Characters:
Weiss Schnee
Van Schnee
Nilla Schnee
Winter Schnee
Azure
Summary:
Mirror, what's this thing I see? Who is staring back at me? A stranger to my heart has filled my mind. Mirror, help me. Who am I?
NOTE: This story is based off the Weiss short for RWBY V5, but has a different twist on it, you'll see when you read it. Also sorry if it's a bit shorter than the other short stories that I've written thus far, wanted to get this one off my chest. The following song, The Path to Isolation (At least I think that's the songs name) isn't owned by me, it is owned by Casey Lee Williams, Jeff Williams and Roosterteeth.
(Opening Theme: Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Rei-Super Scription of Data; Performed by Shimamiya Eiko)
It was late in the evening of the snowy kingdom of Atlas, and the Schnee Mansion was quiet as it usually was in the night. All were sound asleep, enjoying whatever pleasant dreams they were having. Weiss sat in her room fixing up her hair as she looked in the mirror, giving herself a cold and empty gaze. Every night she would stay awake thinking of wanting to leave Atlas for good. To her it didn't feel like she had a future the longer she stayed in Atlas. If she had simply followed the footsteps like her father wanted, than who knows what poor choice she end up having chosen for her only.
She wanted to leave, she wanted to be free from the strings to which her father controlled. She thought about what she wanted to do twice or maybe three times; she decided she wanted to become a Huntress. If anything it was the only way she could be free, and maybe, just maybe… She could finally put this all behind her.
Just as she finished fixing her hair she heard the door creak open slightly, followed by a pair of familiar voices.
"Weiss?"
"Are you still up?"
Weiss turned to the door and saw that it was her younger twin sisters, Van and Nilla, both of them wearing night dresses; Van wore the color white, while Nilla wore the color blue.
"Van, Nilla." Weiss said as she stood up walking to them, "What are you two doing up?"
"We couldn't sleep, because we were worried." Van replied.
"We heard you and father get into another argument again." Nilla added with a worrisome tone, "Is everything okay?"
Weiss smiled to them reassuringly as she replied, "Don't worry you two. Everything's just fine, I promise."
Van and Nilla looked over Weiss's appearance, and they both were quick to realize that instead of her usual white dress, coat and boots, while also having her hair tied back. They both also took notice of her weapon, the Myrtenaster out in the open and not in it's case. "How come you're wearing your dress and have your weapon out?" Van asked.
"You weren't planning on leaving were you?" Nilla asked.
Weiss immediately responded with, "No of course not, nothing like that!"
"Than… What were you doing?" The twins both asked at the same time.
Weiss let out a sigh, knowing that she couldn't keep this kind of thing from them. She soon said, "Winter is going to help me train to be a better Huntress tonight."
The twins eyes brightened at this, "Really?" They both said in unison.
"Yes." She replied, "I'm hoping that if all goes well, I'll be able to get into the academy Beacon to better myself."
"Weiss, that's amazing!" Nilla said with excitement.
"That is sounds just like our big sister!" Van said, "She's so cool to help you with your training!"
Weiss couldn't help but let out a giggle at the twins enthusiasm. Not only did they love and look up to her, but they love and look up to Winter, just as much as she did. Weiss than had a certain thought come to her head. "You know… Father, mother or Whitley don't know about this, though I don't think they would be interested to watch how I've progressed…" Weiss said to them, and she saw their expression brighten up than it did before, "... Would you two like to watch?"
Van and Nilla both smiled and nodded at this, "Of course we'll see big sister!" Nilla said, "Wait until Winter sees how far you've gone with your training!"
"This is going to be great!" Van said as she clapped.
Just as this was said, the three of them heard a knock at the door. A voice all to familiar to the girls that had perked up their ears.
"Weiss." A strong and calm voice said, "It's time."
"That's my cue." Weiss said, as she picked up her weapon.
She coaxed the twins to follow her to which Van and Nilla did. The twins followed her out of the room and to the courtyard just outside.
Weiss stood in front of the ornate fountain, now armed with her weapon ready for what her sister had prepared for her, while Winter, Van and Nilla stood at a safe distance to see what was about to unfold. Weiss fixed up her ponytail a little before facing away from the ornate fountain that she had stood before. As she walked towards the center, cold air began to surround her and she stood in the middle of it all, ready and waiting.
It starts, with the unexpected loss
Of something dear
The warmth that comforted and cradled
Just disappears
Winter activated her summoning and three beowolves in the shade of white with their eyes glowing blue emerged from the cold air. One of them licking it's lips as it couldn't wait to devour the girl before it. Weiss stood ready for what was gonna come her way, as she watched as the beowolves circled her like a pack of vultures.
And in its place there's nothing, just an endless empty hole
The light that showed the way is gone and darkness takes control
Bitterness and anger, are quick to fill the void
The path to isolation, is littered with dreams that lay destroyed
The beowolf behind Weiss leaped into the air, to attack her, but Weiss was quick to act on her part. With the thrust of her sword, the blade had gone clean her through it's head and it had disappeared in an instant that it was killed. The two other beowolves charged at her, and Weiss activated her semblance. With the help of her glyphs, she jumped high into the air, and sliced one beowolf in two; she jumped towards the other after summoning a glyph in the air.
As the beowolf roared, a glyph just appeared in front of it's face and struck it in the head, before flipping back landing on top of the fountain just behind her just as Winter summoned three more beowolves before her. The cartridge spun until it landed on the red dust cartridge. She brushed her fingers along the blade of her sword and swung a hard swing. A wave of fire went across the courtyard killing the beowolves that stood before.
While Winter was left impressed by this, Van and Nilla clapped for Weiss and cheered for her at her victory.
The cold, seems to grow in my soul
It's consuming me
Confused,
Am I losing myself in the storm?
