The Cat's Share (Kat) GMed by Takimaru

[Takimaru]

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

"Fine, don't help," chided Augusto. "Just remember who prepared all those delicious meals for you nearly every night..."

"We're a little stuffed," explained Cedrian. "I took the cat out for a treat--she's had a rough day, you see."

"Poor children. I should have notified you that the House of Augusto is always willing to provide for those in need," said the 'cleric', using his kinder voice that Ichimi knew to be part of the facade he wore in public, beyond the walls of their grifters' warehouse.

"Heh... not sure if we'd qualify as needy, but provisions would be nice. That coming out of your share?" joked Cedrian in return.

"Of course not. But donations make Erion very happy."

After Ichimi gave her response to the largest of the group, he gave a slight shrug. "If you say so," replied Hector. But the minute changes in his expression, invisible to those who didn't know him, were easily read by the catgirl as a sign of disappointment. "We all know you're a natural. But remember, hard work beats talent when talent refuses to work hard. Mess up once and it'll all go to shit," he added before returning to finish his routine.

As the Felvari made her way towards her room, she heard a scamper of small feet from behind. She didn't have to look to know it was Rio.

"Hey! So I was just thinking, I know you're probably not in the mood now but maybe la--ooh, is that a collar? For the disguise, maybe? Did Cedrian get it for you? I wanna see!"

 

[Kat]

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

“-!!!”
From the moment the felvari heard her tag along say “ooh” and knew he had taken notice of something, her whole body tensed up with dread, praying he would have enough tact to not say anything else. Unfortunately her luck wouldn't prove to be so generous.
“-Gah! Quiet you little imp!!”
Rio's observations would be met with a quick smack to the head as Ichimi tried to get him to be quiet, but by the time she had made the move, it would already be too late. When she turned around to see who had noticed, her whole face would be red already. Even with her hood up, one could tell her ears were bolt upright and her tail was swishing from side to side erratically much in the same way someone might nervously wring their hands.

“W-what?! Yes it's a collar, OK?!” At this she tore her hood and cloak off, as if to get it over with faster.
“Since I agreed to this stupid plan, I'm gonna have to wear it eventually anyway! I was just getting use to it now! I-I was preparing, see? It's like the same thing as practice OK? So don't say I anything about it. I don't even like the damn thing!” she continued on in a defensive voice, trying to cover for herself even though just a moment ago she would have been content to slip away and take it off without anyone knowing any better.

“It's not like there's anything better to do right now anyway...” she finished up, her voice still a little defensive. Whether she was aware of it or not though, what she had just said was less of a statement and more of an invitation. Having been singled out right now, part of her wanted someone to do something with now, just to have someone on her “side” and not be standing alone anymore, even if she'd never admit as much openly.

 

[Takimaru]

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

"Oww!"

Ichimi's tone of voice only caused the others, namely Augusto and Hector, to give a glance in her direction to see what the fuss was about. Neither of them would prove so bold as to approach and contribute to the girl's apparent exasperation, but the Felvari could already tell that her mood was anything but secret at this point. Even if her other cohorts might not have seen the new collar around her neck, it likely wouldn't be too difficult to guess the reason for someone particularly sharp. And here, nobody was that dense, not even Rio.

Upon catching an eyeful of the gleaming yet undeniably symbolic adornment, the effeminate youth seemed to struggle deciding whether to show more of his admiration of the item's beauty or his shock over Ichimi's apparent willingness to wear it.

"O-Ohh, wow," he started. "Okay. I was almost surprised that Cedrian could even talk you into it. Almost! But don't be so touchy about it--it actually looks real pretty on you! And it's not like we're really going to look down on you for wearing it, it's just part of a disguise anyway. And if Cedrian talked you into it, it can't be helped. It's happened to all of us at one point or another. Besides, if Augusto tries to say anything, you should just remember the time he posed as a dirty beggar! Hehe. And I had to do luggage rat duty on our last job, ssooo... yeah. I can't really say anything."

While his attempts at comforting Ichimi were practically unnecessary at that point to gain and keep her attention, he seemed to have taken such efforts to be fruitful. It was hard for the tailor to hide his budding smile, and he would reply to her hesitant agreement with a firm nod. "Alright! If you want to do it upstairs, let me just get a few of my things first," pronounced Rio before scurrying off to collect his belongings from the table downstairs.

