*Start of the chapter A/N: So, I just wanted to state it here but apparently a lot changes when you get rid of Jaune, to the point that I came to the realisation that Jaune was the MC of Volume 1, not Ruby Rose. That Jaune rant is getting more justified in my mind.
BTW, I think every time I do stats and skills I'm only going to show the new stuff unless it's a specific status chapter like just one chapter showing everything off. That or I just make it stat points she gets from the Gems. Because that's a thing.
Part of the reason why this Chapter took so long was my will to write. Writer's block is a bitch. Anyways, I decided to that if I can't write myself, I'd have an AI do it, adding a few bits myself. Yeah 95% of this chapter is AI generated. I admit to using it because I also use it for spell checks, and upgrading my writing.*
(Third Person POV)
"Status," Kaelith whispered to herself in the bathroom.
[Name: Kaelith
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Race: Saiyan
Title: None]
[LVL: 86
EXP: 35,900 / 408,600]
[HP: 800,000 / 800,000
MP: 1,000,000 / 1,000,000
Faith Energy: 2500 / 2500]
[Strength: 4300
Agility: 4200
Vitality: 4000
Intelligence: 10,000
Wisdom: 11,000
Luck: 300
Faith: 250]
[Stat Points: 170]
[Affiliations: None
Occupations: None
Drawbacks: If your tail is cut off, you lose half of your stats and ? becomes extremely strenuous to use.]
Her physical attributes had seen a steady, if not explosive, climb. The passive absorption of MP from her surroundings, coupled with her Limit Breaker ability, meant that every training session, every small exertion, contributed to her exponential growth.
The gems she had acquired, both common and uncommon, had been fully utilized and five of the Rare Gems had been consumed, each one a calculated investment in her future prowess.
"Skills," she had indeed gotten a few new skills from those pulls.
[Passive Skills:]
[Adept Learner (B-):
Your mind processes information and acquires new skills at an accelerated rate. You grasp concepts faster and retain knowledge more effectively, making the learning process for any skill or discipline significantly quicker.]
[Voice Mimicry (B-):
You can accurately mimic voices and sounds you've heard, reproducing them with impressive fidelity. This includes accents, tones, and even some non-human vocalizations, though complex soundscapes require practice.]
[Minor Temperature Resistance (C-):
You gain a slight passive resistance to environmental temperature extremes, making mildly hot or cold conditions less uncomfortable. This doesn't protect against direct elemental attacks or extreme climates.]
[Enhanced Senses (C-):
Your natural senses of sight, hearing, and smell are slightly heightened compared to an average human. You might notice faint sounds, subtle scents, or details in your periphery that others miss.]
[Active Skills:]
[Elemental Imbuement (A+):
By channelling your MP, you can temporarily imbue a weapon with a chosen elemental property (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning). This adds significant elemental damage to your strikes for the duration and can have secondary effects (e.g., burning, slowing, stunning) depending on the element. The intensity scales with MP expenditure.
Costs: 1500 MP]
[Minor Telekinesis (D-) LVL 1/3:
You can exert a weak telekinetic force on small, lightweight objects (up to 1 kg) within a 2-meter radius, allowing you to subtly push, pull, or lift them. This is mostly useful for retrieving dropped items or gently nudging things.
Costs: 10 MP]
[Basic First Aid (D-) LVL 1/3:
You possess fundamental knowledge of wound care. You can stop minor bleeding, clean small cuts, and apply bandages effectively. This skill can prevent minor injuries from worsening but offers no healing properties.]
[Perfect Whistle (F):
You can produce any whistle sound you desire, perfectly in tune and with precise volume control. Useful for signalling, or just showing off.]
[Coin Flip (F):
You can perfectly flip a coin and choose the outcome of the flip 100% of the time.]
[Crisp Folder (F):
You can fold paper with absolute precision, creating perfectly sharp creases and symmetrical designs every time. Excellent for origami or making very neat documents.]
When she received Adept Learner, she wondered why. Axiom Memory made it so she was way more than just an "Adept" student. Axiom Memory is flawless recall and analysis; Adept Learner is accelerated acquisition and processing.
