catch-all for May

[amadaman]

WHO: Ken, Koromaru, and YOU.
WHERE: Around the imPort cities.
WHEN: the rest of May
WHAT: anything to do with Ken! play with the dog, bug the kid, try not to punch the kid
WARNINGS: will be marked as appropriate

[open prompts; all cities except Maurtia Falls, any time after May 10]

[a; DOGS DOGS DOGS]
[Are you a dog? Do you have a dog? Do you just like dogs? (Are you Will Graham?) While Ken is in the middle of finals at his school, he still needs to fulfill Koromaru's social needs, too. That is to say, they go to parks a lot. If you're at the parks of Nonah, De Chima, or Heropa this month you're likely to run into one orange tween and his white dog playing around. There's always a tennis ball, there's always a frisbee, and there are always treats. Come say hi! Or, if you're the shy type, Koromaru may catch you while you're watching and come bounding over to say hello himself.]

[b; TRAINING]
[There's on particularly dire reason, but Ken's going to be spending more time training. He doesn't go to any official training facility (he used to with Akihiko, but that guy is gone now), so for this too, he can be found in open spaces such as lesser habited areas of parks or a beach in any city. Most of it is spent jogging. Sometimes, he brings out a heavy-looking deck brush and swings it around. Training like that in a public place is no proper move, but at least he isn't bringing out the real sharp weapons. Yeesh.

Or maybe you're supposed to be training with him. Maybe you use the same space he does too, and you've come to notice the strange 12 year old that swings around brooms and brushes and you want to ask him what the heck?]

[c; SOCCER]
[Ken just spends a lot of time outside, especially at the park. He's an outdoor kid! He's very enthusiastic about this sport he got into at school and he practices when he can. When he gets embarrassed about people pointing out his enthusiasm he'll sputter something about it being good for footwork training for combat. Whatever, Ken.

Sorry if you're the unfortunate passerby when Ken's practicing kicking around the soccer ball or juggling it around and it totally goes somewhere he didn't plan to. You'll hear a yell of]

Watch out!

[from eleven o'clock, and a soccer ball that will either a) barely miss you and scare the bajesus out of you b) actually hit you, he's so sorry or c) is still a soccer ball kicked by a 12 year old and gives you no trouble catching. Pick your poison!]

[d; WILDCARD AND REQUESTED THREADS]
[Do none of these interest you? Does your character hate parks?? Do you have a specific encounter you want with Ken Amada or Koromaru the dog? Hit me up at squigstuff to request a starter, or start one of your own*!

* these are more preferable with established CR that sees Ken regularly, unless we've already plotted something out. thanks for understanding!]

Comments

FOR PAN;

[amadaman]

[Location: the public library]

[Having friends at school is nice, but when you actually want to study for your finals because the language barrier makes keeping up a little harder, it's difficult to do so with your classmates coming up to talk to you every five minutes. For that reason, the library Ken uses most is the public one located in Heropa. He borrows some books to read too, but he spends most of his time at a table tucked away in the corner, notebooks, textbooks, and dictionaries spread around him as he scribbles away at essays and math problems. He can get help from people he knows, too, but he's always been a kid who liked accomplishing things on his own. With his headphones on playing soft instrumental music, he's in full study mode.

However, some people aren't very considerate of one's study times. Or, they're deliberately aiming for a time when they can catch someone alone. Someone who sees this boy as an enemy, someone who wants to figure out the boy's weakness. Someone who, when they catch the empty seat across from Ken, might find this to be just the most convenient opportunity.]

Re: FOR PAN;

[dreamshades]

[ Which Pan oh so gladly slip into...in a few moments.

After all, he has to spy for a little bit. Watch what Ken's doing. See what's happening in the room and figure out how many people are here. But, it's relatively small. It's a warm spring day outside so who would stay indoors during such a time.

So, Pan finally slides into that seat across Ken with an apple in hand as bites into it loudly. ]

Didn't expect to find you here. Shouldn't you be outside with the other boys playing? [ Hi Ken. Did you miss him? He missed you. ]

[amadaman]

[The room isn't empty, but all the people are there are like Ken, sitting at their own tables with big headphones over their ears to block out any noise. They're older -- native high school and college kids working hard for their exams, and if they notice Pan moving to sit at Ken's table, they don't think much of it. The room stays quiet except for the sound of distant conversations and the crunch of the apple.

