So, a bit different from the initial Weight of a Name! Someone referred to this as a prequel of sorts and... You're not wrong, but you're not right either. You'll see.
For people who have read before, you might recognize some terms thrown in here. For those who haven't don't worry, I'll be expanding on them in the first few chapters to help ground them a bit!
Oh, and the new things? Aside from shifting perspectives, which is going to be a thing... I can't say without spoiling things for new people ;D Folks who've read might notice something different though!
Big thanks as always to those who read, and with Christmas right around the corner I just want to say... Happy Nondescript Holiday!
Settlements in Vale were weird. And not just the 'people out here are probably sleeping with their own family' kind of weird, though Yang suspected that was the case. When there was nowhere else for miles and you only had so many people to pick from you took what you could get.
The thought made her shudder and her face wrinkle with disgust. No, it wasn't any incestual weirdness that gave her an off-feeling, though that was definitely funky. What had her rolling her glass between her palms were three men huddled around a table together. From where she sat she couldn't make out what was being said, and with the dim lighting of the tavern their faces were largely masked in shadow.
What troubled her about them was how they kept looking around the tavern. At the barkeeper and the barmaids; two young girls who had to be a few years her junior and an old man with more hair on his face than head, he owned the joint. Even more worrisome was how they kept looking at her. Yang pretended not to notice, fingering the rim of her glass and whistling to herself. Inconspicuous? Probably not, but if she just feigned ignorance they would leave her alone.
Maybe. Or perhaps they were waiting for a chance to catch her unawares and bury a blade in her back. Paranoia was a dangerous thing, sure, but it was healthy too. When you dealt with the things she did on a daily basis Yang couldn't help but express a little caution. Tugging her hood down a bit she shielded her eyes behind the orange-trimmed brown hood. A yellow heart, burning as brightly as her glorious mane was sewn just above the brim, glowing whenever the lanterns caught it just right.
Yang waited for the men to become engrossed in their conversation again before glancing over once more. They were all armed, one with a mace, the other with a pair of knives. The man facing her had a bow, though she was certain she'd seen a blade on his hip when he walked in, too. Remnant was dangerous what with Grimm and bandits prowling everywhere, so weapons weren't that unusual. And there had been a Grimm incursion in town within the last few days, so a few Hunters weren't that out of place, all things considered.
Lifting her glass, she sloshed the amber liquid around and listened to ice cubes clink against glass. Fire slipped through her lips, her taste buds coming to life as her throat burned from the liquor. Not the strongest she'd ever had, but strong enough that she coughed as it slid down, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She didn't particularly care for the flavor, but it sure did help keep the edge off.
Seeing a few Hunters around when Grimm had been active wasn't concerning. What was concerning, however, was the fact they'd shown up so late. A handful of Grimm had lingered, and they'd dealt with them as usual, nothing strange there. Except that was two days ago. Hunters should move on by then and instead these three were lingering, always coming to this tavern. Always watching her.
Yang knew her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She watched as the man with the mace stood, lilac trained on him carefully. A blue set found hers and she smiled, raising her glass in a silent toast to the man. He smiled back and nodded before approaching the bar. No stumble in his walk despite being there just as long as Yang had been. Three hours, if she was keeping track. Plenty of time for them to get good and hammered, if they'd been drinking. The half-filled glasses still on their table showed they hadn't been.
As if on cue the duo rose from their table and started to make their way over. Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Those were their names, Yang had decided. The one with the mace was just Jackass. He had a face that screamed it. Tweedledee, the one with the knives, smiled and dragged a chair over to her table, spinning it around and draping his arms over the back as he sat. Power move, eh? Alright, hotshot. Tweedledum elected to stand. Just as Yang had thought, there was a sword on his hip.
"Hey there, missy. Couldn't help but notice you keep looking our way." Dee - because Yang was already sick of thinking the guy's entire name, smiled and cocked his head as he spoke. Probably about her age if she had to guess, with a sharp chin and eyes the same color of dirt. And what the hell was that green thing on his head supposed to be? A sorry excuse for a mohawk?
"What can I say? I like interesting people." Yang smiled easily and twirled her empty glass in her hand, ice slapping against glass. "I like people who buy me drinks even better," she added with a wink.
Dee smiled before nodding, snapping his fingers. Normally Yang doubted anyone else would hear it but since it was just her, the three assholes and the staff, the tavern was quiet enough that the noise carried. "Get our friend here another drink, would you, old man? Make it a good one!"
