Finally back to the canon story ^-^; There's a scene with Weiss' concert I really wanted to do but I'm not entirely sure how well the idea translated into writing, so hope you enjoy it regardless!
The Adam short was really good, and I'm working on figuring out how to modify it and get it to fit into this story (and make you hate Adam even more).
Nora swung her arms as she walked, Ren walking alongside her.
"I spy with my little eye-"
"A tree," Ren said. Nora giggled.
"Thirty in a row! You're really good at this. You're turn now."
"I spy with my little eye…" Ren looked around, humming. "Something red."
"Ruby's cape!" Nora said. Ren shook his head. Ruby looked up from the map, watching them as she walked. Nora rested a finger on her chin, looking around. She glanced back at Pyrrha. Pyrrha caught her eye, not saying anything. Her eyes darted upward briefly before looking back down at the road. Nora smiled. "Pyrrha's hair!"
"Correct," Ren said. "Your turn." Nora looked around, and came to a halt, her mouth opening. A large stone wall stood at the end of the road, large buildings towering over the top of the wall. She heard Ren and the others come to a halt.
"What's that doing here? The next village isn't for a few more days, isn't it?" Ruby asked. Nora squinted at the buildings; the gray twilight made it difficult to see but the roof's looked like they had been caved in.
"The building's look…damaged."
Ruby's face hardened. She pocketed the map, starting to run toward the wall.
"Look for survivors!" She shouted.
Nora dashed forward, running through the village entrance, chasing after Ruby. Ruby was sifting through rubble near the entrance, dust flying into the air. Nora ran into a building, taken back when she ran through the entrance. It was barren, the ceiling didn't look like it had even been put in. She back out of the doorway, looking back. Pyrrha was running from building to building. Ren was looking around the village as he walked, coming to a stop in front of a moss covered stone sticking out of the ground.
"Found something." Ren said. Nora went to his side, Ruby and Pyrrha joining her. He drew the knife from his boot, carving the moss off of the stone. Nora rested her hands on her hips when he was done; a word was carved into the stone face in Old Mistralian.
"Oniyuri? I've never heard of that." Nora said. Pyrrha shook her head.
"Neither have I," she said. Ren stood up, walking away from the stone marker.
"I have," he said. "You could think of it as being like Vale's Mountain Glenn. If it had ever been completed." He looked down at the marker. "Years ago, the richest members of Mistral were upset with how the Council was governing the Kingdom. Across the Kingdom, from Higanbana to Wind Path, people pooled their resources into creating a new City. One that would rival Mistral, and hopefully surpass it. Maybe even forming a Fifth Kingdom. For many, it was symbol of a better future." He walked away from the marker, crouching down near a torn apart building, dried blood painting the side of the wall. He brushed his hand against the cobblestone road, dust flying up. "I know my parent's certainly thought so."
"What happened?" Ruby asked. Ren looked back at them. Nora's eyes widened, ice shooting down her spine. A hoofprint was embedded into the cobblestone. A pink glow flickered around Ren for a brief moment before he sighed.
"What always happens." He said. She heard Pyrrha shift.
"The Grimm," she mumbled. Nora shook her head.
A Grimm
Nora gasped, jerking back as a murder of crows flew off, squawking and shrieking. Pyrrha sighed, and Nora looked at her. Pyrrha looked further into the village, at a partially built building.
"It's going to be night soon. Let's set up camp." She said. Ruby nodded in agreement. They started to walk over to the building, slinging off their packs. Nora looked at the stone marker, her heart thumping in her chest. She felt Ren gently caress her shoulder, and looked up at him. He offered a comforting smile. She took a deep breath, and smiled back.
Ren kept his hand on her shoulder as they joined Ruby and Pyrrha.
Weiss heard the applause as she stepped onto the stage. She saw a microphone at the front of the stage. She kept her hands together, not looking at the crowd as she went to the piano, the spotlight following her. The crowd quieted as she sat down. She closed her eyes, and began to play, the melancholy melody filling the theatre.
"Mirror? Can you hear me?" She took a breath. "Do I reach you?" She straightened her back. "Are you even listening?" She frowned. "Can I get through?"
"There's a part of me that's desperate for changes. Tired of being treated like a pawn." Her shoulder's slumped. "But there's a part of me that stares back from inside the mirror. Part of me that's scared I might be wrong. That I can't be strong."
