Xbalanque: ...hey wait, I forgot to ask about the talking to themselves thing...whatever, it's hilarious how I mistook them for someone else.
Xbalanque sees MC as totally human.
Xbalanque: How'd I ever mistake some random lizard for that legendary dragon Quetzalcoatl?
Solomon: who dat
Later
Solomon: Master, I'm back! Who was that guy you were talking with earlier?
MC: Hi Solomon. Are you talking about Xbalanque?
Solomon: Yeah, he was talking to himself, something about legendary dragons and random lizards.
MC: what
Leib: MC, are you okay? You're talking to yourself. If you start talking about lizards and dragons around here, that freak who's into scalies will pop out like an outdated meme... oh wait, have you ever met Pazuzu? He's a reptilian Tamer and researcher here who can rant about what dragons are for hours. If you've got no plans, I could introduce you to him and his Beast sometime. Oh wait, lots of visitors incoming. Get to hosting, people. (pulls out a pamplet from a cardboard box and gives it to MC. It's an ad for recruiting group researchers and crowdfunding) Also, our lab has to do some new stuff, but other people got the same ideas. Partnering up with new people helps you see things you can't see yourself, a big deal when you get stuck when researching. Okay, good luck guys!
Alp, Cu Sith, and MC interact with a ton of visitors. Later...
Leib: Hey, good work guys. Here's your pay.
Alp and Cu Sith: YAAAY!
MC: Our paycheck! / You sure? / You expensing this?
---
(C) Leib: Does it LOOK like I have a corporate sponsor? If I put it down as labor costs in the after report, I--oh wait, a high schooler like you doesn't need to care. How in hell did you ever learn about something like that anyway?
---
Leib: You worked harder than I expected, so I threw in a bonus. Okay, the lab people should be coming to help soon. We're good, thanks you guys.
Alp: Yay! We somehow survived!
Cu Sith: I'm so glad. Let's go back to checking out the festival, MC.
MC: Where should we look?
MC unfolds a map for the three to check. There's a lot of places everyone wants to see, but then Cu Sith remembers something.
Cu Sith: Hey! Since there's tons of Event Streamers and Drone Pilots here, why don't we check their streams and decide then?
Alp: That's a great idea!
MC opens up their phone and picks something off Not Youtube.
Green Streamer: Hello people, I've been checking out the stalls and stuff at the Ueno Therian Festival! I just heard about something cool from my viewers who are here! They're doing a game that's a mix of soccer and a shooting gallery and it's called Kick Crackshot! Kick balls, hit wooden targets, get points! But no hitting the pillars and curtains of these targets. Check out that high score as it keeps changing! Maybe I'll try to top the scoreboard. Bye!
Cu Sith: Wow!
Alp: Oh gods a chance to get in the spotlight! Let's go guys!
MC: Think we can make it? / We'll cheer you on! / I wanna try too
---
(A) Alp: It'll be fine. Come on!
(B) Alp: I'm suddenly getting motivated! Come on!
(C) Alp: Sounds good, MC! We'll wow the whole crowd! Come on!
---
Cu Sith: Hey wait for me!
Solomon: Well let's go Master!
Cu Sith and MC chase after Alp.
Elsewhere
Purple Streamer: Oh no my battery died! Is there a way to charge it until my partner Drone Pilot comes back?
Xbalanque: Hey you. You know where I can enter the special attraction thing?
Purple Streamer: Me?
Xbalanque: Yes, you. Tell me where it is and I'll put on a show for you.
An unseen fate draws people together.
Alp: WHEEZE...we finally made it from the other side of the map! Hello, I wanna do the new attraction thingy!
Staff: Sorry, we're declining new entrants due to high amounts of participants already entered!
Alp and Cu Sith: NOOOO
MC: NO / I wonder if it's because of that video / Aw man
Staff: Thanks to the Streamers and Pilots, a lot of people tried to enter so I had to close it off...
Cu Sith: Whoa...maybe I shouldn't have stopped to buy food on the way over...
Alp: Oh well...since I'm tired of running so far, let's just sit down and watch!
MC: How about that bench? I'll go buy drinks, I'm hungry.
The three walk over to the bench and buy drinks from a vending machine.