"Aw, buying me top shelf? You sure know how to treat a girl right." This time Dumbass, or Dum… Maybe she'd just call him Tweedle. Ugh, too many names. Dum smiled and she returned it readily, winking as another drink was set before her. Yang nodded in appreciation to the barmaid, maintaining the smile even as she noticed the fitful look of the girl. Something was spooking her, and unless she wasn't a fan of girls with hoods, it was these three bozos.
Wasting no time in accepting the gift Yang raised her glass, grinning and flashing her elongated canines before throwing it back. Like before it burned on its way down, the strange combination of honey and oak making her tongue tingle and go numb. "Wa-hey! Now that's some good stuff!" Yang snorted and laughed, slamming her glass down.
Dee and Dum continued to smile, neither saying a word. Jackass rejoined them and had a mug in his hand this time. Whatever was in it was clear, almost like water. Yang doubted it had any alcohol in it and was just for show. "Hope you don't mind the gift. Rare we see such a beauty in these parts."
Placing a hand on her chest Yang gasped, leaning back and flashing the trio another smile. "Me, a beauty? You boys really are charmers, huh?" Allowing herself a snicker she leaned forward, one arm folding on the table as her other gestured at the empty space around them. "What about the barmaids though? They're pretty cute too, don't you think?"
"Hm. I don't know; the Kanin looks a little dopey. Plus, those long ears of hers would get in the way." Living up to his name Dum made the most ignorant comment Yang had heard all night. Jackass, not living up to his name, swat the back of the man's head.
"Hey, it doesn't matter what a girl looks like." That's right, you tell him! "So long as she's good in bed who cares?" Okay, nevermind, 'Jackass' was a really fitting name.
Yang smiled as the trio laughed among themselves, much louder than anyone sober had a right to be. Her eyes drifted from the group and found the Kanin standing beside the counter, close to the barkeeper, her face hidden. Poor thing couldn't be any older than sixteen, her hands pulling her rabbit ears down as if trying to hide them. The other girl, a regular old Muran with regular round ears like most of the people in Remnant stood by and rubbed her back, muttering reassurances to her coworker.
"Hey, you there, blondie?" Yang drew her attention back to the Triumvirate of Idiocy. She smiled sweetly, tilting her head to prompt them to repeat whatever drivel they'd just spouted. "We asked what's got you here? Lyne's not the type of town that generally gets many visitors."
"Oh, you know, just traveling. Enjoying the sights, seeing what Vale's got to offer." Yang picked an ice cube from her glass and tossed it into her mouth, crunching loudly as she chewed.
"You've been here a while, huh? Swore we saw you a few days ago when we arrived," Dee said.
"Well there were Grimm around. Kind of hard to go anywhere else with 'em hanging out," Yang drawled, smacking her lips and wrinkling her nose. Maybe she'd overdone it by chugging that last drink.
Jackass nodded and finally dragged over a seat for himself, the legs of the chair scraping loudly across the floor. He sat heavily, his drink sloshing out of the mug and staining the floor. He ignored it. "Sure, sure. Well you can rest easy now, we took care of them. No more scary monsters to terrify a fair maiden like you."
Yang giggled and waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, stop, you." No seriously, stop. If the liquor didn't make her throw up first, then all of the brownnosing and ass-kissing would.
"It's true though. Like we said it's rare we get to see a beauty like you." Dum sat himself and smiled. Propping his elbow against the table and his chin in his palm he chuckled. "Rarer still we see a Dimuran. Especially one so well to do."
Off to her right Yang heard the bartender cough meaningly. Her eyes drifted to the corners and she watched both girls scurry into the back kitchen, ushered in by another woman, probably the barkeep's wife. The old man looked away and quickly began to polish a glass, the same one he'd been working on for fifteen minutes.
Sighing to herself Yang leaned back in her chair, scratching at the black scales on her her cheek. Rolling her neck, she exposed more scales that ran down the length of it, disappearing under the earthy-toned, twin-tailed jacket that she wore. The leather girdle around her midsection crinkled, the red sash tied around it, and Yang flashed her sharp canines at the trio once more. "What can I say? I've had a good life." Face otherwise free of scales she beamed, eyes twinkling.
"To dress like that? I'd say so!" Jackass laughed, then flashed Yang a smile that made his blue eyes close a bit, making them harder to read. "Don't suppose you've paid for it with all your mercenary work?"
Dee and Dum had stopped smiling but Yang kept hers up for appearances. Grabbing another ice cube, she rolled it between her fingertips, melting a bit before she tossed it into her mouth. "Mercenary? Me? I'm just some girl," she said coyly. "What makes you think I do anything like that?"
