A/N: A slight breather chapter for y'all. I know you guys are wondering about what's gonna happen when TLI and Yang clash, but don't worry! That's coming soon! There's some other stuff that needs setting up first!
With that said, enjoy Yang's night on the town!
(The chapter is a reference to the Gary Clark Jr. song, awesome song, and very fitting for Yang! Go check it out!)
Book One: Baptism by Fire
-Chapter 8: Bright Lights, Big City-
"I'd rather they drink themselves stupid than chew on the muzzle of a lasgun." – Veteran Sergeant Janice Vadiik
Cleaning up the main ork force took little more than a few weeks, as scattered bands still roamed the countryside. Companies of the 111th took it in shifts to hunt them, and when the task was done, Yang's company finally got shore leave in Elodia's only hive city – Primum Mobilus. It was a bustling trade port where fliers choked the air like the smog that poured out of its multitude of smokestacks.
Despite the sweltering, frantic atmosphere of the place, (or, perhaps, because of it) Yang loved the place. People of all shapes and sizes filled the street, colorful and varied. Rich-robed traders and dockworkers alike rubbed elbows in the streets of Primum Mobilus, streets that rose almost sixteen-hundred stories in the air.
It was then Yang decided she could no longer marvel at the wonders of the Imperium. Instead, she realized that its architects and engineers eternally competed in one of the largest-scale dick-measuring competitions ever waged.
Its size was almost too large to comprehend. When she stood on the lower levels of the city and craned her neck back as far as it would go, she still could not see the city's summit. Not that Yang and her friends would ever visit it. They were confined to the Lower Hive region, where the lower and middling class population lived.
Grim news arrived on their second day of rest – a visiting Inquisitor had been slain, and another had arrived to investigate it. Talk of it spread like wild-fire among the 111th. The event cast a black pallor over the squad, and even Yang felt a worm of worry burrow deep in her gut. She immediately resolved to drown said worm in alcohol.
Under the shadow of the Black Ships, she dragged her friends to a seedy bar in the lower level. Specter of doom be damned – she was going to get drunk.
"Another round for the invincible Imperial Guard!" Yang cried, hoisting her empty glass. A resounding 'hurrah' from her friends met her cry. She liked this place. The music was unlike any she'd heard before, but it served the same purpose as her favorites from Remnant: to be loud. Lights of all colors danced and flickered about the spacious club, illuminating the seedier types that frequented the place. The weird thing about this place was a small ring in the center of the club that had been cordoned off, and largely ignored by the occupants.
"Are you sure we couldn't go to that place a little higher up?" Ros asked, straining her voice to rise above the music.
"You came out here to have fun didn't you?" She clashed her mug of ale against Rhain's, laughing as the foam sloshed over their hands. Drinking deeply, Rhain gave a large sigh.
"This tastes like shit. I miss mead." Mael nodded, comically stoic in the midst of the revelry. Yang didn't have any complaints though. It was cold, it was beer, and it helped drown out the screams of that little boy with his guts in his hands.
"How much longer do you think we're gonna be here?" Caolin asked, sipping at his ale and cringing at the bitter taste before gulping it down.
"On Elodia? Not much longer." Yang said. "We probably got bigger fish to fry than mopping up a few hundred orks. PDF should be good enough for that." She sipped at her ale, relishing the acrid taste as it scorched its way to her stomach.
"What else could we have to do?" Ros asked. Honestly, she couldn't be sure why she felt there was something headed their way. Just a hunch. Yang shrugged.
"As long as we keep moving, I don't give a damn." Ros considered this, slouching back in her seat. Something's been eating at her, Yang thought, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what. "For now," she said, gesturing with her glass, "I'm going to relax."
"Couldn'ta said it better myself!" Rhain said. A red color had seeped into his cheecks, no doubt a result of the alcohol.
"Hey, c'mon Ros, let's go dance." Caolin said, nudging her.
"I'd… rather not."
"Aw, c'mon! Let's see those lanky legs of yours in action!"
"I said no, Caolin. Don't make me kick your ass again." He sighed, admitting defeat.
"You're no fun."
