Chapter Text
And so, time passed, Rover made a place for himself in Jinzhou, working for the Pioneer’s Association, helping the Midnight Rangers and doing odd jobs here and there, mostly involving fighting or bodyguarding. He and Yangyang where often seen together around the city, strolling, shopping, dining, training. Chixia liked to tease her Outrider friend for how cozy she got with Rover so fast, which she couldn’t deny, she really took a shine to the man, she herself noted, as they conversed about it on one of their patrols.
And so her mind wandered to her fond memories with him…
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 1: A Pleasant Dinner
She remembered a time she had dinner with Rover at Panhua’s restaurant.
¨So¨ he said, after swallowing a piece of chicken from his skewer. ¨What are these streams you talk about sometimes exactly?¨
Yangyang put her hand to her chin, deep in thought. ¨I've been able to hear what the Streams have to tell me for as long as I can remember, since I was a small child¨
He listened intently. She loved that about him, he would pay attention to her every explanation of any minute detail of any topic she talked about. And she talked a lot. She really needed someone like him, she was feeling a bit bad about herself after hearing rumors of people calling her Yapyap for talking too much.
¨They are not sounds produced by the vibrations of air, nor sentences spoken in any known language. They are signals carried by the wind, tangible to me whenever I focus myself to feel those incorporeal, rippling airstreams¨ She said, forming a small smile.
¨Those signals led me to you, passed out in that puddle¨. Rover finished drinking from his cup and raised his brow, questioning. ¨Huh, you hadn’t told me it was because of that. Chixia told me that you just ran really fast to that cave without paying her any mind, I thought you just saw me from the outside. Guess I really ought to thank the streams for being me being alive.¨ He said, as he smiled and scratched the back of his head.
Yangyang thought back on the situation of that day, sipping from her drink. ¨Yes, it was quite weird, the streams had never behaved that way before, they were unclear and dispersed when I first got to the Gorge of Spirits, but as soon as got close to the cave entrance, the message was clearer than ever¨.
¨Man, it sounds like a really useful ability. Thought now that I think about it, isn’t an ability like that overwhelming? I can only imagine the amount of information you receive at any given second
Yangyang thought back to her old life, at the times with her parents and older sister. ¨Yes. My senses are sharper than most, it used to cause me severe distress. Various stimuli seemed to come at me from all directions, slamming into my mind at once. I felt like a lone feather...¨ She pointedly caressed one of the feathers growing from her hair. ¨...tossed around in a wild storm. Don't worry... I am okay now. I have found a way to stabilize myself in the Streams... and it was the Stream's message that led me to you¨. Both smiled at that last part, their eyes meeting, gentle gold meeting bright grey in a display that would fool anyone into thinking they are a couple. One could almost hear the envious whispers telling them to get a room already.
¨Anyway, they can also be used for other purposes, like receiving information from my immediate surroundings. At that time, I listened to them to examine your body for injuries¨. Yangyang said easily.
¨Yeeeah, I remember Chixia told me you were redder than a belle poppy after you did that, did you enjoy the eye candy, hmm?¨ Said Rover with a teasing grin, knowing he had a quite nice body.
Why, Chixia!. Yangyang thought. She had to come up with a response, before she got as red as she was back then, opening herself for further teasing. Got it!.
¨You’re one to talk, I’ve seen how you look at me too, I know you appreciate this dress, how it hugs my hips and chest? I’ve seen your eyes roving me, Rover¨ Mother, forgive me. Thought Yangyang. I’ve become an indecent woman. But I enjoy his attention. That talk was a like a precision missile aimed to Rover, but one that also exploded on Yangyang’s backyard, making both of them turn beet-red with embarrassment. They couldn’t help but laugh loudly after it. Making all single men and women in the restaurant green with envy.
After finishing their moment together, Rover got up to pay for the food, as it was his turn tonight, as they had accorded after making this dinner together an almost daily occurrence. Yangyang waited for him near the slope down to Jinzhou’s main street. ¨Come on, let me walk you home¨ said Rover as he got near her. Yangyang smiled ¨Yes… let’s go¨
And so they walked away, together, their hands brushing as they walked, until one of them finally decided to make the move, and the other reciprocated without a thought.
--------------------------------------------------
Part 2: A Chance Encounter
She remembered a time when she met with Rover on the street fortuitously.