Alp: Ahh, cold drinks are the best~
Cu Sith: Summer's over, but it's still hot for us.
Crowds are still gathering, and it sounds like there's an argument going.
Green Streamer: Viewers don't want just a high angle shot. Use my video too!
Brown Pilot: But a ground angle shot won't catch everything, and the problem is that people won't know what's happening.
MC: huh, what's happening?
Blue Streamer: Hello everyone, I'm streaming with my usual Drone Pilot partner!
Yellow Pilot: Hi, sorry for the camera troubles I'm working on it.
Purple Streamer: We can get a different view with a helicopter shot, but man I wanna use my own camera too!
Silver Pilot: I know, right? But isn't your phone still charging?
Streamers are always looking into ways to better a sense of being there, and sometimes they argue about how to go about that. It's going on here too even with front row seats. Staff members and players should totally notice, but not this guy!
Xbalanque: ...
Green Streamer: Shouldn't my video take priority as the streamer? For entertainment's sake!
Brown Pilot: It's important to see everything from above. Entertainment can come second.
Green Streamer: GASP
Yellow Streamer: Hey could you fight somewhere else? I'll put your space to good use!
Yellow Pilot: Move your selfie stick, you'll hit my drone!
Purple Streamer: Ohh it's getting too heated there, we should move.
Silver Pilot: Our mic is picking up the fight. I wish they'd stop...
The streamer-pilot duos start distancing from each other and their arguments are loud enough that MC can hear.
MC: I wonder what's up? / Are they fighting? / Fight fight fight!
(A) Cu Sith: Hey...are they fighting? P-please, calm down!
Alp: It's an event, we should have fun! Wanna see my break dance mo--
(BC) Alp: Don't ENJOY it, MC! Were you always like that?
Cu Sith: We have to stop them! Everyone, ple--
Suddenly everyone's attention gets drawn to something.
Staff: Oh my god nobody has ever done this well before!
Alp and Cu Sith: Isn't that Xbalanque!?
Xbalanaque: Yo dudes, stop fighting and stream me! You'll be able to record my moves from any angle, and if you miss out that's your problem.
Xbalanque picks up a soccer ball with the tip of his foot, then rolls it up his leg and up to his chest.
Brown Pilot: Holy crap, look at that!
Yellow Streamer: I gotta get this on video! Hi everybody, sorry about the wait~!
Green Streamer: Okay we're back on scene, people!
Xbalanque glances towards the cameras before jumping up, ball held between his feet before shooting down the targets like it's Xiaolin Soccer Time.
Crowds: OOOHHH!
Purple Streamer: My phone's charged now! Connect it to the drone please!
Silver Pilot: Okay! I'll move it as close as I can without getting in the way of the action.
Yellow Pilot: I'll move my drone closer to the player. With so many people around we can't get a good shot from just the ground.
Green Streamer: ...okay, I understand. Hello viewers, we're switching over to the drone camera!
Xbalanque smiles and points at the cameras when he notices them flying in.
Xbalanque: Surprised already? This ain't nothing, and there's still eight shots to go. Also you know who I'm talking to? You, on the other side of the screen! You'll want to cheer for me when I knock your socks off, so keep watching!
Xbalanque kicks the ball at a target as soon as he stops talking, which zooms in dead center towards it.
Red Streamer: He did it! It was a casual over the shoulder shot from behind but HE DID IT!
Yellow Streamer: That aim! And you know what? That target he hit was about the same size as the ball itself!
Pilot-Streamer Duos: Holy crap, all those tips! Thank you everybody, thank you Xbalanque!!
Cu Sith: Whoa everybody here is looking at Xbalanque!
Alp: Wow, he thought out both the shots and the view for the audience! I gotta learn from this!
MC: So he's not all talk... / He must've practiced a ton / (cheer for Xbalanque)
There's tons of cheering and clapping drowning MC out.
Xbalanque: ...?
Suddenly the wind blows some pamphlet into the Xbalanque's vision and blocks off the target!
Brown Pilot: Oh no!
Xbalanque happens to look at MC...
Xbalanque: ...!!
Streamers: He missed? That last shot is going towards the audience and...
