister that she would be wise to consider Atlas Academy if she has any desire to further her studies away from home."
Weiss growled and clenched her fist shut. "I should go pack my things." she said before storming off.
Winter looked on with a mix of confusion and worry before turning to her father. "Were you two in the middle of a fight?"
The man sighed heavily. "Weiss has this misguided desire to go away to Beacon Academy in Vale to continue her combat training."
Winter's eyes widened. "Beacon is said to be the top Hunter Academy in the world. Their Headmaster, Ozpin, is practically a legend, even General Ironwood speaks very highly of him. Did Weiss…actually get accepted?"
"See for yourself." he said, pointing to the paper on his desk.
Winter picked it up, seeing it was an acceptance letter signed by none other than Ozpin himself. "This is fantastic news, we sho-"
"I disapprove."
"Disapprove? Father, this is an incredible opportunity for her."
"As is Atlas; it's closer to home, more disciplined. That fool, Ozpin, and his school lack structure."
"I think that any time away from home will do her well, regardless of which academy she chooses to spend it at."
"What are you implying?" he asked, putting his pen down.
"Nothing, only that Weiss is old enough to make her own decisions and should be allowed to see where her choices lead."
The Schnee patriarch removed his glasses and stood, clearly angry. "Fine, since you two seem to think you know what's best, I'll let her do as she pleases; but, she must prove herself first."
Winter felt her stomach drop. "Father, you don't mean-"
"Yes, the Great Knight!" he exclaimed as he made his way to the door.
"Father, Father, that's going too far!"
"I would argue it's not going far enough. Dusk, bring Weiss to the Mirror Chamber, tell her to bring whatever Dust she pleases in that rapier of hers."
The butler bowed in acknowledgement, giving Winter an apologetic look before leaving to find Weiss.
"I'm sorry, Weiss"Winter thought.
Winter and her father awaited Weiss's arrival in the Mirror Chamber. It was a large building located on the Schnee Estate. It's gothic architecture was similar to that of the manor and many of the buildings in Atlas, but it was clearly far older. At the back of the building was an enormous mirror stretching the length of the entire back wall.
Father and daughter broke their admiration when the door opened. They turned to see Weiss enter the room, alone.
"What is the meaning of this Father, why have you called me out here!?"
"Take a look Weiss, what do you see?"
"It's just a big mirror. Wait, why can't I see my reflection?"
"This is no ordinary mirror," he explained, "it reflects only those who have passed its test."
"What, how?" she asked, noticing her father and sister perfectly reflected in the mirror.
"This building is actually an ancient training facility that has been in the Schnee family for generations. Even my scientists can't figure out exactly how it works, only that it is activated by our family's Glyphs."
Weiss examined the mysterious surface with wonder. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Your sister has convinced me to give you a chance. You wish to attend Beacon, yes? Pass this test and I will grant your wish."
Weiss was shocked, to say the least. Her father was actually willing to let her go if she just passed one measly test. She would have to be sure to thank her sister afterwards.
"Alright, I'll do it." she said, not noticing Winter's pained expression.
"Step forward and consult the mirror."
Weiss stepped forward, wondering what she was supposed to do. She looked up and saw what looked like a glyph etched into the mirror's surface. She cast a glyph of her own, lining the circle-enclosed snowflake up with the scratches on the glass. The mirror suddenly darkened, turning into a pitch-black reflection of the room they were standing in. Weiss turned to her father, who gestured towards the mirror. Before she could step forward, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Good luck." Winter said, staring Weiss right in the eyes with dead seriousness.
Weiss nodded and walked forward, entering the mirror.
"NO!"
Winter turned around to see her mother running frantically towards them, Dusk trailing behind her in a brisk walk.
"Dusk, why did you bring my wife here?" asked Winter's father, sternly.
"Fire me if you'd like Sir, but she had every right to know."
"How dare you," said Willow, "how dare you make Weiss face that… thing!"
"Worry not Willow, the only thing that will be hurt is her pride, and mine."
"Get her out, get her out! I won't watch another daughter fight that monster!"
Willow struggled frantically as she felt her eldest daughter pull her into an embrace, reassuring her, "It's okay, it'll be okay."
Within the mirror, Weiss walked forward into the pitch-black darkness, her only illumination being the stark white of the windows and the mirror behind her. She kept walking until she noticed something in the middle of the room, what looked like an incredibly large suit of armor with an equally large greatsword. She inspected the armor curiously, wondering why it was there. Suddenly, the armor started to move.
