Dissonance. The sounds of when two notes are playing against one another to make a sound.

It's sour, ruinous and difficult to hear unless the two are well matched for one another. Takes one note, to bend and warp to the tune of what is wanted. This relationship is parasitic but one couldn't walk away.

One was forced to adhere to the older, superior sound. A booming, overpowering voice housing demands needing to be met. All she could do was nod. Her voice was fragile, beautiful, innocent, elevating the lyrics she wrote akin to a caged bird pondering on this purpose and going against nature. So limited, yet so free at the same time. The bloodline coursing through her veins holds such prestige, while weighing a curse simultaneously. Linked with deaths, crooked, underhanded deals via government and expressing its will on the media to broaden its influence, the Schnee family isn't one worth tampering with. Loved and hated by the public, there's only one person standing out. A woman who should be the heir to the throne but chose a different path.

Flawless snow white hair swaying with every step, touching the marbled floor of her room in her pajamas. She looks in the mirror, and took a moment for her hand to gently inspect her throat. Parch, and a little hoarse, the heavenly falsetto comes to put a strain, no matter the time spent perfecting it. A pivotal piece to the family, an item she tried to use to escape, but ended up as a tool for garnering the best interest. No longer was it for a personal choice and for escape, it was now a monotonous transaction for the family.

What she would do to run away from it all.

...

A moment of trance hazed her young mind, resting a hand on her head. Long rehearsals and constant movement on her feet brought thoughts of fatigue. She has a busy day tomorrow anyway, no need to stay up any longer. She turns away, making a beeline to her bed, enveloped in the moonlight from a nearby closed window. She rests into the covers, the velvety softness of the material soothes her joints and muscles. There's no need to move. Naturally, her eyes followed suit, closing them shut to transition her into the day.

A small shuffle could be heard, and it annoyed her. But she started to think, and understand that she's not moving at all. She opened her eyes, only to see someone sleeping right beside her. A young girl, hair etched in black with burgundy tips. The first thought was how did she enter without a noise and through security? Next was an observation, the stranger sleeping comfortable as if this is her home. What started as shocked, shifted to contempt, complete with a tic mark on her forehead. She rose up, a scowl on her face at this free loader. "Hey! Who do you think you are" she ordered, awakening the girl from her dreams. Half lidded eyes took in the image of Weiss only to return back to her position, assuming it's all a dream. What was contempt grew to frustration. The princess stood up again, walking over to her side of the bed, and with a firm yank, pulled the girl out of her bed with a loud thud.

"Ow!"

"Answer my question!" She tapped her foot furiously to her own beat. The child had her own anger, not pleased at her actions at all.

"Why did you pull me out of my bed?!"

"Your bed?!" Aghast at such a claim, she snarled back, until noticing the girl looked around, feeling lost.

"Wait, this isn't my room..."she trailed, looking in awe at the luxury and the amount of space available.

"You're right, it's not your room. It's MY room, the same room you somehow intruded in without getting noticed. And now you'll be escorted through security." She paced with energy, leaving a mark of force in each step as she went to open the door. She pulled and pulled but alas, nothing worked, as if a magical seal stopped her from exiting. This left the newcomer tilting her head and scratching her cheek.

"You don't know how to open a door?"

"Of course I know how to open a door, but you won't let me!"

"I won't let you?"

"Yes! The same way you sneaked in here in the middle of the night." She tried one last time, but gave up, sighing from her efforts.

"Look, I don't know what's going or why, but I'm not behind this."

"Ha" she began her laugh, mocking the claim, "and how I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Uh..." thinking fast on her feet wasn't her strong suit. She saw in her sights the only window in this room. She raced to it, grinding her teeth as she tried to open it. She too couldn't do a single thing, panting from the energy spent. "What is this?"

"What do you mean? This isn't your doing?" Only now did the stubborn heiress began to think she's telling the truth.

