Anti-Hero. [Private]

[Kokomo]

Aksuko Katzumi

iNPC

[This is a Retired PC that has been rewinded in age. If you did not know Aksuko Katzumi before the age of 20, you no longer know her.]

* * *​

A Sordid Avenue. 2 am.​

"Come on..." An exhausted female voice begged in a quite voice. "Ojiba-San, the least you could do is cooperate..." A young woman, with hair blonde as cornsilk, was helping a man walk through the dark alleys of Kumogakure's slums. He was stumbling, his arm around her shoulder, and her arm around his waist, trying to support him. "Ojiba-San, come on...we're almost to your house."

"Did I 'er tell ya...how purdy ya are, Kit-Kat?" The man slurred, stumbling drunkly on his own feet. " Y'er so helpfu'..." He grinning stupidly as he leaned towards her face, tripping forward, Katzumi catching him and growling under her breath. " Thanks 'fer doin' this..." He slurred again, his breath sickly reeking of whiskey.

Katzumi didn't actually know this man. She found him wandering around outside the bar trying to figure out which way was up. She was a kind hearted doctor who couldn't see him without feeling the need to help. Despite the fact that she was in a loose white tank top and black shorts in the freezing autumn night air. Her cheeks pink and frozen, her fingers numb, aas she pulled the man up to a door step.

"Heeyyyy!" He squealed suddenly, "This is 'mah house!" Kat rolled her eyes before smiling and nodding, "Yes, Ojiba-San." She said, pushing the door open and leading him inside onto a crummy couch, and laying him down. "Ohhhh...Y'er such a nice girly..." He mumbled, Kat throwing the nearest blanket over him. "Thank ye...." His words were slurring into a slumber as Kat slowly backed out of the rotting apartment, shutting the door and looking down the alley.

The alley was created by massive brick apartments side by side. They had dumpsters and trash all over the place, as well as your average slum-animals. It was a disgusting place compared to the suburbs of the city where Katzumi lived.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Kat slowly made her journey back towards town, shaking as the her eyes caught hold of a gang of boy, leaning against one of the walls and watching her walk by. She avoided eye contact, looking down at the ground, and no one made a sound. But as she walked further past them, she found herself moving faster, and then, bursting out into a sprint. Kat was quick on her feet, and she could last awhile--but she wasn't strong, and she was the boys a hoot for their money.

"Where ya goin' baby!" One hollered, their laughing echoing through the streets as Kat made her way around a corner-- a dead end. Stopping, she stared wide eyed at the wall, her heart racing as she began to panic, turning around the face the approaching boys who seemed they had had their laugh--for their faces were dark and frightening. Kat slowly removed a kunai from her leg-band, backing up against the wall and hiding it as they came closer...

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

“Where ya goin’ kid!” a gruff voiced call out from behind Ayumu as he walked towards the glass door of the bar and rested his hand on the handle. Ayumu sighed, shaking his head and turned back to face the one who addressed him. It was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, dressed in a very plain gray shirt and dark pants. The entire appearance of the man was sloppy, but then so was most everyone in the establishment. This wasn’t the kind of bar you came to with hopes of meeting a woman or a man that you wanted to look nice for to impress. This was the kind of place you came when you didn’t care about that anymore.

Ayumu didn’t really fit in with the crowd, in appearance or stage of life, but there was one thing that brought him here. Okay, two things including a little alcohol, but that was a given. The other bit that attracted him was the activity commonly taking place within those walls: gambling. Every night, washed up men wound up at that bar to drink and play cards in hopes of leaving with more than they came. This was often not the case, but still they came back each time. Ayumu was far from a middle-aged man, but he did seek thrills, and putting his money on the line gave him a little of that feeling that he got when on a mission. Tonight had not been his night, however.

”I’m leaving, Tenmyouji, where does it look like I’m going?” Ayumu responded exasperatedly, not wanting to stick around and answer the old man’s questions. He knew perfect well why he was being stopped. He had experience a bit of bad luck tonight, and the men there were like shark circling injured prey. If he stayed, he would only grow more frustrated and be even easier to see through. They wanted someone to siphon money out of, but Ayumu wasn’t going to give them that. “C’mon, don’t go mad,” the man said with a laugh as Ayumu opened the door and stepped out, not pausing for a moment before he shut the door behind him. It had been a night, but overall Ayumu’s gambling kept him about even in terms of profit and loss, so he’d be back for the thrill when his luck returned.

The cold night air had a bit of a chill to it and Ayumu shivered slightly, pulling the opening of his forest green jacket closed a bit as the bit of fur around the collar (fake, of course) kept the chill from his neck. Underneath the jacket he had a black, long sleeved shirt with some kind of graphic design on the front as well as a pair of dark blue jeans, a belt, and boots. He was not dressed sloppily or like a thug, so he looked a little out of place in the sordid alleyway he exited the bar in to. The neon lights of the bar’s open sign lit the immediate area slightly, but for the most part the stars and passing window lights were all that lit his path as he started back towards his home.

Turning a corner, he entered yet another sordid alley, slightly more populated than the rest. Hurriedly walking between the buildings was a woman with blonde hair that looked even more out of place than Ayumu. On either side of the alley, a few unsavory looking individuals looked up as she passed, following her with their eyes and then just outright following her. It didn’t take a genius to realize that they were up to no good. Ayumu let out an annoyed sounding ”Che…” realizing he wasn’t going to be going home quite yet. His hand instinctively reached for a sword only to quickly realize it wasn’t there. Of course not, he wasn’t on duty. In hindsight, bringing a hidden weapon to this part of town was probably a good idea. Regardless, he adjusted his glasses as he narrowed his eyes and jogged forward to catch up with the small group gathering behind the woman.

One called out after him as the others laughed, presumably about how scummy they were all being. Apparently they found it amusing to be scum. Ayumu rolled his eyes. He slowed to a stop as the boys chasing the woman cornered her, remaining in the shadows for the moment. From the look of her, if she was a shinobi, she didn’t look like it. That was probably why the sharks had followed her- they wouldn’t dare follow her otherwise, probably. She seemed panicked, and the weapon she had remained hidden from Ayumu’s view, so to him she also looked defenseless against their numbers. The best bet here was to draw their attention to him.

”Why don’t you dogs run along home? I really don’t want to get this jacket dirty,” Ayumu said loudly enough that they’d be startled by the sudden volume. Once he had their attention, he’d crack his knuckles on both hands in an extremely cliché fashion so they’d understand exactly what he was suggesting. What he was saying was really just being generous. He didn’t care about getting his jacket dirty- in fact he would love to fight them, but it was best not to get the innocent civilian involved... assuming that was what she was. He could find them later- he'd already took a snapshot of them in his mind just so he could do so.

”If it has any influence on your decision, I am a Jounin of this village. The choice is yours, though,” he added, just a little bit of fabrication. Technically he was an ANBU trainee, but he didn’t tell people that, obviously. It wasn’t far from the truth, however, as he had been a Jounin before he had become a trainee. It meant they would be very unwise not to run along as he had suggested, though there was a sliver of hope in him that they would try anyway. His lips curved in to a grin at the thought. His guess was that none of them were shinobi. He hoped none of Cloud’s soldiers would act like them. As for the woman, he couldn't be sure. If she was a shinobi, she probably didn't even need his help.

