driftfleet | 02 - Flicker of a Candle

Who: Yang Xiao Long and You
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS wonderduck
When: Now

[When Yang turns on her communicator's video feed, one would assume she is broadcasting from her own bunkroom aboard the Bishop; however, Wonderduck crew members will likely recognize the room as one on their ship. In fact, it's more than likely they've seen Yang coming and going fairly often the past couple of days, as she's been visiting her seemingly unconscious partner, Blake Belladona.]

[After she passed out during the meeting between Blake, Yang, Penny and Pyrrha, Yang had carried her back to Blake's bunkroom on the Wonderduck, and ever since she's been checking in on her. Each time, leaving more and more concerned about the state of her friend. From what she'd been able to pull from the fleet's archives, this kind of thing was not exactly a rare occurrence; yet, it still had Yang worried. After several days of just sitting and waiting, her impatience gets the better of her, and that's what causes her to flip on her communicator and set it broadcast fleetwide. Maybe she can get some answers or find some small comfort from other fleet members who have some experience dealing with this kind of thing.]

Hey everyone...

So, from what I've gathered, it's not exactly odd for people in the fleet to more or less drop unconscious for a little while, only to wake up later a little different.

[A slighly worried look off screen before she returns to addressing the communicator.]

But how long usually does this whole coma-like sleeping thing typically go for? And... when people DO wake up... is it usually bad? I mean, like... do they wake up still as themselves? Or only after something "else" has happened to them?

Am I even making sense?

[That last question addressed more to herself. She sighs, shakes her head. Tries to sound a little more cheery, with only moderate success.]

Anyways, yeah, any advice or answers anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated.

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Yang, there's... There's a lot I haven't told you. About when I was in the White Fang.

I know. But, I mean, that's your business. You can tell me as much or as little as you want. It won't change that we're friends.

It might. ... It should.

I don't understand.

He cut off your arm, Yang! You came to save me, I had charged up his Semblance, and he just- It went right through your Aura, and...

[yeah she's losing her composure again.]

[Naturally, Yang is rendered rather speechless by this bit of news. She honestly doesn't know what to say. She's torn between denying that that would or could ever happen, and trying to alleviate Blake's apparent guilt over the matter.]

I- I don't know-

How could he-

[Okay, two false starts. Third time though, she tries to fare better at getting her words out.]

Look, whatever happened is not your fault.

It was. He was only there for me, because he's still in love with me. And I know him! I charged his Semblance, even though I knew about it! If I hadn't tried to fight back, he wouldn't have been able to!

For a guy who "loves" you, it sounds like he has a really messed up way of showing it.

Look, if you hadn't fought back... I mean, you had to defend yourself, right? I don't see how that makes it your fault.

I could have ran. That's what I always do. I ended up running away anyway.

I-

[Yang starts to flounder again, so she stops herself. This time, she remains quiet for a while. Not sure of what to say.]

Look, Blake, you're here now okay. He's not. He can't exactly get to you here, right? So... it's okay. We'll be okay. All right?

He might come here.

[She sounds genuinely afraid when she says that.]

And if he does, he'll finish what he started.

Blake, there's now way he-

[But Yang stops herself. There's definitely a sense of doubt in her own words. After all, Atroma could bring anyone here couldn't they? What was to stop them from bringing this "Adam" guy here?]

If he does somehow end up here... well, we'll face him together, okay? If we work together, we can overcome any challenge, right?

[Yang is trying to sound as reassuring as possible, but there's a certain hint to her voice that she might be looking for as much confirmation from Blake, as Blake may be looking for in her.]

... I don't know.

[normally she would want to say yes, of course, but she's still in panic from her memories, and not calm or thinking clearly yet.]

Yang, you have to understand, he's one of the strongest people in the White Fang. That's why he's one of the leaders. He's just as strong, or stronger, than professional Huntsmen. And he knows how I fight. I couldn't land a single hit on him. And on top of that, his Semblance is like yours.

[As much as Yang doesn't like hearing that part, the whole "similar semblance" bit, she does her best to seem cool and confident.]

Well, it's not just us, right? Penny and Pyrrha are here, too.

... That's true. His Semblance is tied to his weapon, so if Pyrrha disarms him, then... That would be the only chance we had.

[Yang gives an encouraging nod of her head, feeling more confident now.]

See? You're not alone in this Blake. We've got your back, so there's no need to worry, okay?

... There is. There's still one more thing I haven't told you.

[Yang almost lets out an exasperated sigh and a "what now?," but she controls herself. As exasperated as Blake was making her, Yang knew her partner was cautious, overly so, by nature. So instead, she controls herself, keeps her tone soothing and mellow.]

What?

Adam... He's going to hate you, too. He didn't just take off your arm, he tried to kill you, and me if he had to.

He thinks if he kills everyone I love now, I'll be his again.

[how many bombs can she drop in one sentence? let's find out.]

Well, it's not exactly the first time someone's tried to kill me. It's not exactly anything new.

[She tries to play it off, cool and confident like always, but there's certainly an internal part of her that is uneasy. I mean, being told that someone wants to kill you isn't exactly something that can be completely brushed off. This Adam guy was seeming more and more the charmer...]

[Well, if Yang isn't thinking too hard about the reasons he'd kill her, Blake doesn't have it in herself to bring that back to focus.]

... You're really okay with this?

[It may have flew past her for the moment. But, give her a little time, she'll put two and two together. ;) ]

I don't know if I'd say "okay" exactly. I mean, it's hard to be "okay" with the knowledge that there's someone out there who really wants you dead.

But, I guess I'm saying, I'm not scared. Not if you've got my back. You, Penny, Pyrrha, hell, I'd be willing to bet there's other people in this fleet that wouldn't take kindly to some jerk trying to kill us.

... You're right.

[As usual, really. Yang always has a knack for dealing with her emotional problems that seem insurmountable to her, making them possible to overcome.

The guilt isn't gone, of course. And deep down, she doesn't believe this will last- As soon as Yang remembers losing her arm, Blake is certain she'll take it all back and leave her then. But for now, maybe things are okay like this.]

Thank you, Yang.

[Yang smiles warmly. She walks back over to her partner and gently places a reassuring hand on Blake's shoulder.]

Of course. It's what I'm here for.

[She tries to repress the red in her cheeks at that touch, and fails miserably.]

Because we're partners, right?

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