But of course, Axiom Memory already made her learning speed much faster, she had accelerated learning because she literally remembered every single detail and thus she always learned.
"Inventory," she stated, now going through the last thing required.
[Inventory:]
[Apprentice's Training Grimoire (C+):
A sturdy, leather-bound grimoire filled with neatly written magical theory and common spell diagrams. It feels comfortable in hand and subtly amplifies arcane thought. Reading and studying this grimoire for a concentrated period grants the Active Skill [Basic Magic (D-)] at Level 1/3 and if the user already possesses [Basic Magic], continuous study provides a bonus to its EXP gain.]
[X23 Healing Potions (F):
A common elixir for many worlds, this potion is infused with restorative energy of healing herbs that swiftly mends wounds and revitalizes the body. Upon consumption, it restores 5% of the user's maximum health, healing scrapes and cuts in the process.]
[X9 Senzu Beans (S+):
A miraculous bean that instantly restores 100% HP and MP upon consumption, completely eliminating fatigue and replenishing all lost stamina. Additionally, it provides full nourishment, for up to ten days. However, due to its extreme potency, consuming multiple Senzu Beans in quick succession can cause painful overstuffing, and make one overweight. Those with high metabolic rates can experience hunger sooner than expected making the downsides of Senzu much harder to achieve.]
After finishing her shower and checking over things she began to get dressed.
Nora was still asleep, sprawled across her bed with a half-eaten bag of cookies clutched in one hand. Ren, ever the early bird, was reading a book, the turning of a page was the only sound beyond Kaelith's own movements. Pyrrha's bed was neatly made, a clear indication she was already up and likely off to her morning training.
Kaelith slipped out of the bathroom, freshly dressed in a sleeveless dark grey hoodie over a long-sleeved green shirt with dark grey track suit trousers, with deep pockets settled comfortably against her skin, a stark contrast to the utilitarian gi she wore for training.
She moved with an almost ethereal silence, her Saiyan senses easily discerning Ren's precise breathing patterns, the shift of air as he read.
She glanced at the bullhead schedule displayed on her scroll. The next departure for Vale was in twenty minutes. Perfect timing.
"Morning, Ren," she murmured, her voice a low hum.
Ren didn't startle, merely offered a polite nod without looking up from his task. "Morning, Kaelith. Early start today?"
"Indeed. A necessary excursion into Vale." She walked over to her desk, picking up her purse; a basic black one.
Ren finally looked up, a hint of curiosity in his usually stoic eyes. "Alone?"
"No." Just as she finished speaking, a polite but firm knock sounded at the dorm door.
Kaelith opened it. A heiress, in her white uniform stood there impeccably, a small, elegant handbag clutched in one gloved hand. Her expression was carefully neutral, but a faint blush dusted her cheeks, something Kaelith immediately registered.
"Kaelith," Weiss greeted, her voice cool, though a subtle tremor Kaelith's heightened senses picked up. "Are you ready? We wouldn't want to be late."
Kaelith's lips twitched into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. "Punctuality is a virtue, Weiss. One I endeavour to maintain. After you."
As Kaelith stepped out, closing the door behind her, she spared a fleeting thought for Ren, who was now staring at the closed door with an uncharacteristically perplexed expression. Nora let out a loud snore from within the dorm, completely oblivious.
The walk to the bullhead hangar was quiet, save for the distant sounds of other students and the rhythmic thrum of the bullheads themselves. Weiss maintained a rigid, almost military posture beside her, her gaze fixed straight ahead. Kaelith, meanwhile, subtly observed the subtle tension in Weiss's shoulders, the slight clench of her jaw.
They boarded the bullhead, finding two seats near a window. The hum of the engines grew louder as the craft prepared for departure. Below them, Beacon Academy stretched out, a picturesque fantasy against the rising sun.
"So," Weiss began, breaking the silence as the bullhead ascended, her voice a little too casual. "You deemed this… excursion… worthy of your time?"
The bullhead hummed, a low vibration that became a familiar backdrop to the ascending view of Beacon. Weiss, still flushed, kept her gaze fixed on the landscape, her shoulders rigid.
