Accelerating Development

Just as she had mentioned on the Scroll, Weiss arrived at the Frostvale Family Manor within about an hour.

The familiar pristine white limousine, typically used by the Schnee Family, came to a gentle stop at the base of the manor's stairs, hovering smoothly in place.

Inside, Weiss turned to the driver and said, "I'll be staying here tonight, so you can take the rest of the day off."

"Of course, Miss Schnee," the driver responded in a respectful tone.

Weiss stepped out of the limousine, her blue boots clicking on the ground as she closed the door behind her. A moment later, the vehicle turned around and headed back down the winding driveway.

Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, secured with a silver and ruby hair clip. She wore something different from her usual attire.

Given the colder weather, her gradient dress, which shifted from white at the top to a light blue toward the bottom, was complemented by a fluffy white fur collar. The short cape draped over her shoulders mirrored the colors of her dress on the outside but was red on the inner lining.

Her gloves were also lined with fur, and sleeves attached to them covered her arms. The darker blue hue of the gloves matched the leggings she wore.

As always, Myrtenaster, her custom weapon, rested at her waist. Her hands weren't empty either—one carried a small store-bought bag.

She ascended the stairs to the manor's door and rang the doorbell, which sent a discreet notification to the staff rather than echoing throughout the building.

Less than a minute later, the door opened to reveal Lavi, someone Weiss recognized. Lavi's smile was warm, and her emerald eyes were as striking as ever.

"Hello, Lavi," Weiss greeted politely.

Over the countless times she'd visited with her brother, she'd come to know both Lavi and Lionel. She got along better with the former, though not because Lionel was rude or unsocial—rather, Lavi was just easier to talk to. She always had a friendly air about her, in contrast to Lionel's more professional demeanor.

Maybe that was something Weiss had grown to appreciate, especially after being partially raised by Klein, one of their family's butlers.

"Hello, Miss Schnee. I'm guessing you're here to see the Young Master? Another sparring session?" Lavi asked, stepping aside to let Weiss in.

"That's right," Weiss replied with a nod. She removed her fur-lined hood and handed it to one of the maids standing nearby.

"Let me show you the way, then. Last I checked, he was still enjoying his bath," Lavi said as they began walking.

"Oh, yeah, he was doing that when we were talking on the Scroll, too. Honestly, I didn't expect him to be the type to enjoy a relaxing bath. It just seemed like something…" Weiss trailed off, trying to find the right way to express herself.

Lavi glanced back at her with a knowing look.

"I understand what you mean. It's true, ever since the Young Master woke up from his coma, he doesn't relax much unless the Madam insists. But he does have his moments."

"I see," Weiss replied thoughtfully.

She then asked, "Speaking of relaxing... how's he been? Since his recovery, I mean. I haven't been able to visit often. Has he been doing okay?"

Lavi paused, thinking for a moment as she glanced up at the ceiling, then nodded.

"I think so. The Sir and Madam asked us to keep a close eye on him after he got out of the hospital—understandably so. But honestly, we didn't notice much. He used that exoskeleton of his at first, but eventually, he didn't need it at all. He handled his own meals, too. Aside from the doctor's check-ups, there wasn't much for anyone else to do."

Weiss was quiet for a moment, processing what she'd just heard, before shaking her head with a small sigh and a grin.

"Nursing himself back to health after falling out of an airship. I should be surprised, but I'm not. It's just like him."

"Yes, I suppose it is," Lavi agreed with a smile.

Soon, they arrived at Asher's room, and Lavi stepped aside, saying, "Well, I've got some work to take care of. But just call me, and I'll be there in a jiff, alright?"

"Of course," Weiss responded with a small wave. With that, Lavi left, and Weiss turned her attention to the door to Asher's room.

She knocked first, but got no answer. After the third attempt, she reached for the doorknob and walked in. As she closed the door behind her and set the bag she had brought on the desk, she heard music coming from the bathroom.

Raising her voice slightly, she called out, "Asher, are you still in the bathroom?"

There was a brief pause before Asher's voice came from behind the door.

"Oh, Weiss, is that you? I must've lost track of time. I'll be out in a bit."

"It's fine, really. I did get here a bit early," Weiss replied as she sat on the bed, starting to roll down her gloves. After she was done, it was while she was leaning over the bed, taking off her boot, that she heard the bathroom door open.

"It's been a while since I've had a bath like that," Asher said with a slight sigh of satisfaction.

"I'm a bit pruned, but I have to admit, it was nice." Weiss looked up from where she was sitting, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You know, I was just talking to Lavi about how you don't really seem like the type to…" Her words trailed off when she saw Asher step out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

Asher had never been one for intense exercise—he did just enough to maintain a healthy balance—but with everything that he had been doing recently—the sparring, utilizing the exoskeleton, training the Insurgents for a while, and getting his hands dirty with manual work in the workshop—his body had changed.

