HE’S NEVER BEEN particularly fond of libraries, or books in general. comics were one thing, but the written word without pictures usually put him to sleep, unable to hold his attention with the same mundane, overly complex writing that authors typically used. compared to such boring pieces of work, he much preferred the action and violence that comics promised, despite most of them containing some form of a hero that he couldn’t stand.
somehow, he doubts he’ll find any in the local library, but that’s not what he came for in the first place. surprisingly enough, what he seeks are books that can tell him a thing or two about eidolon. he’s hardly excited about the idea of actually sitting down and reading one, but it doesn’t seem as though he has a choice if he wants to get anywhere.
to make matters worse, he isn’t sure where exactly to start. hundreds of books line the walls, all dusty and worn, each one possibly containing the information he seeks. the thought of looking through each one individually makes him groan aloud, but he doesn’t have to worry about it for long. amidst the books, there is something far more interesting–or rather someone–that catches his eye, stark white standing out against the otherwise dull colors in the room.
he recognizes her instantly–not that he’s personally met her, but someone very similar to her in appearance. he recalls pale white locks cascading down a much smaller figure, entirely too reminiscent to the woman before him to be coincidence, and the knowledge that there is an elder schnee sibling belonging to atlas’s military… but what would atlas military be doing here?
furthermore, would she recognize him? he’s positive he’s been on the news, both during the vytal festival incident, and during the fall of beacon–but that doesn’t mean she’s seen him or knows what he’s done, who he is. then again, it may not even matter if she isn’t who he thinks she is, but he has a hunch he’s not wrong. he supposes there’s only one way to find out.
❝ you’re.. ❞ he’s hesitant to say her name, hesitant to let her know that he’s even there in case she starts asking who he is in return, or worse, already knows. the last thing he needs is a possible schnee summoning a giant enemy in such an inclosed space, but he wants answers.
❝ .. you wouldn’t happen to be atlas military, would you? ❞
What better way to gain knowledge of this foreign land, than to read about its history at the library? So went Winter's train of thought, as her fingers thumbed through the various book spines that covered the shelves. Her wandering digits stop and grab a hold of one title in particular, a large encyclopedic volume, a copy of The Bestiary.
As she settled into a nearby chair, the nostalgic smell of old paper and dust wafted from the pages. How long has it been since she last sat down with a book? It felt like so long ago that she was constantly out in the field, travelling across Remnant on her assignments. Every moment her boots were on the ground, Winter held vigilance and caution close at bay while watching out for her comrades — and now? She was the only one here from Atlas; she wonders how they're faring back at home without her.
Rustic sketches and detailed models of the various species of fauna and flora of Eidolon spread across the aged pages, one after another. Each entry captivated the white-haired woman, but her focus was interrupted when the silence of the library was broken.
Icy blue eyes flickered back and forth, studying the boy that was before her. From his appearance and his words, it was obvious he was also from Remnant and that he was about Weiss' age. However, she couldn't say that she recognized him at first.
"Indeed I am, I'm Specialist Winter Schnee. Forgive me if we’ve met before but, who might I be addressing..?" Her tone is one of formality but mixed in was a slight hint of suspicion. The way this individual said 'Atlas military'...it was a manner that Winter has come to associate with those who did not take kindly to the military, or Atlas for that matter. Who exactly was he?
