[X] ...Forget about unwinding, this had gone on long enough. Go find Two and get the answers out of Five, even if Yang needs to get Two to beat them out of Five.
Relax, Yang thought to herself it was fine. It didn't matter. She wanted to get some answers out of Five, yeah, but it was fine.
So what if Five wasn't answering anything. So what if One wouldn't say anything. So what if Qrow wouldn't say anything, even though he should know how important this is.
So what if the only people who gave a damn about keeping Yang informed didn't know anything worth sharing?
So what if she still didn't know why Ruby was kidnapped by a psychotic bitch who brainwashed a half dozen people and let her pet psychopath torture Qrow and torment Yang in front of Ruby?
And Qrow wasn't sharing any information, even though he should know something. Even after what had happened. Like he didn't care if Yang was just left to wonder why.
...No.
Damn it, she was going to disappoint Ruby, but Yang couldn't stand for it. What right did Qrow have to keep this information from Yang? What gave One the right to be coy when it was Yang's sister who had been held captive for weeks? Why did Five think she could get away with saying nothing?
"This cannot continue." Yang decided, getting up from the wall. She was still holding her scroll, and it took a moment for Yang to flip through some menus to call Two.
It dialled for a moment, before the Intoner answered. "Yang?"
"Hey, Two." Yang greeted, forcing herself to sound calm and normal. "What are you up to?"
"Not much." Two replied. "One wants everyone to be ready for the big thing tomorrow so I'm trying to organise a babysitter for the kids. Winter's on top of the list, she's being left behind, but there's the whole Nightingale thing... Hey, could you see if your dad would let you watch a girl and her water monster?"
"You want me to look after her? Yang asked, continuing with the casual conversation. "I don't think I'd be able to do that."
"It was an idea." Two replied. "You don't have to if it'd be too hard. Winter's smart, she'll figure something out, maybe..."
As Two trailed off, Yang spoke up again.
"Hey." She began. "Do you know where Five's room is?"
There was a moment of silence. "Five's room? Why d'you want to know?"
"I just wanted to ask her some things." Yang replied. "Not much, just a few questions."
Two was silent again, until she came to a reply. "...Are you sure? I think I know what you want to ask, Yang, and Five gets mean whenever I try. One-"
"Just trust me." Yang replied. "I know what I'm doing."
"Alright then." Two decided. "If you say so. I trust you."
Yang felt a bit bad, manipulating Two like that. But right now, that hardly mattered. Two was the only person who gave a damn about Yang and could do something to help here, with the only real obstacle being that Two cared too much about her well being.
"Hold on, I'll text you a picture of a map." Two decided. "Five's off in a side room on the top floor. It's all guarded and locked up, but everyone's busy with One's thing right now so be careful. If there's a problem, it'll take One a while to respond to any of the alarms while she's in the middle of a meeting and the robots guarding the place are only there to stop people from breaking in, 'cause they're not much use against an Intoner. Do you want me to come by to make sure everything is okay?"
"I'll be fine." Yang replied.
"Sure you're sure?" Two asked. "The room's soundproof, and the alarm's only set to go if Five tries to leave her room without One's permission, tries to use her Song, or gets too close to her Disciple on the other side of the building for good measure. If Five tries doing something, One's the only person allowed to look at the cameras in Five's room and she's not looking right now."
"I'll be fine." Yang insisted.
"Okay." Two nodded. "I'll send the map over in a moment, and I'll contact the staff to let them know to ignore you. Have fun!"
And with that, the line went dead. Yang paused for a moment, looking at her scroll waiting for Two to reply. The picture of the map came a moment later, followed by a few more for the rest of the floors. The first few pictures had arrows pointing to the stairs, and the last picture had a room circled, with a large V written in the middle.
Five's room, then.
Quickly noting the directions to the stairs, Yang nodded. There it was.
Time to settle this, then.
The robotic guards stared at Yang, as she stepped back, towards the large steel door. One of the robots standing by the door entered in some sort of password into a number pad next to the steel door, which slowly began to slid.
It didn't take long for the door to open, and as soon as it was, Yang stepped in. The door closed behind her, and Yang didn't waste any time looking around, her eyes immediately drawn to the target of her ire.
Five was lying down on a comfortable looking couch, a book in her hands, as she casually looked over at Yang.
"Oh, it's you." Five noted, going back to her book. "Can you come back later? I'm just getting to the good part."