When he returned, with a basket full of his goods, Ichimi could opt to either entertain the youth in her room or his own, both of which could afford them a fair bit of privacy. However, she wasn't to be his model doll this time around. Instead, she was made to help him with crafts, to give her opinions on certain patterns and outfits, and to hold things like his personal assistant. While such tasks weren't as intense as Hector's training or as complicated as Cedrian's brainstorming, they were simple and easy enough to be relaxing in their own way. While sewing, measuring and simply giving one's tastes on various colors and combinations thereof, it was easy to forget that this was still the hideout of a group of con artists. Here were two 'girls', doing normal things that any free citizen in Naralona might enjoy doing.

Then, finally, Rio reached into his case to pull out a fairly fancy dress. "So I've been working on something..."

Upon closer inspection, Ichimi would find it to be just a few sizes smaller than her own. Clearly, it wasn't met for her, but for Rio, who couldn't help but blush as he carefully slipped into the garment. "So... does it suit me? I was thinking about wearing it out in public sometime. You know, to prepare for our job and such..." he started. "But even afterwards, I was thinking that maybe I could do this all the time and get away with it. You know, to live like um, a girl," he went on, sincere in his confession. "Do I pass?"

 

[Kat]

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

“It's not the same thing!”
The felvari replied to the comparison between her own piece and the disguises the others in her group had worn in the past. While it may have seemed a purely defensive remark at first, it wasn't entirely wrong... both in terms of what it represented and in terms of how much danger she routinely faced on the group's jobs in general. Usually that danger came from being the diversion when it was needed, but in those cases it was hard to be too bitter over something she did willingly and was the most qualified to do. This was different though, probably even safer, but still felt like a tempting of fate.
“And it's not about whether it looks pretty or not...”
Still... the felvari wasn't willing to loser her chance at having someone on her “side” to help her escape from the current going-ons around the warehouse, and let her voice trail off before any serious argument could happen. This was not a fight she wanted to have right now, especially not with Rio and especially not in front of everyone else.
For now she'd be content to suppress her annoyance and follow the tailor back to his own room, her own being far too messy to make a suitable workspace.
“Tch... should have hit him harder...”

Initially Ichimi's drooping ears would make it obvious she would have preferred someone else in the group asking for her attention, but once Rio had started, the felvari would find things wern't as bad as she thought they'd be.
Being an “assistant” wasn't the most exciting of tasks, but it was better than being a dressup doll. It was annoying, and far removed from the girl's usual interests and expertise (a fact that would soon become obvious with her feedback on colors and other matters of fashion), but it was a nice distraction... a nice way to forget the future and all of it's uncertainties. None of that mattered right now. All that mattered right now was being able to indulge in a taste of normal life, or at least what the felvari thought “normal” life was like... maybe it was all a fantasy, and in the back of her mind she knew not to take it too seriously or become too invested in it. Forgetting reality was foolish, and misinterpreting it was even worse... but the felvari's companion, with the admission that followed, made her question whether she was the only one who remembered that.

Rio's admission surprised Ichimi. Such that she was was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond. On one hand she didn't want to be mean in the face of genuine honestly and need for approval and acceptance, didn't want to mirror the tailor's own parents with anything that could be seen as disapproval or hostility... but on the other hand she could hardly believe her companion had used to be a street urchin like herself. While she didn't disapprove of the choices on any personal level, she could hardly believe this utter lack of seeing things how they really were... not saying anything was painful, like lying to someone's face... and this was the the half of the felvari's person feelings that ended up making up a larger part of her response, though the former tempered her tone and choice of words enough to not be hostile, although they were... almost pitying. Her words came slower than normal, and sounded strangely more knowledgeable and serious than usual.
“I think you've got the wrong idea about this whole thing. Being all cute and feminine has it's uses, but I don't think it's the fantasy you think it is. People treat cute girls different, but it's never because of innocent compassion or love. Your gender treats them differently because it wants an easy fuck. My gender treats them different because it sees them as threats that will take away things they think they deserve. Every comment you get from men will be because they want a “pet” without sharp claws and every compliment you get from women will be a veiled threat or insult or some other bullshit meant to look like a compliment but tear you down.”
There was a short pause, the felvari had meant to guage whatever reaction she had caused with her words, but couldn't bring herself to make direct contact. Reality checks like this were rarely pleasant, even if they needed to happen, and even the usually-direct catgirl didn't enjoy doing this.
“...why would you even want to do that?”
It wasn't what she had to say, but her mind blanked out during the pause, and no other words came. Instead she only kept looking away, and if no response reached her ears after a few moments, she would slip away on her own in an attempt to keep things from getting any worse, then disappear into her own room.

