The constant pitter-patter of rain and the distant booms of thunder filled the ears of Weiss Schnee as she walks through the streets of Vale. A few cars and busses would pass by on the streets but she paid them no mind.
She is dressed in a long overcoat and hood to keep the rain off her as she walked the streets. In such an ensemble no one would recognize her as the award winning singer who took the music scene by storm in the past year.
Taking walks like this was a habit of hers. She would walk the streets of Atlas looking for inspiration for her songs. A scene, a person, or even just the din and energy of the day could inspire her.
She needed such inspiration after her concert that night was canceled by the very storm she now braved. But as she made her way through the near empty streets she was not finding the inspiration she sought.
That is until the sound of music caught her ear through the open door of a bar coming up on the side of the road. A dark red awning shielded the open door from the rain, the sign on the side of the building reading Junior's in bright red neon lights.
She walks into the bar, expecting the music to just be playing over some speakers from a playlist, but instead to her surprise find a trio of girls performing on a small stage. She slowly makes her way closser to get a better view of the performers and to listen to them better.
The first that catches her eyes is a blonde with wild hair playing the drums in the back corner of the stage. Everything about this girl shouted "Loud!" she was happy and smiling as she kept a beat and more on a full drum set. Her lavender eyes shone with joy even as sweet beads on her brow from her enthusiastic performance.
The next is a Faunus with long black hair and cat ears playing on a keyboard, though a bass guitar was also sitting next to her leaning against the wall. Her eyes were closed, focused entirely on the music. Her body would sway with the tune as she played, like she was letting the music flow through her and from her.
The last one, the guitarist and singer taking center stage. She seems to be the youngest of the trio, looking like she wasn't even old enough to be in a bar if she wasn't performing. She wore her hair short with the tips dyed red as she played her moon shaped red and black guitar matching her own color scheme. A silver necklaces of a rose sparkled in the dim light of the bar matching the glistening silver eyes that stare above the crowd, as if gazing into a world all her own.
As her eyes travel down Weiss notices some writing on the guitar. "Crescent Rose" was etched into the body of the magnificent electric guitar. Then her eyes stopped as she saw the guitar's open case. In it is a decent collection of coins and bills, the patrons obviously greatly appreciated their performance. But aside from that a single photo in a frame of a woman who looked so much like an older version of the guitarist that is must be her mother, right beside a single rose.
As the song wrapped up the crowd cheered and threw more bills into the case but all of them being careful not to disturb the photo or the rose, as if they all understood the significance of the two items.
As the cheering slowly stopped the girl in red made her way to the keyboard and sat down, the girl in black having emptied the spot for her and moved the microphone so the younger girl could still sing.
The girl's voice came from the stage's speakers sweet and clearly. "This next song is dedicated to my mom Summer Rose. I miss you mom and I love you." She says before starting to play.
The tune was soft a subtle, but then the vocals come in adding to it, telling a story obviously relating to Summer Rose and her daughter. Of learning and playing music, creating worlds of music.
Weiss was totally entranced by the song, played simply on the piano and the power of the young girl's voice which was about to be kicked up to 12.
There's a light that shines
And it's power is mine!
Though our body's weak and breakable
The spirit is indomitable!
The power of this girls voice came through even over the rather sub-par speakers the bar possesed. The emotion of the song has the entire crowd awe-struck, none of them making a sound.
So, step by step
And frame by frame
A world's created
Its map fashioned from a stain
Just dream big then work 'til it grows
I learned this lesson
We can evolve
Achieving anything
As long as our heart's resolved
Believing will make it so
Though our lives are limited by years on Earth
Our dreams won't be bound inside
The goal's not to live forever
'Cause eternity loves the creations of time
As Weiss looked around, barely able to tear her eyes from the girl in red, she noticed tears forming in many of the patron's eyes. She reaches a hand towards her own face and notices that she too had tears forming. 'Who is this girl?' She thinks as her eyes once more are drawn to the stage
There's a light that shines
And it's power is mine!
Though our body's weak and breakable
The spirit is indomitable!
Don't be afraid!
Get up, get going
A step everyday
I'll meet you there
When we strive, we transcend
Even death cannot end our climb!
I wasn't ready
You can't prepare
For the unthinkable
For something that's so unfair
It's cruel but that's how life goes
Weiss then sees tears in the singer's eyes and the pain and sadness that was the genesis of this song pierces her very soul. The girl lost her mother at some point but she was obviously such a major inspiration.
But through the sadness
Thousands of tears
We see her message
Sparkling and crystal clear
Our work is larger than we know!
