[OPEN] the castle's under siege

[cardcaptured]

WHO: Xiaolang Li + you!!
WHERE: Various places throughout the city
WHEN: All throughout November!
WHAT: Hoards of turkeys harass local preteen nerd, possible communication misfires, and other random shenanigans! (Also a meeting discussing Retrospec with Derek at Munch and Crunch on the 10th)
WARNINGS: Possible... turkey violence?? Maybe?? please don't murder any of these birds in front of him, PLEASE

I

[It started out innocuously enough, like most disasters do.

All Xiaolang wanted to do was to work on his science club project in the park-- the weather, while brisk, was still agreeable, and the fresh air helped him focus. With everything that had happened so far this month, homework and other things had fallen to the wayside, and he was desperate to catch up before it started affecting his grades. It felt like ever since he got the Retrospec app, there was always something preventing him from doing his work, without fail, and it was starting to get aggravating.

So the approach of a lone turkey, drawn to the shiny metal of his pencil case, was not a welcome one. Maybe he was a little too vigorous with his attempts to shoo it away? He didn't mean to accidentally chuck said pencil case at the bird, hitting it in the head and enraging it in the process, but what's done was done, and did you know? Turkeys are surprisingly social creatures, and if someone gets on their bad side, well, they're going to let all of their friends know. And until Thanksgiving (or whenever people finally round up all these godforsaken creatures), if Xiaolang is around, there's a good chance there's a turkey or two (or...five...) rushing to intercept him, feathers fluffed and menacing.

Sometimes, he attempts to fight them off, though 'fighting off' is more or less aggressively waving his bag and yelling at them to cut it out. (He wasn't about to hit them again after the first incident-- he learned his lesson from THAT.)

Other times, he ducks into the nearest store or business, hastily slamming the door behind him before any of the birds can enter, pointedly avoiding any glances from whatever customers may be staring in his direction.

And otherwise? He just straight up makes a dash for it, hoping to outrun the birds for once and maybe not get pecked to death that day.

... in short, someone, please lend this poor, harassed child a hand, because he's not about to ask for help on his own.]

II

[The one upside to becoming a turkey magnet, however, is that whenever Xiaolang happens to be, there's sure to be a golden egg nestled somewhere nearby. Once this crazy bird business is over, he's going to take great care picking up whatever eggs have been left behind, because, honestly-- he's suffered his due thanks to these hellbeasts, he deserves at least one good thing out of it.

... too bad most of these are duds, though?? Which he soon discovers after the third confetti bomb to the face.]

Ugh, come on! Really?

III

[On top of the turkey woes and everything else, there was a much more troubling issue at hand. Xiaolang knew he couldn't tell his mother about the whole business with Retrospec-- her not believing him aside, she would have his head for landing in such an irresponsible mess. But he had to warn her, somehow, about the possible danger he was in, even if he had to be vague. He didn't want something to happen to him while he was here, and her be none the wiser, especially given his position in the family.

... unfortunately, with the unreliable connection, all he has managed to do so far was annoy his mother to no end with the frequent dropped calls. His sisters were a little more forgiving about it, but even then he was barely able to get a minute into the call before the line went dead. It wasn't just his phone, either-- the landline in his apartment and even the phones at school weren't doing any better, and as the month goes on, Xiaolang's looking more and more distressed over this.

So congrats! If you get a phone call, an e-mail, or a text in urgent Cantonese, you probably got one of his. Oops?]

IV

[If there's anything else you want to do for November with Xiaolang, hit me up! You can usually find him on the middle school campus or in the library on most days, but I'm down for anything, so feel free to poke me over at Urameshi if you want to plot some stuff out!]

Comments

i

[promisedyou]

[ Help Xiaolang? Please, as if Mio was going to do that in the first place. Instead of helping, she's actually got her phone out recording the moment right into her phone's memory. ]

Wow, look at you go... [ See how kind she is? ]

I need more angry red icons that aren't his princess one

[cardcaptured]

[YOU'RE LIKE THE WORST BIG SISTER FIGURE EVER, OH MY GOD

It's not until he's vaulted himself onto a bench nearby (avoiding peckish beaks for the moment), that he even notices she's nearby, phone out and waiting, and it doesn't take long for him to put two and two together.]