Ken, too, is immersed in his studies, but he's also got sharp senses honed by months of fighting. He doesn't react abruptly to Pan's approach but he glances up as soon as he senses him by the table. He holds the gaze until Pan is done talking -- he can hear his voice even with the headphones, as his music is kept low -- before looking back down at his homework. One long math problem, solved.]

Playing is important, but so's studying. I like being prepared. Please don't get any apples on the books.

FOR DUV;

[amadaman]

[Ken isn't sure when it happened, but when he came to the café to study, that seat next to Duv had become his go-to location. Duv is quiet, calm, and commands a sort of authority different from men like Shepard and Bull and even Minato. It was like sitting next to the librarian, and he liked it. It was easy to focus.

Except focus didn't always get you through your more difficult subjects. Finals are coming, and Ken's currently sitting in his usual spot, but his writing is slower now than it has been for most of his other subjects. Math isn't his strongest, but answers are finite. He can figure it out eventually. But right now he's in the middle of one of his papers, and what's hardest about writing anything on English literature is his lack of English skills. What does that idiom mean? what does that symbolism mean??

After some point, Ken who had been working in silence until now starts to mutter to himself, quiet voice reading over his text and hands flipping quickly through his dictionary.]

[komarran]

[ Duv hasn't minded the company. Whenever he's set up at the Lucky Cat Cafe, whether it's to keep an eye on the Emperor or not, he has his research around him and his newly acquired laptop for taking notes and writing. Writing for what, he still hasn't figured out, but without real ImpSec work to take his attention away old habits have returned.

When he hears the muttering, he glances over at Ken. They may be from very different galaxies, but Duv can tell the look of a student running into trouble from any Nexus. ]

Everything all right?

[amadaman]

Mmmmm.

[Ken's currently leaned over one of the pages of his dictionary, scribbling at a print-out of what looks like some old fifteenth-century play. Lots of thous and thees.]

It's my English homework... I'm not bad with literature, but sometimes, um, I don't really get it because it's not my first language?

B

[monster_san]

[Fuu likes to make use of the public parks, so it's not a surprise that she's ended up in one today. When she hears the sounds of someone practicing something, it piques her curiosity--oh, it's Ken-san.

With a broom? All right, well. She observes for a few moments, her cheek cupped in one hand, before she speaks up with a smile.]

Are you practicing your dust-busting techniques?

[amadaman]

Huh?

[When Ken turns to her, he spins around, body dragged along by the inertia of his spinning brush. He plants his feet on the ground to stop himself, straightening.]

Oh! Hi, Hououji-san. I'm actually practicing, uh, fighting! I fight. With a spear.

[monster_san]

[IF ONLY THAT INFORMATION WAS SURPRISING but as she's in the same boat herself re: armed and dangerous middle-schoolers she just has an understanding nod.]

Oh--is that what you used to fight against Shadows in Iwatodai? It must be good for keeping people's problems at arm's length.

SAKKA SAKKA SAKKA

[rideme]

[You know what? It's not a bad day outside. Which means of course, it's time to mess around in the fish pond. It's a good workout, too. So Bull has no problem doing it.]

[What is sort of a problem is the sudden THWACK into the back of his head. And the sad little PLORP of the ball hitting the water. Scattering fish into their hiding places.]

[Ken Amada you are so lucky you're you. Because the look the Iron Bull briefly turns on the yard is murderous...]

[Oh.]

[It's Ken.]

The hell were you aiming for? My ass is about five feet south.

[amadaman]

[Oh shit.]

[When Bull turns around, Ken's frozen in place, eyes wide and a nervous smile of "I fucked up" plastered on his face as he stares at where the ball went. He hit it with the wrong side of his foot. It didn't go where he planned it to go. It hit Bull. Oh no oh no oh no.]

