[backdated to late 7/20] it's my party and I'll cry if I want to

[usedflareblitz]

((OOC: content warning for drinking, additional angst, and spoilers. opt-out is yonder.

EDIT: general catch-all for the month of July, its events, for the entire RWBY cast (minus Ruby herself) is over here if you prefer an action thread that isn't. well. this mess :V ))


[ did people know Yang could sing? she's not halfway bad, but the clarity is diminished by the rasp of her voice, and something else that dulled the edge of her tone. the former has to do with the redness of her eyes and the matching dark circles beneath them. the latter's cause is more obvious: five empty bottles of beer placed neatly back in the cardboard holder beside her on the park bench.

it could just be Yang's choice of song, too. it started out optimistic, but did not carry that mood throughout the entire piece. by the end Yang sounds more tired than she's ever been, and raises her remaining half-empty bottle toward the night sky. her tone is bitter. her words slurred slightly. ]

To Penny... may she wake up from her coma with some good memories for once. If anyone deserves some, it's her.

[ one drink from the bottle. another toast into the air. ] To Ruby, who's ... gone on her way to Haven or somewhere by now. Probably.

[ one last drink. one last toast. this is the part where good kids should be in bed (or at least turn off the broadcast). ] And to me! Happy fucking birthday, Yang "Danger" Xiao Long.

[ Yang finishes the bottle, glares at it in disappointment, then almost drops it, but her new Houndoom takes it in his mouth at the last moment to save it from a grizzly fate. ] Huh? Oh. Thanks Drei. You're a good dog. [ she tries to reach out with her right hand to pat him on the snout except... there's no arm to do that with. one futile wriggle of her stump, hidden safe from view behind the tied off sleeve of her top, left Yang frowning. ] Who'm I kidding. The only person I'm a danger to is myself.

Comments

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[cardboard_boss]

[Damn, she seemed drunk. The kid who seemed shy when they first spoke over the network a few weeks back.]

You ok, kid? You don't seem so happy on your birthday.

[usedflareblitz]

[ Yang laughs, with a little snort in there. ] Oh yeah, sure, I'm fine soldier. Nothin' to see here. Just missing a cake for me to faceplant into 's all.

[cardboard_boss]

[He can see you're not fine. He's just making conversation is all.]

Missing an arm isn't an easy thing to get used to. [He panned the camera down to show her his prosthetic. Had she seen it before? He couldn't remember.]

Couldn't help but notice you got a Houndoom too. My friend Kaz has one of those. Yours bite too?

[usedflareblitz]

Yeah. Everyone keeps saying that. [ guy must have a short term memory because, yes, she did ask about it before but didn't try to make it too obvious. hers is back in her room. under her bed. the fact it was even in her proximity was a start toward actually giving it a try but she wasn't at that point yet. ]

Huh? Uh... no, he's mine now but 've never seen him bite my sis before. [ honestly the dog is exhibiting more symptoms of concern than anything else. he misses Ruby too; just can't get through to Yang about it. ]

[cardboard_boss]

[His memory isn't that great at times since he's got a piece of shrapnel sticking into his brain. Occupational hazard.]

Got a friend who's got one that is vicious as hell. Keeps biting everyone. Must be a feral Pokémon who doesn't like humans.

[Havoc, Kaz's Houndour, was lethal.]

It'll get easier you know. The arm. [His eye went to where her stump was.] Ever tried getting a prosthetic? This place fitted Kaz up with a leg and an arm when he got pulled here.

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[thatwasours]

[he almost passes the network post by, because it's awkward and uncomfortable to watch a complete stranger drunk and seemingly mourning, but... he recognizes the phantom gesture for what it is. it's too familiar a feeling to not say anything.]

Did you write that?

[usedflareblitz]

[ she shook her head. ] Nah. It's... Summer's. Mom's.

[thatwasours]

She was talented, then.

[a long moment of silence. god, what does he say.]

[screw it.]

The arm... is it recent?

[usedflareblitz]

[ wistfully. with the saddest smile ever. ] She was the best.

[ oh, we're talking about the arm now? Yang shot a look down at the knot in the shirt, then looked away. ] ...couple months. Give or take. Time— [ she gestures to her head. ] It's still fuzzy.

