The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Despite the subtle twinge of annoyance that the Felvari allowed her ear to make, it would go unnoticed by Sol. If he had indeed spotted it, he wasn't about to spoil the mood by drawing attention to the emote or even making it look like he did notice. Instead, he proceeded right along, taking Ichimi's mind right back to the fact that the two of them were about to commence the most intimate of acts. It was a smooth enough start, and the man was intent on keeping it that way.

Upon hearing her admission that she was without a master, he didn't look surprised in the slightest, but was pleased nonetheless. "You'd be surprised at how many men like their women that way. But, I must agree with you... there's nothing quite like a wild cat," he replied, before noticing that she had relieved him of his outer jacket, waistcoat and shirt just a few seconds after the pickpocket finished her furtive operation. "Hmm... I had the feeling you were too good to be the leashed type. But I'm not complaining," he commented once more before going silent, saving his breaths for the heavy ones that were exchanged between kisses.

The body that Ichimi had uncovered for her own eyes was a nice one indeed. It might have even prompted her to ponder what his real line of work was, if she wasn't so distracted by the more primal instincts telling her to move forward. While she was most definitely not the only female to be treated to the sight of Sol's physique, tonight she could enjoy him all to herself.

The feeling was quite mutual on Sol's end, as he tended to Ichimi's most sensitive parts with slow motions and yet a sense of purpose, determined to savor her as much as he could. Though he was providing a one-sided service for the most part, it's not as if the bit of foreplay did absolutely nothing for him. Hearing the Felvari's soft moans and gasps in response to his skilled ministrations was a treat in and of itself for him. Ichimi's sensitive ears would soon pick up on the sounds of Sol's own burdened breaths alternating with her own. As she shifted her hips against his hand, he pushed right back, giving her a sample of what it might feel like to be joined with him fully. Apparently, it worked in getting her level of anticipation up even higher, but he was keen to stop short before any climax could come to her. This would only reinforce her need to go further.

When she guided him away, his hand complied, though he couldn't help but comment. "I thought you told me not to stop," he teased. "Honestly, I could tease you all day, provided that you keep giving me those kinds of reactions. But if it means that you'd cry out a little louder for me, I wouldn't mind moving on ahead," added Sol, grinning. "Oh, and don't worry about getting me too close. I'm keen on making it last, so long as you are," remarked the man, almost as if issuing a dare or challenge of sorts.

As she reached a hand down between her partner's legs, Ichimi would soon find that his six inch length was fully erect for her, ever ready to move onto whichever stage she chose, whether it was returning the favor in some form or skipping straight to the main course. "Though admittedly, I am rather curious as to what you 'leading' looks like... so I suppose I'll humor you."

Shrugging slightly, he slid back just a few inches to allow her some space away from the wall, then allowed her to take the lead, ever curious as to what her next course of action would be. Ichimi had already managed to impress him thus far, but would she be able to maintain her streak? She did have a moment of cooperation going for her, at least. However she wanted to approach the situation next, Sol seemed game for it.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Something of a pouty expression crossed Ichimi's face, just for a moment. She was ready NOW... eager... her body wanted this, having to wait a little and work for it was... annoying. It was, of course, not beyond her abilities by any stretch, but it was still vexing.
Despite twinges of annoyance though, the Felvari wasn't about to take back her offer... it wasn't as if the act itself would be unpleasant, and even the fact that it was delaying what she was really after wasn't completely bad. Anticipation might have been mildly torturous, but it would still have a payoff in the end.

“Hff, fine... I think it'll be a little bit more than you “humoring me” though.”
Free of the sensations of her own body being played with (although the arousal that had already built up kept itself at an even level), the catgirl found the job of finishing the stripping she had started earlier easier than it had been only a few moments ago. With that done, the real play could begin... and she had every intention of being just as much of a tease to her partner as he had been to her.
Eagerness did not rush Ichimi as she lowered herself begin, if anything, an urge to “match” Sol in a competitive sense was stronger than her own body's own urgings to rush. She would let her tongue do most of the teasing here, but she wasn't so simple as to take all of Sol's manhood at once. Rather she started at the tip, and slowly teased her way along the length, sometimes even working sideways, but never anything so simple as trying to take it down her throat. No, Sol, she decided, could wait until the main course to have his entire manhood stimulated like that, in a way that would be more enjoyable for both of them and wouldn't risk her choking. Besides, it wasn't as if she was doing a bad job this way by any means, there was none of the hesitations or clumsiness a more inexperienced would have had... and she had her own tricks to add to the experience.
After a sufficient “warm up” using just her tongue, Ichimi brought one of her hands up to where she was working and slowly started running the backs of two of her fingers along the length of Sol's manhood, at an angle where her fingernails would lightly drag across the the skin. Her intention was not to leave scratches or cause damage, but only to add another layer of stimulation to the mix... like the pleasant sensation that came with relieving a persistent itch. It wasn't as if her nails were long enough to cause serious damage anyway, she kept them short because long nails made pickpocketing more difficult... and the saliva from her earlier teasings made for a decent “lubricant” of sorts that kept her nails gentle against the surface of Sol's shaft.

“I can go for as long as you think you can hold out, but at this rate I think I could work up to that pretty quickly.” Ichimi paused to tease after a few moments of this, before going right back to it.
Her efforts would persist until Sol did something to stop her... or reached a climax, whichever happened first. She wasn't about to make it easy for him to keep holding on though. What started as slow deliberate teasing on her part would get more and more intense as time went on her and her body's impatience would start to get the better of her. Her free hand would soon find it's way between her legs to help satisfy her previous arousal and keep it at it's high... and as she worked on herself, her work on Sol only got faster, less predictable, and more intense...

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi's partner seemed more amused than anything to see the expression she made in response to his words. Still, he wasn't one to change his mind because of a single pout--if anything, her reaction simply encouraged a bit of continued teasing on his part. While Sol himself had done his fair share in appealing to the catgirl's sense of curiosity and intrigue, the sentiment had shown itself to be mutual, if only in that the he seemed ever so entertained by every emotion that the Felvari cared to show. Ichimi was a lively one, far from her domesticated counterparts, and Sol was keen to let her be just that. And though he had done much to earn more than just a moan or two out of the feline beauty, it wasn't too long before her turn to get a nice reaction out of him had come. He could dish it out, that was for sure--but could he take it? It was about time for her to find out...

Sol's eyes locked onto hers as the Felvari lowered herself to her knees, bringing herself to eye level with his waist. His rod sprung forth for her as she freed it from its fabric confines. It brought about a feeling of exhiliaration for the man to see such an otherwise free spirit kneeling down in such a manner. But despite the subservient posture she took, it was act done of Ichimi's own free will, and that much the handsome gent was sure to appreciate. When she began to caress his cock with her tongue, he simply gave her a slight grin and inhaled, hinting only a tinge of the real pleasure he was no doubt starting to feel. He could tell that she was trying to return the favor by teasing him in her own way, but despite being aware of this, he wasn't immune to her skills by far despite his best efforts. As Ichimi continued by turning her head from side to side, making sure to work each side of his shaft, Sol sighed audibly and shifted his hips upwards just by a hair, as if to hint to the feline beauty that her efforts did not go entirely unappreciated.

Still, the man would succeed in preventing his reactions from showing too dramatically as he watched her, with only an occasional gasp and his burdened breathing the biggest giveaway of the bliss he was experiencing. But while he had kept himself from groaning out too loudly, his body was decidedly more honest, especially below the waist. His cock twitched in response to each dramatic stroke she made upon it with her tongue. Despite the fact that she hadn't even yet bothered to envelop him completely in the warmth of her mouth, Ichimi would find the tip of her partner's length dribbling a small amount of precum, which added a bit more of him for her to taste as she went along. Whether she cared to make a show of it, licking it up for him in plain sight, or simply allowed it to mix in with the first coat of her saliva was up to her.

By the time she had finished pleasing him with her oral faculties, Ichimi would discover that Sol's member had grown even harder than before. Upon taking it into her hand, she would find it rigid enough to part her already wet folds and plunge into her depths, no doubt. Her picking up speed only helped in squeezing out a few more reactions out of him, providing a small moment of triumph for Ichimi if she were specifically looking for those. In addition, she could practically feel his need to be inside of her rising by the second as she began to stroke him more firmly. If the foreplay he gave her was any indicator, Sol would know quite well how to use that tool of his to hit all the right spots deep inside of her. The very thought of it was utterly arousing, and when Ichimi slid a hand between her legs to keep herself going, she wouldn't need to try very hard, as she would discover that her pussy was already dripping wet with anticipation.

He allowed her to go on for a little while longer, letting the mood reach its warmest before finally speaking up. "Hahh... nnnh, h-heh, I'd say we're about ready to move on, don't you? Not that I care to rush things, but you just make it so hard not to," remarked Sol, placing a hand upon her shoulders and guiding her back up to her feet. Pressing her back up against the wall, he touched his forehead to hers, his breaths just as heavy as hers to show that the anticipation of the main course was mutual. "This way, you can take care of my needs... and I can take care of yours." Sol first allowed his left hand to settle upon Ichimi's hip before sliding it downwards and moving it to her thigh. As he stole another kiss from her, he lifted one of her legs up to about waist level, which helped expose her slick crevice and in turn better prepared her to receive him. After all the teasing, which might have only been much for Ichimi thanks to her libido, she would finally be able to experience what she had been waiting for all this time.

His lips parted from hers just as he eased himself forward and up into her. The thief felt her level of ecstasy only rise with each passing second and every inch of the man's length pushed into her. The task was made much smoother and easier thanks to her own wetness, inspired by Sol's skilled foreplay, coupled with the lubrication she had coated his rod in via her own work. And when he finally hilted her, Ichimi felt a slow but utterly satisfying wave of relief travel throughout her frame. With how snugly lodged he was inside of her, she could feel every throb, every twitch of his rod upon her sensitive interior. It was a rush just having him inside her like that, their union complete--but it was far from over. The coupling had only just begun, and Sol would remind her of as much by pulling back out halfway and smoothly thrusting himself into her once again. It was then that he allowed himself to release a louder sigh of bliss, then a series of soft grunts as he repeated the process, feeling the girl's inner walls hug his rod tightly as it plunged in and out of her depths. "Uhh... hnnn, hahh..."

Sol continued, working his way up to a steady rhythm, just slow enough for Ichimi to be able to indulge in the generous ripples of pleasure that made her head spin with every stroke. His free hand settled upon her bosom to fondle it and tease her nipples in the process. It mattered little as the man's overall movements brought no small amount of ecstasy to the catgirl's every extremity, regardless of whether or not she cared to appreciate his attentions to her chest.

