Something wasn't right.

Ever since Oscar had uttered those very distinct, specific instructions to bring the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas after their victory at Haven, Weiss had been acting… off. At first, Yang had thought it was just a temporary condition of awkwardness after having all of Team RWBY reunited for the first time in half a year. But even as days and nights passed, and Weiss seemed to be getting along fine with their teammates and friends, her strange mannerisms continued to show through.

She'd wondered if Ruby and Blake had noticed, too, but with all of the chaos they were all still recovering from, her sister and partner seemed to be much too preoccupied with the mission at hand to even notice that their smallest teammate was always lagging behind the rest, seeming to be lost in some sort of sullen trance. A week after they'd set out for Atlas on foot, their ever-growing group of Huntsmen and Huntresses stopped in a quiet forest only several miles from Anima's coast to set up camp for the remainder of the night. Yang had asked Weiss for help gathering firewood, deciding that she would finally get to the bottom of her teammate's mood.

"Don't you think we're going a little too far out?" Weiss inquired as she trailed behind Yang, the sounds of branches snapping underneath her platform heels. "There's plenty of useable wood in the brushes just outside of the camp."

Yang continued on a little farther until she spotted a clean patch of grass underneath a large oak. She stopped where she was just a few feet away, and did a quick scan of the area before she turned to face Weiss. "Why don't we sit for a few?"

Her teammate furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, following Yang's gaze to the tall tree. "I can keep going. I was just saying that it might've been more convenient to search closer to camp."

"I want to sit," Yang said, nodding toward the grass. She returned Weiss's gaze with an intense lilac stare, hoping to make it clear that she had something else on her mind. "And talk."

"Yang, we don't—"

"Weiss," Yang started again, cutting her off as she reached for the girl's small wrists. "I know something's been eating away at you. You opened up to me a while back, remember? You said you'd be here for me, and I want you to know that I'm here for you, too."

Weiss blinked, glancing down at the cool, brightly-painted metal that curled gently around her, and she let out a hesitant sigh. "I know, Yang. I just… It's nothing, alright?"

"Is it about what happened to you at Haven?" Yang continued to press, the only explanation she'd been able to come up with since she'd first noticed Weiss's aloofness. She had been impaled by Cinder, almost lost her life if it hadn't been for Jaune miraculously unlocking his Semblance at that exact moment and helping her heal her wounds. Whether or not she had been healed, though, Yang was sure she'd still felt that pain, woke up at night with the memories flooding her thoughts and dreams. It had been much the same for Yang after she'd lost her arm to Adam, and she was well aware of just how much a traumatic effect such a gruesome and frightening experience could have on one's mind.

But that didn't seem to be the problem. While it seemed to be a problem—Weiss noticeably flinched away at the mention of the event—her teammate still seemed to be holding something back, something even more distressing than almost having her life taken away by the biggest, evilest villainess Team RWBY had ever faced. Weiss shook her head, loosening her hands from Yang's grip, and folding them protectively over her chest. "That's not it, Yang…"

She waited to see if Weiss would elaborate, remaining still as she watched her friend walk over to the tree, and rest a hand against the large trunk. After a long moment of silence, however, Yang finally moved, taking a few steps toward Weiss. "Is it about where we're going?"

Weiss bit her lip, her gaze shifting to the ground. She gave an almost imperceptible nod, exhaling deeply before she glanced up at Yang once more. "I didn't tell you everything about how I ended up in your mother's possession."

As if on instinct, Yang's hands tightened into fists, the mere mention of her mother—Raven—still bringing a sour taste to her mouth after the way she'd just left her at Haven. But this wasn't about Yang, not this time; this was Weiss's story. She inhaled slowly, unclenching her fists, and clearing the rest of the distance between her and Weiss. "You said you were kidnapped."

"Well, yes." Weiss lowered her hand from the base of the tree, and flattened her palms over her skirt as she slid down to the forest floor. "But before that, I was in an airship accident. I had paid one of the pilots for the Schnee Company to bring me across to Mistral and not let anyone know my whereabouts. I'd had it with my father, with all of those stupid, ignorant socialites, and I didn't want to stay in Atlas anymore. I just had to get out of there…"

Suddenly, this was all starting to make sense. From what Yang had gathered from her conversation with Weiss back at Haven, Weiss's childhood had been anything but spectacular; her parents' marriage was broken, built on a lie, and Weiss had suffered the consequences, had spent most of her time alone and misunderstood. It was a feeling Yang had understood very well, had experienced much of her own childhood, and it had come as a surprise when Weiss finally opened up to her, had let her in on the big Schnee family secret. Of course Weiss hadn't wanted to stay in Atlas… Who would ever choose to stay behind in a broken household while all of her friends were spread across the kingdoms, no doubt searching for answers of their own?