"Indeed," Kaelith replied, her voice soft, a hint of something warm underneath her usual flat tone. "My schedule is efficient, yes, but not so rigid that I cannot appreciate a change of scenery. Besides your company is... consistently entertaining, Weiss. Never a dull moment."
Weiss's head snapped back, her eyes wide, a fresh wave of crimson sweeping across her cheeks.
"Entertaining?" she scoffed, though the word lacked its usual bite. "I am not here for your amusement, Kaelith! I merely… required a knowledgeable companion for a rather important expedition into Vale. One who, unlike certain members of my own team, can maintain a modicum of decorum in public."
"So you want to check out the competition for the Vytal festival that's coming up next semester," Kaelith stated, the corners of her mouth just barely hinting at a smile.
'Although, without your team around... a certain Faunus's secret remains hidden. Then again, I've already changed the timeline in a lot of different ways just by existing. But this is important, both for Ruby but also for you, Weiss.' She thought, before dismissing the consequences of this fully, deciding she simply didn't care. After all, Canon went out the window a long time ago.
Weiss turned her head sharply, her perfectly styled hair swaying as she spoke, her voice holding its usual frosty edge. "Of course not! While the Vytal Festival is an important strategic evaluation point, my primary concern today is to acquire… specialized components. And perhaps some suitable accessories that reflect one's refined taste. Something that a certain someone, who seems to believe a dark grey hoodie is appropriate attire for all occasions, might not fully comprehend."
"I see," Kaelith replied, a tiny, almost invisible smirk touching her lips. "So, 'refined taste' is a direct translation of 'unnecessarily expensive baubles' and 'specialized components' is a synonym for 'Dust crystals that look aesthetically pleasing but offer no tactical advantage beyond a minor light show.' I'm happy to assist you in this endeavour, Weiss. My expertise in optimal resource allocation and my complete lack of 'refined taste' should prove… enlightening."
Weiss's cheeks, which had just begun to cool, flared a fresh pink. She huffed, a delicate puff of air that barely disturbed the quiet cabin. "That is a gross mischaracterization, Kaelith! My choices are based on a meticulous balance of form and function! My combat style requires both elegance and efficiency, a concept that your… brutish approach completely disregards!"
"Brutish, yet effective," Kaelith countered, her eyes sparkling with a familiar, amused glint. She leaned back in her seat, a faint, almost imperceptible smile gracing her lips. "I am merely the sledgehammer, Weiss. You, on the other hand, are a delicate scalpel, meticulously whittling away at your opponents while I simply… demolish them. There's value in both methods, I suppose. Though one is demonstrably faster."
"Arrogant," Weiss muttered, but the word was devoid of its usual sting. She turned her head away again, back to the window, but Kaelith could see the faint smile she was trying to suppress. The bullhead began its gentle descent into Vale, the city's sprawl of bustling streets and towering buildings coming into view.
As they disembarked, the air was a cacophony of sound and scent: the distant clatter of a streetcar, the cheerful shouts of street vendors, and the rich, mingled aromas of freshly baked pastries and simmering stews. Weiss, ever the picture of grace, navigated the bustling crowd with a natural poise, her hand occasionally brushing against Kaelith's arm as they squeezed through a particularly dense knot of people.
Kaelith's enhanced senses picked up every nuance–the faint scent of ozone from a passing Dust vehicle, the subtle shift in a street vendor's tone as he tried to upsell a tourist, the almost imperceptible tremor of a building as a heavy transport rumbled overhead. She let it wash over her, focusing instead on the subtle warmth of Weiss's occasional touch, the faint scent of her perfume–something crisp, like winter air and expensive soap.
"Where to first, then, Weiss?" Kaelith asked, her voice a low hum, a stark contrast to the city's din. "Are we pursuing these 'specialized components' with the efficiency of a targeted missile, or are we indulging in a leisurely perusal of 'aesthetically pleasing baubles'?"