As his thrusts shook her entire frame, causing her perky breasts to bounce up and down from the sheer force of his movements, it became increasingly difficult to stand. Luckily, her position against the wall, along with the way her partner had her suspended as he made love to her, kept her from sliding down too far. In addition, Sol had become much more honest with expressing his pleasure now that the two of them were sharing in it. He might have been hard to read, certainly a tease at times. But for someone who Ichimi could have called a stranger in many regards, Sol couldn't help but express a little bit more of his body's own needs, and of course, his appreciation of hers. It was perhaps a higher level of intimacy than what Ichimi had felt with some others, even if it was only physical.

But while the sex they shared in such a position was enjoyable, it wasn't to make up the entire experience. In spite of the intense swells of pleasure Sol made her feel, there wasn't a whole lot that Ichimi could do in such a position, and the man was keen enough to notice as much. If she did cum thanks to the plethora of stimuli assaulting her senses, he would let her ride the orgasm out in its entirety first before slowly pulling out. Then, with her hands in his, he would back up slowly towards the bed. Certainly they would have to make use of that feature of the room he had rented...

From the way he settled onto the edge of the mattress, Ichimi could roughly discern her partner's intent, which would be to have her on top of him, face to face, both bodies upright in a seated position. She'd be able to ride him at her own pace this way, though it might be tricky to keep her balance if she wanted to go completely wild. During the transition, Ichimi did have a few choices to adjust things the way she liked. She could opt to push him down all the way, so as to flatten him completely, and mount him however she chose. Alternatively, if she was inclined to take more of a pounding from Sol himself or simply wanted to continue with him in a more dominant position, she could simply assume the appropriate posture that she wanted to be taken in.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

The question of whether she was ready move things along or not was almost funny to Ichimi. She said nothing, but answered with a sly toothy smile that made the message clear. Of course she was ready.

Trying to stand was slightly disorienting for the felvari, her arousal causing her body to be slower and more clumsy to control. Her tail swished a few times to compensate for the imprecise balance. Still, it wouldn't be long before the hands at her shoulders guided her up against the wall, the surface helping to make balance much easier to maintain.
Forehead to forehead with Sol as he leaned in now, Ichimi was aware he was slightly taller than her. This, combined with her position against the wall was a peculiar one, almost as if her partner were trying to take a dominant position with her. She would not be intimidated so easily though, and when her partner moved in to steal a kiss from her, she lightly bit his lip a little at the end, just to prove any control he had was just because she was letting him have it. A final reminder before the main course started.

Ichimi's position against the wall was for more than just making her feel the power play that might have been at work. This was something she probably could have guessed at the start, and it became a certainty when her partner raised one of her legs and started entering inside her.
“-Hahhh... nhahhh...”
Ichimi's attempts to stay on equal footing with her partner once again slipped away. As he entered inside her, she found his size to be worth the wait, and her body became harder and harder to control. Every small movement elicited a response, what wasn't obvious in her breathing or her grip on her partner would be expressed in movements of her ears and tail, almost completely involuntary by the time he had started thrusting.

While Ichimi had managed to avoid orgasm during the first round of play with Sol earlier, it wouldn't take long before she gave up on trying to resist it now. Between the foreplay and the actual sex happening now, there was only so much effort she wanted to put into denying her body the sensations it wanted to feel. She had waited long enough, and this time she let herself take in all the overwhelming stimulation without much of fight. Orgasm would overtake her body before long... but the fact that she had reached her peak before him wouldn't do. She wanted more, and damned if her shuddering body was ready to quit after one round. Besides, she wasn't going to let this “competition” end without driving her partner to that point too.

To Ichmi's advantage, her partner took his time, letting her ride out her orgasm and then moving slowly afterwards. Understandably, she didn't want to be moving much right now, even standing seemed tortuous when all her body wanted to was lay down and bask in the afterglow of the experience. Fighting that urge took willpower, and to that end, the slow pace of her partner worked in her advantage by giving her the time to build it up. While she didn't jump on her partner immediately, it took only a few moments at the edge of the bed until she made her move.

“Damn that stamina of yours...”
It was true, the fact that Sol had lasted through her foreplay and orgasm earlier both impressed and irritated Ichimi. Some guys lasted less than a minute, and that was never fun... but her body craved the “complete” experience too. Even after one orgasm, her deepest instincts didn't want to let her stop until her partner had come. Some primal urge towards mating or acquiring good genes compulsed her to keep going until this was accomplished. That is what would make the experience more satisfying than simply playing with herself, and it would be more than enough motivation to fuel her through a second of sex, even after her orgasm. Any protests from her body would just make everything more intense in an almost masochistic kind of way, with the cost of the effort expended just adding to the ultimate payoff.
“I've been making this too easy for you. Let's see how long you last when I'm in the lead now!”
With a bit of a rough shove, the felvari pushed her partner back onto the bed and took her place on top of him to mount him. As to be expected after her first orgasm, everything was more intense this time around in an almost painful way. At first her body didn't want to go through the intensity again, and her pace started off slow... but this phase didn't last long before the arousal kicked in again and caused her to speed up. This time she had the dominant position, and she wasn't giving it up so easily, pushing her partner back down if he tried to do anything to distract her.
Her pace would continue to speed up and get more wild for as long as it took her partner to reach his peak. Some kind of single-minded determinedness kept her arousal at a sort of “ceiling” while this was happening. Only when she was sure Sol was losing it, when she could feel it inside her, would she allow her body to ride out a second orgasm. This wasn't something she'd be able to keep up forever, but she wouldn't need forever. There was no way a man could make it through all of this, not when she wasn't holding back like she had done earlier with her foreplay. It was true she hadn't had to work for it this hard in a long time, but she still knew how men worked, and they all had limits she could break... this wasn't "play" anymore.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

The orgasm that the man coaxed out of Ichimi proved to be an intense one indeed. She had suffered smaller ones in past experiences, or 'incomplete' orgasms where her partner at the time suddenly stopped or pulled out just as she was getting to the good part. But not here; she had found quite a good catch in Sol. Though Ichimi could barely even stand as the tremors began to surface, he kept her securely pinned up against the wall as he pounded her briskly, allowing her to enjoy the feeling to its fullest. The tip of his cock repeatedly struck one perfect spot inside of her that allowed the catgirl to feel an extended and much more satisfying climax than usual.

There were no jarring changes in rhythm or any abrupt pauses here. Instead, he simply continued to thrust into her feverishly, with all the consistency she could hope for, until her desperate need for fulfillment was completely satisfied. The lewd, rhythmic slapping of his hips against hers remained the most prominent sound in the room, perhaps other than Ichimi's own cries of pleasure. This determined manner of lovemaking resulted in a most satisfying climax that rocked her to her very core and left her legs feeling like jelly.

Luckily for Ichimi, Sol was careful not to go too rough on her after the fact, slowing down in time with her newfound sensitivity and growing noticeably more gentle with his motions. He was certainly no stranger to this, it seemed, and was apparently familiar with a woman's heightened degree of tenderness following climax. The thief might have had a few lovers with this sense of consideration, but its presence within her current partner served as an unfortunate reminder that there were far too few men out there who possessed such a thing. And those who did, like Sol, she simply could not keep. Nor would she. All she could do was enjoy the moment while it lasted and take what she could out of it. Luckily, her 'date' for tonight was all too happy to oblige.

At her comment, he took a breath and chuckled. "Stamina? This is par for the course... I wasn't going to go without at least letting you have a turn, first. Common courtesy, isn't it?" he quipped. While he said as much, Ichimi could easily count more than just a few men that lost it far too quickly, and worse, showed no remorse about it after the fact, as if they had done their job. But here, Sol had properly done his and yet was ready for more; certainly an appeal to the Felvari's voidic instincts, if there ever was one.

Letting himself fall back in time with her surprisingly forceful shove, the man grinned and looked on with interest, taking the opportunity to admire Ichimi's naked frame before him. It was hard for him to deny her unique beauty, lightly dritzed with sweat and with obvious streaks of wetness running along her inner thighs. The very sight of such managed to keep him erect for her even if she did need a moment to collect or two to collect herself before mounting him. Yet, what came next out of the catgirl's mouth seemed more like an excuse, along with an implication that she could still do better. "Oh? I didn't think you wanted me to go that badly," he replied, though whether Ichimi took it as a statement of ignorance or as more of a subtle challenge was up to her.

Sol was content not to rush things, allowing the girl on top of him to take her time with her descent and knowing full well that she was still very sensitive from her relatively recent orgasm. It would be unwise to try and speed such a process along, and so he simply used the chance to indulge in the moment. As Ichimi caught a glimpse of Sol's member, she would find that it had dribbled a bit of precum before she let it gradually disappear into her depths. He had played the cooler one all this time, but as a male, a human one at that, he wasn't completely immune to her charms. It likely wouldn't take much more for Ichimi to coax the handsome acquaintance's seed out of him and claim it for herself... or so she thought.

While the sensation of him entering her once again was nearly too much for her at first, it wouldn't take too long for Ichimi to reach a point where she could manage the sensations, as her libido remained far too high to simply fade away. A typical human woman might have found herself done and worn out at that point. Yet the feline thief was anything but. The way she felt during sex, the nearly constant need for more, was another reminder of such; that she was a Voidic being, hard-wired in a specific way to propagate their species moreso than others on the plane. And while Ichimi herself might not be able to explain it in coherent detail, she knew the feeling. It told her to keep moving until she got what her body wanted, and so she would.

Her partner seemed resistant enough to it at first, which would prove mildly frustrating for the Felvari, especially seeing that her journey to another orgasm had already begun as she established a more steady rhythm. Sol looked to be enjoying himself, wearing a smirk of confidence as he watched the girl atop him have her way. He didn't struggle too much, but instead sought more subtle methods of distraction, such as stealthily sliding his hands up towards her bouncing breasts so he might feel them in his hands as she rode him. Ichimi could stop him, of course, but Sol was a live one, always trying to find a way to make it better for her--and by that, help her towards yet another orgasm without one. Yet that wasn't what the catgirl sought now. She wanted to feel her partner to show his weakness for once and to reach a climax of his own; it wouldn't be quite as intimate otherwise if all of the pleasure only went one way. If anything, it almost proved frustrating with how composed he was able to remain...

But that only lasted for so long. As she tightened her inner walls around his member and sped up, to the point where lewd, rhythmic slaps could be heard once again, Ichimi would earn a stifled grunt out of Sol. Then another.

"Nnnghh... h-heh, you're... really trying to make me cum, aren't you? You could've just asked..."