"Well, you're a Magi for starters. And apparently a good one at that." Yang felt her smile wane, redoubling her efforts as Dee studied her. "Only natural someone with talent like you would take up work like that though. Fighting bandits, protecting caravans…"
"Killing Grimm," Dum added meaningfully. "Seems you're pretty good at that."
Yang clicked her tongue and pushed her foot against the floor, rocking back and forth. Tapping one finger on the table she let silence fall, eyes flickering over to the barkeeper again. The old man happened to look up at the right time and frowned, eyeing the trio before getting back to his work.
"You know, usually Hunters are called in to take care of Grimm." Jackass set his mace on the table, shaking it with the weight of his weapon alone. He smiled, running a hand back over his burnt-orange hair.
"What can I say…?" Yang shrugged and smiled playfully, pulling back one of her leather bracers. The metal plate sewn into it made it difficult to peel back but she managed, scratching at the sweaty skin beneath. "I'm wondering where you boys are hearing such tall tales about me though. I'm just some girl…"
"The villagers here, mostly. You put on quite a show killing those Grimm." Jackass grinned and waved his hand through the air. "You should see the looks on their faces when they talk about it. It's like they've never seen magic before!" He laughed and shook his head, finally taking a drink of his mug. Yang watched as he chugged a quarter in one go, holding up a hand when he offered to share.
"They're calling you all sorts of things, you know. The 'Girl on Fire', or 'The Fire Queen'." Were people really calling her that? She knew the townsfolk were grateful for what she'd done but they hadn't spoken a word about any weird nicknames. Then again, she was kind of avoiding them for that reason. "They've got all kinds of names for you, but there was one that really stuck," Jackass continued, pausing and tapping his chin. "Damn, what was it again…?"
"Wildfire, boss," Dum answered.
Yang couldn't keep herself smiling any longer. Rolling her tongue across her lips she busied herself with studying the grains of the table, all while feeling the trio's eyes on her. Letting her own gaze wander up she started to take stock of them. Jackass was the biggest and the only one wearing real armor: plate with chain, and leather, fingerless gloves. Dum had on some combination of leather and chain, which was better than nothing, but hardly as good as plate. Dee just wore leather and cloth, which made sense, she supposed, considering he used knives. Nice and quick, like an assassin. Or a fly.
The bartender was now at the far end of his workspace and watching them, hands empty. Yang smiled at the man, allowing her gaze to drift around the room. It wasn't a big place, the tavern. Maybe half a dozen tables with nowhere near enough chairs, a dark wooden floor that showed its age, with numerous scrapes and stains. The walls were mostly barren, save for one or two paintings and a tapestry signifying the hold the town belonged to. A blue cloth with yellow inlay and set in the center were two vines flanking a barrel and a flagon. Vindemia, the hold, the city, and the noble family that ran it. Really lousy naming convention, she mused.
"Any plans for tonight, Wildfire?" Jackass made a point of using that name again, drawing Yang's eyes back to his. She smiled and shook her head, still rocking in her seat.
"No-pe," Yang answered, popping the 'p' loudly and grinning. "Why? You three looking for a good time? I'm a handful, but even I can't handle that much at once!"
"I'd be down to try it," Dum quipped, groaning as Jackass slapped the back of his head.
"Shut up, idiot!"
At least she knew who the leader of this three-ring circus was. Yang smiled disarmingly and leaned across the table, her fingertip tracing circles in the wood. Mirroring Dum's posture earlier she giggled, resting her chin in her palm. "So, you want to tell me what this is about?"
Jackass placed a hand over his mace, not lifting it, and smiled back. "I think you know. Only question left is how you want to do this."
Yang couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes. The only way that could have been any worse was if he'd asked if she wanted to 'do this the easy way, or the hard way'. Heh, hard way. She was blaming the liquor for that one. "Awww… Come on buddy, we were getting along so well! Are you sure we can't just be friends? This is so sudden…"
"You could take us seriously, you know," Dee snarled.
"Oh honey, I am taking this seriously!" Yang beamed and leaned back in her seat, throwing her arms out to her sides with a laugh. "This is a pretty nice place, and I'm sad I'm going to be breaking it!"
Jackass grabbed his weapon, Dee drew his. Before Dum could even consider it Yang grabbed the table and flipped it, throwing it at the trio and jumping to her feet. A mace smashed into the table and cracked it, liquid and pieces of wood into the air. Yang darted around and grabbed Dee around his waist, driving and slamming him into another table. His spine crashed into the corner and Yang grinned hearing his daggers clatter to the floor, letting him join the blades and grabbing a chair. Dum's sword was caught between the legs and she twisted, wrenching the weapon free and kicking him right between the legs. She'd feel sympathy pain if she didn't think he was a total jackass.