Rover was entering Jinzhou through its western gate, coming back from cleaning a herd of Tacet Discords that emerged near the city walls. He was thinking on his pay for the job, which he wanted to use to get Yangyang a nice gift, for all the help she gives him on the daily. Maybe a sword, a good one. He could only smile dumbly at the thought of making her happy. But he was snapped out of his daydreaming by a sweet sound, a beautiful hum, coming from one of the walkways near the city’s main street.
He followed the sounds, bewitched by its sweet tones, and to his surprise, he found Yangyang, leaning forward on the railing, gazing at the lake. A couple of birds chirped sweetly together with Yangyang’s humming, completing this beautiful image. He would carve this moment on his mind, he would get a canvas and paint it right here, right now. But the humming suddenly stopped, and when he realized, Yangyang was looking at him, with her usual sweet smile. One sweeter than the ones she put on for everyone else.
¨Rover, it’s good to see you¨ she said, voice high.
He smiled his most gentlemanly smile, the one she put for her, and not the dopey one he puts when he’s thinking of her. ¨I knew you have a sweet voice, but I didn’t know you could sing¨ he said while situating himself at her side.
She blushed slightly at his praise, tucking some hair behind her left ear ¨You flatter me, Rover, I would’t call humming singing, thought I think I could do well in karaoke night¨. She laughed after saying that, more musical tones inundating Rover’s ears and making his heart flutter.
¨Now that I think about it, I remember you mentioning once that your family is a family of music, no?¨ he said looking up, trying to recall.
Yangyang smiled at that, glad that he remembered something she said once in passing. ¨Yes. Well, more accuratelly, it used to be. ¨One Instrument for Life¨. That is the most important principle in my family’s teachings. Originally, it meant that every family member could strive to excel in everything, but they must choose one musical instrument to specialize in and practice continuously throughout their life to become a master. As circumstances changed, the principle gradually evolved into dedicating one’s entire life to one pursuit, striving for excellence to make this life worthwhile.¨
Yangyang thought back fondly to the time with her family, thinking she had finally started to excel at her job since she met Rover. She had indeed become much stronger than before, and she knew her family would be proud of her for it.
Rover was a bit confused. ¨Not to question your dreams, but why would someone with your background decide to become a soldier? As far as I’ve seen, you can do anything you set your mind to¨ Rover said, praisingly, praise Yangyang was happy to receive, coming from him.
¨My pursuit to be a Midnight Ranger? It became my desire after I had to spend some time in a desolate settlement... after a bandit assault separated me from my family for a time. There I witnessed truths of the world I couldn’t even fathom as the daughter of a rich family. The suffering of the people. And so I desired to help in a more tangible way.¨ Yangyang said, her eyes lost on the horizon, reliving the memories of her past.
She looked back at Rover, and then to the main square of Jinzhou, tinged with the late afternoon’s red light, bathing the children playing on it. ¨We all have an appreciation for beauty, but life isn't always full of it. I don't want to always rely on the comforts and safety others provide me with. I must be brave to face the ugly truth. I must be one that guards and gives.¨ Yangyang said, her voice steeled with resolve.
Rover’s mind was hazy, he didn’t think he could like her more than right now, after hearing what she said. He may not know who he is or where he came from, but he knows that his feelings on life are the same as hers, being the one that protects and provides, that is his purpose.
Yangyang knew what he was thinking, she could see it on his eyes. They didn’t kneed to exchange words. They just basked on that moment of shared resolve in comfortable silence.
After a while, Rover finally decided to speak up ¨But you can sing, right? Mind giving me a private performance sometime?¨ he said with a cheeky grin.
Yangyang laughed, more used to his occasional teasing. ¨Maybe some other time¨. She smiled. ¨Speaking of performances, I heard they’re staging a new play on the theater tonight, want to see what is it about?¨ she asked him.
¨Of course, let’s get going!¨ he said, grabbing her hand with no shame at all, which she allowed unthinkingly.
¨Wait, is it a Hero Play?¨ he asked, after they started making their way to the theater.
¨I don’t know, thought if it is, we’ll probably know before we even get there, we just have to watch out for Chixia’s red hair among the crowd¨ Yangyang said with a laugh.
And so, hand in hand they went to the theater, only to be caught by Chixia and subjected to their Speedster Friend’s lighthearted teasing. At least they knew it was indeed a Hero Play.
