Chapter 54
It was although she was descending into fire. The city was drowned in chaos as plumes of smoke towered overhead, the screams of man and beast alike heard from every corner. Her boots planted against the ground with a clack as she closed her umbrella. She turned to look from the place she had fallen, the Atlesian warship in the sky. She reached into her pocket as she pulled out her scroll, before she opened it however she heard a growl from her right, a Beowulf lunging towards her with claws drawn. She ducked low as its swiping grasp passed over her head. The blade popped out from the end of her umbrella as she lunged it up into the creature of Grimm, tearing through its belly as it collapsed against the ground behind her. She glanced around once in order to check that she was safe. Nothing but fire and noise.
Looking down to her scroll she opened it, quickly typing out a message. She was usually reluctant to put words into any form but she felt comfortable with doing so for Roman. "Landed safe" the message read as she sent it, mismatched eyes glancing back up to the airship. She waited a few seconds before looking back down at her scroll, "Need me back?" she typed out again, sending it as her eyes returned to the airship.
She waited silently amidst the carnage of the city.
Her expression started to wane, her features becoming unsure as she looked back to her scroll, "She dead yet?" she typed out as concerned eyes returned to the warship. Something exploded inside the building behind her as she stumbled forward, falling bricks narrowly missing her as they clattered to the floor. She glanced back to see the burning building, the heat radiating from its violent flames. She peered back to the airship before down towards her scroll. "Roman...?" she typed out. As she sent it a distant explosion popped in the sky, her gaze darted towards the airship, there was fire and smoke. Her eyes widened as she saw the vessel tilt, it was falling. Desperate eyes looked back to the device in her hand, there was no reply. She tried to call the man as she brought it to her ear, hand shaking as she watched the ship grow closer towards the ground.
It rung... And rung... And rung as the ship sunk further...
… But there was no answer.
Through the window Yang could see the city of Atlas growing smaller as they moved further away. She had regretted not having enough time to explore the city proper but she couldn't enjoy herself while thinking that both her father and Ruby might be in danger elsewhere. Quickly she noticed that the ocean was beneath them, the aircraft she was upon leaving the snowy continent behind. She sighed to herself quietly before looking back to see the others. The space in the craft was small, there seemed to be the general seating area and a narrow door between them that led into the back of the craft.
Blake, Weiss and Neo were all sat down in their seats. An empty spot was besides Blake as Yang moved to sit herself down in it. The Faunus regarded her with a smile as she returned the gesture in kind. Weiss seemed a little down, probably simply due the fact that she wouldn't see her sister again for some time. Neo on the other hand seemed as usual, glancing around curiously with mismatched eyes, they always seemed like they were searching for something.
A voice came from above, it was muffled by the radio as a slow and lazy voice came from it. "Yo, guys, can you like... Put on your seatbelts?" asked the man's voice.
Yang raised a brow, she hadn't expected to hear someone so unrefined piloting Winter's personal ship. She moved her hand down to fasten her seatbelt, clicking it into place. She looked back up to see a small camera above the door that likely led to the cockpit as the others also fastened their safety belts. "Hey, how quick are you getting us to Patch?" asked Yang as she called out to the voice.
"Uhhh..." paused the voice, there was a slow tapping sound from the other end of the speakers. "Like... A day?" replied the voice.
Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Are you new? You sound new" she asked, not seeming keen on the laid back personality of the pilot.
"Ooooh hey, Ice Queen's little sis' right? Hah, you look like her!" replied the voice with a chuckle.
"Excuse me!? How dare you refer to my sister in such a manner!" snapped Weiss with an annoyed expression, Neo placed her hand upon her shoulder in an attempt to calm her while Blake and Yang simply smirked, it wasn't the first time they'd seen Weiss stomp her feet at something somebody had said.
"Hey woah, chill Princess. Nah I ain't new, been flyin' big sis' around for a while now" replied the voice.
"And she's fine with the way you talk?" questioned Weiss as she crossed her arms with a huff.
Another chuckle came through the speakers, "Fine with it? She encourages it. Said it's relaxin' how uhh... Casual I am? So you better get used to it" came the response.
"Unbelievable..." sighed Weiss as she tilted her chin up and turned her head away to look out the window next to Neo.
Blake's sharp gaze turned to the camera, "You said it would take a day? Is there anything to sleep on? Is it even safe to sleep in here?" she asked.
The voice paused in thought before they heard it. "Ehh... There's a cramped bed in the back, it won't fit more than two though. Guess you could grab the quilt or something and throw it down on the floor in front of you. As for it being safe? Cut me some slack, I'm a great pilot. You won't even notice you're miles up in the air while being chased by a Nevermore" he responded.
