The ice cream gazed around the room while team RWBY thought about her very existence in this place. If she were to flip out again, would she really be contained by the sheer speed of Ruby? These questions and similar ones plagued the short woman's mind, where Aeon was dormant and plotting her next move, the next attempt to retake control like she had not long ago. The conditions had to be in her favour, else she would risk just wasting time and energy.
Weiss was the first to pipe up, her injury from the woman's parasol evidently sending her into overdrive. "No, no way, she is not staying here." Her eyes showed only hatred toward the petite woman, who admittedly looked as though she had just been framed for murdering someone and was getting thntire guilt bucket poured on her head. "Do any of you have your heads screwed on straight? She isn't someone who I'd feel comfortable sleeping in the same room with. She'll probably just go psycho and kill us all!" The winter chill looked at her companions, noticing that they all seemed pretty okay with Neo's presence. "Are you kidding me. Am I the only voice of reason in this damn room?!"
"Weiss, just because you got cut by Aeon, doesn't mean Neo is bad company. We're all aware now that she has this... Other side to her, but it doesn't define her, as much as you'd like it to." Yang stood up for the half-brunette, and though she glanced over to Blake, who was just about visibly fuming, she knew she had said the right thing. Ruby was trying to distract herself with her homework, not wishing to be a part of this, as much as it effected her team. The leader felt confused and conflicted about all of this, and while Weiss was always one to voice her concerns, maybe Yang was right. An anger vein was visible from the injured huntress, who promptly stormed out of the room, causing Ruby' to roll her eyes lightly and go on after her. She gave a small wave to the rest of the gang, who were still reeling from the recent ordeal of Aeon.
"Weiss, come on, please wait up-" Ruby tried to stop her with words; though that was a trivial attempt at best. Tensions were indeed high, but being who she was, she couldn't just let Weiss be on her own, especially in a time like this.
"Don't even go there Ruby, I'm not standing for this, no way!" The fuming woman simply continued striding at an increased pace, before the leader caught up with her around the next bend and physically stood in her way.
"No, don't do this to yourself! Okay, I might not be the person you want to see right now, or the one to fix all of your problems, but for once in your life, can't you just endure the problem here?!" The little red pleaded, and though Weiss let up for a second, she simply became a lot angrier than before. The winter chill's fists clenched hard, she got right up in Ruby's face before responding.
"I'm not here at Beacon to deal with shit like this, okay?! All I want to do, is become a great huntress, and maybe find the love of my life amongst all of these idiots, okay?! I don't give a damn about anything else, I just want to become the best there ever was, got it?!" With that mild rant, Weiss pushed the little red out of the way, continuing on her path toward the outdoors, where she could properly cool off. Ruby looked hurt, though she shook her head, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.
•-•
Meanwhile, the other three females were chatting amongst themselves, trying to figure out the causes and triggers for Aeon's appearance earlier. It was definitely odd, considering it wasn't out of anger or sadness, the usual things which kept the maniac in control. Neo looked rather uncomfortable as she was getting grilled, each question aimed to get an immediate answer.
"What is it like to be trapped inside your own body?" Blake asked, arms crossed and eyes flared, ready to get the answers she wanted if the wrong words left the half-brunette's mouth, although Yang was there ready to defend Neo if she could. She was the one who had the heart to heart with her after all, and it would be wrong to go back on the newfound friendship.
"I can't really describe it well. It feels like I'm floating, but I can see everything Aeon is doing, if that makes sense. As though I can't move an inch, but can put pressure on my mind to get her out of my body for several moments, long enough to lock her away for a time. Though, no matter what I do, it just always comes back to this, where she goes on a rampage, people get hurt, and I take the blame for it," She looked down at the floor, seated at the faunus's bed, wave after wave of regret washing over her form. "It's not like I can somehow remove Aeon from my body, so this is just what we all have to put up with for the moment. I'm sorry that I can't give you some more insight, but maybe you're the kind of person to understand and respect that regardless." Neo finally looked up, a look of determination present on her features. There was something about voicing her concerns and problems to other people which caused a pit in her stomach, though at the same time, a surge of courage seemed to grip her form.