"Agreed." Yang said. "Let's see a smile!" Ros sighed, but gasped when Yang dove behind her and stretched her lips into a comically wide grin. Mael spat out his ale, lost in mirth. Rhain chuckled, and Caolin fell off his chair, howling as tears ran down his face.
"G-Golden Throne Yang!" He cried. "Look at her face!" Ros eventually surrendered, sighing deeply as Yang swooped around to beam at her.
"Emperor save me from the lot of you." She said, punching Yang on her shoulder. Caolin stood, wiping tears from his eyes and drunkenly leaning on Ros. He raised his mug, slamming his hand on the heavy wooden table to draw as much attention as possible.
"Attention! Attention everyone! A toast! A toast to the gorgeous Yang Xiao Long, without whom I would not be here today! Forgive her puns, oh Emperor, for she is unparalleled in battle! Hear, hear!"
"Hear, hear!" Her friends chorused, as heartily as they could. Even a few patrons joined in, wrapped up in Caolin's passionate (yet inebriated) speech. Yang was flattered enough to give him a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
They laughed, once again raising their mugs to swallow the swill they called ale.
"Seriously though, Yang, I-I'd be dead right now if it weren't for you! I mean… Holy Terra! You punched an ork so hard, he flew!"
"I guess I did, didn't I?" She laughed. Ros frowned.
"Shoulda seen his face though! It was all… BLERH!" He cried, screwing up his face in a rough approximation of an ork's, earning a laugh from the table. "Ha! Stupid fucking xenos!"
A voice boomed over the speakers, temporarily silencing the thunderous music.
"Alright, you drunken sots, time for what you've all been waiting for! One on one, no gloves, no respite, and no weapons! Place your bets and step into the ring for your chance at glory!" The lights focused on the center of the club, lights swirling dancing on the sunken pit of sand.
"I think that's our cue to leave." Ros grumbled, picking her glass up off the table.
"I think it's our cue for you guys to pony up!" Yang said, wearing a wolfish grin. Ros paled.
"Oh no."
"Oh yes." Yang stripped her tunic off, leaving her in her white tank top and fatigues.
"Oh Emperor no." Ros whispered. The boys laughed, piling what credits they had on the table before Yang. She scooped it up, hopping onto the table.
"ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP PEOPLE! I GOT A STACK OF CREDITS HERE THAT SAY NONE OF YOU CAN BEAT ME!"
"I'll take that bet!" Someone shouted, pushing his way forward. He was a bigger man, but not hulking. Scars and tattoos raked over lean muscles. He was a hive ganger, with ridiculous pink-dyed hair to boot. "Guard or not, little lady like you gotta be loco figtin' in the pits!" Yang's friends let out a collective groan. Mael slumped forward, forehead clashing against the table. This man was about to die a very painful death.
"Bring it on, pinky!" A few hushed gasps around the patrons. Apparently, the gangers were popular here. Or feared, at least.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our first match of the night!" A roar of approval from the gathering crowd, and an exasperated sigh from Ros. "From the Tunnel Snakes we have the local champ… Rico Monzaaaaaaaaaanta!" A few raucous cheers from his ganger friends. "And from the Imperial Guard, we have a new challenger, a boastful young woman whose name is unknown… A Radiant Golden Sun!"
"Wait!" Rhain said, holding Yang back. "Let's get a pict before Yang drenches herself in ganger blood!" Caolin and Mael laughed, while Ros sighed once more. They squeezed together, while Yang held out the small pict-stealer.
"Say cheese!" Yang said, holding the camera.
"Say what?" Caolin asked. She shrugged.
"It's an expression. Smile!" She pressed the button, and a flash of light filled the club, one more bright flashing light among many.
"C'mon, you scared?" Pinky cried, calling to her from the pits.
"Well, I gotta go kick his ass. I'll be right back." She winked at her friends.
Vaulting over the ropes, lights swirled and danced around her, the beat pulsing pleasantly in her head. She had no idea what she was doing, no plan of action. And she wouldn't have it any other way. The only future she saw was in the ring, another challenger, another fight. Not the digging sensation in her gut. She polished off her drink with a satisfied sigh, tossing the glass over her shoulder.
Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she threw a few test punches. Definitely drunk, she thought but enough to put up a damn good fight. Her opponent climbed in with her, grinning savagely.
"Alright, let's see if the Guard trained you good enough to face a Tunnel Snake!"
"Oh, honey, you have no idea what's headed your way." She cooed, smiling.
"BEGIN!" The announcer shouted. The music made a powerful return, a pounding, brutal song, with shouted lyrics, vicious guitar stabs, and a hammering bass kick that shook her to the core. It was perfect. Pinky McFuckstick rushed her, revealing the shine of brass knuckles.
Well if he's gonna cheat…
She raised her aura, not moving an inch. His metal-clad fist slammed into her face, barely turning it. It hurt a little, sure, but the surge of power her semblance gave her in return made up for it. She winked at him, and the crowd roared. His eyes went as wide as dinner plates. Like lightening, her fists flew into his chest, hurtling him back. Each pounding strike of knuckles on muscle felt good. It felt right.
"Gonna have to try harder than that!" She cried. He ran forward, panting. The lights pulsed in time with the music, shuttering her world into short blasts of sound and vision. This time, he was more careful. A kick rocketed forward. With a rush of yellow hair, she ducked under it. Even without Ember Celica, her strikes were deadly. One blasted him in the chest, throwing him into the air and crashing into the sand.
"Whoooo!" She stumbled over to the edge of the ring. "Do you mind?" She said, pointing at a patron's florescent blue drink. He shook his head in awe, and it was gone in one gulp. Fruity. She felt her aura twinge, and she dodged the sneak attack.
Pinky was speechless.
"COME ON, YANG! KICK HIS ASS!" Caolin cried.
Yang obeyed, rushing the ganger and tackling him to the floor. She dodged the brass knuckles that assaulted her, but in doing so, threw her off before she could hammer him into submission. Getting sloppy, Yang...
Rolling to her feet, she launched a kick at him that caught him squarely in the chest. Normally, she would have channeled a bit of aura into it (which would have crushed his ribcage and sent fragments of bone shooting into his heart), but this was her night out, not the battlefield. Funny how the activities overlap. She mused. Pinky sank to the floor, defeated.
"Too easy! Who's next?!" She settled into a stance, purple eyes searching the ring. Two more gangers hopped in, no longer jovial. Mohawk and Nose-ring. They look pissed. The announcer tried to get them to back off, to no avail. Yang held up her hand. "I'll allow it, but only if they cough up double."
Snarling, they threw a bag of coins at her.
Laughing, she rolled to the side. Mohawk's eyes darted around, pupils dilated and vibrating. He was hopped up on some drug, and it showed. Sweat poured down his face as he launched a new assault. The attacks were uncoordinated, but fast and hard-hitting. Nose-ring stayed off to the side, launching abortive attacks whenever an opportunity arose.
Throwing up a block, she managed to deflect the worst of it without her aura. An opening appeared and Yang struck, bringing a fist around to smash Mohawk's nose. The crowd gasped as blood shot out, soaking the sand beneath their feet. She bowed, reveling in the attention and dodging a blow from Nose-ring.
One fist found its way into his face, and he stumbled back. Drawing a large knife, he stomped forward. Oh, this is just too much fun.
"Tsk, tsk, that's against the rules!" She said, waggling his finger at him. When the crowd saw the frenetic lights reflect off the blade, a few gasped, but were otherwise too engrossed to stop the fight.
The knife rushed past her face in a hiss of pressed metal, narrowly missing her golden hair.
Faster than a lasbolt, her hand grasped his, throwing it away from his body. She twisted around, a fluid river that flowed under the hidden second knife. One sharp kick drove him to his knees, and another rose up to meet his elbow, snapping it like a twig.
The sharp-crack sound of bones breaking sent the crowd into a frenzy. He screamed, clutching at his broken arm while tears streamed down his face.
"Let's give him a hand, huh?" She yelled, hoisting the broken limb. The crowd roared its approval, but Nose-ring just shrieked in pain. "Yeah, yeah, well next time, don't bring a knife to a fist fight." She sniffed. "Bad manners." Her friends were cheering their hearts out, and she gave them a little wave as she bent down to scoop up her winnings. Caolin and Mael wore huge grins, but Ros gestured her over before another challenger could step into the pit.
