At the hospital, inside the room where Winter received her treatment, the tension was high as Neo and she waited for Sasuke to return.
After everything that had happened, the boy had his beautiful skin marked with blood and deserved a peaceful moment to bathe.
In fact, Winter thought this was an excellent idea and also wanted to be able to clean herself properly, as well as get new clothes for Sasuke and her.
Regardless of what he had said about being able to make his own clothes, which was probably true given the unknown limits of his ability, Winter still wanted to be able to help...for reasons.
It was enough to imagine Sasuke parading around like a model in various types of clothing to give reason to her selfish desire.
Truly, for the first time in her life, Winter wanted to do what other women did and wear feminine clothes to highlight her beauty, ignored for so many years, and try to captivate the eyes of the man she loved.
Before, the mere notion of this would have been ridiculous, especially when she grew up being treated and dressed like a son instead of a daughter...being raised as a replacement; a perfect heiress until she despaired when she saw what happened to her mother and ran away for fear of suffering the same fate. However, even years after moving away, those habits had already taken root in her to the point where she often heard from others the absurdity of her being a man trapped in a woman's body.
Her cold attitude and demeanor, again a trait ingrained in her by someone else during her childhood, unfortunately, did little to contradict these spiteful remarks. Regardless, only the prospect of Weiss having the opportunity to be everything she hadn't been mattered... to be and live like a normal girl.
To a certain extent, Winter got what she wanted. However, Jacques wasn't constantly compared to the White Fang itself and was said to be one of the most despicable humans in the world for nothing, knowing exactly what to do to get what he wanted, no matter what it was.
To do so, he had Weiss, the only person in the family that Winter would admit to love without the slightest shadow of a doubt, assume the position of heiress; of puppet and tool to be used and potentially discarded.
After all, there was still a third child to spare if necessary and one who wanted to be used in order to get some attention that he never received from anyone in the family.
Deep down, Winter felt bad for Whitley, for neglecting this little brother of hers completely...just like Willow had done with all of her children.
Fortunately, things had changed and Winter intended to do something for him too as soon as possible, just as she had done with Weiss, where her efforts and dedication had resulted in freedom for her to pursue her own path.
While all that lost time couldn't be recovered, having Sasuke in her life seemed like more than enough compensation, especially considering all the changes he had caused.
Winter no longer had to pretend to be an emotionless puppet and submit to someone else who only wanted to use her as a disposable tool.
You just had to think about the affectionate way in which Sasuke had treated her, it being the first time in her life that a man had done so, and the fact that Sasuke had refused her help just now, surely so as not to impose on her, Winter couldn't help but smile at that feeling of growing warmth in her chest.
He was different from everyone who had come before...in every sense of the word.
Unfortunately, Winter wasn't the only one who felt that way and it bothered her, especially because of this girl who was accompanying her at the moment... a girl who was also covered in dried blood.
Blood that mostly belonged to Winter.
Truth be told, in this regard, there was no telling which of the two was worse.
With that in mind, it was almost a miracle that they were still alive after that fight and it was all thanks to Sasuke.
That's the reason why Winter couldn't accept Neo, the cause behind her near-death experience.
As if that wasn't enough, there was the assassination attempt on Sasuke himself, who was now the target of affection rather than hatred.
Quite a change, but one that Winter could definitely understand.
Until recently, the mere idea of falling in love, even more so with a younger boy, would have been simply ridiculous.
Growing up the way she did, seeing the bad side of most people who looked at her as a means to an end rather than as a person, made Winter close herself off to the possibility.
Her father's attempts to use her as a bargaining chip in possible arranged marriages only added motive to the kind of mentality she came to have.
Meeting Sasuke, seeing his naivety displayed in such a pure way when he could have practically any woman in the world, and then being exposed to his turbulent heart, changed everything.
Now, what bothered her was the remote idea of losing him.
That's why, reluctantly, Winter would listen to Sasuke and his request, where all he wanted was for Neo and her to try not to kill each other until his return.
It seemed simple enough and an unnecessary request despite the bad blood they had.
However, it didn't take long for this task to prove to be quite a challenge.