--------------------------------------------------
Part 3: Anguish and Relief
She remembered a time when Rover visited her home
Yangyang had talked to him about it, wanting him to come visit her house to try her cooking. She also wanted to give him a gift, One of her hand crafted wind chimes, one specially made for him, using materials from the strongest Tacet Discords she had slain. One would think it macabre from the outside, and maybe it was, but for her, it was an expression of thanks, and proof that she had become stronger thanks to him.
Yet she found herself waiting for him, waiting, and waiting, and when she noticed, it was night. Her house was pitch black. She got up from her chair in her little workshop to turn on the lights, but they didn’t work. She was scared. Why was she scared? It was just the dark, surely a soldier like her wouldn’t be scared of the dark inside her own home?
Yet she was scared.
She walked through her home, hand constantly feeling the wall to situate herself. She had to reach the fusebox near her main door. But she had to pause. She heard voices.
Jeering voices
¨Have you heard? About that chicken-hair Outrider? She found a passed out man in the outskirts, yet he died on her a little bit later. If she couldn’t even protect a single man from the Tacet Discords why is she even part of the Midnight Rangers?¨
Contemptuous voices
¨She thinks she knows so much, the walking encyclopedia, trying to show us off. All she’s doing is flaunting being from a rich family, playing at being a soldier¨
Sad voices
¨Daughter, it’s fine. You can come home. Sometimes a pursuit doesn’t work out, you can always try something else¨.
The sympathetic words of her mother’s voice hurt her the most. It was the utmost acknowledgment of her failure.
Voices she held dear
¨Yangyang¨
She was nearing the main door. She could see a familiar figure through the piece of frosted glass in the upper part of her door. The fusebox was just there, she only had to open it a flick a switch.
Yet...
¨Rover?¨ She said, voice cracking
¨Yangyang!¨ His voice sounded angry. He only heard him sound like this while battling the Crownless.
The Crownless
¨Rover!¨
She opened the door with a fast swing, and saw him standing there. Half of his face caved in, caked in blood and meat and pieces of bone, clearly from a blunt blow. She remembered it, the punch he took from that monster to protect her during their first battle together. She started tearing up. Eyes itchy, her head hurt, her knees knocking together.
¨Rover...¨ she cried piteously
¨Yangyang¨
¨Yangyang!¨
------------------
Rover was walking to Yangyang’s home. He couldn’t wait to try her cooking. He got caught up in some shenanigans with a flying gulpuff and was arriving a bit late, but he got some ingredients in hopes of making it up to her by cooking together. Yangyang liked doing things together.
She also said she wanted to give him a gift, she mentioned it offhandedly during a field lunch on top of the Giant Banyan, which they got to climb after felling that enormous TD that inhabited it. That was a dangerous one, so much that the Huaxu Academy had collaborated with the Midnight Rangers to attach a bracelet to its arm to keep track of it’s movements and avoid it. Yet with him and Yangyang working together, they managed to destroy it, adding another notch to their belts. He was very proud of her, of how much stronger she had become in such a short time.
Before realizing it, he found himself near her front door, a house in an alley near to the main square, with enough space for a small garden, filled with multiple plants that Yangyang maintained lovingly. He noticed a couple of new flowerpots, holding Pecok Flowers. Those weren’t here the last time he saw the garden. They look healthy, these are his favorite flower among the ones he had seen around Jinzhou.
He turned back to the door with a smile, ringed the doorbell, and waited. And waited. And waited some more, before ringing again. And still nothing.
¨Yangyang?¨ He said as loudly as he could without disturbing the neighbors. Someone could be taking a nap in the late afternoon, after all.
No response.
He shrugged. Maybe she fell asleep, she always worked herself to the bone. That’s another reason she needed him, he thought, she always put everyone’s wishes over her own, it’s only fair he put hers over everyone else’s. Rover reached up to the top of her doorframe. He had been here before, he knew where she put her spare key. After a bit of skulking, he found it, and opened the door with it.
He could hear whimpering.
Rover quickly left the groceries on the nearest table and searched for the source of it, worry wrapping his heart in a vise.
The house wasn’t big, so after a little bit, he found it. It was Yangyang, asleep, her head resting on her arms, face down. She fell asleep while working on something. She seemed to be having a nightmare, and a bad one, at that. She was mumbling with a cracked voice, a tone that he didn’t ever want to hear from her.
He put his hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly.
¨Yangyang¨ he said softly.
