An Act Of Defiance

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!!

Okay so since the volume 7 designs got released, I whipped up a little something! This will begin with a flashback and then jump to the present time, directly after volume 6 (I know it ended with them facing off against a hundred ships, but let's just jump ahead and pretend the girls and crew have landed somewhere, shall we?)

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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													An Act Of Defiance

Weiss loved her hair.

She loved its color and its texture, the way it smelled of fruity shampoo right after a bath, the way it could keep her warm in the wintertime like a scarf, the way it softened and smoothed when she brushed it.

Being that she was home-schooled, she didn't get to interact with many other children her age, but even at six years old she knew not many other children had hair quite like hers. Hers was the longest, the softest, the prettiest. Winter always told her as much.

Weiss always loved to take her baths at night and then scamper into her older sister's room so Winter could dry it and brush it for her. Weiss loved the feeling of having someone else brush it for her. She liked to know that Winter was as proud of Weiss' pretty white hair as she was.

Her nightly routines with Winter were her favorite times of day. Sometimes Winter would play with it a little as per Weiss' request. She would divide it into three sections and twirl them together into a braid.

"And then when you take it out tomorrow," she'd say. "It will be wavy and curly like the surface of a snowy ocean."

Weiss would squeal with delight and ask her to braid it for her, or sometimes she would ask for twin-tails or a bun or any other kind of style.

Winter would always praise her for how hard she'd worked at their home-schooling lessons that day as she'd tend to Weiss' hair for her. One night, she told Weiss something that would stick with her for a very long time.

"Did you know?" she'd said as she'd gently pulled a brush through Weiss' locks. "A lot of people nowadays are cutting their hair short. They say it's an act of rebellion, or a symbol to show their freedom. They say their long hair is too much of a burden to take care of.

"But many centuries ago, people with long hair were few and far between, and they were adored for it. Back then, people cut their hair if they were having trouble getting by. They would sell it or trade it for supplies. Only royalty had long hair back then, because they could afford to take care of it. Only they had the means to wash it and brush it every day."

"Royalty?" Weiss had squealed. "Like princesses?"

And Winter had put down the brush to hug her little sister from behind, kissing her head.

"Exactly. Princesses."

Weiss loved the idea of being a princess. So she cared for and treasured her long hair no matter what anyone else said.

As she grew older, little by little, more and more people would comment on her hair. When her father would host banquets, Weiss would always wear her hair down and wait for someone to tell her she looked like a princess.

But Winter was the only one who ever did.

The only other people who praised her hair did so with hungry eyes. Older men would approach Weiss and tell her how gorgeous and sexy she was, but that her hair was too childish. They'd run their fingers through it and smell it, tell her they wanted her to cut off locks for each of them to keep.

The women would chatter and gossip that it was too long and too messy, that it made her look like a witch when she let it down. They told her to cut it, that shorter hair would make her look more mature.

Even the children that would attend had hair cut short and neat and would ogle her as though she were a villain, not a princess.

Winter was the only one who could comfort Weiss, hug her at night when the parties were over and tell her she was perfectly fine to keep loving her long hair.

Winter's acceptance allowed Weiss to keep accepting herself.

She grew older, grew her hair longer, and more people kept telling her to cut it for all kinds of reasons. She ignored them all, refused it even when her own father demanded she get it cut for the sake of appearances.

Weiss had the will to fend them all off until the day Winter left.

She was going to military school, with aspirations of protecting the kingdoms and helping the world. She'd left Weiss with a warm hug, and words of encouragement and love that had lingered even well after she'd gone.

But without Winter there to protect her anymore, Weiss became scared. When her father would yell at her now, she didn't have Winter to defend her.

Weiss was too scared to refuse him or talk back like her older sister had been able to do, and there was only so much Klein could do to help her. Her father would yell for all kinds of reasons – her studies, her singing, her wishes to become a Huntress. He'd find the tiniest reasons to yell, to strike fear into her heart and keep her under control.

And soon he'd start to yell about cutting her hair. He'd threaten her to do it, telling her people were gossiping that the heiress to Schnee Dust still had the appearance of a child with her long babyish hair.

