Mirror Mirror Part II/When Disapproval's All You're Shown, the Safest Place Becomes Alone

Weiss Schnee sat upon her bed, looking at the sky through her window. She stood up from the bed, went to her desk, took the book Snow White and the Huntsman and was about to resume reading in her comfy chair when she heard a knock on her door.

"Weiss, your father wishes to speak to you." Klein spoke to her.

"Thank you, Klein."

Klein walked away, leaving the heiress to complete her task. Weiss set the book down and the scene transitioned to Weiss standing outside the door to her father's study. As she stood there, she heard the discussion inside. She slowly and hesitantly put her hand on the doorknob.

"This isn't about the good of my company, General; I'm talking about the good of Atlas, our entire Kingdom!" she heard Jacques exclaim.

"That is a load of garbage and you know it." Ironwood responded.

Weiss silently opened the door and peered in as her father angrily asked, "I beg your pardon?!"

James Ironwood sat in a chair in front of a bookcase. "Jacques, will you please just hear me out?"

Jacques, sitting down in a blue chair across from him, placed a glass down on the table roughly. "You are a trusted friend and ally to this family, James, but what you're suggesting is absurd!" He slammed his fist down on the arm of his chair to further emphasize his point.

The general folded his arms. "You are blowing it out of proportion."

Jacques angrily stood up. "The other council members will never agree to it!"

Ironwood stood up with him as he retaliated, "You've forgotten that I hold two seats on the council."

"Your Dust embargo has already cost me millions! I can promise you, I have not forgotten!"

"So this is about you." Ironwood concluded.

Weiss came into the room, and watched the two men awkwardly before the door shut behind her, startled at the sound as James and Jacques turned to look at her. She clasped her hands behind her back.

Ironwood gave her a respectful bow. "Miss Schnee! My apologies. I should have been gone by now."

"It-it's okay." the heiress responded.

The general turned back to her father. "We will resume this conversation at another time."

"Indeed." Jacques agreed. "Klein can show you out."

"No need. I know the way." Weiss stepped aside so that Ironwood could reach the door. The general turned and looked at her father. "Until next time, Jacques." Jacques solemnly nodded back at Ironwood. He turned to Weiss. "And, since I am here..." He retrieved an envelope from his jacket. "I am formally inviting you to Atlas Academy." He handed it to Weiss, who held it in her hands as if was a briefcase of cash. "I know after the Fall of Beacon, it may be a bit unexpected, jarring and difficult to step on the field, but you do not have to make a decision now. You have a few weeks to think about your decision. We would be happy to have you, Miss Schnee."

Ironwood left the office. A pan shot of Weiss and Jacques revealed a portrait of a younger black-haired Jacques hanging on the wall behind his desk. Jacques give his daughter a slight glare. "Did you forget your manners while you were away?"

He turned and walked to his desk a few steps up from the chairs and tables where he and Ironwood were just sitting. Weiss was annoyed at the comment but calmed down with a sigh. "No, Father. I'm sorry."

"Can you believe there are still people in the world that blame Atlas for what happened to Beacon? To Vale?"

"Well, they weren't there. They don't know what really happened."

Weiss began walking across the room to stand before his desk.

"I'm surprised Ironwood wasn't stripped of his rank." Jacques sat down, swinging the seat so that his back was to Weiss. "I suppose the other members of the council trust him, for better or worse."

A moment later, she responded, "I trust him."

Jacques sighed and turned toward his daughter. "Thanks to him, Atlas is forbidden from exporting Dust to other Kingdoms. 'A precautionary measure', as he puts it, 'until we're certain no one is going to declare war'. How anyone could possibly find that to be sound logic is beyond me." Weiss blinked at her father, clearly uncomfortable. "Which is why the Schnee Dust Company will be holding a charity concert in the coming weeks." Weiss looked up at him in surprise. "We need to show the people of Remnant that we are on their side. That we are all victims of the fall of Beacon."

Weiss slowly smiled. "That's... wonderful news."

"Indeed it is. And I think it would make a lot of people happy if you performed at the event."

The heiress raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Many people seem to forget that you were there. My own daughter, a Schnee, on the grounds, defending another Kingdom! We need to remind them! And we need to show them that the Schnee family is just as strong as ever!" he explained to her.

"Are you asking me if I'd like to sing, or telling me?"

Jacques leaned forward and made a tent with the fingers of his hand as he meaningfully gazed at Weiss. "I think it would make a lot of people happy."

Weiss sighed. "I'll start practicing."

"That's... my girl."