It was eventual but Neo came out of her stupor after being defeated by a kiss on the forehead and was showing a kind of fire in her multicolored eyes that Winter knew all too well, especially that determined expression that could only mean the omen of more trouble.
Soon after, this girl was walking towards the exit of the room and Winter could only imagine the worst, where Neo surely intended to sneak into the bathroom and attack Sasuke in his moment of vulnerability.
Either to hurt him, which she hated to admit was extremely unlikely at this point, or...to try to do inappropriate things.
Again, unlikely given the reaction this girl had after being kissed on the forehead, being like that of a pure teenager who never had any contact with other men in her life, contrary to her unpretentious attitude and the darkness that surely dwelled in her corrupted heart...very similar to Sasuke.
Regardless, Winter couldn't take any chances, as there was also the possibility of this girl escaping, which was why she had her eyes ever vigilant as she blocked the exit with her weapon in hand.
Even knowing that this girl had become so much stronger, to the point that Sasuke said she was the strongest in the world, without taking into account the Maidens he probably didn't know existed, made no difference.
Winter didn't intend to disappoint her beloved or go down without a fight.
As for Neo, she had been lost in thought for far too long, trying to understand what was happening to her.
Until this day, she had never experienced anything remotely similar.
Like, how could that bastard affect her so much?!
It didn't even make sense!
Neo had already killed and tortured her share of trash in this life, seen and experienced the worst this world could offer.
So why was Uchiha Sasuke so different?
Neo already knew the answer, the fact that they were similar in so many ways that it was absurd, but it was still hard to accept.
Whatever. Drowning in these emotions and confusion wouldn't help, she knew. Besides, I have more to worry about.
Her turbulent heart would have to wait, as always.
That's because Neo couldn't forget the reason she had met Sasuke in the first place.
The problem now was to get past this watchdog without causing a scene.
"Listen, I just want to check on my partner and nothing else," Neo needed a lot of patience to explain instead of trying to force her way through that door, where all that stopped her was the fear of fighting this woman again. That, and upsetting Sasuke.
Getting on that little god's bad side was out of the question... for more reasons than she cared to admit.
That aside, she needed to see Roman and, after what she'd learned from hearing Sasuke's side, Neo would seize the opportunity and make sure Cinder didn't live to see another day.
In other words, nothing had changed.
Neo was still out for revenge, only the target was different.
"The criminal Roman Torchwick?" Winter hadn't forgotten about the man who was also hospitalized in this building. "For what?" She could imagine the reason, where running away was one of them, but this girl wasn't stupid enough to even try when it could result in tragedy. "Maybe to say goodbye?"
For that man had no future, even if he survived.
After taking Sasuke's statement, Roman would be charged with murder along with his other numerous offenses. As a result, he would hardly see the light of day again... if Sasuke decided to cooperate with the investigation and the General believed him, which was very unlikely.
"Why do you care?" Once again, Neo needed a lot of strength to answer with words and not with her sword. I know I can get past her, without even having to fight, if I use my Semblance.
All she had to do was create a clone to replace her and become invisible after filling the room with fog so dense to the point of blinding.
However, while she would avoid conflict with Winter, Sasuke would certainly be able to identify her movements even without him being present.
Besides, Neo couldn't rule out the possibility that he was testing her even now.
If she did anything that went against his words, Sasuke might reconsider her usefulness.
That couldn't happen.
Neo needed Sasuke to remove the power eating away Roman's life and heal him.
In fact, as much as she hated to admit it, the mere thought of disappointing Sasuke bothered her deeply.
In that case, Neo knew what she needed to do and swallowed every drop of her pride. "Please, I need to see him."
This was more than enough to surprise Winter, who was expecting a clever, sarcastic, evasive, and potentially violent response.
Instead, there was a sincerity rarely seen in the multicolored eyes of a criminal of this caliber.
Considering her Semblance, this could very well be an act. Winter snapped out of her stupor just as quickly, cogitating. But what if she's telling the truth?
As much as she didn't like to admit it, Neo was willing to embark on a suicide mission to get revenge on Sasuke, and that spoke volumes about how important that criminal was to her.