Weiss's cheeks flushed again, a delicate pink that Kaelith found herself inexplicably drawn to. "It's not just… baubles, Kaelith! They are essential for my combat applications! And we shall proceed with… a degree of thoroughness. One cannot rush true quality." She glanced at Kaelith, her eyes lingering for a moment. "Unless, of course, you find the pace… too slow for your… rapid demolition methods?"
"I find it… quaint," Kaelith replied, a genuine, if small, smile gracing her lips. "Like observing a particularly intricate clockwork mechanism. Fascinating, in its own way. Lead on, then, scalpel. I shall endeavor to not accidentally shatter any delicate displays with my 'brutish' presence."
Weiss huffed, but Kaelith saw the faint, pleased curve of her lips. They spent the next few hours navigating Vale's bustling shopping districts. Weiss, despite her earlier protests, seemed to enjoy Kaelith's dry commentary on the various Dust crystals, combat accessories, and fashion choices.
It was a bizarre blend of academic lecture and sarcastic banter, punctuated by Weiss's increasingly frequent blushes.
Kaelith, in turn, found herself surprisingly entertained by Weiss's passionate explanations of elemental properties and the intricate details of her family's combat style. It was a bizarre blend of academic lecture and sarcastic banter, punctuated by Weiss's increasingly frequent blushes.
"You know," Weiss began, holding up a small, elegant pin with a shimmering light blue Dust crystal, "a well-placed accessory can elevate an entire outfit. This would perfectly complement the colour palette of my winter combat gear. The crystalline structure, you see, enhances its natural kinetic properties, making it… surprisingly durable."
"Or," Kaelith countered, leaning in to inspect the pin, "you could simply apply a high-density kinetic aura barrier to your gear, rendering any attack moot regardless of what 'baubles' you're wearing. This is a frivolous and inefficient use of Lien and time, Weiss. And a rather poor display of your vaunted 'refined taste'."
Weiss, frustrated but with a faint, pleased curve to her lips, put the pin back on the velvet display. "My aesthetic choices are as much a part of my strategy as my Glyphs, Kaelith. You can't put a price on the psychological advantage of a well-tailored uniform and a flawlessly executed combat ballet. It speaks of power. Of lineage. A threat that is both elegant and absolute. Something you, with your… unrefined methods, would simply not comprehend."
"Oh, I comprehend," Kaelith replied, a low hum in her voice. She took a step closer, her hand brushing the back of Weiss's, causing a subtle shiver to run through her. "I comprehend that you're using layers of societal expectation and performative grace to create an illusion of invincibility. It's a clever strategy, I'll admit. But one that crumbles the moment an opponent doesn't play by your rules. The moment they simply hit back, hard. Without the ballet."
Weiss's breath hitched. Her pale cheeks, still flushed from their conversation, deepened to a faint scarlet. She pulled her hand away, feigning an interest in a rack of combat gloves. "My methods are not an illusion! They are a testament to years of rigorous training and impeccable discipline! I am not some… brutish brawler who relies on raw force alone!"
"Indeed," Kaelith said, her voice now a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in just enough for her words to be meant for Weiss alone. "You're not a brawler. You're a work of art. A magnificent, intricate, and entirely breakable work of art. The kind that makes a person wonder just how much pressure it can take before it shatters. A fascinating study in fragility."
Weiss froze, her fingers hovering over a pair of pristine white gloves. The words, delivered with Kaelith's usual clinical precision but with an undercurrent of something entirely new—a genuine, albeit subtle, admiration—seemed to short-circuit her. Her shoulders, so stiff just moments before, relaxed just a fraction.
"I… I am not fragile," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Aren't you?" Kaelith countered, the question not a taunt, but an honest inquiry. "Every time I push, you give. Every time I break through your walls, you just rebuild them with a little more resolve. It's… impressive. But it's not unbreakable."
As Kaelith's words hung in the air, a profound silence settled between them, a stillness far more intense than the library's quiet. Weiss's hand, still hovering over the gloves, slowly lowered, her fingers curling into a loose fist. Her posture, usually so stiffly correct, softened, a hint of vulnerability creeping in.
"Fragility is not a weakness," she said, her voice a low murmur, barely audible over the distant city sounds. "It is… a prerequisite for change. For growth. Something that is unbreakable is also unchangeable."