His perfect facade seemed to crack as he could deny the pleasure she was giving him no longer, and his hands once again sought the catgirl's hips. The man's instincts pushed him to drive into her deeper and faster, and so he would try his best to make her orgasm once more time before he would find his own sweet release. Regardless of whether or not Ichimi kept him from using his arms, she would find her ride to come alive, returning her strokes in time and meeting her halfway each time he hilted her. It was admittedly impressive, to have him last as long when few others could even manage simply being inside of her for several minutes. And here she was, riding him as hard and taking him in as deep as she could, with a stranger who seemed as though he simply would not give her what she wanted, while she herself was already speeding towards a second orgasm.

However, as her base longing to feel his warmth erupting inside of her grew, she noticed something. Despite his efforts to show otherwise, Sol's body was, gradually, beginning to tighten up. His calm expression showed more strain than usual, and his grip upon her hips grew firmer. Finally, he was going to cum. Ichimi was teetering over the edge herself, but if she stubbornly held on to her competitive side, she would be able to last long enough to let Sol go first... probably.

Then, she felt it. The man's girth lodged deep inside her throbbed powerfully, then released a defined eruption of heat at the entrance of her womb. It was utterly satisfying for the Voidic beauty, and yet such bliss would not come in a single spurt, but in several, as Sol held back no longer. His body now worked to inseminate the catgirl as much as possible. Ichimi could feel his cock pulsing just before each successive dose of his hot seed warmed her insides, helping to quench the fire deep within, one burst at a time.

"Uuuh! Hahh... hnnnh, nnngghh!" he groaned aloud, showing a somewhat more vulnerable and honest face to her as his mask of complete control was tossed aside in the moment. Indeed, moments like these were when even the most composed man was at his weakest... but in this case, the same went for Ichimi, as the sensation of being cummed inside was enough to send her completely over the edge one last time. Still, she might find some satisfaction in the fact that she did succeed in drawing out a proper climax from the man that had done so well in pleasing her on his own. As if to satisfy those Voidic instincts of hers, he had let out so much--a glance downwards would show Ichimi that the visible portion of the man's rod was coated in a mixture of his excess liquid and her own juices, which continued to drip out of her steadily. She could keep going for a while so as to milk everything out of him, or simply stop if the sensitivity had become too much for her at that point.

Sol shuddered as he released the final dregs of his load into her, his hold upon the feline beauty gradually relaxing after the fact. "Hahh, hahh... I didn't think you were in that much of a hurry," he quipped between ragged breaths as he tried to regain his composure. However, he was in no rush to withdraw from her even after the act, and allowed Ichimi to move first when she was ready.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

As the pace between Ichimi and her partner grew faster and more intense, so too did the energizing excitement she was feeling, it was a self-perpetuating cycle that was growing more and more with every repetition. How long would it be before it all became too much for her to control? She wasn't sure, but as she could see signs of Sol tensing up, she was sure it would be long enough. If she wasn't so busy panting right now, a smug smile would have crossed her face as she felt herself taking more and more of a “lead”. The felvari's body knew what it wanted, and it wasn't going to stop until it got it, not after already going through one orgasm without it's reward. Her body was almost fighting itself in a sense, and that made it easier for her to keep control throughout the whole thing.

“H-Hahhh! *gasp* -Gnuhhaaahhh!”
Ichimi's resolve held strong for a long time, but as soon as soon as she felt the felt the first sensations of her partner's hot seed inside of her she ended up letting go of everything. In an instant, all the arousal she had built up washed over her like a flood she couldn't take back, and her body gave into intense orgasm once again... although comparing this to the first time wasn't even remotely accurate. This second orgasm was far more intense than the first one... felt far stronger throughout every part of her body. Perhaps the reason for this was her heightened sensitivity from the first time, but far more likely it was because a deeper more primal part of her was finally satisfied with this result. This was the the full act of sex, not just arousal, not a glorified equivalent to masturbation... no, this was the full thing, real and complete. This is what natural born instincts to reproduce had been driving her to do... although she'd cheat that part in the morning.
Getting pregnant wasn't something the felvari wanted or could afford, even if her body wanted it, even if it was hardwired into her perhaps more than in normal humans. Luckily, there were ways around that, alchemists had long ago devised brews that could stop a pregnancy with a nearly perfect success rate if taken early enough. Back home Josias would have the necessary materials to brew one up. This wasn't the first time she had done with, and it wouldn't be the last. It was the perfect way to avoid the risks and still get exactly what her body wanted.

Ichimi's body continued to move on it's own as the orgasm played out, squeezing what it could from her partner... but once it was over, she wouldn't be as quick to recover as she was the first time. All the intense effort and sensation would leave her unable to move much or do anything except pant heavily for a good long few moments afterwards. She didn't mind though, even with her partner still inside her.
When the felvari finally was able to make it off her partner to her feet, her movements would be clumsy and unsure. She didn't have much reason to stay on her feet for long though. She would only make her way over to a water basin in the room, grab a towel, and make a quick effort at cleaning herself off really quick. Afterwards she would stumble back to the bed, work her way under the covers, and just let her body enjoy the bliss. She had no concern for asking permission or anything like that, why let petty annoyances ruin the moment?

“Sorry about the rush... it's been awhile since I had a good night out like that. It's my fault, not yours... definitely not yours...”
With these last words, she prepared to drift off to sleep, a quick rest had now become her body's primary goal, and she wasn't about to resist that any more than her previous urges for sex. A real bed wasn't quite as comfortable as the pile of blankets she had on her bed back home, and when she curled up she pulled some of the blanket up from where it was tucked under the mattress on her side, but it would be good enough, plenty enough in her current blissful state. If her partner did nothing to keep her awake, she would be contently asleep within the next 20 minutes.

Arguably, sleeping in a strange place like this was dangerous. Sleeping with someone around who she hardly knew was dangerous. She had rarely done either in the past.
This time, however, her gut told her it was safe though... she had sensed nothing dangerous from her partner while they had shared their intimate experience only moments ago. Besides, this would be a light sleep, one in which her ears would still be alert to anything out of the ordinary. She only meant to sleep long enough to give her body a short rest, and her internal clock was good, she'd be awake again before the sun had even risen. It would be plenty of time to make her way back home for some deeper sleep, where with any luck, her “family” wouldn't wake her up until well past noon.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

As Ichimi came down from her climactic high, stooped over atop Sol, she would find her partner in a similarly dazed post-orgasmic state. He lay panting with his breaths just as audible as her own, forming an alternating rhythm of their collective inhales and exhales in the afterglow. He had good reason to look a little spent. She had, after all, milked him for the entirety of his load during her series of involuntary spasms, and this would become fairly evident when she finally pulled herself off of him, prompting a generous flow of his thick seed to dribble from her sensitive pussy down her inner thighs.

It was a good thing that she hurried to the water basin, as the clean-up helped tremendously in doing away with the majority of the excess seed that she had drawn out of him in the throes of passion. But even when she plopped back onto the bed, she would still feel a pool of his warmth settled deep inside her womb--seed that she herself had worked to acquire in her wild ride. Whether it was a Voidic instinct or merely a womanly one was beyond her, but above all, it was an utterly satisfying and definitive reminder of her femininity. Some of her previous casual encounters might have triggered feelings of regret for the rather promiscuous thief, but tonight was certainly not one of those nights.

Sol took a deep breath, reclining on the bed as he folded his arms behind his head. "Can't say I often have a girl go for the finish that quickly... or move that well to get it, for that matter. Not that I'm complaining. Though maybe I'll get to enjoy you a little more next time, if there is one," he commented, and along with such a remark came the implication of his awareness that tonight may have very well been their only and last night together. He looked over to find her nestled comfortably beneath the sheets, managing a soft chuckle. As the Felvari had made her intentions to sleep fairly clear, Sol would get up for a short while to clean himself off as well, then return to the bed and find slumber next to her.

~~~~~​

When Ichimi finally came to, it was still pitch-black, though her eyes adjusted fairly quickly to the darkness, taking in what little light they could to reveal a familiar scene; the inside of the hotel room. Judging from her level of grogginess, it had only been around four or five hours from when she first crashed. A look beside her showed that Sol was right there, still quietly asleep--in the nude, no less, the sheets half-off and half-on due to the rather balmy weather. Their clothes were still scattered about the floor, and so if she cared to leave early, Ichimi would have to pick her garments up one at a time.

Left on the table was Sol's knife, wallet, deck of cards, keys, and a sizable pouch of coins. The blue-haired gent was, from the looks of it, sound asleep, and likely wouldn't have much of a say in the matter if the catgirl developed the inclination to make away with any of them. Alternatively, if the cat was curious enough, she could also snoop through his wallet and set it back the way she found it just as easily. For all the hints he had dropped about being aware of her job as a thief, he did prove to be rather trusting in this instance...

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

“I wish I could promise that... but it's probably more up to luck than anything...”
Tactful or not, Ichimi's answer was bluntly direct, although her voice was tinged with the slightest bit of regret that could be heard even as drowsiness and the pleasant sensations from earlier were quickly overriding her ability (or her desire) to think or take anything seriously.
There was no point in lying anyway, things were what they were. Meeting the same person too much meant the risk of dragging them into her world, something she'd never force on anyone... or worse, them causing problems when they found out the truth. It didn't matter either way though, this wasn't a real relationship, she didn't owe Sol any commitments. Her's was a life of a freedom, not to be tied down by things like that, to keep doing whatever she wanted.

...somewhere in the back of her mind the smallest spark of jealousy was questioning the value of that freedom. Jealousy at who she wasn't sure; but sleep would smother that spark anyway, before it had any chance to eat at the felvari.

~~~~​

“Nmmmff...”
Ichimi's sleep wouldn't last more than few a short hours, and she awoke right on cue at the end of her planned nap as if she had been watching a clock the entire time... or rather, her internal clock had proved remarkably reliable yet again. It was not yet true morning, exactly how she wanted it.
Any drowsiness from abrupt awakening quickly wore off. While Ichimi hated being woken up from sleep and would normally be in a foul mood from the feeling, but this had not been true sleep. Short naps like this never caused the deep mental and physical shutdown she hated feeling when being jarred out of from real sleep. Accordingly she adjusted quickly, within seconds being mindful to stay quiet and aware as to not wake her still-sleeping partner. Neither would be too hard.
The catgirl's body had recovered sufficiently from the night's earlier activities that she was able to move with her usual deliberate grace and silence. Likewise, her eyes made the morning darkness trivial. While she couldn't make out the hues or contrasts of colors very well in the dark, she could still make out her surroundings in detail in every other way where a normal person would have been stumbling over stuff. She would have no problem picking out her clothes from the previous night and dressing herself, before preparing to disappear.

