So it is done

Schnee

Willow Schnee could be considered by most to be lucky, especially with the circumstances of her birth. Heh, lucky indeed.

The daughter of a world-renowned philanthropist, a powerful Hunter and a brilliant businessman, beloved by people inside and outside the state. A person who also organized the world's largest corporation controlling the world's most strategically important resource, Dust. A person who also reached out to the faunus, who were among the first in line to propose such an incredible and revolutionary idea, equal wages for faunus.

Per capita, the largest concentration of faunus in the world, lived in Menagerie, approaching a hundred percent in fact. Not that Menagerie had laws restricting human immigration to the island state, but... Well, reality doesn't always match expectations.

The faunus rightly considered their corner of the world to be the most miserable of all, but it was their corner, and they defended it with zeal. Even if the line between defense and attack blurred in the process.

In actual population terms, though... It was probably Menagerie now too, actually. But, even five or ten years ago, let alone in her father's time, that would be Mantle. Not for the reason that the Schnee would be known for later, tarred by her husband's action, but because they genuinely wanted to live there.

The reason for this was her father, Nicholas Schnee. A charming gentleman, humanist and champion of justice, he was so perfect that reading solely about the dry facts of his biography could give the impression that you were reading a fairy tale for little children. Like a bald face lies only children, who were supposed to believe in a miracle, believe. It's like listening to bedtime stories about beautiful heroes and perfect role models.

Only, they were all true.

That's probably why he died so early. The gods do indeed take the best before anyone else.

Nicholas Schnee was a beloved father to Willow, a perfect role model, appearing before her eyes always with a sparkling smile, gallant manners, a delightful mind and infinite kindness. One could have called him a holy man...

When Willow's mother died, it was so long ago that Willow couldn't even say that she remembered what she looked like...

Or was it the years of alcoholic coma she'd endured to blame?

When Willow's mother had died, Willow had clung to her father as best she could, and her father hadn't pulled away from her. On the contrary, Nicholas had always looked after her. Trips to ski resorts, the finest dresses, or even her skills as a Huntress, underdeveloped as they might be now...

No, Willow didn't become a Huntress, she simply wanted to copy her Father's greatness, in the smallest way she could, not that she could even if she had ten lifetimes. Nicholas was one of the few singular geniuses, who managed to combine seemingly all the talents that should have been distributed evenly across his generation. He possessed physical strength, heroic charm, outstanding intelligence, inexpressible kindness and a flair for business.

Willow knew that her desire to become a Huntress was just a naive childhood dream, though Nicholas didn't put any pressure on her. He allowed her to grow and develop on her own, to spread her wings, he responded to her desires and taught her many things, Willow even knew how to handle a gun...

Once upon a time in the past, perhaps, when her brain matter and motor skills were not so damaged by copious amounts of alcohol.

Willow also even discovered her Semblance, a rarity. Indeed, Willow once thought that she would achieve greatness with that simple fact, her whole life would be a wonderful fairy tale filled with adventure, but... Reality soon comes crashing, dashing all her dreams