"You get chased by Nevermore often?" asked Yang.
"Sometimes, I think they're attracted to the ribbons or something. We're faster than they are though. Just gotta watch out for the quills is all... They'll fuck up your day and scratch the paint..." answered the voice.
"Language!" yelled Weiss as her expression soured.
"She always this cranky?" asked the voice.
Both Yang and Blake started to chuckle as Weiss turned to them, "Don't encourage him!" she said in her haughty manner, once more Neo patting at her shoulder in her vain attempt to calm her.
Yang turned back to the window at her side, her lilac eyes peering out from it. They were still above the ocean, the blue water passing by beneath them. Like all Atlesian vehicles the engines of the airship hummed quietly, passing silently through the sky. She glanced down to her prosthetic hand as her fingers twitched, she was getting better at controlling it and her confidence was building up quickly. She gave thought to modifying Celica once more in order to return it to its original form so that she could mount it upon her wrist again. The idea excited her, being able to fight how she used to. Not that her current form was bad, she was just more familiar with punching things instead.
"So why Patch?" asked the pilot's voice.
"It's where I live, and it's our only lead so far" answered Yang.
"Oh yeah? It nice there? Never been. I hear it's boring" responded the pilot.
Yang smirked, "You're right, it's really boring. But that's why it's so nice, nothing ever happens there" she answered.
"Sounds like a good place to raise a family" replied the pilot.
"Looking for a place then?" asked Yang curiously.
The pilot snorted, "Nah, just sayin'. I have too much fun in the sky to settle down" he answered.
Some time later Yang noticed they were once more over land, she could see they were nearing the mountains beneath the port town they had taken the ship from. The spires of rock looked as impressive from the sky as they did from the ground. "Do you think anyone lives down there?" asked Weiss as she looked over Neo and through the window.
"We didn't see anyone when we drove through" answered Blake as she looked to her friend.
"I'm surprised Winter knew her way through it at all" came Yang's voice as she spotted one of the few winding roads. "Wonder if we'll see that lake we stopped at" she added as she narrowed her eyes to try and spy for the location.
"Oh hey, Nevermore on the left" spoke the pilot's voice casually.
"What!?" exclaimed Weiss as she glanced out the window again, in the distance she could see something black flapping its wings, it was on a course straight towards them.
"... I said Nevermore on the left" repeated the pilot.
Weiss paused, there was something familiar in his words just then. "I know what you said!" she replied.
"Well sorry Princess" said the pilot, dragging out his apology as he started to mumble to himself afterwards.
"Should we be like... At least a little worried?" asked Yang as she tried to get a glance at the Nevermore.
"What? Naaah. It's miles away and it's too slow. So long as nobody back there has like... Crushing depression we're fine" answered the pilot.
"What if one of us does?" asked Blake.
"Then it's gonna follow us to your happy little island" replied the voice.
Blake's golden gaze glanced towards Neo from the corner of her eye in suspicion before she looked back to Yang. The blonde shrugged her shoulders, "It's fine" she answered. Even if the Nevermore followed them, it would likely get shot down by the time it reached Vale. Weiss watched as it continued flapping its wings, growing more distant as the craft flew over the mountains. The creature never failed to keep the airship dead in its sights however. "Oh no way, there's the lake!" said Yang as she looked back outside of the window nearest her. Blake leaned over her shoulder to look.
"Huh... It actually is..." said the Faunus.
"You guys want a better look?" asked the pilot as the craft started to tilt to one side.
"Hah, awesome!" grinned Yang as the airship tilted even further, her hands pressed up against the window as Blake clung onto her tightly with an alarmed expression.
"Wh- What are you doing! No she doesn't!" yelled Weiss as her fingers gripped into the arm-rests of her seat, her back pressed firmly against the chair as she held a look of worry. Neo didn't seem to mind at all as she slowly leaned into Weiss as a result of the tilt.
The pilot chuckled, "You really are her sister" he spoke as the airship tilted back to its original and stable state.
"I- I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of idiot pilots!" snapped Weiss.
"Winter's afraid of heights?" scoffed Yang.
The pilot's voice returned, "Oh? Didn't know that? Mention it next time you see her, she loves talking about it" he replied.
"Hey by the way, earlier you said we could sleep on this thing and be safe, so why did you tell us to wear our seatbelts?" asked Yang.
"To break the ice" replied the pilot bluntly.
"That... works I guess" admitted the blonde, reaching down to unclasp her safety belt.
Blake sighed at her partner, "Does it bother you that much?" she asked.
Yang smiled at the Faunus as she folded her arms behind her head, "I like to get comfy" she answered.
