It was like a blotch of paint in the middle of an otherwise blank canvas. The apple tree stood tall in a valley of nothing but grass. It was like Neo herself: something that stood out in a very obvious way. The only difference was that Neo stood out in nearly every way possible.
Anyone who'd even passed her on the streets of Vale would think of her as the oddest creature in Remnant. Her hair was tri-coloured: one side was chocolate brown while the other side was pink with white streaks. Her eyes could change colour to form different combinations. She dressed differently from many people; the only one looking similar to her in that regard was Roman. She could be viewed as a psychopath, a sadist, crazy, whatever other names you could come up with regarding her nature in battle. To top it off, she couldn't talk. She was mute. Disabled. No one knew her thoughts when she couldn't write them down, which only added to the name-calling when she was younger.
Like the tree she was leaning against, she was alone.
An apple fell from the tree and landed on her head. She didn't feel any pain from the impact, oddly enough. Neo reached for the object next to her and closed her fingers around it, bringing it up to her face.
The red fruit brought back a few memories, but one stood out. The one that changed her life.
When she was twenty years old, she'd been trying to pick an apple from a tree. It was on the lowest branch, but Neo's shortness prevented her from reaching it, even with her high-heeled boots. An orange-haired man a few years older than her had helped her out, picking the apple and giving it to her.
That was her and Roman's first meeting.
It had mostly gone uphill from there, aside from still being made fun of.
Neo stood up, stretching her arms, legs and back. She placed the apple on the grass and started walking. She didn't want to be alone like the tree anymore. She wanted to find people who would accept her in this afterlife. Real or not, she didn't want anyone insulting her, calling her names or insisting that she "get therapy".
The tri-coloured girl blinked and the setting changed. Gone were the lone tree, clear blue sky and green grass. This was a completely different atmosphere.
Neo held a pink umbrella over her head, for it was raining. She stood on a long driveway with two streetlamps on either side. It was dark out, but she wasn't scared at all.
Only when she started walking again did she notice her change of attire. Neo wore a pink ball gown with a white petticoat, pink long gloves and pink heels.
When she reached the other end of the driveway, she approached an elegant castle. It was made if smooth, dark stone that glistened in the rain.
Neo went up the stairs, careful not to slip and fall. The silver mask that covered the top half of her face limited her vision. She reached the doors and opened one with a hard push.
There, in front of her, was a long hallway. The stone floors were partially covered by a black carpet lined with gold and several lamps hung on each wall on both sides of her. Awaiting her was a large silver door. Neo closed her umbrella and held it in her left hand. Her footsteps were like rolling thunder, loud and clear, as she approached the door confidently. She was definitely excited to find out what the environment change was about.
The pretty outfit, this mysterious atmosphere...
She paused with her hand on the knob.
Was that my voice? Wait, there it goes again! I'm talking, but... my mouth isn't moving. Is this what my voice should've been? I sound... so elegant, like a queen or a princess.
She shook her head and opened the door.
Neo supposed that the whole castle was as dark and mysterious-looking as the outside and entryway. The hanging lamps on the walls and the grand chandelier provided a bright light, contrasting the otherwise black and dark brown foyer. It was fairly large, more so than she expected. There was a grand staircase, covered with black carpeting, taking up most of the room. The rest was empty.
Neo blinked, feeling out of place with her bright pink clothing. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned around. There stood a hooded figure, who was getting on one knee. They took her right hand and gently kissed it before standing back up, not letting go.
The figure was much taller than her, but she couldn't see their face. She assumed the person was a man based on their build.
He lead her up the stairs, making sure she'd left her umbrella behind so she could lift up her skirts. The two ended up in a small ballroom.
Is this... a fairy tale?
Neo knew a little bit about dancing because she'd heard it was like fighting: you had to be light on your feet so you wouldn't make a fool of yourself was how she thought of it. She and the man were slow dancing, a style she immediately knew she was terrible at. No quick footwork, no good. He didn't seem to mind her stepping on his toes or her mouthed apologies; it seemed like he was used to it. She really wanted to see his face, though. What could he possibly be hiding? If anything, she was the odd one. She didn't fit in, yet he gladly kissed her hand and was slow dancing with her.
He accepted her.
It hit her like a sack of bricks. Neo was clearly not supposed to be there, she didn't belong. Despite that, she'd been welcomed into the castle and not told to get lost. In all her days of being alive, that had only happened once. With Cinder.
Neo was at peace in the castle of her dreams.