The ride into Vale was smooth. We somehow managed to avoid running into any Grimm, which was a surprise. In every story you hear, scary or no, traveling through the poorly lit, heavily wooded and obscuring forest at night was suicidal. It was always prime time for beasties to make lunch out of the saps dumb enough to travel there. I could even attest to its veracity back in the Mojave, having made the occasional mistake of trekking the wasteland at night.

'Stupid deathclaws and their fucking promontory.'

But we encountered no resistance on the way into Vale regardless. Maybe it should've been expected, Vale was a big place and had to have some kind of standing force hunting the Grimm in the region. They had their, completely incompetent, police force to act within the city, so maybe they had some contracted hunters working outside of it. Or maybe that was an additional obligation for working at Beacon. There had to be something waiting on standby in case the Grimm got ornery. Given that they were supposedly attracted to negative emotion, violence, and generally wanton mayhem, it would make place like Vale easily identified targets. Large population center, cramped quarters, crime, and suffering; Vale was basically a negativity buffet. Maybe not a large, active one most of the time, but it still qualified.

Part of me shuddered at the thought of how well the Grimm would do in the wasteland. They'd practically be apex predators there.

The ride only took about half an hour, like Yang said, to reach the outskirts of Vale. Riding the whole distance, Fingers clenched against the seat, wasn't terribly comfortable. But I survived, which was important. Vale looked about as I remembered it to as we rolled in. It seemed being away from it for the length of a week hadn't damaged my memory of it at least. Though this was the third time I was in the city proper at night. The first being when I first got here. My night at the docks didn't quite count considering how I'd spent it, before getting rushed back to the academy.

Vale during the night appeared a tad more malevolent than its sun-bathed counterpart. Even though there were streetlights every dozen or so feet, they were only along the main streets. It only served to make the alleys and corners the light couldn't reach appear more obscure. Speaking from experience, it was easier to look into the light from the dark than the other way around. I preferred not to be stuck in the latter either. It had a tendency to make me paranoid.

Thankfully, we were only passing through the residential area. As soon as we got out of it, and into the 'shady' part of vale, most of the streetlights died out. Not that they weren't there, but rather they weren't lit. The area itself looked to be a slightly older portion of Vale's business district. The buildings looking structurally sound, if weathered, and most of the lights having burned out. Likely, most people had no business being here at night unless they were up to something they shouldn't have been.

How fitting.

Yang whipped the bike around another corner and wrenched us to a stop on the side of the street. We were far enough off the beaten path that we were enveloped of the shade of the evening. The shattered moon refracting silvery white light down onto us. The main source of light around us at the moment, with all of the burned-out lampposts standing unlit and silent. Likely out of pragmatism on the city's part. No sense in wasting resources on a portion of the city no one should be in at night.

Not necessarily smart pragmatism, just pragmatism.

There were only a few other lights along the street, amidst the worn brick and steel the built Vale. Most of it tertiary and without purpose. Lights that were left on by mistake earlier in the day, or indicating a flow of power between machinery and structures.

There was one however, that appeared deliberate. It hung from a building across the street from us. A single, lengthy red neon sign depicting naught but an arrow, pointed at a set of plain doors below it. The doors themselves appeared black, perhaps to dissuade those who did not know what it meant from entering.

Yang killed the bike and dismounted it, I followed suit.

"This the place?" I asked, stretching my tightened limbs and flexing my stiff fingers.

"Yup." Yang said brightly, removing her helmet and glasses. "Just past those doors."

"Hrm. Anything I should know about before we go in?"

Yang dusted herself off a little, looking thoughtful, "… Nah, we should be fine. Just follow my lead."

We crossed the street and opened the doors the arrow was pointing to. What waited beyond it was an open room. Coat racks and hangers lined the room, sporting a variety of outerwear. It was dimly lit, with only a handful of lights glowing coldly down on the room. At the far end was another set of doors. Unlike the ones leading outside though, these were even less inviting. Resembling two plates of steel on rollers rather than an entryway. Like something you'd see in a makeshift fortress or vault. Each plate was flanked by a man in a black suit, red tie, and black fedora. Both of them looked bored, and a little tired one man was wearing a pair of equally red sunglasses, obscuring his eyes. The other wasn't.

So when I saw his eyes pop open like someone just pointed a gun at him, it was very easy to notice.

"Hey boys!" Yang announced with a large, challenging smile

Said boys responded by giving each other a quick look, then struggling to get the doors open. Not so silently cursing like a pair of frightened teenagers. They literally shoved one another out of the way to get through it first and disappeared from sight. Leaving the door ajar behind them.

"… Yang, what did you do?" I asked, sparing a worried glance over to Yang

"Oh, you know, had some fun." Yang answered cheerily

"What kind of fun?"

Yang just gave me a smirk and walked toward the doorway. "I thought you didn't mind a little danger?" She said back, playful.

I got the feeling I'd once again walked myself into a situation I normally would've avoided.

'Do it for the whisky, Six'

Knowing not what Yang was leading me into, I steeled myself and joined her at the door. Through the partially parted partition I could hear what sounded like music. But no music I was familiar with. I could out some instrumentation here and there, some guitar, some drums, and possibly some bass. But overall it was indistinct, sounding as though it were from instruments I should recognize, but not. As though someone had ripped the soul away from the instruments in question and replaced them with faulty electric based white noise. All the while being warped, warbled and distorted in a way that kept it in the time, rhythm, and flow of a real musical piece.

With minimal effort, Yang and I slid the doors open. The 'music' flooding past us in a wave of sound. What lay past the doors was a sight in contrast to the older building that housed it.

The door we were entering through was elevated, compared to the rest of the place, requiring a set of stairs to connect it to the floor. The entire place was done in a trio of colors: black, white, and crimson red. The walls and fixtures were pitch black, and difficult to distinguish from the surroundings. Only beings so by the white glow that highlighted things like railings or pillars, or the massive light fixture overhead. The floor itself was not spared of this either, a massive block of backlit panels constituted what appeared to be a dance floor in the center of the area. They glowed stark white against the rest of the disorienting black floor that encompassed it. Further reinforced by the floor's near mirror like polish. The dance floor was cornered by four glassy pillars that were framed with what appeared to be scaffolding. There was a series of spotlights hanging overhead from the aforementioned fixture. They themselves cast an ever-changing mixture of white and red light down onto the room. They had a bizarre effect to them, it seemed. Save for the occasional splash of color, everything appeared awash in black, white, and shades of grey.