 

[Takimaru]

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

Rio paused, his smile fading before Ichimi could even finish her first sentence. The catgirl's tone was... different, a far cry from the casual manner in which she spoke only seconds ago, before he presented himself to her in the dress.

It was slower, more serious, and reeked of concern. He appeared to recognize such a tone, and it caused his gaze to harden and his jaw to set as Ichimi continued, reciting a combination words that were vaguely familiar despite never having been said to him in that specific order. It was difficult to tell if he was even comprehending what she was saying at first--but the tears welling up in his eyes would show that he had indeed gleaned the general point of the response. He moved to take off the dress, disregarding any apparent indecency despite his usual modesty, and only paused when he heard the line:

"...why would you even want to do that?"

Then, he couldn't help but to show her a hurt expression, a betrayed look of sorts, and it looked as though he was going to burst into tears at any moment. Not a sob came from him during that time, but the tears began to roll down his cheeks regardless of how hard he tried to hold them back.

Finally, he made a response. It wasn't one made between sobs, but even Ichimi could tell that the tailor was hurt despite his best attempts to hide it.
"I thought you of all people would at least understand. You were giving your opinions on this and that only seconds ago and I thought you were just being nice... maybe you were humoring me, I don't know, but I just wanted to know if I passed. I thought I told you about that once, but maybe my story was just that boring--who knows? When she found out about the same thing, my mother told me that she didn't want me to get hurt... and my father said that I wouldn't last a day in the streets. Not one day. And here I am now. If there's anything I don't need, it's people telling me reasons I shouldn't do this. So thanks for the advice, but no thanks... and sorry for hassling you with the question in the first place."

After he finished removing the dress, leaving him dressed only in his underwear, he took a deep breath and concluded: "But don't worry. I won't ask you to do this for me again and bother you with my stupid dressup issues," he choked, before retreating to one end of the room where his worktable sat, leaving her free to retreat to her room.

Picking up his tailor's scissors, he would begin to cut away at the dress he had just removed, working quietly yet efficiently in his usual fashion.

 

[Kat]

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

"..."
Even before Ichimi had finished had finished speaking, she had started to dread the reaction she was getting now. She wasn't wrong, that much she was (mostly) sure of, but trying to explain it had made things worse than saying nothing would have.
"Why can't that little imp should have been grateful he had someone who cared enough to be worried about him? Why does he have to be so damn fragile and cry about it when I'm only looking out for him. Why can't he just stop and use his head for a moment?!"
Instead of voicing any of her concerns, however, the felvari bit her tongue. She wasn't Cedrian, and there was nothing she could envision herself saying that wouldn't just make things even worse again. It was a mistake she was hesitant to repeat. She had already made a mistake, things had gotten bad, and now the only thing her instincts told her was to retreat. With Rio already at the other end of the room, she at least wouldn't have any obstacles in the way of that... although doing it in complete silence would prove to be too much.
"...you shouldn't be working when you're like this, you're going to cut something you don't mean to."
Maybe it was a poor apology, or genuine advice and concern, or perhaps it was just annoyance at the sound of snapping scissors in an uncomfortable void of silence... Ichimi wasn't sure herself, her tone a mix of all three. Regardless, she wouldn't linger any longer, and would instead slip out the door and make a straight line to her own room.