He'd hit her many times in the past, but that was when he started grabbing her hair, yanking it violently and leading her around like a dog. He'd pull it every day, warning her that other men would do the same and take advantage, that she would be safer to cut it, that it would be for her own good.

Weiss would run to bed crying almost every night. She became ashamed of her hair. She almost wanted to get rid of it...

But she still enjoyed washing it in the shower, lathering it and rinsing it and making it smooth and soft. Now that she was older and Winter was gone, Weiss couldn't take baths with her anymore, and Winter couldn't dry it for her.

But Weiss loved showers because she could sing and be alone, and her long hair gave her an excuse to stay in for extended periods of time.

She'd stay for nearly half an hour washing it, using that private time to escape the rest of the world. Sometimes she'd sing, but more often than not she'd cry.

No matter what people told her, no matter what her father did to her, Weiss still loved her long hair. She loved drying it and brushing it like Winter had done for her, she loved running her fingers through it and watching it cascade down as she let it spill over her arm, she loved letting it pool out over her pillow and rolling into it to breathe in the scent of flowers and fruit.

But most of all, she loved the memories it gave her, of Winter and of her childhood.

Some part of her deep down still believed that maybe one day she could truly be a princess. Perhaps not the kind she'd envisioned as a child, but a princess nonetheless.

Winter had told her that people these days were cutting their hair as an act of defiance. But for Weiss, it's just the opposite.

She keeps hers long to rebel against her father, ties it into an off-centered ponytail as a symbol of defiance against his laws of perfection.

When all the world tells her she should cut her hair for this reason or that, Weiss refuses. She lets it grow and cares for it to prove her dedication to her silent cause.

Eventually, she manages to get out of that house and head for Vale, and for Beacon.

And on the day she leaves, her snow-white cascade of silver hair trails out behind her.

. . .

. . .

Although the group had been off to a bit of a rocky start here at Mantle, things eventually quiet down enough for them to begin planning their next move. Their ultimate goal is Atlas, and everyone knows Weiss isn't terribly happy about it, but she'll follow her friends and her team wherever they need her to go.

But for now they've gotten off their ship and found a place to stay. Qrow, Maria, Oscar, and Jaune's team are staying on the bottom floor, while team RWBY is taking the top.

It's only at rare times like these when they get a night to rest and recuperate that they all realize just how long it's been since the last time they were able to do so. They all take turns showering, having no changes of clothes so they have to put back on what they'd been wearing beforehand.

"Eugh!" Ruby whines, wrinkling her nose. "I just took a shower and I still feel so stinky and gross! We need some new clothes!"

"Definitely," Yang agrees. She's seated on one of the two beds with Blake, who's brushing through her long wet hair with a thoughtful expression.

"Maybe not just the clothes need a change," she murmurs. "I think... I wanna cut my hair."

Everyone's eyes go wide as they turn to look at her.

"Whoa, really?" Ruby pipes.

"That's nice," Yang smiles, leaning back. "I think it'd look good on you."

Weiss doesn't say anything. She's tired, and almost expects all eyes to turn to her next, expects them to tell her she should cut her hair too...

"Weiss?" Ruby sidles closer to her on the bed, bumping shoulders with her gently. "You okay?"

Weiss had stopped pulling her brush through her hair halfway and gotten lost in her thoughts. Now she shakes her head.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Ruby frowns.

"I bet. There's a lot to think about... but for now, why don't you try to think about what kinda new clothes you wanna look for tomorrow? I already have some ideas~"

"Same here," Yang says. "I know exactly what I want."

"I'll have to see my options," Blake says. "But I'll take almost anything to get out of these smelly things."

"What about your hair?" Ruby asks her. "When are you gonna cut it? Tonight? Can I do it?"

"Whoa, easy, Ruby," Yang chuckles. "You've never even cut your own hair. That was me, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..."

Blake chuckles at the exchange.

"Not tonight," she decides. "Maybe tomorrow. I kinda want a fresh start..."

Weiss straightens up just a little. A fresh start. For Blake, it works. After all, she'd just rid herself of the demon that had consumed her life for as long as she'd been breathing. For Blake, cutting her hair would absolutely symbolize freedom from her past, cutting ties with the darkness.

But Weiss still can't imagine cutting her own hair. As she combs the brush through it now, all she can remember is Winter. Weiss hasn't seen her in so long. She doesn't even know if she's all right...