The Great Knight stood at a towering twelve feet tall, more than twice Weiss's own height. With a tremendous swing of its sword, it smashed the floor in front of it as Weiss back-flipped out of the way. She drew her rapier, Myrtenaster, and charged forward using a glyph, running the Knight through and landing on the other side. The armored foe swung again only to have Weiss slide behind it and slash at its back. She braced for impact, blocking a horizontal swing as she was sent flying backwards through the air. She skidded to a stop on her feet before having to flip out of the way of another earth-shaking swing.
Outside the mirror, Weiss's family watched as she battled her titanic foe. Willow bit her lip nervously as her youngest daughter was thrown around the room by the shock of the impacts.
"She's doing well, she's improved a lot since I last saw her." said Winter.
"We shall see." commented her father, knowing she was just trying to calm her mother.
Weiss slid along the floor, righting herself as quickly as possible before reactivating her Semblance. She sped past the Knight faster than it could react, slashing it in a series of elegant flips before attacking its legs. Shooting herself upward with a glyph, she knocked the foe off balance before using another glyph in midair to go through it with a spinning slash. She used another glyph as a platform in the air as the Great Knight spun around with a vicious swing. She jumped over the massive blade only to get caught by surprise by an armored fist.
Winter grimaced as she saw her sister get punched through the air. Willow turned away, burying her face in her daughter's shoulder. The man of the house and his servant simply looked on as Weiss struggled to get up.
Weiss stood, bleeding from around her left eye. She didn't have time to worry about how this thing's attack had gone straight through her Aura, she needed to fight back. She pulled back the hammer on Myrtenaster's hilt, the revolving drum in the center stopping on the red chamber. She pulled the trigger, filling the blade with energy from the red Dust. The Great Knight charged forward, going for another vertical smash. Weiss raised her weapon, knocking back the Knight's sword with a flare of red light. She spun around, changing to the light-blue chamber before plunging her blade into the floor. A torrent of ice raced along the ground, binding the Knight in place. The armored creature swung horizontally as Weiss charged forward, jumping and landing on the flat of the moving sword. Using the light-green Dust, she swung at her enemy's hand and knocked the weapon from its grip, causing the sword to land behind her as she slid into place.
Winter was impressed with what she was seeing. Her sister had used two blends of Dust specifically made to have unique effects. For a speed-based fighter like Weiss, it couldn't have been more important for her to have both a powerful defense and a way to disarm her opponent.
"Did she blend that Dust together herself?" Winter asked.
"Yes, she's been spending a lot of time reading up on Dust and getting some of the lab boys to make unique types for her." replied her father with a frown, probably not thrilled with the perceived waste of company resources.
With its sword missing, the now freed Great Knight had to resort to its fists to attack. Weiss dodged a downward punch before casting a glyph underneath the animated armor. With a flick of her wrist, the glyph turned color and flipped the Knight into the air.
Weiss's father flinched back while her sister smiled. Neither had seen Weiss use Gravity Inversion before, it was a clear sign of her progress. Even Willow couldn't help but watch her youngest daughter with pride.
With the Knight helplessly flipping in the air, Weiss used her glyphs to fire six shots of Ice-Dust to bind the foe in place. One glyph for each arm, one for each leg, one for the waist, and one for the neck, all suspending the creature in midair. Her setup complete, Weiss leaped into the air and readied her sword. She selected the white chamber, another custom blend of Dust, covering her weapon in glowing white runes. With a single slash, she ran the Knight through one last time, causing it to fall behind her before exploding into a flurry of ice shards and snowflakes.
The battle had been tough, but Weiss was victorious. She was heading back towards the mirror when something felt…off. She turned around to see the Great Knight rematerialize behind her. She got into a fighting stance, but was surprised when the Knight didn't attack. Instead, it crouched down, resting one fist on the opposite knee and bowing its head in respect. Weiss smiled and gave the Knight a curtsy before continuing on her way.
Weiss emerged from the mirror with a look of triumph on her face. She looked back to see her reflection standing next to Winter's and her father's. As she turned back to her family, her mother and sister embraced her, giving her their congratulations. Her father merely looked at her with a condescending sort of approval.
Willow winced at the sight of Weiss's face before turning to her husband, clearly less than pleased. "Winter, go help your sister tend to her wound, I'd like to have a word with your father."
The sisters left their parents alone together and smiled when the first thing they heard was the echo of a loud slap.
Weiss sat at the vanity in her room, looking herself in the mirror as her sister cleaned the now dried blood from the left side of her face. Winter wore a solemn expression as she wrung out the damp washcloth.