There was a definition now, every line of muscle easily discernible and highlighted by the water still clinging to his skin. His hair, which usually didn't go past his brows, now hung lower, shadowing his eyes slightly.

And that smirk. That damn smirk. It was always there, so self-assured, even during their sparring sessions, to the point she wanted to wipe it off his face. But at the same time, it was that same attitude, the confidence behind every move and touch, that made her fall apart when they were together.

"Weiss..." Asher's voice drawled, slow and deliberate, as he circled the edge of the bed.

His eyes never left hers, a faint amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"You're staring, you know."

By the time he stopped, he was standing right in front of her, too close. He cast a shadow over her, his gaze heavy, sinking into hers. Weiss blinked, her breath catching as she tried to recover.

"No, I wasn't, I was just-"

Asher cut her off smoothly.

"Relax. I'm flattered. Honestly, it'd be a little tragic for our relationship if you didn't like looking at me... at least a little."

He lifted a finger and gently hooked it under her chin, tilting her face up toward him with effortless gentleness that still made her heart skip. The room around them seemed to quiet, the tension thickening, the familiar soft heat in the air drawing them closer.

Then he leaned in.

Weiss didn't hesitate, not much. The moment his lips brushed hers, she found herself moving slightly, meeting him halfway, her fingers gripping the fabric of her thighs in a vain attempt to steady herself.

Asher's free hand moved to brace against the mattress beside her.

The kiss deepened, slow and smoldering, as Asher's lips coaxed hers to part, and she let out a soft sigh. His tongue slid in, moving over hers with a slow motion that made her back arch slightly. She felt his hand, the way it slid from the bed to her waist, pulling her in closer.

The way their breathing mingled created an overwhelming pull, an urge to just fall back and pull him down with her. But before she could let that feeling take over, Asher pulled away, taking the heat with him.

Weiss's gaze was slightly fogged, her face flushed, her breath heavy. In contrast, Asher seemed almost perfectly fine, save for the shimmer left on his lips.

"But I do need to get dressed and dry off," he said, stepping back.

"I'll be right back, alright?" With that, he walked toward his closet, leaving Weiss sitting there, still catching her breath.

At some point after that, Weiss had fallen back onto the bed, lying there as a low sigh escaped her. Her eyes closed, and she draped an arm over her forehead, letting the heat in her face slowly fade.

Really, Weiss? That's all it takes? A little skin and a kiss, and your mind just goes blank... dammit, that's so embarrassing.

When Asher returned, he was fully dressed and mostly dry, his hair only slightly damp. The sight didn't stop Weiss's imagination from drifting back to that moment just a few minutes ago. Fortunately, Asher started talking about something else and didn't tease her.

"So, I know Whitley probably told you that I invited you over to spar," Asher said, adjusting one of the cuffs of his long-sleeve shirt.

"Well, yeah. You mentioned it in the group chat," Weiss replied.

"Yeah, well, that's not exactly right. Truth is, I mostly wanted to help you with your training," Asher clarified, walking toward the center of his bedroom.

Hearing that, Weiss looked confused, standing up from the bed as she glanced at him.

"Help me? What do you mean?"

"Well, for example. Are you capable of summoning yet?" The question was simple enough, but Weiss looked shocked when she heard it.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to stammer, "You... how do you know about summoning?"

Asher raised an eyebrow, as though the question was obvious.

"Did you forget I work alongside your sister now in the Atlas Military? I've had the chance to see the full capacity of your family's semblance plenty of times now."

A half-truth. In reality, Asher understood practically everything about Weiss's semblance because it was incorporated into her fighting style, and it had already reached a hundred percent capacity within the Nexus Space. That meant he didn't just know everything Weiss was capable of now, but also what she would be capable of in the future.

The peak of Weiss's abilities sat within his mind, ready to be applied to the Weiss of the present.

So, we'll start simple and see how this affects the Nexus Space's predictions.

"Oh, I see..." Weiss muttered, processing Asher's explanation about how he knew about summoning and feeling like it made sense.

"So, can you do it?" Asher asked again, the question making Weiss's lips press together in thought before she shook her head.

"No, not really. My form is perfect, or at least that's what Winter says, and so is the glyph itself. But no matter how hard I try, I can't summon anything. Winter thinks it's because I've never fought anything that pushed me past my limits."

Asher listened in silence, nodding internally at her words.

Exactly the same reasoning that's in my memory right now. It's a shame Winter never realized that just because she and Weiss share the same semblance doesn't mean they operate the same way. If she did, Weiss would be much further along in her mastery.

Winter had her own issues, but Asher decided to put those thoughts aside for now. Right now, his focus was on the project standing across from him.

"Hmm, alright. Come over here and give it a try," Asher said, gesturing for her to approach.

Weiss hesitated, staying in place for a moment. Summoning had been her greatest challenge, the one thing she couldn't conquer despite mastering almost every other glyph form.