[thatwasours]

...you get used to it.

For what that's worth.

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[bent_the_world]

[Oh, no. Korra knows that mood. Not entirely, but friend in a coma? Friend gone home? Yeah. She gets it.]

Hey...

Is there anything I can do? Um. Where are you?

[Because Korra will pop over from Mahogany to make sure Yang doesn't drink herself into a coma, gladly.]

[usedflareblitz]

[ oh. great. of all the cool and tough people Yang's met in her time here (especially after seeing what she could do with her powers) here is one she didn't particularly want to look weak and pathetic in front of. she had been holding back when they last spoke, but now the cat was out of the proverbial bag.

Yang gestured to the area around her. ] Goldenrod uh, ... A park. I think. I just kinda... started walking. Didn't wanna go home. [ because she knew her remaining teammates would be worried to death and she doesn't need THAT right now either. she doesn't get a choice ]

But nah. I'm good. 'less you got a way to get a refill. I don't think I can sweet talk my way into another six pack. [ she says with a goofy waggle of her eyebrows. yeah, how she managed this in the first place is a mystery. ]

[bent_the_world]

....Do you really think you need anymore?

[The words are out before Korra can stop them. Maybe not the most sympathetic thing, but she really doesn't think Yang should be drinking any more. In a random park. Alone.]

A Goldenrod park? I've been to Goldenrod, yeah. Why don't you stay where you are and I'll bring you something else to drink?

[Like a sports drink or coffee or whatever else was supposed to help drunk people. And nobody should be alone going through something like this.]

[usedflareblitz]

[ if Yang was offended by the implication she'd had "too much", she just laughed. ] Hah! Probably not but. Hey. Can't hurt right? What's good 'nough for Qrow's good enough for his niece.

[ someone really needs to have a talk with Yang about her choice of role models. ]

S'where I've been for months. Where I'll probably stay the rest of my miserable little "vacation" here. [ Yang had no intention of leaving the city; hell she could barely get out of her room these days without usually something to motivate her to do so. motivation was hard to come by these days.

...was there a question in there? shit, there was. Yang squints at the 'Gear briefly. ] You can do whateeever you like. I'm not 'xactly going anywhere.

[bent_the_world]

That sounds like logic, but I don't think it is. And it'll hurt in the morning. A lot.

[Korra's already getting herself together to zip back to Goldenrod.]

Don't say that. There's tons of world to explore. When you're not feeling awful. You can come visit me in Mahogany.

So...what's this park you're in near?

[Goldenrod's pretty big, there's more than one park.]

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[pipers_son]

[Joker doesn't really know this lass, but he knows worrying intoxication- totally not because he's been there himself or anything, noooooo.]

Got anyone with ya over there ta celebrate yer birthday?

[usedflareblitz]

Naah. They don't party like I do. I don't need aaaanyone here 'cept my new trusty friend, Drei. [ Yang chuckled and reached over to pay Drei roughly on the head. the black dog gave a distinct "help me" or perhaps "help HER" look at the camera. ]

[pipers_son]

And how do ya party, exactly? Maybe I could give it a shot.

[Mostly because he is Concerned]

[usedflareblitz]

The way life's been goin' lately? Alone. [ ha ha it's funny because it's sad, and accurate. ]

[pipers_son]

Don’t sound like much of a party. Mind if I join ya? And see if I can liven it up?

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[usedglaciate]

...where are you?

[For once, Weiss isn't going to say more than that.]

[usedflareblitz]

[ Yang stiffens up somewhat, and turns to the Houndoom. ] Uh-oh, Drei. I think I just heard the fun police.

[ a pause, then she finally turns away from her new acquisition to address the device directly. ] Wait, no, you're the Dibs Police<. And it's a little too late to claim a bottle for yourself so... get yer own!

[ boy, if Weiss thought Yang could be difficult before all this... ]

[usedglaciate]

[Weiss is just going to stare into the camera.]

If you don't sober up enough to answer one way or another, I'm going to have to call the real police to drag you back home. You don't want me to do that.

[usedflareblitz]

[ Yang glares right back. ] ...you wouldn't.

[usedglaciate]

I would and I will.

[She's not going to back down that easily.]