MIO, DON'T YOU DARE--!

[Whoops, and there's a turkey nipping at his pants cuff now, garnering an aggravated squeak on his end.]

you do

[promisedyou]

[ Worst big sister figure in 2017, text it. Of course, she can't help but almost snort for a few seconds, but she doesn't seem to stop recording at all in the slightest bit. ]

Hmm? Don't I dare what? [ Not even going to pretend that she's her sister, either. ]

cries photobucket why did you eat all the CCS icon posts

[cardcaptured]

[OH, HE WILL-- if the turkeys didn't eat him alive first, anyway?? He manages to perch on the back of the bench, keeping his feet away from nibbly birds, though it's hard to keep his balance and focus on Mio at the same time.]

You KNOW what! STOP RECORDING THIS!

i

[buncho]

[ Xiaolang being chased by a bunch of turkeys is the best thing when Mafuyu's gotten tired of chasing the birds around town and having them slip off into alleyways or somehow make it up into the trees despite looking too hefty to be able to fly. She's about to give up for the day, halfway up a tree herself when she sees him and his little entourage. ]

Hey! Up here! Grab on!

[ She calls down to him to get his attention before he can pass by, a length of rope unraveling down in front of him. ]

[cardcaptured]

[Why anyone would want to follow around these horrendous creatures is beyond him-- honestly, after this, Xiaolang never wanted to see another turkey ever again in his life. But if Mafuyu was looking for them, he got them in spades, a good half dozen of them on his tail by the time she calls out to him. Head whipping up at the sound of her voice, he grabs onto the offered rope and scrambles up without hesitation, though a few birds nipping at his pants cuff offer a bit of resistance. Years of tree climbing back home in Hong Kong made the ascent a quick one, but he's still fairly winded by the time he reaches where Mafuyu is up above.]

T-Thanks... for that...[All that running took it's toll on him, and it was another moment or two before he could speak without being out of breath.]

Are they chasing you too?

[buncho]

[ Mafuyu shakes her head, more of her attention down at the turkeys crowding around the trunk of the tree below them than on Xiaolang. They butt heads and throw their bodies against the trunk, shaking the tree, but Mafuyu simply raises to her feet, standing on the branch with one hand on the trunk for balance. ]

Tie that rope around your middle, hurry.

[ What? Yeah. ]

[cardcaptured]

[It takes Xiaolang a second to realize what she was asking of him, attention momentarily grabbed by the turkeys trying to jostle them out of the tree (seriously, WHY WERE THEY LIKE THIS??), but he hastens to obey her command. She did rescue him, after all, so maybe this was to make sure nothing else came up the tree after them? He does shoot her a curious glance as he's finishing up the knot around his waist, though. If she wasn't up here to get away from the literal Angry Birds, what WAS she here for?]

Um, okay? But what's this for, anyway?

I

[invocate]

[Early one Saturday afternoon, the shop Xiaolang ducks into is Expressive, the quaint coffee shop where Li-Na works on the weekends. Lucky for Xiaolang, it's a slow moment, so there aren't many customers to see his sudden entrance. Li-Na is behind the counter, restocking cups and stirrers, and the other assorted items kept back there. She looks up when the door suddenly slammed shut, the loud noise disturbing the relative quiet of the shop. Well now, she thinks she recognizes that brown haired boy.]

Xiaolang? Are you alright?

[cardcaptured]

[Honestly, Xiaolang wasn't paying any sort of attention to which stores he was ducking into-- as long as it was open and not someone's apartment building, he was going to take advantage of it. But as far as places go to hide away from a passle of turkeys, Expressive was probably the most ideal? He could catch his breath and get something to drink, at least once the other employees stopped looking at him funny. Hopefully by then the birds would move on, but who knew how long that would take?