[OoC: I had a little time to write this after all! I’ll leave the alley guys up to you~]

 

[Kokomo]

Fear. What was fear? Was it the pounding in your chest? The adrenaline? The fogginess in your mind? A flushed face and balled up fists, watering eyes, and flexing muscles? Was fear caused by you or others? Did you make yourself afraid or did other people literally cause it? What did it take to light the match of fear? To say the least, Katzumi was pretty afraid. Not because of the people or the thoughts of what they would do--but because it would be a shameful result. A result that she would end up limping home with (Assuming she made it back home) Something you kept a secret because you were too stupid to prevent it. It was embarrassing. It was sad. That was what she was afraid about. She was afraid of being a coward. She was afraid of being unable to defend herself.

Katzumi's parents had told her before she left to live in the city that she was a fool. That she was a coward. They continued to remind her of what would happen if she had messed up somewhere along the line. They reminded her how ashamed they would be if their daughter was ever a coward. Katzumi wouldn't be able to bear the fact that she was cornered by a gang and brutally raped, mutilated, or even killed. It was the sign that she had lost. She was defeated.

"You look lost..." It was that type of voice that sickened you. Voice was the draped in sugar and lies. That tone of voice that makes you sick to your stomach and has you balling up your fists in pure sought anger at the very words. Katzumi's eyes narrowed, her heart beat pounding in her chest as they took slow steps towards her. They were like lions piling up on a gazelle. They were crouching and waiting for her to make a run for it so they could pounce on her and tear out whatever they could get their saliva covered mouths on. Pressing her back against the wall, Kat looked up, hoping for an edge that she could crawl up into. She was a meek medical ninja, and no where capable of killing a pack of dogs like these.

Twirling the kunai behind her back, she took a step forward, and the laughter burst out again. It was degrading to hear them laugh. Hearing them amused by her movements and her advances towards them. What could she do? She was adorable, and no where near intimidating. "You--"

"Why don't you dogs run along home? I really don't want to get this jacket dirty."

Everyone was surprised to hear the voice. Katzumi and the gang turned their heads, Kat even raising an eyebrow in disbelief. A man in some furry jacket was going to do something about it? Another drunk? They turned slowly, the laughter bubbling up again. "Look, pretty-little-pansy here is a Jounin!" The laughter erupted again as they took a few steps towards him. "Come here boy, I'll keep that jacket nice and clean!" Katzumi slowly pulled the kunai in front of her, creeping up behind them as she crouched a bit to keep quiet and not attract attention. "Yeah, we'll take it right off your hands--"

"Give it here!" They had had their games, and they were advancing more violently towards him, which was Katzumi's cue. She was quick, slicing the side of one farthest to the right, to attract attention just briefly while she broke out from the barricade of men, casting a fire jutsu enough to light the jacket of one of the ones up front on fire. Let out a squeak as she ducked from the grab of another as she snatched the strangers' hand.

"RUN!" She yelled as her knee-high running shoes pivoted on the sidewalk and she took off down the alleyway, her breath coming out jagged in the cold wind. Her lungs burning in the icy wind and her skin reddening as she turned as many corners as she could find (without a clue of knowing where to, mind you) and skidded to a stop when her lungs came to a point of bursting.

Falling to her butt and leaning against a wall, Katzumi leaned her head back, sucking in deep and uneven breaths. Her chest rising and falling unevenly as she looked sleepily to the man. "Are you crazy?" She breathed, placing her hand on her flat stomach, "You could have...have..." She coughed a few times, "Been killed!" Reaching out a red and frozen hand, she attempted a weak handshake, "Doctor Aksuko Katzumi." She huffed, giving a gentle smile. "Thank you."

The woman hadn't dealt with human near as much as animals. In the countryside she had had her fair share of bears and wolves--and they weren't near as much of a problem. With a bear, you see, you can easily out hide them. With wolves--well, to say the least, wolves were cowards. If you got in their face, and hurt a few of them, they'd retreat. But these people! Aye! They didn't know when to stop!

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu smiled as they laughed, excitement rising within him as they called him a name. They didn't believe him- of course not. He was unarmed, and what shinobi would come here willingly? Plus, a guy in a glasses probably didn't seem too tough to them. If they didn't believe him, that probably meant they were going to want to try to beat him up. Ayumu grinned, his teeth showing as he raised his fists in front of him, preparing. He was used to using a pair of swords, but he could manage a few non-shinobi without them. One of them probably had a blade of some sort he could borrow. He'd get to clean up the streets a little, take some punks down a few notches, and impress that girl- he was okay with that. Ideally he wouldn't have put her at risk by starting a fight right here, but if it couldn't be avoided... Wait a moment, was that a kunai? 'Shit...' he thought as he saw her make her move. Best case scenario, she was actually a shinobi and would fight them with him. Worst case scenario, she was a civilian and got desperate and could end up getting hurt.

As soon as she cut one of the men, Ayumu moved, clocking the next closest man to her with a sucker punch that would send him to the ground. He turned to the next thug, preparing to deck him as well, but an unexpected gentle hand suddenly closed around his. Her sudden order to run went entirely against the instincts Ayumu was following, but if he didn't move he would be pulled right off his feet. He started running to match her pace, looking back over his shoulder as shouts erupted from the group of men. One of them was on fire and he and a few others were trying to pull the flaming jacket off. He looked at the woman pulling him along by the hand. Was it her handywork? He hadn't seen, but he guessed the jacket didn't erupt spontaneously.

"H-hey, wait!" he called to the woman, but she was clearly far too focused on running away and wouldn't stop for anything. He sighed and followed along, recalling the snapshot he had taken. He would find them later and finish this. She kept running for quite sometime, even after Ayumu was fairly sure they had lost them. He tried to say so a few times, but she probably couldn't hear him. At last when she was too short on breath to continue, and Ayumu himself was feeling a bit winded, she stopped and dropped on to her behind with Ayumu following suit and plopping down beside her to catch his breath. The first question she managed to ask made him smile as he tilted his head back to look up through the tops of the buildings. 'Well, maybe a little...' he thought as she continued. 'Killed' seemed like an exaggeration to him. Sure they might have gotten a lucky hit or two but he would've come out on top. At last she extended her hand and introduced herself, adding in thanks afterwards. He wasn't sure what for.

"Kogami Ayumu... no problem, but thanks for what exactly? Distracting them?" he said with a chuckle, shaking his head as he took her hand. Her hand was cold, compared to his which was still a bit warm from being indoors for a few hours. He recalled how she had cut one of them with a kunai and set another's jacket on fire. He also noted that she had referred to herself as doctor, which was somewhat uncommon from those in medicine that he had met. There were civilian doctors of course, but in combination with the kunai and the jutsu she had used, he was led to a different conclusion. He let go of her hand as he looked for the kunai she had used, wondering if she had held on to it.

"Are you a Med-nin? We should have just fought them, we could have had them arrested after we roughed them up a little," he said, wondering why she had opted to pull him away and run instead. One shinobi was probably enough, but with two he felt like there was no doubt that they would have been just fine. He hated running away, and felt just a little annoyed at being forced to do so. Tactical retreat was necessary sometimes, but that hadn't been one in his opinion. He sighed, letting it go. It was over with now.

