RWBY Listens to The Soundtrack

Vol. 3, Mirror Mirror Pt. II

     "'So, uh, yeah, Mirror Mirror Part II.'" The note read, almost apologetic. "'From the perspective of Weiss Schnee. I mean, no duh. I don't know if Weiss has written this "in-universe" as it were. Either way, it's...there. It's not as defiant as the last one, but...well, just wait to the end."

No one said anything for a few moments. Then Ruby spoke up. "Weiss, are you...?"

"Yes, I...actually think I am." Weiss assured her, though she clearly wasn't completely okay. Still, she thought she was in a better place than in Part I.

"...Alright then." And so Ruby hit Play.

[Song Start]

[*Buildup*]

"Oof, yeah, this isn't gonna as fun as the last one, no." Yang stated the obvious.

"I'll...be able to manage regardless, don't worry." Weiss assured her.

"Still..." And with that, Ruby glomped her again. She had refined such techniques.

"We're here." Blake spoke up as well.

"...but why are we going ba-" Nora was cut off by the lyrics.

[Who am I
To complain?]

"...Well, it's not wrong." Weiss said after a moment. "Richest family on Remnant..."

"Yeah but that's not..." Yang began.

[My life's been spared
So much pain]

"More than most people, yes." Weiss agreed.

"But that doesn't mean..." Ruby continued.

[Born with all
That I need]

"I was, unlike most people, and yet..." Weiss was just looking despondent.

"Not EVERYTHING, not some of the most important things." Blake countered. "We've been over this."

[My comfort's
All guaranteed]

"I...suppose not ALL of it, no." Weiss admitted.

"Listen to your friends, Ms. Schnee." Ozpin gently remided her.

[So what's the problem
What's keeping me]

"Well, it starts with a J and ends with a-" Nora began before Ren cut her off. "Ren, we're 17. How many times?" she asked.

"Not exactly the best time, I believe." Ren defended.

"I might have liked to hear it." Weiss admitted. "She's not entirely wrong, but..."

[From moving forward
It's hard to see]

"But what?" Nora asked. "Also, why are we doing this NOW and not, y'know, before?"

"Well it's...not exactly like I can feel that confident all the time." Weiss explained. "If I'm ever in Atlas again, then..."

[I should be free now
I should be fine]

"...Yes, that." Weiss concluded. "I...I can SAY all of these things, KNOW all of these things, but if you put me in front of him, then..."

"...Right, sorry for being dumb." Nora apologized. "No one's really ever ready, huh?"

"Not really..." Blake muttered, thinking back to her own...abuser. He was an abuser.

[But the life I fought for
Still isn't mine]

"But you're doing pretty good in getting there." Pyrrha assured her.

"Yeah, don't be so hard on yourself." Jaune agreed. Practice what you preach, a voice in the back of his mind said.

"I'm still not really THERE yet." Weiss countered. "I suppose it's..."

"Take your time." Ruby assured her.

[Some believe
In fairy stories]

"It...did help growing up, imagining myself in classic stories." Weiss added. "Though I doubt anyone believes that, say, The Girl Who Fell Through The World actually happened."

"Hm." Ozpin grunted ambiguously.

[And the ghosts
That they can't see]

"So like...religion?" Nora asked. "Cause I really don't think the Two Brothers are paying a lot of attention to us anymore."

Well, no, they weren't, Glynda believed. Perhaps they would if their Relics were used for her purpose, but other than that...

[I know that I could
Do so much]

"The song's right, listen to the song." Ruby ordered.

"I'd wait until the second verse before telling me that." Weiss said with a faint smile. Huh.

[If I could just
Believe in me]

"...Because I can't. I still just...can't." Weiss replied.

"Well...WE do." Ruby told her. The others just nodded. Heh, look at that. When she said it, Weiss almost believed it herself.

[Mirror Mirror
Tell me something]

"Tile drop, yaaaay..." Nora muttered.

"This is depressing..." Jaune agreed.

"Not the time." Pyrrha whispered to both of them.

[Can I stop my fall?]

"...Well, I suppose you'd think that I could, but it's not that easy." Weiss explained. "It's not..."

"Not as easy as "I learned the lesson, that's it", no." Blake agreed.

"People are complicated like that." Ozpin added. "It can take...some time. And some refuse to learn."

"I think you're doing pretty good, though." Nora assured her.

"Very." Ren agreed.

"You're much stronger than he let you think." Jaune said in a rare moment of insight.

"Huh, didn't know you had it in you." Yang admitted to him. "He's totally right, though."

"You'll be able to manage this, I know you can." Pyrrha smiled.

"Agreed. And...not to ruin the mood, but shouldn't the song have moved in by now?" Glynda pointed out.

"Yeah I paused it so we could say all that." Ruby admitted. "They're right, Weiss. Aaaanyways..."

