[OPEN] | A thousand heartbeats beat in time

[cardcaptured]

WHO: Xiaolang Li & YOU!
WHERE: All over the city!
WHEN: First half of June, more or less
WHAT: June event catch-all! Completing tasks for Zee so his girlfriend can get her asshole brother back, graduation can go without a hitch, and just to get the city up and functioning like normal.
WARNINGS: Nothing at the moment, aside from the inevitable fluff that come with Xiaolang and Sakura in the same area as one another, but--! If you want to jump onto anything on the prompt list or plot something in general, hit me up at Urameshi and I'll be happy to hash things out!



☽ FOR THE GREATER GOOD

[Anywhere in Recolle, from June 3rd to June 16th! Xiaolang's task list is here, so feel free to use any of these for your own starters or jumping off points for your own prompts! The only exceptions are the red-starred ones, as they're going to be more suitable after the player plot is done with! He's going to be a bit of everywhere this month, so any location is good to randomly bump into him 8|b]

☽ 101 DALMATIANS - TRIBUNAL TERRACE

[If there was any task on the list that Zee had given them that Xiaolang was most enthused over, it probably had to be the one involving the fire-station dogs. He already had plenty of experience looking after his cousin's dear poodle, and he liked dogs in general, so it seemed to be a no-brainer to take on.

However, he hadn't factored in two very important things:

1) Fire dogs are almost always dalmatians, and dalmatians happened to be huge.

and

2) Dalmatians, by nature, have a ridiculous amount of energy.

And when the first thing tied into the second... well. It was one thing managing a small, fairly light miniature poodle, but it was another thing entirely trying to reign in a dog that was half his height and almost as heavy as he was. So you may see him trying (and ultimately failing) to hold back three very excitable dogs as they dash down the street, either after a squirrel or to the nearest person they find most interesting, yelling hoarsely as he's quickly losing his footing.]

Stop! STOP!!

[Alternately (probably after enough grown dog mishaps), he's going to be placed on puppy duty instead, tasked with feeding the eager new recruits. But hungry puppies are formidable foes, and they're quick to swarm Xiaolang's legs in an black and white frenzy the moment he brings out the kibble for them, making movement a difficult task indeed. He glances over at whoever else is nearby, clearly exasperated by the whole thing, keeping the food held high above him.]

Could you-- ow, don't bite!-- could you lend me a hand with this?

☽ FINALS CRISIS - APPRASSAGE

[The library is, thankfully, largely restored thanks to his efforts from last month, and he's using it to his advantage now that finals were quickly racing up to meet him. One would question why he'd need to study, if his teachers didn't even know he was there, but graduation was soon, and he didn't want to risk his shot at valedictorian in any way possible.

But in order for graduation to happen, most of the school needed to be restored, and thus he had to break out of his normal study habits. On his table, amidst all the textbooks and pencils and binders, is a sign written in not-quite-so-legible handwriting, large enough to catch anyone's eye should they be walking by.]

Offering: tutoring in AP-level math, science and Chinese/Cantonese
Accepting: help with english and history

☽ SUPERMARKET SWEEP - CHATA

[Grocery shopping was nothing new to Xiaolang-- after all, he and Leon split the chores in the household, and he was the one who knew what they needed for cooking, anyway-- so getting it done wasn't the issue. It was more approaching somebody, especially a stranger, that was giving him pause, his usual quiet and introverted nature making the simple task so difficult. If he could see them, they had to be a part of Retrospec too, so they probably (hopefully?) wouldn't find him too weird for asking, right? Squaring his shoulders and pushing his discomfort down, he approaches the nearest person he can spot in the store, tapping at their arm.]

Do you have a list? I can help find some of the stuff, if you want. I can figure out which ones are a better bargain.

☽ SUP FAM - VIEA VILLAGE

'Talk about your family and why you love them with someone.'