"What were you doing in that alley? It's kind of dangerous. Definitely shady," he asked, giving her a glance over and studying her attire. She was definitely not somebody that looked like they belonged in such a dark place, and giving that she was a doctor it was stranger still. He wiped his forehead and sat up a little straighter, resting his arms on his bent knees. All the while he was listening for footsteps, in case that hadn't quite lost them. A tiny hint of hope lingered in him for that possibility.

 

[Kokomo]

The stranger plopped down beside her, his breathing seemingly as winded as she was. He was a good looking gentleman, and appeared to have some money under his belt. He gave a good first impression with his jacket and the glasses that he peered at her from. Not the fact that he could throw quite a punch. He had a mean right hook that clocked more than one of the men that they had seemingly gotten away from. Katzumi, herself, was one for beauty, but she wasn't much for taijutsu. She was a genjutsu user--a Yamanaka.

He introduced himself as Kogami Ayumu. It was a respectful name, but the surname wasn't as royal or famous as Katzumi half expected him to be. To be honest, by the way he carried himself, she wouldn't be surprised if he was part of some large clan. It seemed nowadays that the number of people truly part of the powerful clusters of people had started to fall apart into little families scattered throughout the village. Apparently, clans weren't very popular anymore. Not that she had much room to talk: Kat lived by herself.

"Well of course!" She exclaimed with surprising enthusiasm for how much the cold wind had burned her lungs. "It's awfully hard to make an attack without a diversion--didn't you say you were a Jounin?" She was lightly teasing him for his power gloating in the alley. It seemed he wasn't lying though--or he was, and he was just used to gang fights. That was the funny part about meeting people on the fly: you had no idea what their backstories were.

"Yes, I'm a doctor--remember?" More teasing, her delicate finger tapping his forehead. "But don't get excited, I know how to work in all the medical fields--but I practice Mental Health." She shrugged, "So I'm a little unexperienced by now." Her head turned away from him to stare at the graffitied wall across from them. She was pausing, for-shamed by her next few words she had to say. To be honest, she wasn't sure how to bring it out.

"I'm a pacifist." Blunt. That worked. "That's why I ran." Her head turned back to him. She had been a pacifist ever since her parents began to force her into the Shinobi world. It was her way of rebelling against her parents. She was five years old, and decided she would never fight anyone unless she had to; in which case, Kat believed escaping was a 'Had To' situation. "I know, I know--worst Shinobi ever." She pulled the kunai from her Shinobi garter belt again, wiping the blood off on a medical rag from the same pouch.

He continued on, asking another question, Katzumi raised an eyebrow at him. "I should be asking a fancy-dressed man like yourself the same thing." A smile crossed her face again as she finished off wiping off the blood and put the two items back in the belt. "I was taking Ojiban-San home." She explained, turning her beautiful face back to him. Her pale skin reflecting brightly in the moonlight that struggled to reach them so far between the apartments. "I found him stumbling around outside the bar--So I asked if I could help him, and he said he couldn't remember which was his address was. So I took him there." Her finger raised, poking him in the chest accusingly: "So I wasn't alone. What were you doing?"

It really wasn't that shady for Ayumu to be wandering around. Quite frankly, Kat saw a lot of men looking for trouble in these alleys. She was sure there was some sort of school-boy game that had to do with seeing who could get the farthest way in without getting lost or scared. It was funny how people loved danger. The fear and adrenaline that had their hearts pounding made them excited.

Ayumu, for example, he wanted to fight. A gang was the perfect reason to do so without consequences--other than getting killed or injured, of course. What was it that he liked so much about it? "You're not one of them, are you? Just distracting me so you can drag me into that dark corner over there," She pointed, "By my hair and have your way?" Her eyebrow raised as she lifted her hand and casted the same fire jutsu she had used earlier. It lite her entire hand ablaze, and she turned her hand a few times, admiring the beauty that fire carried with it. "Careful, I'm armed." She winked.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Katzumi was teasing his question of why she had thanked him. He had been a distraction, the distraction she needed to make her escape. Yes, distraction was an important tool for a shinobi, one he was quite familiar with, but he usually preferred a more direct approach if he could manage. In a way, he wasn't a very good shinobi either. She continued to tease him about his next question, even tapping her finger against his forehead. He huffed and crossed his arms, a light hint of red on his cheeks from embarrassment from a mixture of being teased and the sudden contact. She continued, explaining that she was in the field of mental health, something that was uncommon, or at least Ayumu thought so. He wondered if there was actually a section of the hospital for that. Naturally he wouldn't known being neither a Med-nin or mental patient.

The next revelation from the newly acquainted Med-nin was the most surprising. The reason that she ran was because she was a pacifist. A pacifist shinobi. That sounded like an oxymoron when he said it in his head. How could she be a shinobi if she was a pacifist? Why would she become one if she didn't want to fight people? It didn't make sense to him, but he had another question to ask. He watched as she cleaned the bloodied kunai as she answered him. As for what she was doing in the alley, apparently she was helping a drunk old man home, something that sounded right in like for a pacifist doctor, Ayumu had to admit. He didn't doubt that it was true. Of course, she would wonder what he was doing there as well in his snazzy clothing looking well groomed except for his hair. He didn't fit the bill of a street thug by a long shot. Not that he was rich, but he chose his clothing carefully.

She poked him in the chest this time, inquiring what he had been doing in the alley. His cheeks turned slightly redder. Why did she keep poking him? She even suggested that he could possibly be one of them, planning to get her alone and "have his way". He laughed, despite the fact that it was a little embarrassing what she suggested he was planning. He watched as fire appeared in her hand once more, warning him playfully that she was armed. He smirked, amused by her jesting. Her sense of humor was interesting.

"Don't give me any ideas," he warned back, though obviously he had no intention of doing anything. He uncrossed his arms and let them lay at his sides as he watched the fire in her hand, also admiring the beauty. He could feel the warmth from it combined with that from the woman next to him. Both her and the fire were similar in a way, though the fire would have more destructive potential than a pacifist. Then again, considering she could wield the fire, she had at least as much potential for destruction as it did... she simply chose not to use it. 'She must be a kind girl,' he mused, eyes lost temporarily in the flickering of the fire. He glanced away from it to her and smiled.

"Don't worry, if I was one of them... why would I distract them and let you slip away? You were already cornered, weren't you?" he reasoned, though he knew that she didn't really suspect him. "Well, that is, unless I wanted you to myself, I suppose," he added teasingly, hoping that she did not take him seriously. There had been times that his sense of humor had gotten him in to trouble with people he just met. "But you wouldn't hurt me with that flame would you? After all, you're a pacifist, right?" he asked, holding out his hand and hovering it close to the fire to feel the warmth all the more. If she wanted, she could move it and burn him, but the image he was building of who she was made it seem unlikely to him.

 

[Kokomo]

It seemed he was an awkward fellow who didn't take the likes of being touched by a pretty girl well. The way his cheeks flushed suddenly and his glasses fogged up with the contrast of his hot breath and the cold air. Katzumi blinked a few times, her eyelashes fluttering as she smiled at his playful remark. He was playing along, showing that he either had a good sense of humor, or a twisted personality. Not to say either of them were exactly bad--Katzumi herself had a sense of gallows' humor. But he seemed to relax at his own remark, no longer sitting in a pouty stance, and leaned back as he watched the fire dance upon his fingertips. It was a warm fire, and seriously deadly had she decided to use it in a more violent way.