A pang of guilt ate at Ichimi as she made her way across the room. Something about leaving her still-sleeping partner felt wrong... it always did, this wasn't a new feeling, merely one she had learned to swallow from having done this before.
“It's easier this way... no chance of being followed... no chance of trying to change my mind on something I can't do anything about anyway...”
Slipping out the door was an option, but Ichimi headed for the window instead. Given the warm weather, it was already slightly open, and it would lead directly to the streets... far safer than trying to quietly get the main door open and sneak out through an unfamiliar building with no idea who might be downstairs. It was on her way over that she would notice the nearby table.
Immediately the felvari grabbed back her own knives, admonishing herself for having almost gone out without them... but her partners items also caught her mind. A pouch of coins made an easy score, but even more than that, her partner's wallet appealed to her curiosity.
“I never did find out what he actually does, the only answer I got was vague...”
Temptation to search it's contents quickly ate at the felvari, but so too did a strange sense of guilt... of betraying his trust more than she was already doing by leaving. A quick glance back would tip the scales towards the latter, though not completely.
“What am I expecting to find, some kind of work contract full of big words and language thats nothing like how people actually talk? I'd be here all morning trying to read it unless I took it back to have one of the others back home read it for me, as if I'd sit through them teasing me over it. Besides, then he'd know I was looking through his stuff.... unless I just tried to look at some of the big words, put stuff back, and draw out what I saw later...
What do I even care what he does anyway? it's not like I actually believe he could read my mind earlier... but then how? Was he watching me? Investigating me?! Is that how he knew so much about me? That could be a problem...”
Now the scales tipped more in the favor of curiosity, but again it wouldn't be enough to compel the felvari to act.
“Blah, stupid wild imagination. He was in the bar first, with no idea that I'd walk in, it's not like he was following me. It's not like I'm gonna find restraints or anything in there, they wouldn't fit and he could've just gotten me while I was asleep if that was the case. I should just go before I waste all morning thinking about this.
Then again it's not like he'd ever be able to find me again if I took the wallet, the coins, and everything else...”
For a moment her thieving instincts had almost won control, but another quick glance back would cause her conscious to snuff out those feelings.
“Damn, I'm getting bad at this. It's been too long since I've been hungry, to be passing up something this easy...”
Before her mind would have another chance to debate the decision, Ichimi found herself walking away from her prize, slowly pushing open the window. A moment later she was on the ground in the street below, pulling up her hood and running in the direction of home... this time, there would be no looking back, what was done was done.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Sol would only stir once in his sleep as Ichimi went about her business, but otherwise show no signs of waking up anytime soon. One might assume that either he was a relatively heavy sleeper, or that he was faking it... but, from Ichimi's experience, it was far more likely that he was neither. After all, it wasn't the first time she had slipped out unnoticed in such a manner. It was thanks to the Felvari's sense of stealth and natural grace that she was able to clothe herself and depart through the nearby window without incident. While she ultimately failed to take advantage of the 'free' steal via his wallet and coins, she may have potentially saved herself from making another enemy. Naralona was a big city, large enough that it was difficult to run into the same person twice by sheer coincidence. On the other hand, Sol was seemingly a native and not a traveler, so the likelihood of her encountering him somewhere again wasn't as low as it would be with some others.

The streets outside were rather chilly, moreso than usual, as if to help push Ichimi towards facilitating a more expeditious trip back to her very own warm bundle of sheets, waiting for her on the upper portion of the warehouse that served as her home. Bits of activity could still be seen here and there, upon various street corners and establishments. The general bustle that the city normally carried slowed down during the night, especially deep into the later hours, and yet Naralona never truly slept. It was for that reason that the feline thief had to stay alert at all times. Some days she would get a random offer from a prostitute, or an approach from a mugger or two, encounters that she had managed to deal with relatively well thus far thanks to her speed and spatial awareness. But tonight, she received neither. It was a nice break for a change, that she might get to return home and go right back to sleep.

When she arrived at the hideout, every candle had naturally been blown out. The thieves living in this den were not the nocturnal variety, but instead did most of their business during the day--and in broad daylight amongst crowds of people. It was that method of operating that their leader, Cedrian, took great pride in. He would often say that it wasn't the thief who stole from a sleeping mark, but the one who stole from a mark that was in conversation with them, that was the most skilled. Perhaps some of that rubbed off on her? It was hard to tell, since that level of charisma didn't necessarily apply to all members of the group. Hector's snoring, much more audible than usual, reminded her of as much. Hopefully it wouldn't interfere with the rest of her sleep. What it did do, however, was mask the sound of an approach coming from behind her just after she entered. When Ichimi moved to close the door behind her, a hand suddenly forced it open. It was Cedrian.

"Hey," greeted the man. "Have fun out there? I'd ask what you were up to, but I'm afraid you might ask me the same thing," he quipped before gently closing the door behind them and moving towards his own quarters. "Well, goodnight. Thanks to our recent job, I have a feeling that you can afford to sleep in tomorrow."

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi was grateful, at least for the moment, for the slow sleepy pace that had overtaken most of the city at this hour. The pre-dawn darkness didn't really bother her, her sharp senses actually made these easier conditions for her to keep track of everything than the huge number of things to track and be aware of during the busy daytime. The main streets were still lined with some light, but most normal people wouldn't stray too far from that... they didn't have the same gifts as the Felvari. Were it not for the fact that good marks were harder to find at night and the crowds made a good place to break off a chase, she could spend her whole waking life in these hours without the sun.
“Too bad it's freezing this morning, with my luck it will probably start raining before I get back. Or maybe I'm just hungry... there had better be some leftovers when I get back”
“Freezing” was a bit of an overstatement, however the temperature did gradually get lower as she made her way back and got closer to the cool winds coming off the ocean. It would be comfortable when day came around, but for right now she wasn't dressed for it, even with her cloak and hood... and even after last night's huge dinner, she was hungry again and her body was unwilling to put forth it's best efforts to produce warmth until it got another helping of calories. Luckily the trip back would be quick and uneventful, the minor chill the felvari felt would be the only annoyance to deal with.

“Everyone's asleep... couldn't even leave a candle burning for me, figures... -Hu-wha?!?”
Turning around to close the door and seeing she wasn't alone caused the felvari to jump back with uncharacteristic surprise. It wasn't often that she lost her nerve so completely or that anyone managed to startle her enough to get such an embarrassing reaction.
“Fuck, don't scare me like that! You know I can't hear very well when I've got my hood on!”
In an instant she tore off the hood and let her ears perk up... overcompensation for the event that had just passed, even though the chances of something else happening right now to surprise her were almost non-existent. Likewise, she tried to pull her voice tone from one of angry surprise to something more casual... although the warmth she felt rush to her face told her that her real reaction would still be obvious if there was light to see it.
“It was a better night than the last few I spent out...” she started out, her voice going casual and nonchalant easier than she expected “Anyway, I'll be just a little while longer... but good, don't wake me up. It looks like it's going to rain today so there shouldn't be any reason to anyway... in fact, feel free to punch Rio if he tries to wake me up for dressup again.”
Even though her voice had been steady for the short exchange, a hasty retreat happened afterwards. There was nothing else that needed to be said, her business was her own and Cedrian's was his. It's not like Ichimi had ever been one for gossip, and besides, she was eager to get to sleep anyway... although she had some things to take care of first.

Ichimi made her way into a nearby room of the warehouse to wash up. While the city itself had public baths that one could use for a price, those were impractical to the catgirl for obvious reasons. It's not as if it was a huge problem, there was an ocean right outside and plenty of rain barrels one could pour over themselves... but the warehouse had something better. Suspended on the roof was a metal basin that water from the outside could be pumped into, and an opening on the bottom made it a good shower. Furthermore, there was a box of crystals nearby... enchanted crystals that were supposed to produce the heat of a fire all on their own. Even if one didn't know magic, just focusing on them was supposed to be enough to make these expensive little conveniences work... SUPPOSED to be.
“Cheap pieces of not-cheap scam junk...”
Eventually the felvari managed to make one work... after shattering half a dozen. The others in her group could usually do it in half that... whether it was because she was she was voidic or bad at this vague concept of “focusing” wasn't clear, but she was convinced it was because the pieces were a scam and she was simply unluckier than the others at drawing them.
“It's not like they can prove me wrong, half the time the things don't work for them either...”
Tossing the crystal in, she made her way to the kitchen to steal leftovers while the water heated up. If there was any meat leftover, she'd go for that first, but whatever was edible was fine. Sleep was so much easier on a full stomach, even plain bread would do the job... it's not as if she had been raised to be picky.
After a quick meal, she'd go back and complete her rinse, completely wiping away the smells of her night of love-making. The soaps even had a nice scent to them from certain herbs mixed in and stuff. Scented soaps were the cheap version of more luxurious scented oils, but it was a step up from a dip in a river or the ocean. Besides, at their strongest the oils drowned out actual smell, and at their weakest (a state they reached fairly quickly) you couldn't even tell the difference anyway.
“Just an amusement for spoiled rich people who don't even know what they're doing with themselves and spend like the better half of an hour on this stuff.”

Food and shower done, the felvari made her way up to her own room, downed a potion that would keep her from waking up pregnant tomorrow, changed into something loose and comfortable, and burrowed into her pile of blankets for what would hopefully be a long stretch of real sleep. While she had been “asleep” not more than an hour or two ago, that wasn't “real” sleep, it just didn't feel the same. Real sleep was one of the best feelings in the world, and after such a long day, she could easily indulge in it until well past noon if nothing woke her up.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi spent the rest of her night, and the better part of the morning after, in a deeper, more comfortable sleep. Even if Sol proved trustworthy during her momentary stay at the inn, there was nothing quite like the feeling of security gained from burying herself beneath heaps of warm blankets in a place she could truly call home.

Thanks to that, and her request to be left alone that morning, she woke up naturally, feeling completely well-rested by the time she managed to sit up. Her body couldn't sleep anymore if she tried. Unlike Josias, who could easily spend hours upon hours finding 'inspiration' within the confines of a single smoky room, the Felvari was not the type to be able to go a day without any physical activity at all... or at the very least, a good stretch. A look through her window would show that it was already afternoon, judging from the amount of light through the cloudy skies. A steady pitter-patter of rain could be heard beating down upon the warehouse's roof.

And when she took a step outside her room, the catgirl would find that the others were about in their usual dwellings. Josias was in the large, enclosed cubicle that made his room; wisps of smoke seeping out from between the cracks showed that he was most likely in the middle of one of his creative highs. The sound of a heavy leather bag being struck repeatedly could be heard off to another side of the warehouse, where Hector was no doubt practicing his boxing. Augusto was seated on a nearby couch, reading a brown leather-bound book that she didn't recognize, while Rio was using one of the large, square tables in the main living room as a place to lay out various fabrics. The effeminate tailor appeared to be working on patterns for yet another garment.

This downtime was fairly typical for the group when they were at home. As members of the same 'family', they worked together during the big jobs, and supported each other when money was tight, but even then, each of them had specific hobbies of their own.