"I hear that, you should see the cockpit, it's a mess" came the pilot's voice, "Should really clean up that pizza though..." he added, his voice growing quiet.
"Can I see it?" asked Yang as she sat up in her chair.
"Nah" answered the pilot.
"What? Why not?" continued Yang.
"Not wearing anything" answered the pilot once more.
Yang looked although she was about to reply but paused as her expression grew more confused. Weiss glared up at the camera, "You're looking at us while you're nude!? Speaking to us even! Just how shameless are you!?" she yelled.
"Ugh, I'm gonna mute the microphone back there. The Princess has this really weird voice-range that just seems to sting me in the ear, you know?" answered the pilot.
"Well she's not wrong, it is a little weird" said Blake.
"Don't ignore me!" yelled Weiss.
"Right, if you need anything knock twice" finished the pilot before an audible click sounded.
"Humph, I refuse to believe that... That absurdity of a man is my sister's personal pilot!" snapped Weiss as she stomped her boot against the ground in frustration. She felt Neo's gloved hand grasp onto her own, it calmed her mood only slightly.
Blake looked up to the camera once again, "If we're sleeping in here I'm covering that up with something..." she said, Yang followed her gaze and nodded in agreement.
"So the sleeping arrangements are decided?" asked Weiss as she looked to the two.
Both Yang and Blake looked back to her as the latter replied. "Well yeah. It'd feel rude to not let you have the bed, it's your ship" she answered.
"Can we at least steal your quilt though? Just so we don't have to sleep on the hard floor?" asked Yang.
"Well... Let me see what's back there first..." nodded Weiss as she unbuckled her seatbelt, standing to her feet. She entered the narrow door between the two pairs of seats that led to the back of the craft. Inside she found it to be very cramped, the mattress taking up the whole floor space. It was more like a closet than anything. Atop the mattress was the quilt, white, thick and rather fluffy. The room itself was heated too, being so near the engines. Weiss took a step back to look to both Yang and Blake. "I don't think staying warm is going to be a problem for me" she answered.
"Oh good, I was worried what would happen to you without heating" answered Yang with a cocky smile.
"...What?" asked Weiss in a confused manner, Blake sighed quietly as she shook her head.
"Nothing Weiss, she's just being an idiot" said the Faunus.
The windows outside were black as night rolled in. The quilt from the bed had been dragged into the main seating area and laid out across the floor, it was wide enough that it could be folded once over itself, providing not only something soft to lay on but also something to wrap over yourself. And that is exactly what Blake and Yang had done. The camera of the room was covered up with Yang's jacket as she lay besides her partner. Her left hand was upon her hip as she kissed her softly. Blake moaned into her as her arms tightened around the blonde's form, her tongue pushing further into her mouth. It seemed for once they were having a romantic moment that wasn't being ruined.
Their lips parted as they each breathed a soft sigh of air, "It's a shame we're not alone" whispered Yang in a sultry tone, planting several kisses against Blake's neck.
The Faunus smiled in response as her fingers came up to tangle themselves in golden locks of hair, "Are we... Leaving right after Patch...?" she asked in return, breathing in a sharp breath as she felt teeth nip at the skin of her throat.
"Mm... Nah, probably stay there for a day before we head out..." replied Yang as she brought her face up once more, her lips tracing against Blake's gently.
The two indulged in another heated kiss, Blake's hand now gripping Yang's hair as she pushed against her, delighting in the moment they shared together. She felt Yang push back against her as she rolled on top of her, her golden hair falling over their faces. Yang refused to even dare move her prosthetic when they were together like this, she worried that it may seem odd or unnatural to involve it, or even kill the mood. Their kiss broke briefly as the two breathed in another gasp for air before resuming their passion. Yang moved her left hand to press against the bare skin of Blake's stomach before slowly slipping it up and beneath her top.
The Faunus gave out another surprised breath through her nose during the kiss as she felt Yang's fingers slide further up towards her chest. She shivered as they finally came to a halt and squeezed. Even though the two had been together since they left Vale now, it had taken this long for them to progress beyond just kissing and cuddling in a bed. The kiss broke once more as Yang gazed down at Blake with her lilac eyes, the both of them were blushing and smiling.
"Too much for yah?" asked Yang as she gave another squeeze with her hand.
Blake exhaled a breath as her hands came to rest upon Yang's shoulders, her nails gently grazing at her skin as she raked them across. "Who do you take me for...?" whispered Blake in response before pulling her girlfriend back down to continue their night of romance. Though the Faunus understood it wouldn't go beyond simple groping until they were at least somewhere more... Private, for now this was good enough.