"I'm sorry Weiss, it was my fault that you had to go through that."
"Don't worry about it, I'm glad I got to take Father down a peg."
"Yes, I suppose that is one perk that came with it." replied Winter with a laugh.
"So, you had to fight that thing too?"
"Yes, although in my case it was on better terms. Father didn't think you were ready, I didn't think you were ready; you surprised us both today."
"If I'm being honest, I've been playing my skill down until now to impress you and show up Father."
"Oh really, well aren't you the sneaky one?" said Winter, sarcastically. "In any case, I'm proud of you."
"Real-ow! Hey!"
"Sorry, the disinfectant stings." said Winter as she finished up.
Weiss looked at the raw red line that now framed her left eye, bringing her hand up to trace it.
"Don't touch that until it fully heals." said Winter, slapping Weiss's hand down.
Weiss pouted at the stinging feeling in her hand before looking back at her reflection. "I guess I'm gonna be stuck with this thing, huh?"
"The Great Knight always leaves its mark."
"It didn't leave one on you." said Weiss with a frown.
Winter sighed as she unclipped the brooch and belt of her overcoat, casting it aside. She turned around and continued to disrobe until her back was bare. Weiss gasped at the sight of the thick line of scar tissue across the middle of her sister's back. She turned around for a closer look, tracing her hand over the rough patch of otherwise smooth skin.
"You're lucky it caught you with its fist, I took the blade. You see, even I'm not invincible."
Later that day, the ladies of the Schnee family watched as the man of the house reluctantly returned Weiss's acceptance letter and provided her with a private flight to Vale. Winter couldn't help but be amused by the frustrated look on her father's face. She left shortly afterwards, her recent promotion to lieutenant having gone completely unmentioned in light of the day's events. She didn't mind, her sister's triumph meant that the visit was in no way wasted.
Snow was rare in the city of Vale. Being further south than Atlas, Vale generally had warmer weather than its frosty northern neighbor. When it did snow, however, the sight was breathtaking as the entire urban landscape was covered with a thin layer of white powder. Beacon Academy, in particular, got most of the snowfall due to its position high above the city.
The campus was bustling with activity, despite it being late in the day, as students frantically ran errands in preparation for the Holiday Festival. None was busier than Weiss Schnee as she desperately tried to organize her act for the festival's talent show. She had already gotten Ivory Keys on board as her pianist, now she just needed to secure a drummer and an acoustic guitarist, the other two musical talents that very few people she knew had. It is for this very reason that she stood hesitantly outside the door to Team JNPR's room.
"Um, Weiss?" said Jaune, the team's leader, as he answered the door. "If you're looking for Pyrrha, she's not here right now."
"Actually Jaune, I'm here for you." she said, uneasy due to their rocky relationship.
"M-me, what d'you need me for?" asked the blonde boy, certain she wasn't here to accept his previous romantic advances, especially since he had been dating Pyrrha for months now.
"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, you're actually a somewhat decent guitar player, and I need a guitarist for my act tomorrow. Will you help me?"
"Um, sure, why not?"
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! Here, commit these to memory by tomorrow night." she said, shoving several sheets of music into his hands.
"Okay, I'll get right on it." he said as the door was closed in front of him.
Jaune didn't often seem like it, but he was very intelligent and had a good memory. Weiss was confident he would have his part down by the time the show started.
"So, you manage to get Jaune on board for tomorrow?"
Weiss turned to find her teammate, Yang Xiao Long, walking towards her. The lilac-eyed blonde was actually exactly who Weiss wanted to see.
"Yes, now I just need one more thing, a drummer." she said, looking at Yang expectantly.
The boisterous blonde sighed. "Ruby told you I can play drums didn't she?"
Weiss nodded.
"You're not gonna make me do anything crazy are you?"
"No, just a steady beat to accompany the music."
"But that's soboring."
"Yang."
"Fine, gimme the music." she said, pouting.
Weiss handed the sheets over to her friend who took them into Team RWBY's dorm to look them over. Weiss breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax now that the majority of her preparations were complete. As usual though, her peace was short lived.
"Weiss!"
She looked over to see her team leader, Ruby Rose, rushing towards her. The red-cloaked girl nearly tripped as she brought herself to a sudden stop.
"Weiss look, I found some bells to shake for tomorrow!" she said, holding up the instruments.
"Perfect, I knew the school would have some. That was the last thing we needed so I'm going to do a final check on the sound equipment."
The two partners left the dorms and were making their way across campus when they noticed a four-winged airship with blue banners trailing behind it.