Of those present, Rio was the first to greet Ichimi when she did approach, looking up from his current project with a smile. "Morning, Ichimi! Or um, afternoon. There's some leftover pottage and qursas over in the kitchen for you, if you're hungry. I didn't see you last night, so I wasn't quite sure if you had gotten enough to eat..." he trailed off in a concerned tone.

"Heh... with you to worry about us this much, I don't think anyone here will ever need a mother present to make sure we're eating our meals and changing our undergarments," commented the cleric, who looked up from his read at the others.

"I-I'm just saying!" stammered Rio, unable to find a wittier reply.

The door that was used as their primary entrance to the outside could be heard creaking open, and Cedrian walked on in, throwing back the hood of his rain-soaked cloak. After big jobs, he usually made a quick trip he called a 'deposit' the following day.

"Not the best weather today, is it? Anyway, get this," said the brown-haired grifter. "Remember the guy we just robbed the other day, Rodrigo Fortaleza III? Apparently he managed to get someone to recognize him by his... girth, and so he did get a room at the Montcoba Hotel after all. I guess he had some major connections, moreso than the other marks we've hit before. And by connections, I mean the head of the city himself."

"Really? But he was kind of an idiot," murmured Rio.

"And idiots never get seats of importance?" Augusto chimed in with a grin. "But then again, he is our seventh hit in, what... six months? Seems like the flow of idiots has been pretty high as of late, so the government feels like they have to intervene on their behalf."

"Five months, but close enough," continued Cedrian. "But in light of our recent jobs, Rodrigo's pal, the Señor de Naralona, has ordered a massive increase in security. They plan on working their guards to death by putting them on escort duty for every rich 'affiliate' that comes in and out of the city, every waking hour of the day. On top of that, I've heard through some of my sources that he's arranging a banquet for the biggest investors of western Grisalesca to gather."

"Shouldn't we... lay low for a while, then?" asked Rio. "I mean, if it's dangerous for people like us..."

Cedrian couldn't help but smirk. The well-dressed man was hardly ever one to back down from a challenge, and he appeared to take the more cautious member's concern as one. "That's assuming a bunch of guys with shields and spears--TIRED guys from extended shifts, that is--are going to keep us from cleaning out these fatcats. Maybe if we tried to mug them, then we'd have more to worry about... but we're not quite so primitive. If anything, this is a golden opportunity to find some solid marks, ones who think they can come to Naralona safely because of a few extra hands," he explained.

"In the end, we're just going to say some words, and they're going to hand their wallets over because they wanted even more than what they already have. Like I always say, you can't con an honest man. With the jobs I have in mind, if the marks are actually decent human beings, then they won't take the bait I set for them, and we'll just be on my way to find the next."

"So we're technically doing the city, and Grisalesca, a favor by weeding it of its less savory denizens," added Augusto with a thoughtful look. "Or at least, the ones who are capable of doing the most damage."

"If you want to look at it that way, then sure--whatever helps you sleep at night," said Cedrian. "But more than anything, it's a chance that we absolutely can't pass up."

Rio's mouth crinkled. Still, he didn't seem completely convinced. "Isn't this overdoing it, though? We already have enough money for the next couple of months. Can't we just wait until it tides over?"

"I know I said that we'd relax for a while, but after a successful enough hit from this big feast that's coming up, I'm positive that we could even retire if we wanted to," asserted Cedrian. "I'll admit, for being as varied as you guys are... you're easily the best group I have ever worked with. I'm confident we can pull this off."

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

“Now now, if Rio wants to play mommy for us, I certainly won't complain. Someone willing to cook for us at any hour sounds a lot better than leftovers.”
Despite the teasing, Ichimi didn't actually expect anything to come of it and kept moving across the room and towards the kitchen area without skipping a beat. Leftover qursas, a sweet bread of honey and nuts, would have to be her “morning” snack. It wouldn't have been her first choice of meal, but sweet stuff was at least slightly more tolerable right after waking up. There would be time for better food later in the day, for now a large chunk of the bread would be enough.
“Anyway, I was fine last night. As if I'd actually willingly let myself starve, even for a night. I was back before the sun was even up. Good thing too, it was a cold morning to get stuck out in the rain-”
Right as Ichimi finished her sentence, the door would swing open and Cedrian would come in from said rain.
“At least it feels a little warmer out now...” The catgirl muttered to herself as air from the outside rushed in.

The group's leader had big news for everyone regarding their latest job, but Ichimi only listened with half-interest for awhile. This news wasn't any cause for immediate alarm, despite how bad all the fallout might've sounded initially.
“I guess that explains where all the wind-up toys-” As Ichimi liked to call the city guards, comparing them to curiosities she had seen in windows of children's shops “-were last night. I didn't see a single one, so I'm guessing there were all back getting lectured on how crappy of a job they were doing protecting anyone. Meanwhile the real thugs seemed to have taken notice and were out right in view of the streets... yeah, that's pretty typical of the city guard.
Still... I don't like the idea of them being out in force now. The bloated whale from yesterday did see out faces. Not that any of us are really well-known or anything, and it doesn't change anything for me either way... but maybe the rest of you should try wearing hoods for the next few days. It's not so bad once you get used to it.”
The last bit was meant as a slight barb, although it was one born more of frustration with circumstance than any kind of justified spite at anyone in the group. More guards was a hassle; if they were on the lookout, even moreso because she would look more suspicious than usual wearing a hood on any days when the weather was good again. Everyone else could remove theirs and show their faces, probably even get by just fine without much to worry about from the sketchy descriptions their bumbling mark from earlier would probably give... but the felvari's own ears wouldn't be quite so easy to explain away if she was stopped. There was nothing that could be done about it though, and nobody to really blame, so she kept quiet through the rest of explanations, reverting back to her previous state of half-interest... at least for a little while until bits and pieces of what she was hearing tripped some flags and caused her to actually start paying attention.

“Yes, by all means, lets just walk into their banquet and ask them for everything they own. We're gonna use Augusto's mind-control magic, right?”
Ichimi's tone made it quite clear she wasn't enthused with the idea. Although unlike Rio's hesitant tone, the catgirl's own tone was more confrontational and annoyed.
“Tired guards who are probably angry and frustrated aren't safer for us. They're more unpredictable and impatient... they'll be quicker to forget the rules and act out of anger. It's like testing you luck with an angry drunk who's still sober enough to throw a hit, and the only thing thats good for is getting a beating. Going after someone who's on their guard is stupid anyway. You get a few coins with your first grab and feel a bunch more, try again and get a little more... but eventually they go beyond being oblivious or merely suspicious and know what you're up to, you get caught and it ends badly!”
While Ichimi was rarely one to lecture the others in any kind of serious way, and rarely had the experience to, in this particular case her childhood experiences as a pickpocket when she was alone were hard to ignore. Still, she had never done too well alone, and it was by trusting her group now that things had gotten better. Remembering that, her tone dropped to something more cool, although still skeptical.
“Look, I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I just wana make sure we're not getting as greedy as our potential victims... and as stupid. I'm not so sure all these rich “associates” of the city's head are actually going to bring enough stuff with them for us to retire off of.” She put the same emphasis on the word that Cedrian had earlier “It's not like random people in the street enjoying a day of shopping carry their whole life's savings around with them. Besides, even if they did, we still need a plan first.
I don't know about you, but I don't know anything about these guys, or where they would keep anything valuable, or what I should be looking out for around them. We need a plan, and I just wana make sure we're not rushing into this just because the payoff might be huge. It's not like we even need it...”
Ichimi's voice broke a little on the last sentence, showing just the slightest hints of a depressed tone. Of course SHE didn't need the huge payoff. Retire? What did that even mean to her? It's not like she could buy a casino or tavern or anything with it and live off that. No, not as a felvari she couldn't. The others all had far more to gain from this than her... far more they could do with their lives afterwards. She was jealous... consciously and subconsciously. Still, she wouldn't spite them for it. Hoping nobody knew what was really going on in her head, she would keep any further objections to herself for the moment, willing to cooperate on whatever needed to be done if it was decided that this whole thing was going to happen.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

"Hoods? Hm... maybe on a single basis, sure. But a whole group of cloaked people will only look more suspicious to these guys. A figure constantly wearing a hood usually has something to hide--no offense--and that's what the guards will be looking for, above all," replied Cedrian. Despite Ichimi's apparent protests, he remained as cool as ever, opting to explain in his usual fashion.

"On the other hand, a person whose face is out in the open for you to see and trust like anyone else? Practically the opposite. As for Rodrigo, I'm sure he's paranoid enough to distrust his own security at this point. But don't worry, I'm not necessarily looking to just crash the banquet itself--not when a former mark might be there. I'm just looking to clean out the coffers of the other ones who are looking to travel here to Naralona. Sure, our last job was a little forceful with the thievery, but this time around, I'm thinking about something more... elegant. Which is just perfect. They'll be looking for THIEVES; at best, cloaked, at worst, disguised as guards or other such grunts. But we won't be guards or hotel staff this time around, will we?" Grinning, he retrieved a rather ornate coat from near Rio's workspace and donned it. It was a skillfully re-tailored version of one of Rodrigo's outfits, taken from his luggage. Some of the patterns were changed slightly, but it was still the same fine fabric, fitted to Cedrian's slimmer form.

"We'll be one of them." It was fairly easy to imagine if Ichimi looked again, Cedrian being some sort of wealthy entrepreneur. He certainly had the looks, and while he wasn't quite as... rotund as their last mark, he was still convincing enough to play the part of a rich man--after all, it wasn't far from the truth, if money alone was to be counted.

Rio's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, so that's what you meant to use it for? I thought that it was just going to be for your daily use?"

"Sorry Rio, but my taste isn't quite THIS rich. Still, I'll definitely put your work to good use, I promise!"

"Anyway, many of these fatcats don't know each other all that well to begin with, being from different parts of Grisalesca... and yet most start business partnerships with others like themselves. You know, with each member investing a share of money into a budding enterprise. After all, businesses don't sprout up out of nowhere. They actually need quite a bit of cash to start up," he went on to explain.

"The trick is to get them to believe in whatever it is you're selling. If they're sold on it, then by their logic, why wouldn't everyone else be? After all, Naralona is sort of an innovator in businesses like... fashion," he began to list, turning an eye to Rio, "alcohol and drugs," added the swindler, glancing to Josias' room, "prizefighting," he went on, giving Hector a nod, "fortunetelling and spur-of-the-moment weddings," to which Augusto snickered, "gambling," undoubtedly a mention of his own habits, "aaand most recently... slavery."

