victory_road | [ OPEN ] I have my own version of vital signs

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[ OPEN ] I have my own version of vital signs

Who: Yang Xiao Long & others!
What: largely listless loitering
Where: Goldenrod City
When: prompts start on 6/1, extending into the weekend
Warnings: during the transfer from R29, Yang was given a canon update. she is now a walking spoiler for the end of Volume 3 of RWBY. as a result certain uncomfortable topics that may arise in dealing with her. I have an opt-out post which extends past just replying to this log. I'd appreciate it if you took a look there before replying at least to brace yourself. castmate threads will be especially difficult, so stalk those at your own risk!

(A) 6/1 - Yang's old job
[ This diner in Goldenrod was a unique attraction. Most of its table space was situated outdoors. Service came not just with a smile, but with the added excitement of servers zipping around on skates. Summer was just around the bend, so business was picking up, and the manager was quite pleased to see Yang come in. Having her skates already in-hand, she manager was hopeful that Yang was here to start her lunch shift early. It's too bad the only reason Yang was here was to turn in her skates. As soon as that bad news was delivered, the blonde girl walked right back out without even considering placing an order for her favorite sandwich...

After Yang cleared the front doors her weary eyes scanned her surroundings. Despite the warmer weather, she was in her trainer outfit's red jacket. That wasn't odd compared to what was going on with her right sleeve. Yang's right hand was nowhere to be seen, and the fabric of the coat flapped loosely as she moved, starting at a point above her right elbow.

Yang marched right up to the nearest person and brought up her gloved left hand. In her right grip were the laces from which a pair of purple roller skates dangled. As if it was the catch of the day or something. ]

Hey. Can you take these off my ha—? [ Yang winced and tried that phrasing anew. ] Do you want them...? Or else I'm just going to throw them away.

((OOC: only one person can claim the lone pair of skates; preferably in the subject line if you're reasonably sure it would happen! others can tag in this prompt if they would refuse her offer outright.))

(B) 6/1 - outside and around town
[ With that business out of the way, Yang was free to wander aimlessly. Sometimes she stopped in front of the window of a business to check out the help wanted ads. Most times she would be there for a whole two seconds before turning away, either wearing a frown or outright scowling. One would think there would be something she can still do around here...

Other times, she can be seen walking alongside her tall and fluffy Arcanine. Growly was feeling more protective than usual, even going so far as to intercept anyone she did not recognize the scent of, should they come up to Yang. Or, if Yang was about to run blindly into someone, Growly would step in between so that Yang ended up with a face full of fluff and confusion. ]

(C) 6/3 - a park
[ Despite better judgement, Yang made a halfhearted attempt to play catch with her Pokémon. They were all tired of being cooped up, or so Yang believed, but they were not satisfied with romping about freely in such nice weather. It took some coaxing to get Yang to grab a stick and blindly throw it but... she's not left-handed. She had no way to control where the stick ended up with such lack of attention given to it.

It could end up on someone's picnic basket. Their blanket. The bush behind them. Hitting their Pokémon on their side. Hitting them on the head. No matter the outcome, Yang will jog on after it, looking and sounding thorough apologetic with a hint of underlying anger. ]

Damn, I'm sorry. I ... didn't watch where I threw that.

Are you okay?

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[So many people are out working, clearing roads, and Ashley's...

Called in sick to her job at the bookstore, sitting on a bench instead. Watching her Phantump rush around in the sunlight, running a hand up and down the fur of her Slyveon, curled up beside her. Looking like she hasn't slept well lately.

Frankly she's also incredibly spacey, not focusing really on what said Phantump's doing- until she lets out a little Phaaaan! gasp, as that is most definitely the target that stick found! Ashley blinks and snaps herself out of whatever daze she's wandered into, slowly standing and remembering she's outside, right.]

Huh? Uh... [It's Yang. She hasn't seen much of anyone the last few days, honestly? Since they all awoke- so she hasn't really seen the RWPY crew around, or taken note of any changes in their demeanor.] It's... It's fine. Samara's...grass, anyway.

[Tump! A slight protest, but it seems all's forgiven. Samara the Phantump attaches herself to Ashley's leg and the girl doesn't even yelp, strangely enough.]

No harm done.

Mm. Good. [ The guilt is a dull ache, compared to everything else, but it's still there. At least Yang doesn't overreact.

Her Arcanine pads up after her, ducking her head down low to sniff at the stick. Yang crouches and picks it up. Rather than throw it this time, she just turns it toward her huge fire dog who takes it in her maw and pads off.

It leaves Yang crouching there, giving the odd stump-ghost thing an apologetic look. ] ...sorry again.

[ At least it didn't hit her friend. It feels like she hasn't seen Ashley in a long time, even though she knows that isn't true by this world's calendar. She's just ... sort of speechless. ]

No, it... It's alright. Uh. [It takes Ashley a second longer than it should to realize something's off with Yang; sue her, she's a bit wrapped up in herself right now, admittedly. With a mental click-click-click it all sets in, though.