No wait, he was Dum. There's Jackass! And there's a mace! Yang ducked and jumped away, whistling as another table had its life cut short. Then again, the tables looked about as aged as the floor, so… Retirement? The leader of the Three Idiots was much more persistent than his subordinates, chasing Yang across the tavern with swings that would shatter bone like glass. If they ever connected. Yang laughed and egged the boy on, grinning as he shattered one of the glasses on their old table.
"Woah, that's one way to quit drinking!" The mace cracked a chair, dragging it and hurling the furniture across the room. Yang watched it break and whistled, scrambling from an overhead swing. "Aw, I really chair-ished that one!"
Dum and Dee gathered their weapons again and decided to join back in on the fun. Three on one might be an issue… If they had any coordination. The small space of the tavern, combined with Yang's tendency to dodge into blows, meant one of them couldn't attack without striking the other. Her bracers caught Dee's knives, pushing back and wincing as Dum nearly ran his friend through. Jackass pushed them both out of the way and heaved his mass at Yang's skull.
"Fight back already!"
"Nah!" Yang chortled as she wove between the trio, skipping away and winking as she turned and sat down in a chair. Grabbing one of their old drinks she sniffed at the liquid inside and gasped. "You like fruity drinks too? We're practically best friends now!"
Jackass fumed, his dopey face red as a tomato. Or… Maybe a cherry? It wasn't really the same shade as a tomato. "Argh! Get her, you idiots!" he yelled, slamming his mace against a table.
"Hey now, no need to get angry! Let's just Yang out!" She didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but when people were trying to gut you coming up with jokes was hard, even for her.
Dum lunged with his sword and Yang caught his arm between the bars of the chair. With a twist she wrenched his arm and made him drop his weapon, pulling him forward and headbutting the bridge of his nose. Blinking from the impact she smirked and kicked him, watching the sandy-haired swordsman topple backwards over a table. Dee somehow ended up behind her and her head whipped around, arm reaching back and catching a wrist. A dagger pin pricked her skin, the very tip pushing through the back of her coat. Yang winked and pushed him back, whipping a leg around and striking his chin. Dum left his feet, twisting before landing in a heap several feet away, face in the floor and ass comically stuck up.
"Got you!" Jackass roared, mace overhead, both hands on his weapon. The head of the weapon shattered floorboards, driving further down and striking the dirt below. Blue eyes widened, and he looked around for Yang, gagging as arms wrapped around his neck. Dropping his weapon and clawing at them he tried to shake her off, coughing as legs wrapped around his middle.
"Shhh, go to sleep, big guy!" Yang cooed, smiling as Jackass continued to thrash about. He began to backpedal, and Yang braced, grunting as he slammed her into the wall, again and again. Pain raced up her spine and she kept her grip, gritting her teeth when he drove her into a table. Hissing, she yelped as a hand grabbed her hair, pulling hard and nearly ripping it out of her skull.
Yang saw stars as his head slammed into hers, losing her grip and falling onto her ass. On reflex alone, she rolled to avoid his boot as it crashed down where her head had been, kicking out and knocking Jackass off his feet. On her own again she smiled and dancing between the balls of her feet, giving her head a shake and rolling her shoulders. "Alright, just man on man. Or… Woman on man." Yang made a face and raised her fists. "You know what I mean!"
"Oh my GODS, would you just shut up already?!"
Someone was angry. That was good. Yang grinned and winked, curling a finger. Jackass took the bait and charged her, completely forgetting the weapon laying just a few feet away. Like the mace before his fists could probably cause some serious damage. Testing the waters Yang let one strike her shoulder and gave an 'oof!' as she stumbled back. Her limb tingled and there would probably be a bruise later.
"I've had worse," Yang taunted, winking and raising her fists again. With the coordination of a drunken Ursa, Jackass came at her again. The armor he wore was heavy and could no doubt protect him from plenty of weapons. In a fistfight though? All it did was slow him down. Weaving between strikes Yang smirked and flattened her hand, slamming its heel into Jackass' jaw, splitting his lip. He spit blood out before redoubling his efforts, an axe-swing missing completely.
Yang rolled her wrist before connecting with a jab to his jaw, grinning as his head snapped to the side with satisfying results. She followed up again with another, stepping closer as he stumbled back. Another wide punch was punished, a jab to the exposed chest just below the breastplate. Her bracer caught another punch, brushing it aside and trading one of her own, probably breaking the poor guy's nose. As he reeled back Yang grabbed his collar and held him up, another punch spilling fresh blood from his split lip. She shook her hand and watched Jackass reel, eyes fluttering and hands at his sides. With a small smile she let him go, blowing on him for extra measure and watching as he fell like a tree, slamming into the floor.