"Hey Weiss, isn't that your sister's ship?"
Weiss nodded, confused and happy at the same time. She took off towards the air-docks to greet her sister.
Winter exited her ship and took in Vale's winter air, noting that it was not as harsh as that of Atlas. She looked over and saw her sister running up to the dock, accompanied by her team leader.
"Winter, it's good to see you!" she called, rather brashly, upon noticing the lack of other military to compose herself around.
"Hello Weiss, and greetings to you as well Ruby Rose."
"Um…hi."
"What're you doing here at Beacon?"
"Do I need a reason to visit my sister during the holidays?"
Weiss smiled ecstatically at the fact that her sister went out of her way just to stop by for a visit, and even more so at the thought that she just might stick around for a while. "Are you staying for the festival? You simply have to watch the talent show tomorrow night."
"Talent show?"
"Yeah," chimed Ruby, "everyone gets to show off something they're good at besides fighting. Weiss is gonna be singing in it."
"Really? Well, I was already planning on staying a few days, but now I simply must."
"You will!?" asked Weiss, excitedly.
"Of course, I haven't heard you sing in so long."
"Oh, I can't wait for you to see it; actually, I just thought of some last-minute additions to make. Excuse me." said Weiss, running past a gray-haired man in a green suit.
"Well, she seems excited." he said. "Welcome back to Beacon Academy, Miss Schnee."
"Thank you, Headmaster Ozpin."
"How is General Ironwood?"
"The General is doing well, a little calmer now that recent crisis has died."
"I see, that's good to hear. Feel free to make yourself at home, it will take a few hours for us to prepare your accommodations."
"Thank you, Sir." she said, taking her leave from the air-dock.
Ruby had been deep in thought the entire time, no doubt putting together some kind of crazy yet well-intentioned plan. Since Professor Ozpin was already here, she figured she might as well go for it.
"Professor, we need to talk."
"Oh, about what exactly?" he asked with a smile, genuinely curious about what the silver-eyed girl had come up with.
Upon learning that the students had off from classes for the day, Winter had intended to spend the day catching up with her sister. Unfortunately, Weiss had busied herself with preparing for her performance tomorrow, leaving Winter to search the academy grounds for a way to kill some time. She eventually made her way to Beacon's library, figuring she could keep herself entertained by reading.
The building was mostly empty, save for a few students reading or studying despite the holiday festivities. She picked out a secluded chair and started reading a novel she had brought with her. It was a romantic comedy her mother had sent her, the first in her favorite series apparently. Winter couldn't help but laugh at the exploits of the goofy male lead, and the awkwardness of the love triangle he found himself in with the female lead and her rival. She had read through two chapters when she felt like someone was watching her.
Winter looked over her book to find a black-haired girl with golden eyes and a bow on her head, staring at her curiously. "Can I help you?"
"Oh, sorry," said the girl, breaking out of her trance, "it's just that no one usually sits here."
"I apologize, I'll move if it bothers you that much."
"No no, it's fine."
The girl took a seat and started reading her own book. The two young women sat together quietly until Winter noticed the Beacon student eyeing her again.
"Sorry," she said, shaking her head, "it's just, you look like someone I know."
Winter raised an eyebrow out of curiosity before recognizing who the girl was. "I think I recognize you from the Vytal Festival Tournament. You're Blake Belladonna of Team RWBY, yes?"
Blake nodded, now wondering who this woman was and why she was interested in her team.
"I am Winter Schnee, I probably reminded you of my sister, Weiss."
"Oh." she responded flatly, now meeting the sister Weiss had mentioned on occasion.
"You don't sound particularly thrilled about that."
"Sorry."
"Does something about me bother you?"
"No, it's nothing." said Blake, shaking her head.
"You know, I can tell you're a Faunus underneath that bow of yours." Winter said, quietly enough so that only Blake could hear it.
Blake flinched back, suddenly very on guard around the older woman.
"Don't look so surprised, Iama fully fledged Huntress."
"I'm more surprised you don't have a problem with a Faunus being on your sister's team." she said, calming down slightly.
"Have a problem with it? Of course not, if anything I'm glad. Hopefully having some Faunus friends will rid her of the prejudices she's no doubt built up over the years."
"You sound like you're speaking from experience."
"I am. I was also heavily prejudiced against the Faunus until I met some myself, including people that I trust with my life on a daily basis."
"Well, you'll be happy to know your sister is doing well in that respect."