She had to scream to be heard over the shouts and gut-churning music.
"Yang, we need to get out of here!"
"What, do you not like money?"
"I like not being gutted by a bunch of gangers!" The red-head nodded over at the group of pink-haired gangers, glaring daggers at Yang.
"Well-"
"We can't fight like you! And Emperor knows how many of the fuckers are in here!" She sighed. Ros was right. It was time to go, even though a part of her never wanted to leave… that part of her… that insidious whisper that sat in her mind, that part of her that wallowed in endless thirst, the part of her that let her forget Ruby and that horrible blood-soaked battlefield.
That part of her…
Nausea seized Yang, and her stomach tied itself in knots from the realization. I'm a coward. I'm running away from ghosts and bad feelings. What would Ruby say? A heavy sigh passed her lips.
"Yeah. Let's go." Hopping over the ropes, she grabbed her friends and slipped out of the club, much to the disappointment of its patrons. "That was a good call, Ros. Sorry I got a little unhinged back there."
"No way!" Caolin cried. His arm was slung around Ros' shoulders as she helped him along. "That was awesome!"
"Caolin, you're drunk." Rhain said, giggling.
"We all are. Now what do we say to Yang, for keeping our wallets in the black?" Yang asked, grinning.
"Thank you, Yang." They murmured, all smiles. Ros still looked upset.
Despite Yang's blackening mood, it had been a good time. The city was no less active for the late hour, as fliers choked the skies, and bright pulsing lights from various signs and stores flickered on the cement walkways. Their standard issue boots padded across the streets, slightly lighter for tonight's revelry.
Soon, we'll be back at it. Yang thought. Maybe it's better that way. She looked at her hands, which she'd taped up after the abuse the ork-hide had given them. Ganger-blood and sand crusted them, happy reminders of her favorite habits. Her head hurt, pounding with pain. Rhain noticed her contemplation and nudged her, giving her a big smile. She sighed.
"Rhain… I don't think I should drink anymore."
"Yang-"
"I mean it." He was taken aback by the determination in her voice.
"I'll… do what I can. "
"Thanks, Rhain."
"Of course!" He said, clapping her on the back. "It's the least I can do for my friend." Mael belched, sending Yang, Caolin, and Rhain into fits of laughter.
"Alright, ya drunken idiots, back to the barracks before Jorvis rips our balls off." She said, pushing the stumbling men ahead of her. The boys giggled again, nodding.
Finding their way through the alleyways and seedy street corners had not been easy when they were sober, but now heavily intoxicated, it was nearly impossible. Fortunately, through some miracle, they managed to stumble back into their temporary barracks, giggling and shushing each other.
Yang's gut heaved and roiled, the bad feeling now making itself physically known.
"Urgh. What the fuck?" She mumbled, clenching her gut.
"You all right, Yang?"
"No." Her nose was bleeding. Why was her nose bleeding?
Someone's looking for me. How do I know that?
Pushing the thought down, she opened the door to their billeting. Looking around the room, dour, despair-ridden faces stared back. Caolin, drunk though he was, noticed it too.
"Uh… whassa matter guys?" Lana -a guardswoman from their sister platoon- burst into tears.
"Did you not hear?"
"What about the Inquisitor? C'mon, you can't be sad about that, they're all assholes." Yang said. She'd heard plenty of stories about them from Vadiik.
"No." Lana wiped at her face. "Sarge just heard from Colonel von Israfel… It's… oh Holy Terra… It's A...A…" She couldn't even summon the strength to say it.
"C'mon, spit it out." Yang grumbled.
"Battle has been met on Cadia… It's A-Abaddon. He's begun his Thirteenth Black Crusade."
END BOOK ONE
A/N: And so ends Book One, the "Intro Arc" so to speak. I hope you liked this chapter! It was fun writing this chapter out. I figured I had to do at least one chapter of Yang having a night out! I wonder what Ros' problem is... ;)
Another reminder... Book Two is NOT, I repeat, NOT a seperate story on . The 'books' just help neatly divide story arcs. :3
Now, an important note about the Thirteenth Crusade. I'm changing some stuff around about how it worked in canon. You'll see exactly how and why, but for now, I'm just tweaking details about it, for reasons that will eventually come to light.