Kat, in a way, resembled the fire. She was warm hearted, and beautiful, but aggravated she would burn you--and she had on heck of a bite to her that would keep spreading. But the thing was, that bite wasn't physical in most cases. Being a Mental Health doctor she was a manipulator and a heartbreaker. Her bite was the kind that blew your mind into pieces, and had you bowing before her. She crippled the thoughts of people, and twisted their opinions to work for her--under her--with her. A terribly painful burn scar being left on the hearts of many. With her kind exterior, she was easily able to draw in the enemy. Her beauty and affection bringing them closer and closer--and then she'd leave them on the street to die alone.

"I don't blame you--I'd want me to myself, after all." Her smile grew as she looked to him, her eyes dropping bashfully when they met his, turning away to watch his hand near the fire. "I could if I wanted to." She responded to his challenge of hurting him as she released the jutsu, and the fire sizzled, and nothing was left but the smoke.

...Meanwhile...​

"Did it burn you?"

"Shut up!" It was an angry response as a large man with thick black hair pulled behind him in a ponytail brushed off the shoot and ashes from the massive gap in his new jacket. "That little bitch, ruining my jacket!" He grumbled as his team followed behind him. There were five of them, Kai being the leader. "Jeez, boss, I was just askin' if you was OK." Responded Chizuki, a short blonde fellow with black eyes. "Oh, well, in that case, yeah, Zuki, I'm just fine." Kai responded in bitter sarcasm as they moved through the streets.

"Hey, Boss." Goya was a beef of a man, slathered in muscle with the same hairstyle as Kai, "Look." He pointed skyward were a filter of black smoke danced in the sky.

"Today must be our lucky day..." Hatsu was the smallest. He was awkward and lacking with a mop of blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "Think it's them?"

"You bet my ass, I do."

...30 Minutes Later: The Hide-Out...​

"Hey, sweetheart. We missed you." Kai was the only one who could be seen. They would be more strategic this time. Katzumi stood to her feet quickly, turning towards the man. "Raiden! Don't you know when to stop?!" She hissed, backing up slightly as she scowled at the man. "You might get your chance, Ayumu--" A firm arm smacked down on her shoulders as Goya dragged her down on her butt and pushed on her shoulder to hold her there as Chizuki moved for Ayumu.

[OOC: Take it away!]

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Katzumi's response made him laugh- he hadn't expected her to say that. He grinned, and when their eyes met he turned his head away to look at the fire just as quickly as she dropped her gaze, only further embarrassed because she had seemed bashful about it too. It was tragic, given how overconfident and forward he usually was, that he could become so shy under the right circumstances. He let out a low laugh to her second response, a bit nervous now, then watched the flames disperse over her hand. He withdrew his hand and rest his arms on his knees.

They sat in silence for a few moments, but it wouldn't last long. Ayumu's mind was preoccupied with his nervousness- perhaps that was why he hadn't heard them approaching. The man's sudden voice caused Ayumu's head to shoot up suddenly, hand instinctively reaching for a hilt at his belt that wasn't there. He quickly stood up. 'Shit, how did I not... wait, where are the rest of them? Even if they split up to look, one alone wouldn't confront-' he thought. The sound behind him caused him to turn to face Goya as the large man muscled Katzumi to the ground. He hadn't expected them to be persistent. They should have left as soon as they had recovered their breath.

"W-wait! Don't hurt her! I'm sorry, please! Y-you can take whatever you want, just leave her alone," he said, stammering slightly and sounding desperate. He began to take off his coat hurriedly, balling it up and holding it out to the one holding Katzumi down. "Here, take my coat. My wallet is in there, too! Lots of cash!" he said, extending the jacket out, though the gap was too great for it to actually reach. Actually his cash was pretty much gone by now. He bobbed the jacket up and down, indicating that he was going to gently lob it for the man to catch. Of course the toss was anything but gentle. He threw it hard, the air spreading the fabric out like a parachute opening. A diversion- he only needed a split second of distraction, if that. Even if they so much as glanced at the jacket, he would seem to disappear. Even if they watched him, they would see nothing but a blur. In an instant, he appeared behind the one known as Goya. His elbow struck hard in to the side of the bulky man's head with enough force to knock him sideways. As big as he was, those muscles couldn't protect his head- he would be out cold. Ayumu reached out and caught his jacket, the same one he had tossed forward a moment ago.

"As if," Ayumu said, negating everything he had said a moment ago. It had been an act, as if that wasn't obvious. He quickly gave Katzumi a hand up, as she would no longer be pinned, and then slipped his jacket back on in a flash. The moon was just cresting over one of the buildings they stood between. Moonlight caught Ayumu's lenses, causing a glare that obscured his eyes. "You're too persistent, yanno? Now I'm pissed off," he said, running a hand through his hair. He sighed, shaking his head and then looked at Katzumi. She had said she was a pacifist, but how far was she willing to take that? He wondered if he should give them the option of leaving again. 'Probably pointless,' he thought. They were clearly not good at recognizing threats. Still, if Katzumi didn't want to fight, it wouldn't hurt to try.

"I'm not a bad guy. I'm going to give you one last opportunity to take your friend here and walk away. If you don't believe I'll tear you apart, remember what my friend here did with that jacket. She doesn't like to fight, but if you give her no choice you may find yourselves char-grilled," he said, motioning to Katzumi. He didn't know what she would do if she would actually do if pushed, but it worked well enough as a threat anyway. They had already seen what Ayumu had done to the big one. Whether they walked away now or not really didn't matter. Ayumu had decided he'd find them later and bring them in. He wasn't seeking personal vengeance or anything- he was actually just going to arrest them. He was perhaps one of the few shinobi that didn't kill for fun. Still liked fighting though. He listened for their response, if they bothered to vocalize it, but also for anybody else trying to sneak up on them. Couldn't have that happening again.

 

[Kokomo]

What?! Katzumi's eyes lowered as the man before her totally gave himself off. Taking off his coat, Katzumi gave him a disgusted look. What kind of hero was that? Some failure of an ANBU! She struggled for a moment as the man grinned bitterly at Ayumu, Katzumi jerking under his meaty hands as he released her to catch the coat--but it was something surprising that happened. An elbow to the side of the head as Katzumi moved to her feet, Goya tipped over onto his side, his eyes rolling back as darkness filled his world. From the looks of it, he'd be out for awhile. Ayumu grabbing her hand to steady her as he slipped his jacket back on with a cocky smirk on his face, but it was quick to fade into anger as he shook out his hair and looked to the woman. She gave him a clueless shrug as the other men beamed as though they had wanted a fight the entire time. Cracking their knuckles like the big-shots they were.

Katzumi had to use every piece of energy in her body not to smack her face against her palm at Ayumu's speak. Why would he tell them she was a pacifist? He should have told them she was of some cannibalistic demonic ancestry! Kat shifted, putting her hands behind her back as the men moved slowly forward. It appeared they were all in the front now--not trying to sneak up, but rather, trying to intimidate. "Pretty lady doesn't want to break a nail~" Kat's face twisted into a moment of disgust and superiority. What a fool. "We'll be gentle--don't want to smear your lipstick after all." Hatsu, the smallest and awkward one, jumped at the end of Kai's sentence, towards Kat. Chizuki, the second smallest, moving towards Ayumu as he unsheathed a katana.

Kat quickly lit the jutsu again, grabbing Hatsu by his shirt with flaming hands as her head moved forward to crack against his and send him to the ground.