Blake was much more comfortable around Winter from that point on. The two of them sat quietly for another half-hour reading their books. Occasionally, they would talk about what they were reading, each of them finding the other's unexpected choice in literature amusing.
"Well, I should be on my way." said Winter, getting up. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Blake Belladonna."
"Likewise." said Blake with a smile.
The sun was already low in the sky when Winter left the library. She figured she might as well get a workout in before dinner. She stopped by her ship to retrieve a spare set of clothes before heading to Beacon's training facility. It was pleasing to find that Beacon's equipment was top-notch and well maintained. In many cases, it was actually superior to Atlas despite the lack of military funding.
Winter was about half-way done when she was joined by a girl that she recognized as Yang Xiao Long. The fourth member of Team RWBY was well known in the Atlesian Military after they arrested her at the Vytal Festival Tournament for an unprovoked attack on her defeated opponent. It was later found that she had been framed and the opponent in question, Mercury Black, was actually a dangerous criminal, a total fiasco on Atlas's part when all was said and done. She remembered a particularly angry Huntsman named Qrow Branwen having a field day with the incident, apparently he was related to Yang somehow.
"Hey, I've never seen you before." said Yang. "Are you a new teacher or something?"
"No, actually I'm just visiting family."
"Oh. Wait, are you Weiss's sister?"
"Yes, Winter Schnee."
"Yang."
The two of them went about their business, doing their own exercises until Yang approached the older woman.
"Hey, so you're a Huntress, right?"
"I am."
"Would you mind sparring with me?"
Winter was surprised, a student asking for a spar with a Huntress, it was almost unheard of for anyone but the co*ckiest of first-years. Nonetheless, she accepted, making sure to hold back enough to make it somewhat fair.
"Nice of you to visit your sister for the holidays." said Yang, making small talk as they fought. "Glad I don't have to worry about that with Ruby."
"Ruby Rose, she's your sister?" asked Winter, dodging a couple of punches.
"You bet." responded Yang, blocking a kick.
"You could've fooled me, you two don't look anything alike." said Winter as she sidestepped a flying kick.
"We get that a lot. Truth is, same dad, different moms."
"I see, you're only half-sisters then."
Yang charged forward only to get tripped and thrown on the ground. "Again." she said after getting up.
Winter readied herself for another round, noting the flare of anger Yang felt after that last comment.
"Anyway, Ruby's mom raised me like her own, almost from birth too." said Yang, closing in for a strike only to have Winter dodge.
"I see, no wonder you're so close. Did you even know she wasn't your birth mother?"
"No!" said Yang, jumping up and getting knocked down again. "Again."
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your birth mother?"
Yang delivered a flurry of punches and kicks, forcing Winter to block some of them. "Walked out on us, almost right after I was born, the hell of I know where she is!" she yelled, getting knocked down once more. "Again!"
Winter could tell from her now crimson eyes that Yang was getting frustrated. "I apologize, I didn't mean to pry, I was just curious. As you probably already know, Weiss and I have had our share of…family problems."
"So I've heard." she said, blocking another set of strikes. "You two seem okay though."
"To tell you the truth, we've been drifting apart over the years." said Winter as she blocked a punch, flipping Yang head-first into the mat between her legs. "I envy you, I wish I could be here with Weiss every day like you and Ruby."
"Well, you're here now." said Yang, getting up. "Make the most of it, spend some time with her."
Winter sighed. "I really don't know what we'd do though."
Yang shrugged. "You'll think of something."
The two continued on until Yang was exhausted. With her Aura completely depleted, she couldn't fight Winter without risking injury.
"Why do you continue to throw yourself at a fully trained Huntress like this? You and I are in completely different leagues. What do you hope to accomplish?"
"I'm gonna be a Huntress one day, right? I gotta see where I'm at, hot I stack up."
Winter raised an eyebrow, thinking there might be more to it than that. "If that's the case, work on your legs."
"Excuse me?"
"Your legs. You're footwork needs improvement, you're too slow during combat, and you focus too much on blocking over dodging. Try to reign that anger in as well."
"Wow, yousoundjust like Weiss. Thanks."
Winter nodded and the two wrapped things up before leaving the training center. Winter ate dinner with Team RWBY and met their friends, Team JNPR, before heading to the room the academy had provided her with. She fell asleep wondering what she could do to make these holidays special for her sister.
The next day was even crazier as the festival went into full swing. The campus had been converted into a fairground for the weekend-long event. Stands were set up left and right, containing all manner of food and games. Weiss was particularly excited as she met up with her sister in the morning.
