Hey, can you hear me...?

Please... not like this...

Your world is filled with nothing but pain and suffering!

There's always a way, isn't there?

I... I'LL KILL YOU!

Maybe... all of this was for nothing...

I don't care about my heart!

I can't let you!?

I... I loved you...

I never wanted this thing!

The next time we see each other... will be-

Can we really do this?

I'm sorry...

Weiss...

Weiss...!

"WEISS!"

"Ah!" Weiss yelped as she sat up, rubbing her ears to get rid of the ringing. "Ugh, Ruby... it's too early to be yelling..."

"Weiss, it's seven in the afternoon." Yang pointed out. "You've been asleep all day. Be glad we don't have classes today."

"Again...?" The heiress whispered to herself as she got herself out of bed despite how fuzzy her head was feeling.

It was only a few weeks before the Vytal Tournament, a few weeks before the end of the school year, but Weiss felt like she had been here for a decade. So much had happened over that time. Blake's identity and past, that incident with Merlot, and all this business with the White Fang.

Though, none of that explain her recent trouble with sleep.

"I thought you got those new sleeping pills last week." Blake got out, looking up from her book for a second. Weiss couldn't help but notice that she was in her sleepwear while the sisters were in their casual wear. It seemed that Blake stayed in the dorm for the day.

"I did." Weiss replied as she held her forehead. She had gone to the doctors to check out her recent sleeping disorder and found no problems with her, physically or mentally outside of some stress, and even that was due to turning up late to classes. Not even Yang blasting the Achieve Men in her ears at max volume got her to wake up. She was getting prescribed stronger and stronger pills but obviously they weren't working. "What is wrong with me...?" she thought before shaking her head.

"Well, when did this start?" Ruby asked as she sat on Weiss' bed.

"I keep telling you, I don't know." Weiss answered with a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. "I just... I just been having these weird thoughts lately..."

"Weird thoughts?" Yang got out with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. And sometimes it's hard to tell the difference when I'm awake or dreaming. Even now. Is any of this for real... or not?" Weiss continued before Yang pinched her shoulder. "Ow!"

"Pretty sure you're not dreaming, Weicicles. Now get up and take a shower before we get dinner. You reek."

Weiss only gave the brawler a glare before heading into the team bathroom. "Stupid Yang and her stupid puns..." She grumbled as she stripped down and turned on the shower. "Okay, let's think. I don't have any real issues affecting me recently... everyone has been good to me... I've kept up on my assignments until recently... And I know I haven't been hurt that badly by Grimm... there has to be something in my life that's causing this..."

BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Weiss, hurry up or Nora's gonna eat up all the roast again!" Yang called out from behind the door, threatening to take it off its hinges.

Weiss sighed before turning off the shower. She didn't even touch a bar of soap, just letting water wet her skin. After wrapping a tower around her body, she looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

White hair, blue eyes, a faint scar over one of them, petite frame.

It was Weiss Schnee, 100% but...

Why did she feel so wrong lately...?

"...Go on without me." Weiss suddenly spoke, her mouth moving before her brain could react. "I'm... not feeling all the hungry."

"Weiss..."

"It's okay Ruby, I'll pick up something small just... I'm going to do some training tonight."

"Alright, but don't whine to us when Nora brags about the crab too." Yang stated as Weiss heard the rest of her team leaving the dorm room.

The heiress wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do, but it doesn't matter now. It was too late.

Besides, she needed some time alone to think.

So, with a deep breath, Weiss left the bathroom and got dressed into her combat outfit before heading to the locker room.

Maybe today will be a good day.

Weiss decided to forgo the usual training room and went up to the roof. It was Jaune and Pyrrha's little secret training spot, but it was also a place a lot of students went up to for a variety of reasons. Dates, a meeting spot for friends. And right now, it was a place for the heiress to unwind and refocus, to let the shattered moon and cold air to help with... whatever was causing her troubled sleep.

After a few stretches and making sure her weapon didn't have any lingering Dust in it, Weiss took out Myrtenaster and went into her stance. Arms out, feet firmly planted on the ground, right foot-excuse me, left foot forward, the tip of her rapier aimed straight at her imaginary opponent.

The heiress steadied her breathing before thrusting forward. Good.

Transition into two quick slashes. Perfect.

Jump, twist, slash down the back before taking out the heels. Could be smoother.

