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[solar_flare]

"You've reached the voicemail of Yang Xiao Long. But don't YANG up! Just leave a message after the beep, and we'll get in touch!"

Beeeeeeeeeeeeep!

Comments

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

I'll get you three.

You want the caramel pudding stuff, or the fried dough tube thing?

[Voice]

[whiteas]

I'm so not going to finish three.

..Flan or churros? [ Is that what she means? ] Do they have fried plantains? Flan if they don't.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

I don't remember if they were on the menu or not. I'll check it out when I get there.

[She's not used to all of this foreign food. She still calls Chinese 'Chainese' or 'the place with the little white boxes of fried shrimp.' Give her some time to learn Earth culture.]

So...you're okay? For real.

[Voice]

[whiteas]

Unless Jaune's semblance is the ability to convince me I'm not dying and this is all a dream, I think I'm fine. They're just holding me in the hospital until they're sure I'm really fine.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

That'd be some semblance. He's there with you? I'll get more tacos.

So what happened? All I saw was Cloud saying you got attacked.

Re: [Voice]

[whiteas]

He's the one who saved my life. Judging by Cloud's post and my last memory I doubt anyone else would've made it in time.

I was fighting Vernal-- one of your mother's tribe, my aura was gone then suddenly I looked down and there was a flaming spear through me. I don't remember anything after that. Vernal is the spring maiden and she was facing me, so the only other person who could have magicked a spear into existence was Cinder. Jaune's-- he was there too, so even if I don't remember past that it.. there's still a chance I'll pull through. [ Her tone is definitely much less chipper now. Potentially being dead and knowing the math with Ruby, Jaune, and herself out of the fight.. ] I'm okay here, but I don't know if there's enough cover for him to do it there.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

Spring Maiden?

[Yang frowns to herself. Maybe it was something mentioned in one of Ruby's letters that never made it to Patch. She spent way too long sulking about her lost arm, she's so far behind...]

[She shakes her head.]

Was I there? I mean, if you need someone to go back and check it out...

[She's a little reluctant about it for...reasons she won't get into just now, but if it'll grant Weiss some peace of mind, she'll do what she has to.]

[Voice]

[whiteas]

[ It's so hard keeping track of what people do and don't know. When Professor Ozpin was here he explained it to some of them, but then she found out even more back home- and Yang hasn't gone yet, so her memory of Yang finding out with her is different. ]

This is going to sound insane, but not much has been making sense for a while so... Professor Ozpin is a magical reincarnating wizard who gave magical powers to your mother and your uncle to turn into birds so he could fight a powerful evil woman named Salem. Salem is Cinder's boss and has her going around murdering maidens, who are four girls who inherit the ability to control the elements without Dust, perform magic, and have access to vaults that contain special relics that can shake the foundations of Remnant. Basically, the fairy tale about four girls and the seasons is essentially true and far worse. Cinder is the Fall maiden, and your mother... sided with her and brought the spring maiden to hand a relic over to Salem. All of which we only found out after your mother kidnapped me from a crashed airship to ransom me to my father, I tried to break out and you were there to get her to take you to Ruby- which we then did after she explained all of.. well, that.

[ A beat. ]

You.. shouldn't go until someone else does. I don't know how that fight ended, and you and Mercury were... It might be better to have someone else check first and avoid going if something happens you two can't get past. You were both still standing when I went down as far as I know.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

[It checks out with a lot of what Raven said, about the whole bird thing. Siding with Salem though...what's her mom thinking? It's not just her relationship with Mercury that Yang's worried about, but it's definitely a reason why she hesitates.]

...Sorry about my mom.

[She's stopped, leaning against a wall for a moment to take it all in. Because it's a lot to take in.]

Well, at least I won't get blindsided when that stuff goes down. It's good to know. But the offer's still on the table if you really need to know what happens. We're basically different people than the ones back home, so it's not like I'd be all that mad. Why, is Jaune planning on checking it out?