Neither Dum nor Dee had moved from earlier, and Jackass was too busy trying not to see double to bother her anymore. Satisfied, Yang went to their table and glanced at her reddened knuckles. Not her blood, fortunately. Finding a bag, she dug through it, pulling out a spare tunic and using it to wipe herself down. Then, digging further she found a pouch of Lien, smiling as she approached the counter.
"Hey, how much for those drinks I got…?" Yang didn't get an answer and so she leaned over the counter. Poor old guy was sat on the floor and clutching a little knife, pale as a ghost. Clicking her tongue loudly she smiled when he noticed her, waving and backing up when he stood, weapon held out. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know what we owe for the drinks," she explained, glancing back and wincing seeing the two shattered tables, and three broken chairs. "And… For repairs…"
The old man blinked and finally seemed to notice the damage, lowering his knife which Yang realized wouldn't be good for much beside spreading butter. "Uh… The d-drinks…?"
Right… Yang sighed and set the entire pouch of Lien on the table, smiling apologetically. "Just take this, I'm sure there's enough in there. And if not…" She paused and dug into her coat pockets, fishing around before producing a few more Lien. "That should cover it all and then some. Sorry about the place!"
A moment passed where Yang and the barkeeper stared at one another, the former smiling, the latter looking about ready to lay bricks. Finally, he calmed down and looked at the money before him, carefully gathering it together and counting it. His eyes widened at the sum, looking up and seeing Yang fishing through the trio's belongings again. "This is… Y-You're sure…"
Yang was half listening, only realizing she was spoken to after a few seconds. "Huh? Oh, yeah, all yours, pops! Considerin' they started this I think it's only fair they pay to fix it!" Clicking her tongue, she grabbed the bag from the bottom and emptied its contents out across the table, scanning over the items.
A compass, a map that was now stained after being set in a puddle of alcohol, oops. There was a roll of bandages, some kind of foodstuffs wrapped in paper and bound by string. Yang grinned and pocketed that, patting it for safekeeping and browsing whatever else was of use. A canteen which, after sniffing at it, had nothing but water. She had one of those and without backwash. Pass. A knife that needed some sharpening, its leather grip worn and beginning to unfurl. A few other odds and ends that were of no significance passed her by and she was about to write off the bag as a bust until a rolled-up parchment caught her eye.
Sure, she could only make out the letters 'ed' on the edge but combined with what was obviously a sketch and some number, it didn't take a genius to figure out what it was. Yang rolled the paper open and whistled seeing the image inside. It was a… Reasonably accurate picture of her, though she didn't scowl like that, did she? It made her look so… Angry. Frowning as she examined the drawing she stepped over Dum, ignoring Dee as he groaned, and stood over Jackass as he was beginning to come to.
"Hey, where'd you get this…?" Yang showed the poster and leaned over, practically shoving it in Jackass' face. He groaned before coughing, covering the paper in spittle and blood. Grimacing, Yang dropped it on his face and left it there. "Fine, don't answer. I've got a good idea anyways."
Her own belongings somehow managed not to end up damaged in the brawl. A worn leather bag with frayed drawstrings sat right beside her chair where she'd left it, and after accounting for everything Yang slipped her pilfered meal inside, tossing it over one shoulder with a smile. "Sorry about the place again, sir! And uh…" Yang glanced at the three men strewn about on the floor, chuckling as she scratched her cheek with one finger. "Maybe just… Call the guard? Tell 'em they got into a fight or somethin'?"
However, the barkeep decided to handle things was his prerogative, Yang wouldn't be around for much longer anyways. By the time the two barmaids and the barkeep's wife emerged from the back room they were surprised to find the Bumbling Boobs - that was Yang's latest name for them, bound together and sat in the middle of the room. She'd have left a note with them but the old man served just as well to pass along a message. It wasn't the most eloquent or appropriate message, and the elderly owner flushed when he repeated his words to the three girls.
"Pretty sure I broke one of their dicks…" the barkeep recited, grimacing as the three girls looked on in shock. "You won't have to worry about them harassing you anymore."
/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/+/
A few things sucked about being on the run. For starters it was murder on the feet! Occasionally when she had the Lien for it Yang could charter a carriage and ride it some good ways, inevitably hopping off before reaching her destination; guards might recognize her meaning the only way to get into towns was usually to sneak in. Usually though she just had to suck it up and walk everywhere.
Then there was the whole issue about never knowing exactly where she'd sleep. After the scene she'd caused last night at the tavern, a scene she'd argue the three idiots had started, returning to the inn probably wasn't a safe bet. Instead she'd gone to the stables, found an empty bit of hay that didn't reek of horse piss and passed out.