She'd seen Yang around at prom...she thinks. Everything's a little hazy, besides some key standout moments. But a flash of yellow hair, a smile...she can recall maybe seeing that. This is completely different. Emotionally, and...physically. The way she carries herself, the way...]

...What happened...?

[Her eyes drift to Yang's right arm. What's going on there?]

[ Yang glanced up at the question. The instant the direction of Ashley's gaze registers to her, Yang's mind begins screaming.

What happened? WHAT HAPPENED?! I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED!

She clams up tight, her whole body tense. Yang averts her eyes. Hey, the ground looks kind of interesting today. Is that a patch of dirt? Wow. It's a good thing she's at a convenient angle to enjoy the view down here without having to put in much effort. She... probably didn't have to sink to her knees, but you know, it's whatever.

This is fine. ] It— We went home. Somehow. [ It's not fine. The way her voice wavers makes that clear. ]

[To be honest, the fact of what is wrong with Yang's arm hadn't hit Ashley when she asked that. Emotionally, that's what she was trying to get across-- But expressing that accurately right now? Yeah, fat chance.

It's only when Yang sinks to the ground that she realizes...just how much of a mistake she's made, in her question. In her phrasing. In any of this. Her Phantump mumbles in concern as Ashley sinks down to the ground too. Can she touch her? No, that probably wouldn't help. Her hands, therefore, just hang in the air, useless.]

I-it...went really bad... But I just... I saw all of you a few days ago. [Eyes wide. Takes just a night for everything to go wrong, doesn't it?]

[ In truth, her movement had as much to do with the weight of sorrow bearing down on her at having her weakness pointed out as it did at having her sense of balance compromised. It's more than a little difficult to stand up from a crouch with one arm gone and the other weakened from a lack of use. All those months of time she put in at the gym while here the "last time" were completely useless now. ]

It's ... been a month, for me. For us. [ Yang paused to shake her head, making a face at that she was saying. That was wrong, but it also wasn't. ] Not for Penny. She didn't ... see what happened.

[ Tears were welling up in her eyes but she didn't sound sad, just. Resigned to this last bit on truth. It was something she had given up struggling with the knowledge of weeks ago. ] The one who saw, left.

[What should she do? Who should she call to help, she doesn't know what to do on her own.]

Th- the one who... Oh no. Do you mean- Ruby, or Weiss, did they...not come back? Is that...?

[That's what she assumes; she wasn't aware of anyone else they knew on the moon...and besides, that's all a little hazy...and focused around a few people, for her.]

They— [ Yang squeezed her eyes shut, hard enough to almost see stars. Then she shook her head swiftly. ] No. No, my memory's. It's... jumbled.

[ She finally looked over at Ashley with the look of someone who hasn't seen her in ages. Or has seen a ghost. ] You. I just saw you, like what, a week ago...?

But I was also gone. Gone for a long while. [ She mashed her hand hard against her temple. ] Does that even make sense?

I... [This is strange. Beyond strange. But it's kind of par for the course here, isn't it? With everything...] ...it does. I... Dave could probably explain it. Time...something, he's good with that.

[Good old dependable Dave.]

Did you... Did you remember anything from here, when you... [She bites her lip.] Probably not, huh? So- who were you talking about? If...Ruby and Weiss are still around, then...

[ There is choked sound; half laugh, half sob. ] If I could have remembered, do you think I would've let this happen to us?! [ It isn't Ashley's fault. Presumably, no one told the girl what was happened back home; had happened; was going to happen. No one in their right mind would've involved any outsiders. They couldn't do anything about it, couldn't process it, couldn't grasp the concept.

Yang doesn't think it's funny, but her bitterness and anger certainly do. ] I was talking my partner—

[ She sneered and dropped her head. ] My ex-partner.

[She had no idea. She knew something happened, they had to get back to something, but no one wants to broadcast what they've been through, what's waiting for them, so it's only natural. Regardless, that noise, it's all Ashley needs to place a shaking hand on Yang's shoulder. ...Left shoulder.]

The other... The other member of your team? [She'd heard a little about Team RWBY. Just a little. Enough to glean that they were close, tight-knit.

Apparently, that's no longer the case.]

If you want to call it a team, sure. [ Yikes. Yang's respect for 2/3 of her other teammates has dwindled a lot by the events that occurred, and it's only by the saving grace of her memories of good times here and knowing that for Weiss's part things were out of control...

Those are the only elements that keep her going back to that hotel room at all and not just moving on. That and the fact that packing up her stuff and grabbing her Pokémon took a lot of energy and planning. Things she'd like to be capable of at a moment's notice, but just isn't.