Her fingers danced over the keys, her voice haunting and beautiful as it ascended. She opened her eyes, rising from the seat. The violins came alive as she sung.
"I've been afraid, never standing on my own. I let you be the keeper of my pride." She walked to the front of the stage. "Believed you when you told me I was nothing on my own." She faced the crowd. "Listen when I say, I swear it here today, I will not surrender. This life. Is. Mine!"
She smirked as the curtain behind her fell, and the guitars began.
"Amazing how you conquered me, chained me in servility. And made me see." She grabbed the mic. "The world the way you told me to. But I was young and didn't have a way to know the truth."
"Born to live your legacy, existing just to fill your needs. A casualty." She glowered at the balcony seats. "Of this so called family that you have turned into a travesty." She shook her head.
"But I don't intend to suffer any longer! Here's where you dominion falls apart!" She rested her hand on her heart. "I'm shattering the Mirror that kept me split in pieces!" She regripped the mic. "That stood between my mind and my heart. This is where I'll start!"
"I'm not your pet! Not another thing you own! I was not born guilty of your crimes! Your riches and your influence can't hold me anymore! I won't be possessed, burdened by a royal test! I will not surrender! This life! Is! Mine!"
The guitarists sprang forth, appearing next to her, shredding, her anger and hatred cascading onto the audience with the guitars hellish shrieking.
"Shame that it took so long, to rescue me, from the guilt you used to tie me to your family tree!" She smirked. "I guess your training failed; you're not in charge, I'm free! You're patriarchal prison won't hold me!"
"Now this conversation's final over. Mirror, Mirror, now we're done!" She sliced her hand over her throat. "I've pulled myself together now! My mind and heart are one!" She squeezed her eyes shut, screaming into the mic.
"Finally one!" Her eyes snapped opened; she pointed at Him.
"I'm not your pet! Not another thing you own! I was not born guilty of your crimes! Your riches and your influence can't hold me anymore! I won't be possessed! Burdened by a royal test! I will not surrender! This life! Is! Mine!"
She was gasping, her chest heaving as the instruments died, sweat coating her. The audience stared at her in shock. She heard two people clapping, and looked up at the balcony. Her mother and brother were clapping, Willow was smiling.
Her father narrowed his eyes at her, scowling.
A polite applause came from the audience a moment later, and Weiss curtsied before turning away, the curtain falling on the band. The spotlight on her died, and she sighed as she made her way off stage.
Pyrrha kept her arms crossed, standing just out of the fire light's reach. She leaned against one of the broken buildings, staring at the camp. Ren and Nora were sleeping. Ruby was tossing and turning in her sleep. The Corpse stood next to the flames, staring at her. She closed her eyes, looking away with a sigh.
The Corpse was gone when she opened her eyes. The fire crackled, a log breaking. Pyrrha looked up at the moon, counting the shattered shards floating in its orbit. Her eyes widened, a gentle gasp escaping her lips. She looked down; a soft yellow moth had landed on her chest. The moth's antenna's twitched as it looked up at her.
Pyrrha allowed herself to smile, raising a finger to it. The moth climbed onto her finger. She cocked her head to the side, smiling at it. It watched her for a moment before spreading its wings and flying off. She watched it leave.
She settled back into her spot against the building, her smile falling. She looked back at the moon. Ruby's turn would be coming up soon.
Weiss gripped her wrists as her father prattled on to some man and his wife. Whitley stood next to their father, a hand on his chin as he listened intently. Willow rolled her eyes at Jacque's mentioning of paying Faunus the same as their other employees. Willow sipped from her glass of water.
"Their argument is completely invalid right out of the gate," Jacques said with a disarming smile. Weiss sighed, looking away from her family. An array of painting hung on the wall on the opposite side of the room. Her heart sank at the familiar sight of Beacon.
"Well, I think the bigger issue is maybe our society as a whole."
"You mean Atlas entirely?"
"Atlas, Mistral. The only decent Kingdom is Vacuo." Her father laughed.
"Vacuo? Really? Have you seen their economy lately?"
Weiss began to leave, gasping in surprise as a skeletal hand gripped her wrist. Her father jerked her to his side, speaking from the side of his mouth.