Or perhaps that was the just the goggles of my gasmask playing tricks on me.

Everything about the room felt new though. Too shiny, too intact, too… clean. As though it had all been replaced recently.

It gave me a feeling that reminded me of the strip back home. Though of no place specific either. It wasn't as ritzy as the Ultra Lux, even if it was cleaner. It wasn't as bombastically entertaining as the Tops, even if the 'music' was louder. It wasn't even as Seedy as Gomorrah, though that wasn't something a few stripper poles couldn't fix. Instead, it seemed to land itself somewhere in the middle of all three. I wasn't sure if that should've been impressively disappointing or depressingly astounding.

At least it was leagues better than the Atomic Wrangler and its crotch rot rodeo.

There were not many people either. It was relatively early in the night yet, and there maybe a few dozen people out on the dance floor. But the majority of them appeared to be wearing suits like the ones worn by the two that's been standing by the door. So it would be more accurate that maybe a dozen people were currently here. The rest were for some… other purpose.

At the far end of the room was another risen section. There, another man in a suit stood behind a table. I at least assumed he was a man anyway. He was wearing a mask three times the size of his head in the shape of a Teddy bear. Similarly itself colored black and red. Beneath the raised section, likely built into it for structure, was what I could recognize as a bar. Either that or I needed to see someone to work out some issues.

'Immediately assuming a bottle lined wall is a 'bar' is normal, right?'

Yang and I descended the white-lit stairs and began to cross the room. Her golden hair standing out against the myriad of white and black like a candle in an unlit room. We crossed the sparsely filled dance floor with ease. The few people that were here seemed more interested in swaying to the music than interfering with a couple of kids that just walked in.

Up ahead of us at the bar, I spotted the two guys we'd encountered at the front door frantically talking to a third. This newcomer was a literal Yao Guai of a man, flanked by two smaller, identical looking women. He was tall, rough estimate made him only a few inches shorter than Lanius had been. He was broad too, looking like he made it his business to turn trees into toothpicks. His head was rectangular and blocky, with a wide jaw and forehead. His jaw lined by a short but full black beard and moustache. His flinty gray eyes and mouth matched them perfectly. His pale complexion and close-cropped black hair were in perfect harmony with the rest of the club. He wore similar clothing to the two men he was speaking with. Save for a jacket, he wore a black vest and white button up with a red tie. The women were maybe two thirds his height, at best. Both wore similarly designed short dresses with frayed netting at the bottom. They too kept with the trichromatic theme, to an extent. With one being colored in mingled black and red shades, and the other in White and icy grey. They both also wore boots. That added an extra four inches to the bottoms of their feet, helping to alleviate the gap between them and the big man. Beyond that though, their faces came across as identically bland. Cute for certain, but I got the feeling that if either of them disappeared from my line of sight and re-appeared in different attire, I wouldn't recognize them.

As we drew closer, he and the other two took note of us. I might not always be particularly perceptive, but even I could notice the look of pure anger that flickered through his eyes. Before the other two could begin pissing themselves though, the big man said something to them. It looked like a command of some kind. He then made a dismissive motion, and the other two scurried off as we approached the bar. I took note of it as much out of habit as to keep my healthily growing paranoia quiet.

"Hey Junior~" Yang said in an overly sweet, almost saccharine tone "You miss me?"

The giant dubbed 'Junior' bared his teeth in a snarl and glared at Yang. "Blondie."

"Aw, don't be upset" Yang teased "You're gonna make me cry."

"You're not welcome here." Junior growled back "Leave. Now."

Yang eyed Junior with a challenging smirk. "I think you're forgetting something, Junior."

Junior's snarl lessened into a sneer as he hid his teeth. His eyes sank away from Yang. The next time he spoke; his voice, though still demanding, had lost much of its bite. "Leave. Now… sir."

I couldn't help but look back and forth between him and Yang for a moment. Here was this literal giant of a man, real hardy looking type. He carries himself with an air of power, dresses himself to the nines, and clearly held command over others. He was in, what was probably, his home field. He clearly had people on standby, if the two chuckleheads before us were an example. If there was ever going to a place where was supposed to be, or at least feel, untouchable, this was it.

And Yang, five-foot eight Yang, with nothing but a few words and a show of confidence, was cowing him into compliance. This was in addition to getting him to admit that Yang was superior to him. Even knowing Yang was fully capable of punching me through a wall, it did nothing to diminish my surprise.

It just made me morbidly curious as to just what she'd done to him, and disconcertingly scared to ask.

'… I'm probably just over thinking this.'

"We're just here to have a good time." Yang politely told Junior "No need to lose your cool over it."

"With all due respect… sir" Junior seethed through gritted teeth, gaze still averted "I think it'd be best if you leave."

"Mmm… too bad." Yang said brightly, shrugging her shoulders "I'm staying."

"That's not a good idea." Junior growled

"Is that a threat?" Yang asked playfully

After a momentary silence, Junior shrank back again.

"It was only a few windows Junior, no need to be so dramatic."

'…alright, enough of this.'

"Are you the bartender?" I asked Junior, stepping up closer to the bar "'Cause I would like to place an order."

Junior switched his gaze from the ground and up to me. Unlike with Yang, he had no problem showing me his contempt. "No, and who're you?"

"… Crazy Steve." I continued "Can you serve me a drink or not?"

"I just said I'm not the bartender." Junior growled

"Then what are you?" I asked, slightly annoyed

"... I am the owner of this club."

"… The owner?" I parroted

"Yes."

"As in the one who owns this building?"

"Yes."

"The one who pays all the bills?"

"YES."

"And purchases all of the supplies needed to keep this place running?"

"YES!"

"Including all of the booze currently behind the bar?"

"… YES YOU FUCKING MORON!"

"Ok, ok-" I said, placating "I'm just trying to wrap my head around why you can't serve me a drink."

Junior fixed me with a confused, but still clearly angry, look.

"I mean, you technically own the liquor and can do what you want with it. Up to and including serving a potential customer a drink."