It was a full fledge attack now. Kai standing back as Chizuki and Hatsu were the only ones left to attack. Kai seemed to believe, had the two failed, he'd be able to take them both on. It seemed, at the moment, Kat had her hands full. Hatsu was quick, and unafraid. Her hands glowing with bright fire as he ripped off his burning shirt and threw it to the ground, moving quickly to grab her wrists and hold them over her head as he peddled her back against the wall, one quick punch to the face before her feet lifted off the ground and smacked against his abdomen. She fell to the ground as he released her from the blow. Hatsu stumbled back as she put on the flame and stood to her feet again as he advanced once more.

Quickly, she grabbed his arm before his fist connected with her face again, twisting it behind him as she pushed him to the ground and sat on his back. One hand holding his arm in a painful position, and the other pressing his face against the concrete--before Kai's foot connected with her ribs. A powerful kick that sent her rolling across the alley like a rag doll...

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Well, that was that. 'No avoiding it now,' Ayumu thought as one thug each started towards the both of them. Ayumu's thug had a katana and wasted no time unsheathing it. He rushed forward at Ayumu with the tip of the blade extended, obviously having no qualms over running him through if he was able. Ayumu stepped to the side swiftly just before the tip would have pierced his chest. As he did so, he shot his foot out to trip up Chizuki, sending him stumbling forward a few paces as Ayumu laughed. Regaining his footing, Chizuki spun around and lifted the katana over his head, preparing to bring the blade down on Ayumu. Ayumu recklessly slapped the flat side of the katana with the back of his left fist, knocking the slash off course and almost ejecting the blade from Chizuki's hands entirely. The attack deflected, Ayumu followed up with a right hook square in Chizuki's angry face, knocking him back on his behind, this time causing him to drop the sword from the force of his landing. Ayumu laughed again, partially out of genuine amusement and partially to enrage the thug further. He walked forward and reached down, picking the man up by his collar. Just then he heard a thud and turned to see Katzumi rolling across the alley.

'Shit! he thought, cursing himself for getting distracted playing with one of the thugs. Not only that, but he let her get involved just by giving them so many chances. He was realizing that he should have taken them down the moment he had found them cornering the Katzumi. He didn't have to let her drag him along, he could have stopped and pulled free, turned around and stomped them then. Instead, playing around like he always did, he simply let it go and followed her. When they caught up, he screwed around and gave them a chance to walk away knowing they would never take it. He should have just attacked without a word. Because of his playing around, Katzumi was hurt. Anger welled in him as he turned his gaze from Katzumi to the apparent leader of the group.

"Katzumi, are you alri-" he started. The sound of a dagger being drawn turned his attention back to Chizuki. The tip of the dag had just barely sunk in to Ayumu's gut before he caught Chizuki's wrist. Enraged was the most accurate word for Ayumu's state of mind at that moment. He squeezed the man's wrist until he dropped the dagger from pain and caught it, taking it for himself. Then, with all his considerable strength, through Chizuki at Hatsu whom was just starting to stand back up after Kai's rescue. The impact launched them both in to the alley wall, hard enough that they wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

Ayumu turned his gaze to Kai once more and he marched deliberately towards him, watching that still disgustingly smug look on his face. Any hint of amusement was gone from Ayumu's expression. The man was probably quite confident in his kicks. He jumped at Ayumu with a swift roundhouse kick that Ayumu leaned back a bit to dodge. Kai gave an arrogant chuckle, expecting the dodge. He spun in mid-air and unleashed a second surprise kick that Ayumu wouldn't have time to dodge. He may have been right, Ayumu didn't dodge. Instead, he caught the leg, wrapping his arms around Kai's leg and spinning before letting go and launching the man down the alley. He didn't relent after that, following after him and pouncing on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He raised a fist and punched the man in the face once, twice, three times. He wasn't counting, of course, too angry for that. That was when he noticed Chizuki's knife still in his hand. He grasped it tightly, still lost in anger, and raised it over his head, preparing to bring it down somewhere on the man's torso.

 

[Kokomo]

A little body. Slender, scrawny, lanky. A large metal boot to the ribs easily crushed a few, and her body went totally limp as the concrete came in vicious contact with her body. She rolled a good few meters, laying limping on the alley ground. Scraps on her porcelain body, and that pure blood dribbling out as she blacked out for a minute. Consciousness was regained as Ayumu's voice caught her ears. He had said her name, but she didn't truly understand him.

Caramel eyes kept trying to open, her back to the rest of the crowd as she made various attempts to open them. Her vision splotched with black as she slowly rolled over onto her back. Her side screamed out in protest and in pain, and so did she. A groan of pain as her dainty hands shot to her side and she held it for a moment. Spotty vision drowsily looking towards the group just as Chizuki's dagger dropped and Ayumu picked him up.

Kat slowly dragged herself to the wall, wincing in pain. Her eyes not staying open for more than a few seconds. They fluttered open and her eyes would roll back and they would fall shut--over and over again. Her eyebrows raising, and her head lulling to and fro as she slowly lifted her shirt, looking down at her side. There was a lump, but the doctor was not phased by the broken rib. A soft pink glow surrounding her hand as she pushed on the lump--popping it back into place as she let out another pained groan, gritting her teeth as she gasped for air--but it slowly turned into a relieved sigh as the medical jutsu fused the bone back into place.

Thank goodness for medical training.

Her drowsy eyes slowly looking towards where the group was. Chizuki and Hatsu were against a wall, on top of one another. The scene looked like a massacre. Bodies stacked on one another, bleeding, and out cold. But, Ayumu continued some sort of angry ambush. Kat holding her side as her half-black vision looked towards him. He was beating the living shit out of Kai. Her eyes widened as she slowly rose to her feet. "Ayumu..." She slurred, taking a single, unsteady step. "Ayumu stop..."

He wasn't listening.

He continued to punch, violently flailing as his knuckles bled, and Kai was already out cold, just as the rest of them. "Ayumu! Stop!" She screamed as he raised his hands, a blade gripped between them. Kat had to move quickly, using the same technique he had used on Goya. Flying to his side, Katzumi gave him a quick blow to the temple from her elbow to knock him off--hopefully not out.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

As he landed another punch, a voice echoed in his mind quietly, sounding like it was far away. Who was it? Raising both hands over his head with the dagger gripped tightly between them, Ayumu wasn't even thinking any longer. The voice came again, insisting that he stop. That voice might have been the only thing that caused him to hesitate for a few seconds, the blade poised to drop. He even darted his eyes briefly in Katzumi's direction, though it didn't seem like he saw her. The anger was too much to stop. With a roar he thrust the knife downward while Katzumi simultaneously moved to stop him. At the same time that Katzumi's elbow struck Ayumu, the knife's blade sunk in to the dirt so close to Kai that it split his jacket and shirt, leaving a small cut on the man's side which began to seep blood. Whether the miss had been intentional as Ayumu stopped himself at the last moment or the miss had been due to Katzumi's intervention was not entirely clear.

Ayumu was launched off of the man to the side a few feet where he rolled and came to a stop on his back. The blow to the temple had caught him off guard and his consciousness felt faint as he struggled to keep it. He blinked several times, shaking his head and looked to see what had hit him. There was a blur standing there. Ayumu realized that his glasses had come off. He squinted until Katzumi's face came in to view. She was okay? A moment ago she had been bleeding and motionless. Ayumu's mind was working again as he blinked a couple more times, staving off unconsciousness and located his glasses a couple feet away. He replaced them on his face and then checked the alley to ensure that Katzumi was the only one still standing. He looked at Kai, at the dagger that had been in his hands a moment ago that was now lodged in the alley ground next to the man. He began to realize how close he had come to killing him.