Weiss smiled at her twins praise and she bowed to them having a confident smile on her face as she couldn't help but take a victory swing. She soon saw Van and Nilla let out a shocked gasp when they saw what was in front of Weiss. She couldn't help but wonder why the twins had such reactions, until she saw what was in front of her; she too let out a shocked gasp at this. There that now stood in front of her was more beowolves; enough to be it's own pack. One let out a roar as if to say, "Come at me if you dare."
Weiss took a deep breath and got into her stance as she prepared to attack. A black glyph appeared just behind her and she launched herself at the beast, killing it instantly with just a swing of her sword. Another beowolf came up behind her, but she retaliated she stabbed the beowolf, multiple times before slicing another in multiple pieces.
Can't find myself when I'm constantly forced to conform
Enemies surround me
But the worst appear as friends
Liars and pretenders, only seek to reach their ends
Many more beowolves charged at her all around, though Weiss was quick to attack and counter, once again leaving Winter impressed. The twins however couldn't help but shut their eyes a couple of times when they thought was Weiss was about to get it; though they had continued to watch regardless of this. They wanted to be able to fight like that of their older sisters; they had a long to go sure, but they wanted to be able to fight like them. They studied Weiss's moves and watched closely as she fought off against the beowolves that their sister Winter had summoned, one after another. They held each other's hands as to comfort one another as despite they knew how capable Weiss was able to handle herself, they couldn't help but feel worried.
Winter noticed this from her two younger sisters and comforted them.
"Don't worry about her." She said to them, "She'll be just fine."
Everything is breaking
Right before my eyes
Looking in the mirror
I see someone that I don't recognize
Weiss moved with such speed as she sliced and diced through the many beowolves that came her way. Often at times she jumped through the air attacking from above, catching the beowolves by surprise. Summoning another glyph she moved fast as the wind as she shoved her blade through a beowolfs chest. She threw her sword at one of the beowolf stabbing it in the head, just as this happened, the cartridge stopped on the blue dust vile.
Thrusting the sword downward many ice shards appeared before their very eyes, killing every beowolf that stood. Within mere moments the ice seemed to have vanished without a trace. The fight seemed to be over that was until-
"WEISS WATCH OUT!" Nilla was heard yelling.
Weiss was startled when the winds from the cold air started to attack her on all sides, catching her off guard.
It had slashed through the ground almost knocking her off her balance. The wind finally knocked the weapon out of her hand, causing it fall over to the side.
Mirror,
What's this thing I see?
Who is staring back at me?
A stranger to my heart has filled my mind
At this point Weiss was stumped; without her weapon she didn't know exactly what to do. As she thought of what her move should be, a beowolf jumped onto Weiss, knocking her off her feet and onto the ground. Van and Nilla couldn't help but gasp in horror when this happened; they were about rush over but Winter stopped them from doing so.
Weiss kept the the beowolf from biting her face off and the other beowolves began to crowd over her, all of them preparing to pounce on her to finish her.
Mirror
Help me
Who am I?
Weiss looked to the other beowolves fearfully as she saw there was no way out of the situation she was currently in. She didn't even know if she could get out of this situation herself if she could. The beowolves all pounced at her, ready to devour her when-
"WINTER!" Weiss yelled.
The beowolves stopped and suddenly dissolved instead of attacking her. Van and Nilla left Winters side and ran over to Weiss as they were worried for her. They quickly helped her to sit up.
"Are you okay Weiss?" Van asked her.
"You're not hurt right?" Nilla asked soon after.
Weiss shook her head before replying, "No… I'm fine, don't worry."
Winter picked up the sword that had fallen from Weiss's hand earlier and walked over to her younger sister. She threw the sword down so that it was sticking to the ground. Weiss, Van and Nilla looked up to their older sister as she had her hands behind her back. She gave a displeasing look to Weiss before her expression softened as she let out a sigh.
"Weiss..." Winter said to her, "I'm not always going to be around to save you."
Weiss looked to the ground as she said, "I'm sorry… I'll get better."
Winter proceeded to exit the courtyard just before saying, "... You'll have to if you ever want to leave."
With that being said, Winter left the three girls alone; Weiss looked to the ground with a sad look on her face, and the twins took notice of this. "Don't worry Weiss, you'll get it right the next time." Van reassured her.
"Yeah…" Nilla added, "... And if you don't the next time you can always try again and again."
Weiss let out a small smile to them before she hugged the two of them; the twins gladly returned the hug.
"... Thank you." Was the only thing she said to the two of them.
The memory faded with a red color surrounding the image before her.
Young Azure opened her eyes as she stood in front of Weiss, with her thumb pressed to her forehead. Weiss was sleeping as the red eye showing on Azure's forehead glowed not to brightly, filling the darkness within the cargo hold of the ship they were in. Since herself and the twins were fast asleep she didn't find a need to hide her blind eye or the red eye on her forehead. She removed her hand from Weiss's forehead as she thought about what she just saw through her eyes.
She'll admit to herself, that she wasn't told to pry through the enemies memories but she couldn't help but find it curious as to what Weiss had to go through in the past.
She honestly couldn't help but find it intriguing at what her thoughts were and what she was feeling throughout that memory and she would admit that she found Weiss… Interesting. Not only that she found Winter could be troublesome; that is if they weren't too careful in the near future.
She looked out the window to look at the night sky and the shattered moon that was high in the sky as she pondered her thoughts.
"This view is different than it is back home…" Azure said to herself, "...I wonder if the others think so too."
Azure was taken back a bit when she felt something on her face. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw her reflection within the window.
She brushed her thumb against her own face as she surface of her face and saw a wet substance on her thumb.
"... I'm… Crying…?"
(Ending Theme: Hell Girl Ending 3-Ichinuke TV Sized; Performed By Mamiko Nako)