"Where do you think you're going?" he whispered. Weiss' eyes darted around, settling on the glasses in so many people's hands.
"I'm… I'm thirsty." Her father looked at her, frowning.
"That's what the help is for." He let go of her wrist, motioning at one of the servers. Weiss grabbed his arm, lowering it back down.
"It's okay. I can get it." Jacques' stare was pointed. "I'll be right back."
"If she wants to get herself a drink, let her." Willow said. Jacqeus glanced over at her, and Weiss felt a smile tug at her lips. Jacques snorted, and turned back to the businessman.
"Fine. Bring your mother something harder while you're at it."
"-but companies like the SDC promised jobs." Jacques winning smile materialized.
"My apologies, I tuned out for a moment, but it sounds like I'm the good guy again, hm?"
Weiss flashed her mother a smile as the business couple laughed. Willow smiled back before grimacing as she returned her attention to Jacques conversation.
Weiss made her way through the crowd of people, a hand on her wrist as she approached the paintings. They were roped off, a plaque standing before the paintings. She stopped at the red ropes, her shoulder's sagging as she looked at the Beacon painting.
They had captured its likeness perfectly. The spiraling steel gray pillars with their black tiled roofs. The yellow orbs that floated around the CCT. The soft green grass, the gurgling water gardens. The billowing red banners on the lampposts. The leaves on the trees were beginning to turn red; she sighed. The autumn chill, and the falling leaves. Competing alongside her friends, spending time at the fairgrounds with Bla-
"It's beautiful."
Weiss glanced to her side; a finely dressed man with blue hair stood next to her, admiring the paintings. He looked at her, and smiled.
"You two match." Weiss rolled her eyes. The man's smile faltered, and he rubbed the back of his head. "Sooo, that was me trying to break the ice. How am I doing so far?"
"I'm gay." Disappointment, and confusion flashed in his eyes. He leaned against the rope, looking at the paintings.
"I've always appreciated honesty, and I can see why you'd be into women." He flashed her a smile. "But there's a first time for everyone." He held out his hands, she cocked an eyebrow at the fake silver rings adoring his fingers. "Henry Merigold." She looked at his face.
"You already know who I am. You wouldn't have come to talk to me if you didn't."
He chuckled and withdrew his hand.
"You've got me there. You're Weiss Schnee." He brushed a stray hair behind his ear, and cleared his throat. "I saw your performance. It was…" he paused for a moment, struggling to find the word. "Wonderful? I was really surprised by it. I wouldn't have expected a song like that from a girl like you."
She said nothing, and crossed her arms, looking back at the painting.
"You seem to really like that painting. Thinking about buying it?"
"No."
"Makes sense. It seems kinda pricey." He chortled. "Who'd want to spend that much on a silly painting?" She glared at him. He was leaning against the ropes, looking at the price tag on the paintings frame.
"It's for charity." He looked at her, arching an eyebrow.
"Really? For who?" She stared at him in disbelief, and snarled.
"'For who?!'" He shrugged, and grabbed a shrimp cocktail off the tray of a passing server. He stirred one of the shrimp in the sauce.
"I'll be honest with you; I only come to these things for the food and drinks." He winked at her, and bit into the shrimp. "And the company as well." He finished the shrimp off, and chuckled. "So what, are those beggars in Mantle looking for another handout?"
She balled her hands into fists, feeling them tremble.
"Get. Out." She said, glaring at him. He cocked and eyebrow, and laughed nervously.
"What?"
"Get out. Or I will have security drag you out." He was taken back, looking at her in confusion.
"I haven't done any-"
"Leave!" she shouted, stomping her foot down. She saw people glance over at them, pausing in their conversations. He scoffed, and turned to leave.
"Whatever. Not worth my time anyway." He said as he left.
She turned to the painting's crossing her arms, her hands still trembling. She took a deep breath, and exhaled. She looked at the plaque, and shook her head.
All proceeds go to the Kingdom of Vale
Show the world how Atlas cares
"Deplorable, isn't it?" Her eyes widened, and she looked to her side, resisting the urge to vomit. Maximus stood next to her, looking at the paintings. He looked at her, and smiled. "That little leech should have known he wouldn't get very far with you. You've got too much fire in you for a man like him." She could spell alcohol on him, he gripped her shoulder, she didn't bother hiding the disgust on her face. "My wife used to have a fire in her like you did. I'm sure she would have loved your song."