Almost as if they were family... Somehow, the prospect of criminals caring that much about each other, being so much more than what was present in her own family, with the exception of the deep bond between sisters that Winter shared with Weiss, left a bad taste in her mouth. That aside, it doesn't change the fact that I can't leave her alone. Then, there was only one option. "If it's really that important, you won't mind if I accompany you, right?"
There was hardly a better solution for both sides.
"Are you serious?" It was Neo's turn to be taken aback, not expecting this. Still, it's much better than the alternative. One that made her neck ache and fear of death penetrate her confused heart with the memories of the last fight they had. "If that's what it takes to get you out of the way, so be it."
It could have been worse, much worse.
The only problem with this twist was that Neo would have to reformulate her intentions and let Cinder live a little longer...or make her death look like an accident.
Perhaps it was time to get creative, make good use of her evolved Semblance, and take a page from Sasuke's book.
Creating snakes extremely discreetly to do the job for her shouldn't be that difficult~
"Hmph," Winter snorted as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "If you weren't a criminal who made an attempt on Sasuke's life, I wouldn't have to worry about blocking your path."
Especially now, when she had more to worry about and do.
The revelations Sasuke had made were that absurd and carried repercussions of catastrophic proportions, demanding the same level of attention.
All she had to do now was think about how to deal with it and if she should divulge this information to a select group of people, which definitely included Ozpin.
Regardless of his questionable methods and intentions, at the moment, the Headmaster of Beacon was a potential ally because he was more rational than General Ironwood.
Before that, Winter would have to talk to Sasuke and gain a better understanding of the situation as a whole, including the amount of time they had to prepare before Kaguya arrived. Above all, she needed to see if he would agree to involve more people in this matter.
Honestly, Winter was hoping that Sasuke would give in and look for more help, especially when Remnant itself was in danger and possibly remove that burden from Weiss' shoulders.
Her little sister was talented and would surely surpass her one day, but right now there were many people out there who were better qualified to handle something of this magnitude... including Neo.
At least, that would be the case without taking into account the power that Sasuke was willing to provide for a specific number of people.
Winter hadn't even received the promised power and had already become immensely more powerful, just like Neo.
Honestly, the power offered, which Sasuke called Chakra, was still a mystery beyond its composition from two distinct energies originating from living flesh and soul, but one thing was certain: After obtaining it, not one of them could be considered a mere human or faunus anymore.
That was one of the reasons Winter didn't want Neo to be one of the chosen ones.
Power like that shouldn't fall into the hands of deranged people where even Sasuke, someone who must have been born with this power, had trouble keeping himself under control... Unfortunately, this made James Ironwood just as bad of a choice as Neo, perhaps even more so.
The General wasn't a psychopathic killer, but he had become someone who, despite his good intentions, was slowly falling into despair as he insisted on banging his head against an insuperable wall known as Uchiha Sasuke.
All of this because he believed that this divine boy had to be contained and controlled...or destroyed.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Winter, despite being removed from her position as lieutenant, wasn't sad. Confused and indignant to a certain extent, yes, but not sad, because this way she wouldn't have to oppose Sasuke and was free to walk by his side.
In the end, losing her position was the best thing that had happened to her in years.
As for Neo, her mind was more preoccupied with the problem at hand and she chose not to say anything. The fact was that more words could result in conflict and it was better to avoid that.
With this temporary consensus, the two moved out of the room in silence and walked towards the elevators with Neo leading the way while ignoring the stares of others.
Given the condition they were in, it wasn't an unexpected reaction. The two looked like they had been through hell in the form of a battlefield, where even their hair was stained with blood. As if that wasn't enough, there was another reason why they attracted so much attention; the fact that even in this state, they were attractive enough to be the target of admiration, envy, and desire.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Except that this time they had their minds elsewhere and didn't care about attention from anyone other than Sasuke.
Speaking of her beloved, Winter wanted to warn him about this change of plans, but all things considered, it was likely that he could sense their presence moving through the hospital in the same way that they knew exactly where he was.
Winter wouldn't go so far as to say that there was a connection between them now, as much as she wanted to believe it was true, especially after having received no more than a fragment of power while being healed by Sasuke. However, it was undeniable that this fragment was more than enough to strengthen both Neo and her to another level and put them on top of the world alongside the Maidens.