She finally looked at Kaelith, her blue eyes filled with a whirlwind of emotions—confusion, indignation, but also a startling, almost desperate honesty. "And I… I don't want to be unchanging, Kaelith. I want to… be better."
Kaelith's clinical, analytical mask slipped, replaced by a flicker of genuine warmth. She reached out, her hand gently taking the one Weiss had clenched into a fist. The subtle touch was like an electric current, running through both of them. Weiss didn't pull away.
"Then why do you fight it?" Kaelith's voice was a soft, private hum. "Every time you try to push me away, you pull me closer. Every time you insult me, you're just trying to get me to stay. Your 'disdain' is a poorly disguised beacon, Weiss. One that, for some reason, I can't seem to stop responding to."
A fresh wave of scarlet flooded Weiss's cheeks, but this time, it was a deeper, more profound hue, born not of embarrassment but of a shattering realization, then her voice came out, quiet... soft, "you… you know? You've known all this time?"
"I am a good observer," Kaelith replied, her thumb gently stroking the back of Weiss's hand. "It's an aspect of myself that I hate, but at a glance I can tell a person's feelings and guess their thoughts with pinpoint accuracy."
Weiss's breath hitched again, the fragile composure she had been desperately clinging to finally shattering. Her blue eyes, wide and luminous, were locked on Kaelith's face, searching for a hint of mockery, a trace of condescension. She found none. Only a quiet, unwavering intensity that was far more unnerving.
"So you've known," she whispered, the words barely audible. "All this time. You've known... why I was so infuriated."
"Oh, my dear Weiss," Kaelith murmured, a dry, amused sound in her throat. She gently led her away from the crowded shop and down a quiet, cobblestone alleyway, away from prying eyes. They emerged onto a secluded walkway overlooking the ocean, the setting sun painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and purple. The air was salty and cool, a stark contrast to the city's warmth.
"Our history is quite… eventful for such a short duration," Kaelith continued, her voice gaining its usual clinical, analytical tone, though now it was laced with a new, quiet sincerity. "From the very moment I, from our first meeting, disarmed you. Introducing you to the concept of a broken nose to protect a girl who I knew. Then you saw something that nobody should've seen, the existence of beings beyond this dimension. How I demanded you and the others run so I could fight them alone. You all did. Then came the fact that I not only survived, but I won, returning with her as prisoner; a prisoner I visit in the school's dungeons for 'training' and managed to befriend, might I add. Anyways, we've been interacting for months now, that banter we do is a constant now ain't it, Princess?"
Weiss's breath hitched, the playful nickname catching her off guard, a sudden, warm wave of color rushing to her face. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The air between them, already thick with unspoken emotions, felt charged, as if a storm was about to break.
"P-Princess?" Weiss whispered, she had remembered being called that in the Emerald forest. She wasn't sure why that moment stuck out to her back then, she did now.
Kaelith reached out, her fingers gently cupping Weiss's cheek. The touch was cool, a stark contrast to the heat radiating from Weiss's skin. "Do you truly not see it? All this time, you've been putting on a performance for the world. The cold, impenetrable heiress. But with me… with me, you're just you. And you keep coming back. Even after I pushed you, insulted you, and tore down your defences with a single, well-placed word. You come back."
Weiss's eyes fluttered shut for a moment, a single, shaky breath escaping her lips.
"I… I don't understand," she whispered, though her voice lacked any real conviction. "Why… why do you do this? Why do you… see me like this?"
"Because I'm not playing by your rules," Kaelith replied, her voice soft, but with an unwavering certainty. "Because I don't care about your lineage, your money, or your social standing. All I see is a girl who is desperately trying to be better, trying to break free of a cage she didn't even realize she was in. A girl who is brave enough to fight, even when she's terrified, and who is strong enough to keep rebuilding her walls, even after I tear them down. And in a way, I see a bit of myself in that too."
"You see yourself in me?" Weiss was shocked, her perception of Kaelith had been of an overly arrogant Faunus who had earned that right by being both incredibly powerful and intelligent and didn't care about her status as the heiress to the Schnee's. In fact, she doubted Kaelith cared for Social Classes in the first place.