Weiss shut the door to her father's office and turned to find the butler, Klein Sieben, waiting for her with a tray with a single mug. "Hot coffee, Miss Schnee? I always find he keeps his study dreadfully cold."

Weiss took the mug off of the tray with a smile. "Thank you, Klein."

"You know what I think?" Klein asked her.

He lifted the tray, covering his face before dropping it dramatically and he leaned forward toward Weiss making a less-than-formal face, his brown eyes having turned red. He spoke in an accent with a gruff voice, "I think it's to balance out all his hot air."

Weiss' eyes widened in delight as she turned and looked over her shoulder at the closed office door. She turned back to the butler with a giggle. "Klein!"

The two giggled together before he faked a sneeze, and his eyes turn blue. He spoke in a high-pitched accent, "Uh, apologies, madam."

Klein pretended to sneeze again. Weiss giggled merrily, hiding her smile behind her hand with the envelope Ironwood gave her. Klein wiggled his mustache and looked up as his eyes turned yellow. "Ah, there's my happy little snowflake."

Weiss breathed a sigh, releasing some weight off her shoulders, and she gave the butler a genuine grin. "Thank you, Klein."

Meanwhile, back in Patch, Yang sat on her bed, depressed and thought to herself about the people who left her behind. The people she was supposed to count on, but hurt her and left her behind in one way or another.

Abandoned by everyone. First my mother, then my partner, and even my sister... How could she?!

She placed her remaining hand to her head. This way of thinking is irrational. the rational part of her brain told her. You told her that she could do what she wanted. The blonde girl internally sighed. I'm losing my mind. Oh, wait. I've already lost it.

The former fighter thought back to events that occurred after the Grimm Breach in Vale. When she saw her mother for the first and so far, only time...

Yang Xiao-Long walked in the courtyard of Beacon Academy in the dead of night towards the mysterious swordswoman, who saved her before from Neo Politan. Upon seeing her, she asked, "Who are you?"

The woman removed her mask, revealing herself to be Raven Branwen, who bore a resemblance to her daughter, Yang. She spoke, "Yang, we have a lot to talk about."

Yang's eyes turned red. "You... you abandoned me. How could you do this?!"

"Calm down. Do you want the entire school to wake up?!" Raven breathed in to calm herself. "Yang... You don't want to live the kind of life that I live. I'm always on the run, always moving from place to place, doing things that your uncle Qrow hated and condemned."

"You could've stayed." Yang interrupted. "Even if you and Taiyang hated each other, you could have stayed to help raise me, even if just meant seeing you on weekends. Also, what you do mean by 'things Qrow hated and condemned?'"

Raven looked at her calmly. "Did anyone ever mention a group known as the Branwen Tribe?" Yang stood silent, her eyes turning back to lilac. "Judging by the silence, I can safely guess that you haven't."

"I haven't. But who are they and what does that have to do with you?"

"Long story short; they're a group of bandits who raised me and Qrow. We left the tribe for a brief time, and Qrow never returned to it after Beacon."

Yang tried to fight the boiling anger. "So you left to be a member of some questionable tribe?!"

"To lead them." Raven claimed with some truth. "I knew where my loyalties lie, and Qrow knew his. I saved you this once, but don't expect it to happen again."

"So why did you save me? How did you even know I was in danger?"

"I don't know how, but my instincts told me that you were in danger, and I had a vision of your downfall. When I got there, you were completely unconscious, proving my point. I know I haven't been there much, but I didn't want to see you meet your end so soon. You have much to learn."

"What do you mean? Why... why did you and Qrow leave the tribe?"

The swordswoman noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "If you want answers, you must find me on your own."

"Mother..." Raven put her mask back on. "Wait!"

Raven ran off into the night, leaving her daughter standing there in a mixture confusion, sorrow and anger.

Unbeknownst to Yang, Raven ran into a forest and turned into a bird. As she flew over Beacon, she left a black feather behind before creating a portal and flying into it over Beacon tower.

As Yang returned to the present, she sighed and threw her head against the pillow.

I'm alone. I've always been alone.

Back in Atlas, the heiress sat at her desk and looked at the envelope that Ironwood had given her. It was a white envelope with a snowflake stamp in the upper right corner. The center of the envelope read;

Weiss Schnee

Schnee Family Manor, Atlas City, Atlas, 5323 Blizzard Boulevard

In the upper left corner of the envelope read these words;

James Ironwood

Atlas Academy, Atlas City, Atlas, 6614 Glacier Road

She opened the envelope and began to read Ironwood's letter.