Yang took a deep breath. ]

It's complicated. Here... we're still together here. [ A scoff. ] Except Blake. She showed up on the moon and there hasn't been a peep out of her since.

Probably on purpose this time. [ She murmured. ]

[Ashley winces. What happened...? Did one of them- was one of them responsible for Yang's arm? Just the thought of that closes up her throat and dries out her mouth.

She doesn't want the two of them to have something like this in common.]

You think...she's still here...and avoiding you?

[ Yang shrugged her right shoulder. ] Could be.

[ Then she dropped her head again and this time instead of the expected cynicism, a deep sadness carries her words. Like she could stand to choke and drown on them. ] She's really good at running...

[Hearing Yang like this tightens Ashley's throat until she can hardly breathe. The girl who offered to help out when she just got here. The girl who was always looking forward to the next challenge. The girl who spoke so highly of her friends...

Ashley tries to swallow it all down, all the overwhelming sympathy pain. Such a sharp and terrible change. She squeezes, just slightly.]

Y-you know... A lot of people were on the moon that weren't here before. Most of them, they didn't...come back here with us. [Swallows down something else too. Something a bit more personal.] ...You know her better than me. But maybe...that's not the case.

I thought I knew her better than anyone on the team outside of my sister. Looks like I was wrong. [ Point for the guilt complex, there.

Ash made a good point though, and she finally looked up at her, confused. ] ...you're serious? I know a lotta people showed up there, but I figured I just haven't seen them because of travels.

You're saying their presence there was... was temporary?

[ THAT'S FUCKING NEWS TO HER, and also changes her attitude on a few things. ]

[Yang hadn't known... If only she could've been so lucky, Ashley thinks bitterly. Not knowing, maybe it would've made things easier.

She nods, solemn.] It's happened before, according to Dave. En mass appearances, and then they all just...vanish.

[A pause.]

Maybe not all of them...but I- ...two of my friends were up there. I tried for days to find them, or see if they reached out. They didn't.

[Saying it out loud leaves her mouth sour.]

Oh. [ Dave. No. She can't blame Dave for that. It's not realistic to depend on being forewarned on something like that. After all no one — especially those present this time — could have imagined it would follow up with developments like THIS.... or did someone know?

Yang could ask. Someone.

Like hell she would, though. ] I'm, uh. I'm sorry they didn't stay... [ Exhausted, frazzled, and everything else that Yang was right now, she found it impossible to be without sympathy. That's always her way; focus on everyone else's problems and push hers aside, push down down, hold them in.

She can handle herself. ...

No, she can't. ] Did you.... have a good time with them?

Me too. It was a wonderful time. [She says, her words entirely clipped in a there is way more to that than am I saying way, but it doesn't fucking matter because she can't do a thing about it, so.

Ashley wets her lips and shakes her head gently.] Do you...need some help up? It might be better off the grass.

[ Normally, Yang would want all the juicy details, but right now she's numbed by that answer. It was a wonderful time. Past tense. Now all they're left with is.

This. ]

Huh? [ Yang looked down. When she did—? ] Uh, no. I... I think I got it. [ She pushed down with her hand, brought her knees down off the ground like an inch, then was down again. It's hard to say if it was just the effort required, or her balance, or mental fatigue, but it was clear that wasn't happening.

Deep breath, and a look back at Ash. ] Please?

[Without a word, Ashley stands and offers Yang a hand...and the other one, it moves to her right shoulder, to help steady her.

And, she's pretty down right now, but. Ash manages a small smile.]

What're friends for? [Just saying that hurts, with the flash of a crooked grin and a splash of blood in her mind's eye. But he's not here. And Yang is.]

[ And Yang obviously appreciates the gesture, even if the grunt of effort in getting to her feet sounded pained it was more for wounded pride. She manages something short of a smile. ]

Thanks. I don't... ask for help a lot. [ A short huff of breath. ] Guess I'd better get used to it. [ Or she can just. Stay inside. A lot. ]

[What to say to that? To any of this... While Ashley's deliberating, her Phantump just floats over and pats Yang on the leg. ...Comfortingly, so it seems. Thanks, Samara.]

I... Well, you have people here wh'll definitely offer it. Even if you don't. [Her sister. Her friends.]

[ Yang twitches, but only because she was so focused on herself and, to an extent, Ashley, that she completely forgot where she was, what she was doing, and who else was around. One quick glance down brings her out of that daze. ]

Oh. Yeah... [ There isn't much confidence there. Even if she's accepting it from Ash right now, in the immediate term, thinking about going to her teammates with her problems is so bottom-tier priority by comparison. ]

I should. Eat. [ Her stomach didn't make a sound, but she had skipped breakfast, and even her Poké-crew were starting to shoot over worried glances. They don't really want to carry a fainted trainer around. ]

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[ OPEN ] I have my own version of vital signs

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