Chapter 29

The rain had since fallen down upon the city as a thrum of thunder echoed throughout the clouds of the night sky, absent was the flash of lightning. The water that slid down the glass seemed like a river and the repeated patting upon its surface almost sounded although it had started shifting into a rhythm. In the large glass window Yang saw her own reflection, she was in her usual sleepwear as she looked out to the city of Atlas with a smile as she watched various lights flicker and move below in the streets. They were higher now in the tower, having acquired rooms thanks to Winter and her deep pockets. Of course Yang shared one with Blake while Winter and Neo had their own room next door.

The room itself was dimly lit with lamps, low enough as to not disturb when sleeping. The floors were a white carpet, the walls a more creamy beige. Blake appeared to be asleep behind her in the only bed within the room, the white quilt covering her form as her black hair sprawled out upon the pillow beneath her head. Her mouth was slightly open as she slept, her arms resting where Yang had laid besides her before getting out of bed. Another boom of thunder that was somewhat nullified by the interior walls of the room echoed. The black feline ears of the Faunus twitched but she remained asleep.

Yang continued to watch the streets below, the reason for her still being up was that she simply couldn't fall asleep. She had woken in the night to find the storm outside. The rain itself caused the colours of the city to blur and almost glow as their light was reflected by the falling droplets of water. Finally a flash of lightning appeared, shortly accompanied by the sound of thunder. For a brief moment Yang swore she saw a large building in the distance, silhouetted against the flash. She narrowed her lilac eyes and began to make something out. There was a hill on the north side of the city, no, it was almost a mountain? The peak didn't look like it should though. There were... towers, or spires. She would have thought it to be another part of the city if not for the fact there were no lights. The second flash of lightning all but confirmed it, she saw clearly the black silhouette of what appeared to be some sort of mansion, or castle. Was that Winter's home?

To her shock she heard something behind her, a vibration? Turning she saw that her scroll was ringing upon her bedside table. The iconic sound of the vibrations waking the Faunus up as she blinked with tired golden eyes, sitting herself up in the bed as she pulled the quilt up to cover her form. "Yang...?" she muttered as she rubbed her eyes with one hand. The blonde made her way over to her scroll, picking it up. The caller was unknown. She raised a brow at the number and showed it to Blake. The eyes of the Faunus widened as she looked upon the number. "Wait... I think that's the same one Weiss used to call us back in Vale...!" she said, leaning towards the scroll in surprise.

Alerted Yang looked back to the scroll and answered it. She was met with silence upon the other end, nothing but silence. "... Weiss?" asked Yang as she looked out to the window once more. Blake had pushed herself out of their bed, forgoing the quilt as she moved closer to Yang so that she could listen. Yang was met with no response to her question.

"Weiss, it's us, is that you?" came Blake's voice. Again she was met with nothing but silence. Without a sound the caller hung up, Yang looked to her scroll afterwards with a confused expression.

"I don't get it..." spoke Yang softly as her lilac eyes caught something in the distance outside. The hill she had been watching... there was a solitary light. "Wait, look" said Yang as she neared the window, Blake following after her as they both looked out to the distant light. After two seconds it vanished.

"Is that... a castle?" asked Blake as she narrowed her eyes, her sight far more keen in the dark than Yang's.

Yang squinted her eyes at where she had seen the light, "I think it's where she lives..." spoke Yang in return. The two paused in consideration, the rain still beating down upon the glass as their reflections were drowned out by the water running down its surface.

"We should tell Winter..." suggested Blake, somewhat hesitant about the idea. Something gave her the impression that somehow Winter was not on good terms with Weiss, that could be the only reason she never seemed to try and call her and only them. This of course was all assuming that it was even Weiss to begin with.

