March catch-all / Intro post

[lanofsizhui]

WHO: Lan Sizhui and you!
WHERE: All over the cities
WHEN: Most of March
WHAT: March-catch-all, intro post, open prompts
WARNINGS: to be added

I.) Evenings - Joy-tastic-land Arcade and Skate
There was a lot of stress. Stress from assimilating with the culture and settling down in the new world. Stress from learning a different way of education and knowledge, and learning the technology and the reality shifts of this world. To wind down from the sheer stress of the previous months, Sizhui never experiences this type of fun and games before. Coming from an ancient world where technology doesn’t exist and he lives in a village where he learns to be harmonious with nature, memorizing and copying 4,000 rules until he knows them by heart.

He rented skates to have a stroll in the rink. He helps himself to complimentary food, and the tokens to play games in the rows of machines in the arcades. He never experiences this type of fun before, having raised and lived a very strict lifestyle back home in his world.

On some nights, this is how he becomes lost. Such fun and entertainment don't typically exist or invented in his world. Taking a stroll in the rink or playing video games on most evenings in the arcades and at the end of the night, taking home a doll or toy as his prize.

[Reference: 1]

II.) Mornings - Nonah - Archery lessons
The job the government assigned to him wasn’t so bad. It suits his nature well. He’s an archery instructor. To shoot arrow and bow was a practice of one of the six arts back home. It was a necessary skill in the art of hunting and warfare.

Most of Sizhui’s students are curious children of the natives who live in the city. But one of the Imports could be a student.

Sizhui entered the room, wearing civilian clothes wearing a t-shirt and pants suitable for work. He learns to dress like the natives and assimilates with them. He left his snow-white robes back in his apartment, so no one could guess he came from an ancient time period.

“Good morning.” he said in a cheerful tone. “Welcome to class. I’m going to teach you how to prepare yourself and proper handling of the bow and arrows. Now let’s get you ready.”

By ready, putting on arm guards firsts, then handing out bows and arrows.


III.) Evening - patrolling - any city - Jeopardy mostly
On days when he isn't working, studying, or seeking nightly entertainment, he went out for a stroll. His favorite city is Jeopardy for the presence of spirits to practice his night-hunts and his playing on the guqin, to help settle the spirits and calm them.

Not to mention that sunsets in the evening tend to be spectacular.

IV.) Wildcard
[Anything else? Make up your own starter. If CR/friendship with him interests you, plotting, or asking questions, feel free to hmu here.]

Comments

I.) Arcade

[snowsparksjr]

Jin Ling has finally grown comfortable with wearing modern clothes, and now that he has, most of his salary is spent on clothing. But he looks relatively normal in the modern setting wearing jeans and a hoodie, and he doesn't have to worry so much about getting dirt and stains on his pristine robes.

When he's free in the evenings, his favorite company is always Sizhui. Sometimes he'll spend an evening with his adopted younger brother Richie, or getting into trouble with Jingyi, but his default is always Sizhui. So on the days when he doesn't have other plans and Sizhui doesn't either, he tags along with him to the arcade. "Those wheeled shoes just seem so reckless," Jin Ling comments, already heading toward the skate rental. "Come on, let's try it."

[lanofsizhui]

At first, it was an experiment. Wearing clothes in the modern fashion of the locals. It’s a slow and gradual process, but eventually, Sizhui initially shy about it at first, he then caught on and he wears what everyone else is wearing. For him, a t-shirt and a hat and wearing jeans. The headband is worn at all times.

Eventually, he caught on with the fashion of the times. For one thing, it’s no longer a nightmare washing his all-white robes, even using the washing machine as back home it's always by hand. Walking and being mobile is easier, for one thing, there are no long sleeves that get caught.

“They’re fun. With practice, it’s fun around in those.”

Sizhui follows his best friend to the skate rental counter and got his pair, and then tries them on.

[snowsparksjr]

"You've tried them already? Are you any good at it?" Jin Ling sits on the ground to put on the wheeled shoes, then tries to get up but immediately lands back on his ass. "How are these things supposed to work?" Indignant, he tries again, but his usual method of getting up simply doesn't work with wheeled shoes. Shifting onto his knees first, he very carefully raises himself, wobbling once he's upright, but his first step makes him slip and he crashes into Sizhui with a yelp.

[lanofsizhui]

Putting on his skates and entering the rink. "I was here a few days ago. I'm not any good at it."