"GAH!" Weiss screamed in frustration, resisting the urge to throw her weapon to the ground before taking a deep breath.

No, now was not the time to get angry. She only just started after all.

"Okay. Again."

Thrust, two slice, jump, twist, down slash.

Thrust, up slash, cross slash, double stab.

Thrust, trip, scream, cry.

"What is wrong with me!?" Weiss shouted out to the night sky.

She couldn't stay at Beacon like this. Her grades were starting to drop, her composure was dwindling every day and why is sleep so hard!?

She had been doing worse and worse and it was all because of some stupid dreams! What did they mean!? Who was shouting all that nonsense!? What was that giant black thing!? Why did she choose a shield over a sword!?

Who was Sora!?

"What a unique sight."

Weiss snapped up as soon as she heard another voice, looking up to see someone in a black cloak staring up at the moon.

"How fitting. A fading world with a broken moon." The man in the black cloak muttered to himself. "All this power... wasted."

Weiss scrambled up to her feet and raised her weapon at the mysterious man. "Who are you? How did you get here!?"

"It doesn't matter, Miss Schnee." The man replied, causing her heart to stop. "I was merely studying this world. It is a wonder how the light still burns as bright as it does."

"What...?" Weiss whispered out before glaring at the man before her free hand slowly went to her pocket.

"It is useless to call your friends." The man stated before turning to Weiss. She could see golden eyes, piercing through the darkness of his hood. "I am not a threat to you, but only if you choose to."

Weiss highly doubted that claim. She could feel this... anger, rage radiate from this man, suppressed and controlled but ready to be unleashed.

"Attacking without thought would be a mistake, but I can't just let him go." Weiss thought as she tried to figure out a way to deal with the man. "How do you know who I am?"

"It is of no importance, Miss Schnee, but I suggest you come with me quietly." The man said.

Suddenly, five... white creatures appeared in front of Weiss. They had thin, sinuous bodies large, cylindrical heads with a flat top that is emblazoned with an odd symbol. Their bodies seemed to be covered in these light grey jumpsuit, and their mouths were actually zippers that undid themselves to reveal their actual, grey, sharp-toothed mouth underneath. They were fairly muscular, though their arms and legs were very thin. And the sides of their bodies were lined by a black line, which pulsed weakly with light. Its feet and hands are pointed and lack digits, and its hands each sport two black bands around them.

Weiss had no idea what these things were, but they were certainly not Grimm.

One of them wrapped its tentacle like limbs around Weiss' free while another did the same her weapon. "Hey! Let go of me!" She cried out as she tried to free herself, but it only made their grips tighter.

Thinking quickly, Weiss casted a glyph underneath her feet and shot herself into the air, bringing these white monsters with her. She quickly freed Myrtenaster and slashed the two away just as she landed on the ground.

Seeing no other choice, she charged at the mysterious man, weapon thrust forward and-

Weiss choked.

The man didn't even seem to move as he wrapped his hand around her neck.

"You have chosen quite poorly, Miss Schnee." The man said... before throwing her away like trash.

"AAAHHH!" Weiss cried out as her back slammed against the wall. Her Aura was already broken, she could feel blood running down her neck. How strong was this guy!?

"We do not need you conscious, Miss Schnee. The more you resist, the more you suffer." The man stated as more creatures spawned around the area, while a barrier formed around the rooftop. "You and your friends."

"What...? What have you done!?" Weiss demanded as she forced herself to her feet, not noticing her hair undoing itself. However, the man remained silent. "Answer me, you... you...!"

"Take care of her." The man ordered.

And with that, the monsters charged.

Weiss swung her rapier, but the creature twisted its body to dodge it as another walked upside down over her head. The heiress couldn't handle so many strange opponents, surrounding her and not giving her enough room or time to gain the advantage, so the one that was defying gravity sliced her from behind, leaving her bolero in shreds.

Weiss flipped away and tore off the ruined clothes, leaving her in her dress, skirt and boots. Her Aura was working overdrive to keep her fighting but... there were just so many... and how has she not killed one yet!?

Suddenly, Weiss' body moved as strange halberds rained on her former position before turning into a different variety of white creature, still with that strange symbol. "Even more!?" She complained as she slashed away at the more humanoid creatures.

However, one managed to wrap around her weapon and-

SNAP!

For that one moment, everything slowed down.