"I hope you know that both of us," Yang glanced to Blake, giving her a short frown, "Don't think of you any less than yourself, and now that we've got that out of the way, why don't we all go out somewhere? It'd do us all some good to get out of this place for a little while." At the suggestion, Blake didn't take it too well.
"Count me out, then. I've got things to sort out anyways." The Faunus glared at Yang, and then at Neo, before also making her way out of the room, which was beginning to feel so very empty. The blonde sighed heavily, scratching the back of her head before turning her attention to the half-brunette, purple eyes softening just a touch.
"I guess this is a date, then?" Neo visibly blushed, before she gulped lightly and gently nodded.
"I suppose it is, huh?" Her gentle smile returned after the the anxiety which had been eating away at her innards for a little while now. "Though, I can't go like this. Have you got anything that I could wear, or maybe someone else does..?" With a tilt of her head, the shorter female blinked her eyes a few times, causing Yang to appear surprised for a moment.
"Oh! Uh, well... I'm sure Ruby has a spare dress or two that she isn't planning on wearing anyways, so I'll grab that for you after I get myself dressed. No peeking, got it?!"
Neo sighed a little, as she pressed her head against the wall next to the door frame, eyes closed as she thought to herself; and in turn, to Aeon. 'Don't you dare, okay? Not now. Of all times, not now,' She pleaded, as the other side merely huffed in an ethereal way.
'Can't promise anything.' It responded bluntly, though it was much better than having threats slung at herself, in a way. The whole situation with Aeon was a mess to begin with, and Neo couldn't wait to be rid of her, one day.
"Alright, I'm presentable again." Yang spoke gently, the sound of a zipper hitting the top of the teeth heard as the half-brunette turned around, eyes widening at the blonde's appearance. Wearing a single shoulder black dress which fit her form rather well, the fighter looked ready to seduce people on the dance floor, let alone just a simple 'date' as it was put. Neo snapped herself out of the momentary trance she seemed within, transfixed by the woman's noticeable beauty. Of course, she would have loved to do something with that hair, though with a simple shrug she walked on over.
"You look lovely." Her subtle compliment brought a slightly smug grin to Yang's features, who promptly passed her a rather nice looking blue dress, simple in design yet fitting for an occasion like this.
"Why thank you, Neo. You're the best. Uh, also, I don't know your sizes or anything sooooo... I got some double sided tape if you need to uh, make sure things stay on." Yang gave a less than subtle wink, before walking out of the room to allow the little ice cream some privacy to get dressed. The blonde definitely wondered what she was feeling right now, a mix of regret and happiness almost, knowing of the rest of her team being scattered so easily over what was to her, nothing, definitely put a dent in the mood in general.
She leaned against the wall outside the door, looking left and then right, before staring at her feet, clad in simple yet elegant shoes. Was this the way to go, for now? The blonde didn't want to deal with this right now, and instead, ran a hand through her luscious hair before Neo stepped out of the room, dressed prim and proper, her dual tone hair up in a tail, showing off some small hanging earrings that she seemed to have been wearing this entire time. With a gentle smirk toward her date, she definitely noticed that Yang was just a little bit stunned by how she looked right now.
"Well, ah... You dress up well." She nodded in agreement, before ushering the woman clad in blue to follow her lead, stepping along at a steady pace so as to not aggravate the shorter female's leg problem. "We're going to have a night on the city, just you and me, okay? Hopefully by the time we get back, the others will be settled and we won't have such a huge problem on our hands. Sound good?"
"Yeah, that does sound good. I'm just wondering how they'll take me staying in the room with you; especially Weiss and Blake. Say, before we go any further, could I ask you a question?" Neo stopped for a moment, crossing one leg over the other for the moment. Yang turned around, though the look on her face was like she knew the question already. "Are you and Blake..?"