[... well, jeez. Talking about his family was one thing-- he certainly had enough subjects to choose from, both here and in Hong Kong-- but talking about why he loved them was a different thing entirely. His family, at least the one he grew up with, wasn't the overly-affectionate type (save for his sisters, if smothering could be considered as much), so being candid about his feelings about them was... strange. But these tasks had to be done, and maybe if he got someone else to open up about it first, he wouldn't feel so weird about it. So, during one time or another, be it fashion show rehearsal or on the bus, or even after finishing up one of his other tasks, he's going to look to someone and ask, quite simply:]

What's your family like?

☽ PANDA EXPRESS PART 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO - ENPRISE

[Xiaolang already had experience the month before with straightening up the zoo, painting the various cages and habitats, so he wasn't against working on it a little further for this. Not that he could claim his intentions were entirely for restoring the city-- he and Sakura had talked about going there for a date, eventually, and they couldn't exactly do that if half of it was blank and the animals were missing.

He's all around and about at the zoo, tracking down and carefully herding or carrying whatever reasonably sized creatures he comes across with varying degrees of success-- red pandas, penguins, and maybe even a few wolf cubs or two (the latter which he seems reluctant to put back into the cages).

However, at some point, he's going to be staggering over to whoever else may be working on fixing up the zoo, cuddled and coddled by three very clingy panda cubs, looking absolutely Done with all of this. This was Leon's fault. This was entirely Leon's fault.]

Please get one of these guys off of me.

[He was going to die of panda overdose, he just KNEW IT....]

☽ VIRTUAL INSANITY - TISSE

[Despite being a thirteen year old boy, the arcade was, admittedly, not a place Xiaolang frequented to all that often. School, clubs, and other activities gave him little time to spend playing video games, and the small amount he did know about them came from mobile games or watching his cousin go about them instead. Still, he was a quick learner, being able to pick up skills on his feet, and some of these games looked... kind of interesting? And possibly, dare he even think it... fun?

His hand shoots out, grabbing the closest person passing by, whether they be a familiar face or a stranger. The look on his face is almost comical in how determined it is, leveling them with serious eyes, gesturing to one of the machines nearby.]

Play this with me.

[DDR, Guitar Hero, skeeball-- it doesn't matter, he just wants to try it and beat someone at it, okay]

Comments

101 Dalmatians I COULD NOT RESIST

[angealwings]

Whoa!

[ Well. If this isn't the time to use that extra speed he's acquired recently... Andrew dashes after the boy who's been dragged past a corner nearby, and reaches easily to grab all three leashes a little in front of Xiaolang's hand, wrapping them around his wrist swiftly. Then he just pulls at the dogs, while steadying the boy with his other hand. ]

Heel!

[ Andrew doesn't have dogs. Andrew never has owned any. But he loves them, and he knows, oh so well, how to make them pay heed to him. Besides, not even three of them can budge him. Not anymore.

Then he tilts his head towards the boy- ah. He remembers him. ]

You all right?

NO ONE CAN RESIST THE DOGES....

[cardcaptured]

[While Xiaolang certainly got a little stronger in the upper arm area thanks to all of his sword usage in the past few months, there was no denying the fact that he was, physically, still a normal thirteen year old boy with normal thirteen year old boy strength and speed. He's honestly giving all he's got at the moment, trying to remain on his feet and maybe, possibly, get these rambunctious dogs under control, but it's a battle he's losing quickly. So when the dalmatians all suddenly get yanked to a stop, he nearly stumbles back as well, only to be supported by a steady hand upon his shoulder.

It takes a moment for him to regain his bearings (and maybe some feeling in his arm, because yikes, that was an experience), before he glances up towards the man, and-- ah. Yes, he definitely remembers him too. Considering how easily he romanced tamed the fire horses back in Respatrum, a group of rowdy dogs should be a piece of cake.]

I-- Yes, I'm okay. Just a little...

[He gives a weak gesture with his free hand, not sure how to follow up with that. Frazzled? Exhausted? His labored breathing and messier-than-usual hair should be enough of a sign that he went through quite the wringer with this, anyway.]

Thank you, though. I didn't really think these guys would be that strong.

[Meanwhile, the 'guys' in question are patiently sitting on the sidewalk, looking at Andrew with eager eyes, tails thumping happily onto the pavement. They may be heeling for him, but that energy certainly hadn't gone away.]

especially not this one.

