Contract Search Just You and Me Kitten..

[Tanatsu Neko]

"Wakey Wakey, come on now Neko you're going to catch a sunburn if you're not careful."

Neko groaned rolling in the desert's course sand, her eyes fluttering open to the sun beaming down on her. She looked around at the familiar oasis she had woken in, this place held far too many memories to forget. Her eyes widened realizing that she had woken this far from home, a confused look landing on her face as that fact set in. But, there was more cause for concern, the voice she had heard calling her to awaken was both foreign and familiar all at once. Her eyes darted around in search for the source.

"Over here, come get some water so we can have a chat okay?"

There it was, echoing out from the still waters in front of her, that voice like a sirens call. Still her eyes found no source for the voice, an illusion or trick of the mind from the heat. That's what kept repeating in her head, but the water seemed so inviting she had no choice but to stand and attempt to cool down. She made her way to the waters edge, kneeling and splashing her face with the cool crystal clear water that filled this oasis. The water woke her certainly, allowing her to catch her breath and relax just for a minute.

"Listen I haven't got all day to play nice, hurry the fuck up and look down already."

Her body froze, as the voice was so distinct now it sounded like it came from directly beneath her. Her hair stood on end, as goosebumps rose on her skin, trembling her eyes flickered downward toward the sound of the voice. Beneath her was simply the crystalline reflection on the water's surface, dancing slightly from where her hand caused the glass like surface to ripple upon entry. The reflection was her own, nothing alarming in itself, but like watching something mimic human behavior it set off all the warning bells inside Neko's head. That's when she noticed something, her reflections scars were freshly opened, as if they were in a constant state of bleeding. Her hand rose to her face, reaching her fingers to the now smooth surface of her skin. None of this added up, everything was screaming inside her to tuck her tail and run. But when she looked back down, her reflection let her know that would be useless.

Its mouth opened as the words began to poor out from the water as if Neko herself was now speaking them, "Listen kiddo, you're supposed to be dead. That simple. So I'd really appreciate it if you'd go back to being that way okay?"

Neko fell back and instinctively let out a scream, the most natural response given the severity of this situation. She crawled away from the water as she watched a hand slowly rise out from its mirror like surface. The hand turning to an arm, then like pulling one's self throw a window it placed its hand down on the water and pushed. In a moment Neko was now staring at herself, or what appeared to be that by all accounts, as it made its way toward her crossing its arms behind its back. Its feet never broke the water's surface as it moved, not rippling like it was actually there either, simply gliding like a ballerina moving across stage to meet her dancing partner.

"Neko, you really should've just stayed dead, this whole showing up once we've accomplished so much, thing is getting old fast."

"Wha.. What are you.."

"Don't be dumb, you know me. I am you. Well the you that anyone gives a damn about. The you, you made. The you that took over once you had nothing more to give. Not this sobbing pathetic routine that claims to be you."

"Fu.."

"What? Off? No, I don't think so. See we had it all going for us, then you let your walls down and showed up for a minute, and now? You think you can just replace me? No I fought too hard, gave up too much. YOu gave nothing, you are nothing."

"Shut Up!"

"Why? Making too much sense for you? One guy pays attention and wht we just throw it away? THIS CANNOT HAPPEN TWICE UNDERSTAND ME?!"

The duplicate closed the distance between the two with unnatural quickness, grabbing Neko by th face and holding her attention. "We have plans Neko, WE not just you, understand? We cannot afford to fail this. You need to shut up and let me do what needs to be done for us to survive!"

"NO!" Neko snapped causing the duplicate to falter and look frightened for a moment, "This is my life, I am not some scared little girl anymore, you have no control over me! Nothing does, I am a shinobi but I am a person too! I won't sit here and let some bullshit manifestation take my life, I want to live!"

The words echoed as they had once before here, her memory flashed with the day that everything changed for her. They day she first refused to let her fate be in the hands of another, and how she felt. The scream of her childhood self, repeating the same phrase in a moment of desperation. "I want to live!"

She stood staring at the false Neko who was simply staring back, the pair stood directly mirroring each other with the static silence between them. Finally Neko broke the silence, "We don't need to be cold and heartless.. We need to be happy and able to do what we want, it will kill us to stay this way."

"I.. I'm scared.." They both were now speaking in unison, no longer feeling as if they were two different beings but rather two sides of the same coin. "I am terrified to let people in again, but it won't kill me.. I need people in my life or I will become that monster they see."

Neko shot up in bed, a cold sweat pouring down her face. The nightmare was over but the fact of the matter was it had felt so real. She reached up and felt her scars, ever present across her face still. Her fingers traced them for a moment as she was lost in thought. She had seen herself in what could have been, a more fragile and weakened state, and what could yet be, the cold and monstrous version of herself that was screaming for her to bury it all inside. Both were potential outcomes for her life, but neither were what she wanted herself to become. Rather, she would need to find that balance between for the ability to live her life according to her own ways. Had this all been triggered by one conversation, no she didn't think that could be the case. It had always been this way, she was just now seeing it for what it was, her mind and heart desperately calling out for her to find the bridge between and live.

