Chapter 9
She was back in her cheap rented apartment, finally getting some use out of it. She had planned to use it more often but between being taken captive by Winter's soldiers for a night and staying in the hospital she barely had a chance. Though even now it was not what she would have expected sleeping here to be like. Her lilac eyes stared out the half-covered window where the sun was just rising but did so from the other side of the building, leaving the outside looking dim. She couldn't see the sky from her current angle but she assumed it was once again filled with clouds.
Reaching out her arm she picked up her scroll from atop the drawer besides the bed. Opening it she found that she had no new messages, she didn't expect any but checking was more out of habit for her. With her tired eyes lit up from the screen she scrolled through her contacts, pausing upon Blake. Presented with her name and an image of the faunus she frowned. She still couldn't understand her reasons for running away at the apartment complex. Out of a sudden urge to contact her she began typing out a message which simply read "can we talk?". Her finger hovered over the send button as she hesitated. What if trying to contact her repeatedly via her scroll only damaged her now practically non-existent relationship with her? She didn't want to make matters worse for herself or Blake.
Before she could hit send her scroll vibrated, alerting to her that she had received a message. Her eyes widened slightly as she cancelled the message to Blake and opened up her inbox. The new message filled her screen. It simply contained a few symbols which read as "(~_^)". She furrowed her brow as she noted the sender, Neo. It seemed the woman was trying to ruin her day early. Furiously Yang began to send a reply. "i will break ur legs", she hit send and patiently waited for a few seconds. Her scroll vibrated and a new message popped up from Neo that read "(ʘᗩʘ'), (；一_一)". Making some sense of the reply Yang continued her retorts, grinding her teeth already. "go to hell" she replied in her message. A few seconds later came her response. This time it read as "ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ … ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ, (づ￣ ³￣)づ". They appeared to be getting more complex and Yang started to have a little trouble figuring out what Neo meant by them. She decided she would respond a final time and sent another message that said "get lost".
She moved to put the scroll away but before she managed it vibrated again. Curiosity got the better of her and she glanced at the new message that responded with "(ಥ﹏ಥ)". She didn't care what Neo was trying to tell her now. She was probably just trying to aggravate her, and if she was, well, it did the trick. She slammed her scroll back down upon the drawer besides her bed before shutting her eyes tight to contain some of the anger that had built up inside her.
"What's wrong now?" spoke a voice from behind her, it sounded groggy but attempted to uphold at least some refinement.
Yang glanced back over her shoulder, Winter was in her bed with her back turned to her. After they arrived at the apartment Yang had asked the woman to stay with her in case Neo came tracking her down. After some convincing Winter had accepted. Though much to her disappointment there was no extra bed, no sofa or even just a chair. There was only the bed and so the two had shared it, keeping their backs to one another at all times. "Nothing, just some stupid messages..." Yang muttered in response.
Winter replied as she kept her back facing her. "Those "stupid" messages would appear to be catching your nerves. Was it her?" she asked before pulling the quilt from herself, she had undressed the night before to the point she was in a long white shirt that dropped down over her thighs to cover herself adequately. The collar of the shirt hung loosely down one of her shoulders. She peered back to Yang for an answer, her long white hair falling down her back.
With a sigh she gave in, "Yeah, it was. Sick of hearing about her so let's stop. I got a plan for finding Blake" answered Yang, keeping her eyes to the window as Winter opened the door to the small bathroom. She shut it behind her but the walls were thin and her voice could be heard almost clearly.
"Oh? Do tell" she replied as the sound of running water came from the shower.
Yang raised her voice slightly to make it easier for the other woman to hear. "I was thinking about why Blake was at the apartment complex. Do you think she knew there was a meeting?" she called out, finally sitting up in her bed as she brushed her golden hair from her face and rubbed her eyes.
There was a brief pause before the response came from the shower. "I think I see what you are suggesting. You believe Miss Belladonna is aware of the meetings and keeping an eye on them herself?" replied Winter.
"Yeah. I don't think it was just chance or something" answered Yang. "So like... I was thinking we stay away from the meeting until she shows up maybe" she paused, "If she shows up" Yang corrected herself as she stood up from the bed, she was wearing her orange tank top and black shorts. Approaching the window she glanced outside to see the alley was empty, as was the street further ahead. Far too early for people to be out and about it appeared, never minding the state of the city.