¨Rover...¨ She replied piteously, still asleep
¨Hey, Yangyang¨
¨Rover...¨ a soft cry.
¨Yangyang, wake up!¨
The feather-haired Outrider woke up, her head snapping up, yet still resting on her arms.
She looked dishevelled, tears staining her face as she looked at him in immense sadness. ¨Rover...¨ she cried.
Rover leaned down and wrapped her in his arms, bathing her in his warmth ¨I’m here with you, Yangyang. I’m here. I’m real. It was just a nightmare, I’m here. With you.¨
Yangyang sniffed. ¨I’m sorry… I’m sorry. It’s too much. Just remembering that... time¨
He instantly knew what she was talking about. ¨Yangyang. My dear Yangyang¨. Her heart jumped at that. ¨You’ve become stronger. I too have become stronger. We can overcome anything together. Something like that won’t happen again. Remember what you said to me after we destroyed that Big Ape? After we did it together?¨
¨I… I...¨ Yangyang stuttered
¨You do remember. Those were beautiful words, my Yangyang. Please, repeat them to me, I want to hear them again.¨ he said, his deep, soothing voice reassuring her, calming her agitated mind.
That spurred her to remember. She couldn’t refuse a request from him. ¨I... dedicate my song to brilliance... braving the raging storm¨ Her hug on him tightened ¨The skylark in me... has never soared higher into the heavens¨
Rover was happy. She sounded calmer. Yangyang felt his arms climb from her back to her shoulders, and then he leaned back, and put his hands on her face, wiping away what remained of her tears. ¨We are in the real world, Yangyang. Don’t let a nightmare drag you down. We have each other, and nothing will change that¨ He leaned closer. ¨Let me show it to you¨. And then he closed the distance completely, his lips touching hers. Yangyang offered no resistance, for she there was nothing she wanted more than this.
She whimpered sweetly at the kiss, which spurred Rover to deepen it, and she felt his tongue prodding at her lips, which she reciprocated, tangling their tongues in a sweet dance of pure love and lust.
The kiss deepened and deepened, until they both had to come out for air, gasping and panting.
They looked at each other.
¨Rover… I love you. More than anything in this world¨
¨You already know my answer, Yangyang¨ he said, his slightly teasing tone back to his voice.
Yangyang pouted cutely ¨But I want to hear you say it¨
The face she made was a fatal blow to Rover’s heart, one which spurred him to action. ¨I love you too, my sweet Yangyang. You are the sun to my moon, the song to my dance, you are… well, you get it, I can’t get any more embarrased than now¨
Yangyang laughed sweetly. Rover was glad to hear her laugh again, to hear her melodic tones. ¨Yes, I can see it, my love.¨ She punctuated it with a quick peck on his lips, after which she got up from her chair. ¨Come on, let’s get cooking, I fell asleep waiting for you, you know?¨
¨Well, there was this situation with a gulpuff...¨
The conversation continued, the lights of the house turning on. No one would come out of it until the next day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yangyang finished her reminiscing, still walking with her fiery friend.
¨Well, I wouldn’t call it cozying up to him. I myself think it was rather natural. Like it was just meant to be. Speaking of, are you free this weekend? We’re going to move his stuff from the City Hall to my house, and then we wanted to have a little reunion with our friends. You know, you, Baizhi, maybe a couple more...¨
Chixia whipped back in a dramatic gesture straight out of one of her favorite plays ¨You’re moving together already?! Aw man, you snatched him up so fast. I don’t know if you noticed, Yangyang, but half the city’s bachelorettes were after him!… Some of the bachelors too, now that I think about it¨
¨I did notice. Too late for them, now they will know, he’s mine, and I’m his¨
Chixia was the one blushing this time ¨Yangyang… You’ve become bolder! Taking what you want just like that, you’re making me feel shy!¨
¨Well, it’s all thanks to a certain someone¨ Yangyang said, her tone of voice implying things.
¨Whaaaaaa… alright, enough of that, I don’t want to hear more about it, or I’ll get envious. Yeah, I’m free this weekend. Dang I’ll even help you two move the stuff, just give me a call and I’ll be there faster than you can say Chixia, Jinzhou’s Heroic Speedster!¨
Yangyang smiled at her dear friend. ¨Thank you, Chixia¨
She kept thinking. This is the start of a new chapter. A beautiful new chapter of my life.