"Oh! Uh, no, nah, we're not together like that. I mean I'm sure she has a crush on me, but... She's a little bit too clingy for me. Not that she's a bad person! Just, yeah..." Trying to make up for a small stutters and fumbles with words, Yang simply reached for the shorter woman's hand and grasped it, finally beginning their trip out of the academy and into the streets of the city nearby. Neo had numerous thoughts going on, but they weren't as important as the surge of confidence she had now that she knew what she did. The fact that they weren't together, it simply worked much better, and didn't tempt the other side into showing herself.
The bustling noise of the city's nightlife brought a certain sense of peace to the two women, a steady pace they remained at while they took in all of the sights. The atmosphere was almost electric, though the large ships which covered the stars were a little off putting. In such a case, Yang knew exactly where she wanted to go, and she didn't stop until she reached the train station, finally letting go of Neo's hand and looking toward her.
"Where are we going?" The half-brunette obviously asked, a look of partial confusion upon her face, coupled with her gray eyes it was like she was about to say goodbye to the blonde forever.
"Just a little spot I like to go where there aren't any war ships or anything nearby. Somewhere... Quiet, y'know?" She chuckled softly, before letting Neo on first. She flashed a small card at the station officer, who quickly nodded and allowed the two on board, to wherever this quiet place was located.
The train ride wasn't going to be terribly long, but in that time the night sky had truly lit up, the moon and the twinkling stars making a dark night less so. Neo kept her eyes out of the window, wondering why she was here at all, and why she had left Torchwick and the White fang as she did. Maybe it wasn't the time to dwell on such things, but being in control of her own body, it definitely felt fitting. At least Aeon seemed to have fallen asleep, a lack of any pulling or tearing in her head evidence of that. In any case, she watched the trees and the fields go by, before the train was running right through the middle of a lake, the water glistening and generally looking pretty.
"Hey," Yang caught her attention suddenly, having been seated beside the half-brunette, simply watching and observing for once. Unlike Blake, who would have probably been all over the blonde this entire time, there was a serenity to the air which she couldn't quite place, either on Neo, the train ride itself or even herself. "If you're feeling bad about what Aeon has done while in your body, I... Just want to know that I spoke with them. I'm sure you can hear them when they're in control, but in case you're not, she told me that you fear her." Neo soon looked back at Yang, as though the woman had insulted her in a way.
"Fear her? Nah, just scared of what she'll do, because the blame is put on me. You saw it, Weiss and Blake are suspicious of me, and even your own sister has her doubts. I see it in the way they look at me, and the way their faces just kinda... slump after noticing I'm there. Unlike being in the company of Cinder, which Aeon honestly enjoys, you guys just aren't up to her standards yet," The little ice cream gulped, placing a gentle hand upon the fighter's knee. "I'm not saying we'll all suddenly be best friends or something, but, I think what you did while back in the room with her was the right approach. She's just impulsive is all, jittery too. I'm amazed that she's asleep right now." After listening to the explanation, Yang nodded, letting out a small noise of understanding. She wasn't one to just dismiss such important things, and in turn, placed her hand upon Neo's.
"I never knew that someone who had another side to them - literally - could still seem so polite and humble to that which, well, wants to tear them apart somehow. That's admirable, Neo. I know that the rest of the team won't think this way, but I'm kinda starting to like you a little. You're... Weirdly calm, t-the good weird mind you," Queue short cough. "But yes, I want you to know that I'm... With you, one hundred percent. I've got your back. Aeon is a different story, but if I can somehow get through to her as well, then it would be great. Of course I'm not willing to just test this out all willy nilly, but in time... Maybe." Neo gazed rather fondly at the taller female, her words getting through to her as intended, and while Yang didn't return such a pondering look, she did rub her thumb gently against the back of the little ice cream's hand.
The noise of the train soon faded out into the back of their minds, their hues now away from each other. The only thing connecting them right now was a subtle hand hold, one which held barely any meaning for the moment, or at least not enough to be noticeable by the two. Neo went back to looking out of the window, admiring the lake they were still crossing, amazed that such a place even existed. She may have been somewhat street savvy, but this was something else entirely.
Soon enough, the train began to slow down, indicated by a sudden shuffle which almost threw both of them off balance, the shorter grasping onto the arms of the taller, after which they laughed gently about the situation. This was all innocent, fun and games it could be called, and truly that is what it felt like at the moment. For someone who didn't have much of a childhood, Nek was grateful for Yang on this day, of all days.