Junior began glaring daggers at me, clearly, I'd made it onto his shit list in short order. Out of the corner of my vision though, I could've sworn Yang was trying not to laugh.

Junior turned to Yang finally, apparently to angry to look at the ground. "Who is this jackass?"

"Crazy Steve" I re-iterated "Now would you like to conduct business or continue acting like I'm not here?"

Junior fixed me with an annoyed glare, then stepped back from the bar a bit. "Can't."

"… Can't or won't?" I asked

Junior just kept getting more and more angry. "Can't. We're not stocked for the night yet, and the bar doesn't open for another hour."

"Tsk, then what good is this place?" I asked shaking my head "If I wanted to dance, I could do that anywhere."

"Oh fuck you."

"Language sir, there are lady-folk present."

Junior now gave me a near equal glare to the one he'd been giving Yang. The two girls I'd noticed earlier, the ones dressed in white and red, turned up their noses and strutted off in a huff.

For her part, Yang put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a disarmingly warm smile.

"It's not the end of the world." Yang said sweetly "That just means we get to spend some more time hanging out before the fun starts."

"Last time I'm going to say it." Junior growled "Get out of my bar."

"Is that a threat?" Yang asked

"… no sir."

Without another word, Yang turned back to the dance floor behind us and began walking. I stayed for a moment, eyeing Junior. My paranoia screamed at me that his word wasn't worth shit. That Yang was being too nonchalant with someone she shouldn't be. That being here at all was a bad idea and we should just head back to Beacon.

I was able to drown that out though, by remembering the reason I came here in the first place. Maybe it was shady, but I had no other options at the moment for getting drunk. If I was going to dance with the fiery mistress that was alcohol, I was going to have to skirt the line between stupid and dangerous. Thin though it may be.

I turned away from Junior and followed Yang out onto the dance floor.

"So what else is there to do here?" I asked, catching up with her

She turned slightly, and gave me a look that asked if I was playing with a full deck.

"… Aside from dancing." I clarified

"What's the matter? ~" Yang teased "Afraid you'll get shown up?"

"I-it doesn't have to be a competition."

Truth was, despite my status as an Acrobatic Marvel, I had a pair of vary large and uneven left feet. I'd gone out dancing once or twice at the Tops, after I'd gotten them some better acts. The general consensus my companions had was that when it came to the dance floor, I had all the natural grace of a drunk, overweight pack Brahmin. I wasn't going to argue with them either, I felt like one whenever someone tried to make me dance. I could move well enough in a fight, and was good about keeping my feet underneath me. But, for some inexplicable reason, my brain had a disconnect when it came to applying it to music.

"Well I think it should be." Yang said confidently, beginning to sway to the 'music'. "You're the one complaining about having to wait."

"Doesn't mean I want to dance."

"Wah wah~" Yang said sarcastically, giving me this smoldering glance. She gave me a beckoning motion and began to dance backwards, deeper into the expanse of the dance floor.

I spared one more glance back, not wanting to keep Junior out of my sights for too long.

He was still behind the bar, glaring at us, fuming.

I shook my head, psyching myself up, and followed Yang onto the dance floor.

…

It only took about five minutes for the droning din of the 'music' to give me a headache. Which I interpreted as my Brain's attempt to re-escape the captivity of my skull. It occasionally sounded like there were lyrics to the 'song', but they were impossible to make out. Coming through as white noise amidst the rest of the mess.

I hadn't really kept good track of how much time we'd been there. I only kept a vague watch as more people filtered in off of the street. The rest of my attention had been focused on making sure none of the wanna-be omertas in this place weren't trying to get the drop on us. Yang was willing to be nonchalant about them, but I wasn't.

It also gave me an excuse to focus on something other than our 'dancing'.

Dancing back in Vegas was different than here. It was more rooted in styles from the big band clubs that existed before the war. Meaning lots of footwork and dancing with a partner more often than not. Using each other to pull off a complicated series of movements, to create a beautiful display.

Dancing here was more like what you'd see the girls outside Gomorrah doing. Fitting, I suppose, given that the people running this place were so similar to the Omertas. While there was still footwork, it was much less emphasized. Replaced instead, by an emphasis on the rest of the body and the use of sinuous, smooth movement. A wave of the head. A flutter of the shoulders. A shake of the hips. A gliding of feet. All pulled together into a seamless, provocative set of movements that caught the eye as much as pleased it.

I only really noticed though, because Yang was making it apparent that's exactly what dancing was here. Either that or she was doing it on purpose.

I on the other hand, bobbed and wove slightly while snapping my fingers.

It was as hideous as it sounds.

The best I could do was try and keep in rhythm with the beat of the music, which probably made it worse. But after a while the dance floor was crowded enough that I don't think anyone was really paying attention. Aside from Yang anyway, who looked like she was trying not to laugh in my face.

"You could've just said you can't dance!" Yang shouted over the music.

"Ah, Shut it." I said back.

"What!?" Yang shouted again.

"I said shut it!" I shouted back.

"Aw, don't' be upset!" Yang said "It's not like anyone's watching!"

I gave a cursory glance around the room. The thugs were still around, here and there, but none of them seemed to be watching us. If they were, they were smart enough to not make it obvious.

"So, what do you think!?" Yang asked, over the music

"About what?"

"What!?"

"…"

I stopped snapping and lead Yang to a corner of the dance floor, far enough from the music I could hear my thoughts again.

"I said, about what?" I repeated.

"Oh, uh, about the club, duh."

"Oh… well, I've seen better." I answered after a moment "Seen worse too."

"Really?" Yang asked "You've got clubs back where you're from?"

"…Maybe not clubs, but places like this." I answered, carefully "They're not exactly my kind of place though."

"Really, so what is?"

"… I really don't see how that's much of your business."

"Aw, come on, it's a simple question."

"Yea, but I still don't feel like answering."

Yang gave me a deadpan look "Why not?"

"Because I don't feel like it."

"But why?"

"Again, none of your business."

Yang gave me a playful smirk. "It's not like I'm asking you some deep dark secret, I just want to know more about you… No need to dance around my questions."

I glared at Yang. "I'm not dancing, I'm just refusing to answer."