"Ugh! It's like dealing with a fucking kid! "Did I pass?" Yeah, you were plenty enough of a drama queen to pass as one!"
Almost immediately the felvari regretted having the thoughts. It was frustration speaking more than anything. Even being away from the whole thing now, she couldn't push it from her mind or relax. If she had been in a calmer mood, she could have grabbed some of her charcoal sticks and paper and started sketching things until she lost track of time and fell asleep just like anyone else here did with their hobbies... but tonight even trying to hold the sticks would just lead her to snap it between her fingers. She would find no escape in the hobby. In fact even being in her room would make her feel worse. She had hurt one of her "family", the "family" that had given her almost everything she had right now... whether she was right or wrong, it felt bad, it felt like she didn't deserve to be here anymore.
The girl wasn't so impulsive or foolish as to immediately believe or act on everything the feeling was telling her. She knew there was nothing to be gained by throwing a fit and disappearing into the city for the night, especially when she had decided earlier that it would be reckless to test her luck out there anymore tonight... however the feeling gnawed at her too much to be ignored completely. Grabbing one of her thicker blankets, she made her way out one of the windows and onto the roof, knocking over some of her unfinished sketches along the way and even causing one to trail her for a ways before breaking off and gliding right into the ocean below. Normally she wouldn't be so reckless, her sketches took effort and were one of the few things she treated carefully, but tonight she felt too crappy too care. Instead her ony concern would be finding a corner facing the sea, bundling up, and hoping the night air, sound of the water, and time would soothe things over.
"Damn... hope it doesn't rain tonight..."

 

[Takimaru]

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

Apart from the intermittent sob that couldn't be stifled, Rio made no other sounds to acknowledge the catgirl's parting comments. Ichimi was left with only an uncomfortable silence afterwards, as everyone else still appeared to be downstairs. It only seemed to amplify the only other sound on the upper level--the snipping of the tailor's shears.

Even though Rio didn't opt to take her last bit of advice, the noise would still gradually diminish as the Felvari put some distance between her and the one she had apparently offended, allowing the swirl of thoughts and feelings welling up in her core to take over from there. It drove her to the rooftop, where she would find the temperature to be shockingly cold. Such a contrast from inside, it was... probably due to the wind that had just sent some of her sketches of the ocean to the real version of the water itself.

But with her blanket, the chill factor wouldn't prove to be unbearable, and so Ichimi found herself capable of staying up on the roof for a good while, feeling a hint of ocean mist, but little in the way of actual, heavy rain. Compared to dealing with the bustle of her teammates moving about and chatting indoors, the solitude that being in a place that few could reach could be somewhat refreshing, if that was what she preferred at the time. For better or for worse, up there she could truly feel alone.

However, while the group's only subhuman afforded herself a little less than an hour of silence and thought, she apparently wouldn't be left alone for long. A voice could be heard from below; the catgirl's sharp hearing helped her estimate the sound coming from just within her room. It was Cedrian.

"Hey... everything alright up there? Don't be too hard on yourself--or Rio, for that matter. From the way he's moping, I could only figure that you two got into it or something like that. If you get hungry, I'll have Augusto leave some leftovers on the table downstairs."

 

[Kat]

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

"As if I could have honestly expected anything other than everyone finding out. Little imp was probably sulking all throughout dinner..."
At first all Ichimi wanted to do was pull her blanket tighter around her head and pretend that she hadn't heard anything, just go back to moping alone as if her solitude were never broken. Her conscience wouldn't let her have it though. In the same way she never locked her door to her "family", she couldn't bring herself to genuinely ignore any of them when they were talking to her either. It would only be a few moments before she dragged herself back to her feet and made her way back inside through her window.

"We didn't even "get into it", no matter how much he's crying about it!"
The felvari began defensively, although being mindful enough to keep her voice low enough that it wouldn't carry through the walls.
"The imp's being an idiot again. He's getting lost in stupid daydreams and fantasies that are too far in the future to even be worrying about right now... and even if they do happen, they're probably not going to play out the way he thinks they will. He's distracting himself from more important things to be worried about right now, and he's willingly blinding himself to the risks he's going to be taking later. He asking to be taken advantage of, but when I point this out I'm suddenly big bad Ichimi who's picking on him and being unfair."
There a sigh and a short pause as the girl stopped herself from ranting and calmed her tone.

"I'm not trying to be hard on him, I'm just trying to look out for him. He's not a kid anymore, I'm just trying to get him to stay aware of what really matters instead of hiding in some stupid fantasy that's distracting and easy to exploit. It's not my fault he's being too dense to deal with that, I don't know how to make him see it."
Ichimi would end her argument here... if it was even an argument in the first place, maybe it was a venting of frustration, or her just trying to organize her own thoughts... possibly all three. Now was the time for listening, if she was going to get an answer at all.