There's a light that shines
And it's power is mine!
Though our body's weak and breakable
The spirit is indomitable!
Taking a moment the girl wipes tears that had leaked from her eyes as she finished the song. Weiss could not take her eyes off the girl, she was so blown away by the performance. Sure there were any number of technical issues with the notes and her singing, but the sheer power and emotion was something no amount of training or technical expertise could match.
The audience seemed to love the performance with all of them taking to their feet and clapping as the blonde and Faunus girl came back on stage.
"Great job Ruby. Mom would be so proud." The blonde says giving the girl not identified as Ruby an affectionate side hug. The black haired girl smiling at the pair.
The crowd lifted their drinks to the statement shouting "Here here!" in agreement. Obviously their mother was well known in this area for so many to know her and her children.
Ruby smiled up at her sister as she got up from the piano. "Thanks Yang. How about we go with something more upbeat for our next song?" She says as she gets up and takes her guitar back up.
"I think I got a song in mind we can play." Yang says with a smirk as she takes a mic back to her drum set with her. The two other girls started just fiddling around on their instruments. "Hey Blake how about we play Bmblb?"
Blake, the Faunus girl blushed a red so deep that she would have matched Ruby's outfit.
"Yanggg I watch you and Blake make kissy face at home enough. Can we not do that on stage?" Ruby moaned out earning a laugh from many in the audience making Weiss think this was a common gag for the sisters. "Pick something else."
The blonde sister thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her drum stick. "Ah I got it! How about "This Will Be the Day"?"
Weiss rose an eyebrow at this. They were really going to perform one of her songs?
"Sounds great to me." Ruby said as she strums her guitar. "Blake?"
"I'm ready when you are." the feline pianist replies cracking her knuckles.
Yang then leans in to the microphone. "Well as you all may know Weiss Schnee was supposed to hold a big concert tonight but it got rained out." This earned some good natured boos at the weather. "But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun with one of her songs! So if you know the words join in!" Yang finishes with a smile.
"Mind if I join in?" Weiss says as she steps on to the stage and out of her coat revealing the white dress and boots she normally would wear for performances.
Silence.
The whole bar became as quiet as a church as everyone stared.
Now Wiess was also starting to get nervous. The fun and energy of these girls, especially Ruby, had stirred something inside of her that made her want to, no NEED to get up and sing. "Well this weather ruined my concert and I was really looking forward to performing in Vale. You girls are talented and I would love to jam out with you." She says as she steps closer to Ruby.
The three other girls shared a look that said "Well I guess we are doing this," as they shrugged at each other.
"Hey can we get and extra mic up here for our guest singer?" Yang shouts out as the spell over the crowd seems to break and the poor tech guy scrambles to set up another microphone.
Standing next to Ruby, Weiss smiles. "Well Ruby, how about we both sing this one."
Ruby goes wide eyed then smile as she hits the first chord of the song and the pair of red and white sang a duet that blew away everyone in the bar.
Cellphones came out and recorded the performance.
Needless to say the videos went viral almost immediately causing more people to try and get into the bar.
The girls kept playing through it all. Playing not only Weiss' songs but songs from other artists and their own originals. Klien, Weiss' trusted stage manager showed up with her own guitar. This prompted a guitar duel between Weiss and Ruby, the pair smiling through the whole thing.
The quartet played well into the evening and into the early morning hours even staying behind long after the bar had closed, just talking and laughing as the girls packed up their gear.
"Wow I have not had that much fun on stage in a long, long time." Weiss says as she packs up her guitar.
"Really? You are on stage so much though?" Ruby replies as she coils up the chords for her own guitar.
Blake looks up to them from a table where she is counting the tips they got for the night. It was easily their best night ever in terms of money.
Yang smiles as she packs up her drum set.
"Yes well sometimes it can feel more like work than a love of performing." Weiss shrugs. "But performing with you girls was great." she says as a limo pulls up and gives a light honk. "Well that's my ride. I am betting Glynda, my manager is really upset with me." She turns and heads towards the door.
"Weiss!" Ruby calls out causing the girl to pause. "It was really great playing with you. I.. I know this was a once in a lifetime type of thing but, but I'd love to be able to play with you again." She says with a slight blush.
"Ruby." Weiss says looking over her shoulder. "I'd love to sing with you again as well. I'll be in touch." She says as she walks out the door leaving the trio of girls flabbergasted.
A few days later Ruby received a phone call she only dreamed of getting.
"Hello Ms. Rose this is Ozpin with Beacon Entertainment. Ms. Schnee spoke very highly of you. We would like to sign you and your group with our production company."