Weiss looked behind her, finding Willow in the crowd of people. Willow looked up from her glass, and narrowed her eyes when she looked in Weiss' direction. Willow began to march over to them, sidestepping people. Weiss looked back at the painting, prying Maximus' hand off her shoulder.
"Maximus, how are you doing?" Maximus grimaced before putting on a fake smile as he turned to face her mother.
"I'm doing splendid, Willow. Just giving your daughter some company. She seemed like she needed it."
"I'm sure she didn't." Willow grabbed Maximus' arm, Weiss smiled at the discomfort on his face as Willow squeezed. Willow smiled politely. "I think my dear husband was looking for you earlier actually. Wanted to talk business or some other thing."
Weiss sighed in relief as her mother dragged him away. She turned back to the painting, closing her eyes. The crowd was so loud, all of them talking over each other.
"-this isn't a double!"
"I wonder if the Atlas Council will start a Faunus curfew-"
"Look at this beauty, seven hundred fifty-nine horsepower, and the paint-"
"- really a surprise what happened to Vale?"
Weiss' eyes shot opened, and she looked behind her, her lip twitching. A woman was sipping on from a champagne glass, hanging off her husband's arm as they talked to another couple.
"I say that they've had it coming for a long time."
"Honey, stop. You're drunk." The woman giggled.
"Oh stop it, you were saying the same things last night." She took another sip from her glass. "They're so arrogant, those Valian's. Thinking they're better because they were nicer to the Faunus. And look where that got them. If they had that curfew from the beginning, or if they had a proper military, they wouldn't have ended up as much of a hellhole as Vacuo is."
"Shut up!"
All of the conversation's ceased, the crowd staring at her in shock. She saw her father narrow his eyes, and Willow looking at her in concern. Whitley was smiling. Weiss scowled, slowly stepping toward the woman.
"You have no idea what it was like! None of you do!" she shouted. "You're all so wrapped up in your stupid meaningless lives that you can't even begin to care about what happened in Vale!" The Drunk Wife snorted, and rolled her eyes. Weiss snarled. "I was there! I saw what happened! Do any of you know what it's like?!" Weiss screamed. "To see the people you love get killed! To see your home burning! To see innocent people being butchered by monsters!"
"Answer me!" She slammed her foot down, a spark of electricity shooting through her. A white light glowed beneath her, and her eyes widened as snowflakes drifted past her. The crowd began to scream, some running to the doors. Weiss tentatively looked back; a snow white beowolf towered behind her. It growled, and leapt over her head, landing in front of the Drunk Wife.
The Wife screamed, tripping and falling as she tried to run. The wolf licked it's lips, and lunged, its claws thrown out. Fresh screams erupted as gunfire rang out. The wolf landed, growling, white blood spurting as several shots ripped into its chest. A strangled growl came from it as a shot blew a hole in it's head. It slumped to the floor, white blood pooling as it disintegrated into a flurry of snowflakes.
Weiss fell to her knees, her body feeling like lead, and looked over. General Ironwood stood near the window, smoke drifting from the barrel of his revolver.
The Wife struggled to her feet, hyperventilating. She shoved a finger at Weiss, screaming at Ironwood.
"Arrest her! She's insane!" Ironwood holstered his revolver.
"She's the only one making any sense around here." He looked over at Weiss, and nodded at her. He walked through the crowd, leaving. "Thanks for the party."
Weiss staggered to her feet, her head swimming. She saw her father scowling.
Ruby stifled a yawn. Keeping watch sucked. She glanced at her sleeping teammates. Pyrrha was mumbling in her sleep, a look of pain on her face.
Ruby's head jerked up, scanning the darkness as an animal cried out.
The animal sounded like it was in pain. Ruby gripped her scythe, and looked at her team mates before stepping into the darkness. She kept a hand on her holstered scythe as she walked through the abandoned town.
The animal was whimpering now, it's cries the only sound in the town.
Ruby stopped in front of one of the buildings, the animal's whimpers growing louder. She could see moonlight filtering from the unfinished roof. She took a breath, and entered the building.