"I seriously have no clue, I was at home sleeping casually until somebody yanked me out of bed, that I still haven't gotten an apology from."

"Hmph." An apology would have to wait. The tension lowered enough for Weiss' face to soften and understand this girl is not the enemy. "What's your name anyway."

"Ruby Rose." The name made Weiss glance up and down, sizing the young girl in her pajamas.

"Sounds appropriate."

"And you are?" A gasp came from the princess, finding the idea of not knowing who she is ludicrous.

"What? You don't know who I am?" To think a peasant such as herself don't know who she was, or at the very least her family lineage. Ruby could only muster a shrug.

"Nope, not at all." The tic mark returned, drawing a gently fury and a forward posture with Weiss' hand on her collar.

"I'm Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee family and a well respected singer in the community. How could you not know who I am?"

"Well, music isn't celebrated much in Vale."

"How c-" she began, until the cogs in her head realized the country she spoke of. "Wait, Vale? You reside in vale?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"My home is in Atlas..."

"I'm in Atlas right now" asked Ruby, pointing a finger to herself for clarity. Normally, a fast response would come from Weiss, but for the first time, she was stumped, and it showed.

"I don't know anymore..." She trailed off, walking over to her bed and sitting down in deep thought. Ruby followed, not knowing what kind of realm or spell was made, but at the very least, she had someone to speak and communicate with. This helped in knowing she's not losing it at the age of fifteen.

"...You have a beautiful room." Not even a reaction. Ruby looked off to the side before trying again, leaning a bit forward to her companion. "So, Weiss, you sing huh?

"I know what you are trying to do, but unless the next thing that comes out of your mouth is a solution, I'd prefer not to hear you say anything if you don't mind."

"..."

"The attempt to draw the conversation back to something trivial didn't work. For a moment, silence filled the space as one worked hard to find an escape and the other trying to normalize this encounter.

Then a vision.

"I got it!"

"What" asked Weiss, curious what explanation this air head can conjure.

"We got here cause we fell asleep right? Why not just close our eyes, and try to fall asleep. Maybe this can work." This childish logic fitted her character too well. And not at all with the mature princess.

"I'm pretty sure we're in a dream already, we can't fall even deeper in our psyche Ruby."

"Just try it. Do you have any other ideas?"

"..." For a moment, the pristine woman tried to make a rebuttal but nothing came, leaving her to close her eyes and shrug. "Alright, what can we lose from this." The two crawled up to their respective sides of the bed, the same way they met in this fiasco.

"Still, why did you think this happen?"

"I could be going insane. Then again, it would be a nice change of pace."

"What do you mean?"

"I just feel trapped...doesn't really need much looking into..."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't see how venting to a stranger can help."

"I understand that. But, we are the only ones here in this...place, and it's not like we know when we will leave."

"..." Weiss thought about it, glancing at Ruby before conceding in the request. "I feel trapped cause of my situation. My dad's a tyrant, and the only person I can respect is my sister, who is off doing what she wants, free from my father's influence. I don't want to be tied to the Schnee name any longer. There's too much influences and responsibilities I would need to undertake. That's why wanted to sing. I loved it, performing in front of a crowd and watching them enjoy when the final note is made." her eyes wandered off, as if recreating the scene right in front of her. "It wasn't accepted by my dad at first. He wanted to exile me for my choices. Upon hearing me sing however...he found a way to boost his product and tie me in altogether. I'm too young to escape him. He somehow made something I love, something to avoid his control, into a method for his gain." Her eyes looked elsewhere, finding the wall more entertaining than the girl next to her.

"Weiss..." Ruby tried to think of something, but she couldn't manage a thing. Rather than think for the perfect statement, she spoke at the first thought. "At least we're here. It's nice isn't it? We're away from the outside world, no one can use us or hurt us. Even if we don't know where we are, or why we're here." For the first time, Ruby forced a smile on her face, something Weiss caught on.

"What's your story."

"..."