Cedrian shrugged. "Not that it's a new thing by any means. But it seems to be catching on as of late, and I know for a fact that Rodrigo wasn't the only investor for that industry. Seems like there's been an increasing flow of human--and subhuman--traffic between here and Elynsor in the north. I'm guessing that the holy country's government and its suppression of sexual desire has finally caught up with them, so now they're resorting to doing things under the table. Either way, I can't say I'd feel bad for taking a slaver's money."

"So here's the plan. We find the most unsavory, perverted--and of course, filthy rich--marks we can, convince them to enter a 'partnership' with us and invest... oh, maybe something like 50K rezetas for a 500K return within the year. Doesn't seem like much by itself as far as retirement goes, sure. But 50K per mark? With just five, that's 250,000... with ten guys, it's 500,000. You do the math."

"But... what happens when they find out they aren't getting their money back?" asked Rio.

"Well, normally that's when we just disappear--obviously, we're going to set up our 'office' in a location different from this one. But in this case, I'm not going to just turn over so quickly. That's when we'll pass them off to Augusto, who'll be our 'cooler'. He'll just let them know that the business hasn't been going too well, mainly due to those adventurers who go around freeing slaves... and that to remedy such a problem, we'll only need a bit more funding for proper security--hired thugs and all that."

"Then, provided all goes well, we'll milk them of an extra several thousand after that," added Augusto with a smirk.

"I see... hum. So it's just a matter of convincing them to invest money, then basically it's smooth sailing from there," said the blonde aloud, to confirm that his idea of the plan was correct.

"Exactly," responded Cedrian. "So I'll be... oh, Alejandro Ivarra de Leon, an enterprising slaver. Hector will be Javier, my bodyguard, while Josias can be Sergio, my advisor. You can be Rosa--my secretary." The effeminate tailor could only blush at that.

"Hrm. I know a couple of girls who'd be all too happy to play the roles of concubines and merchandise, but... I really could use a more exotic pet--you know, to make our fledgling business look more legit." The group's leader looked to Ichimi.

"And I only really trust one Felvari enough for that job. But of course, as a pet, you'll be 'mine' and mine alone, only when our clients are watching. So I absolutely won't let anything happen to you that you don't want to happen. I promise. Certainly you can help me on this?"

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi huffed under her breath as Cedrian went through his explanation. The catgirl was used to this happening, rushing into arguments then looking stupid when someone, usually Cedrian or Augusto, had an answer for everything. Reasoned debate was not the felvari's strong suit, but despite being bad at it she wasn't so moody as to resort to the un-reasoned kind or shut herself off completely when things didn't go her way.... even if her body language displayed that moodiness obviously.
“Great, don't mention you had a plan at the start or anything...”
As soon as it became obvious to to the thief that her “leader” had a plan thought through already, she turned away with annoyance and went back to scavenging through the cabinets in the kitchen for something less dull than glorified sweetbread... although despite this apparent disinterest or pouting, a closer look would show she always had at least one ear turned in the direction of the conversation as she moved. Without her hood, her directional hearing was excellent, and she was used to pulling off this kind of mental multitasking without getting too distracted. It was only because she had nothing to contribute (or was perhaps too prideful to look foolish again) that she wasn't saying much herself, but she was still very much plugged in and listening and thinking about what she heard.

To be completely fair, the plan was actually a good one in theory... much better than catgirl had initially expected to hear. Her expression gradually softened as she admitted that to herself, even if her stubbornness kept her a few moments behind everyone else.
It was true that the group didn't need the money, but even she couldn't help but briefly give the idea some cursory thought... cuts as big as Cedrian was promising would be enough for whatever food she wanted for months... maybe even enough to live off of for awhile, with a real house or a small business. Although hearing the word “sub-human” in the conversation, even if it wasn't meant to provoke her, brought out the more realist side of her personality again with a brief but noticeable ear twitch.
“As if the city wouldn't just take that all away as soon as anyone in the community found out.... stupid fantasies. No amount of money will make me one of them...”
It was at that moment she found what she was looking for in the cabinets, a tin with a few strips of dried meat inside, a snack she hadn't finished off completely back when she bought it. The welcome improvement over bread was just time to improve her mood as Cedrian began to go over the “roles” everyone would play this time around.

“-Hah! “Rosa”? That's a good name for you!”
The taunt was Ichimi's first comment since her earlier protests, but with a quick bite into her snack afterwards she would officially go back into “listening” mode and put an “end” the conversation before it started and gave Rio any chance to argue. The tables would suddenly be flipped a few moments later though as Ichimi's own “role” in the plan came up... even before her brain had completely realized what had been said, her body started to tense up and her ears stood poised.
“-Wha?! Are you serious?! There's no way you're serious!”
The surprise almost caused the felvari to choke on her snack before a small coughing fit fixed it. Afterwards she could only stare for a few moments and mentally go back over what she had just heard to make sure it was right.
“...of course you're serious.”
With a sigh, the catgirl's body un-tensed, but her expression was still one of intense distaste for the “humiliation” that came with her role. The weight of everyone else in the room didn't help, it only made embarrassed annoyance eat away at her as she tried to think. Immediately she bit down on another strip of dried meat to hide her expression and buy some time, but nervous energy made her chew it to shreds and swallow it only seconds later, and that would be the last one left. Again she would feel everyone's pressure weighing down on her.

“For fuck's sake, I'll think about it, OK?!”
She finally answered in a tone dripping with the temper and annoyance and the pressure she felt. While her answer wasn't as binding as a promise or anything, for all intents and purposes it was probably a “yes”. If she had meant no, she would have said “no” in a much more flatout way... but at the same time her pride kept her from saying “yes” in a flatout way too... even if the others knew she would probably be committed to the decision now. Being ponderous or indecisive wasn't usually in the felvari's nature, even if there were times it was the smarter choice. Although it was now clear she was back to disliking the whole plan again.

“Do you actually need me around for any of the prep-work? Or I can go do something with the rest of my day... like get something better than bread so I don't starve later today?” the felvari's voice was still tinged with obvious annoyance, although it was mostly to hide her embarrassment of what she probably just agreed to. “You're not gonna tell me you've already got everything set up, and I can't imagine you need me for getting an office or visiting these female "associates" of yours whatever, right?”
If Ichimi was indeed needed for anything, she wouldn't be impossible to talk down. Despite her moody state, she did respect Cedrian and the rest of the group enough to swallow that moodiness when serious work had to be done. Most of the time she didn't even mean anything by it, but her socialization and coping mechanisms were sometimes... poorly developed.
Still, if she wasn't needed for anything, then she'd disappear upstairs, grab her money from the last job, change into better clothes and a cloak, and head out into the city to burn off her feelings alone. At least in the rain she wouldn't look suspicious right now.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Cedrian didn't allow Ichimi's feigned disinterest to keep him from going on with the rough layout of his plans. He likely knew that the catgirl wouldn't be able to help but listen anyway, given the not-so-subtle signs given off by her ears and her habit of overhearing certain details, especially when they involved her--after all, he had shown flashes of manipulativeness even towards his own crew at times. Still, it was for the most part less malicious than it was a force of habit done almost unconsciously, from the Felvari's experience. If even if she had consciously tried to block the words out, he'd continue anyway, seeing as Rio and Augusto were still present to hear them.

"A-Ah...! H... hey," stuttered the most effeminate member of the group in response to Ichimi's quip. Rather than reacting with an angry look or one of protest, however, he took on a more submissive look, shaking his head. Those few half-stammered words were all that he would be able to get in edgewise. While Ichimi could easily count that as a point to her overall 'score' against Rio, it was far too easy a jab in general, and apparently on a fairly sensitive subject for the tailor at that.

On the other hand, Ichimi's first question in response to Cedrian's proposal only caused him to remain silent and hold his slight grin for a moment, as if allowing her to figure it out for herself. Yes... of course he was serious. The swindler's boldness was certainly not something to be taken lightly; Augusto had once told a story about how Cedrian had once sold someone a wooden handle by convincing them it was the missing doorknob to a treasure vault. A slightly far-fetched tale, to be sure, but at times the Felvari simply had to wonder about the true extent of his abilities. After all, while he was very open with those in the group, he also had a habit of keeping many secrets, opting not to reveal certain details until later, as with their most recent job.

"Great! I knew we could count on you," replied Cedrian almost instantly to Ichimi's initial protest, as if it were no different from an explicit agreement. "No, no need, as I still have a few outside contacts to get in touch with and a few kinks in the plan to iron out. Not to mention, our marks probably won't be moving into the city until later today at the earliest, or over the week at the latest. So be sure to go out and keep yourself fed if you're hungry."

With that, Ichimi was free to take her leave for the time being. It was a fairly routine thing, for Cedrian to let her loose upon Naralona when the catgirl felt the need to. He wasn't an authoritarian or a particularly strict leader by any means; on occasion, when he did feel the need to rope a member of the crew into something, it would often be through more subtle means or with a good sell. Even as she left, however, she would overhear some of the conversations shared between the three, thanks to her sharp senses.

"I should... probably start some kind of dress, then," Rio murmured quietly.

"Definitely. Remember, we're thinking upper crust merchant types--elites and their servants, so plan accordingly," said Cedrian.

"Retirement," added Augusto in a muffled voice. "Are you really serious about that? I mean, we've made it up this far without incident..."

"I am," replied the leader. "If anyone's getting tired of it all, we can really close up shop after these last few jobs. Could even go legit, actually... I think each of us has enough to live out a pretty isolated life comfortably, including Ichimi. Starting a real business for her will probably be harder, but to be fair, where she's at right now is definitely better than the alternative."

As their collective voices faded out with the distance that Ichimi put between herself and the warehouse, the catgirl was once again left with a choice. In Naralona there was no shortage of shows to see, food to eat, and fun to be had--provided one had the coin, which she did--whether it be indoor or outdoor. It was fortunate enough for such options to be available, given the steady rain coming down that afternoon.

Another tavern visit could always be in order, if she needed a drink to go with her meal; Ichimi knew the best ones, and over time had managed to remember many that she had paid visits to and those that she hadn't. Alternatively, she would find that there were several new attractions along the strip, perhaps made just in time for the arrival of higher-class folk looking for entertainment. Horse racing, gambling, illusionist, prizefighting and acrobatic shows were the standard for frequent activities here.

Depressing as the rain might be to some, for the residents of this particular city, it was no excuse for everyday operations to simply stop. Even the street performers had managed to find some cover from the weather beneath the underhangs of nearby buildings to continue putting their arts on display. If Ichimi cared to stop, she might find two individuals that stood out.

One was a painter, a somewhat older man, perhaps around forty, whose eyes intermittently skimmed over the backdrop of the city. A closer look would show that catgirl that his own depiction on the canvas was fairly accurate, and yet somewhat more... vibrant, perhaps more alive than the scenery itself. Yet the strokes from his brush were delivered as though they were but careless swishes.