"An interesting proposition" came Winter's voice again as the shower stopped running. "I will think upon it and if I find no better alternatives I shall see what I can do" she continued, remaining in the bathroom as she likely got herself dressed.
A thought passed through Yang's mind before she voiced it to Winter. "What do you plan on doing if we find her?" she asked.
The door to the bathroom opened as the woman stepped out, her hair still wet and hanging low down her shoulders. Yang hadn't realised just how long her hair was when she let it down from the usual bun it was in. She was now fully clothed in her regular attire as her eyes looked over to Yang. "As her partner that depends entirely on you. If you would like to confront her yourself we can arrange that" answered Winter.
Yang looked down to her feet, "She'll probably just run if she saw me again" she answered dejectedly.
"Then we prevent her from running" replied Winter with the obvious answer.
The blonde woman shook her head, "No, I don't want to cage her like an animal. I won't do that to her"
Winter debated with herself before coming to a conclusion. "What if we were to lead her into a dead end? Say we take an abandoned building and lock down the windows and all the exits bar one. We then lead her with you chasing behind and close the doors. You will have all the time you need then, and it won't be locking her up. Simply her running to a place of her own choice that just so happens to not have an exit" she voiced her plan to Yang who looked unsure. If anything she didn't want to force herself on Blake but she was making it difficult to avoid doing that.
"Can I ask why there are so many abandoned buildings in Vale all of a sudden?" asked Yang, almost as if changing the topic but it was a question that was starting to bug her.
"The same reason the streets are empty" answered Winter. "Now stop standing around in your shorts and take a shower, we have stuff to do" she added with a slightly strict tone of voice.
Yang crawled over her bed to get across the room and towards the door of the bathroom. "We do? I thought the meeting was at midnight?" she asked, half way across the bed.
Winter narrowed her eyes at Yang for a moment, "It is" was all she said, leaving a confused Yang to enter the bathroom, closing the door behind before readying herself to take a shower.
The clouds had begun to part in the sky, giving way for the sun once more which blazed down with a surprising heat. Yang found herself sat at a glass table on the roof of a small diner. The building was two stories tall and the roof was simply a large open dining area. The table was next to the balcony of the building and looking down Yang saw the street, very few cars or people passed by. The entire diner itself was empty save for maybe one or two guests and the staff. Across from her sat Winter, her scroll upon the table as she continuously typed out messages upon it. In front of the two were two bowls of ice cream. Winter had urged Yang to eat something and when she found the heat to be almost unbearable she had the wise idea of ordering something cold. Though the flavours she picked could have been more considerate as Yang looked down at her yet to be touched bowl of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream.
Winter paused her messaging as her light blue eyes glanced up at Yang. She watched her simply stare at her bowl for a few seconds. "Is something the matter?" she asked, though knowing full well what the issue was.
Yang snapped her head back up to Winter as she spoke. She idly pushed her ice cream around within the bowl using her spoon. "You couldn't order something else?" she answered with a despondent tone.
The woman leaned in slightly as her voice sharpened, "If you allow her to defeat you mentally as well as physically then the next time she stands before you just drop to your knees. Because you will have already lost" she answered. Yang narrowed her eyes in response before she gripped her spoon and took a mouthful of the cold treat. She shuddered as she ate too much in the first bite but pressed on regardless. She wouldn't be defeated so easily. The most concerning part about it all however was that the taste was familiar to that moment in the complex.
After a short while Yang's bowl was finished. She held her hand to her head as she attempted to power through the brain freeze as she spoke. "S- So are we just... standing around until midnight..? It kind of feels lazy" she answered.
Winter looked insulted, "No. We are not" she stated, lifting her scroll to show Yang her many messages. "I have been planning with my men since we left your apartment. They have already found a suitable building near the warehouse and are currently devising a route to blockade in order to drive Miss Belladonna to the destination. They assure me they will have the area locked down and the abandoned building reinforced before midnight. The only issue we currently face will be locating the target herself and then getting her onto the correct path" she answered, pulling her scroll back to continue her work.