"Put the book down." Yang said firmly. Five ignored her, turning the page.
Without giving time for Five to try and say anything that might piss Yang off further, Yang walked over, and grabbed the book. Five looked up in surprise, as Yang ripped the book upwards, and threw it aside.
"Rude." Five objected. "I was just getting to the bit where Sanada's body double confesses that she loves him, too-"
"We need to talk." Yang replied through gritted teeth.
Five looked at her, and smiled.
"Oh, sweety." Five noted, reaching out and patting the top of Yang's head. "You look so cute when you're angry. And that short hair really suits yo-"
Yang's left hand reached up to grab Five's arm, pulling it aside, while her right arm punched forward, slamming into Five's stomach. Ember Celica fired as Yang twisted her fist, and Five took a step back.
The shocked look on the Intoner's face faded quickly, turning into a smile.
"My my." Five replied, with a smile. "Is this the sort of thing you're into? So forward, at such a young age-"
"Shut up." Yang hissed. "I'm sick of this nonsense. Qrow and One are both dead ends and I'm sick of running around in circles in the dark. You're going to give me some answers, Five."
"But that sounds boring." Five replied, "I'm sure we can think of something much more fun to do..."
Five stepped forward, and stretched upwards in an attempt to draw Yang's eyes towards a specific part of her body. The younger girl ducked down, and swept her leg across the ground, kicking into the couch as she knocked Five off balance.
The Intoner slammed down onto a small coffee table next to her, and the wood made a creaking sound from the impact.
"Not a fan of these?" Five asked. "A shame. Perhaps you're more fond of smaller-"
Ember Celica fired into Five's stomach again, and though the Intoner didn't react visibly, she stopped talking from the impact.
"Shut up!" Yang shouted, her Aura flaring as flames surrounded her body. "I've had it up to here with this. You kidnap my sister, torture my uncle, get a half dozen people addicted to your song, and think you can just get away with that? That it doesn't matter how hurt everyone else is, about how anyone else might want closure? You think you can just walk all over people like this?"
Five didn't respond right away, and Yang took that as her cue to continue.
"I just want some actual answers." Yang insisted. "Not any of these games. Not any of this cryptic bullshit. I just want to know why you targeted my sister."
Five looked up at Yang, her eyes meeting Yang's, and smiled.
"She has the most beautiful eyes-"
Yang's hand reached for Five's neck, and slammed down. Ember Celcia fired, throwing Five through the table, and the wooden splinters scatted across the room as it broke.
"Don't you even try." Yang snarled. "What is it about this question that's so hard, Five? Why can't you just give me a reason!"
A hand around Five's neck again, the smaller girl knelt down over the older woman, pinning Five's arms to her side with her legs.
"A reason?" Five asked, looking up. "Why would I need a reason?"
Her grip tightened, as Yang glared down at Five.
"My, so violent." Five chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the hands around her neck. "All this over a few weeks without your dear little Ruby? How cute."
Yang's hands were shaking, as she slowly stood, and dragged Five by her beck to the wall, slamming her into that.
"Is this all just a game to you?" Yang asked. "Do you just not care about the people you hurt?"
Five's smile widened. "Nobody ever cares about the people they hurt, honey. People only care if it's them getting hurt."
Covering the older woman's face with her right hand, Yang flared her Aura again, focusing on setting her hand on fire. If the heat bothered Five, it didn't show.
"Maybe that's how you see the world." Yang snarled. "But that's not how it works."
"Of course it is." Five replied. "There's too much pain in this world for people to care about all of it."
Five's arm shot up suddenly, grabbing Yang's, and the next thing the younger girl knew was that she was on the floor.
"For instance." Five began. "Did you know that, statistically speaking, at least twenty people have likely died since you came into this room? Perhaps a few of natural causes. Most were killed by Grimm. The rest by their fellow man."
"Like you care." Yang bit out, as she got to her feet.
"You're right." Five replied from behind Yang. The younger girl spun around, just in time for the hand to burst at her throat, pinning her to the wall. A second hand grabbed Yang's wrists before she could do anything, and held them together over her stomach.
"I don't care." She continued. "And why should I care? There are people dying all over the world. People starving not even an hour's walk from here. People suffering miserable lives to make ends meet. Why should I care for them, when I could just do my best not to end up like them?"
"You selfish-"
Five pressed Yang against the wall even further, while tightening her grip.