"He doesn't know you left, does he?" she asked Weiss after she was sure her teammate had finished speaking. A small nod was the only response she needed to understand that Weiss was anything but enthusiastic to return to Atlas, where all eyes would undoubtedly be on the lookout for the runaway Schnee.

"As soon as I return, everyone is going to notice me," Weiss muttered. "And everyone is going to know me as the ex-heiress who attacked an innocent person… They all think I'm crazy, Yang… that something is wrong with me…"

Yang let out an angry huff. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with you, Weiss." She stretched out a hand to her worry-stricken friend. "But if you want to stay out of the public eye once we arrive, I think I have an idea."

Weiss took Yang's hand, her eyebrows knitted together in curiosity as the brawler pulled her up to her feet. Weiss brushed herself off, and glanced around the airy forest. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret whatever it is you've got up your sleeve?"

"It'll be good, I promise!" Yang winked, the concern that had been settling in her stomach all night finally starting to evaporate. Now that she finally understood Weiss's situation a little better, she was ready to focus on their mission once more. "I'll tell you about it once we reach the next village tomorrow. Now, let's go get that firewood before Ruby starts to get suspicious."

The rest of the evening passed quickly and soundly, Yang having spent the majority of her slumber thinking over her conversation with Weiss, and brainstorming ideas to keep her from being noticed as they got closer to Atlas. Weiss was quiet, but not noticeably unsettled, and she seemed to sleep more comfortably than she had previous nights, something that brought Yang more relief than her teammate would ever know. They set out the next morning, everyone from Teams RWBY and JNR, and all of their companions, in high spirits as they continued their trek to the Anima border.

They reached their final stop a little around noon, a small coastal village with a boating dock where their group were set to depart the following morning. That meant Yang had a whole day to find Weiss a new look.

"I can't believe you got her to agree to this."

Yang sat outside Weiss's dressing room, tapping her robotic digits against the arm of a vintage, refurbished wooden bench, watching Blake as she paced around the large space, her amber eyes occasionally glancing at the closed door where Weiss was taking her sweet time inside. "Drastic times come to drastic measures," Yang told her partner confidently. "Aren't you at all curious what the New Weiss is going to look like?"

"I'm a little scared," Blake admitted, pausing to flash Yang a smirk. "I saw pants in that pile. I don't think she even knows how to wear pants."

"Wrong!" Ruby chimed in from where she was reclining against the fitting room entrance, pointing a finger in Blake's direction for dramatic effect. "Weiss would never admit to it, but I walked in on her trying on her sister's military uniform last year when she came for the tournament!"

"You know I can hear you!" Weiss shouted from behind the closed door. "And I'll have you know, Schnees have killer legs! I will make all three of you eat your words!"

Yang let out a soft chuckle. "Hey, I didn't say anything! I'm on your side, remember?"

The door to Weiss's room opened up just a crack, and Weiss stuck her head out to peek at Yang. "Were you on my side when you went behind my back to invite Ruby and Blake?"

Ruby frowned. "Aww, I thought you wanted us here, Weiss."

Blake rolled her eyes endearingly. "Well, if that's how you feel, we'll leave."

"Wait!" Weiss pulled back and shut the door once more, the sounds of shuffling being heard inside before she appeared once more, this time stepping out fully. "I need your opinions. How dumb do I look?"

All eyes turned to Weiss as she stopped in front of the full-length mirror on the opposite side of the fitting space, turning in a complete circle before she faced her teammates. She was clad in a simple blue tunic that was untied at the collar, leaving a small, v-shaped opening that revealed the edges of her sharp, elegant collarbones, and was tucked into the waistband of loose, white trousers that hugged her thighs, but draped out slightly at her ankles over top a pair of pointy-toed black riding boots. Over her tunic, she wore an open, simple black leather jacket with zipped pockets on each side, the sleeves pushed just below her elbows in a relaxed, casual manner. Gone was her signature tiara, but her ivory hair still remained in a high ponytail that hung asymmetrically to her right side. She looked absolutely fantastic. But… she still looked like Weiss Schnee.

"I love it!" Ruby spoke first as she finally stepped forward from her perch in the doorway. "You look totally badass!"

Blake lifted a finger to her chin, her feline ears flattening against her head as she gave Weiss a good once-over. She nodded her approval, accompanied by a pleasant hum, causing Weiss to blush as she had trouble breaking Blake's studious gaze.