Oh, and some other stuff to address. I had quite a few questions as to the extent of Yang's power, and The Lady Inquisitor's psychic might. I wrote up a decent explanation on this story's SpaceBattles thread, which I will now copy wholesale (bracketed off for people who don't care):
[Gideon Ravenor, (to me at least, and how he is seen in my version of WH40k canon) was an alpha-level psyker. Alpha-Plus is reserved for immortal or above-human beings such as Greater Daemons of Tzeetch, the Psyker Primarchs, or Imperial Saints. I like the WH40k wiki's explanation of The Emperor being beyond such a scale, so this is my interpretation of that information. Right now, no Alpha-Plus beings exist in A World of Bloody Evolution.
As to how this all relates to the story, the way I wrote the ending of Chapter Seven was meant to imply that Yang has a very powerful presence in the warp. It does not directly correlate to what level of a psyker she may or may not be, but rather that the signature she possesses is just incredibly bright. (Which does imply power, to a degree) I'm sorry for the confusion. But regarding other psykers...
I'm also standing by my decision to make The Lady Inquisitor a Beta-Level psyker. There are several reasons she's that powerful, all of which will be revealed in due time. The reason that she is rated as Beta-level, is because it correlates to how her powers developed. Let me explain: she was able to slip inside an Inquisitor's mind (which are well-guarded, at least by the puritanical ones), without him being able to detect anything. Her telepathy is so strong, it's what pushes her into the Beta-level+ territory. Most mind-reading involves forcefully prying apart people's minds while blood pours out of their nose and they thrash around on the ground. Not only can she do this without the subject noticing, she was also able to root out memories (non-active or stored thoughts) in incredible detail.
This is all due to my interpretation on how psykers work. This is the best way I can put it: some alpha-level psykers were able to rend Titans apart, but (again, in my interpretation) some Alpha-levels manifested their abilities in ways other then just pure psychic power. This is what the TLI implies when she's taunting Ezzelino.]
Whoo! Yeah! No good way to stick that in the story. Not yet at least! On to review replies!
Review Replies:
Firem78910: I don't think anyone will take you up on that bet! XD
Zedicus101: Thank you!
thefluffyone93: All good things will come in time. ;)
DanAbnettFan1997: I like her a lot too! I hope she entertains you for chapters to come. :D
Guest: Wow, thank you so much for your awesome review! You should sign in, so I can thank you properly! :) I'm glad you like the OC's. I took a good amount of time conceiving and developing them, so it's good to see that time wasn't wasted! Thanks for being a fan!
Nemris: Basic stats should be doable now, but in a few chapters, you'll understand why I asked you to wait! I'm glad you're liking the story!
giodan: Maybe.
Jouaint: Thank you!
RED Roman Pyro: I really like my concept for The Lady Inquisitor! I'm glad she seems to be going over well!
NIX'S WARDEN: Recongregationalists rule! :D I hope my 'psychic power' explanation helped you!
edboy4926: Thanks!
CrimsonHeresy: By homeworld, do you mean Remnant?
OBSERVER01: I don't think Yang is suited to be a Commissar, but chambering Ember Celica to fire bolter rounds sounds awesome! :3
L4 of the WEST: I just hope you're feeling better!
Bear of Cali: Nice spot on the Mass Effect reference! But yes, the chapter showed the conflict will be important to the story later on.
undead3: See my explanation on psykers! :D Believe me, I've done my research!
coduss: I won't say outright, but rest assured, there is one, and it will play a major role in the story. You'll know it when you see it.
All American Autor: Yeah... they dead. :( Glad you liked them, though! :D
shadow2777: I think I explained this in the last chapter's AN's... If not, let me know, and I'll answer it for ya!
Whew! That's a lot of reviews! But you know what? I LOVE IT SO MUCH! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!
MORE! I NEED MORE!
REVIEWS! NEED 'EM! GOTTA HAVE 'EM!