Open A Cat in the Night [Open]

[Yotta Ryusui]

What a laugh! The most recent Academy Graduates were complaining that their exams were too hard? How ridiculous! Every exam has the same approximate difficulty, and if this graduating class was too weak that it cost on of their lives, thats on them. And besides, Kurayami heard that it was that Homunculus creation that Shin had made, which like if you think about it makes sense. Those creepy homunculus were only goof for acting as aides in the hospital, they weren't built to be shinobi, and Kurayami should know! She was a Kunoichi after all.

Walking down the street one late evening, with her satchel on her hip, the young girl had a sneer on her face and a mischievous chuckle on her lips. Today was a great day, she was capable of creating even more synthetic crystals today than she did yesterday! If she was able to keep this up she was confident that she would be able to have enough to begin work as a Chuunin soon.

With the sound of a scattering trash can, the young girl turned around quickly and pulled a gem from her pouch. Crushing the gem and causing the chakra it stored to flair out in her hand as a black swirl of darkness, she would hold her jutsu with a stern look. If she saw anything she was ready to fire. Was this some street cat, or was this some thug trying to take advantage of this young girl? Either way, Kurayami was neither afraid nor concerned.

"If you want to fight me just say so, I am ready to take you on any time!"

[MFT]

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

Neko stirred awake from her sleeping bag and moved the trash that had spilled on her. She looked up to the woman with dazed eyes but then they shot open as she jumped up prepared for something to happen. "Fi..Fight? No, what.. Why are you here?" Her words were fumbled not through lack of focus, but more so lack of sleep. She was clearly camping here, the evidence was all around them. There were ashes from a small fire, a stick over them where she cooked something for a late night snack, and her sleeping bag tucked next to the trash can she had bumped in her sleep.

She was frail, but not as much as she used to be. Oddly while still exhausted, she did seem ready for whatever was to come next. Her hand on her back pocket and adjusting her shuriken for easy grabbing. Whoever this was, they weren't stealing anything from her. Not again.
[wc 157]

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

Kira Yano let out an audible gasp. ”Why am I here?! The audacity!“ releasing the gem would cause a surge of black energy to launch from her hand to blast past Neko’s shoulder, not making contact, before causing a small bursting bomb behind her.

Quickly pulling another gem out of her satchel she would hold it at the ready. ”What are you doing out here at this time of night? It’s not safe for citizens to be out after curfew! Are you asking to be kidnapped and sold into human trafficking? Did you realize there’s access ports to the Ruins scattered throughout this district! Hell immediately below your feet is the Red Lights!“

She would take a a few steps forward towards the girl, reaching out to grab the front of the girls clothes. If she had a hold of the girl she would pull her close and her face would scowl.

”Are you a spy? Are you?! Are you working with the bandits down below?!“

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

Neko would slide away from the hands and pull her shuriken out. "I am a student at the academy. This is my home, and I will defend it." Her words were now clear and unwavering. She had made it clear in this moment that she's not chosing to live here, but this is where she has wound up.

"Those are the exact reasons I ask you, why you are here. I don't know you, I don't trust you, and I'm not going to give up and get kidnapped." Her eyes studied the gems, she'd never seen a technique like this and she'd be lying if it wasn't interesting. But now wasn't the time to be distracted, this person could be a serious threat. They already proved their capability, so now Neko needed to prove she was as well.
[wc 137]

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

”A student in the academy?! Hah! Don’t make me laugh. I can tell by looking at you that a strong breeze would blow you over. The best you could probably do with your life is play the victim.“

She looks at the trash this girl called a home. A giggle slipped from her lips. ”You call this your home?! You’re kidding me right?“ She pulled her hand up and giggled from behind her fingers.

”Why have you decided to stay here? It’s a tragedy if the words you say are true.“

She looked around at this child’s claimed home. Why hasn’t she chosen to join one of the noble clans for refuge? Many of the families within the great clans accept orphans and run aways

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

She stood straight and put her shuriken away. "I don't care what you laugh at. I am going to be a shinobi. As for my living situation, I fail to see how it's any of your business. I plan to get a home when I can, in the meantime I am surviving. Unlike some, life has not graced me with a full belly and safe place every moment. But now, I'm working on that. My frame has nothing to do with my abilities, believe me." She sighed and crossed her arms.