'Here it is, the moment of truth,' from the moment Kaelith realised that she had been developing feelings for Weiss, and that Weiss liked her back she resolved herself to do one thing beforehand. After all, a relationship built on lies was not what she wanted, and sure she could lie and say she's just a Faunus, but that lie will come back to bite her later on.
So, what was Kaelith to do? Be honest. Completely honest about herself. Who she was, where she came from, and... why she felt emotions differently to others.
Kaelith led Weiss away from the main thoroughfares, her movements purposeful and swift. They moved through narrow side streets, past quiet cafes and small, artisan shops, until they reached the edge of a small, tranquil park.
A secluded spot, a forgotten oasis nestled between towering buildings, with a small, moss-covered fountain at its centre. The area was empty, bathed in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun. Releasing Weiss's hand, Kaelith stepping back a foot to give her space. The playful, sarcastic smirk was gone, replaced by an expression of unwavering sincerity.
"What I am about to tell you... is something I've only shared with my team, the headmaster, Professor Goodwitch, and someone else." Kaelith began, her voice a low, steady hum that seemed to fill the quiet space.
Weiss stood silent, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She was terrified, but for the first time, she wasn't considering running. Kaelith's words, her expression, the profound trust in her gaze, held Weiss captive.
"The girl you think you know, the one who is just a Faunus with a powerful Semblance, that's not me," Kaelith began, her voice low and even, devoid of any mockery or sarcasm. It was the voice of a scientist presenting a thesis, a professor explaining a complex theory. "That's a lie I've allowed to persist for a number of reasons. Now, I'm going to tell you the truth. You see, like Nevara—the girl from another dimension—I'm from another dimension myself, I'm no Faunus, I'm a Saiyan and also have the ability to remember my past life. I also have this system; like a Video Game stat, skills and levelling system that came with me because I met a goddess, who was the one to reincarnate me into this body. The tail you see is not a Faunus trait; it is a biological appendage common to my race."
Weiss's world, already off-kilter from the day's events, completely fractured. The words "Saiyan," "another dimension," "Gamer System," and "past life" hit her like a physical blow. The small park, once a serene sanctuary, now felt alien and menacing. She took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief.
"A Saiyan?" she whispered, the word foreign and absurd on her tongue. "Another dimension? A... a system? Kaelith, what are you talking about? This isn't... this isn't possible."
Kaelith remained still, her expression unwavering. "The data suggests otherwise, Weiss. I am a Saiyan, a warrior race from a now-extinct planet. I was, in my past life, a girl named Sumire who died saving quite the musical girl named Mei. I then met a Goddess who reincarnated me as Kaelith, then the dimension split open and I ended up here."
Weiss's mind, a meticulously ordered machine, raced to process the information, trying to find a logical anchor in the storm of the impossible. A Faunus she could accept. A powerful Semblance was plausible. But this? This was the stuff of fantastical fiction, of fairytales and legends.
"So... so your power... your strength... it's not a Semblance?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Well I do have one, one of the Skills the System provided me with as a Quest Reward was the Aura of this world, and coincidently my Semblance is useless; I can already unleash my Ki in that way in fact."
As if to emphasis her point, Kaelith swished her hand at a park bench unleashing a golden crescent shaped energy slash that cut it.
"That was Ki."
Then she swished her hand again, unleashing a similar weaker crescent-shaped energy slash except the colour was white, the colour of her Aura.
"That was my Semblance; Crescent Slash."
Weiss, her mind reeling, watched the crescent-shaped energy slashes cut through the air. The golden one was more potent, more destructive, its energy crackling with a raw power she had never witnessed before. The white one, a weaker echo, felt familiar, a faint echo of the very Aura she wielded.
She stumbled back, her hand dropping from her mouth, her eyes wide with terror and a profound sense of awe. Her meticulously ordered worldview was collapsing in on itself, piece by piece, under the weight of Kaelith's impossible revelations. A Saiyan. A Gamer System. A past life. It was all too much.
"So your Semblance is... useless?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.