[angealwings]

Of course. May I have the holders?

[ It'll be probably a lot less awkward that way. And shhh he may be worried about the fire horses right now NO BIG DEAL. Anyway. ]

That's why they're given this job, I think. But they're also highly trained, which means that they're disciplined, if you know what to do and earn at least a little of their attention.

Where were you taking them?

[ Let's jog there at a more acceptable pace, right? ]

☽ closed to sakura ; enprise

[cardcaptured]

[Perhaps it's due to the desperate circumstances these days, the need to do whatever one can to bring everyone back to this realm of reality, that Xiaolang's been ignoring his own comfort bubble more and more often. There were more important things at stake here than his own awkwardness, and the well-being of everyone depended on this.

And there was one person who's well-being he valued above all others, one who was quietly stressing day after day over her missing sibling. Sakura's brother was nowhere on his list of favorite people, but he was the last piece of her old family that was still in Recolle, and she didn't need this pain so close to the anniversary of her father's death. For her sake, and her happiness, he was going to do his best to do whatever tasks Zee had asked of them, no matter how embarrassing or out of his depth they may be.

Sakura was always someone he treated with the utmost respect, love and care, but right now, she needed something a bit more than that. She needed to be utterly spoiled, and he was going to pull out all the stops to do so-- even if he wasn't entirely used to doing so yet. Steeling his nerves the best he can, he shoots her a text, short, simple and to the point.]

Is your day free?

I'd like to do something for you today, if you are.

[keystaff]

[Sakura isn't even considering the whole 'pamper someone' idea on the list of tasks Zee had sent around. That this might be at least part of what Xiaolang was doing, or more, why he was doing it. She just blinks at her phone, head tilting at his suggestion of doing something for her. Well, so long as she let Fai and Iwai know where she was, it probably was fine. They already let her hang out with Xiaolang numerous times outside of school anyway.

Well. That and, truth be told, she could use some time with just the two of them. In trying to let herself be distracted so she didn't drown in dwelling on what was going on with her brother, and all the others that had seemingly disappeared.]

I'm free. Just tell me when and where to meet up with you?

[And well. Depending what he wants to do for her might depend on how flustered she might get over it, but. She can't deny him something like a hot chocolate or such small, sweet gesture.]

[cardcaptured]

[His heart immediately fluttered at the sight of her response, anticipation swelling within his chest. It took a good deal of his courage to contact her first, to be the one to propose this date of sorts-- because even with Sakura taking the lead asking him out, and all the ideas they had put together, being the one to initiate things was enough to make his palms sweat. But she was free, and willing to spend time with him, so two crucial steps were filled in this particular plan.]

Don't go anywhere. I'll be there to pick you up in about an hour.

[And then, after a minute or so, he quickly adds:]

Have you eaten yet? If not, I'll bring you something, so if you have any requests, let me know.

[And true to his word, at nearly an hour on the dot, he pulls up to Fai's house atop a passenger bike, steadying it with his feet as he stops and pulls out his phone to message her. Ideally, he would have liked to have paid for a car service or something for this kind of thing, but with all of companies run by non-Retrospec users, and Xiaolang being too young to drive himself, he was going to have to be creative. This was probably much more romantic, anyway.]

I'm outside, for whenever you're ready to go.

Tisse (hopefully still ok that they know each other from tutoring? :|b)

[meowchanics]

...Uh.

[Lost in thought as he was, it takes Sigmund a second to figure out who just grabbed him by the wrist, even before he can deduce why. His first glance turns out to... require some vertical adjustment.

Still, he recognises the face well enough once he's paying attention. He remembers most of his students' faces. It's almost a matter of pride. Precocious kids like Xiaolang stick in the memory better than most - and when wearing such a deadly serious expression, they stand out even more.

How can he say no, seeing that face? Besides, a two-player block puzzle game seems harmless enough. Just a few dozen graphics updates removed from the arcade games they had back when he was young, right? Maybe it'll even wake him up.]

Xiaolang, preying on the easy targets? That's not like you. And I prefer to think of myself as a veteran.

[Shh, trash talking a kid is fine if you don't really mean it. More importantly, it covers up his tiredness from a moment ago.]