I was... I was aiming for something not you.

a

[fistofthejoestar]

[finally, after all those nice encounters with Koromaru, Ken finally gets to meet Jonathan's dog! he and Hyperion are out at one of the Heropa parks on an outing that's somewhere between a training session and just plain fun.

at the moment it seems they've wrapped up the learning part of the day - unless Jonathan's trying to teach him how to give hugs on command. with his head resting contentedly on his master's shoulder, it offers Hyperion a great vantage point for watching everyone else go about their day, which includes Ken.

he doesn't even need to bark. Jonathan can tell he's spotted another dog when Hyperion's tail starts flapping into overdrive, and as he cranes his head his face breaks into a smile when he realizes it's someone he knows.]

Ah, it looks like you found a friend.

[it's a testament to his training that the dog waits patiently for Jonathan to stand and give the signal to move forward; from the way he's practically vibrating in place, he can't wait to meet them.]

[amadaman]

[It's pretty much impossible to miss a dog of that size. That is a big dog on almost anyone, but that's a big dog on Jonathan Joestar. Compared to Ken and Koromaru? Hyperion is colossal. Even without that, Koromaru recognizes Jonathan's scent -- and the scent of a new dog! -- immediately and is happy to inform Ken about it. It's a friend a friend a friend a friend!]

Jonathan-san!

[Koromaru doesn't need any instructions. He waits until Ken starts trotting over to Jonathan and follows cheerily, tail a wagging blur once the two of them arrive by their larger friends' side.]

Is this Hyperion?

A

[shuttermouse]

[ Chie is honestly more of a cat person than a dog person, but dogs are cute and fun to photograph too. So as she strolls through the park and sees Koromaru going after a frisbee, she stops to crouch down and lift up her camera to her face before starting to snap pictures of him.

She's making no attempt whatsoever to be discreet about this. Also, it's probably worth noting that she's very tiny and looks about twelve, despite being an adult. ]

[amadaman]

[That's weird.

Ken notices the girl taking photos of his dog almost immediately, then decides not to do anything about it. It's harmless, as far as he can tell.

Still, after about ten minutes of this, curiosity wins over. Koromaru's also getting antsy, too. Ken sends the dog chasing after the frisbee one more time before turning to head over to the paparazzi. He's about as subtle as she is.]

Hi... um, are you a photographer?

FOR MAYA; may 15

[amadaman]

[Ken does not tell Maya why he is dragging her out this afternoon. He dd tell her that they were going to the petstore, but are they going to get food? Toys? Clothes for the animals? Why does he need to take Maya of all people??

What he also doesn't tell her, and she probably won't know because he doesn't invite people into his room often, is that Ken has been building up a small set-up in a corner of his bedroom the past few weeks This is the final stage of it, and now he has the perfect to excuse to drag Maya into it make it extra special.

He grasps her hand as they talk (as if she might run away) and looks back at her from time to time.]

... Were you allergic to anything, by the way?

[missleadingquestions]

Allergic? Mm, no, I don't think so!

[Generally, Maya's pretty good at picking up on what her friends do or don't do. She's great at reading the little signs and behaviors that she should watch out for-- but what reason would she have to be all up in Ken's room? Maya has no idea of his plans, and... well. She only has a little idea that her birthday could be on anyone's mind, thanks to JJ.

That... that had been something in itself. Not only did JJ drop some big news under the guise of a gift, she.... also dropped it to Ken and Kaneda first. And while she hadn't hated the news (as intimidating as it had been) she... well. Ken and Kaneda get defensive.

Still, there's not really anyone else around here she'd like to spend the afternoon with, considering none of them are Mia-- so all her attention is on Ken.]

What're we getting, anyway? Are Capsule and Koromaru already out of food?

FOR GREGOR;

[amadaman]

[Ken doesn't even bother to call. The Lucky Cat Café is just where he goes to find Gregor nowadays, and today is no different. The bell on the door rings above his head as he pushes his way into the store and looks around for his boss and friend. Even outside of checking in for Dendarii dealings, Ken genuinely liked the guy. He was quiet, mellow, and reminded him strongly of someone else very important to him.

Plus the coffee he poured was pretty darn good. It wasn't Kaneki's, the first coffee he ever finished so enthusiastically, but it was good.

For Ken it's like any other day. Like any other day, he waves at Gregor and makes his way to the counter while pulling his wallet out of a pocket.]

Hi Greg-san. How're you doing?

[vorbarra]

[ Ken most likely doesn't realize that the majority of the time he's known Gregor, he's been uncommonly cheerful. Today he is returned to what his friends and family from home recognize as his prototypical cast: remote, withdrawn, and undeniably pensive.