The other was a younger fellow, a musician, who seemed fairly focused on his

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, which sounded elegant and crisp despite being played on a somewhat worn-down violin. If Ichimi cared to listen, she would find his song to be somewhat mood changing, even if the sort of instrument he played was not one that the catgirl cared to listen to most.

Still, these two street performers were merely there on the way to perhaps much larger and more grandiose attractions, which Ichimi could easily go straight for instead.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

“I can still hear you, you know!” Ichimi shouted back with an annoyed ear twitch as she made her way upstairs towards her room.
“And you don't have to talk about me like I can't take care of myself... I don't need pity over what kinds of “alternatives” I could be facing!”
The sound of a window slamming down a few moments later would reveal she had chose to leave that way, rather than come back downstairs and walk by everyone again. In her moody state, it seemed like everything was pissing her off, even if she didn't know exactly why. All she wanted to do right now was get away for a little bit.

The rain coming down did little to cool the felvari's temper. Despite how cold it had been earlier, it was quite warm out now, even with the drizzle. It seemed that by the time daytime came around, conditions in the sky rarely ever affected the temperature on the ground. Even in the mornings, when it wasn't warm out, the rain probably didn't affect much temperature-wise aside from the chill that came with being wet.
“To think, in most places it's supposed to get cold when it rains. Fucking sailors and their stories about ice falling from the sky up north in Elynsor and Grem... what a load of crap...”
Fortunately the rain did little to cool the pace of the city either, and there would be plenty in the way of distractions.

After not too long, Ichimi would make her way towards a busy street, one which hosted many businesses and attractions up it's length. In addition, there were stalls selling all manner of goods, and even performers who had setup under portable makeshift structures with covered tops to block the rain. The streets were nearly as busy as they would be on a normal day, weather like this was a normal occurrence in the city and neither consumers or the ones catering to them were going to be stopped by such a minor annoyance. The variety of attractions was almost overwhelming, but for the moment the thief's attentions would only be drawn to one particular type.
Though it would have been easier to go to a restaurant, Ichimi wasn't in the mood to be cramped up inside right now, and instead drifted from stand to stand that were selling edible treats outsides. Their goods ranged from rolls filled with meat or fruit jellies, to sticks of sweet or spiced dough that had been fried, to salted nuts and dried plants... none of it was exactly healthy or suitable for a real “meal”, and none of it was particularly cheap for how much one would be getting in a serving, but Ichimi didn't care right now and ended up buying as much as she could cram into a few bags... it's not like her metabolism couldn't burn it off anyway; and even if she couldn't her moodiness wouldn't allow her to worry about that right now. Still, she was in no mood to sit down and start stuffing herself with so many other people around, and set her attentions to finding somewhere to disappear.

“That'll work.”
Not far down the street the catgirl saw an empty building that looked like a restaurant or a tavern, locked up tight with all the windows covered. Either it wasn't the type of business to be open during the day, or it had recently gone out of business or changed ownership... all were likely answers, and it didn't matter which was true. Ichimi had no intention of breaking into the building to find out, but there was a balcony, likely an outdoors dining area, off the side of the building and covered to keep it out of the rain. Without a moments hesitation, Ichimi made her way off the street and started taking the stairs that led upwards the area, slipped under the covering hanging from the roof, and found a corner to settle in... all with no regard to whether anyone saw her or not. Of course this was the best way to go about something like that... people were less likely to ask questions if you looked like what you knew what you were doing or behaved like it was perfectly OK. It was the people who acted nervous or suspicious that drew attention. This would be her getaway for her food splurge.

“I can't believe Cedrian and the others!” Ichimi fumed while downing a roll in a single gulp and grabbing for another.
“Dress up like a slave, Ichimi, it'll be fun. It's totally OK thats like the worst thing that could possibly happen to you. It's just pretend, so it's fine, it shouldn't bother you at all, Ichimi!”
The thief's mind briefly flashed back to her encounter at the bar the other night, the disturbed feeling that flooded her senses upon seeing the felvari slave there... the uncannily content look in her eyes despite the fact that she was little more than a glorified pet. Another roll disappeared in another bite before it could really even be tasted.
“And retiring, oh yeah, that'll be sooo easy. Harder for poor Ichimi, but thats just a minor inconvenience, right. There's probably some easy way to work around that though, it's not like the city would just take everything away if they found out, right? Except thats exactly what would happen!”
The mental ranting continued, and in a few short moments most of the Felvari's stash of “food” was gone... but it's effect wasn't lost on the felvari. A warm kind of laziness and the contentment of being full started spreading through her body... and with it, her temper finally started to soften and the sound of the rain became calming.

“I'm... not mad at them... no.”
Ichimi wasn't sure where the realization came from. It just sort of sprang into existence as her mood cooled, and some compulsion got her to do what she neglected to do far too often and take some time to think about it.
“They're just trying to help... they know I'd never be OK on my own. I could easily play exactly the role Cedrian wants me to play... even after the next job, and be fine being a “pet” for him or one of the others. I'd live OK that way... but then I'd just be dead weight, some useless extra thing to take care of. I'm not fucking dead weight, I'd rather go back to being on my own than be fucking dead-weight! I'm not some kid or younger sibling they have a responsibility to...”
She did need them though, on some level she knew that. She had done a horrible job on her own, being barely able to stay alive sometimes... so why was this different?
“... at least this way I'm contributing something. Nobody else could have made that grab as easily as I did the other day... it's OK if I take the risk, I don't mind doing it because it's what I would have to do on my own anyway, better I do it than Rio or someone else. The way things are now... I need them, but I give them something they need too, I'm not dead weight...”
Her eating slowed, and she pushed aside her stash, even with as much as she could eat, the warm content feeling of the food threatened to become one of sickness now.
“It's not like things can stay this way forever though... it's not fair for the others. It's not even good for me... eventually something would go wrong... when the time comes I'll make it work somehow. I told all the others I can take care of myself, after all. I probably owe them some apologies when I get back.”
The idea of dishing out apologies was annoying, but at least the annoyance was, in a strange way, a much more optimistic and “normal” feeling than the ones that ate away at her since waking up.
“Meh... apologies later, when I get back. There's no rush right now, now that I'm already out, I can enjoy my day first... well... in a minute anyway....”

The bit of time alone to think had been a good thing for Ichimi, invigorating almost... but also calming at the same time. Or maybe the calm was from waiting for food to settle. Either way, the feeling was nice, and the sound of rain was relaxing too. The felvari pulled off her hood and let her ears stand up to take the sound in.
As far as she knew she was out of view of anyone, or at least anyone on the street due to the covering draping around along all the sides of the deck, and she'd only take a few minutes to indulge before heading back to the streets. After all, she still had time to enjoy herself... and actually enjoy it this time instead of use it as a distraction from being angry.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi's approach towards the owners of the various food stalls she sought to buy snacks from was not an unwelcome one. If there was any type of stranger in Naralona that she didn't have to watch herself too much around, it would be these kinds of folk. Guards and officials gave her good reason to be wary from time to time, as she was practically a slave without a collar or an owner... basically, another potential tally to add to their arrest quota. The possibility of being sold into slavery was fairly slim if she was careful, but above all, it was still a very real one--a fact that would linger in the back of Ichimi's mind during times like these, when Cedrian or the others were not present to cover for her.

But to the shopkeepers, business was business, no matter who it was from. A Grisalescan weapons merchant would just as soon sell arms to the enemies of the nation he lived in, so long as it meant making a tidy profit. In comparison, food was a much less controversial commodity, and so the Felvari had little difficulty acquiring as much of it as she cared to buy. If it was indulgence one sought, they would find plenty of that in Naralona--especially in edible form. These days, a bite to eat was much easier to come across for Ichimi, though ironically that was primarily due to the cunning plans of the person responsible for her current mood.

No one seemed to spot her casual entrance into the abandoned building, nor her ascent to the upstairs level. While it was slightly musty inside, there wasn't terribly much in the way of cobwebs or other signs of disuse; the restaurant hadn't been closed long, from the looks of it. These sorts of places came and went in the city's bustling tourism trade, and it wouldn't be a surprise to Ichimi if she saw a new setup in a mere week or so. But today, the space was hers and hers alone, so it seemed. As she surveyed the streets below from her high spot, the tops of various heads could be seen, most wearing hats or hoods, hurrying to their destinations with a gait slightly faster than what would otherwise be observed during sunnier days. She could smack and eat as loud as she wanted, if she was so inclined, but even then the noises would gain her no curious glances upward from the passerbys.

With her mental rant having taken up much of her focus, a good portion of the food was gone before Ichimi could really savor it. Her hunger and frustration both hit a low at about the same time, leaving her alone with quieter thoughts. If there was ever a time that she could be alone with her thoughts, it was now. No Rio to pester her, no Augusto to make jokes... sort of a reminder of the lonelier days of her youth. While she did have acquaintances back then, mainly in the form of other street urchins, they also didn't possess the levels of experience and wisdom that operators like Cedrian or Augusto possessed. As a result, many wound up in orphanages--or jails. Ichimi was only really eligible for the latter, but thanks to either her sharp instincts or blind luck, she managed to stay out of it up until now.

There was little to see or do in the building she took momentary shelter in, however, and so she returned to the streets, with the leftover paper bag of snacks held in one arm. In the span of time that she had spent blowing off steam, the lanes had become somewhat more busy. Just like that, her sense of solitude was gone as Naralona's everyday bustle picked up again. But with that came other worries, as she would soon find. The bag filled with her meager leftovers suddenly left her grip, and while Ichimi's reflexes were sharp enough to snatch back on instinct, she only caught a handful of paper torn from the container that was originally hers. A cloaked figure, somewhat shorter than her, weaved through the crowd away from her position, practically giving away their status as the culprit. Not the smoothest of jobs made against her, to be sure. If she hurried now, she could attempt to catch them.

However, Ichimi would catch the presence of some town guards out of her peripheral vision, no more than a dozen feet from where she stood. If she broke out into a full run, she could attract more attention than it was worth... but ultimately, the next course of action was up to her.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

“-?!?”
The quick grab had taken Ichimi by surprise. The way she had learned not to stand out in a crowd and make herself a target had mostly made encounters like this a non-issue, most experienced thieves would instead choose to go after someone who looked alone or had their attention absorbed in something else or had done something else to make themselves an easy target. Then again, maybe this thief lacked or experience, or maybe Ichimi HAD been distracted after her session of deep thinking... or maybe her assailant recognized her as female and thought she'd be less likely to give chase than a man. That last though stoked annoyance in the felvari, even if it wasn't a completely inaccurate one under most circumstances.