"Of course not" Yang said rolling her eyes "You're just waltzing around them."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"… Stop that."

"Or maybe it's the samba?"

"Stop or you're going to see me hustle my way out of here."

Yang started smiling playfully.

"… That wasn't a pun and you know it."

She gave a bemused chuckle and a wink "One day Six, one day."

"Hrm." I grunted.

"… hey" Yang said, giving me a pat on the back "I'm just trying to get you to loosen up, we're supposed to be having fun."

"I am- or at least, I'm trying to. This isn't my normal idea for having a good time."

"Then what is?"

I looked at Yang for a moment. Her tone was relaxed, playful even. Like she was trying to make sure I was actually enjoying myself.

"… Maybe some reading." I answered gruffly "Some weapon maintenance, some cooking, Things I can do by myself sometimes, y'know?"

"By yourself?" Yang asked, eyeing me "Why?"

"Maybe I just prefer being alone."

"But everything's more fun when you've got friends involved."

"Not always Yang." I answered, starting to feel a bit sour "There's plenty of times when I'm pretty sure I'm better off without company."

Yang quirked an eyebrow and smirked at me "That sounds pretty sad. You're better company than some people I know." She motioned back towards the bar.

"Doesn't make me good company Yang. I'm not a very good person a lot of the time."

"…I'm pretty sure that's a lie. You've got friends back where you're from, remember?"

"There's a difference between being civil and good, Yang. And I'm a terrible friend on top of that."

"I wonder, what they would have to say about that?"

"They'd agree with me." I said flatly.

"I find that hard to believe. They wouldn't be your friends otherwise, would they?"

"…"

"Why don't you tell me about it then?" Yang said, giving me a warm, welcoming smile "Maybe over a drink, since I think the bar is open now."

She quirked her head playfully back to the bar again, and I took note of the fact the shelves were now lined with bottles.

"… I'm not buying you a drink." I said, noncommittally

"Hmph, jerk." She said back, still playful "I'll pay you back. Strawberry sunrise, no ice… please?"

"… aight." I sighed, just a little defeated, and started walking to the bar.

"Oh, and get one of those little umbrellas in it if you can!"

I spared Yang a confused look but kept walking.

'Little umbrellas? … wait, what the hell is a strawberry sunrise?'

As I crossed the floor back to the bar, the 'music' became insufferable. Of course, walking closer to the speakers would have something to do with that. I kept an eye out for any of Junior's boys. They were keeping distance, but until I had a grasp of who Junior was and what Yang did, I wasn't taking chances. The only thing on our side at the moment would be that there was a crowd around us. Even if no one would be paying us any particular mind, there was less of a likelihood anything would happen with everyone here. Even then, that could easily be a false re-assurance if Junior was particularly vicious.

I strode back up to the bar, there were only a few people standing around it. Dyed black as shadows through the weird lighting of the club. Junior was still behind the bar, but one of his boys in the suits was manning it. The bartender was polishing one of a myriad of cocktail glasses as I leaned against the wooden bar. He spared me a glance, before looking to Junior, as if he was unsure if I was allowed to be there. Junior, in turn, fixed me with a glare.

"… We going to have a problem?" I asked

"Depends on whether or not you and Blondie are going to leave soon." He growled back.

"I believe that's 'sir' to you."

Junior said nothing in response, but glowered at me instead. Unfortunately for him, I've faced down raiders with scarier smiles than him. He was trying to be intimidating, but he was just annoying me.

"Might want to work on your attitude, Junior." I continued, coolly "If this is how you treat your customers it's a miracle you're still in business."

"You're getting involved in something you shouldn't, kid." Junior answered gruffly "I suggest you walk out of here while you can."

'Gee, that doesn't sound like a threat at all.' I thought.

"Let's keep suggestions to ourselves, eh?" I answered "I'm just getting some drinks, and going back to enjoying me evening. No reason for everything to take a turn."

Junior glared at me for a moment longer, then made a motion to the bartender, who looked more willing to take my order now.

"Strawberry sunrise, no ice, and with an umbrella for the lady." I said "For myself: Whisky, neat, any label is fine."

The bartender glanced back and forth between me and Junior for a moment, rocking his jaw. He waited until Junior made a motion with his hand, then started mixing a drink. Likely what was going to be Yang's 'Sunrise'.

"… She ordered the same thing the last time she was in here." Junior said, eyeing me. "Right down to the umbrella."

"Hmm." I grunted in reply "Did you give it to her?"

"…"

"I'll take that as a no. Not a bright idea on your part."

"Whatever."

"… Actually, out of curiosity, what did she do the last time she was here?"

Junior eyed me, part curious and part dismissive. "She didn't tell you?"

"Nope, didn't even know this place existed until tonight." I said, stretching a little "So that'd make you the first person to fill me in on what's going on."

Junior looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Go ahead, tell me a completely unbiased and honest story. I'm listening."

"Hmph, alright." Junior leaned against the bar "Here's a story for you."

I listened, prepared to take everything Junior said with a grain of salt.

"So, it was just another ordinary night. I'd been conducting business as usual here, and had just finished working out an arrangement with a fellow businessman. -"

'I'm sure both were totally legitimate.'

"- When blondie strolls in. In case you can't tell… uh, Steve, was it?"

"That's right."

"Right, well, in case you haven't noticed, my targeted clientele is slightly different from your friend. So, after she tried to order a drink, I politely asked her to leave."

"… I'm guessing that didn't go well."

I saw Junior's eye twitch as his face picked up a snarl. "She was looking for someone, and didn't like the fact that I didn't know anything about who she was looking for…" Junior leaned in closer to me, and I could feel the malice radiating off of him. "So she wrecked my club, costing me thousands of lien to repair, beat the tar out of at least half of my boys, including my ladies Miltiades and Melanie, and tried to crush my manhood with her iron fucking hands."

Junior stared straight ahead into the lenses of my mask. Whether because he was trying to be intimidating or not, I wasn't sure. But despite the clear anger in his tone, his voice was calm and even. He spoke smoothly in addition to that. Not like someone who was trying to make-up the events they were describing. He spoke like he was very vividly recounting something that'd happened to him. Speaking from some personal experience, I was inclined to believe Yang might've done some of what he said, but that didn't mean I believed all of it. The man had reason to be biased.