"Shit... oh shit," he said as he put his hands over his face and tilted his head back, still laying on his back. "I'm so sorry... They hurt you, and then the dagger... I lost it. I almost..." he continued, staring at the dagger. She had been hurt though, he knew it. He looked back at her, glancing over her. It was obvious she had taken a beating, but she was standing. He looked down at his gut which was bleeding, but wasn't life threatening he guessed. He pressed a hand over the wound, trying to hold some of the warm fluid in. It stung, but he would live. He slowly stood up and then leaned against the alley wall, catching his breath and surveying the scene. He had done a lot of damage, he was just now realizing how much. Had he been facing other shinobi, the force might have been appropriate, but they were just thugs. What he had almost done was unnecessary no matter what. He didn't kill just to kill. He wasn't a psychopath, or at least he hadn't thought he was. "Dammit... I almost..." he whispered, trailing off again. To top it all off, he hadn't even prevented harm from coming to the Med-nin. He almost looked at her, but averted his eyes in shame.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes returning to the dagger embedded in the ground. He hoped, at least, that she wasn't badly hurt. If she was, it was partially his fault. They could have escaped again if he hadn't stood his ground over pride. He was also hoping she didn't think he was crazy now. Blind rage like that had never happened to him before. Of course, he was worried about that as well.

 

[Kokomo]

Rage. It blinded the mind. It crazed people and turned them into some sort of sociopath and blood-lust. Rage. Anger. It possessed the soul and made demons out of angels. The holiest of people became murderers. The heated face and flushed behavior was all signs of blindness to the world. But anger wasn't the only thing that caused this. Adrenaline did the same thing. So did love. Humans. Silly Humans. They were easily blind-sided by emotion. They were submissive to their heart, and constantly fought against their brains. Their minds beg them to stop, but their panic and filthy animalistic sides beg them to go on. Hell, at the rate Ayumu was going, he might have lapped up that blood with his tongue.

Katzumi's hands raised to her mouth when she realized how viciously she had hit him. He had flown at least a meter and a half, at that. "Oh, my Raiden!" She shrieked as he sat up and his eyes rolled around blindly. His glasses dirty and thankfully not shattered a meter in the opposite direction.

Kat looked over at the dagger, lodged into the cement. Ayumu... he was really going to give it to the man. Kat leaned over as Ayumu laid back, cursing at himself, and attempted to remove the dagger--Oh no. That bugger wasn't coming out. She pulled again, as though to remove the sword from the stone, but she was not the chosen on for this blade.

Ayumu addressed her at this point, her pretty face turning to look at him as she stood back up. He had a tone of chauvinistic and princely attitude in his voice which brought the gentlest of smiles to the maiden's face. Taking a step forward as he struggled to his feet, holding his stomach that was bleeding through his shirt, she watched him carefully. He was just trying to watch out for her back--and the pacifist had put up as much of a fight as she could without really hurting anyone.

Had Ayumu looked over the damage she had actually done to Chizuki, she never really hurt him. She terrified him. That was her job. She lit his shirt on fire, and pinned him to the ground. She dodged his hits (Not all of them, as the bruise developing on her cheekbone suggested) and made him think she was beating the hell out of him--but she wasn't.

"You're fine~" Katzumi cooed at the end of his many unfinished thoughts. That warm smile crossing her face as the wounds among her scraped legs and arms stung in the bitter cold. Her bottom lip was busted open from a punch here and there, and her white shirt had a blood stain where she had broken the rib--but for the most part, she was standing straight and chipper with a peppy smile on her face.

"Oh, I'm peachy~" She cooed again at his question as she moved over to him with a friendly smile. "Please, let me help." Kat said, gesturing towards his shirt, "If I could just...get a look...would you please..." She was trying to get him to take off his shirt so she could heal the wound, just as she had done with her own rib. "I'm a doctor--one of the best!--No, not really--But I can help." She was trying to get him to comply without making it awkward.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Although her voice was soothing and she was smiling as she tried to reassure him slightly, it was obvious from the looks of her that she had been hurt. He forced himself to look at her. There was concerning blood on her shirt, as well as the scrapes on her limbs and her busted lip. She walked over to him, and despite her own injuries she asked him to let her help. Didn't she want to heal herself first? He looked down to where she gestured, where he was still holding his hand firmly over the steadily bleeding wound. 'Oh... oh right, the knife wound,' he thought as she asked to get a look at it. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he was becoming increasingly aware of how much it stung. She wanted to take a look, which he realized meant that he would need to get rid of the shirt. Well, that was kind of embarrassing, but sadly the wound was a little more important than his modesty.

"You want me to take my shirt off in this cold?" he said jokingly with a bit of awkward laughter. 'Then again, I'll be a lot colder if I bleed out,' he thought a bit morbidly as he slipped the arm that wasn't holding his wound out of his jacket. He switched hands and then slipped the other arm out of its sleeve allowing the jacket to drop to the ground for the moment. 'Besides, I've lived in Kumogakure my whole life, I've got a resistance to this cold,' he reassured himself as he slipped his fingers underneath the bottom of his shirt. Sure, it was the cold he was concerned about, not the fact that he was going to have to take his shirt off in front of this woman he just met. No, that was a lie. Ayumu was a weird guy. 'She's a doctor,' he said as he began to lift his shirt, forced to take his hand away from the wound for a moment. He pulled it off as quickly as he could and put his hand back over the puncture wound, looking at his bloodied shirt on the ground.

"Man, I really liked that shirt, too," he said with a sigh. He had underestimated the cold while being more concerned about his modesty. It really was cold, but on the bright side it seemed to be numbing him to the pain if only a little. "Hold on a sec," he said, dropping down and quickly donning his coat once more. It was quite warm, which was partly why he liked it. The front remained open, so she still had access to the wound, and he felt a bit less like he was becoming an ice cube. "Okay, patch me up, doc," he said, moving his hand from his stomach so she could see the hole. Fortunately it was shallow, not deep enough to do any real damage, but it was bleeding impressively all the same. Hopefully blood didn't make the doctor squeamish- that would be a bit silly.

As Katzumi began the healing, Ayumu looked at the wounds she had gotten once more, distracting himself from the touch required for healing. She wasn't in great shape herself, though apparently she had already done some healing when he wasn't looking. "Man.... I'm a shitty hero, aren't I?" he asked rhetorically with a laugh which hurt this time. Without them ending up dead, the situation couldn't have gone a whole lot worse. He would have been able to take them all on, but he hadn't anticipated that they would split up to go after her as well after all his taunting. He had gotten one wound from being distracted- she had gotten the worst of it really. Some defender he had been. He sighed, trying to think what he should have done differently. He also needed to figure out what they were going to do with the thugs. They wouldn't be unconscious forever.

 

[Kokomo]

There seemed to be at least a little bit of understanding between the two as Ayumu made the best attempt that he could to interpret her word-stumbling. The look he was giving her was pitiful, almost. Sad eyes looked to her as though he had failed. As though this wounded man was any less than Kat's savior. He tried his best to keep pressure on the wound as he tossed to and fro with his jacket, struggling around with it as he laughed nervously. "If I can stand it, you can too." She inquired, her breath crystalizing in the bitter mountain air.