Yang was the last to speak, standing up from the bench, and clearing the distance between her and Weiss. The outfit was definitely different, and at first-glance, no one would begin to mistake her for a Schnee. But the long, flowing white hair that Weiss had been wearing in the same style ever since the first time Yang had met her was an immediate giveaway. As much as Yang adored Weiss's gorgeous, lustrous hair, she knew, deep down, that the only way to get Weiss to Atlas unnoticed was to cut the signature locks away.

"It has to go."

Weiss's eyes widened, and Ruby let out a gasp, as Yang reached for Weiss's ponytail, and gently pulled it forward. "W-what do you mean? My hair?"

Yang nodded. "You don't have to, of course, if you don't want to." She let go of the hair, and took a step back, meeting Weiss's uncertain gaze. "But if you really want to pull this off, you're going to have to do something about it."

"Can't she just stuff it into a hat, or something?" Blake suggested. "I hid my ears with a bow for years, and no one ever noticed."

"Hats are too risky," Yang responded. "Someone could grab it, the wind could blow it off, just one wrong moment and everyone would know she's Weiss."

Weiss bit her lip, glancing down at her new attire. She turned away from Yang, and walked back over to the mirror, letting loose her ponytail and letting her long, snow-colored locks flow gently down her back. She closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and held it as she turned back toward her teammates. When she opened her eyes again, there appeared to be a determined fire inside, a desire that Yang couldn't quite comprehend as she finally released her breath. "Let's do it."

Blake furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you sure, Weiss? This is a big change. You can change your clothes, but if you cut off your hair, it'll take a long time to grow back."

"It's just hair," Weiss affirmed. She glanced at Yang expectantly. "Right?"

Well, I certainly wouldn't cut all of my hair off… Yang thought to herself, even if she did want to pass through the kingdoms unnoticed. It was silly, but Yang had always had a certain fondness for her hair, and she would never let anyone cut it past a certain length. Sure, she probably would've gotten over it after some time if something did happen where she'd had to let it all go, but she was sure that it just wouldn't feel the same. If she told Weiss that it didn't matter what she did, would that be a lie? Would she be coercing her friend into something she didn't actually want to do?

"Never mind," Weiss decided before Yang could even give her an answer. "I'm going to do it, and that's final. Now, how do we go about doing this?"

Yang let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and gave Weiss a small smile. "Go change back so we can pay for your stuff. Then we'll see if we can find a salon, and pick you out a new style."

Unfortunately, the tiny village in which they were staying didn't seem to have a salon in sight. Even as they asked around, the few villagers that actually gave them an answer could only point to a single barber shop out by the docks, just a few doors down from the inn where Team RWBY and their travel partners would be staying for the night. But they had no other choice. Neither Ruby nor Blake, nor Yang herself knew how to cut hair, and the longer they searched, the antsier Weiss seemed to become, telling her teammates that she just wanted to get it over with and see the complete transition.

So they settled for the barber shop, even though most of the customers seemed to be men and small children. There was only one female hairdresser among three other middle-aged men, but she assured Weiss that she would be able to do any style she desired. So all four members of Team RWBY began to look through magazines and books, looking for anything that remotely resembled an elegant, feminine style. But when it was finally Weiss's turn to get in the chair, she surprised them all by insisting on an androgynous, almost boyish short shag hairstyle with her bangs swept entirely to her left side to hide her scar.

The finished product was entirely different than Yang, and all three of her teammates, had expected. Not only did Weiss no longer look recognizable as Weiss Schnee, ex-heiress runaway, but she… didn't even look much like a 'she'. She looked incredible, absolutely adorable in every way, but Yang couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this makeover had maybe gone a little too far.

Now, Weiss stood in front of a mirror in Team RWBY's shared room at the inn, staring in awe—or maybe it was shock—at the complete new ensemble, her teammates dead silent as they waited for her to finally say something. Yang, perhaps, was the most nervous of all, as this entire new identity had been her idea, and she just prayed that her friend wouldn't hate her forever because she wasn't happy with the result. All she wanted was for Weiss to be happy… to be free to roam Atlas without the constant worry of being noticed, and brought straight home to her monster of a father. She wanted Weiss to see just how much she, and each of her teammates, cared for her, and she just hoped that she had made the right choice, that Weiss had made the right choice… That Weiss could be the person she'd always wanted to be.

After several moments of silence, Yang was starting to worry. Weiss still stood before the mirror, completely frozen, her expression unchanging as her ice-blue eyes began to bore a hole into her reflection. She couldn't take the silence, couldn't take not knowing what was on Weiss's mind, not knowing if she hated it, if she hated Yang, and dammit, she just needed an answer! So Yang stood from the bed she'd been sharing with Ruby, and crossed the room to Weiss, stopping just a foot away from her teammate.