 

[Takimaru]

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

"Alright, alright," said Cedrian. "I'll be sure to make it official on the record--'didn't get into it'. But hey, it was still enough to bother both of you... apparently," he then added, as if to show that the catgirl's flustered expression wouldn't slip past his notice. "I can tell when you don't give a shit, but now is not one of those times."

He allowed her to blow off some initial steam with a relatively vague explanation of the concerns at hand. Yet despite Ichimi's somewhat cryptic way of recounting the issues, the more experienced swindler proved all too able to isolate the specifics that she had left out.

"Wow, look at you so worried about all that. It's not like you to be fretting over someone's personal fashion sense," he quipped in a tone light enough to show that he wasn't particularly serious about the last point. The voice that followed was only a little more solemn. "I've always thought of us as more family than a group of co-workers, but moreso you and Rio than anyone else here. We're in a business like this, and you're worried about risks that our little tailor has to take? I'd even go so far as to say that he plays it safer than you do, since he spends most of his time cooped up in here with the needle and the thread."

Cedrian shrugged, glancing towards the open window. "Well, maybe you're right. Maybe that little tendency of his is gonna get him used and abused, or worse, one of these days. But the same thing could be said about us. Best laid plans and it can still go to shit. You know that. Still, I know you like your freedom despite all of the danger. Maybe, ah... let him enjoy his?"

"Anyway, I'm not gonna bust your ass over it too much. Just making sure you two are alright. We're all going to need to be on the same page for the big job."

 

[Kat]

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

"..."
The felvari found herself wanting to argue... but nothing came to mind that didn't just sound childish. Conversations similar to this one had already happened before for different reasons, and even indirectly, Cedrian had managed to remind her of that. Bringing it up again made her feel like a slow learner, and she lacked the charisma and conversational skills to even pretend to be able to argue back. It was a crappy feeling... although perhaps one she deserved. For all her frustrations, she knew Cedrian was probably right.

"I'm fine. Just... let me borrow Hector or Augusto for a bit tomorrow morning. You know... so I can get the imp something and get him to stop being all pouty."
It would have been an alright cover, had the girl's ears not been flat and her eyes avoiding contact. Despite claiming she was fine, such telltale signs made it obvious that she was still feeling guilty. After a small pause though, she'd be quick to speak again before the awkwardness set in too deep, although her voice would still be overly defensive.
"It's not like I can go by myself! The shops I usually visit won't have anything nice enough, and the fancier places aren't gonna let me go in unattended with my hood up!"
Another small pause as her tone evened out a bit more, but not completely.
"I mean, I could probably just go and steal whatever I needed tonight while the shops are closed, but this is safer and less likely to tempt my luck... so just let me borrow someone tomorrow, OK?"

 

[Takimaru]

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

"Borrow Hector or Augusto, huh? I know I make the plans around here, but I don't own you guys like some kind of slave owner. Heh, well... not a real one. Whether or not you can 'borrow' either one is probably something you should ask them yourselves... but sure. I'm not doing anything with 'em tomorrow."

The Felvari's sudden outburst that soon followed only prompted an amused look from the head hustler. "No need to cover for every possible avenue I'm going to take," said the man with a chuckle. "I'm not here to grill ya, hon."

He did, however, raise a brow at her implication of burglary by stealth. "Although... breaking and entering, huh? That's so like you. Don't think it's all that necessary for a gift, myself. But if you do go out tonight, just don't go getting yourself caught. We're gonna need you--AND Rio--to be around in the next few days."

Unless she stopped him for anything else, Cedrian would then give her a nod and make his way out of the room and back downstairs to leave the catgirl to her own devices.