"I've gave you my side, at least be decent to share your story." Ruby sighed and rather glanced at the ceiling, recollecting her conscience at these events.

"I have a sister, and we're orphans. Our respective mothers are dead and our father isn't in a state to take care of us. The next best relative is our uncle, but considering his background as a hunter, he can't stick around to raise us. My older sister isn't quite as cooperative, and has been giving me the cold shoulder. She's having it tough, adapting to it all. I understand her pain. Everything is starting to crumble around us, I don't know what else to hang onto. I can only rely on her, and she's slipping away herself. I'm just here...tied along for the ride, and I don't know how to get off..." Weiss stared at her partner, occasionally breaking it but would always return, thinking to the treatment when she's suffering just as bad as she is. The heiress couldn't form a word, thinking it'd undermine her confession.

For a moment, the two were silent, exchanging a brief summary of their lives, all while entrapped in this box, this space where only they exist. And despite the silence, they were closer than they think.

Weiss needed to confirm something, reflecting on their problems and circumstances.

"Ruby?"

"...Yeah Weiss?"

"Do you think we were made to meet like this? I thought you weren't real at the beginning, but I've quickly learned that you are you. I don't know how to word it..." She gave up making sense of it, this weird fantasy. Yet, she understands that something feels very real, and was why she wouldn't write her off. he welcomed the attention. She hasn't connected to someone in a genuine fashion in ages, let alone a stranger in her head.

"I thought maybe I got kidnapped or something..." Weiss took a quick glance at the girl in front, and began to giggle, perhaps the first time. Something trivial but the naivety of it all, it astounded her. She wished, truly wished she held some of that innocence still. It's all gone. Or is it?

"Maybe we are kidnapped and we don't know it."

"I actually wouldn't mind that" Ruby chimed in, smiling and joining in the laughter of fleeing their own worlds, and making a new one while together."I mean, we are kidnapped right now, and we're making the most of it, it's a relief. No one can hurt us anymore." Both girls were elated with eyes wide shut, swaying from introspection to acceptance. For once, they were content. Content in one another's aura for the first time.

"Sorry for treating you like a brat, had a short fuse from earlier and it carried over."

"Don't worry, I kinda deserved it." The two met glances with respect for once. Weiss close dher eyes and sighed, trying to recall when she had a friend like this.

"Been a long time since I felt like this."

"Felt like what sis?" This brought Weiss to turn her entire body to the side, realizing it was someone else's. Her younger brother standing by the foot of the bed, arms crossed in disappointment. Wake up, it's late and you're sleeptalking." The sun rays lazily passed through the blinders, the room gentle in the light and a sinking feeling that the person she was conversing is gone. "Do you need some more time for your beauty sleep? Ah, but you would miss some of these important meetings, and you do know how dad gets when he doesn't get his way." Weiss frowned at the passive aggressive delivery from her brother.

"Alright Whitley, just...just give me a moment, my alarm didn't work." Whitley raised a hand and waved it in a dismissive manner.

"Whatever you say...please don't take long." He walked out of her room, providing her the privacy she wanted. Once left alone, she turned to the other half, taking a deep breath as her mind raced on what happened. She felt so real...but could it be she hallucinated? She wished it was a tad bit longer, a moment more away from reality. She rose out of bed, yawning and stretching. "Another day" she muttered to , she grabbed her towel, and her attire for the day, knowing she'll be supervised all day. The room was empty as she left, leaving it closed and preparing for the day.

Silence.

Silence, until the sound of her bed creaked at weight being applied. A girl, with dark black hair and burgundy tips was sitting cross legged, with a mischievous smirk on her lips. It was Ruby, rose onto the balls of her feet, hands clasped behind her back as she's no longer dressed in her pajamas. A gentle grey jacket black t-shirt clothed underneath and matching jeans worked to give a casual look of a teenager. She bounced from one step to the other, opening the door and exiting the room. Gently did the door closed, leaving the room empty for the first time since the original encounter.