Sleeping on hay was rough. Yang woke with more aches than she'd gone to bed with and slivers of hay poking into places she'd never wanted it. After rubbing sleep from her eyes, she took stock of exactly where she'd ended up. Between her lack of food, the alcohol and general fatigue she scarcely remembered entering the barn. And it was a barn, not just stables. Glancing around at the red walls she groaned and crawled to the edge of the loft… Which somehow in her drunken stupor last night she'd managed to climb into.
Below her a young boy was busy putting out feed for animals. He was oblivious, thankfully, as was his sister who came bounding in afterwards. Yang watched with mild interest as the pair chatted animatedly, giggling and joking as they went about their morning routine. The boy's blonde hair was messy, still bedhead, and his white wool shirt already sported a number of stains. His sister's blue gown fared a little better and her auburn hair was tied back, braided into a ponytail. The pang of familiarity struck when the boy, in his dorky, prepubescent voice, thanked his sister and hugged her before racing out of the building. The girl lingered only a moment longer before following suit, having finished feeding the animals.
"Sis, huh…?" Yang smiled ruefully and waited, letting the minutes tick by. When she was certain no one else was around she climbed down, cringing as the ladder creaked and groaned with each step. Feet back on solid ground she raised her arms and popped her back, stretching before grinning as a horse whinnied at her.
"Woah, easy girl…" she cooed, walking over and slowly reaching out. The brown and black-speckled mare stomped its feet and shook its head, though settled once she began to stroke its mane. Noticing something between the animal's legs Yang sputtered, looking away and stifling her own laughter. "Nevermind! Easy there, boy!" Guy? Man? What should she call it?
As much fun as a petting zoo might have been it would only be a matter of time until the kids came back. Yang pat the stallion's head - not a mare and smiled before heading for the door. It was just a stereotypical barn with red walls and white trim, and boy did it reek of animals. No doubt she smelled awful too, though being inside with them it was hard to say what stunk more: her or them.
Yang eased open the door and peeked out, drawing her hood back up. A dirt road led from a single-story farmhouse to the barn, and further beyond the house she could make out a glowing golden field. Wheat, which probably meant fresh bread, which also meant other food. Yang's stomach growled, and she wiped drool away on the back of her hand, making a mental note of the stolen food sitting snugly in her bag. Not yet, little friend. Your time will come.
The kids were stood on the porch and talking with someone just inside. Giving it a moment's hesitation Yang sprinted from the barn, feet kicking up clouds of dust as they slapped into dirt. The edge of the forest rushed to greet her like an overexcited in-law and she jumped over a fallen log, lowering her head as a low branch dragged across her hood, scraping against cloth. If anyone had seen her she was already long gone, and within moments the barn and any sight of it was well behind her.
Much to Yang's chagrin it wasn't just the barn that had stunk. After slowing down she took a moment to sniff herself and pluck strands of straw from her clothing. She itched, badly, and there was a dampness on one of her pant legs that she knew hadn't been there the night before. Not urine, hopefully. She'd made sure to find clean hay to sleep on. Well… She was pretty sure she had!
Fortunately for her Lyne wasn't terribly far away from a river, and not fifteen minutes after leaving the barn did Yang find it. The crunch of leaves and twigs under her feet was replaced by the rush of water. It was loud, much louder than any simple currents. As Yang drew closer she felt a thin film of water striking her face, eyes widening along with a smile as she realized where the sound, and spray was coming from.
Early morning sun struck the water's surface and made it shine like… Shiny things. She wasn't poetic, get off her back. Yang stopped just inside the tree line and toed the sodden shore, allowing herself some time to simply take in the sights. Reeds and cattails grew along the water's edge, the plants tall and vibrant. Though the ground immediately alongside the water was dark the water itself was clear as a blue, cloudless sky. Mossy rocks dotted the river, poking up and breaking up the surface.
Off to the right was the waterfall itself, not terribly large as Yang could see blades of grass sprouting from the ground above. The falling water had carved into stone and earth alike, slapping loud as thunder against the rocks and settled water beneath it, kicking up white foam and forming a small rainbow that shimmered whenever spurts struck it.
Yang's boots sank into the sodden earth as she moved towards the waterfall, reaching out and running her fingers along cold, mossy stone. Her fingertips sank into the soft growth, water leaking out and dribbling down her hand. With a smile she shook it off and chuckled as spray lapped at her face, stepping back and wiping herself with her sleeve.