She would look the woman over once more, deciding that this wasn't really a necessary conversation or rather argument to have. "Sorry I startled you, for what that is worth." She looked less angry and more unenthused. She wasn't particularly upset or bothered by the woman's words, it wasn't exactly uncommon but she did feel it wasn't a fair assumption. She would look up to the stars and then back to the woman waiting for her to speak.
[wc 168]

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

”Oh are you now? What’s going to be your specialty? Hiding?“ he giggled again. The teenager would look over the girl again with a discerning eye. ”But honestly what abilities do you claim to have?“ Her curiosity was building and she wanted to dissect this situation.

Crossing her arms and looking away she would respond to the apology. ”I wasn’t startled, and honestly if you need a house to sleep in you know there’s places right?“ Her concern for the girl was finally slipping through the surprise and shock she was feeling initially which caused her to be so hostile.

”I mean like, that’s what the Chikamatsu Clan is for and all, haven’t you heard of us? ‘Life of service being more noble than royalty’ and all that jazz? If you go to the Arboretum and ask for aid they won’t refuse you, the Overseer wouldn’t allow it.“

Fully twisting her body around to look away from the young girl she continued to speak in a scolding tone. ”I mean, what kind of Kunoichi can feel pride for herself living in the street? If you’re going to be a respectable Shinobi for Sunagakure get the help now while you need it. Swallow your pride already.“

Was Kurayami showing concern for this child or was she bragging about her clan? Not really sure herself, but she was starting to see the signs in this location that were indicative of an unsafe living situation for a girl this age.

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

"It's not pride." She stated plainly, "It's what I have known. Before my mom passed this is where we lived, I was not aware of any options. When the orphanage kicked me out I went home. " She would look down at her feet before continuing, "I'm going.. to be a genjutsu master, I will be useful and proud. I will help my comrades, regardless of how much they have or how little. It doesn't matter what you have, or where you are from, a shinobi's skill and their heart, their drive is what matters."

She looked back up a little teary eyed but clearly trying to hold it in, "You claim to be the same clan as Kohana sensei and Shin sensei, and yet talk down on people who are doing what they can? Your name is not what makes you great, it makes you able to be great certainly, but if you keep treating people like this then.. Then what right have you to judge me!" Her hand closed in anger. "NONE!" She barked, though it was clearly less about this shinobi in front of her.

Even a passing glance could tell this was about far more than this conversation, this was a conversation she'd had many times. In fact this seemed more like the weight of reality hitting young Neko all at once. All the anger, the people's judgements, the disbelief in her abilities, all of it the same no matter the source. The only people to ever treat her kindly were Shin, a missing ninja, and her mother. That was the reality for this girl that was weighing on her every day, and now she was facing it once again in the place she considered her home.
[wc 289]

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

She turned back to look at the girl before her. ”You can talk all you want, first thing you should learn to be a Shinobi is words don’t matter. You can stand here and tell me all day that you plan on protecting those around you, but unless you have the actions to back up your words they are meaningless.“

Kurayami’s mind would go back to her time in the academy. Unable to perform any justu. Unable to maintain a flow of chakra strong enough to climb surfaces or walk on water. She was weak. She understood and could repeat all of her lessons from memory, but her actions couldn’t keep up with her talk.

She clenched the gem in her hand.

She couldn’t keep up until she found a way to make herself stronger. She had to work one hundred times harder than her classmates. She knew what it meant to be weak. She knew what it was like to be this girl standing in front of someone looking down on her.

The difference was, Kurayami didn’t stand around and take it. Her clan didn’t give her any special skills or traits. She was self made, everything she could do she taught herself. Mastered by herself.

”Shut up! If words hurt you so much you’ll never be a Kunoichi!“ she was practically speaking to herself.

Crushing the gem in her hand black smoke and fumes would engulf both of her hands. The Shadow Release she had learned to utilize through her gems would fill her palms.

”If you don’t like how you’re treated in this world, do something about it!“

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

[Calling BMod]

 

[Yotta Ryusui]

[mod dropped, topic left. We have moved past this]

 

[Tanatsu Neko]

[topic left]