Finally, they were ready to leave the train and go off to where Yang truly wanted to take Neo, a small place owned by one man, who served customers only a few times a year, almost as though this was his way of doing a good deed to the world. The blonde knew the guy, so they didn't have to pay a cent, though she always felt guilty whenever she came out here.
"This is a little secret off the beaten path, I know we've been walking for ten minutes straight, but trust me, it's worth it. I'll give your leg a little massage before we go back, promise." She grinned lightly, before arriving at the small hut with a veranda fit for a small table and a couple of chairs, no one would think he had even one customer at this little venue of his. As they neared the hut itself, they climbed over a small rise, which then gave them what Yang had always loved.
The view was immense, a vast lake shining under the moonlight, and the city visible from so many miles away. It gave the blonde a sense of ease that she didn't feel anywhere else, and now that she was here, she led Neo into the hut proper.
"Hey, old man." She greeted ever so casually, a lithe gentlemen appearing from behind one of the wafer thin sliding doors. He smiled, and without a word, nodded toward Yang and went off to prepare something, evidenced by the sound of pots clanging. "This guy is great, your tastebuds won't know what hit them!" The woman was enthused, and Neo tried to be as well, despite how crushingly low she felt about being out here all alone, without the rest of team RWBY. Deciding it was time to let that go, she gulped gently and led Yang back outside, sitting down at the small arrangement so obviously made for two people.
"I like it out here; the air is cold, the view is amazing at this time of night, and I'm here with you," Neo glanced over to the blonde as she spoke the last part, which was greeted with a slight roll of the eyes. "I may not seem it, but I appreciate the smaller things in life. I know we've had our battles in the past, and well, Aeon trying to kill you isn't very good of me or her, but I just want to say... Thank you. Thanks for giving a chance, Yang. I couldn't have done this without you, without the thought of you, without-" She was interrupted by the arrival of an aroma so potent and delicious that she looked at the table and saw what appeared to be homemade burgers, looking to Yang for a comically long moment. "Burgers? Really? That's what's so special about out here?"
"And here you were saying you appreciated the small things. It isn't really about what it is, but how it does its thing. Kinda like you. You're Neo, and Aeon's Aeon, but at the end of the day you're allowed to be around. I've... Thought about this a little I admit, but you have every right to exist you know? I've seen it too, Neo, that look in your eye, even if the gray makes it seem sadder than it is. I'll take you somewhere after we eat, I'll carry you too." Yang smiled softly, before she began digging in to the delicacy that she adored so much, glancing up a few times to see Neo taking a few bites of her own, the surprise on her face reminding the blonde of her little sister.
"I don't know what to say. This is simply amazing!" Neo exclaimed, before she began really digging in, taking each piece as though it was her last. After eating what could be seen was half of the rather generous portion, the little ice cream burped and immediately became embarrassed, Yang barely able to hold her laughter in.
"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, that's just—Ahaha!" Neo's expression went awfully sour for a few moments, before she stood herself up and bowed her head lightly toward the little hut, somehow knowing that the old man inside was observing the two from where he was.
"So, haven't you got another place to carry me to?" The smirk returned, as the shorter woman stood next to the seated female, their heights noticeable; as though it wasn't already. Bumping Yang's shoulder with her hip, Neo blinked a few times and waited for a response.
"Yeah, I do. Lemme just—" The blonde swept the woman off her feet, making her emit a small yelp of protest, which soon simmered down into an almost permanent frown on Neo's face, not liking being held one bit. Though, perhaps it was Yang's kindness or belief in her, but for now, she could tolerate this.
The path Yang took soon faded into what was native grassland, the short yet stout foliage barely getting in the way of the strong female. The water's edge was nearby, and Neo held on tightly as it came nearer, her arms draped around the blonde's shoulders.
"You know, I think the rest of the team are going to freak out if you and I aren't back at the room when they decide to come back to it." The held woman stated matter-of-factly, though Yang shrugged in response.