She stunk like hell and needed a bath badly. In lieu of using an actual bathhouse - another downside to being on the run, it wouldn't get much better than this. Finding a low tree branch nearby she began to strip down, unabashed in the absence of anyone else. First, she removed her coat, inspecting the long garment for any serious tears. The brown cloth, interior fixed with thin leather, was in one piece. She held the coat by the hood, using her fingers to inspect it, finding the spot where Dee...Dum, the idiot with the knives had tried to stick her last night. Not a bad tear, one she could easily ignore.
Her fingers crested the orange trim that lined the entire piece, plucking a strand or two of hay from the yellow drawstrings used to fix her hood. It was a sleeveless piece which saved her having to inspect those for any bits of hay. Her pockets were free of it too, and after draping it over the branch she set her girdle and sash with it. Next came the yellow corset, and after untying the article she simply shook it out and set it with the others.
Yang took a moment and carefully inspected herself for injuries. Twisting and feeling her back she was relieved that the dagger had managed to pierce her skin, barely, and amounted to little more than a miniscule nick. Her fingers coasted over her hips, tracing the black scales that covered them and acted as a natural armor. She followed it where they circled around to her spine and rose up along it, like a sheath to a blade. Nothing on her back. Her arms were devoid of injuries as well, her forearms a bit red from where the bracers had been bound, but fine besides. Black scales on the back of her hands itched and she relieved them with a sigh.
No wounds on her stomach, not where her black scales stretched just below her navel and met with the patches on her hips, or where more still covered the sides of her chest. Yang reached up and cleared her dry throat, rubbing at her neck, her palm grazing against the blackened ridges on the sides and her shoulders. With how sparsely the scales were distributed across her body she almost looked Muran. Paid to be half and half!
Rolling her neck she leaned over, removing her brown leather thigh boots with black leggings that reached just above the knee. Purple cloth wrapped around the boots to bind leather shin guards in place and she undid those last. Stepping out of her boots, the last thing she removed were her black shorts and pantalettes, laying both across a nearby dry rock.
With her feet sinking into muddy earth Yang padded over to the water, reaching out and gasping. It was cold and prickled at her skin, chasing away any lingering slumber. Turning her hands over she cupped them together and caught falling water, greedily sipping at it a few times until her thirst was quenched. Satisfied, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, walking into the falling water and immediately regretting it.
"F-Fuck!" Despite being midsummer it felt like she'd fallen through ice on a lake and taken a plunge. Yang's muscles tensed and she nearly scrambled out for warmth, forcing herself to remain even as she shivered. Folding her arms under her breasts she closed her eyes, channeling her magic and waiting for warmth. For a long while she stood shivering while water hammered down upon and around her, the sound deafening. Up to her waist she stood, teeth chattering until at long last her magic kicked in.
Almost instantly the water hissed as it struck her, then slowly began to turn to steam. The water below which rose up to her waist began to bubble and hiss too, the sound almost loud as the gallons upon gallons crashing around her. Yang let her magic run its course and when she stopped she'd warmed up to the point she had begun to sweat. In comparison to earlier the water now felt heavenly, and with a relieved sigh she began to clean herself off, singing off-key all the while.
Had the water actually been warm she would have kept herself under longer. As soon as the shivers began to return, and any semblance of comfort fled Yang decided she had enough, splashing and squealing as the cold chased her from her respite. Blonde hair, now sodden, clung to her shoulders and back, bangs covering her eyes. Yang brushed them back as she stomped out and onto dry land, taking a hop and a skip to avoid sinking into mud and dirtying herself once again.
When people thought of fire magic they usually assumed one of two things: big fireballs or… No, that was pretty much it. Most of the folks Yang had met were always amazed whenever she did anything other than just hurl flames. Sure, that was the simplest use, but there were others, and turning herself into a heat source was among her favorite. Yang grinned as a familiar warmth washed over her, starting at her stomach and slowly spreading. Heat reached her chest and breaths became less strained. Feeling returned to her toes and feet as the fire licked its way across her skin, color returning along with it. Finally, Yang's face regained its usual radiance, her wide grin accompanying it.
"Nothing like a good bath to feel like a new woman!" Leaning over she wrung her hair out carefully, always certain not to make too many knots. She couldn't use her magic on her hair, not without frizzing it or, gods forbid, burning it. So, she'd have to wait for it to dry naturally. Satisfied that the rest of her body was dry enough though she grabbed everything but her corset and coat, sliding on her pantalettes and shorts, then her leggings and finally her boots. Flipping her hair over her shoulder she fetched her bag, digging through and finding the wrapped food.