She can't stop a shaky breath from escaping, one that trembles enough to catch her partner's attention.

"Weiss...?" Ruby reaches out to touch her hand. "Are you sure you're okay...?"

The heiress curls her fingers more tightly around the brush, but she doesn't move her hand away from Ruby's.

"Yes. I was just thinking... maybe I should do something with my hair, too."

"Huh?" Ruby's jaw drops. "Y-You wanna cut yours, too?"

Weiss almost chuckles.

"Why? Would that be a problem?"

"What? N-No of course not, Weiss! I mean, I always really liked your hair long and stuff, b-but it's your body and you do whatever you want with it!"

Weiss finally cracks a smile.

"Calm down. I'm not actually going to cut it."

"Oh... okay..."

"You sound relieved."

"I-I mean, I just-"

"Easy, Ruby," Yang says. "Weiss, would you quit teasing her?"

"Sorry. I couldn't resist."

"I hear ya." Yang stretches her arms above her head until her shoulders pop. "So what kinda stuff do you wanna do with your hair then if not cut it?"

Weiss ponders for a moment.

"Perhaps a braid," she decides. "Winter would always braid it for me..." She trails off, and the room falls silent for a moment.

The others make eye contact and bite their lips. Blake had already dealt with the people of her past, and Ruby and Yang have always had each other.

But Weiss hasn't seen her older sister in nearly a year now. They all know how much she loves and admires Winter.

So without saying a word, all three of them quietly move to sit behind Weiss on her bed. Surprised, the heiress turns to look back at them.

"What-?"

"Here," Yang says. "Toss me the brush. I know a thing or two about long hair."

"So do I," Blake says. "Just because I plan on cutting mine doesn't mean I'll lose my touch."

"I think I could be pretty good with long hair, too!" Ruby adds.

Baffled, Weiss slowly hands them her brush and turns back around. She stiffens, and her heart begins to pound. She can't even remember the last time someone else had brushed her hair for her. She'd long-since forgotten the feeling of Winter's caring touch. Everyone since then had only yanked and pulled it – her maids, her father, his guests...

"Easy, princess," Yang says gently. "Lighten up a bit. Take a breath."

That word. Princess. It's what Weiss has always wanted to be called. Yang's nickname for her had been there all along, but it had never held as much meaning for Weiss as it does now. She draws in a deep breath and relaxes, just a little. Ruby leans up against her side.

"Don't worry! Yang's really good with hair-care stuff! She won't hurt you!"

"Right," Yang says. "But if you want us to stop, just say the word, kay?"

Weiss stays quiet and still as she feels Yang's hands get to work with her hair.

"See," the blonde says. "One tip is to always start at the ends. If you start at the top and go all the way down right away, the brush is gonna get snagged and stuck in all the knots. Not to imply your hair is knotty or anything, Weiss. But if you start at the bottom and smooth out a path, it's much easier."

Yang demonstrates, placing her prosthetic hand horizontally across Weiss' back over her hair to keep it from getting tugged as she brushes. She handles the bottom section of Weiss' hair for her with slow, careful strokes, making sure not to tug. She's always been so gentle in spite of her strength. Being an older sister, Yang knows how to control herself to ensure she doesn't cause Weiss to so much as flinch.

After a few minutes, Blake requests her turn, and Yang hands the brush over.

"Another thing," the Faunus girl explains. "Is that when you do come across a knot, don't just yank on it. Not only does it hurt, but it'll more likely than not just result in breaking or ripping the strands."

She copies Yang's technique, pressing one hand over Weiss' back to prevent any tugging while she moves the brush down from the middle of her back to the small of it. "If you do find a knot, instead of pulling, you should wave the brush over it gently and work through that area slowly. If you go over it a few times like this really carefully, it'll untangle the knotted strands instead of tearing them out."

She does as she says and curves the brush very gently over a small bundle in Weiss' hair. After a few waving motions with the brush and a few passes over that spot, it becomes smooth and silken.

"There. How's that feel?"

Weiss remains still and simply bows her head a little.

"It feels very nice." For someone who'd been so aloof and kept to herself, Blake is very good at tending to others and considering their feelings.