 

[Kat]

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

“I know...” the felvari answered with with a sigh “It's not like I'm trying to start anything and ruin the plan. I'm doing my best to fix it... I just need some help and I wasn't sure who you needed tomorrow. I'm not actually reckless enough to attempt a break-in if I can help it, we both know that's not my specialty. I'm not much safer just walking in normally though either. I would've been facing a fight or an indoor chase at that casino yesterday if you hadn't been there. I can't just do things like the rest of you can.”
Ichimi had nothing else to say after she finished up her rant, but stuck close to Cedrian anyway as he went downstairs, her own footsteps having become a silent glide masked in the sound of his own. Between that and the low voice she had used when speaking, it was apparent that she didn't want her presence to stand out too much as if she had already forgotten the recent fight and was carrying on as normal already. However, whether this reaction was intentional or subconscious though was something even the felvari herself didn't know. It didn't matter though, she had other things to do besides worry about it, and at the bottom of the stairs broke off and headed towards Hector's door to give it a knock.

“Still awake in there?”
“Please say yes... otherwise I'm gonna have to have to ask Augusto, and he'll probably never live down me needing his help...”

 

[Takimaru]

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

While Cedrian was known to be good at sugar-coating certain truths, the catgirl's gripe about her relative lack of privilege wasn't one that he would try to glaze this time. "Not going to lie on that one, you're right. It's not easy being a stray cat around these parts. But just remember, there are things you can do that we can't. The way you do it, they don't even have to see your face. Lotta thieves in this city that would kill to have skills like yours. I'd even register to own you for real, if it would make things easier for you... but unfortunately I'm not exactly an upstanding citizen myself."

He left it at that as Ichimi followed him downstairs, only to part from the boss and make her way towards Hector's room. A few seconds passed after the knock, but not much more than that. Her towering teammate was a light sleeper, she knew, and so even if he had crashed early, she wouldn't have to wait long before seeing the door swing open. Hector was there, his hair slightly disheveled but the man hadn't quite having changed into his sleeping attire just yet. Rubbing an eye, allowed his line of sight to sink until it met Ichimi's eye level. "Yeah? It's too early to sleep."

 

[Kat]

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

"-Never for real! You're lucky I even agreed to this for pretend!" the Ichimi snapped back, almost forgetting to keep her voice down. It was a gut reaction though, one done without much thought or consideration that what she had just heard was supposed to be a compliment. Almost as soon as she finished, her brain caught up and she turned away to hide her flustered expression.
"Other thieves can wish for my skills all they want, I'd rather not have to be a thief in the first place at all..." the felvari mumbled in a tone that implied apology, despite her words being about something else entirely; grateful that for this member of her "family", at least, there wouldn't be any drama or hurt feelings over it.

~~~​

"Can I come in?"
If invited in, the cat girl would shuffle arouund for a few moments, realizing she hadn't really thought through how to ask this. The building awkwardness fed into itself and made her even more aware of how strange it felt to need to ask for help with something, until she just blurted out her request.
"I want you to take me shopping tomorrow morning!"
Not as smooth as she would have liked, as a visible blush on her face showed, but it was easy enough to recover now and keep her momentum.
"It's not for me. I said something stupid and made Rio all sad, Ced already told me he was moping all through dinner, so I'm trying to get a gift or something and fix it now.
Anyway, I can't go by myself. I need something nice, and the places I can go alone won't have anything better than cheap knock-off crap. Ced's probably gonna be busy tomorrow, so I want you to take me."
There was a short pause, again awkward, even though she had gotten out everything important.
"It'll be really quick, I'll wear my collar and everything, nothing complicated!"
After this last blurt she kept herself quiet and waited for an answer, too prideful to risk looking any more like a child begging for some treat... as if she hadn't achieved that effect already.

 

[Takimaru]

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

"Don't even have to ask," uttered Hector, who stepped aside so that the felvari could enter. Raising a brow, the man scratched the back of his head briefly, running a large hand through his messy white hair. As she entered and gathered her nerve, his expression took on a tinge of concern. Perhaps she was to discuss something important? Ichimi hadn't made a point of actually entering his room very often, after all...

Perhaps he had expected her to start slow and build up to it, as she had done in the past when addressing a particularly sensitive concern, and so he sat down upon the edge of his bed, preparing to listen. What he got instead was a request that was spouted out far quicker than he thought. Hector blinked a few times, visibly puzzled. "Shopping...? Uh, alright," he said with a furrowed brow. He looked as though he was going to ask something else, but Ichimi's follow-up explanation beat him to the punch.

Still, Hector couldn't help but keep a strange look upon the catgirl, as if she had just told him about a ghost or something else outlandish. Yet ultimately, he would answer with a shrug and a nod. "Figured it was somethin' like that... so, that it? I'm not gonna be able to pull off rich-guy as good as Ced, though."

For all of the blushing and awkwardness that Ichimi exhibited, the largest member of her crew showed her a rather lukewarm reaction in response. He was always that way, however, and Ichimi knew as much--not that it made the experience of explaining any less embarrassing.

 

[Kat]

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

The felvari breathed a sigh of relief that her request hadn't been denied, and that it hadn't been met with any sort of teasing or ridicule. Though stammering through her explanation had been awkward, her cool had quickly returned now that she had gotten the sort of answer she had been hoping for.
“It's fine. You don't even have to pull off “rich guy” like Ced. We're not going to be scamming anyone, I mean, it's not really a “gift” if I just cheat like that. I'll pay for it and everything... well, I mean, you will because I'm not allowed to buy things, but I'll give you the money for it.” the catgirl explained with an annoyed ear twitch towards the end, before continuing to address her partner's concerns. “Anyway, lots of rich guys have tons of hired help and stuff. Just wear something nice enough to pass as one of those. I doubt it's not too unusual for the rich asshole masters to be concerned with far more “important” things than taking the time to reward their slaves, even if they've been “good”. We're not pulling off something super difficult here, so it should be fine. Just don't make any jokes about “renting” me out, Ced almost gave me a heart attack with that one not too long ago...”
Ichimi would wait a moment for any responses, before taking her leave.
“Thanks. I'm really glad I didn't have to ask Augusto. Not that I don't trust him or anything, just... you know...” her voice trailed off for a moment “Anyway, nevermind that. I'll leave a window uncovered so I'll be up as soon as the sun is up, unless you'd rather go some other time.”
If nobody stopped her, the thief would then find her way out of the room and head back to her own, still gliding along with the same silent feet as when she came downstairs.