The boards squeaked as she walked, dust kicking up. She walked slowly, her head swiveling to and fro as she glanced into the various unfinished rooms. She stopped in a hallway, the moonlight illuminating it; the animal had stopped whimpering. The crossbeams above her casted long shadows. She squinted as one of the crossbeam shadows appeared to move. She looked up. The moon and the barren wooden beams looked back at her. She shrugged, and looked-
Her eyes shot wide, a gasp ripping from her lips as she was flung against the wall. She was pulled to her feet, a hand wrapped around her throat, choking her. She gasped for air, crying out as a set of metal claws shot into the wood around her neck.
"Shhhh, quiet my little flower."
A hand covered her lips, Ruby's eyes widened in fear, struggling to breath. A woman with dark braided hair stood before her, a scorpion tail swishing in the air. He purple eyes glowed in the darkness. The woman smiled.
"I've come to take you to a better place. One where you can join your mother." The woman cocked her head to the side, her smile growing, chilling Ruby. "Oh I wish dear Cinder had told me you were this cute." She felt the stinger trail up her leg, Ruby tried to scream, her cries muffled by the woman's hand. "No need to scream, dear flower. I'll save my fun with you for after you've left." Ruby tried to thrash, unable to move, the blades cutting against her aura. Ruby felt tears welling as the woman's tail was pulled back, the stinger in the air, aimed at her. The woman giggled.
"Goodbye," she said.
The woman grunted in pain as a figure slammed into her, her hand being ripped from Ruby's throat, the claws raking across her face. Ruby jumped away from the wall, her scythe springing out. Pyrrha was struggling against the woman, dodging her tail as she beat into her face.
"Run!" Pyrrha screamed.
Ruby bolted, dashing through the entrance of the building. Ren and Nora were running up to the building, their weapons drawn.
"What's happening?"
Pyrrha bolted through the doorway, her spear drawn. Pyrrha spun around, shoving her spear forward.
"Nora! The building!"
Nora fired, explosions erupting throughout the building, the unfinished walls splintering and collapsing, the roof caving in. Flames spread, consuming the remains of the building. Ruby sighed.
She saw Pyrrha tighten the grip on her spear as parts of the ruble moved. The burning beams parted, the woman rising. The flames illuminated her, her eyes glowing yellow. She smirked at them, and waved, her claws catching the lights of the fires.
"Nora, Ren. Get her out of here."
"But-!"
The woman lunged forward, laughing. Pyrrha leapt in front of her, swinging her spear, catching the woman's claws, sparks flying. Pyrrha slid against the cobblestone as the woman pushed forward.
"GO!" Pyrrha shouted.
Ruby hesitated, but nodded at Pyrrha, turning and running, holstering her scythe. She heard Nora and Ren run after her.
Pyrrha grit her teeth, struggling against the woman's claws. The woman smiled at her, her stinger shooting forward. Pyrrha gasped, yanking her spear free, sidestepping the stinger. She grunted as the woman spun around, her boot slamming into her face, hurling her to the ground, the wind ripping from her lungs.
She rolled to the side, the stinger slamming into the stone. She sprung to her feet, charging at her with a yell. The woman smirked, throwing her claws up, catching the tip of her spear. Échthra shook as she struggled to shove it forward. The woman laughed, ripping her claws down, yanking her spear down, lunging forward. Pyrrha gasped, the claws flashing as they ripped her throat open.
Blood gushed down the girl's armor; Tyrian smirked as the girl slumped to the ground, her spear clattering against the cobblestone.
She turned away, licking the blood from her claws. Her little flower couldn't have gotten too far. She stopped when she heard a garbled laugh. She looked back, her smile growing.
The girl struggled to her feet, her aura red as it flickered around her, the gash in her throat sealing itself. The girl spat a glob of blood, and smirked; her teeth stained red. The girl kicked her spear up, the staff splitting into two as she caught it. She took a stance, her sword's raised.
Tyrian clapped giddily, and giggled.
"Oh what fun we'll have!"
Pyrrha charged forward, sparks flying as their blades met. The woman cackled, slashing at her with her claws, Pyrrha gritting her teeth as she parried, swinging at each other with blinding speed. The stinger shot forward, Pyrrha spun to her side, leaping at the woman with a yell, swinging her blades. The woman danced to the side, her swords slashing into the stone.