But she had a right to know. Yang looked to her scroll once more before nodding, "Yeah, we should. She's just next door after all" she answered before turning for the door in nothing but her tank top and shorts. This late there was unlikely to be anyone walking around. The Faunus swiftly followed after, her own bed attire a lot more controversial, it simply being her underwear and a very loose black shirt that hung down her shoulders. The shirt was one that Yang had bought for her as they made their way higher into the tower, passing multiple stores. The shirt said Bad Kitty in bold white letters upon the back of it, something Blake herself was still unaware of.

Yang reached the door and stopped, turning around to face Blake. "What?" asked Blake.

"You sure you don't want to at least put on some pants?" asked Yang in response as her eyes glanced down to the lower form of Blake.

The Faunus took a step back and squeezed her legs together in a shy manner. "Stop staring" she replied awkwardly. "And you're one to talk" she added, pointing a finger back at Yang.

"Shorts are fine" nodded Yang in a sure manner. "But really, you should probably cover your legs" she suggested, it wasn't really a time to be playing dress-up after all. Blake rolled her eyes at Yang before moving to the bathroom, shortly returning with a simple towel wrapped around her waist in a makeshift skirt. Satisfied that her partner was appropriately covered the two left their room. With Yang first peeking her head around both corners of course. They made their way to the room next door as Yang knocked her fist against the entrance three times and waited.

As she moved to knock again the door opened. At first she saw nothing before her eyes caught a blend of pink of brown hair. She moved her gaze down to find Neo, wearing almost nothing at all as she stared at Yang. Or more specifically, Yang's body. A slow but sure blush was forming on the small girl's face as Yang sighed and gently pushed her aside as she entered the room. Neo casually tried to close the door on Blake but the Faunus was too swift and got her arm through before it closed fully, opening it before shutting it behind her and offering Neo a warning glare. The smaller woman avoided her gaze as her eyes instead returned to Yang's form as she stared at her from behind.

The room was very similar to Yang and Blake's with the only difference being that this room had two smaller beds rather than one large one. Winter had already woken, brushing her hand over her face. "What is this?" she asked as she looked up to Yang and Blake. Yang approached Winter and held out her scroll towards her, the recent contacts showing the number that had called them. Winter's eyes widened as she took the scroll, eyes staring upon the number. "Did she... say anything?" asked the woman as she turned up to face Yang.

The blonde shook her head. "No... same as last time but..." she pointed towards the window, towards where the hill and the mansion/castle would be. "Is that where you live?" she asked.

Winter followed her finger with her eyes, standing up out of her bed. She wore a long white shirt that went down to her thighs. Her hair, as it had been the past few days, was allowed to flow freely behind her back as she moved to the window.

"Yes... That is our destination" answered Winter.

"We... saw a light, after Weiss hung up. It wasn't on for long though" replied Yang as she followed her. Blake kept her eyes on the two while oblivious to Neo who was stood besides her, eyeing her chest before subtly pushing her own further out, not that she needed to but she liked to prove a point as her eyes turned to Yang and Winter.

"A light...?" pondered Winter as her eyes narrowed towards the dark distance. "If a lack of sleep did not have a chance of proving detrimental to us I would ask that we go now..." began the woman as she closed her eyes with a frown. "Unfortunately... We have to be ready and rested" she spoke.

"You're expecting resistance? From your own home?" came Blake's voice. Yang and Winter turned back to look at her, Neo still had her chest pushed out which earned her a confused expression from Yang, the short woman simply smirked back at her.

Winter sighed softly, "I-... We may..." she admitted.

"But he's your father...? Surely he wouldn't attack his own daughter?" continued Blake.

"He will see it less about attacking his daughter and more about preserving the other one. That is how his mind works" responded Winter as she moved to sit upon the edge of her bed, eyes returning to Yang's scroll in her hand. "I will be honest... for sharing weakness with one another is what will make us stronger as a team. I am worried. No- I am afraid. Not of what we will face there but... For the decision I may have to make" she spoke, the worry in her voice somewhat breaking her usual stern tone.