"Isn't this incredible!? We're going to have so much fun, I just know it!" she proclaimed as Winter took in the sights.
"It certainly is…festive." she said, impressed by the scale of the event.
It didn't take long for Weiss to start dragging her sister to every stand in the area. At first, Winter was apprehensive about dropping her usual composure in such a public setting. Eventually though, she decided that loosening up a little was what festivals and forced vacations were all about.
The sisters enjoying the fried dumplings and gingerbread cookies, noting that almost every food stand brought a different culture to the table. They played skee-ball and caught goldfish with paper scoopers. They bowed their heads in shame as they lost to Nora Valkyrie when trying to ring a bell with a hammer, Nora actually broke the top of the machine. They even got wrapped up in a mess of shenanigans involving Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, and a bundle of mistletoe. Three hours in, the sisters finally got a chance to sit on a bench for a breather.
"I must say, this is the most fun I've had in a long time." said Winter with a smile.
"Well, I'm just glad we were able to spend the holidays together."
"Hm, yes, it's been far too long since we were able to just have a day to ourselves."
Ironically, it was at that moment that Weiss's scroll decided to chime.
"Well, almost." she said, opening the device to read the text message she received. "Oh no. No, no, no!"
"What is it?"
"It's Ivory, my pianist for tonight. She came down with a cold this morning and can't make it. What do I do now? The whole performance will be ruined without a piano to accompany it."
Winter thought deeply about the situation. "Well, would they allow me to be your pianist?"
Weiss practically flinched at the suggestion. "You!? Come to think of it, I haven't heard you play in years."
"Oh, I'm sure I still play well enough to be able to help you. So, what do you think?"
"I honestly don't know, I guess we could always ask Ozpin."
In the end, Ozpin approved their request, saying that family members performing together was a shining example of the holiday spirit. Weiss quickly brought Winter to the school's conservatory to show her the sheet music and practice on the piano. While she had no talent for singing like Weiss did, piano and violin had been hobbies of hers since she was a child. It was rough at first since Winter was out of practice, but she quickly got back into it. In just two hours, Winter was playing like an expert, masterfully stringing notes together as if it were second nature to her.
The talent show finally began later that night, filling Beacon's amphitheater to bursting. Extra chairs needed to be set up in front of the stage to make sure there was room for everyone. The performers received priority seating so that they could access the stage easily.
The students of Beacon put on a wide variety of acts. Team JNPR dazzled the crowd with an incredibly choreographed dance, Team CFVY put on a fashion show that could only have been conceived in the mind of Coco Adel, and even the relatively unliked Team CRDL put on a respectable jazz performance. When it finally came time for Weiss's performance, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous, especially since her sister would be there watching. Team RWBY, Winter, and Jaune made their way to the stage, readying their instruments as Professor Ozpin took the microphone.
"Our next performance will be a Christmas song performed by Weiss Schnee, accompanied by the rest of Team RWBY and Jaune Arc of team JNPR. Regrettably, their fellow student, Ivory Keys, has fallen ill and was unable to be here tonight. Taking her place as pianist will be Miss Schnee's older sister, Winter Schnee. Enjoy."
The intro speech out of the way, the performers stood by to begin. Winter began to play a solemn melody accompanied by the soft tap of drums provided by Yang. Jaune lightly strummed the strings of his guitar while Ruby and Blake gently rocked sets of bells back and forth. Weiss held the mic close and began to sing.
~I'll have a blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me~
The whole amphitheater felt the sorrow and loneliness in Weiss's voice as she continued to sing. Even Winter couldn't help being overcome by her sister's sadness.
~You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas~
Siblings, best friends, and lovers looked to each other in the audience, all of them glad they had someone to spend the holidays with. Weiss looked around the room as she got closer to wrapping up the song, she had the audience exactly where she wanted them.
Suddenly, the music became a lot more upbeat. Rapid chords were strung together on the piano, the drums became more lively as a light tapping of cymbals was added, and the guitar became more prominent. Ruby and Blake began to shake their bells in a fast, steady rhythm. Weiss pulled the mic off of its stand and began to move about the stage as she sang a new song.
~Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo Hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you~
Weiss danced around and gestured to the audience, getting everyone's spirits up. Winter was impressed by just how much energy she brought to the performance.
~Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we
We've snuggled close together, like two birds of a feather would be~
The entire amphitheater was dancing in their seats along to the music, even some of the teachers were getting in on it. Winter had known the songs that were going to be sung from practicing the piano part, but seeing it all come together was truly a sight to behold. The whole thing was so enthralling that it inspired Winter to come up with what she thought was a very good idea.