MC: It's coming this way! (focus and kick it back) / (kick it back randomly)
The ball flies back barely above the ground! Reaction shots all around! And then...bullseye!
MC: Yeah! / What? / I wasn't even trying to aim at that.
More reaction shots
Staff: WHOA! That was amazing! I can't give points for that, but still!
Standing ovation! Record view counts!
Brown Pilot: Dammit, I couldn't get a shot because something got in the way of my camera.
Green Streamer: It's okay, I got it with my selfie stick!
Later
Alp: MC, that was perfect!
MC: Just as planned / Random chance... / (V-sign)
Solomon: Congratulations, Master! I'm so proud! Too bad, if I could go over to the physical side I could have comboed with you.
MC: One day, Solomon / Do you even know how to play
Alp: ...MC, who are you talking to?
Cu Sith: Oh, it's him! Xbalanque, over here!
Cu Sith waves to Xbalanque as he approaches like he knew where they were to begin with.
Xbalanque: You know, I saw what you guys did earlier. You're pretty nice to go out of your way to try to stop a fight. I was gonna stay out of it, but then I stuck my head into it before I knew what I was doing.
MC: Oh, so you weren't just trying to stand out earlier when you called out?
Xbalanque: Yep. With skills like mine, people will come even without me talking myself up.
Alp: OOF that self-confidence! But it's so true!
Xbalanque: Well back in the moment I needed a way to get everyone's attention all at once, so I needed something that could blow away an audience in seconds.
Cu Sith: But thanks to that, we all had fun and nobody got hurt. It was amazing! Thanks again, Xbalanque.
Xbalanque seems cool and collected as he accepts Cu's thanks.
Xbalanque: It's cool. It wasn't much for me though, and there's plenty of even cooler people out there in the world. Like my brother. One time back home we were hunting together and he hit every single--
Xbalanque's swishing tail suddenly stops.
Xbalanque: ...never mind. So what brings you guys here? You saw the streamer's videos and wanted to try it out?
MC: We just came to watch / They stopped taking players... / To be better friends with you!
(A) Xbalanque: Lucky for you that you got to see me play then. Call it a reward for how hard you worked earlier.
(B) Xbalanque: You play soccer too? Awesome coincidence. I like and specialize in things having to do with balls... wanna play together sometime? It's cool, you can keep up.
(C) Xbalanque: ...so you're a joker, huh? Even if you're serious, talking alone isn't gonna cut it. You gotta show more of your skills first, but I'll be looking forward to what you can do at least.
Xbalanque looked gentler for a second but goes back to looking calm and collected with the subject change. Almost like a mask slipped, or he was putting something important away. Cu Sith noticed.
Cu Sith: So what was your brother like?
Xbalanque: ...sorry, I'm trying to stop bragging about my brother but slipped up there.
Cu Sith: What, why? Sorry, should I not have asked...?
Xbalanque: Nothing like that. I just tend to go on about him, so I try to not do that.
MC: I won't force it, but I wanna hear what you're okay with sharing. You like your brother that much?
Xbalanque: Big Br--my brother is amazing. He's great with balls, he's reliable, and he was always ahead of me. There were plenty of times where we...weren't together. I'd kick balls all day by myself while admiring him then.
Xbalanque talks about what he swore to himself when he crossed the rainbow bridge to Tokyo and the thoughts of someone in a far off sky.
MC: Was your brother a star athlete? / That...sounds lovely. / (look at Xbalanque's profile)
Xbalanque: I dunno... since we lived apart a lot, we just might not have fought much. Stay in a cramped place and see the same things as someone else and you're bound to get into conflict eventually. Like that legendary duo Tezcatlipoca and...Quetzalcoatl.
Xbalanque whispered that last name really quietly, no one could hear.
Xbalanque: Oh...that must've been why I was curious about you.
MC: What's up, Xbalanque?
Xbalanque: ...it's nothing. You can see things I can't. Nothing Weird about that.
Cu Sith: I wanna hear more about your past, Xbalanque. Pleeease?
Xbalanque: ...I can you the facts all day at least. I got a list of exploits as long as my brother's at least. I won't be able to fit all of them in a day though.
