Chapter 25
The chilled morning air brushed against her pale skin as she stood out from her tent, her hand moved to push her silver-white hair over her shoulder as her icy blue eyes looked up to the mountains ahead. She was the first awake per usual as she turned her attention to the two other tents. She reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out her scroll, opening it up. Swiftly moving through her contacts she resumed her morning routine as she landed her finger on one contact in particular, Weiss Schnee. She held the scroll up to her ear as it rang, eyes once more looking to the mountains. Clouds sparsely dotted the morning sky that day, the sun barely having moved over the mountains to the east of her.
The scroll continued to ring.
The sound of the ringing had become common to her. Ever since Weiss returned to Atlas she had attempted to call her every morning, the result was always the same as she closed her scroll, looking at the picture of her sister upon it as she paused. Closing her eyes with a gentle sigh she placed the scroll back into her pocket. Now standing idly she thought to waking the others up but soon realised she didn't have to, at least not yet as Yang appeared from her tent. She looked as tired as could be expected, rubbing her eye with her hand as she spotted Winter.
Yang approached the woman, stumbling slightly in her steps before stopping before her. "Hey, Winter..." she spoke, voice as tired as her expression.
"Yes Yang?" asked Winter in response as her cold gaze looked her over.
"Can we talk? Like... privately" asked Yang as she lowered her arm to her side. Winter gave a single nod and gestured for her to follow as she was led to the silver car. It was far enough that nobody else in their tent could hear them.
"What is on your mind?" asked Winter calmly.
After an awkward pause as if she didn't want to ask, Yang spoke. "Blake said you're like... not okay with us...?" she said, still not wanting to truly believe what she had learnt was true.
With a wry smile Winter glanced off towards the mountains as she folded her arms. "I should have guessed those words would reach you..." she began before lowering her head, then turning to face Yang directly. "It is true that I do not think as highly of the Faunus as I should... but..." she stopped, idly tapping one of her fingers against her folded arms. "If I had told Blake to stop affectionate actions for Neo's sake, do you believe she would have listened to me?" she asked.
Yang seemed uncertain as she glanced back to her tent, "Uhm..." was all she replied with.
"It is no secret she despises her, and likely would continue to act as such simply to spite the girl" continued Winter's voice as Yang turned back to her.
"So... you don't have a problem with us being together?" she asked.
Winter looked thoughtful as she responded, "My... experience with the Faunus is not a good one but over the years I have learned to cope, or simply ignore. While I still hold hatred for the White Fang it would be absurd for me to damn an entire race to their actions alone. So while I may not directly approve of your relationship with a Faunus... I will not go out of my way to separate or discriminate. If only because it seems to make you happy" she finished.
"So wait, why do this to yourself for Neo's sake? Blake hates you now. Sure she'll listen to you like this but is it really worth it?" asked Yang once more.
"You really want to give Neo more of a reason to go for Blake's throat?" asked Winter as she raised a brow at her.
Yang frowned, "It bothers her that much?"
"It seems to" replied Winter as she peered briefly towards Neo's tent. "I would like to fix her. Or what is left of her... She could become a powerful ally if we can earn her loyalty and trust without money" she added.
Yang looked to the dirt beneath her feet as she spoke, "Uh, yeah. Guess we already made some progress, she isn't trying to kill me any more" she commented. "I was a bit worried when you sent me off with her back in the forest though" she added as she looked back up at Winter.
"Ah, yes, did anything of note occur during that?" asked Winter in return.
Yang gave thought to telling Winter about the event at the abandoned cabin, seeming unsure. Though Winter caught onto her expression and gave her a piercing stare as her eyes narrowed uncertainly. "Yeah... Just... Don't tell Blake?" she asked beforehand, Winter nodded once. "There was this... cabin. I went inside while Neo checked the shed, and when I turned around she was blocking the way out..." she said.
"Go on..." spoke Winter softly.
"She tried to..." Yang looked away, as if in shame. "She was on top of me... and I couldn't move my arm..." she answered.
Winter's expression turned to that of outrage as she looked to Neo's tent, losing any sympathy she had for the girl. "She-...!?" began Winter in disbelief.
Yang looked up to her, "Wait, no she... Not fully. She stopped herself before she did anything. She looked upset and helped me back up. She hasn't even looked at me since" she said with haste before the woman did anything she might regret.
Her blue eyes looked back to Yang, her expression softening into an apologetic one. "Yang... I am... I'm sorry. I did not think she would actually..." she frowned to herself, knowing that she had caused Yang to experience such a situation.