His head snaps up, however, when he hears his name-- his actual name, not the name he asks people to go by-- and his eyes round in surprise. Well now, it looks like he recognizes this particular dark-haired barista too.]

Li-Na? You work here?!

[The moment it leaves his mouth, however, he realizes that was a dumb question. Well, duh, she's behind the counter and everything, but it was still a shock. What were the odds?

The angry, muffled gobbling from behind the door wrenches Xiaolang from his thoughts, and he quickly shakes his head.]

No-- I mean... yes! I'm fine! Sort of? It's complicated. [And really, really stupid. SO STUPID.]

There isn't a table near the very back I can sit, is there...?

[invocate]

[Li-Na notices the angry turkeys outside on the sidewalk. Oh. That explains everything. A corner of her mouth lifts slightly in amusement.]

Actually, there is. Far from the windows.

[She points around the edge of the counter to the portion of the shop that extends deeper into the building.]

You can stay here for a while.

[and hide]

Would you like something to drink? Tea? Hot cocoa?

[cardcaptured]

[That amused look isn't lost on Xiaolang, who flushes a bit at her knowing expression. Was it really that obvious? (Yes. Yes, it was.) He's too relieved to have a place to avoid the turkeys to really get too prickly about it, though.]

T-Thanks. Just make sure no one opens the door any time soon? It probably wouldn't be a good idea.[For his sake, as well as the sakes of any other people who happen to be in here.]

Um... the hot cocoa would be good, though? [Because god, he could use the chocolate right now-- and at that, he begins to dig through his messenger bag, trying to locate his wallet. Ugh, things got so messy in there thanks to all the running, he hates it--]

How much is it?

11/10 - Closed to Derek

[cardcaptured]

[Say what you want about Xiaolang and his serious, no-nonsense personality, but at least the boy was really good at being punctual.

In fact, it's about 5:45 by the time he reaches Munch and Crunch, and he patiently waits outside of the restaurant, tapping away idly at his phone while keeping an eye out for Derek. It was already dark and more than a bit chilly, but thankfully he had switched over to warmer attire in anticipation for such a thing. He wasn't sure what to expect from all of this-- all the things he had learned so far, from the other users and Sakura herself, was enough to keep him worried for months, and yet here he was getting ready to add more potential bad news on his plate? It wasn't healthy, but Xiaolang had already made the plans and he wasn't about to back down now. The more he knew, the more he was able to help, at least in one way or another.]

Derek-- I'm near the front door of Munch and Crunch

Let me know your ETA when you can

Re: 11/10 - Closed to Derek

[blondferret]

[Derek walking out of his apartment when he feels his phone vibrate. Pulling it out he sees that Xiaolang has texted him. He smirks at Xiaolang's professionalism. This kid is going to go far with an attitude like that...social life however? Well, he's still young. Derek types back a response.]

On my way kid. Give me ten. Keep an eye out for a blue nissan.

[cardcaptured]

[With a school schedule like his, who needs a social life? Not Xiaolang, that's for sure. Though it says something that he's met up and talked with more people in the past few weeks than he has in the last six months, so... thanks for that, Retrospec?? I guess??]

Will do.

[It was chilly enough outside that Xiaolang's breath came out in foggy little clouds, steaming up the air as he keeps an eye out for Derek's car. Maybe ice cream wasn't the best idea for a night like this? (And honestly, he had his fair share of the stuff at Sakura's a week earlier, so he wasn't exactly missing it) Hopefully Derek wouldn't mind if he asked for something a little less cold instead.]

[blondferret]

[Ten minutes later Derek pulls up to Munch and Crunch and parks his car. He spots Xiaolang when he is stepping out and does a half wave. As Derek walks over, he calls out to the teenager.]

Hey, how are you doing mate? It's a bit chilly, why don't we go inside?

IV - card gamers, a mystic adventure

[spirithacker]

[So as it turns out, Duel Monsters may not have existed for longer than a few weeks, despite Shinji remembering playing it. Weird!

But not so weird that he isn't going to get really good at it. No matter where this game comes from, he's going to beat his entire class.