"Asher, I don't know. I really can't-" She was cut off as Asher tilted his head slightly and repeated the gesture, his "come here" signal. This time, Weiss sighed, reluctantly moving over to him, drawing Myrtenaster from her waist.

"Alright, get in position," Asher instructed, his voice unexpectedly soft. Weiss followed his command without hesitation, aligning herself into the posture Winter had always said made summoning easier. Her back and legs were straight, the tip of her blade pointed toward the spot where she wished to summon, and her breathing steady.

Asher moved behind her, his hands gently adjusting her body, making small changes to her posture in real time.

When he finished adjusting her posture, Asher nodded in approval.

"Alright. Now, I want you to try summoning a bird. Any kind of bird you can imagine."

Weiss blinked, caught off guard by the request.

"Huh? A bird? But I can only summon things I've defeated in the past. I can't just—"

"Trust me, Weiss. Just try, okay?" Asher stood beside her, his gaze steady. She turned to look at him, her eyes meeting his for a moment before she nodded slowly and refocused on her posture.

The next moment, a pure white glyph appeared on the ground in front of them. It was far more intricate and ornate than the ones she usually used for momentum control or Dust modification. As the glyph rotated, Weiss's expression tightened, her features sharpening as her grip on Myrtenaster tightened in response.

She was clearly trying, but despite the complexity of the glyph, there was no reaction—no summoning. No matter how hard she pushed, nothing happened.

After about a minute, the summoning glyph faded, and Weiss exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time. She stared at the empty space on the floor for a moment, her lips pressing into a frown as she glanced back at Asher.

"I told you... I can't do it. No matter what I try, I just can't!" Frustration crept into her voice, her body trembling slightly. So many attempts, so many failures. She was beginning to lose hope. Maybe she just wasn't old enough yet, maybe her semblance needed more time to develop.

Maybe, maybe there was some other issue she just couldn't solve.

But before she could sink deeper into her thoughts, Asher spoke again.

"That's because you're focusing too much on the summoning itself, and not the intent behind it."

"What?" Weiss turned to him, confusion evident on her face. Asher smiled softly, then elaborated.

"What were you thinking about when you were trying to summon that bird just now?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

Weiss paused, thinking back to the feeling, then responded, "I... I was just thinking about the construction of one of the birds I saw when I used to go on walks through Atlas when I was younger."

"Alright, good. But what was the intent behind it?" Asher pressed again, his question leaving Weiss stumped. She furrowed her brow, not understanding what he meant by 'intent.'

And of course, she didn't.

Normally, Weiss would have learned this years down the road, long after where she was now. It was a simple concept, but one that required a shift in mindset that she hadn't had the opportunity to develop yet.

Asher moved back behind her, his hands settling on her waist. The instant contact was made, Weiss froze, her body stiffening as she glanced back at him.

"Wh- What are you doing?" She asked, her voice unsteady.

Asher simply smiled at her, shushing her gently.

"Shh, just focus and relax. First, your posture," he murmured in her ear, his feet gently tapping the back of hers to nudge them back into the proper position. Weiss swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. She followed his guidance, attempting to push away the awareness of how close he was, of his hands at her waist, of his breath brushing against her ear.

"Alright, now create the glyph," Asher instructed softly. Once again, Weiss focused, and the summoning glyph appeared on the floor.

"Good." His voice was soft, reassuring.

"Now, this time, focus on the intent, not just what you're trying to construct, okay? Why are you summoning a bird? Once it's summoned, what do you want it to do? What are birds' typical functions and movements? Give its existence structure, an intent."

Weiss wasn't entirely sure what he meant by all that, but after a brief moment of hesitation, she nodded, deciding to follow his instructions and focus, even if she didn't fully understand.

Closing her eyes, Weiss began to focus, visualizing the bird she wanted to replicate. She thought about why she was creating it, what she hoped it would accomplish once it was formed.

She didn't realize when it happened, but when the moment came, it felt just like before—but this time, it wasn't as tense. Asher's hands, which had once been a distraction, now guided her movements, grounding her. The warmth of him against her back, the feeling of his presence, and the subconscious syncing of their breathing—it all accumulated in her mind, creating a rhythm.

That rhythm brought the bird she wanted to construct to life.

Suddenly, she heard Asher's voice again, a soft whisper in her ear.

"Open your eyes."

Weiss's eyes fluttered open, and a moment later, they went wide as she looked at the floor where the summoning glyph had been just moments ago.

There, in front of them, was a small bird. No bigger than a clenched fist, its body jerking and shifting in the erratic way that birds did. It looked as if it were made of snow, its feathers white with a hint of blue outlining its shape, giving it definition.

The bird tilted its head, looking toward Weiss and Asher, before flapping its wings and flying up to perch on the tip of her blade. Weiss stood frozen, her body shocked into stillness by the sight. She couldn't quite believe it was real.

Leaning in again, Asher's voice was soft, full of quiet pride.

"See? I knew you could do it. You just needed a little change in perspective."