She looked out to the moonlit sky from her bed, still sitting in her bed not truly willing to lay back down for more sleep. She probably woke Sumire with her scream, but maybe if she just laid still for a bit, it would be more evident if she had or not. She waited and with the silence in the air she had her answer, that one relief in all this mess. She got up and opened her window, slipping out it into the alleyway behind their home. She lit a cigarette and leaned heavily against the wall for a minute, simply soaking in the cooler night air and twinkling stars. She needed the air, her heart was still pounding like she had just ran a marathon. She had so many thoughts but she needed it to rest for the night, it had already been far too much excitement for her evening. She took a long drag off the cigarette, the smoke drifting slowly up her face as the orange glow illuminated her once more. With her exhale she let out an exaserbated, "That's it, no more coffee before bed. I cannot have that happen again." As she spoke into the night the air seemed so still and silent around her. It was a honestly welcoming feeling to have nothing respond to her words in that moment, especially given the contents of her dream.

She looked over to see something hanging around in the trash can, she raised a brow and leaned down to get a better look. As she did a small kitten came walking out of the trash, a piece of scrap food dangling from its mouth. She smiled and held out her hand, as it finished its food it wandered up to her and rubbed against her hand. "Just you and me Kitten, two alley cats trying to find some damned peace and quiet huh?" The cat curled up at her feet as she too sat down on the ground, crossing her legs with her back to the wall. She would spend the rest of the eveneing there looking at the cat and the stars, completely lost in thought

[using random success card from inventory]
[wc 1530]

 

[Ninpocho Admin]

You've found Crustacean! Do you accept?​

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

[yes]

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

From the moonlit windowsill Neko would be able to hear a conversation carried upon the wind. From the slur of their words they were obviously inebriated. While their words at first were faint & indecipherable if she focused she'd be able to hear what they were saying. "Ya sssuuure thi...*hick*...this is the right one?" It took obvious strain for the speaker to form the words, no doubt it was taking a great deal of concentration to voice his thoughts. "..Ofcour...its da way. You thing I'm a fool or somethun?" His companion seemed to be more inebriated then himself from the sound of his words. "Course n*hick*ot...is...well it..on't look...ferm...ferm...right...it dont't look right." It sounded like he were affirming it to himself just as much his friend.

Just a couple drunks hardly worth worrying about, their voices would grow more distant as they moved further through the alley. When suddenly one of them would cry out startled. "Wha is that?" the words were spoken with a mix of caution & curiosity. "I unno look kina like a *hick* balloon." By now perhaps curiosity would begin to get the better of the young Anbu. What on earth were these drunks going on about? How was one meant to sleep with such nonsense. "Ain no way...givit a kick." One of the drunken pair had decided he'd use his companion to test what this obstruction in their path was.

Having no reason to fear what he believed to merely be a sand coated balloon the drunk kicked the object. To which there would be a loud 'BANG' that would resound down the alley, the force of the air & sand from the ruptured bubble of pressurized air exploded. The force of this briefly shocking the drunk man in a stupor, buying the time for it's maker to move in. With a swift strike to the drunks shin a cry of pain would follow the loud bang, before one of the men could be heard screaming. "Its a godamned monster!" the crashing of rubbish & various junk left in the alley could be heard as they scrambled back up the way they had come. Fear guiding them as they moved on their path, it seemed the adrenaline now coursing through their bodies from the shock had sobered them enough to give them sufficient control of their motor functions.

Down from the other end of alley more clanging could be heard. It seemed this monster whatever it was, had stuck around. If Neko chose to leave the safety of her room it would not take long for her to find this 'monster'. From a distance she would be able to make out the shimmer of the moonlight against it's hard carapace of a shell. The creature was busy rummaging through some rubbish, if she continued down further into the depths of the alley to get a better look, a slightly muffled voice would come from the creature. No doubt something that would surprise the kunoichi. "That's close enough, just because those fools burst my bubble doesn't mean I can't look after myself." While tiny in stature for his kind the creature was still broad & one would get the distinct feeling it wasn't lying when it said it could look after itself.

Small almost water filled bubble-like mounds in appearance protruded from it's hard carapace along with various spiked ridges. A pair of mandibles worked busily shoveling the remains of the trash into a series of biting & grinding surfaces. While the mandibles were followed by a first & secondary pair of maxillae that were covered in tiny little hairs & 'teeth' with which it used to manipulate its food. Although surely the little food it gained from the trash wasn't worth the risk of the danger. Then again it's kind had sustained themselves on far worse meals, although it did feel exposed out here in the open. Without anymore bubbles in place it had needed to stop its meal in order to engage with the newcomer.