"So… what do you think?"

Weiss flinched at Yang's voice, as though she had completely forgotten that she wasn't alone. Her eyes widened in some sort of realization that Yang just couldn't decipher, but from what she could see, it appeared to be the epiphany of a lifetime. Weiss inhaled a deep, hollow breath, and Yang could practically feel the pain that shook through the smaller girl's chest as she let it out in a low, shaky huff. Something definitely wasn't right.

Yang swallowed, her worst fear beginning to surface. "Y-you hate it, don't you? Weiss, I'm sor—"

But before Yang could even finish her apology, Weiss moved, pushing past Yang in a blur as she left the room. Ruby and Blake stood up immediately, exchanging worried glances as Yang's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, trying and failing to comprehend what had just happened.

"I don't understand, I thought she was having fun!" Ruby exclaimed as she started to move to the door, but Yang cut her off, shaking her head.

"This is my fault. Let me go talk to her."

"Yang, you didn't do anything wrong," Blake assured her. "Ultimately, this was all Weiss's choice. She wouldn't have done this if she wasn't absolutely sure."

She wasn't buying it. Clearly, this wasn't what Weiss wanted. She was upset, she was… Yang didn't know what she was feeling, but it couldn't have been anything good. If Yang hadn't pushed her, if she hadn't talked Weiss into stepping outside of her comfort zone… She sighed. "Just please let me take care of this. It was all my idea, after all."

Both her sister and partner sat back down, exchanging glances once more as Yang turned away from them, and started out the door. She wasn't sure where Weiss had run off to, but fortunately, she didn't have to look very long, as she passed Nora and Ren in the hallway.

"Hey, have you guys seen Weiss?"

Nora immediately pointed toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. "She went that way. And, boy, did she look different!"

Yang thanked them, and hurried off to the bathroom, not sure what she was going to say when she got there, but knowing that she had to do something.

She hesitated as she lifted a hand to the closed door, wondering if she should just give her teammate the space she needed to clear her mind. But as she leaned in closer to the door, she could just barely make out the quiet sound of muffled sobs, broken up by a soft sniffle. Yang's heart twinged at the heartbreaking sound, her gut twisting as if she'd just been punched twenty feet by an Ursa Major. There was no way she could leave Weiss alone now. Not after she'd already caused her so much pain…

"Weiss…?" she finally murmured, her teammate's voice catching in her throat as she gave the door a few gentle raps.

There was another sniffle, followed by the sound of running water. "I-I just need a moment, please," Weiss spoke quickly, her fragile voice barely audible over the water. It disappeared a moment later, and was replaced by hectic shuffling, Weiss's new riding boots clicking against what sounded to be a tiled floor.

Yang's left hand began to tremble at her side, the tremor always appearing at the most inconvenient of times. She clenched her fist and immediately steadied it with her prosthetic, wrenching her hands back to her sides as she tried to keep her focus. "I'm sorry, this was such a dumb idea… I was just trying to help, but I made you go too fa—"

"No! Don't say that!" Weiss's voice was clearer, seemingly fuller, now. She still sniffled, but she no longer appeared to be crying. "This is… it wasn't dumb. It's… This is the first time… The first time I've ever felt like myself…"

Yang blinked, unsure if she had just heard Weiss right. So she… didn't hate it? "If that's true, then why are you so upset?"

Weiss's footsteps came closer to the door, and it finally opened, but she did not show her face. "Come here."

She did as she was told, even as her heart began to race in uncertainty. She entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her, finding Weiss sat at the edge of the tub, her head turned downward to the floor. "Weiss?"

Her teammate exhaled slowly. "Have you ever heard any of my performances?"

Yang furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, of course. You were amazing."

"Did you hear the last concert I performed before I started at Beacon?"

"I, uh…" Yang frowned, taking a short step toward Weiss. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Finally, Weiss looked up, her eyes rimmed in red, her cheeks stained with tears. The sight was enough to break Yang's heart a second time, something she hadn't realized was even possible until right then. "I performed a song called 'Mirror, Mirror'. I wrote it as a last-ditch attempt to get my father to listen to me… to convey all of the feelings I'd been bottling up for the past several years. He didn't listen, of course; he never does."

"What was it about?"