Alp: Then come visit us at our dorm! We can have a slumber party and talk all night!
Cu Sith: That's a great idea! And I'll cook something up if you do stay over.
Xbalanque: ...cool. I'm not gonna hold my breath about your food, but sounds good. I know how to make poisoned food at least. Big Bro taught it to me for hunting and--oops.
MC: Say it again! / Aww, you DO have a cute side / Oooh, right Alp? Cu Sith?
(A) Xbalanque: No
(B) Xbalanque: I'mma get you back SO hard for flexing on me like this, Senpai.
(C) Alp and Cu Sith: OOOH~
Xbalanque: Could you stop? ...I really didn't want to slip up in front of you in particular since you're older than me.
Xbalanque smiles as he thinks back to the days he spent with and without his brother. He swore that he would brag and live alone so people wouldn't look down on him even without his brother around. Because of that he held his swelling emotions back and presented as cool and calm, but now he looks open and honest as he smiles.
???: Hey, you still hanging around even though the game's over? No wonder it took so long to find you.
Leib, Fenrir, and Jambavan walk over.
Cu Sith: Jambavan, you're up! How are you feeling?
Alp: Leib, Fenrir, you two are here too!? Are you looking for us to help with something again?
MC: Huh, Leib? / Jambavan, you okay? / Fenrir, you're here too
(C) Fenrir: Indeed. I have finished mine Efforts to Afford Tomorrow's Rations and came across these two.
Jambavan: Sorry about earlier you guys! I let my guard down and fell asleep... Thanks for minding the booth Cu Sith and Alp! MC, Leib-senpai told me about how you helped too. I'll be sure to show my thanks for it next time too!
Leib: We also brought him along to take a walk to clear his mind after he woke up. I came along because I was reminded of someone nagging me to go outside and touch grass as they say sometimes. We already got people in the lab I could dump on switch out with for the booth and cleanup, so no worries.
Cu Sith: Oh! So you can come hang out with us? Let's go!
Alp: Yeah! There's still things to see and dances to do!
Cu Sith: How about you, Xbalanque? We can introduce you to everyone! I'd love for you to be friends with all my Beast Tamers friends.
Xbalanque: ...oh fine, I can make some time for you. You cool, Senpai?
MC: Yep. That was the plan. / ...fine.
---
(C) Xbalanque: 5 out of 10, Alp did better. You still got a way to go.
---
Xbalanque: Okay, let's go then.
Cu Sith: Thanks! I'll introduce you as we walk.
The cheery voices of the therians of Ueno fade into the sky. The crowds enjoy the festivities, and scuttlebutt has it that no crazy beasts were seen at all. Just friends and parading students as far as the eye could see. Time flies, and the sun sets on the festival. After MC says bye to the Ueno students going back to the dorms, they walk back to Ueno Station with Xbalanque.
Xbalanque: ...you're wondering why I'm here? I figured I should at least do my kouhai-ly duties when saying bye for the day at least. You seem like the type who'd be one place one moment and suddenly disappear five seconds later, so I'm making sure you're leaving safely. Careful on your way back, Senpai.
Xbalanque, sassy to the end as he holds his hand out to MC.
MC: (shake his hand) / (hug him) / (pet him)
(B) Xbalanque: Wait, you like me that much? Okay okay, you big baby. Haha...it's kind of a waste. Don't act like that to anyone else.
(C) Xbalanque: Wait what are you DOING!? Stop, aaaahhh... STOP you dumbass, we literally just met today! What? You did that to show me how much of a bratty kouhai I am? ...how bad are your senpais then? ...w-well, it wasn't all bad I guess. I'm always evaluating people in everything they do. Don't think I'll hold back again after this. Underestimate me and I'll be the one to come out on top with your place.
Xbalanque: Well I guess this is goodbye for now. I might see you again soon sometime. That's the feeling I'm getting!
Xbalanque waves MC off. They may be parting ways and going different ways, but an invisible bond of fate may one day reconnect them again.
Solomon: Welp, it's just you and me on the way home, Master! I wanna talk so much about everything we saw and did today! And I took pictures as promised. I'll send the first of my best to your phone!
It's a picture of MC, Xbalanque, and the Beast Tamers.
The End
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