“-that little bastard!”
Ichimi grit her teeth in annoyance as she was overcome with a powerful urge to chase down the would-be thief. This was a matter of PRIDE now. A thief like herself would not be outdone by... some kid! No, the days of other urchins ripping her off were long gone, even if her intense dislike of them wasn't. While most other people had a natural urge to be sympathetic towards those younger than themselves, Ichimi's childhood had taught her that they could be worse than adults were. This was NOT something she was going to let go. Still, she was not so careless as to rush in blindly.

“Of course the wind-up toys would be here....”
The nearby city guard had not escaped Ichimi's notice. They had appeared not to notice her assailant, perhaps because a smaller shorter person wasn't immediately as visible in the sea of taller heads. Or perhaps they couldn't be bothered to wear themselves out chasing what was apparently a kid. Without a shopkeeper raising a commotion or anything, there would be no generous “tips” for their efforts even if they did catch the would-be thief. Ichimi herself had neither the luxury of being small enough or looking harmless enough to escape notice if she started acting suspicious though. She should have let it go, after all, she had only lost some scraps, and still had all her money and everything valuable... but the idea still burned. She'd need to come up with something fast though... every second her options were dwindling.

There was a certain amount of speed Ichimi could glide through the crowd with without attracting attention to follow her target, but the distance between them was quickly increasing. The presence of the city guard meant she couldn't run without a chase happening... it also meant she couldn't slow down her target with a well placed knife, even though she had the luxury of being armed. She did briefly ponder the idea of choosing one of those options anyway... but such an unecessary risk was foolish enough to alarm her survival instincts, and those feelings were stronger than her annoyance.

“Distraction... can I make a distraction?”
The answer to that was yes. She carefully slipped one of her throwing knives into her hand, with the tip of the blade sticking out just beyond her finger tips ever so slightly.
“Now who's going to make the most noise?”
The felvari's eyes scanned the crowd, using the same kind of profiling she had suspected her would-be assailant of using earlier. She was scanning the crowd for any women, or any guys that looked particularly whiny and dramatic. She also needed someone with exposed skin somewhere, a short sleeve top or something similar, otherwise she risked cutting too deep and giving herself away. Something the level of a paper cut wouldn't get her caught during the act, but anything that drew blood might. She wanted to create a distraction, not get caught for assault.
Once she found a suitable victim, she focused voidic airs into the tip of her weapon. This particular “flavor” wasn't one that would cause harm, and it's effects would be fairly short lived, but it would serve her purposes well. Her cut would barely be enough to register as pain, and the voidic airs would take a few seconds to start working... but once they did, they would cause an intense painful burning sensation in the struck body part.... hopefully enough to catch the victim by surprise and get them to show a reaction. If everything worked according to plan, this would draw the guard's attention just long enough for her to slip away. She already took notice of the lowest rooftops, or ones that had piles of boxes or barrels near them that she could use to get up high quickly. With even just a few seconds of distraction, she could get herself up high, climbing was second nature to her, and her own light body was no trouble to throw around. It would be easy to track her target from up there..

“Thats right... we'll let you think you've gotten away. Lead me right back to whatever hole you like to hide in, then we can have a little chat without anyone else interrupting...”

 

[Takimaru]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

Ichimi's silent fuming might have been enough to catch the culprit's attention; if looks or intent alone had the capability to maim, then hers could likely kill. But they couldn't, at least not in this case, and so the hooded figure dashed off without a care. They were covering a good bit of ground in record time, and the Felvari's guess to their youthful nature seemed accurate enough; certainly this wasn't the work of a diminutive old man. She had to think of something fast, and she did, opting to create a commotion by which to mask her pursuit. Even if she was seething, no one would notice the throwing dagger slide into her hand as she scanned the crowd around her, looking for someone whose cries could potentially be loud enough to cause a proper ruckus.

She would find there to be no shortage of targets. Unfortunately, most had bothered to cover themselves up pretty well thanks to the rain, but there were plenty of women and 'whiny' looking males for her to choose from--almost too many. It worked out for the better, as she had very little time to fish, and so the closest one would do. The target, a foreigner of sorts, wasn't a particularly small man, but a very fancy looking one who opted to use a parasol instead of the usual cloak. The reason for this was readily apparent; his flowing, flippy blonde locks were just too carefully arranged to suffer the indignity of having them mussed by a hood or hat. And while he had very little skin exposed, even just his hand would do in this case--the one down by his side, of course.

Ichimi passed him by in the most casual manner possible, and delivered the most discrete and miniscule cut she could manage. The catgirl would feel her Void-infused weapon cut just lightly enough into the man's hand to barely break skin as she walked past, soon blending in with the others in the crowd. Unlike the one that had stolen from her, she would not run off immediately. Instead, she would demonstrate a higher level of experience, getting a few steps down the road before the stranger's delayed reaction would earn the attention of the nearby guards.

"Agh! Something bit me! I think I... auuhhhuhhh... guh--BWEEEHHHHHH!!"

The man hunched over with his hands on his knees, dropping his umbrella and losing his lunch all over the wet cobblestone street. Others nearby took a few steps away so as to avoid the vomit, and this was just enough to get the town guards to head towards the commotion. The flamboyant blonde looked to be fairly well-off, and so the status of his health was certainly one worth checking, at least in the eyes of the guards.

"Sir, are you well? What happened?"

The mark took his time to respond, which worked out quite well, as none looked to Ichimi as the source with her simply being too far away. Her distraction expertly delivered, the Felvari was then free to pursue the other thief that had taken her leftovers. She ducked into the nearest alley to find a way to ascend to the nearest rooftop. The place she wound up in was a dark one, but her feline eyes adjusted quickly to the lack of light, allowing her to spot a stack of crates that she could get herself onto. Ichimi leapt onto one, then the other, before jumping up and grabbing onto the ledge of one of the tiled roofs. After managing to scramble up onto them with only minor difficulty, she would dash across the rooftops, leaping over small gaps in between each one, all the while keeping an eye on the crowds below.

She did remember that the one who had stolen from her wore a beige cloak, and so she scanned the street accordingly. Not that she would have to look for long, as the figure, moving much faster than the rest of the travelers, was spotted before too long. Ichimi tracked them down, and skidded to a stop at the edge of a roof, just above a wider and better-lit alley where the culprit turned into. It was sort of a wonder as to why they had chosen such an obvious place, relatively exposed to the public eye... but perhaps they were confident enough that they had gotten away with it at this point.

The reasons as to why became clear enough as the urchin pulled his hood off, revealing the tussled flaxen hair of a young boy. It explained the pickpocket's relative lack of experience, if nothing else. Settling down into the alley, he squatted and turned his back to the end of the alley, keeping a silent eye on the main street as he began to dig through the bags that he had freshly snatched. He was clearly very hungry, as the boy bit into the fried dough without further fanfare, exhibiting an appetite that Ichimi hadn't known since her own youth.

But seeing as the thief had fully stopped, Ichimi was now able to literally get the drop on him if she so chose.

 

[Kat]

Re: The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

“Tch... maybe I went a little overboard. No time to worry about that now though! He'll be fine, probably...”
Ichimi had never meant to poison her distraction so badly as to make him spill his stomach all over the sidewalk. Still, from the moment she had a plan, a weird kind of ambitious energy had overtaken her mind, a predatory instinct almost. Even if she had gone overboard though, she knew the voidic airs she produced would pass quickly. The very fact that her target hadn't passed out, an effect the felvari knew she could produce with stronger hits, was assurance enough that he wasn't going to die or anything... all that mattered now was taking advantage of the window she had created. Within seconds she was already up on a roof and well away from the scene, completely unnoticed.

Ichimi liked the rooftops. There was a sense of freedom to running across the roofs, to having all the space and freedom without crowds to worry about running into or finding the running suspicious. There was a small risk to doing it that kept her from doing it all the time, as guards up on the roofs to oversee activity in crowded areas below wern't completely unheard of... but it was kind of rare too due to how little they could actually do without climbing down first, by which time most culprits would have been long gone because guards in armor wern't nearly as good at tracking or traversing the buildings the way the felvari could. Occasionally they would have crossbows, but the devices hadn't caught on enough to be widespread, and every time Ichimi had seen them used it was with a distinct lack of skill... for the most part the guards would just be there for looks and to make everyone FEEL safe, if they were there at all. Thankfully for Ichimi, today this part of the city seemed to be the latter. Her chase would go on unhindered, almost becoming “fun”... but coming to an end before it could get really good.

“An open alley, are you serious?! You're terrible at thi-”
If the fun of Ichimi's chase hadn't worn off before, it definitely did the moment the urchin started eating his stolen prize. This sight caused the felvari's to grit her teeth, her current train of thought interrupted by childhood memories of stolen food, and how once it was swallowed there was no chance of getting it back. In that moment, any thoughts of sympathy she might have had, any thoughts of sympathy that any normal person might have had for someone that age, evaporated in mere moments. Sympathy for children was naïve and misplaced, they were the cruelest most shameless little bastards around... they would backstab you in a second and not feel bad about it, this Ichimi knew from experience. The only thing keeping Ichimi's anger in check was that she hadn't actually thought about what she was going to do once this chase had ended. That fact made her sit back against the raised wall of the roof she was on and try to regain her cool.
“Deep breaths. It's not worth beating up a kid in an open alley for a few scraps of food. You're not even hungry, you haven't had to starve for nearly the past two years, just let it go and let the kid have the scraps... it's not like you can get them back at this point anyway, he's probably already finished most of it. Just let it go...
…
…
…
It's not even about that though! Fucking little bastard still had the nerve to steal from you! Probably doesn't even feel bad about it, smug little fucking shit! No, no, you don't let him get away with that without at least a scare. Besides, thats being merciful, he'll get off without a beating or the guards hauling him off... if he's not stupid about it.”

Ichimi's target was facing out towards the street, and so she moved down the roof a little ways, farther towards the opposite end of the alley, with a plan already forming in her head. It was here she would silently drop down behind her target before making herself known. She was leaving him with a way out, a straight path into the street, but maybe he'd panic and run out in a hurry, a well deserved scare for his nerve of stealing from her, even better if he ran right into the city guard. His other options were to stand his ground, try to convince her why she shouldn't be angry... or rush down the alley to try to attack her in a fight that was clearly in her favor, and by doing so move further into the alley and out of sight of the street.

“Not very good at our job, are we? You should find something else to do, this isn't game for kids and I don't like losing my stuff to little brats. Go ahead, try to convince me why I shouldn't make this dangerous...”
The taunt was delivered loud enough for her target to hear, but not loud enough to carry out of the alley... and to back her threat she had one of her daggers in her hand, occasionally twirling it to draw attention to it... although she had no intention of actually using it, even if she WAS attacked. If he attacked her, she'd just go for a disarm... her plan was to just to scare the kid, not to actually hurt him.