Sizhui didn't see that coming. So when Jin Ling lost his balance and crashed into Sizhui, the collision made him fell. He crashed to the floor. With a shout, he starts seeing stars.

It will take a few long moments for Sizhui to get back up on his feet again.

II.) Archery

[dazzlingdream]

He stood out in his robes - Meng Yao was too fond of them to surrender them for civilian clothing - but the set he wore today was simple. He was here to be a student and to get to know Sizhui better. The boy seemed like a kind soul - the sort he would have twisted with ease before - but now he had to learn how to be gentle. Careful.

"Will you show me, Lan Sizhui?" he picked up a bow and arrow. His new arm needed some strengthening, though his aim had always been precise.

[lanofsizhui]

Sizhui is surprised he attended. It has been a while since he has last seen of him. Jin Ling isn't around since he's working with his dogs. Sizhui made a courtesy bow to ensure he is welcomed to the lesson. Then he noticed he has two arms.

Seeing he picked up the bows and arrows. "Meng Yao. Your arm. How is it? It must be a while for you. I'll show you."

Sizhui demonstrated by taking aim with his bow, pulling the strings back, and then release it. The arrow flew through the air and landed on the colorful target. "So, you see the targets? They're all lined up in a row. Now you try."

[dazzlingdream]

"I feel much better." he grinned at the demonstration, copying Sizhui and letting the arrow fly to the same target. His arm might end up a bit sore if he kept this up, but it would be a good sore. As slender and small as he was, Meng Yao liked to make the most use of what he had.

"We haven't seen one another since the lantern festival." and that had been a rather upsetting gathering. He was beginning to accept that any occasion he attended that featured people from their world would inevitably be...complicated.

"Are you well?" he grabbed another arrow, examining it before he fired it too - at a different target.

[lanofsizhui]

That's something that can't be helped, given his reputation back home and it was carried over here. Even with Meng Yao here...if his father finds out that he attends his classes, that could be trouble.

Unless Sizhui chooses not to say anything. "I have gotten busy. Last week, those shadow creatures attacked. So they're difficult to quell to protect the people."

Sizhui simply observes and taking turns. When he shoots his arrow, Sizhui shoots after him. He has the advantage of his arrows hitting closer to the bullseye, having better coordination from practice. "Each target represents points. The closer you are to the bullseye, the more points you have."

[dazzlingdream]

"Jin Ling was in a poor state." Meng Yao spoke easily, evenly, as if they were discussing the weather, "I remember this lesson."

He had made his version of targets a bit more exciting on Phoenix Mountain. Wei Wuxian had been impressive then and now he understood why.

"You are too young to have heard about the hunt on Phoenix Mountain. I oversaw most of it - including the acquisition of legendary beasts." he loosed another arrow, eyes narrowed slightly, "Wei Wuxian angered many of the participants. He was too good."

[lanofsizhui]

With a nod, "He'll be all right. Everything is fine." As Sizhui is optimistic that perhaps in the following weeks, all is well.

His interest is piqued and he starts to listen. He realized Meng Yao spoke of the past. "I don't remember anything when I was young. So most of everything I learned, it's in Cloud Recesses." After his turn, Sizhui loosed an arrow on the target next to him.

"Legendary beasts. Have you found any of them?" He heard stories of Wei Wuxian. Some are rumors, but there maybe some truth in the stories.

"What has he done to anger them?"

[dazzlingdream]

"He is resilient." but he, in particular, must treat Jin Ling gently. He had tested his resilience far too much - to the breaking point - and now he had to dial it back significantly to help his nephew heal.

"The Cloud Recesses would know of that hunt since they participated." he glanced at the boy with a small smile, "Here? No. I located enough to make the hunt interesting back then. They were contained on a mountain."

That question was...dangerous territory. He lowered the bow.

"He used his powers to capture most of the beasts before anyone else had a chance."

[lanofsizhui]

Sizhui lowered the bow down, so he can listen to his tale. Although he spoke of a time where he was a young child, already he's homesick and begins to ache, wanting to go back home.

He wondered if this is the same Wei Wuxian that accompanies his father and attended lessons. "What kind of beast is it? It's not a deer or rabbit, isn't?"

[dazzlingdream]

"Hunting those would be a bore for a Cultivator! I gathered evil specters and spirits from all around. They took the form of various creatures." Meng Yao rolled his shoulder, working out any tension in his shoulder, "The hunt was meant to unite the sects, though, I admit, I used it for my own gains too."

[lanofsizhui]

"My clan is well-trained in dealing with that kind of monsters, especially spirits and banishing evil to give people a peace of mind."