~~~

“Bleh... it sure did get fucking cold while I was downstairs...”
As Ichimi returned to her own room, the cool air that washed over her as soon as the door opened reminded her that she had left her window open. Had it really gotten that cold so fast... or did the warm air in the rest of the warehouse just adjust her senses accordingly? Either way she didn't want to go out again. She was still feeling lousy about earlier, but fuck it, the pile of warm blankets on her bed was too appealing. Now was the time to fall asleep in that warm bliss. Wasting no time she kicked off her boots and the parts of her clothes unsuitable for sleeping in and closed her windows, leaving them uncovered though so the morning sun would wake her. It was a slight risk, leaving the window uncovered where someone could see she what she was without her cloak on, but she was up on a second floor. Nobody was going to be able to see her from the angle they would have at ground level, and the warehouse wasn't exactly next to a busy street or anything.
“Sleep is now, Imp. I'm not losing any just cos you're being pouty, especially if I'm getting up early for you anyway.”
Though she fell asleep rather quickly, it seemed the felvari wouldn't be completely free of her guilt. Though no nightmares plagued her or woke her up tonight, he mind was still in a weird state, and any dreams she did have would be an indistinguishable blur by the time morning came. It wasn't exactly bad sleep, but at least it wasn't good either...

 

[Takimaru]

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

Ichimi would rise not to the sunlight, which didn't reach her slumbering form for whatever reason, but to the loud, rhythmic noises of a bag being struck. Hector had gotten up before her, as he usually did, and begun his daily routine. Though he was large enough to be considered formidable in his own right, the pugilist was never one to neglect his training, and Ichimi was reminded of this every morning. Some days she could sleep right through it, but today was not one of those--not with the questionable quality of rest she had gotten the night before. If she chose, she could simply lay in bed for a little while longer. The noises made it difficult to snooze, but the opportunity to at least rest her eyes was there.

Or open them, as it made little difference. A look outside would show why the sun hadn't quite woken her up, as the skies above were for the most part darkened by heavy clouds. It looked as though it could rain at any moment. Not the ideal day to go gift shopping... but Naralona wasn't a city that would stop in the face of a little rain. While stalls on the street might not be as numerous, businesses would still be open for the most part, especially the establishments that Ichimi was looking to visit. It wasn't a day that would pull her the Felvari right out of bed, but at the same time, it wasn't a day that would let her stay.