"… I'll take your word for it." I said evenly "I've been put through enough walls to know she could do some of that."

"She did all of it." Junior growled "So I'll say it again, Leave. You'll save yourself some trouble."

'… Yea, totally not a threat.'

"Ahem." A third voice coughed.

I turned to it, and saw the bartender waiting with two glasses of drink. One was a vibrant red, doubly so because of the lighting, with a garishly colored paper umbrella and black straw. The other came through as a pale shade of gray, but I could guess it was an amber color. Beyond that it had nothing special to it. I fished a lien out of my pocket and put it in the bartender's tip jar. I wasn't paying for the drinks, considering Junior was trying to threaten me. But the bartender hadn't screwed with me yet, so he could at least get something for his services.

"Last warning." Junior rumbled.

"Yea, I'll keep that in mind." I answered, not paying him any further mind. He wanted to scare me? Tough shit, I've had scarier hangovers.

I took the drinks and began back across the dance floor. I wasn't going to disregard what he'd said out of hand, but I was going to need to talk to Yang about it now. Because if there was one thing that conversation had clarified beyond doubt, it was that Junior was pissed. Whatever Yang did, I needed to know as soon as possible.

I crossed back over the dance floor and found Yang absently playing with her hair. As soon as she saw me, she stopped and adopted a playful appearance once more. I held out her drink and she took it with a smile.

"Thanks." She said, taking a sip from the glass through the straw

"Hmm." I grunted, swirling my drink in its glass. Watching the muted light dance off the liquid in it.

"Did you just order straight alcohol?" Yang asked, looking at the contents of my glass.

"I like the burn."

"Wow… you're almost as bad as my uncle."

I looked up from my glass and found Yang was taking another sip from her drink. She was also staring at me rather… intently. Her smile slowly turned into a smirk.

"How are you supposed to drink that?" She asked

"…"

I stayed as outwardly calm as I could.

Internally, I was having a nuclear meltdown.

How the hell had I not thought about how I was going to do this? Did I just assume Yang was going to turn away so I could quaff my drink? There was no way she'd agree to that, not with the unrepentant interest my teammates had in regards to my face.

But what was I going to do, undo the filters of my mask for the sole purpose of trying to pour my drink into my face?

'… No that'd be stupid, I'd just make a mess'

"Something wrong Six?" Yang asked, smiling

"Nope, not a thing." I answered "Just- uh- handling some logistics issues."

"Uh huh, because it kind of seems like you're having a hard time figuring out how to drink out of a cup."

"That's not your concern."

"I think it is~"

"It's not."

"Hmm… then how about this?" Yang turned her back to me and began obviously staring off into space.

"And this is what exactly?"

"I promise not to peek." Yang said playfully "Go ahead and enjoy your drink."

I stared at Yang's back for a moment. Absolutely not believing her for a minute, but desperately wanting to. "I'm… having trouble believing you."

"Tick tock, Six, keep a girl waiting and she'll change her mind. Call it a favor for a favor."

I stared at Yang a moment longer, then gave my drink a small look.

It looked so good.

'…dammit.'

I walked up to Yang and put my back to hers. I was taller than her by about a head and a half, and felt the back of her head betwixt my shoulder blades. She jolted a little in surprise and I could feel her head beginning to turn.

"Eyes forward." I said sharply "You want me to trust you, we do this my way right now."

She didn't say anything, but I felt her head move back the way it came. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling she was smirking at me.

I wasn't worried about the rest of the club watching. Everyone else seemed too preoccupied with their own dancing, drinking, and debauchery to notice. Though it didn't make me anymore comfortable. It was probably stupid of me to be this overly cautious, especially with such a crowd. Considering the location we were in though and my own growing inkling that we weren't in good company, maybe I was justified.

'Oh well, in for a denarii'

I undid the strap of my helmet and mask with one hand. I pushed it up and over my mouth enough to shoot back the entire contents of the glass. Not a particularly bright decision, given I was 'shooting' about four times the amount of what was typically 'shot'. But I wanted to get everything re-belted as quick as possible. The end result: I got about half of it down. I Let the other half sit in my mouth for a moment as I tried to force the rest down. I could feel my mouth going numb as the alcohol rapidly sterilized it. But not as fast as I was accustomed to from the drink back home. This place must've watered its drinks down. I swallowed the rest of my drink and slapped my helmet back into place, biting back a small coughing fit.

Needless to say, I didn't do Cass proud.

As I belted my helmet back into place though, I could feel the liquid settling into a warm pit in my stomach. A nostalgic feeling of knowing washed over me. Soon that warmth would spread, and my sweet brown medicine would take the pain away. Leaving me three sheets to the wind.

I stepped away from Yang and turned to face her, she in turn did the same. Still sipping from her flamboyantly colored drink. She looked at the now empty glass in my hand and quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Thirsty?"

"A little." I grumbled "… So, spill it."

"Hmm?"

"You said a favor for a favor. You didn't make any attempts to see my face, so what do you want in return?"

Yang continued to stare at me quizzically for a moment. Then just chuckled a little more. "Why so serious?"

"Yang-"

"It's just a few questions I want to ask" Yang said, flashing me another warm smile "We can wait until later though, let's just enjoy the night"

I looked at Yang for a moment, as the warmth in my stomach became a sinking pit instead. "… What kind of questions?" I asked, more than a little frustrated.

"Huh?"

"I like to pay-up on favors as soon as possible Yang. What kind of questions do you want to ask?"

Yang's eye widened in surprise, perhaps she'd thought I'd just brush this off. "J-just a few questions, nothing important-"

"If they weren't important, you wouldn't need a favor to ask them."

"Just some questions."

"That's not an answer Yang."

"You're being overly serious about this."

"Or maybe I'm finally serious enough about it." I said, fixing Yang with an otherwise unseen look. I think the message got through anyway though, because she returned it to me in kind.

"You know, you're suddenly acting like a real jerk." Yang growled

"Funny, considering it kind of feels like you girls have been treating me that way recently."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I don't know-" I growled "-the odd behavior, the random questions, the talking and planning that's been going on behind my back. It kind of feels like you're trying to keep me out of the loop."