"What do we have here…?" With all the excitement of a child on their birthday she unwrapped her ill-gotten gift, lilac shining excitedly as she was greeted with a telling scent. As soon as she saw marbled beef inside, fresh from Lyne, she knew she'd hit the jackpot. She also knew the boys would be extra pissed when they realized she'd stolen some of their stuff, but tough luck. "Snooze ya lose," Yang snickered.
What else was totally awesome about fire magic? Not needing to make a fire to cook! Yang sat down on a nearby rock and held the piece in her palms, channeling another spell and giggling while the piece began to brown before her eyes. Turning it over and repeating the process she easily ignored the heat of the steak, licking her lips and wiggling in anticipation. Once she was positive the beef was cooked enough she tore into it without a second's hesitation, sharp teeth making short work of it. The food melted in her mouth and Yang groaned; she'd be eating a squirrel right now if not for this. Best. Breakfast. Ever.
Despite wanting to inhale the beef Yang took her time with it, humming as she chewed each savory mouthful. A saltiness to the meat told her it had been cured and judging by just how tender it was she wagered the animal slaughtered hadn't been too old at all. Before she knew it she'd devoured the entire piece, whining and licking her palms clean, wishing for more. She had some preserved fruit and nuts she'd found in her bag, but it was best to save those for a pinch, meaning breakfast was officially over. After washing her hands in the river and refilling her canteen she deemed her hair dry enough, sliding her corset, coat, girdle and sash back on, in that order.
The waterfall continued to roar nearby, a larger rainbow forming closer to the point where water made a leap of faith to the river below. The sun was higher now and coated the forest around her in brilliant sunshine, reflecting off leaves and stone, saturating the already vibrant landscape around her. Yang hummed and padded over to a nearby rosebush, plucking one and avoiding the thorns carefully, lifting and giving it a sniff.
Rose, huh? I get it, universe, I get it. Yang smiled ruefully and looked at the flower, watching as flames began to dance up its stem. Brilliant red petals wilted and darkened, curling in on themselves as fire stole what little life remained in the plant. With a somber sigh Yang threw the burning flower into the river and watched as the stream carried it before disappearing beneath the surface.
First the siblings in the barn, then a rose bush. The only way the universe could be any more obvious was if Ruby herself suddenly appeared and said "Hey, remember me?" Yang turned around and smiled, half expecting to find her little sister standing there. A frog croaked, blissfully unaware as black eyes stared back at Yang, chest swelling.
"Yeah, I didn't think she'd be there either," Yang chuckled sadly, running a hand through her damp locks. Watching as the frog hopped away and dove into the water she took it as her sign to get moving on again, finding no reason to linger by the waterfall, no matter how pretty it might be.
With her bracers back on and her bag slung over her shoulder Yang spared one final glance at the waterfall, noticing how water seemed to fork at the top. She hadn't realized it before, but something was protruding from the river above, disrupting the flow until it rejoined as it fell to the earth below. Curious, she circled around and found a slight incline where the ground rose up, using trees to help haul herself along. The river continued ahead and she spared it a passing glance, taking a gander at what was obstructing the water.
Just a log. Not even the most interesting log in Remnant, just a stinkin' old log. Yang stared at the piece of wood, a branch sticking up, the source of disruption, before bursting out into laughter. The sudden loud noise startled a bluebird nearby and it took off from its perch, a streak of sky vanishing among the leaves.
How sad had her life gotten that she was curious enough to look at a log? How sad was it that she now looked forward to bounty hunters, if for no reason other than to have someone to talk to? Pretty sad, if you asked her. Yet with how sad it was Yang continued to laugh, chest and shoulders trembling as she made her way back down the hill, moving away from Lyne.
On her way down an old, abandoned path Yang slowed to a stop. Tears that had been threatening had long since dried up and the hollow sadness turned into ambivalence. Smacking her cheeks, she nodded, forcing ambivalence to shift into happiness, then molding that like wet clay into enthusiasm. "Onto the next adventure!" she declared boldly to no one, breaking into a brisk jog.
Look out, Remnant. Yang Xiao Long is on the move again!
Oh Yang... I was torn between how to introduce her, but a bar fight against some wonderful people just seemed to be the way to go. And if it didn't come across in the writing, which it might have because I purposefully omitted their names:
Jackass = Cardin, Dum = Dove, and Dee = Russel. 3/4s of team CRDL, relegated to fodder for Yang's introduction. I think they deserve at least that much!
As an aside I do want to mention that Yang's outfit isn't just heavily inspired by, but very much reflective of Mikururun's RPG AU of Yang, which can be found on her Twitter. And as someone mentioned before, yes, Weiss' image IS inspired by the Skyrim mage robes!
Another new perspective coming up next chapter. Stay tuned to find out who!