Kaelith's expression remained calm, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding in Weiss's mind. "For me, yes. My Ki is a more potent and versatile energy source than this world's Aura. It's a natural by-product of my physiology, something I can manipulate with greater precision and power."
Weiss looked at her, truly looked at her, for the first time. The girl in front of her wasn't just a powerful, arrogant Faunus. She was an anomaly. A living contradiction. A being from another reality, with powers that defied every known law of Remnant. The impossible was standing right in front of her, and it was looking at her with a quiet, unwavering intensity.
"Why... why are you telling me this?" Weiss asked, her voice trembling, her carefully constructed emotional walls threatening to crumble entirely. "Why me? After everything... the insults, the arguments... why tell me the truth?"
Kaelith took a single, deliberate step closer, her gaze intense. "Because for all your exasperating attempts to maintain a façade of indifference, you've shown me a genuine, unyielding desire to be better. You are willing to be vulnerable, to admit your flaws. That, Weiss, is not a weakness. It is a strength. The only thing that truly matters, in a world full of lies and pretences, is authenticity. And you… you're authentic. When you're not pretending to be a princess."
Kaelith's words hung in the air, the revelation of her true nature a seismic event in Weiss's carefully ordered world. The heiress, frozen by the profound confession, could only stare, her mind struggling to reconcile the impossible with the girl standing before her.
"Authenticity," Kaelith's voice was a soft, steady anchor in the storm of Weiss's thoughts. "That's what I saw in you. A girl who, deep down, wants to break free and be more than the 'Ice Queen' facade. My insults, my prodding... it was to see how far you would push back. And every time, you did. That's not what I expected. I didn't expect a girl who could make me feel things. To actually... care."
Weiss's breath hitched, a fresh wave of emotion, not of fear, but of a profound and overwhelming hope, washing over her. "You... you care about me? After... after everything I've said? Everything I've been?"
"Yes, I do. My past life, as Sumire, taught me the value of friendship and love. It was a chaotic, beautiful life, one where I had Mei, Akari and Yami. My best friends and the girl who I loved and the people who brought me out of the logical, emotionless hell I lived in. They taught me what it was to be human, to feel. And then I died, and became Kaelith. Sure, I'm still pragmatic, but I'm way more..." Kaelith's lips twitched up, a smirk, "snarky now."
A tear, hot and unbidden, traced a path down Weiss's cheek. She was no longer just the heiress; she was just Weiss, standing in front of the only person who had ever truly seen her.
"I... I feel the same," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I... I like you, Kaelith. More than I've ever liked anyone."
The words hung in the air, a raw, honest confession that shattered the last of their pretences. Kaelith, her heart pounding a rhythm she hadn't felt since her past life, gently cupped Weiss's face with both hands, her thumbs tenderly wiping away the tears.
"I know," Kaelith quietly said before leaning down. Weiss, looking up at the taller woman and before realising it, she leaned up.
Kaelith's lips met Weiss's in a kiss that was both a question and a statement. Weiss's body, which had been so rigid with tension just moments before, melted into Kaelith's. The delicate scent of winter air and expensive soap mingled with Kaelith's subtle, earthen aroma of sweat and raw power.
"Sweet," Kaelith's voice was gentle as she pulled away from the kiss, a stark contrast to the pounding of Weiss's heart.
Weiss, still breathless, pulled away, her eyes fluttering open to meet Kaelith's. A mix of shock, confusion, and overwhelming hope swirled in their icy depths. She couldn't form a coherent thought, let alone a coherent sentence. All she could do was stare, her mind reeling.
Kaelith, her expression unreadable but her touch still gentle, gently brushed a stray lock of white hair from Weiss's face. "So, what's next?"
"So, what's next?" Kaelith's voice was gentle as she pulled away, a stark contrast to the pounding of Weiss's heart.
Weiss, still breathless, looked up at her, a mix of shock, confusion, and overwhelming hope swirling in her icy depths. She took a deep breath, the salty air filling her lungs as she finally found her voice.
"I... I think," she began, the word a soft tremor. "I think we can go to that Cafe now."
"Then, let's go." Kaelith offered her hand, Weiss taking it.