"It's okay. Well, no it's not okay, it was actually pretty messed up but what I'm trying to say is" paused Yang with a sigh, "I don't blame you. In fact if anything, the way it turned out was for the best. Like you said, she's getting better and I think it... ugh, no matter which way I try to word it, it sounds wrong. Because of what she even thought about doing..." responded Yang.
"Do you want me to discipline her?" asked Winter firmly.
Yang blinked in surprise, "What like... slap her on the wrists?" she asked.
"I was more thinking just yelling at her. Very thoroughly and harshly" responded Winter.
The blonde shook her head, "Nah... I don't think you have to. She's kinda doing it to herself I think anyway" she answered.
Winter pinched the bridge of her nose with finger and thumb as she closed her eyes, seeming now annoyed with herself. "Ugh... Well if she really regrets what she almost did I will continue to try and help her... Hopefully that being the worst of it all" she said.
"She... told me she likes me. Well, not told, kinda... hand shapes and stuff..." said Yang.
"You only learnt that now...?" asked Winter as she peered back up at Yang.
Yang gave Winter a shocked look, "You knew?" she asked.
Winter could only groan to herself as she rubbed her palm against her face. "I thought the whole dense thing was an act..." she muttered.
"Well, I know that you like me" spoke Yang as she narrowed her eyes, not taking kindly to being called dense it seemed.
"What?" asked Winter as she looked back up to Yang, the most genuinely confused expression upon her face.
Yang nodded, "Yeah, I've known that for a while now. It's okay though, I won't hold it against you or anything" she added.
"Yang" said Winter.
"Yeah?" asked Yang.
"No" she stated followed by a pause of silence. "Besides, dating a friend of my sister's would be fairly... strange. Not to mention I am a few years older than yourself".
"Oh, so you don't like me like that?" asked Yang, she herself seeming surprised at the revelation before adding, "How old are you anyway?"
Winter's eyes narrowed at the question. "I do not, and stop asking silly questions" she replied.
"Uh- Sorry" apologized Yang, having just realised she was treading on thin ice. She attempted to shift the topic, "So... we're cool now? With me and Blake I mean" she asked.
"Was that another pun?" sighed Winter, shaking her head. "Yes we are on good terms. But I need to ask you... Are you willing to halt your shows of public affection for Neo's sake? And if so feel free to tell Blake the truth, that is, if you can convince her to do the same" said the woman.
Yang nodded, "Yeah... I can do that. Both of them. Though why didn't you just come to me first?" she asked.
"It was before I knew you had... somewhat forgiven her. You are very stubborn after all and likely would not have have cared if I told you the same as I told Blake. She was the easier choice at the time" responded Winter.
"Uhhh... Yeah. I can see how you might've got that idea..." admitted Yang as she idly glanced from side to side. "So... that's all that out the way..." she said.
Winter nodded in response, "Thank you for approaching me about the subject" she said. "I will be getting the others up shortly, we ought to continue our journey".
Yang gave her a smile, "Thanks to you too Winter" she answered, holding out her one arm in gesture for a hug.
The taller woman glared down at her, "Are you going to mistake it for something more than a friendly hug?" she asked.
"Just buddies, I promise" chuckled Yang.
Winter breathed a laugh through her nose as she smiled and closed her eyes. She opened them again to look upon Yang, "Okay, "buddies" it is" she replied before extended her arms out to offer Yang a friendly embrace. After they pulled apart Yang began making her way back to her tent as Winter turned to face her car, opening the driver's door as she leaned inside while performing her personal maintenance checks upon the vehicle as she so often liked to do. Everything had to be perfect at all times, such were her standards.
Once more the four were resuming their journey as the silver car passed through the winding valley roads of the mountains. The road itself snaking its way from between them as they drove alongside a shallow flowing river. The residents of the car itself seemed more lively now, Yang had informed Blake of Winter's thoughts on them and the reason she had said the things she had. Yet the Faunus still held a grudge against the woman for even speaking those words to her and so she rarely spoke to Winter. Neo was acting as she had since they left the pine forest, tucked away in her own corner of the car with her lost expression staring out from the window.
Yang glanced out the window to her right to see the fast flowing river. It was bordered with small tufts of grass, it was all that managed to grow between the gravel and the boulders. It was definitely rough terrain and seemed the complete opposite of the areas full of life that they had already passed through. Per usual the road was empty and devoid of any other cars. The car hit a bump in the road that caused everyone to jump slightly. Yang hit her head against the ceiling of the car as a result
"Ah-! Winter I thought you said this road was good?" asked Yang as she rubbed her head.
Winter's eyes kept to the front, "It was. Five years ago" replied Winter as they hit another crack in the road.