At his admittance, Sizhui thinks carefully. While he doesn't want to pry further details, becoming aware that Meng Yao was motivated by ambition and selfishness.

"So peace and unity wasn't your motive. What were you trying to gain?" The question is really an empathetic one as he wanted to understand him and what motivates him then.

[dazzlingdream]

"Which is why so many come to learn from the Gusu Lan." he too had been put through that training, "I attended classes alongside Nie Huaisang, Jin Zixuan, Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian."

Also poor Jiang Yanli, but he had a difficult time speaking about her. She had been an unintentional death in his schemes.

"I wanted peace and unity." he frowned, "I wanted acceptance too. I wanted to be treated as someone special instead of refuse that is easily forgotten."

II

[notyuvan]

Honestly, she was mostly there because she was curious. And, as much as she liked having Rubico, she missed her collection of bows. She'd worked hard to get enough money and materials to build half of those and even harder to find pieces of primes weaponry. Most Old War artifacts were beyond repair.

Unfortunately, using the arm guard would mean she had to take off her AMP, and in a world that was equal parts familiar and not, she wasn't willing to leave herself without one of her most reliable weapons, so she Transferred into Zephyr Prime instead.

She still didn't need an arm guard like that though, the armor of a Warframe needing more than a bow string to really hurt her.

"Have you taught a lot?"

[lanofsizhui]

The bows available in the class were basic and rudimentary at best. Made for beginners.

At her question, "No. I just started a few weeks ago. I haven't taught a lot, but I'm getting the hang of teaching." He smiles cheerfully. "But back home, it was necessary for me to learn if I want to hunt in the forest."

[notyuvan]

Beginner bows, so she'd have to be careful, but she'd also never shot a regular bow before. Most were built specifically for her and her fellow Tenno.

"I've never hunted before. Unless you count some of the animal preservation work I've been helping the Biz with back home. I just sedate and tag those animals for pick up though." And got scolded by Teasonai on occasion.

[lanofsizhui]

"Back home, we hunted small game. Wild game of pheasants and small birds. But I came from a sect where we're strictly vegetarian in diet because of the rules, so the food is very bland and doesn't have any meat. But once in a while eating meat is allowed."

Sizhui decides to demonstrate by making the correct pose, showing her the right way to shoot arrows. He pulled the bowstring back until it was taunt. An arrow loosened and landed on the target.

"You try to save animals? Are there fewer animals where you're from?"

[notyuvan]

"Hm. I eat what I can get, really. Sometimes it's meat, sometimes its just protein supplement or something." It worked at least and she was healthy, as far as anything goes. Ordis ensured his Operator was always healthy, to the point of tolerating the Helminth.

She drew the bow back, careful not to snap anything.

"Wish I had one of mine. I'm not used to using bows that aren't built for a Tenno's strength." But she could manage.

"Animals are rarer on Venus than on Earth, even in my time. Fish there are mechanical with a few organics slipping in there. The Business wants to ensure they don't all get wiped out again."

III.

[ze_uwu_jun]

"Sizhui." Xichen's voice is soft, but his stature is alert. He is definitely not here for the sightseeing only.

"Would you like company?"

He knows better than to try to monitor often - his nephew is growing into an accomplished cultivator, his calm and composure getting him through more situations than most of his age - but the last month has been rough, and this one is not starting much better. So Xichen ... would like to make sure nothing bad happens. Not tonight, at least.

[lanofsizhui]

It's a slow evening. If anything, Sizhui enjoys the stroll. Walking side by side with his uncle, Sizhui turns to him. The need for alert is low.

"Of course. I think there's nothing for tonight. I was enjoying the sunset."

[ze_uwu_jun]

"The sunset..." Xichen blinks, looking in the direction that Sizhui was just facing, then his eyes softens a notch.

"It is beautiful, indeed. Is the view here usually such?"

[lanofsizhui]

It's peaceful moments like this to spend time with uncle to enjoy a simple view.

"It's not the same sunset like it was back home. I wish...I wish father is happy again." With Wei Wuxian gone missing, there's so many questions he wanted to asked of his father. Being sensitive to the moods and emotions of others, dealing with Jin Ling's as a roommate, and keeping a secret that Meng Yao attended his archery class, Sizhui is just as exhausted.

"And you too, dear uncle."

Sizhui is not small anymore. Even if he's grown big now and becomes tall, some habits he remember. So he's going to reach out and hold his uncle's big hands to squeeze briefly.