TOTALLY COOL WITH THAT 8|b

[cardcaptured]

[That comment is enough to crack his serious expression for just a moment, having the decency to flush a little in embarrassment. Dr. Klim just so happened to be the closest person around with a familiar face, and his skill in gaming was nowhere in the forefront of his mind when he picked him.]

N-- no, I'm not...! I've never played any of these myself, so I don't really have much of an advantage over anyone else here.

[AH XIAOLANG.... you honest little bean. Probably not the best idea to tell your would-be competition that, but he's a firm believer of fair fights, and he didn't want Sigmund to get the wrong idea about him. Relax you nerd, he's only teasing]

I mean... I just thought it'd be a good one to start with because it requires a lot of problem-solving, that's all.

[And trying to beat his tutor, even for the good of city, made him feel a bit uneasy. Still, he extracts the points card he loaded up earlier from his pocket because newfangled arcades just don't do quarters anymore, his face returning to it's determined set, and motions towards the puzzle game cabinet.]

I'll give it all I got if you do, though.

[meowchanics]

[Pffft, that flustered reaction even makes him feel a little bad about the teasing. Not very, though. He nods.] Sounds good. Either way, it's one thing off the checklist.

[...His air of teacherly confidence is a little undermined as soon as he steps up to the player 1 cabinet and is unable to find a coin slot. Give him a second or ten to google it.]

Wait, "card"...?

FINALS CRISIS

[avengeme]

You called?

[If there is an absolutely corny way to deliver that line, Phil has definitely just done it as he stops at the table. He also totally just did the glasses shift thing.]

[cardcaptured]

[It's enough to do the job, as Xiaolang looks up from his other studies (he wasn't about to sit around and do nothing, after all), to give the older man a scrutinizing look. He seemed to be vaguely familiar, in the sense that he's seen him on the high school campus the rare times he's passed through it, but he wasn't quite sure what he did. Still, an offer was an offer, and after looking him over, he replies:]

English or history?

[He'll remark on the cheese later, but for now he wanted to get straight to the point.]

[avengeme]

Oh, history. Probably should have opened with that.

[He checks out the material Xiaolang's reading] Last year of elementary?

☽ closed to kuro ; tribunal terrace

[cardcaptured]

[With the city the way it was now, with everything spottily in place and the absence of 'normal' people about, it was easy to forget about one's usual routines and commitments. But Xiaolang hadn't, and in a way, it was sort of a defiance against the nonsense Retrospec threw their way. Sure, there was hardly anyone around now and reality was kind of loosely painted around them, but he refused to let it knock his life off course.

And hence why he's here, at the dojo, rigidly focusing on his kata, despite there being very, very few other people to actually practice with or guide him. It was now more important than ever to keep himself in tip-top shape, and while he certainly had his sword on him at all times for protection, it was good to have other options at his disposal. It certainly helped recently...

He's barely aware of Kuro's presence in the room as he practices, being too caught up in maintaining his form, although it's clear as his moves begin to falter that there's other things on his mind. Things from this month, last month... from another lifetime, even, bubbling to the surface of his mind and getting in the way. It's not until he flubs some of his footwork that he stops, biting back a mild curse under his breath for getting distracted.]

S... Sorry. I'll do better with that one.

[taishou]

[ When he comes into the dojo - knowing full well that the staff has been culled drastically, and the students along with it - Kuro can't say he's too surprised to hear that someone is practicing. But he doesn't say anything, and instead simply listens as he makes his way inside. And it's with equal silence that he pads into the room proper, tightening his belt around his waist to ensure that his gi is fully closed, and -

That's when he sees who it is, and sees the state that Xiaolang is in. It makes his brow furrow, just slightly, a twitch of movement that deepens as he falters. It's not like him, to have that happen. Even at his age, he's hard-working, determined, pushing himself harder than a lot of people that Kuro's met around his own age. With the way things are now in Recollé, and have been since he got the app... well, he supposes more of that makes sense every day, beyond Xiaolang's personality. ]

Stop and find your focus first, Lang. What's causin' you to feel like this; what's distractin' you. [ Said with mild concern, but he doesn't press. If Xiaolang wants to tell him what the matter is, Kuro is open and ready to listen. ] Then, try again.

