This is just something I thought of a while ago and felt a desire to write it.
The biggest problem Salem had is that she was tired. Tired of seeing the same sights, tired of the Grimm, and especially tired of the people. All she wanted was to finally leave this world. Yet no matter how much she tries, Ozma repeatedly gets in her way every age. Though she had to admit the wildness of the frontier era did have its enjoyable moments on occasion.
Salem walked through her palace halls, passing sentry Grimm and hearing random howls or growls from outdoors. A normal thing to hear in the dark lands. As she came to two large double-doors, she snapped her fingers and they flung themselves open for her. When she stepped in, she swung her hand to the side and they shut behind her.
Every era has it's pros and cons, and this eras number one benefit had to be the sheer level of technology man has managed to create. Even she, a master of magic and the arcane, someone who's lived for hundreds upon hundreds of years had to acknowledge its benefits. Things even magic found impossible random humans managed to make in their garages. Although it did take them a few hundred years to get it right.
She approached a large machine in the center of the room. Its shape was that of a gazebo, however it was made of metal and had wired, tubes, rods, and plenty of other parts she didn't quite know or understand. Along with a large tube in it's center. It was something she had Watts put together for her. It was a bit of a side project to plundering the maidens and obtaining the relics.
Lifting her hand up, she pulled a lever on the outside support of the machine. The tube in the middle retracted, lowering itself into the floor. The machine was simple in function. For most of her life she's tried to end it. What the gods did to her was magical thus it required a magical solution... However she could never figure out how to go about it. She's tried experiments in the past and none of them worked, but this was the first time in history in which technology reached such advanced enough levels that she considered giving it a shot.
However magic was still involved of course. Salem lifted her hand up and a magic sigil appeared floated in her palm. With another wave it was flung to the floor of the machine and a magic circle spread under it.
The machine was powered on all kinds of dust and then electricity, it was essentially a very powerful and very deadly generator of sorts. Made just to creating as much power as possible. Combine that with her own magic and who knows, maybe she'll finally be able to die. She figured worst case scenario it blows up, she's perfectly fine, then she continues to plan against Ozma.
… But if it was to work... Oh, how happy she would be. Or not be. Even she wasn't entirely sure what was after death. Ozma was brought back from somewhere after all...
She stepped into the circle and above where the tube lowered. With a flick of her wrist, she used magic to push the lever back up and the tube raised to surround her. Another flick and another lever was pulled downward. This turned the machine on.
Gears turned, electricity howled, sparks flung around her inside the tube. She flinched when one hit her and grunted in pain, but the injury quickly healed itself. If this was to work she had to ignore such things. Taking a deep breath, she pushed away the pain she felt time and time again when the electricity zapped her, instead focused on her magic. The magic circle under her began to glow a bright purple and the machine responded in kind, generating power even faster. The gears began to smoke and she was sure a fire started somewhere on it already.
Power swelled inside her. Each time she was zapped, it was like getting a boost of energy. Though it was more and more difficult to contain. Her body began to crumble from the damage, regeneration be damned. If she collapsed before being able to absorb enough and release it properly, this experiment would be a failure.
So she tried to stay calm and keep it contained as best she could. Grunts and grumbles of pain left her mouth and she soon found herself nearly collapsing against the tube's walls.
"More... More!" She told herself and her body, bloody and damaged was also glowing a multitude of colors. Her aura, something she hasn't seen in hundreds of years was now powerful enough to push through her Grimm exterior.
Her emotions grew. Hope, something she hasn't felt in over 500 years swelled inside her. The idea that this might actually work made her smile regardless of the pain.
"Please work...!" She begged and the let out a scream.
Light shined off her as a powerful magic explosion took place from the very center of her soul. The glass shattered, the machine melted, and the room, as well as part of the palace was in ruins.
Smoke rose from where she was standing but Salem, along with all her Grimm-like ooze was gone.
Weiss was tired. Ruby's immaturity was nothing praiseworthy. She had no idea how someone so young got into this school let alone became leader of a team. Worst of all, it was her team. Doesn't help that her sister encourages the little brat. Pyrrha, the one whom she desired to partner up with the most was glued to that blonde pest, Jaune, who finds a new way to ask her out every week!
She decided to get away from everyone and just take a nice walk through Beacon's halls. No Ruby to to annoy her, no loud Yang, brooding Blake, or pestering boy. She took a deep breath through her nose and exhaled, calming down a little. Just a nice relaxing wa-
"Well this is certainly new."
"Huh?!" Weiss gasped and quickly turned around. Upon seeing no one around her, she turned again, and again. Then actually looked up and down. An expression of confusion etched her face. She could have sworn she heard someone... A woman, and they were very close.
She sighed and rubbed her head. "Ruby must be getting to me more than I thought." She assumed.
"Hello, I'm still here."
Weiss swung around again, this time her voice raised. "Okay, who's there?! This isn't funny!" She demanded with a frown.
"Quiet, child. You don't need to shout, I'm right here."
"Right where?" Weiss questioned and began glancing around. She didn't shout this time, more confused than angry now. They sounded far too close. Was it a semblance of some kind?
"This is no semblance, girl."
Weiss' eyes widened. "How did yo-" however she cut her question short.
"You're reading my mind... Yo- you're talking in my head!" Her frown came back and she looked furious. It had to be a semblance, and they seemed to be abusing it. "How dare you! This is a huge invasion of privacy!" She shouted out loud.
A couple other students close by faltered from her outburst. They seemed to just be walking through. Weiss turned to them and looked a little nervous. "O- oh, no! Not you! I uhm-"
"You shouldn't talk aloud like that, people might think you're crazy."
"Shut up!" Weiss thought while gritting her teeth. Then turned and quickly walked away from the two other students and stormed into the girls bathroom.
"Okay you! I don't know who you think you are but stop reading my thoughts this instant!" Weiss demanded and crossed her arms, frowning in anger.
"To be honest I would, but I don't think that's very possible in my current state..."
"Huh?" Weiss scoffed aloud. "What game are you getting at? Stop using your semblance and- In fact, tell me who you are! This will be reported directly to Professor Ozpin!"
"Are you hard of hearing, girl? I already said this is no semblance."
Weiss' eyes squinted and she shook her head. This person must be messing with her. "I said get out!"
"I'm sorry!" a voice came from the stall and Weiss quickly snapped over to it. There was a flush and the doors opened a second later. It was that Faunus girl Velvet. "I- I'll be out of your way!" she stammered and then sped-walked for the door.
Weiss looked surprised and then reached out. "Huh?!" however the girls bathroom door closed shut as Velvet left.
"I did suggest you not to speak aloud like that."
Weiss was already having enough of this. Not only has this person made a fool of her multiple times now, but this is certainly breaking multiple kinds of privacy laws!
"Stop reading my thoughts!" Weiss demanded once more.
"I told you already, I can't. Besides this isn't by choice."
Weiss didn't quite know what to say anymore. "What do you mean?" She finally asked.
"I mean I'm not reading your thoughts and mind. I'm inside it."
Weiss' eyes widened and without thinking, turned to look towards one of the mirrors in the bathroom for some reason. Almost like she was drawn to it. There she saw her own reflection, but then also saw something more. Standing behind her in a strange ethereal form was a beautiful, tall, and long blonde haired woman with fair skin, wearing a light purple dress.
They smiled.
"I suppose introductions are due. Hello there, you may call me Salem."
There you go, hope you enjoyed the chapter. I have a few ideas I want to do for this story. Weiss and Salem can have some pretty funny interactions all while under Ozpin's nose lol