When the song had ended, they all took their bows and filed off the stage. They sat around watching the other performances, noting that none drew as much applause as their own. Ozpin thanked everyone for their hard work and entertainment before his right hand, Professor Goodwitch, shooed everyone out of the building.
"I must say, that was truly a wonderful performance. It was a thrill to watch you sing again."
"Thank you, it was nice seeing you play piano again."
Winter shook her head. "Regardless, tonight wasyournight."
"It wasournight," replied Weiss, "I only added that second song because you were here."
It was already late when the sisters made it back to the dorms. They decided to say their goodnights and turn in. Winter, however, had one last piece of business to attend to. She dialed up her scroll and did a little research before finding a relevant phone number to call.
"Hello…Yes, I'd like to place a rush-order for tomorrow morning…Yes, I'm serious…Don't worry about the shipping, my own personal airship will arrive to pick it up…They will also provide payment on site…Thank you for your business."
With that call finished, Winter moved on to the next.
"This is Schnee…Could I ask you to run a last minute flight for me…"
Weiss woke up the next morning to find that her sister had seemingly disappeared. Thinking that she might've gotten called away on official business, Weiss went about her morning normally, wishing her sister was still there. Everyone kept enjoying the winter festivities while Team RWBY tried to cheer up their sulking teammate.
"And she said she would stay for a few days." lamented Weiss.
"Well, sometimes emergencies came up when you're a Huntress." said Ruby, trying to be supportive.
"Yeah, I can't count the number of times Uncle Qrow's gotten called away for some sudden mission." added Yang.
Blake simply placed a comforting hand on Weiss's shoulder.
"She didn't even say goodbye."
They had just finished up breakfast when Weiss's scroll chimed. She opened it to find a message from Ivory, she had seen the talent show on her scroll and wanted to congratulate Weiss. She thanked her friend and wished her well before closing the device. She was about to put it away when she received another message, one that immediately lifted her spirits. She took off, telling her teammates she would catch up with them later.
The message had been from Winter, telling her to meet up near Beacon Cliff. When Weiss arrived, she looked around to find that there was no one waiting for her. What she did eventually find, both amazed and confused her. It was a large horse-drawn sleigh, minus the actual horses, painted white and freshly lacquered. The metal frame was a brilliant silver and the seats had vibrant red cushions.
"What do you think," asked Winter from behind her, "did I pick out a good one?"
"H-how, why?" asked Weiss, still awestruck.
"I ordered it last night and had my pilot pick it up; as for why, I actually got the idea from your performance last night."
Weiss's face lit up at those words, she looked up at her sister with a look of pure joy on her face.
Winter smiled, she hadn't seen Weiss this happy since they were kids. "Well, it's snowy enough; you wanna go for a sleigh ride?"
Weiss nodded excitedly and got in the sleigh with her sister. "But, wait, how're we going to ride this thing without horses?"
"I thought we could do something a little more…creative. We'll use our Semblance to move the sleigh."
"That's sounds dangerous."
"Oh, come on Weiss, where's your sense of adventure? So, we'll go for a little fast."
"Well, it'll make good practice I guess." joked Weiss.
When the sisters were comfortable, Winter used a glyph to propel the sleigh forward. It slid downhill towards the Emerald Forest, now white as snow, as the sisters used their glyphs to steer. The sleigh soon started picking up a lot of speed and eventually overcame the girls' attempts to slow it down.
"Why don't we just stop it!?" yelled Weiss.
"Do youwantus to go flying!?"
"Then slow it down more!"
"I'm trying!"
"Aren't you a Huntress!?"
"I'm on vacation!"
"Winter!"
"Just try and avoid the trees!"
The Schnees used their glyphs to steer through the dense forest as best as they could until they were eventually able to stop in a clearing deep in the forest. The sisters looked at each other's snow-covered faces and burst into laughter.
"Y-you, you should see your face!" cried Weiss.
"Mine, w-what about yours!?"
"I told you t-this would be dangerous!" said Weiss, failing to compose herself.
After several minutes of sustained laughter, they were finally able to calm down.
"Hoo, that was fun." said Winter, fighting off the last of her laughter.
"Yeah, it was."
They were just sitting back and enjoying the view of the beautiful frozen woods when an angry growl was heard around them. They sat up to find a large pack of black, bipedal wolves with bony white spikes and armor. They were surrounded by Beowolves, one of the many types of Creatures of Grimm.
"They don't seem too happy that we're here." said Weiss.