[cardcaptured]

[He's in the midst of wiping some of the sweat off his chin with his wrist-- he really did throw himself into those katas, but he had a tendency to push himself a little too far with these things-- when Kuro's voice gets him to straighten on instinct. Had it really been that obvious that something was on his mind? It probably was, if the older man managed to pinpoint it right away and peg it as the cause of his sloppy execution of moves.

His shoulders tense for a moment, then slump, as his eyes seek the ground, less than pleased that his valued focus was getting eaten at by his various problems. Should he tell Kuro about any of this? It seemed like an open invitation to share, by the sound of it, but... some of these things he just couldn't say. Or rather, wasn't allowed to say-- he made a promise to Mio, when she had told him about her past and potential disease, and he wasn't the type to break them. But with her current state of mind and outright avoidance of him... it was hard to keep it bottled up to himself. It hurt.

And he trusted Kuro. He had been a patient, guiding figure to him, helping him through his troubles without ever patronizing him for his age. Maybe, if there was some way to go about talking about it, without naming names...

He lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, before saying, tentatively:]

Has Retrospec ever... made you remember something, that made you doubt how good of a person you were in that past life?

[... that certainly sounds like Xiaolang's referring to something he must have done, which, to be fair, is a valid concern of his as well. It all depends on how Kuro chooses to interpret it.]

Tisse!

[roughplayer]

[ There would be angry barking except, Koga did the same thing to this kid before. That cuts him off real quick aside from a quick "Hey!" Thankfully he geta an idea of what Xiaolang wants to do when he sees the shiny arcade machine for Guitar Hero. ]

You sure? It doesn't compare to the real thing, but you're gonna get flattened anyway.

[ And said so smugly too, with Koga smirking and arms folded. This rivalry from the game shop continues into the arcade now... Also he won't admit it, but Guitar Hero is more fun with more players. Until you lose. ]

You pick the song.

[cardcaptured]

[Had this been somebody else, maybe someone he was less prone to getting into these competitive dog fights with, he would have maybe prefaced it with an admission of his (lack) of abilities. After all, he was an honest boy, and he didn't want people to assume he was picking on those with little skill when he barely had any himself!!

But Koga's words get him to bristle, his stubbornness and drive to succeed overriding his usual modest nature. Oh, he was going down. Never mind he's barely touched the game prior to this, and that only being the console version, but he was going to metaphorically beat that smug look off of his face.]

Says you. You can try, but I doubt you're going to succeed.

[... tough words coming someone who doesn't even know how this works??? But he's not backing down, and after putting the payment into the machine, he's going to heft the guitar over his shoulder to scroll through the options. Admittedly, he wasn't hugely familiar with rock music, so finding a song he liked enough to play along to was a struggle, but he finally settles on one of the easier options, leaving it highlighted on the screen.

'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'-- ain't that appropriate.]

Here.

[He glances over towards Koga, his expression much too serious for someone who's about to engage in some fake guitar times.]

You better not hold back, because I'm not going to either.

[roughplayer]

Works for me!

[ So! Bad news is that the bigger wolf here as an excellent sense of rhythm and reflexes to hit the notes with good accuracy. The good news is that Koga is pretty quiet for this as the music plays and buttons are pressed. No taunting from him because as much as he hates that he too, concentration is needed here. With the rough and tumble of publicly used arcade instruments, they aren't gonna always work right. Koga breaks a few good combos and curses under his breath but he manages. ]

Stupid red button getting jammed... Hahaha, this makes up big time for that losing streak I had last week though!

[ Which he refused to acknowledge as a losing streak until now. 78% of notes hit on hard though, that ain't bad. How did Xiaolang fare in the meantime? ]

SUP FAM - VIEA VILLAGE

[blondferret]

[Derek looks up front the bench he is sitting on in the park at the small teenager in front of him. He was going over a lists of things he was going to try to do for the whole Retrospec thing and well, now this kids just drops one of the options into his lap. Lucky him. Derek pats the spot next to him on the bench, inviting Xiaolang to take a seat.]