Re: [Voice]

[whiteas]

Don't apologise for your mother. All of that was after she boot stomped my face when I asked for help after waking up from my airship crashing in the forest from a grimm attack, then I woke up kidnapped in a cage with her lackeys telling me she was going to ransom me back to my father. Don't you dare apologize for her, I have every right to be mad about that until she can apologize herself.

I'm sure Jaune will eventually, but Sun and I usually go in February. I went a little early this time because your whole family started showing up, I thought it would be better to get ahead of the yearly Remnant flood that usually rolls in around late February, early March. He's with Blake, in our world. I'm sure they'll make it even if it isn't in time.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

Yeah, uh...I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for her to do that.

[Picturing Raven saying 'I'm sorry' is even harder to imagine than 'I love you.' She perks up a little at the end, though.]

So there's a chance Ruby might come back?

[Maybe she shouldn't go looking for a new roommate too soon, then.]

No idea why we'd show up seasonally, but I guess I can't complain!

Re: [Voice]

[whiteas]

I'm not, but I don't want you apologizing for her either.

[ She nods. ] I've actually gone through more Rubies than anyone else. I wouldn't hold my breath on her sticking around if she does wake up in the Bay.

[ Who's bitter? Not Weiss. Hhahahaha. ]

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

I guess the breath-holding duty will fall to me, then. It'd be nice to have the whole family here again.

[She's optimistic with Ruby and Taiyang. ...Less so with Blake, though.]

...Kinda weird talking about ourselves in the plural sense.

Have you spoken with my mom since she showed up here?

[Voice]

[whiteas]

I can't believe you'd still want her around.

[ Though to be fair, Yang hasn't gone through all that crap yet. Weiss sure doesn't want to deal with Raven and she's not even the one who was hurt most by her actions. ]

It gets easier, after some time.

No, and why would I?

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

To chew her out, I figured. You don't really hold back with that kind of stuff.

[She says it with a grin; she's grown to like that about Weiss, honestly.]

...And I'm guessing you mean my mom, not Ruby.

[There's a pause, then a sigh.]

Look, there's still a lot I don't know. About her. Or even about me. I can give her a shot. She seems like she's willing to talk about it at least, so...it's a start.

[Voice]

[whiteas]

Oh believe me, I will if she approaches me. But one thing I have learned to do better here is to pick my battles. Otherwise all I'd ever be doing is fighting.

[ And chewing Raven out unless Raven starts shit with her is just about asking to get her ass kicked. ]

Obviously not Ruby, but you said the whole family. I'd be okay with just you and Ruby.

[ Speaking of those fights she's not supposed to pick, Weiss doesn't sound particularly happy about Yang giving her a shot. ]

Has she done anything to prove she even wants one? Or is she the same coward she is back home? Giving people a chance is great, Yang, but only if they actually have shown they plan on taking it. Raven.. I doubt she's even been here long enough to think she needs to be better than back there. Which I know is hard to hear- believe me, I know how hard it is to want your family to be.. better. But that's also how you end up in a mental hospital because you trusted them enough that even if they were only there to argue, you'd still be safe. And my father didn't actively betray and try to murder my uncle. I don't think you can blame me for being a little skeptical.

[Voice]

[solar_flare]

I don't know.

[There's a faint groan in her voice, her head tipping back as she says it.]

I really don't. I have no idea why my mother would team up with Cinder of all people. It doesn't sound like the person my dad described at all, so there's definitely something weird going on there. And I don't think Mom's been through that stuff yet, so unless she goes to the Dream Docks or I do, I won't have enough information to really say.

But she does care.

[She has to. She saved her life from Neo, Yang hasn't forgotten that. So it seems likely that she's only teaming up with Cinder for a double cross. That's gotta be it.]

[Voice]

[whiteas]

I'm sure my father cares in some sick, twisted way too. Just don't let that trap you into thinking you can repair something that isn't fixable.

[ She takes a deep breath. Parents have become more of a sore spot than usual for her lately. ]

I mean it out of friendship and having hoped for years that just maybe if I kept trying, things would change. Just don't let her use you because you're not as bad of a person as she is and wouldn't be able to hurt someone you care about like that, Yang.