"Well then, why don't we just show them how much fun we can be." said Winter, drawing her saber.
"Yes, let's." affirmed Weiss, drawing Myrtenaster.
The Beowolves were swiftly cut down in a flurry of blades and glyphs, dissipating into black smoke as they fell. The sisters worked well together, dancing around each other in perfect harmony as each move complimented the one before it.
"Alpha!" called Winter as an especially large Beowolf came charging out of the tree-line.
In one swift move, Weiss split the attacker in half. A stunned Winter looked up to see exactly what had done it. In the air was a glyph with an icy structure protruding out of it. It was an armored arm holding a huge greatsword in its hand, an identical copy of the Great Knight's arm made out of ice. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished.
"Weiss, did you just summon that?"
The younger Schnee nodded. "I've been practicing every day, like you told me to."
Winter walked up and pulled her sister into a hug. "I knew you could do it, I'm so proud of you."
Weiss returned the hug, happy with her sister's praise.
"Now, how about we go for another ride?"
"Sure, but how're we getting the sleigh back up the hill?"
"The same way we got it down."
The Schnee sisters took half an hour to get the sleigh back to Beacon Cliff, steering it in reverse with their glyphs. The second ride they took was nowhere near as smooth, however. The sisters were overzealous with their glyphs and ended up crashing into a tree. It took them three hours to walk back.
"I can't believe that Ursa destroyed what was left of the sleigh! I'm sorry we ended up ruining it, Winter."
"Don't worry about it, I could always buy another one if we want to do this again sometime. It's the experience that counts, anyway."
They laughed together as they made their way back to the dorms to clean themselves up.
The Schnee sisters spent their night going out for dinner. It was nothing extravagant, just a humble little restaurant in Vale where they could catch up on old times. They would talk about past winters when they would make snowmen on the Schnee Estate. They used to attack Dusk with snowballs after luring him outside, but the military-trained butler always gain the upper hand in the end.
"I wonder how Dusk is doing, anyway?"
"He's doing well. I saw him when I stopped by home before coming to Vale."
"You stopped at home?"
"Yes, to see Mother. She says 'hello,' by the way."
"How was she, is she doing alright?"
"She's fine, as overbearing as usual."
"Did she ask you if you're seeing somebody again?" asked Weiss with a laugh.
"Oh, don't you start with me."
The girls continued to chat throughout their dinner until the bill came. Winter ended up paying since Weiss's card was still canceled, she didn't mention their father.
Weiss walked Winter back to her room when they returned to Beacon. A peculiar sign greeted them on the door, it read: 'To the Schnee sisters, Merry Christmas.' Winter opened the door and was confused by the sight that lay before her.
"They gave us…bunk beds?" she wondered aloud, turning to her sister. "Weiss, what's wrong?"
Weiss had been silently crying since they walked in. "I-I've always wanted us to have bunk beds when we were kids."
Winter raised an eyebrow in confusion until she remembered the only other person present when Professor Ozpin had greeted her. "We'll have to thank that team leader of yours, won't we?" she asked, pulling Weiss into a hug.
Outside the room, Ruby and Professor Ozpin stepped out of one of the side hallways after the door closed.
"Thanks again for helping me do this, Professor."
"Family is one of the most important things we have in this world, and those two have had a rough family life. I was happy to help."
"You think they'll be alright?"
"I think they'll be fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my own family to get back to." he said with a wink.
"Huh, who're you…ohhh, right."
Back in the room, the sisters had already gotten ready for bed.
"Goodnight, Weiss."
"Wait. I have…Santa Slasher 3 on my scroll." she said, looking quite embarrassed. "We could…watch it before bed, if you want."
"Oh, why not?" said Winter with a smile.
The two sisters ended up snuggled together under a mess of blankets as they shared the relatively small screen.
'The big fat man is coming to town and when he does, it's gonna be a red Christmas this year! Hahahahahaha!'
The sisters laughed at the cheesy horror movie, wondering how it ever even got greenlit. When it was over they retreated to their respective bunks, Winter taking the top while Weiss claimed the bottom.
"Weiss, honestly, I didn't want to take this vacation. They forced me on two weeks leave."
Weiss smiled and rolled her eyes. "I figured it was something like that, you work yourselfwaytoo hard."
Winter laughed a little. "Regardless, I'm really glad they did. Maybe I should take leave more often."
Weiss laughed. "Goodnight, Winter."
"Goodnight."
The two sisters fell asleep, knowing that for the first time in years, they would wake each other up in the morning.