"We're not" Yang answered, defensive "But it's also not hard to do when you're barely present and refuse to answer things we ask you."

"I've answered any questions you've asked, and I'm willing to answer what you want to ask within reason."

"There it is!" Yang growled, snapping a little "'Within reason', There are things you don't want to tell us!"

"Hi pot, name's kettle" I growled "I'm entitled to my personal secrets, maybe I think there are things about me you don't need to know."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be surprised when we get curious anyway."

I glared at Yang, and she in turn glared at me. After a relatively rocky start, tonight was turning sour. But I'd officially had it with whatever was going on where I wasn't looking. Looking at Yang, she was clearly angry. Being called out on something tended to have that effect. But there was something else mingled with the anger. I couldn't tell what though. It might've just been frustration or it might've been pain. Or maybe she was tired of whatever this was too, and just wanted to see it over with.

Perhaps it was all three.

"… Let me ask you something, Six." Yang said "Do you trust us?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." I said "When people aren't willing to be honest, it's hard to be trustful."

"Hmph, no kidding?"

"… You going to ask your question or not?"

Yang glared at me a moment longer, then took a deep breath. She let it out slowly. "Fine, Six…" She stopped with a blink, a confused look coming across her face. "What happened to the music?"

I gave Yang a confused look for a moment, then actually listened to the rest of the club. The 'music' had changed. To me, it still sounded like it was trying to murder my ears. But it had gone from passively trying to urge them to suicide, to actively trying to stab them to death.

A quick look around showed that other people had taken note of it too. Many had already made tracks to the door and left, others were in the process of it. The sinking feeling in my gut became more pronounced. Especially when I noticed Junior's boys were beginning to stare at us much more intently.

And they weren't keeping distance anymore.

'I fucking knew it.'

"I think it's time to head back." I said "You can ask your questions later."

Yang looked around at the approaching thugs and smirked viciously. "No, this is fine. I wanted to blow off some steam anyway."

"Yang-"

"I'll ask my questions when we're done. I said there was going to be some danger anyway, remember?"

She ditched the straw and quaffed the rest of her drink, gently putting her glass on the floor. I could already see Yang getting ready to fight. She hadn't readied her gauntlets yet, but she was loosening up. Stretching and flexing her arms and shoulders.

Every part of me was telling me it was time to leave. I wasn't sure what Yang was thinking but staying was a bad idea. It would be bad enough staying in territory where you're enemy had home field advantage. But something was wrong. They were getting as few outside people involved as possible. They'd been watching us the entire time we'd been here; I could tell easy enough. But they weren't trying to be subtle anymore.

I couldn't shake the feeling they knew something we didn't.

One more look around showed we were almost alone with Junior's boys. Apparently, people had picked up on the storm that was brewing and decided to leave before it hit. I saw a few of Junior's boys usher the last few out.

Then they locked the doors.

And the 'music' cut out.

Yang and I spared a glance up to the 'Mixer' over the bar and found Junior standing up there.

"I warned you." Junior said smoothly "Told you to get out of my bar. Whatever happens next is on you."

"What's the problem Junior?" Yang said, cheeky smirk on her face "I thought we had an understanding"

"We did, Blondie." Junior growled "But I think it's time for a new one."

Yang's smirk faded quickly. The pit in my stomach continued to drain ever downward.

"Yang" I started "What did you do?"

"Oh, nothing much" Yang said "Wrecked the club, beat up his guys, punched him through a window-"

"Tried to crush his manhood?"

Yang gave me another confused look. "Uh… kind of?"

"… Fucking dammit Yang."

Suddenly I was kicking myself for going along with this. Guys like Junior were everywhere. Dime a dozen criminals and gangsters who wanted to prove their dick was bigger than everyone else's. So they make themselves a place where they're in charge, get some idiots to be in charge of, and make their own little enterprise of it. Thinking they'll be untouchable.

Then Yang kicks in the door, wrecks the place, gives them a brush with mortality, and holds him by his weak point.

If there is one thing you never do to a guy like Junior, it's grip him by the mutfruits. Because chances are, he'll take it just a little bit personally.

"I was hoping you wouldn't come back." Junior said "To be honest, you were bad for business the first time."

"Aw, you know how to make a girl feel special." Yang challenged.

"But I'm glad you did." Junior said, pulling an oversized baseball bat from the 'mixer' stand. "It gives us a chance to settle up."

"You could settle by just letting us walk." I interjected, watching as Junior's boys continued to close in "There's no guarantee this won't be even more costly than the first time."

"Oh yeah?" Junior asked "Why's that?"

"Because there's two of us now." I said, readying to pull out my .45 from its spot on my back "You couldn't stop Yang with all of your boys the first time. You think you can take two of us with less?"

I'd been calmly counting the number of guys he had in the room since we came in. From what I saw, he had fifteen people to call on. The two at the door. Three on either side of the dance floor. Two at the bar, plus the bartender. And another three I'd counted on the dance floor. The extra two were elsewhere, floating freely around the club.

Two on fifteen under normal circumstances would be an up-hill fight. But Yang had already tangoed with more than this on her own and had mopped the floor with them. Both of us together shouldn't have a problem.

So why didn't I feel secure in that?

"No, you're right." Junior said with a shrug. "I probably can't."

I heard the steel doors at the front open, and turned to watch as a wave of black suits walked into the club. Each visibly armed with pistols, swords, axes, or some form of machete. I couldn't count how many there were, but it looked like an extra thirty.

'Oh, that's why.'

"So that's why I made sure everyone was going to be here this time." Junior finished

"Is that all?" Yang asked, confidant to fault

"Maybe." Junior vaulted over the mixer and landed heavily on the floor in front of the bar. "Why don't you find out?"

Then Junior and his boys started trying to kill us.

The thug closest to me pulled a pistol from seemingly no-where and tried to jam it into my face. I responded by hurling the glass in my hand at his head. His aim went wide as the glass collided with and shattered on his face. Instead of drawing my .45 and repeating his mistakes though, I whipped the spiked knuckles out of my sleeves and dove at him. The steel rings slid over my fingers as I drove a right straight into the thug's stomach. I followed it with a left hook to his face. He stumbled back and tried to get his aim back, but I slapped the gun out of the way and slammed him with a Ranger Takedown. It sent him flying, but it did little to buy me breathing room. More of Junior's thugs came charging in to replace him. I backpedaled toward Yang as one of them made a swipe at me with a, vaguely katana like, sword.