Thanks to that, even a sensory ability normally linked to Aura control and affinity was elevated to the point of being able to identify normal people without problems.
But with Sasuke, it was different, where even from a distance he felt like a beacon of purple light to which Winter was drawn like a moth to the fire and did so without caring about the possibility of getting burned in the heat.
It was with this ability, certainly one of many that would be elevated to another level after obtaining Chakra, that Winter came to notice a certain discomfort hanging in the air.
Given the way Neo was behaving, clutching that weapon in the shape of a colorful parasol while looking around and staring back at the hospital staff as if she was expecting a surprise attack at any second, it was safe to say that she wasn't the only one to notice this change.
It didn't take long for Winter and Neo to be sure they weren't imagining things and stopped in their tracks in front of the open elevator door, their eyes opening wide and their breath hitching in the air before they focused in the same direction.
It was like reliving a traumatic experience, where each of them had felt the dark power of the boy they had come to have feelings for.
In the next second, they felt the entire building shake, lights begin to flicker and people fall around as Sasuke's aura resurfaced, more intense than ever and filled with darkness!
"Damn it!" Winter could only curse as she ignored the chaos unleashed inside the hospital by the emergency alarm and ran toward her beloved. Could it be that someone else is trying to kill him?!
For there wasn't much else that could justify such an abrupt change after he had suffered so much to contain himself earlier!
Whatever had happened to make him snap like that, Winter would be sure to help and calm Sasuke with her touch just as she had done before on the peaks above Beacon!
Neo, on the other hand, hesitated, torn between following Winter or continuing ahead and going to Roman.
It didn't take a genius to know that when Sasuke got like this, it was wiser to stay away from him.
Roman and Cinder were a perfect example of that, where Neo would have been in the same state if not dead for hurting Winter, if Sasuke hadn't related to her.
The fact that a huge, reinforced building like this was shaking under the pressure of that boy's power said a lot about what could result from this situation.
I really tried to kill a monster like that, didn't I? Neo had a defeated smile at the thought of her stupidity. An extremely beautiful monster who not only spared me but could understand me, and also accepted me...
She had her hands on her forehead where he had kissed her and she could still feel the warmth of those lips, more than capable of melting her heart.
Seeing Winter advancing towards that Aura that screamed danger without a second thought made Neo feel like crap in comparison.
No one would do something like that for her, not even Roman, and perhaps that was why she couldn't act so cowardly anymore.
As much as Neo didn't want to admit it, Sasuke had reached out to her and saved her from a bad place when she hadn't tried to do anything but hurt him.
She owed him, perhaps even her life.
As such, Neo had to return the favor, and heading towards the danger she once sought to avoid and destroy with the intention of helping seemed only fitting.
Is this the beginning of my redemption arc?! The mere notion of this made Neo want to laugh at how ridiculous it was. However, it wouldn't exactly be a bad thing...
Annoying? Yes, but not bad.
If Neo could go out there and show a sympathetic, caring, and considerate side, you know, that sentimental crap, she'd definitely score some positive points with Sasuke!
Imagining the thanks and compliments, as well as the possibility of a few kisses to prove that she too could act like a real woman instead of a shy teenager, only motivated her!
It would also serve to increase the number of similarities between them!
Suddenly, Neo was looking forward to being a nice Neopolitan...almost like Trivia Vanille used to be a long time ago.
Well, I suppose it's a good thing I'm Trivial Vanille. Even if reluctantly, Neo had accepted this weak and helpless yet creative side of her during her fight against Sasuke, where she was forced to relive and confront her past. For he too must have been an innocent child before being corrupted by darkness.
Everyone, no matter who it was, has been weak and vulnerable at some point in their life, even a god like Sasuke.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be looking for help, and helping him was exactly what Neo would do!
Here is the chapter, hope you guys enjoy it.
Nothing else to say, so don't forget to review, and if you want to read more, and support me, take a look at my P t r & on (slash) Bertoti.
I'll be posting the next one by the end of the month.
Until then.