Both Yang and Blake frowned at her words. For their since-Vale leader, for Winter Schnee, to state that she was afraid... It was something that instantly struck some sense of fear into themselves. They had no idea for what reason a professional huntress could be afraid. Yang moved to sit besides Winter as she placed her hand upon her shoulder reassuringly, her lilac gaze locking onto her with determination. "Whatever it is we'll work through it together, as a team" she answered.

Winter looked up to the young huntress and smirked weakly, "Glad to see they taught you something useful at Beacon. There is nothing more powerful than unity... That brings me to a point however..." she said, looking to Blake and Neo as well. "If we meet resistance I must urge you all... Look out for one another. Should Neo fall I will expect you both to aid her, and in turn should someone like Blake fall, I will expect Neo to return the favour. If we cannot trust one another with our well-being we cannot persevere. So of all the things I ask of you three let this be the one you do not forget. For without it you will surely be fated to fail as a result. So pass aside your grudges, please" finished Winter, holding Yang's scroll back to her.

Neo and Blake looked to one another. Winter's words had seemed almost desperate for their cooperation and although it may just be for tomorrow... Blake closed her eyes in an almost irritated fashion before holding her hand out to Neo in a truce. The smaller woman looked to the hand curiously before cautiously grasping it and shaking. The beat of thunder sounded outside as Blake turned her attention ahead. Neo doing the same, though her eyes lingered upon Blake in a narrowed fashion before her expression softened, none had noticed it in the dark light. Their hands parted as Winter smiled to herself.

"Thank you" she said, "I feel more at ease already" she added.

"If we do get attacked though... what are we expecting?" asked Yang.

Winter looked to the window, the moon still hidden behind clouds as the rain pattered against the surface of the glass still. "The Schnee Dust Company has access to military equipment... If we are attacked we may engage the newest line of weapons available in Atlas. Which would include the final version of the Atlesian Paladin prototype you faced in Vale. If I recall from the reports... One appeared at Beacon while under the influence of the virus that caused many of our androids to defect. Thankfully it was deactivated before it engaged with the students defending the academy" answered Winter.

"They're that strong?" asked Yang.

"With me and Neo it will be manageable. No offence of course, your team did take a while to bring down the prototype after all..." responded Winter.

Blake crossed her arms, "We've come a long way since then" she replied.

"I am counting on it" answered Winter as her eyes met with the Faunus. "For now... we should get some rest. If there is anything more to say it can be said in the morning" she finished. With that Yang stood to her feet, making her way over to Blake. She could feel Neo's watching gaze upon her as she moved.

"Well, sleep well Winter. And you too I guess" said Yang, briefly referring to Neo as Blake offered a polite nod in goodnight to Winter, offering Neo a glance as if acknowledging her existence.

"Sleep well ladies" replied Winter to the two as they left the room. Her gaze then turned to Neo who looked back at her. "I am expecting much from you, you know" she said.

Neo frowned gently at Winter before nodding to her.


Back within their room Yang crawled into her bed. "That rain better stop..." she muttered, glancing to the window. Blake removed the towel from around her waist as she followed her partner, pulling the quilt over herself.

"I find it easier to sleep when it rains, even with the thunder" replied Blake.

Yang glanced over to her as she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position. "Shouldn't you be afraid of it?" she asked.

"I'm going to slap you for these Faunus jokes one day you know" responded Blake, though it was clear she didn't fully mean it.

The blonde smirked softly as she leaned in to peck her upon the lips with her own. Blake paused before eagerness grew over her as she leaned forward, a hand placing upon Yang's shoulder as she kissed her deeply. Yang slowly rolled onto her back to allow Blake to lay on top of her, she wrapped her one arm around her back and after a few moments their kiss parted. "Hey, it can't all be gloomy" replied Yang.

"That's why I'm kissing you, you idiot" sighed Blake.

The night continued on over the city of Atlas. Unaware of what the next day could bring.