Blake smiles and continues working her way up, until she can smoothly run the brush from Weiss' shoulders all the way down to the ends. At that point, Ruby requests her turn.

"I got this! Since my hair's short, I'm really good at doing the top part!"

Blake chuckles and hands her the brush. Ruby lifts herself up onto her knees behind Weiss and holds onto her shoulder.

"Okay! I'm gonna be super gentle, so don't worry! If I hurt you, just tell me right away, okay, Weiss?"

Weiss merely dips her head again.

Ruby gets to work, her hands wobbly and uncertain as she strokes the brush through Weiss' hair. She starts at the top of her head and works all the way down, Yang and Blake's work having left Weiss' tresses smooth and perfect. Ruby runs the fingers of her free hand through a few locks as she brushes.

"Not too shabby, sis," Yang praises her. "Though Blake and I did make it nice and easy for you."

"Guhh, gosh!" Ruby groans. "How do the three of you brush your hair like this for so long all the time? My arm's tired!"

Blake and Yang laugh.

Weiss wants to do the same. But instead of laughter, something else bubbles up in her chest. It's warm and nostalgic - almost a little painful. They've all been so gentle with her, so considerate, treated her like the princess she'd always wanted to be...

Weiss' shoulders begin to tremble softly.

Blake's ears flick instantly to the quiet sounds of crying.

"Weiss-?" Her concern draws the sisters' attention to the heiress. Tears drip down Weiss' cheeks one by one, falling into her lap. Ruby yelps.

"Oh my gosh! Weiss, are you okay?! D-Did I hurt you?! I-I'm so sorry-!"

"Weiss, hey," Yang tucks a lock of hair behind Weiss' ear. "What's the matter?"

Blake moves in on Weiss' other side and rests a comforting hand on her knee.

Weiss sobs harder, lifting her hands to her face to stifle herself.

"I'm all right..." she gasps. "I'm just... happy..." A tiny laugh slips free between the sobs, and the others relax a little.

"Thank goodness."

"You scared us, princess."

"Weiss, what the heck!"

The heiress laughs again.

"Sorry." She smiles, wiping the tears away. "I'm just... so lucky to have all of you."

She turns around and gathers all three of them into her arms, pulling them close. One by one the others return the favor, squeezing the whole team together into a group hug.

Weiss closes her eyes for a moment. Being here with them, surrounded by their love and warmth and acceptance...

It feels just like being with Winter had used to feel.

She'd known it all along, but it's just more proof that team RWBY is her new home.

After a few moments the girls ease apart. They have Weiss turn back around, and together, Ruby, Blake, and Yang divide her hair into three sections. They each take one and begin braiding, each of them taking their turn when it's necessary, overlapping the locks in a neat pattern.

When they're all finished, Blake ties the ends with a hair tie she'd never really needed before, and won't need again after tomorrow. Yang ties the top for Weiss, and Ruby tops it off with her tiara.

When Weiss turns back around to face them, they clap and cheer.

"Waaaah! Weiss, you look soooo prettyyyy!"

"It'll be very efficient during battle. You'll be able to move more quickly."

"Plus, if you were ever in a tight spot, you could give someone a good whack!"

Weiss laughs, and the last of the tears drip free. She pulls them all into another hug and keeps them there for a while.

"Thank you all."

As effortlessly as they'd woven her hair, they'd woven themselves into her life as irreplaceable pieces. There aren't any other people on all of Remnant Weiss would rather get tangled up into adventures with than these three.

Weiss' team makes her feel more adored than royalty, more admired than a princess, and more loved than a queen.

Tonight marks the beginning of her fresh start, her next phase of defiance and rebellion, her next pillar of growth.

From now on she'll move forward, and her long snow-white hair will sway behind her, supported and held together by the three girls who had done the same for her.

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A/N: The general idea for this was just gonna be to have the others braid Weiss' hair for her, but as you can see I just absolutely went off. I've had long hair my entire life, so I used a bit of personal experience - good and bad - while writing this. I'm really glad RT didn't cut off Weiss' hair, and these are some possible reasons why.

Also, I've always had Yang call her "princess" in most of my fics since day one, so this was a perfect opportunity to throw it in again.

Here's to volume 7! And somehow, I'm still here writing!