My family means everything to me. It's large, loud, and full of love. Not that we don't have our problems. But we always manage to get through them.

[cardcaptured]

[Lucky him, indeed! With Derek being one of the few he's known since he first got Retrospec, he doesn't feel quite as awkward proposing such a question to him out of the blue, and it's occurred to him, not for the first time, that he didn't really know much about him in the first place. Especially after the mention of his childhood bear, too...

There is a mildly surprised look at the offer to sit, but he quietly accepts it, settling down on the spot he indicates.]

That sounds a bit similar to mine-- at least, with it being large and loud. But that's mostly when my sisters are around.

I think you mentioned you had a sister before too, didn't you? Do you have all sisters, or just a few?

[blondferret]

I have three brothers and three sisters. All of us are adopted actually. My parents couldn't have children of their own, so they adopted. I was their fourth, so I'm right smack dab in the middle. You? Have any siblings?

don't be a guitar hero, kid!

[flowrite]

[Fai is staring doubtfully at the giant Guitar Hero machine and the two plastic guitars hanging from pegs on the front of said machine. He's been playing the guitar--the real, honest-to-god stringed instrument--for longer than Xiaolang has been alive, but this plastic thing? With colored buttons instead of strings?

After a moment his gaze wanders over to the Dance Dance Revolution machine instead. He's at least had some practice with that one, thanks to his family's outing the other day.]

Have you played the dancing game before? I know how to play that one! Could we try that one first?

[cardcaptured]

[Honestly, Xiaolang had only zeroed in on the Guitar Hero machine thanks to his own practice with Koga recently, so it's not for a particular fondness for the game that he gestures to it first. His eyes follow Fai's as they settled on the DDR cabinet, and a small crease forms on his brow as he considers. It did seem more suited for the athletically inclined, like himself, but his sense of rhythm for these things...]

I guess we can? I've never played it myself, but I've seen other people play it, so it shouldn't be too hard... it's just matching the arrows on the screen, right?

[He makes his way over to the machine (and, thankfully with the lack of NPCs around, it's easier to make a grab at it now that it's not constantly hogged up), putting in the payment and toggling to the proper settings.]

Do you want to pick the first song, or should I?

THOSE GOD DAMN PANDAS ▸ enprise

[hairstroke]

[ After what happened last time he was at the zoo, he truthfully did not want to come back but he eventually gave in after seeing how determined Xiaolang was about wanting to fix the zoo. He really didn't blame him, considering that Leon himself was desperately trying to paint the beach for Mio last month.

During the whole time he was working, he kept looking over his shoulder because he felt like something was watching him. He's been mentally preparing himself to be attacked by those same cubs. Luckily, it hasn't happened yet BUT HE SPOKE TOO SOON. Just as Leon finished putting the fennec foxes into their habitats, he hears the exhausted voice of his cousin and glances over to see what's up.

Only to be extremely horrified by what he sees because OH GOD NO! THEY ARE BACK!!! ]

...

[ He doesn't say anything and just simply stares at his cousin and the three clingy panda cubs. After about five seconds of silence, he turns his back and tries his best not to make eye contact with the cubs. If he doesn't stare at them, then maybe they will go away!!!! ]

I saw some otters that need my assistance. So, I'm just going to head over that way...

[ WORST COUSIN!! ]

[cardcaptured]

[WOW BITCH???? WOW???]

The otters aren't even in that direction!!

[But one of the cubs whine in protest to his loud voice hitting their sensitive baby ears, and he growls low in frustration in the back of his throat. Stupid Leon, and his stupid panda problem!!! He can't even chase after him, either, with the cubs hindering the movement in his legs, so he was effectively stuck.

However, karma works in wonderful ways, and one of the pandas attached to him recognizes those familiar curly, silky locks from not too long ago. Letting go of Xiaolang's leg, the little bear ambles at a quick pace towards Leon, intent on scaling the older man and nibbling at his hair again. Xiaolang opens his mouth, about to warn Leon of the impending attack, but-- no. Let this happen. LET LEON SUFFER FOR LEAVING HIM HERE LIKE THIS.]