I could hear Yang's gauntlets roar behind me as I backed towards her. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her swivel on a heel and deliver a chopping kick to a thug that tried to come at her from one side. A second attempted the same from the opposite side, likely hoping to catch her unawares. While Yang could probably have handled him, I intervened with a jab to the side of his head, disorienting him long enough for Yang to return to form and punch him with a blast from Ember Celica. He flew off into the on-rushing crowd as another three idiots took his place. Two with swords, the third with a pistol further behind.

Yang and I moved in tandem to the sword wielders. Normally, getting in close quarters with someone who has a longer reaching weapon was a bad idea. Of course, that's assuming the person using it actually knew how to. Given they were holding the blades one-handed, I assumed they didn't.

The thug I charged brought the sword to level with my helmet in an upward stroke. It reached further out with his one arm, but it was a clumsy and slower movement in exchange. I sidestepped the blade and clocked him on the jaw. Then followed it with a hook kick to the side, sprawling him to the floor. A third, axe kick to the head as he was prone made him stay there. With a double burst of her gauntlets, Yang launched past the other sword wielder and drove a knee into the sternum of the gunman. She followed it by planting both of her fists into his chest. The blast blew him back on his ass and launched her towards the sword wielder. She spun, bringing her fist up in a hook to his head. To his credit he dodged it by an inch. Which left him open to Yang's follow up with her other hand.

Which hit much harder.

But even before that guy hit the ground, four more came to replace the previous three, all of them armed with machetes. I only recognized them because the design was vaguely similar to the standard machetes the legion would use. The exceptions being the blades were notably longer, and had a notch chiseled deep into the spine near the tip. It looked to be sharpened too.

The four split into two pairs, and drove between me and Yang. They must've been hoping to split us up. It's easier to overwhelm people when you isolate them, that's just common knowledge.

Both of the thugs came at me at the same time, one swinging high, and the other swinging low, leaving no room for me to dodge except backward and away from Yang. I couldn't allow them to take lead of me. I stepped back enough to avoid the first strikes, but dove in while they wound back for a repeat. I didn't have room to be fancy or smart, just quick. I gave one of them another Ranger Takedown, temporarily removing him as an issue. The second one wound back around in time to make another strike, but I was ready for it. With smaller issue now, I wove past his strike and delivered a Legion Assault to his head. My added body weight made the punch hit harder, and I watched him stagger. I flicker jabbed him all across the chest to keep him that way. I couldn't tell how much of it he felt, I had no way of knowing for sure if these guys had auras or not. Given how useful they'd be in this line of work though, I was inclined to believe they did.

With a solid blow to his arm, I forced the thug to release his grip on the machete. It clattered to the floor, and I threw an uppercut at him. He toppled backward, and I turned back to his friend. He'd just gotten to his feet when another thug slammed into him at full force. Blown backwards into him by Yang. The other thug that had moved to her was currently in the process of finding out how fast she could hit. I watched briefly as her fists became a golden storm of light and sound. Her gauntlets unleashing a torrent of shot and power into the thug as she punched him. I felt the smallest twinge of pity for him, briefly, I knew how hard she hit.

Behind her though, now six more guys came rushing in. Each wielding weapons that I didn't have time to focus on.

But I did notice the one that was pointing a pistol at Yang's back.

With practiced finesse, I shifted my foot underneath the nearby machete and flicked it into the air. I grabbed it at apogee, took a fraction of a second to aim, and threw it down range. It winged past Yang's head by an inch and slammed into the gunman's. It bounced off without visible harm, but he gave a cry of pain and missed his shot, hitting a thug somewhere else.

Yang took note of my near miss, spun to see her would-be attackers, then finished pummeling the thug nearest her. With a heave, she pulled him over her shoulder and punched him into the onrushing crowd. Knocking half of them down and stumbling the others.

I didn't hesitate to close the distance between me and Yang, kicking the nearest downed thug in the head while doing so.

Despite that though, I knew he wouldn't stay down. In fact, none of them would. We were blasting people across the room and pummeling them into the floor, but they were getting back up. They had enough people to buy them the time to do so. We could keep space as long as we wanted, but that didn't change the fact that they outnumbered us. In a war of attrition, the name of the game is out last and overpower your opponent. I knew I could keep going, but at some point my bad luck would rear its head.

That wasn't even accounting for how they were fighting. Even if they had auras, they were relentless, even vicious in their assault. They may have fought Yang before, but so had I. Even after 'winning' I was still a little hesitant about doing it again. Yang was competent, skilled, and strong. Not someone you went up against without a plan.

They had to be up to something. But I couldn't tell what.

The three staggered thugs got their wits about them again and began circling us. Keeping just out of punching distance so they wouldn't have to immediately strike back. Yang wasn't having it though, and dove at the nearest one. She slipped past his guard and gave him an uppercut that sent him airborne. Although slow to react, this gave the other two an opening. One dove for me with an axe, but just barely missed. The other got lucky though, and got a slash in on Yang. Not that it stopped her at all, as she just turned and punched him in the face.

As for my assailant, I hit him in the face with a jab, then a cross to buy space. I pivoted and kicked him in the stomach, toppling him to the floor. I stomped on him for good measure, again, and prepared to keep up with Yang. She hadn't waited after punching out the other two, she'd just pushed forward. Machetes and Axes occasionally clipping her as she waylaid into the onrushing thugs.

I noticed the white blur right as it was about to hit me.

I dipped into a guard right as one of the girls I'd seen earlier came at me from the side. She kicked high, fast, and hard. If she'd gotten through my guard right then, she might've knocked a few teeth out. But it held, and I gave her a Scribe Counter for her trouble.

She slipped away from it, and her red twin came in after her, a pair of long red claws affixed to either arm. Their reach exceeding my own by inches.

She swiped and I back pedaled away from the two, increasing the space between me and Yang.

"'Afraid I don't have time for this, ladies." I said, being as curt as possible "Do yourselves a favor and move."

"Tsk, Militia, why do we always get the rude ones?" The one clad one asked.