He's practiced with his deck a few times, made some alterations, and now that he's confident: it's time to challenge random people in this shop. First victim: that kid who doesn't look much older than Shinji.]

Hey, you! Duel me!

[Politeness is a work in progress.]

a quest for all TIIIIIIIMMMEEE

[cardcaptured]

[Xiaolang, on the other hand, didn't stay on top of the latest gaming fads-- with all the school work and stuff he did on the side, who had the time to?-- but he did have a soft spot for certain TCGs, even if he didn't really have people to compete against. It was more collecting the cards and coming up with various strategies that interested him, and Mystic Conclave was a perfect series to him in that regard. With the newest expansion dropped, he was quietly perusing the decks, hoping to pick one up before heading home. He wasn't the type to spend on frivolous things, but honestly? After this month so far, he needed something good.

But maybe that was a little too much to hope for. It takes him a moment to realize Shinji was addressing him, and not somebody else in the store, and he straightens up from the card counter.]

What--?

[................... was that the eight year old he just argued with the other day, oh my god]

... I'll pass.

[And with that, he starts to move towards the register and out the door. Politeness also seems to be a work in progress with him??]

[spirithacker]

[That might be the older kid he had an argument about over Retrospec, or it might not. Either way, it's probably someone he can taunt.]

Chicken. You're just scared you're going to lose to somebody younger than you.

wildcard! :3c

[complementing]

[The Confectionary's front door is closed. This isn't strange in and of itself, since it's usually closed anyways, to keep the AC in for the cupcakes' sake. But today:

"Please don't let any turkeys in with you when you come in!" says a sign, with a panicked looking Confectionary worker and an angry turkey doodled in at the bottom.

XiaoLang might notice through the glass that Minako is doing battle with a turkey inside, holding out a broom and trying to herd it towards the door.]

[cardcaptured]

[For once this month, Xiaolang wasn't being stalked by a gang of turkeys, which was amazing in and of itself. Part of him wanted to take advantage of it, and maybe say hi to Sakura at her job, since he was already passing by, but... would that be too weird? His heart started to pound, and he shook the notion off. No, she was probably busy, and he didn't want to distract her, and it's not like he couldn't see her at school and on the weekends, anyway, so--

His footsteps slowed his eye catches the sign on the door, and then the girl about to do battle with the bird indoors. The rational part of his mind insisted that he moved along, because the last thing he wanted to do was tangle with some turkeys when he didn't have to, but...

...Sakura worked there...

Before he even realizes what he's doing, he flings open the door to the shop, letting it slam against the wall with a clatter of noise, before storming over between Minako and the offending bird. Without a second thought, he plucks up the turkey and flings it to the entrance, a fluffy ball of feathers and rage sailing through the air but not quite out the store as of yet.]

KNOCK IT OFF AND GET OUT OF HERE ALREADY!

[... well, that's... one way to introduce yourself to someone?]

[complementing]

[Holy crap??? is Minako's immediate first thought, and she's so stunned that she doesn't react for a moment, just staring open mouthed as the kid lifts the turkey up and tosses it aside without so much as a scratch.

For now, at least, because that definitely pisses the bird off, and it starts squawking loudly, turning around to its aggressor and returning all of that fury in the form of attacking XiaoLang's ankles.]

Oh my god--

[And here comes the broom, Minako frantically trying to sweep the turkey back towards the door, but it keeps trying to fly up and over her broom. THIS TURKEY IS A FIGHTER.]

II

[frisyr]

You'll find another one!

I haven't gotten anything good either, though...

[cardcaptured]

[Oh hello... random Swedish man nearby? Xiaolang merely frowns at him, and then back to his dud of an egg, before tossing the empty shells over his shoulder.]

I'm kind of wondering if they're all duds, to be honest. I doubt anything good can actually come out of these stupid beasts.

[And because curiosity got the better of him--] ... what did you wind up getting, anyway?

[frisyr]

Face full of chocolate pudding...

[ He frowns ]

I guess that's pretty bad...