[Years of scorn
Will leave you cold]

"I...don't want to use that as an excuse, but..." Weiss began.

"I mean, it's just a fact." Yang countered.

"It's an explanation if nothing else, and, well, I wasn't much different." Blake pointed out.

"And you ARE trying to do something about it, Ms. Schnee." Ozpin added. "That counts for something." Is that what you say so you can live with yourself? No. Again, different.

"We forgave you months ago." Ruby finished. "Uh, sorry if we never said it out loud, but..."

['Forget your dreams
Do what you're told']

"I'm gonna smash his spine." Nora declared.

"I have no objections to this." Ren added.

"I don't want to to end up imprisoned, though." Pyrrha retorted.

"He'd certainly deserves it, however." Glynda offered.

"So we'll have to be clever about it..." Jaune muttered, only half-joking.

[When disapproval's
All you're shown]

"And isn't THAT familiar..." Blake muttered.

"Hey, Blake, if YOU need anything..." Yang offered.

"Not now, it's...not my time." Blake responded, looking at Weiss.

"It's fine." Weiss assured her.

[The safest place
Becomes alone]

"I...didn't exactly have anywhere else." Weiss explained. "Winter already...escaped, she escaped; mom's more attached to her bottle than her children, and Whitley, I...don't know what to make of him sometimes. There's Klein, but..."

"Who?" Ruby asked.

"The Schnee Family Butler." Ozpin explained. "I've met him once, when he was visiting Operative Schnee. He's a rather pleasant person. All seven of him."

"Wha?" Jaune asked.

"Long story, and it's really HIS to tell." Weiss responded.

[And isolation's
The price you pay]

"It worked too well." Weiss agreed. "And then..."

"If you're gonna apologize for how you were when we met AGAIN..." Yang jokingly threatened.

"Yes yes, I get the point." Weiss retorted with a smirk.

[And every friendship
Is pushed away]

"Doesn't help when most of them aren't ACTUAL friends, just people wanting to "cozy up" with The Schnee Heiress." Weiss grumbled.

"Oh god, I didn't even think about that..." Jaune muttered. "Even without the..."

"We've been over this, Vomit Boy." Yang reminded him. "We've been over a lot."

"And besides, Weiss...you have us now." Ruby smiled. "...Did I say that before?"

[But bit by bit now
A step each day]

"Oh, there we go!" Nora declared. "...Wait, but this isn't the ending!"

"That's...how it goes, right?" Weiss asked, ignoring Nora. "I think I see where this is..."

[I'm slowly starting
To find my way]

"...going." Weiss finished. "It's taken me FAR too long, but..."

"You're making it. Trust me." Blake responded.

"No one's ever done "finding their way", in my opinion." Ren added.

"Everyone is an eternal work in progress." Ozpin agreed.

[Some believe
In fairy stories]

Weiss started humming. A bit odd, perhaps...but it was a nice melody. True, the song was mostly depressing, but even so.

[And the ghosts
That they can't see]

And some run to the military. Some hide behind bottles. Some seek to copy what they see, not knowing any better...or perhaps to try to avoid his sisters's fate.

[I know that I could
Do so much]

For one, it worked...but she can't run forever. But Weiss has found, at last, that she actually CAN. It won't be easy of course, there will be setbacks, but overall.

[If I could just
Believe in me]

With her team surrounding her and the others looking on, Weiss Schnee felt...confident, despite the sorrowful tone of the song. Funny how things work out, she thought.

[Mirror Mirror
I'll tell you something]

"Ah, different!" Nora shouted as per usual.

"But what does it mean?" Ruby asked.

"She's...TELLING it something rather than asking. I think that's a good sign." Blake theorized.

"A small change, maybe, but..." Weiss trailed off.

"Sometimes that can make all the difference." Ozpin finished.

[I think I might change it aaaaallll....]

"Hells yeah, you will." Yang boasted.

"So, "wait for the end", huh?" Weiss questioned. "I think I can do that."

"You good?" Jaune asked.

"...Yes. Yes I am. Much moreso than with Part I." Weiss admitted. Huh. Imagine that.

"So, is that it for your songs, or...?" Nora questioned. "I mean, it all kinda fits."

"It...still feels like there's something missing." Weiss admitted. "I know that trying to analyze the "narrative" of a SOUNDTRACK is an exercise in futility, but..."

"Depends on the soundtrack, really." Nora countered.

"We will see when we see, I suppose." Ozpin offered. "Now then..." why did he feel nervous all of a sudden?

"Right! Up next is..." Ruby took a bit of time to make sure Weiss really WAS okay, and then continued, "...Divide. ...I don't have a good feeling about this." And judging from his quick but to Blake noticeably startled reaction, neither did Ozpin.

~~~~~