Mirrors (RWBY)

Mirrors

The theme was black and white. 'Like chess,' Weiss thought to herself, as she gazed around the dance floor, where men in dark suits waltzed with the ladies who wore their finest dresses of white silk. For a moment, the young heiress thought to herself that each couple looking as if they were dressed for their wedding day. She nearly gagged, regretting having come up with the idea. Wedding day? Bah! Such celebrations were a waste of time.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Earl Ark talking with her father. Sighing to herself, she shook her head, knowing only too well that the young man had had his eye on her for the longest time. Inside, she willed it to be about anything but her, but she still returned the smile he shot her when he noticed she was watching. Jaune Ark was a fine man, one of the best, but Weiss cared little for romance of any sort. No, she longed for the one thing that she would never have: freedom.

Being none other than a heiress, she had to bow to her father's every command. Eventually, she knew, he would pass away and leave her with his fortune. This would be a time of mourning for her family, and she would join, but it would be then she could be free... if it was not for the business that she would also inherit. The one she would have to care for, for selling it off or leaving another in charge would break her poor mother's heart.

Freedom was not something that belonged to Weiss Schnee, nor did she believe it ever would be.

On the other side of the room, a teenage girl in a dark red dress stood, watching the crowd. She smiled inwardly, all she saw were happy, as they should be. It was a winter ball, after all, this was a time to celebrate the oncoming season. It was a great pleasure to be attending, even if she stuck out horribly, having not followed the dress code one bit. But that only made it better, because many a person had come out to laugh with her or talk to her or even flirt with her, simply because they had been attracted by a gown that was as red as roses.

Content, she pulled a fragile, antique mirror from her pocket, and looked upon herself in it's reflection. But she did not see a girl in a red dress, no, she saw a spirit, with glowing milky-white skin, and bright silver eyes, for the mirror was one that revealed what things truly were, and not simply what they seemed to be. She spun around happily, joyful that everything had been going so well, and that the night was a true celebration. But as she spun, she noticed something very out of place. In the corner of the mirror, she saw a peasant girl, sighing sadly as she herself gazed upon the room.

Tucking the mirror back into her pocket, the young girl looked upon the peasant, but instead saw a beautiful woman who wore a happy smile and a white satin gown. Knowing the mirrors ability, she quickly walked to the woman, but instead was intercepted by a boy, who carried himself in a way that made him appear of great importance.

"Hello," she said in the friendliest way she could, knowing that if she was rude she might upset him, and that would be of no use. "Lovely ball, isn't it?"

"Yes," he nodded his head, "But before we discuss pleasantries, allow me to introduce myself. I am the earl Jaune Ark," he bowed, "may I ask your name?"

The girl curtsied, "I am called Yang Xiao Long," she told him, citing the fake name that belonged to a girl she had known a long time ago, "It is a honor to meet you."

He smiled, "And I am honored, as well, to meet such a lovely, beautiful lady as yourself."

The young girl blushed, "Oh, you flatter me so already. Perhaps we should at least get to know one another better before exchanging such flirtations."

Jaune laughed, "You must excuse me, for I have just been turned down by the father of a girl I had wished to marry. I suppose I may have become a bit of a sap in the past few minutes."

"Jaune!"

Another approached them, a lady who could only be described as purely gorgeous. She wore a dress cut short a the knees, made of a fabric not even 'Yang' could place, and her red hair had pulled into a long braid that traveled all the way down her back. "Ah, Miss Nikkos," Jaune greeted the woman with a bow, "How are you?"

"Oh, I am doing quite well, thank you," the woman said, looking as is she might blush, "I was coming to ask you if you would care to dance."

Then Jaune turned back to 'Yang' and shrugged, "It appears that I must be torn away from you, M'lady, I do apologize for cutting our conversation short."

A 'Yang' said that she did not mind and Miss Nikkos led Jaune away to the dance floor. The moment he was out of sight, though, the young woman looked around once again for the peasant who disguised herself as something other than what she was. In a few moments, she spotted the sad woman, and began to head her way.

Weiss had noticed the woman in red, before Jaune went to speak to her. For a moment she had panicked, thinking maybe the lady had meant to harm her, but the way she blushed and smiled at the Earl was too earnest, too sincere. Only a few seconds later, though, Pyrrha Nikkos waltzed right in and tore Jaune away, leaving the girl in red, who's attention almost immediately fell back on her.

Sighing, Weiss smiled at the woman in red as she approached her. "Hello," the heiress greeted her, "How are you? Are you enjoying the ball? I am Weiss Schnee, it is a pleasure to meet you." She curtsied for the the girl, but the other remained silent, fidgeting with the skirt of her dress, and Weiss wondered if perhaps the gown was too tight, much like her own.

Finally, from some hidden pocket, the girl pulled out a mirror. "Look in it, and tell me what you see," she said, and handed it over.

Raising one eyebrow, Weiss looked into the mirror, nearly dropping it in shock once she saw what was reflected in it. Why, it was not her at all! Well it was, but this version of her had no fancy gown or jewelry. This version of her lacked a thousand hair ties and the decorative lace meant to make her look older than she really was. No, this version wore a worn, plaid dress, with no jewelry and hair that simply was let down. This version was a peasant.

Immediately, the heiress felt a pang of longing. She would give everything she had, her fortune, her jewels, her fancy dresses, to be like this peasant. Sure, she would lack much, but she would have a freedom that she had always craved, more than anything else.

The woman in red took the mirror back, turning it about in her hand, "It shows what people really are. You, despite a silly title, have the soul of a peasant, for whatever reason, and you are not happy with holding the position of something you are not." She turned the mirror once more, than handed it back to Weiss. "Here," she said, "tap the glass."

Gently, the heiress did as she was told, and the surface of the glass began to ripple and a warm sensation began to engulf her, spreading from her arm to the rest of her body. It was very pleasant, and Weiss closed her eyes for the slightest moment and allowed herself to enjoy the strange feeling. When she opened her eyes again, something felt different.

"Look at yourself," the woman in red told her.

And so she did, and in that moment Weiss Schnee felt the most overwhelming giddiness, for her clothes had been turned into the rags of one who is quite poor, and she lacked all her old jewels and her hair had suddenly been let down so that it may fall to her waist. But this did not matter, because she knew that, with such a disguise, she would have the one thing she had always wanted: freedom.

The woman had disappeared by the time she looked up, but Weiss did not care. She was free, and that was all that truly mattered. She turned on her heel and walked away. Away from her fortune, away from her family, and away from the Winter Ball.

Forever.