"It's going to ruin the car..." muttered Blake as she looked out her window.
"You will find no better vehicle than one with precision Atlas engineering. Why I feel insulted you even suggested we could break down" replied Winter in a casual tone as she turned another corner. On their left was a sheer cliff that made part of one of the mountains.
"We did break down" replied Blake as she looked to her.
Winter shook her head, "That was not a fault of the machine, that was me" she replied.
Yang leaned forward slightly as she spoke, "You know I didn't think you were such a car person" she said to Winter.
Winter briefly glanced over her shoulder at the blonde, "It is hard not to appreciate the fine craftsmanship, the sheer dedication and time that went into creating a near perfect machine of transport. Not only is it greatly efficient in its designated task but it has the luxury and style to match. The same can be said for my bike too. Which I dearly miss" she answered.
"I need to show you my bike sometime, I think you'll like it" spoke Yang with a grin.
"If it was made in Vale it is going to be hard to impress me. Though I admit they can have their charm, the loud and unwieldy contraptions that they are" replied Winter. "Nothing like a machine capable of two hundred and twenty miles per hour straddled between your thighs" she added casually as she turned another corner. Blake and Yang stared at her. After the awkward silence she looked to the two. "What?" she asked at a loss.
"Nothing" answered Yang as she and Blake turned their attention elsewhere.
Winter shrugged it off and simply continued on with her task of driving. They turned another corner as they entered upon a downhill slant in the road that led towards a lake nestled between the mountains. It stretched on far and the road seemed to ride alongside its left. It caught the attention of most in the car apart from Neo who had fallen asleep. "Now that's a lake" said Yang as her lilac eyes scanned it.
"About time, I could do with washing my face" said Winter who still had some black smudges on her otherwise immaculate pale skin from the day before.
The silver car drove silently down the slant as it came upon the side of the lake. It slowed as it moved onto the gravelly floor, the sound of its wheels crunching over small stones as it came to a halt. Shortly after and the doors started to open with three people leaving the vehicle. Winter looked to Neo's door and noticed she was still asleep. With a soft sigh she opened it and readied her arm to catch her as she almost fell out of the car. The drop having woken her up as her eyes searched her surroundings before finally sitting up straight and exiting the vehicle properly.
Between them and the lake was a wooden log fence, battered and worn by the elements. It appeared sturdy enough however as Yang climbed over it followed by Blake. They approached the lake's still shores, the gravel mixing with the dirt upon the ground. Around the lake were a few large boulders and trees that sprung up from the softer terrain. "Pretty nice place. I wonder how many people come here?" she asked as she looked out over the water that took on a mix of blue and silver as it reflected the grey faces of the mountains around it as well as the sky.
"If I would have to guess? We are the first it has seen in some time. Look, there is not even litter here" answered Winter as she glanced around their surroundings. Yang sat upon one of the boulders next to the lake, Blake soon joining her. Winter moved to the boot of the car as Neo followed after her. Upon opening it she went for the icebox and took out a few cans, handing two over to Neo and taking two into her own hands as they moved to the others. Neo held up a can to Yang who accepted it, the small woman glancing away as she did so. Winter held one to Blake who did the same.
"It's cool when you think about it. That all of this stuff is out here, but nobody ever comes to see it. It's like... untouched" spoke Yang before opening her can with her teeth.
"I'm surprised we didn't find any Grimm yet, the area outside of the kingdoms is normally full of them" said Blake as she idly picked up a pebble, tossing it along the surface of the water as it skipped several times before sinking.
"Most of them migrated to Vale itself both during the subway incident and the Battle of Beacon. It appears to have left the surrounding wilds quite... desolate" responded Winter as she took a gulp from her drink before kneeling down besides the lake, dipping her other hand into the water before returning it to rub at her face in order to remove the offending black marks. Neo sat on a smaller boulder besides Winter as she stared out into the lake, taking small sips from her cream soda.
Yang glanced up at the sky as she spoke "Well I'm just glad we get to see it, I can see why some people go on road trips now. It's gonna suck when we're done though" she said.
Blake smirked, "There's still plenty to see. Even when we get to Atlas, it's going to be a whole new experience for us" she answered.
"She is right. You best savour the time we have had so far" smiled Winter to herself as she stood back up, her face now wet from the water as she brushed her hair back.
The four continued to look out over the lake, the sun now perched above the eastern mountains and shining down upon them and the water. While quiet and mostly uneventful the trip had surely become something of an experience. Their next stop according to Winter would be the northern port after the mountains which would finally take them to Atlas.