"Eh, well, they walked out on us so easily, so liberally, so why not stay out for a little while? We'll be back before tomorrow, but for now, let's just focus on us," The blonde gulped a little bit, a tinge of hypocrisy biting at her neck. Shaking it off, she continued. "Blake and I, well, we've tried a few things together, but it never felt right, at least to me. I just want you to know that I'm as single as single can be, if a bee could be single. Aha." She dryly coughed.
"I had no problem with it to begin with, though it does bring me some ease. When I said I had been stalking you for a long time, I meant it. I won't say how long exactly, but I've observed enough to get an idea on who you are, without anyone or anything influencing that. But, I want to hear it from you, first hand." Neo paused for several long moments, as Yang let her down from the hold and they stood by the lakeside, the sound of water washing to and from shore mesmerising in its own right.
"I feel the same about you; the getting to know you first hand part, at least. I've been stalked before, see, so it isn't that big of an issue. As long as you weren't seeing things you shouldn't, then it's fine." Yang suspiciously eyed Neo, though the half-brunette nodded in agreement. For the first time in a while, their eyes made contact, and Neo felt her chest warm up just a little.
"Hey, Yang... Can I tell you something?" She asked so innocently, which caused the blonde to tilt her head a little bit.
"Ask away, cuteness." Neo's eyes widened for a moment, before she placed her hands at the other's waist, moving them up slowly, skipping the chest and resting them around the taller woman's neck.
"Come a little closer, I need to whisper it," The fighter did just that, leaned down enough for Neo to speak into her ear, a gentle voice she used. "Would you be surprised if I've felt so strongly about you for so long?"
"Strongly?" Yang questioned, blinking a few times before she felt petite hands cup her cheeks, the shorter of the two guiding their faces into a position most favourable. "I, I guess I kinda saw it coming but—"
"Hush. No more words," Neo mouthed 'Just kiss me' before their lips locked, the tilt of their heads allowing this experience to be much more than a simple lip embrace. They parted momentarily, before another embrace ensued, this time a little bit longer. Finally, the little ice cream bit softly onto the fighter's bottom lip, pulling gently as their breaths mixed with each other's. "That's how I feel about you."
"Neo, I..." Yang was genuinely taken aback, expecting some kind of friendly confession, and a lump of guilt hit her stomach as she knew that was probably Neo's first kiss, but not her own. Maybe the blonde felt like she was betraying the other, and her feelings could not be changed by anyone, but her pink cheeks and hands upon the shorter woman's waist and hip definitely told her otherwise. "I'm not sure what to say, I-I guess, your breath smells like strawberry." It was definitely an interesting concept, considering they had just eaten burgers, and yet Neo's exhales were just like she was letting out gaseous strawberries.
Though, as they enjoyed this close, intimate moment together, they failed to notice what was happening nearby, as several Faunus made themselves known at the small hut. An explosion occurred, lighting up the general landscape, and definitely catching the attention of the two women. Yang's face slumped, her grip on Neo suddenly tightening to an extreme level, before her eyes shot into crimson and she began charging at the now burning hut. Neo gasped softly, before chasing after the woman as best she could. This day, of all days, why did this have to happen?
In any case, there was going to be a fight on their hands, and Yang without her trusty gauntlets wasn't a pretty sight. Saying a gentle apology, Neo tore the dress a little to allow herself some more mobility, reaching behind her back to grab what was invisible the entire time; her beloved parasol. Yang might be without her weapons, but the half-brunette wasn't.
Neo smirked gently while her eyes gently flickered, knowing Aeon was awake once more. Mayne this time, the other side would be on their side.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Welcome to another episode of Author's Note! (Okay Suzie, stop that now.)
Ahaha, anyways.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was fun to write and I hope it gives some of the recent reviewers some relief; that being said, feel free to continue to review, the feedback helps and I can use all the help I can get.
Thanks for reading, and may you have a pleasant day.
Yours truly, Suzie.
P.S. I think I'll be doing one of these notes at the end of, or maybe the beginning of the chapter. Lemme know which you'd prefer! PMs are always welcome. :)