"I don't care." Five repeated. "And you know what? Neither do you. Neither does your precious sister. Not even Two cares about anything beyond her own happiness. Sure, she claims her happiness relies on making people around her happy, but she only cares about what's directly around her."
Yang kicked her leg up, to hit Five in the stomach, and fired Ember Celica at the same time. The shot hit Yang's leg, denting her Aura, and allowing that extra burst of strength Yang needed to rip her hands free of Five's grip.
Both arms reached for the arm holding Yang to the wall, on either side of the elbow, and pushed in either direction. Five's grip was tight, but the Intoner hadn't put much effort into it, because a simple trick was enough to push Yang off the wall.
"You're really messed up." Yang decided, as she pulled free of Five's hold. "And you're projecting your state of mind on everyone else. You're sick."
"No, I'm right." Five continued. "People don't want to think about anything except the things they want, dear. People want to be happy, and the things that make people happy are the things they want. Nobody wants a tragedy, so nobody will care about one that happens outside of the people their experience."
"This is a waste of time." Yang stepped forward, growling. "Just tell me why Ruby-"
"If Two cared beyond her immediate happiness, she'd know." Five explained. "But no. Two doesn't care. She's happy with the experiences she has. That's just how she is. She could have gone her whole life without looking for or finding any of her sisters, and she'd be content. We could all be dead, and she wouldn't care, because she wouldn't have been there."
"Bullshit." Yang replied. "Two's not like you. She's a good person."
"No, she's not like me." Five replied. "Two just wants the people she can see to be happy. I don't care about the people I see, as long as I can experience more and more pleasures."
She took a step towards Yang, hips swaying.
"And there's very little I don't want, honey." Five continued, as she approached. "I don't think about the things I don't want, after all. Call me a woman of simple pleasures, if you want. Or a beast acting on instinct. I've heard worse, I assure you."
Yang took a step back, and ended up colliding with a wall. Five pounced, putting her arm on the wall next to Yang's head, and leaned in next to her ear.
"And don't mistake me." Five whispered. "I will take everything I want. I want One to look my way. I want Two to show she cares. I want Three to craft her dolls in my image. I want Four to give me that which she treasures most. I want to see Zero again. I want the Disciples to shower me with praise. I want to show the world what I can do. I want your sister to be mine."
Anger flashed through Yang, who surged forward, grabbing at Five's neck as she tried to bring the two of them to the ground.
"Don't you fucking dare mention my sister!" Yang screamed, burning up again.
Five chuckled. "We're all so alike, in the end. There are things you want too, aren't there? You want to keep Ruby away from people like me. You want to keep her safe. You want to know what to keep her safe from. Your sisters safety is your happiness, isn't it?"
"Don't say her name." Yang hissed. "You don't get to-"
"You want to know what the big deal is with silver eyes, don't you?" Five asked. "You want to know why they're so important to me that I would take your sister?"
Five chuckled, as she looked up, starring Yang in the eye.
"I know." She replied, with that grin crawling across her face. "I know everything, darling. But the difference between you and me is, when I want something, I can take it. When you want something, you can't. It's so sad. So pitiful."
Yang's first slammed into Five's nose, and Ember Celica fired a second later. Five chuckled again, as the shot scattered on her Aura.
"I love this aggression." Five chuckled. "It looks so cute on that face of yours. But you know what? I've never seen your face with a look of happiness on it."
Five's head slammed forward, smashing into Yang, who recoiled. That moment of weakness was enough, as Five spun, slamming Yang into the ground and taking the top position herself. Her head leaned down next to Yang's ear, as Five's hands wrapped around the smaller girl, trapping Yang's arms next to her body.
"I want to see how long it takes for you to break." Five whispered. "How much it takes to break you enough for you to give your sister to me. And you know what? I have something you want too."
Five chuckled, as she moved away from Yang's ear. Her arms let go of Yang, and Five leaped back before Yang could react, standing against the wall.
"You want to know the answer to your situation?" Five asked. "Then all I want you to do is listen."
That last word of hers took on a different tone, as her pattern of speech changed. It wasn't talking, not at how melodic that was. That was the beginning of a song.
Yang paled at the implication. Then, the anger crashed through her brain again, and she turned away.
"Go fuck yourself." She snarled. "I'm not going to be your pet, you bitch."
"There's an idea." Five mused. "If you're not going to be any fun, then please leave. I want to pass the time, and if you won't be mine, then it's your other idea I'm going to have to pursue."