Pyrrha lunged at her, swinging, slashing, the sparks raining down as they caught each other's blows. The woman laughed, leaping into the air, spinning and contorting, gunfire raining down from her claws. Pyrrha swung her arm, the bullets glowing black. The woman landed, spinning on her heel, confusion on her face. Pyrrha smirked, and swung her arm, the bullets shooting forth. The woman yelped, grunting in pain as the gunfire rained on her, her aura crackling purple.
Pyrrha stabbed at her, the woman grunting in pain. Pyrrha smirked, slashing up, spinning with the momentum, and slamming her boot into the woman's neck.
The woman yelled as she was flung aside. Pyrrha swung her arm, the woman's claws glowing black. She grit her teeth, sweat dripping down as she lifted the woman into the air. She swung her arm with a yell, the woman screaming as she was hurled through a building.
Dust, glass, and wood flew into the air as the building crumpled to the ground. Pyrrha scowled as the woman rose from the rubble, craning her neck. The woman smiled at her, a glint in her eyes. The woman unlaced her claws, letting them fall into the rubble.
"You've made this so exciting."
The woman grabbed a sharp piece of wood, and a shard of glass. Pyrrha frowned. The woman smirked, and charged at her.
Pyrrha swung at her, the woman laughing as she ducked under the blades, her spine contorting. Pyrrha screamed as the glass was slammed into her thigh, blood gushing down. The woman leapt out of the way as Pyrrha slashed at her, grimacing, pain shooting up her leg. Her aura crackled around her, she grit her teeth as the wound sealed, the glass still embeded.
The woman lunged at her, spinning and dancing around her blades as Pyrrha slashed at her. Stars erupted in her vision as the woman slammed her fist into her nose. She staggered back, grunting as the woman kicked her in the gut. She gasped, trying to move aside, pain shooting through her as the woman's stinger shot out at her, blood spurting from her arm as it slashed against her. Mirth was in the woman's yellow eyes, a laugh escaping her lips as the woman spun, kicking her in the leg, fire shooting through Pyrrha as the glass shattered against her skin.
She screamed, the woman's fists slamming into her gut, her armor pounding against her flesh. She staggered back, raising her swords. The woman laughed, and lunged. Pyrrha swung, screaming as the woman dodged, the piece of wood being stabbed into her arm. Blood flowed down her arm, her aura crackling as the wound sealed.
Pyrrha's breathing was ragged, her body on fire, she struggled to raise her arm, her sword trembling in her hand. She glowered at the woman as she stood to the side, snickering at her. Pyrrha screamed and charged, swinging her remaining sword.
The woman smirked, stepping to the side, her tail shooting out, coiling around her throat. Pyrrha gagged, her swords clattering to the groun, grasping at the tail with her good hand. She fell to her knees, struggling, clawing at the tail as it tightened around her throat.
"Shhhh, don't fight it. It's time to sleep."
Pyrrha gasped, her vision darkening, her lungs screaming for air. She felt tears running down, her head spinning. She felt herself collapse, the world darkening.
Nora skidded to a halt, looking back as Pyrrha's screams cut through the air. She glanced at Ruby and Ren. Ruby was staring at the village, her hands shaking. She swallowed, and unholstered her scythe, running back to the village.
Nora ran after her, Magnhild's hammer springing forth.
Ruby slid to a stop, her breath hitching. Pyrrha lay on the ground, blood coating her body, a large piece of wood sticking from her arm. Ren and Nora rushed past her, Ren skidding on his knees as he slid next to Pyrrha. Nora grimaced, setting her hammer aside as she looked over Pyrrha's wounds. She looked up, her eyes widening in horror, her mouth falling open.
"Surprise!"
Ruby screamed, stumbling backwards, falling to the ground as the woman lunged down at her. She scrambled back, the woman's claws embedding into the stone. The woman smiled at her, specks of blood coating her face. The woman jerked her claws free, her yellow eyes turning purple. Ruby heard a cawing, trying to grab her scythe as the woman's tail shot forward.
Ruby gasped, her eyes going wide as the stinger slammed into a red and gray scythe.
Qrow stood before her, snarling, struggling against the stinger. The woman cocked her head to the side, confused.
"She won't take her too!" Qrow screamed.