"I don't know Melanie." The red one, Miltia, apparently, replied "But he doesn't look like much fun."

"I'm rude?" I asked "Bitch, you struck first."

That earned me a glare from both of them.

"I guess not." Melanie said "Let's teach him some manners."

'Great going Six, learn to watch your language.'

The one with the claws came at me first, slashing at me. I didn't try to block them, only dodge. I didn't have the armor to stop her attacks from cutting me, and I couldn't count on my aura to hold out for long. It wouldn't take too many cuts to make blood loss a worry either.

She slashed at me three times, then made a stab for me. When she did, I wove past it and punched her in the chest. She rolled with it, and moved out of the way as the white one came back in. She came in with a high kick at my head. I took note of the fact that there were very sharp looking blades strapped to the backs of her heels. Only because they were close enough to my face it was hard not to.

She brought her leg inward with a swiping motion, nearly clipping me with the blades of her heels. But even as I dodged, Miltia came back in again. Raking her claws at me in a cross armed slash. I could only back pedal away from them, further increasing the distance between Yang and me. But there was little I could do otherwise.

Miltia made another lunge for me and I reversed course, plowing forward with a Ranger Takedown. It hit and she flew back slightly, but Melanie had been hot on her heels, and countered for her. Striking me in the stomach and sending me backwards by what felt like a dozen feet. I tumbled to the ground and rolled to a knee.

Now the gap between me and Yang was rather substantial.

Miltia picked herself up off the ground and began to sashay closer to me with her white clad twin.

I got back to my feet, steadied myself, and grit my teeth. I spared a look past the twins and to Yang. She was still going, pummeling Junior's boys like it was going out of style. Moving to and fro like a raging fire, uncontrolled, dangerous, and… oddly beautiful. Even through the monochromatic filter of the club's lighting I could see her hair burning gold. Like a torch cutting a hole through the shade. Everything that got close to it seemed to lose its paler hues. Gently warming back to life. Like the sun bringing day to a long night…

I shook my head and focused. The whiskey must've finally been getting to me.

I didn't wait for the twins to come to me. I wasn't going to catch up to Yang doing that. But as I moved forward, I took note of something. The world felt… off. Like everything was tilted at an angle so minute I couldn't quite match, but just steep enough to drive me insane. On top of that I felt heavy. Like my legs, arms, chest, everything had been strapped with leaden chains.

Something was wrong, but I still hadn't picked up on what. So I powered through it.

When I was about five feet away, I dove at the twins with a Legion Assault. They both, in turn, slipped out of the way before springing back at me for another strike. I dodged as well, but this time putting my Back to Yang. They weren't going to be driving us apart if I had a say in it.

They came at me in a practiced, coordinated fury. Claws swiping and kick flying at me every which way. I used every move to lessen the divide between me and Yang. But I couldn't keep the defensive forever. Especially not as I was feeling then. But there also wasn't much else I could do. I had my .45, but using a gun, even a pistol, in a close quartered fist fight was a recipe for disaster on my part. Contrary to popular belief. I still had my flashbang in my sock too, but It wasn't going to do jack diddly right now.

'Knew I should've brought a frag grenade.'

I dipped and wove past their assault, waiting for them to tire enough that I could retaliate. But they were covering each other's weaknesses well. I couldn't force them apart. I'd strike one to counter, and the other would be ready to intercept. I'd lower my guard, and they'd both dive for it. Even if I managed to strike or guard against one of them, the other would be waiting in the wings. Fighting multiple enemies was never easy, but it was even worse when they were actually coordinated.

Making it worse, Yang was still on the move herself. I was doing my best to keep with her and lead the twins back to her, if for no other reason to by myself breathing room. But she was driving further and further ahead. Even knowing that the number of enemies present wasn't infinite didn't change the fact that they were tenacious.

The twins reeled back once more and looked ready to try and bring another barrage of kicks and slashes to me. But then a knowing look registered across their faces, and they moved further back still.

It was by instinct and paranoia that I dodge Junior. I dove forward and rolled to my feet as he came crashing to the floor from somewhere overhead. The body of his bat smashing into the floor and leaving a crater five feet around.

I came to a stop and took stock of my new situation. To one direction, I had both of the twin. Standing a small distance apart and looking no worse for wear. To the other, I had a mountain of a man wielding a club the size of a child. All three forming a small, three-point circle with me as the center.

The tired, heavy limbed, and woefully unprepared center.

If there had been any doubts that Junior had something up his sleeve though, they vanished with a cocky smirk. One he sported as he came to his feet.

"AAAGH! Enough already!"

I spared a glance backward as Yang erupted into the throes of her flaming haired fury. The thugs were continuing to try and surround her, but just plowed through them. Punching, kicking, slamming them into each other, and using them as springboards. It was a sight to behold.

"Hmph." Junior grunted, still smirking "She's still got all that energy."

"Doesn't have to keep going this way, Junior." I growled, carefully keeping both him and the Twins in sight. "We could still just walk out of here. No sense in everyone getting the crap kicked out of them."

"… Nah, I think I like my odds." Junior retorted baring his teeth "Besides, I told you to leave."

"Yeah, and I told you to keep it to yourself."

I took a deep breath and adjusted my stance. My lungs were starting to feel heavy, and burned slightly.

"Heh, your choice kid." Junior said with a shrug "But you're looking pretty tired."

'… tired?'

The gears in my head finally clicked to a halt.

I don't get tired. At least, not from this little. I've gone for hours on end in fights like this before, and came out only a little winded for it. Right now though, I felt like I wanted to keel over.

Like I'd been poisoned.

"You spiked our drinks, didn't you?" I asked.

That got a look of surprise out of Junior. He must've thought he was being clever.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I felt a chill trickle down my spine. The pieces fit together well enough then. My eyes darted to Yang, still burning bright. But her movements were sluggish. Like every move she made was slowly growing off kilter. She wasn't letting it stop her, but it was clearly getting worse by the moment. I watched as she launched the thug closest to her across the club, clearing a neat open space around her.

Then she hit the floor.

"Yang!"

The sound of Heavy footsteps reached me a second before the pain hit my lower spine. I had less than half a second to See Junior hitting me with his oversized bat.

Then I flew into a wall.