Uncharacteristically, he doesn't quite notice Ken until he's directly at the counter, staring introspectively down at his cleaning rag, clasped loosely in his hand on the countertop. He starts slightly and looks up, but there's no wry self-deprecating wisp of a smile, only somberness.

There's a strange moment where he goes to automatically pass off this question before realizing Ken is observant enough to see him and know better, and maybe polite enough not to press him on an obvious lie. But... There's no real need to hide this, is there? It's not a weakness. His reaction makes sense; he doesn't need to tell his whole reaction, God no. He has Miles for that, enough.

Gregor clears his throat belatedly. ] I'm honestly not sure how to answer that, [ he says frankly. ] What would you like? [ Might as well get his order together while he figures out if he wants to talk to Ken about this, who is, well, very young, but. Probably in the unfortunate position of understanding his feelings about his mother's arrival best, given what implications Gregor's gotten. ]

FOR PHOENIX;

[amadaman]

[Ken's doing better. He's not doing any more of the dazed, nearly-running-into-everything thing he did during Dipper's absence. He's actually functioning! He's actually more like a human!

Except he's also still very worked up about certain things going on around him. Like Pan's release. Like Tetsuo's angry reaction to Pan's release. Like his rising anxiety over what could and might happen if they can't keep Tetsuo's anger in check. His fingers tingle. His back tingles. He's skittish and jumps whenever there's a loud noise in the house -- which is often -- and it's not long before he starts to escape into Nick's study again. Today he doesn't even notice the lawyer in there at first, headphones over his ears and hoodie pulled low over his head to "shield" himself as he shuffles inside and starts pulling his usual chair deeper into the room. A corner. That's what he needs: a corner.]

Re: FOR PHOENIX;

[wrightingwrongs]

[ Phoenix had been working on putting together one of the end-course tests for his students, and of course, the study was generally considered to be his space - not many people were going to come in here - Bull did, once. (He's kept Charley Jr. on his desk since then. Not that he doesn't trust Bull, it just keeps him calmer.) And certainly not Kaneda or Tetsuo. In fact, the only person he expects to occasionally join him in the study is-]

Ken!?

[Ken bolted in, practically not even looking at him as he turns to watch Ken pull into the corner. To say Phoenix wasn't concerned would be... disingenuous.]

a; A MILLION YEARS LATE

[fuckinstoplights]

[If they're in a park... then... someone is going to be watching this dog frolic around. Watch with interest. And it's not the bad kind of interest. He's just unable to look away from this adorable dog...]

[To the point where, without warning, something huge and metal crashes out of a tree in front of poor Koromaru. CRASH. There's a giant robot crouched down with a hand extended forward, like a normal person would offer up a dog to sniff.]

[amadaman]

[At first, Koromaru and Ken both jump out of their skin in alarm. It's been a long time since something large suddenly appeared like that in front of them, and at first they're ready to leap into battle... except they're both (fortunately) quick to realize that there's nothing threatening about the robot's body language. They recognize that pose immediately.

And Koromaru, quicker to jump into action, starts wagging his tail and sniffing at the giant robotic arm. Robots are nothing new to either of them and Koromaru takes to him immediately, wet nose bumping against one of Kagerou's fingers in greeting.]

a

[hardcorduroy]

(wendy herself is just coming back from raiding the candy section of the closest convenience store (she has no one to tell her that she can't eat all these fucking fruit gushers), but there's that usual red vest she's so used to seeing attached to another blue vest.

she's about to call out to ken, but then she sees possibly the most adorable walking piece of cloud she has ever seen.

dog.

before she knows it, the tennis ball has rolled over to her, and she reaches down to pick it up. oh gosh, the dog is coming over...!) Hey, you. I didn't know Ken had a dog.

[amadaman]

[Koromaru comes skidding to a half on the grass in front of her, going so fast that he almost almost tumbles right to the ground. But Koro's no ordinary dog, so he's okay. He looks up at Wendy with a curious, searching gaze because she just took his tennis ball

But she also smells a little bit like Mabel and Dipper so he doesn't think she's an enemy and instead sits down in front of her.

Waiting.

Are you gonna throw it.]