The shirt feel to the ground as Ayumu grumbled about really liking that shirt. Kat offering him a reassuring smile as she picked it up and threw it over her shoulder, "I can get the stain out--if you want." Yes, she was a doctor. She worked in the mental hospital, and worked as a trauma doctor. But, above her career, Katzumi was nothing short of the perfect housewife. Her mother was a very conservative, traditional woman who firmly believed that women were nothing but servant's of the house and arm-candy. Fair enough, on such standards, Katzumi knew the basics of being a Shinobi's perfect wife. In all honesty, the bubbly blonde loved that life. That was the life she wanted.

However, on the counter, her father firmly believed that she be respected in the city. He was ashamed of the way women were becoming, and wants a strong, independent, and powerful daughter. Therefore, he forced her into the Shinobi world, against her and her mothers' will. It was an interesting headbutting of her childhood that caused many future problems. She became a pacifist, her mother gave her constant disdain, and her option to be a medical ninja caused her father to do the same. It was a constant struggle between self and obedience that hurt more than it helped.

Ayumu moved his hand after slipping on the jacket to warm up at least part of him. Bending over, Katzumi peered at it, slipping off her loose over-shirt. She was left in a tight black camisole, and ripped off a piece of her shirt to clean off the blood around the wound. "Man, I really liked that shirt, too." She said in a mock-male voice before looking up at Ayumu, and giving him a gentle smile as the pink chakra glow covered her hand once more as she used the tip of her index finger to press on the edges of the wound to clot the blood to stop it from bleeding.

"Hm?" She asked as he commented on his heroic was, giving a warm smile to his wound, "Shitty isn't the word I would use." She said simply, musing to herself as each bleeding vein slowly ceased to leak. "More like...an Anti-Hero." A musical laugh echoed from her lips as she thought about what she had just said, nodding a few times. "Yes, yes, an anti-hero."

The hand would continue to glow as she used her shirt to wipe off all of the blood, now that the wounds were cauterized painlessly, before she stood up and looked him in the eye. "This isn't going to feel too nice, and I apologize. But it'll be fast!" There was that same passive soothing as she moved her hand around to place it on the small of his back, pressing the glowing hand up, right against and on top of, the painful wound. Pushing with the hand on his back to prevent him from squirming or flinching. The pain would be caused from the reconstructing veins, skin, and muscle. It wouldn't be so bad, just like a constant bee-sting.

Kat's eyes looked sadly into his, obviously upset for hurting him even during a healing. "Sorry..." She murmured, as her eyes dropped for a moment. It would only last a minute or two, and the pain would slowly go from stinging to nothing until she pulled her hand away. The glowing stopped as she brushed her hand across it as though to polish off her new work, prodding at it to make sure it was sealed correctly before poking it with her index finger again where he'd feel an electric shock that would pinch for only a moment--restarting the blood flow from her clotting.

"Better?"

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu watched as Katzuki picked up his shirt and tossed it over her shoulder, suggesting that she could wash it for him. Of course, he was not incapable of washing his own clothes- he did it all the time, but removing blood stains was not something he had quite figured out yet. Obviously in his line of work, that kind of stain often happened to his work clothes. He tended to have to take it somewhere to have it removed. It was a kind offer, he considered it for a moment, but it occurred to him that there was a hole in it where he'd been stabbed. It could be sewn, but it was in a prominent place so it would be visible. The fashion potential had been ruined!

After he had his jacket on and had moved his hand, Katzumi began to look at his wound. Then, without warning she began to take off her shirt. 'W-whoa what is she doing!?' Ayumu thought with a start, until he realized what she was doing. She ripped off a piece and then began to clean his wound. He wanted to say she should have used his shirt instead, but she had already done it. He decided to just be thankful she was willing to do that to help him out. Her comment, with the mock voice, make him chuckle which hurt again though he didn't mind it. A smile remained on his face despite the fact that he was standing their with a knife wound.

He watched in wonder as her hand began to glow pink while she pressed her finger around the wound. It smarted a little, but he was more interested in the color. He had been healed by a Med-nin's jutsu before, but the glow was usually green. He wondered why hers was different. His comment about being a bad hero was met with an interesting response. He chuckled again, controlling his laugh this time so it hurt a bit less.

"Interesting, anti-hero, huh? That actually sounds kinda cool. I guess that works," he said as she stood up. He braced himself as she warned him that what she was about to do would be painful. She was right, it was. He winced and gritted his teeth in silence as she did her work, waiting for it to be over. It took a couple of minutes, and he didn't really feel like talking til it was over. As she finished, he breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the alley wall once more. She asked if it was better. "Better. The pain's pretty much gone now. You Med-nin are awesome, I gotta say," he responded, brushing his hand lightly over the spot where the wound had been a moment ago. Satisfied that it was really gone, he pulled the edges of his jacket together and zipped it up.

"Now, what do we do with these guys?" he asked, putting a hand on his hip as he turned to look at the motionless thugs scattered around the alley. They could simply walk away- Ayumu would find them later, this time with a mask. They could try to restrain them somehow and take them to authorities. They could try to call authorities there to pick them up.

 

[Kokomo]

Pink. An interesting question. Katzumi was a medical doctor, yes, and she had learned many techniques from her schooling at the hospital. The difference between her and an ordinary medical ninja was that the young pacifist before the man was a Yamanaka. Her medical techniques, mixed with her flowery-loving bloodline, made a totally different version of medical treatment. Hers was formed from earthy chakra, while normal medics used their own bodies for the source.

"An exceptionally complicated and unapologetically imperfect yet ultimately heroic person who may very well have had to: step on a few toes, slit a few throats, or snort a few lines. The anti-hero recognizes the world for precisely what it is, harbors no illusions as to his place within it, and adjusts his fundamental character accordingly. Lesser individuals often--and perhaps appropriately--label him a volatile outsider, and though his mind and soul are usually tortured, his heart is generally set to the right frequency. Call him a hero who knows better."

Katzumi gave Ayumu a thumbs up as he mentioned he felt better, tying his shirt around her tiny hips as she turned to face the "massacre" with him as he wondered what they should do about it. It was a good question, either way. Kat looked to him, shrugging as she smiled. "I don't have my headset--so we'll just leave them." She suggested, sticking her hands in the pockets of her black shirts. "Besides, I'm too cold to care. How about you come on over to my place, I'll get you some tea, warmth, and fix up your shirt here?" It was less of a question, based off of the way she began her way down the alley-way. "I only live about a mile away." She mused, as her hips swayed seductively. "Unless you're afraid I'll pounce on you."

[OOC: Awkward short transition post...]

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu watched as Katzumi tied his bloodied shirt around her hips, scratching the back of his head. He guessed she really was going to try to fix it for him. He couldn't really refuse, if she was willing... at the very least, the blood stain would be gone. The option she just for how to deal with the thugs was to leave them where they were. He was fine with that. He had taken the snapshot and would have no issue locating them again, he was sure of it. He shrugged. "Fine by me. Almost a shame we won't be here to see their reactions when they wake up. I'd like to know how they feel about what transpired tonight," he said.