Weiss shrugged. "Everything… nothing… Mostly, it was about my reflection." She sniffled, offering Yang a timid smile. "All my life, I hated my reflection. But I could never really explain why… At first, I thought it was because I looked so much like my parents… Like my father who stole my family's name, like my mother who chose alcohol over me… Like Winter, who has always been much stronger than me…"

Yang shook her head. "Weiss, that's not—"

"I was wrong," she continued, holding up a hand to cut Yang off. "I mean, maybe I wasn't entirely wrong, but it certainly didn't help me figure out why I always resented myself so much… I thought that if I rebelled, changed my hair so I didn't look so perfect, so I looked different than my sister, different than my mother, that I would find some sort of answer about who I am… But it wasn't until today… until now, that I finally have an answer to that question… I think, anyway…"

She looked so certain of herself. More than Yang had ever seen Weiss before, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out where her teammate was going with this. What about today was so special? It was just a haircut, just a change of clothes… "Weiss, I'm not sure I understand what you're saying."

Weiss huffed. "Yang, I look like a boy."

"That's because you chose a boy's haircut."

"Because I wanted to," she said. She stood up from the tub, meeting Yang's ever-curious gaze. She was still smiling, but Yang couldn't tell if it was genuine, or entirely forced. Tears were beginning to well in her eyes again, but she didn't look away from Yang. "I chose it because this is who I am. Who I want to be."

Yang continued to hold her gaze, trying so hard to understand what it was her friend was saying. The haircut? The outfit? This is who she is? Weiss's eyes were pleading with her, seeming to beg Yang to just understand, to see the person she was trying to show Yang. And she wanted to see, she tried so hard, but all she could see right now was a very androgynous Weiss who looked like—

"Oh!"

Yes, this was what she meant, right? Yang took a step back from Weiss, examining her teammate from head to toe. The haircut, the clothing, how it all seemed to hide Weiss's feminine features… it was all intentional. Weiss was… Weiss wanted to be be a boy.

"So your reflection…" Yang started, trying to choose her words carefully. "The reason you never felt like yourself, is because no matter what you did, you still looked…"

"Like a girl," Weiss finished. "But I… I guess… I don't want to be."

Yang nodded. "And you feel happy… like this? You don't hate me?"

Her teammate laughed. "No, Yang, I could never hate you." Weiss looked down at the outfit once more. "I don't know why I chose this particular ensemble out of everything you gave me, but for some reason, it just all felt right. When you started talking about the haircut, I took a long look in the mirror, and realized that I could probably pass for a boy if I just cut my hair short. So even after that lady said she could do any style, I still chose this one, because I wanted to see how it'd all look together… and I quite like the result."

Finally, her heart was starting to lift again. Seeing Weiss like this… happy, relieved, it brought a sense to relief to Yang herself knowing that her stupid little idea had helped Weiss in more ways than just one. She wasn't sure what this meant for Weiss's future, but she was determined to stick by her teammate through every little step. It was the least she could do after everything Weiss had done for her.

"I like it, too." Yang offered Weiss a smile. "You look very handsome."

Weiss's face reddened. "Th-thank you… I mean it… For all of this. Who knows how long I would've felt like… like not myself, if it weren't for your little experiment?"

Yang's smile widened, her eyes finally starting to wet after she'd been trying so hard to hold back her emotions. But she couldn't restrain them anymore; she was just so happy, so grateful to be Weiss's friend, to be any help at all. She threw her arms around Weiss's neck and pulled him tight, finally letting her tears free as she sniffled into the collar of his new jacket. "I'm so happy for you…"

Weiss returned the hug, squeezing Yang almost as tight. "So what… what happens now?"

She pulled back after a moment, meeting Weiss's questioning gaze. There were still so many questions, so many people Weiss probably needed to tell. "You should probably talk to Ruby and Blake… and everyone else."

His smile noticeably fell, as did his gaze. "I, uh… I'm a little scared…"

Yang reached for Weiss's hands, and gave them a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I'm right here with you."

After another few moments to collect themselves, Yang and Weiss finally left the bathroom, and headed quietly back to their room. When they returned, they found Ruby and Blake exactly where they'd left them, whatever conversation they'd been having immediately ceasing as soon as they saw their teammates.

Ruby stood, her eyes full of concern for her partner. "Weiss, are you okay?"

Weiss tried his best to muster a smile. "Yes, I am. There's… something I want to tell you."

Blake's ears perked up at this, but she remained quiet, focused, as Weiss, with a little push from Yang, finally stepped forward.

He cleared his throat. "Hello, I'm Weiss… and I'm a boy."

Both of their teammates turned to look at Yang in confusion, as if she had somehow put Weiss up to this. But she shook her head, and gestured back toward Weiss. "Listen to what Weiss has to say."

"This is me," he continued. "The real me. I know it's confusing, and I'm still trying to figure it out, but… I'm pretty sure of it; this is who I am."