Myrtenaster... made from the best metals money could buy... developed and designed by the best blacksmiths in Atlas... snapped into pieces.

Weiss didn't even have the chance to scream as the white creatures jumped on top of her, one managing to wrap its legs around her head and slamming it repeatedly on the ground.

"I'm... I'm going to die..." The heiress thought as darkness started to engulf her vision as she desperately gripped the handle of her broken blade. "I... I..."

Weiss closed her eyes, letting darkness consume her.

Maybe... it would be best if she...

...

...

...

Be careful...

As soon as you draw onto this power, there is no turning back.

Beyond that is a whole new world.

Do you accept?

...

Good.

Remember...

You are the guiding key...

You are this world's saviour and destroyer.

While the path is dim, and light fades... you will be the one to guide the lost.

Are you ready?

...

I thought so.

Now reach out...

Your heart cries for you... My Queen.

FLASH!

The man turned around from his Dark Corridor, thinking the Dusks had done their duty, but he couldn't help but feel... nothing as they had failed once again.

Standing, bloody and tired with clothes that barely held on to her form, was Weiss Schnee... holding a very familiar weapon.

It had seemed her rapier had repaired itself, and yet it gain more attributes to resemble that of a giant skeleton key. A guard had formed around the handle that split at the grip, the keychain on the left side handle of the new weapon with the heiress' family symbol fractured as the token. And the tip of the weapon seemed to have blue crystals that formed into a beautiful snowflake and shifted and moved, creating the teeth for the key.

"I... I'm not giving up... just yet...!" Weiss panted out, raising her Keyblade at the man. "I won't... let you hurt my friends!"

"...Superior knew this might happen..." The man muttered himself before dismissing the lower Nobodies. "It seems you must be dealt with here and now."

Weiss glared at the man before settling into her battle stance.

The two stared down each other before Weiss charged at him, swinging her weapon at the mysterious man, slashing his chest.

He barely flinched before whispering. "Fire."

Weiss' instincts kicked in and flipped back to dodge the fireball.

"I better keep my distance." Weiss thought before raising her weapon to guard against a volley of fireballs.

"Hm. You are at least competent with your new weapon." The man noted. "However, that will not save you."

Weiss said nothing in response. Merely studying her opponent.

So far, he had made no serious attempts to injure her. As if he was merely humouring her for now.

"Stay calm." Weiss told herself. "I can do this... I can do this!" She called out as she charged once again and attacked the man, pouring everything she had into each swing.

It didn't matter he was simply taking it. It didn't matter that she knew she wouldn't win. She just... needed... to..

The heiress tried to swing her weapon once more, but faltered and went to her knees, her weapon disappearing.

"Pathetic." The man got out. "I expected more from a Keyblade wielder."

"Key...blade?" Weiss whispered out before she lifted up by her neck and-

CRACK!

Weiss couldn't even scream, the pain dwarfing anything she felt before as this machine attach to her chest and... started cracking it open...

It was... It was extracting her heart!

"We simply wished to study your heart, Miss Schnee. There is something... unique about the residents of this world, and we have chosen a select few as subjects." The man explained, not that Weiss could hear him. "Your resistance is futile, Miss Schnee. We will discover the secrets to this wor-"

SLASH! SHATTER!

The man jumped back the machine was destroyed, sliced in two by a batwing sword.

It was another in a black cloak, and he was carrying the unconscious girl under his arm.

"The imposter." The mysterious man growled as he summoned his weapon, a claymore, to his side.

The imposter didn't even give him the chance to attack as he quickly spawned a Dark Corridor behind him and ran into it, going to who know where.

The mysterious man couldn't help but clench his hands into fists before relaxing.

No... this was merely a small setback.

Besides... they had other subjects with hearts like hers.

Weiss could feel herself fading, barely able to keep herself aware enough to listen to the voices around her.

"She looks bad. Her heart... it's..."

"Put her into a pod! It is vital she survives! Hurry!"

A pod...?

"That won't be enough. You know it."

"Connect her with him..."

What...?

Weiss found the will to open her eyes, just in time to see that she was being placed into... something. Although her head was fuzzy beyond all senses, she managed to see the people who were in the process of saving her.

A man with white hair, another man whose face was wrapped in red bandages and girl a year or two younger than her holding onto a sketchbook.

"You'll be safer with him." Weiss could hear the girl whisper before everything went dark.

Chapter 1: Reconnect