Yang watched her idly as she tapped away, finding little else to busy herself with. "I'm sure you'll think of something" she spoke to Winter in a less than enthusiastic manner. The woman simply glanced up at her once before looking back to her scroll. This prompted Yang to check her own. She had one message and much to her ire it was from Neo again. She opened the message to see an image of an empty and dusty room. Two sets of chairs faced each other with a counter behind them. The image didn't make much sense to Yang but the room seemed familiar. Before she closed the scroll another image was sent to her, this time of a different angle that faced the boarded windows of the room, only one had a large hole in it.
She knew what the room was now, it was the room that Junior had his meeting in with the White Fang at the complex. She pondered if Neo was there right now. Yang felt somewhat safer knowing she could be on the other side of the city. But what would she be doing there? A third image showed the area behind the counter where Yang had hidden, it didn't seem any different though the memories started to boil her blood again. Winter glanced up and took note as she silently watched her. A fourth image zoomed in on the counter where Yang had leaned against. There was a carving in the shape of a heart with the initials "Y + N" inside it. Once more Neo was mocking her. In retaliation Yang looked around for something to fight back with. She looked to her bowl and placed her scroll down before pulling it towards her. She used her spoon to write "YOU" in what was left of the thin layer of multi-flavoured ice cream at the bottom of the bowl before picking up her scroll again and taking a picture. She then sent it to Neo hoping that her message would be received clearly. She was going to erase Neo from existence if given the chance, just as she had erased her ice cream.
The reply came, it was a picture of Neo herself still in the room. She held her gloved hand to her mouth in an almost shocked expression, her mismatched eyes were practically smiling at the camera as her cheeks blushed deeply. Neo had taken a completely different view of the message, one that simply managed to frustrate Yang even more. She tightened her grip around her scroll and turned to throw it towards the street in rage. A vice-like grip grabbed onto her wrist as Winter leaned over the table. "Stop" she ordered in a very firm tone, "Stop letting her get the best of you".
Yang clenched her jaw, her eyes burning red as her grip on her scroll cracked the screen. Winter yanked her arm down towards the table and pinned it there. She gave Yang an accusing stare with her icy blue eyes. Yang's breathing steadied and her eyes started to fade back to lilac and soon after she let go of her scroll, shutting her eyes. "She's so-..." she began, wanting to yell every curse she knew of.
"I'm aware" replied Winter sternly before letting go of Yang's wrist, leaving a red mark where she had gripped her. "You are strong Yang, but that strength is wasted if you behave as a bull shown a red cloak. You will simply charge at it, failing to understand why none of your blows land" she answered.
"Why don't they?" asked Yang, glaring up at Winter.
"Because you are attacking with your emotions, not your mind. Like a bull. Stop letting your feelings dictate the battle. Both mental and physical ones" responded Winter, leaning back in her chair as she turned to her scroll once more.
Yang didn't quite understand what she meant. She had always tried to use her brain during a fight, she needed to know where to hit, when to hit and how to hit. "I'm not mindless" she answered, her voice having become more defensive in nature.
Winter gave an apologetic smile, "No, you are not. Perhaps it is that you simply lack experience. After all, your training was cut short. I can't fault you for that" she said with a softer tone. "What exactly did she send you if you do not mind me asking?"
Looking back to the now cracked screen of her scroll Yang sighed heavily, "Pictures from the apartment complex. She..." Yang paused, not wanting to explain her experience within that room as she frowned.
With a thoughtful nod Winter spoke, "You needn't tell me the details. But she is there now? At the complex?" she asked to which Yang gave a nod. Winter idly tapped a few times against her scroll. "I do not expect results but I would like for her to believe that nowhere is safe. She will have some soldiers in pursuit of her location now" answered the woman with a smirk as she looked to her device.
At that Yang smiled softly, "Thanks Winter" she answered.
Winter's gaze looked up to Yang, "Riding a motorcycle together, sleeping in the same bed, sharing a meal of ice cream on a sunny day. At this rate you might think we were friends, Yang" she spoke in a light-hearted manner.
Yang chuckled softly to herself, "We're not already? I can't wait for Weiss to see I'm buddies with her sister after all" she smiled, leaning back in her chair, the thoughts of Neo and Blake passing from her mind for now. A friend was just what she needed in times like these. Until now she had only considered Winter an accomplice but she welcomed the thought of friendship.
The fact Yang had spoke of Weiss in an manner that made it seem inevitable they would find her comforted Winter. She gave a genuine smile and nodded at her in silent thanks. The rest of the day would be spent in preparation for midnight.