Yang turned away, walking through the still open door, which slammed shut behind her. She barely paid attention as she stormed past the automaton walking around, getting out of their way and into an empty corridor.
What a fucking waste of time.
Letting out a scream, Yang smashed her fist into the wall, and felt her hand carry on past the brick of the manor. A small collection of dust scattered as the bricks collapsed, and Yang took a moment to breath.
Damn it. All of that, and nothing. She ignores what her sister would have wanted, and got nothing from it. Nobody was going to give her answers, and the best she got was people spouting off some nonsense.
"...Sorry Ruby." Yang whispered, closing her eyes as she felt them tear up. She knew her sister wanted her to make an improvement, but in this moment, all Yang could do is reflect on her absolute failure.
"Rough day?"
Yang turned towards the source of the voice, as the empty corridor shattered like a broken mirror. As the fake pieces fell away, Torchwick and Neo filled the empty space.
"What do you want?" Yang asked.
Roman shrugged. "I dunno. Some cash. Good food. A spare hat. Someone to look after Neo so I can go get drunk sometime. Bunch of stuff that's not relevant right now."
"You know what I mean." Yang replied.
"Probably." Torchwick shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know what happened, and I don't particularly care beyond the basics. But I'm not supposed to be up here, and I don't think you are either."
"So?" The girl asked, getting worked up again. "I've had enough of people wasting my time, Torchwick. Say what you want or get lost."
"Hey, calm down." Torchwick shook his head at his apathetic comment. "Just thought I'd take a moment to point out that you're doing all this wrong."
Yang's hand curled into a fist.
"At least let me finish before you throw your tantrum." Torchwick sighed. "Neo's been following your little quest for knowledge for a bit now, you know. Not sure why, I guess she got bored. But there is a chance that the right information going around could be a pain for Five, and to be honest? I'm not exactly her biggest fan right now."
Neo made some sort of gestures with her hand.
"Pretty much, yeah." Roman replied, to the gestures that Yang hadn't understood. "Anyway, blondie, the problem with how you're doing things is that it looks like you've never heard of subtlety before."
"Explain." Yang demanded.
"You want to know something about something." Torchwick explained, waving his hand. "That's nice. The problem is, you're just asking people. People who aren't telling. They want this secret kept under wraps, after all."
"As opposed to what?" Yang asked. "Not asking people?"
"You'd probably have a similar success rate either way." The thief pointed out. "No, what you want to do is, be sneaky about it. That uncle of yours drinks, and drunk people talk a lot about things they're not supposed to. One's leaving for most of a week soon, but there are ways of tracking someone's net presence, and she might have some interesting paperwork lying around."
Neo took a few steps towards Yang, paused for a moment, and briefly shattered, activating an illusion of a slightly taller Neo who could look at Yang's face while looking right ahead.
She tapped below her eyes, which were pink and brown. Then she blinked, and they were silver. Neo mimed pulling a hood over her head with one hand, and motioned the other in the pattern of moving lips.
"Talk to Ruby?" Yang asked.
Neo nodded, and before Yang could object to it, Neo walked back over towards Torchwick.
...Actually, come to think about it, Neo might be on to something there. Clearly, Ruby didn't know anything about Five's motivations, but One had said that there were people keeping secrets about Ruby specifically.
Maybe if Yang tried sharing her findings with Ruby, her little sister would be able to fill in the blanks somewhere. Maybe Ruby will have an idea, or know something that helps Yang along.
"Well, this has been a good talk." Torchwick decided. "But I think I hear the security robots checking what all the noise is, so, uh, good look."
And with that, he and Neo shattered, disappearing.
Looking to her right, where the pile of rubble was, Yang briefly considered staying here to explain it, before deciding that she had better things to do. Running down the path, Yang managed to turn the corner before any robots could enter the hallway.
Yang's efforts to investigate Five, while unsuccessful just yet, did lead to some interesting discussion with an Intoner. As opposed to the rest of her time spent until the Intoners leave for their war effort. But after that, Yang ends up interacting with someone of other.
[X] Winter asks Yang to help look after Two's orphans. Specifically the one that wants Winter dead.
[X] Ruby and Penny were apparently working on weapons together, and Ruby wanted Yang to help with some testing.
[X] Forget people, actually. Yang really did need time to relax now. Maybe some tree meditation magic practice would help.