Dear Weiss,

I hope that you've been doing well. I know that as a result of the Fall of Beacon, it may not be easy to go back to a huntsman academy. Counseling words are not enough for all the causalities, both civilian and huntsmen and huntress alike, nor can it restore the souls of those that have fallen in the attack on Beacon Academy. The only thing we can do is move forward, which is why I'm formally inviting you to Atlas Academy.

Atlas Academy has over 80 teachers, many of which are huntsman and huntresses themselves, as well as 120 classes to prepare you in being a huntress. Not only does Atlas Academy have the highest student survival rate, but the school has a 95% graduation rate. Albeit Atlas Academy is said to have the most expensive tuition out of all the huntsman academies, with your upper class standing, finances shouldn't be a problem. And, although it is not necessary, you could always apply for scholarships. I'm sure you'd qualify for some of them. Assuming you decided to attend, all of your credits and courses would be transferred so you wouldn't have to repeat any classes that you have already taken.

I know that is a lot to think about, but you have over a month to decide. The actual year begins on February 20th, so you have until Feb. 6th at the absolute latest to decide. Assuming that you do decide to attend Atlas, this would give you two weeks to move into the single-room dormitories and register for classes. Since you have already passed the entrance exam and the initiation test at Beacon, you won't have to go through either of them again. While you would start out as a solitary student, you could, if you so desired, join the process of the Team Reformation Queue to form a team with other solitary second year students. I can't guarantee that you'd find new teammates, or that you would like said teammates, but it may be worth a try. Regardless of where you will go or what you will do, I wish the best of luck in your endeavors, now and in the future.

Best regards, James Ironwood

Weiss put down the letter. She wanted to be a huntress, to redeem the Schnee family name, to free herself. But even if she went to Atlas, would she truly be free? The reason she went to Beacon in the first place was to get as far away from her father as possible. She tried to get away from him, but in the end, all of her efforts had been for nothing. The life she fought for still wasn't her's.

Can I stop my fall? She looked at the walls of her room. Or have I already fallen?

Elsewhere in the Schnee Manor, Whitley stood from the ledge as he saw servants in the dining area, setting the table for dinner. A small silver cart held various dinnerware as his eyes darted to two servants. Estelle Blanche, one of the servants he knew by name, was speaking with one of her coworkers, a younger woman with black hair knotted into a bun and blue eyes in a maid outfit. The young woman hummed to herself as she set the plates on the table.

"You're in a cheery mood today." Estelle said.

"I just learned from Irving that there's going to be a concert at the Grand Chateau Concert Hall." the maid answered.

Estelle raised an eyebrow in confusion. "And you're happy about that... because...?"

"It's the Schnee Charity Concert/Art Auction." She got out some bowls and placed two at the side of each plate as she further elaborated, "Since Mr. Schnee is hosting the event, he'll need servers to set up tables for drinks and/or hor d'ouevres. Or maybe he'll need people to serve the guests. There's also setting the event up including the decor and creating a gallery for all the artwork. I'm hoping that by working at the event and/or helping to set it up, I'll get a pay bonus."

"Oh, that's unlikely. Jacques almost never gives members of the help a raise. Not unless they're really really good."

"And how would you know that?"

"Cause I've been working in this manor for decades, Merla." Estelle answered as she got out the silverware and began to set it up. "I was here when Nickolas Schnee founded the Schnee Dust Company all those years ago. I believe I may be the only one left here who worked for Nick. Everyone else has either died, retired, switched to a different job, or in one case, got a complete full-blown case of amnesia."

Merla got out some tall glasses and set them down before getting a pitcher of water with some ice cubes in it. As she poured the water into the glasses, she asked, "So what was Nick like?"

"Nick was very kind and brave, and he treated all his employees like equals, from his business partners to the help. In fact, he even fell in love with one of the maids, and she returned his feelings." Merla set the water pitcher back on the silver cart. "That maid was Gwendolyn, also known by her nickname of Gwen. After a year of courtship, Gwen and Nick were married and within the following year, they had their daughter, Willow."

"Really?" Merla smiled with wonder. "I had no idea."

"Most of the servants don't." Estelle started folding napkins and placing them on the table. "Klein knows, since I told him, but not too many know of what it was like before Jacques took over the company." In realization, she added, "Oh. Sorry about the history lesson. The point is, you're not likely to get a pay raise. It's not impossible, but it's not very likely either."

Merla sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. I'm a glass half-full girl."

Estelle looked at Merla curiously. "So when is this concert?"

The maid began to push the cart away as she answered, "It's on February 5th. The concert itself starts at nineteen hundred."

Whitley stepped back from the railing and spoke aloud to himself, "February 5th, huh?" He looked the calendar on his scroll to the current day; January 2nd. "Well, that's not much time. But hopefully, I can work with it."