Moving back from the knocked over trash the creature would gaze at Neko, at least one would assume so since there were no obvious eyes visible from this distance. The slight grinding noise of it's mandible & counterparts could be heard as if it was doing the crustacean equivalent of wiping it's mouth. "I'm on important business, I just need some sustenance before continuing on. I only attacked those men because they showed aggression towards my defenses." The words were clear, formed by a symphony of chattering from the mandibles & maxillae grinding against each other to create the words. Whatever this thing was it surveyed her with an ancient knowledge, one that had been earned by surviving all manner of horror in the depths of the deep. Their kind had persevered & gained many lessons from their hardships.

Not unlike the Sunans in this village that it had found itself within, what was such a creature doing here? How had it made it so far without being detected by anyone? More importantly how would the Anbu react to such a discovery? Neko had already made herself one friend in the alley tonight in the form of her kitten companion, would this be Neko find herself on the creatures menu. Whatever happened tonight would surely be a night that the Sunan shinobi would not be soon forgetting.

(Apologies on the delay! ^_^ First Akkuma replied notification & it's a contract. Just keeping you on your toes.)

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

Neko watched from the distance at which she was told to stay, her eyes canning the entire situation trying to assess if this was still a dream or if this was the situation at hand. Realization struck her face as she stared at the thing in front of her, attempting to hide all emotions on her face. The level of uncertainty in her eyes was clear as hers met its and she could sense it's ancient chakra. The distinct twinge that was familiar from her encounter with Roku, 'Does.. this mean.. he's.. like this thing? Not the time, focus.' Her thoughts regained focus, pushing that to the back for now, she would cross her arms and speak.

"Would you like some real food? The scraps around here are slim as we aren't exactly in the position to waste food. If you'd like I could make you something? Give you some water maybe?"

She was trying to be as calm as possible, knowing that whatever this thing was it was much more a threat to her than the other way around. She'd never seen a monster, or at least as it was called, this close before. It was entrancing but also terrifying in a purely primal way. The instinct to run, that this thing could and would eat her, was so far entrenched in human DNA that it was almost an urge she could not understand. But she swallowed that down, knowing that she'd never be able to out run or hide from this thing. If it had made it this far, there was no point in trying to fight it. She'd rather make it out of this situation and report it to the correct people in the morning.

Although, she was now debating if that was necessary. This thing, whatever it was, was trying to justify its actions. That implied that it had at least enough humanity in it that it had felt some sort of way about it, and that it did not want to keep acting this way this evening at least. So, depending on what happened next, she would have to make that choice as things developed.

"My name is Neko, do you have a name you prefer?"

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

While still adolescent by the standards of its own kind, in human years the creature was Ancient. Although there were no distinguishable eyes, the sense that it was assessing her was unmistakable. Perhaps it was deciding if the young kunoichi was a threat. Could this be an effort to lure it? There would be a chattering sound as the creature went to speak but stopped as if pausing for a moment. "Food is food...but you are right. I doubt this alley will provide me with much sustenance." That symphony of grinding & chattering formed it's words. While it did so that sense of the creature watching, studying her would not depart. "Drink, yes. Then food." Its speech was simpler this time & almost excited. Then again perhaps that was just the human habit of anthropomorphism. Attributing the heightened pitch of its 'speech' as excitement. There was still so little that the Sunan kunoichi new about this being.

"...Ne....ko." It said her name in a slow, emphasized manner. Was the new word difficult for it? Did the creature merely wish to ensure it committed it to memory? Or was it committing the word to the being before it. Perhaps a less then optimal thought, that would not cause the kunoichi overt panic should it cross her mind. A high pitched almost ear piercing sound, not unlike that of nails grinding down a blackboard would be emitted by the creature briefly. The deviations in pitch to subtle for normal humans ears to distinguish, culminating in an ungodly screech. "...I have never needed a human name before now." An interesting statement from the creature, perhaps the young kunoichi could give it a name.

This was it's first time within a human city, but it had been given an important task. But sustenance was always important & an opportunity like this was not to be dismissed lightly. Who knew what challenges lay ahead of it. "If you are tricking me...know you can be food too." Not perhaps the most comforting phrase, could this creature truly harm her? How fast could it truly move, after all it just looked like a weirdly armored bug. After all who would think a Contract Creature, let alone a Crustacean would be so far within the territories of a human settlement. More often then not, despite common belief such beings often sought shinobi for their own reasoning.

The creature moved across the surface of sand, it's form churning across the grains of sand. It was both oddly cute & horrifying all at once to witness for the first time. Was Neko really going to allow this creature into her house? Were the Fates guiding her hand or was she being foolish in accompanying the creature to an even more secluded place? Only time would tell what the night had in store for Neko.

[OOC: Sorry on the delay ninja.]