She had a good point, too. It was damn cold, to cold to run around all night getting these guys arrested. Tea sounded good too, and a place to get warm, and have his shirt fixed, and it was close. She had already started walking before he even had the chance to answer. She must have realized there was little chance he would say no. He laughed at her final comment, free of pain in the abdomen this time, which he was thankful for.

"I fear nothing, I'm the anti-hero!" he said in his terrible hero impression. "Then again, mom always told me not to follow strangers... ah well, I've always been a risk taker," he said, starting along after her. He looked behind him at the guy named Kat who seemed to be stirring slightly and then nearly tripped over the one named Chizuki. That reminded him. "Just a second," he said, pausing and walking back over to Kat. He leaned down and plucked the knife from the ground, flipping the blade back in to the hilt. It was a switch blade, he preferred kunai obviously, but he wasn't going to purposely leave a weapon in their possession. Maybe it was technically stealing, but anti-heros didn't always follow the law! He pocketed it in his jacket and jogged back to catch up with Katzumi.

"It's too cold for one layer... let's get going before we freeze," he said, rubbing his arms vigorously trying to get a little warmth going. He watched his breath as he exhaled, shaking his head. How had he ended up here? "Well, lead the way," he said, holding out an arm to gesture for her to go forward. He'd follow along just an inch behind at her side.

[OoC: The best kind!]

 

[Kokomo]

That warm laughter slipped through rose-petal lips as Katzumi nodded at his joke. "Ah, yes, the great and powerful Anti-Hero." Her voice mused happily as she looked behind her at Ayumu who trailed after. "I'm no stranger." She commented, lifting her finger playfully. "I'm Aksuko Katzumi. Director of the Mental Health facility in the hospital. If you don't know me--well, that's a good thing. Means you're sane." She joked, sticking her tongue out for a second before skipping along again, not noticing Ayumu curry off to get the blade.

He moved along to her side, her face turning to look at him with a brief smile. "We freeze? You have a coat on!" She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed them awkwardly. "Lets get out of here."

Aksuko Household. 5am​

Katzumi was rubbing her eyes by this time. She was exhausted, and her feet were dragging a little. The household came into view as it became obvious that the young woman came from a line of riches. A beautiful zen garden surrounding it--dead now from the bitter weather. Kat moved, waving the young man towards her. She was careful not to step on the sand, and follow the cobblestone path exactly. Her slender feet skipping from stone to stone playfully as she glided towards the back door--a sliding paper-door. Moving inside, she removed her running shoes by the door, placing them by the wall as her porcelain feet stepped onto the cold wooden floor and she moved into the living room which was behind the door attached to the mudroom they were just in. Opening the sliding door, she stepped in where the warmth would instantly fill their bodies from the fire that burned all day and night.

Despite the technology nowadays, Katzumi preferred the traditional feeling with a modern touch in her homestead. A servant dressed in brown robe moved over, bowing to the young lady. "Lady Katzumi!" She exclaimed happily, and Katzumi brushed her cheek with that gentle care. "Mizuki, dear, how are you feeling?" Despite being Katzumi's one and only servant, Mizuki was treated like a sister rather than a servant. She was more around for the up-keeping of the house, because the lady was gone so much. She had been just a beggar on the street, and she was provided with food and shelter for the measly pay of cleaning and cooking. "Much better, Lady Katzumi." She smiled bowing as her hand would move to take the gentleman's coat--stopping to question why he didn't have a shirt on under it.

"Yes, Mizuki, take it. I'm going to grab him a robe." She approved, smiling as she moved across the house again, pass the pool before she entered a bedroom. The woman was one for the oriental art, no doubt. Statues, ink paintings, cloth--everything. "Mizuki is my only servant," she stated as she slid open a door that opened to a neatly color-coded closet. "A pretty little orphan--she's only 15. Living on the street selling bubble gum and candy to live..." Her voice trailed as she pulled out a brown servant's robe. "It's not much, but unless you want to wear my clothes, this is your only choice." She smiled, handing it to him with a sweet smile.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Hearing Katzumi laugh made Ayumu feel just a hint better, even if she was playfully mocking his new title. She had a point, they weren't really strangers anymore. Everything she said, she had already told him. He laughed at her joke, but for a second it made him think of how he had lost control a few minutes prior. After he had retrieved the blade, he caught up to her and began to follow. The gentlemanly thing to do might have been to give her his coat, but then he'd have nothing on his torso, and that would have been insane. Instead he made sure to hurry so they would spend as little time as possible out in the cold. Moving quickly through the streets, it wouldn't take them long. Katzumi's home was as close as she had said.

Her "home" seemed more like a mansion to Ayumu as it came in to view. He assumed that it was not their destination at first, but as she continued toward it, he was proven wrong. Clearly this girl was rather well off, to say the least. Unless she was doing something beside work as a Med-nin, her family must have been rich. That was his guess as they passed through the garden across the cobblestone path. He made it a point not to skip, however. They reached the door and she slid it open and stepped inside, followed by Ayumu who closed it behind them. Follow her lead, he removed his shoes near the entrance and placed them by hers. This was something he was accustomed to at his family household, though he had gotten away from doing it since moving out. While she was barefoot, as he noticed, he still had a pair of dark socks on. He thought it still felt a bit cold for bare feet until they continued to the living room.

The living room was as impressive as the outside of the home, to Ayumu. The warmth that immediately met them felt good after freezing outside. He felt like he could take his coat off and feel perfectly fine, if he wasn't shirtless underneath. A girl greeted Katzumi upon entering, running up to her excitedly. 'Lady?' Ayumu thought with a grin. Just who was Katzumi, anyway? She regarded the girl who seemed to be a servant warmly. The girl moved to Ayumu who let her take the coat when she tried, temporarily forgetting that it was the only thing covering his torso. "Oh... right," he said with embarrassment as Mizuki discovered this fact. Fortunately, Katzumi quickly chimed in, so Ayumu relinquished his coat to Mizuki. With the warmth of their home, it didn't seem to matter that he was shirtless now.

As Katzumi moved to go to her bedroom, Ayumu wasn't sure if he should wait or follow, so he did what came naturally to him. He was never one to wait around, so he followed her out of the living room. Her home was amazingly furnished and decorated. Her collection of art had him following her slowly, something new catching his eye with every few steps. When they passed the indoor pool, he had to resist letting his jaw drop. She also confirmed that the girl was, in fact, a servant. Apparently she had taken her in off the streets and given her a job and place to live. Was this woman a saint? He took the robe she handed him and nodded. It was certainly not fancy, but he couldn't complain. He slipped his arms in to the sleeves and pulled the front closed, tying the sash around his waist to hold it closed, though the top was left parted slightly.

"I don't think your clothes would suit me quite as well as they do you," he said jokingly, returning her smile. He inspected the robes, finding nothing wrong with them. Even the servant robes, though not extravagantly colored, were quite nice. The material was soft and felt good, he didn't mind it at all. He wondered if he should get some for his own home... if he could afford anything she had in this house at all. "So, this beautiful house, a servant... I wonder if I picked the wrong branch? Perhaps I should have been a Med-nin," he said, though he knew that path was not for him. He was too impatient, for starters. He glanced from he closet to her bedroom. "Even your bed looks fancy... and comfortable," he noted, thinking of his own comfortable but decidedly less fancy bed. This might have made him tired if he wasn't so used to late nights that lasted in to the morning.

[OoC: Marked for training (778)]