One reason to actually leave the comfort of her pile of blankets was the distinctive smell of pastries. The scent of almond, cinnamon, and fresh dough roused her hunger and called to her empty stomach, as if Augusto had planned it all out beforehand. After all, it couldn't have been Josias making them; the inventor almost never made breakfast, as he rose the latest out of the group, often from pulling all-night brainstorming sprees and the like. Hector didn't cook at all, and Cedrian preferred savory meals in the morning.

When Ichimi came downstairs, she would find that it was Rio preparing breakfast. Freshly baked empanadillas and spiral cakes were lined up on a tray, and the effeminate tailor was hard at work on another batch. Rio didn't cook as often as Augusto did, but for whatever reason, the food he had made this morning smelled really good, almost too much for Ichimi to resist. But even if he heard her come down, the youth didn't turn to greet her.


On the other side of the warehouse, the air was less thick with the scent of sugar and moreso with that of sweat, as Hector jabbed, crossed and hooked upon a sand-filled bag suspended from a few chains. As a prizefighter, his skill in the ring made Cedrian and company quite a bit of coin with carefully placed bets... and his loyalty to the group and willingness to throw fighters here and there made them even more--and kept himself from getting too big of a name, which would otherwise jeopardize any future jobs. But lately, he was on the threshold to stardom. Their big heists would have to come to an end at some point, and the fighter seemed all too aware. When he was to finally go legit, he would focus on earning true glory.

He paused to consider Ichimi, taking a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow. Still, he was dressed in little more than a pair of loose trousers and a tanktop--certainly not suited for going outside just yet, at least by civilized standards. "You're up," was all that he said in greeting.

 

[Kat]

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

"Mmmrrrreeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhh..."
Ichimi's questionable sleep combined with the fact that she had to be awake today put her in a bad mood from the moment she became conscious. The weather outside didn't help either, days like this were the best ones to sleep through and the worst ones to be out doing stuff in.
"Damn... I smell food too, now I'm too hungry to get back to sleep. Might as well drag myself down there before it's all gone. Smells sweet... maybe it'll wake me up long enough to get through errands today. If not, at least I'll be full enough to pass out again when I get back."
Despite the temptation to go back to sleep, the felvari all but rolled out of bed, trying to shake off her depressed mood and usual distaste for mornings. Normally there would be nowhere else for the day to go except up... but as the thief made her way downstairs, today would prove to be different.

"...oh."
The felvari had been wondering who was cooking this early, but her ears immediately drooped when she saw her answer.
"You did this on purpose... didn't you?"
Normally such a thought would piss off the girl, cause her to call Rio out on it or be snarky or simply try to steal some of what he had put out on display... but in her current mood, she didn't have the energy or the urge to try. Her hunger was too much to ignore, of course, but instead she settled on the fried fish from the previous night, even though it sounded nowhere near as appealing as actual home-made food. Quietly she made her way into the kitchen to retrieve it. Her actions wern't exactly stealthy, but they wern't "deliberate" either. There would be no slamming of cupboard doors, no turning her nose up at what was on display, and no glares or nasty looks.
"I guess I really did mess up that bad, huh?" she would finally say on her way out. It wasn't a jeer or an insult, in fact her voice sounded melancholy and regretful... but if that was enough to spark any kind of forgiveness, she wouldn't find out, as she left without waiting for a reply. Hector's practice area would be her next destination after her quick meal.

"Yeah... sorry, I guess my wake up plan didn't work as well as I thought it would."
Almost as soon as Ichimi had answered, her mood dropped again and she wasn't even sure why. It wasn't actually all that late or anything, it's not like she had set a specific time and missed it or anything. No... it had nothing to do with the time at all. It was everything, the whole situation. Seeing Hector practicing reminded the felvari that everyone in her group had futures full of potential except for her. Someday they'd all pursue those futures, undoubtably. She couldn't spite any of them for it... but it was something she hated to think about, something that would always happen "some day" in some far off nebulous future that would never come to pass... except that it would. She HATED being reminded of that, hated that she might not have her "family" forever and yet still managed to hurt one of them despite knowing this.
"I'm... going to get a wet towel for my face and everything. It'll only take a minute... then I'll be ready whenever you are..."
Her voice trailed off, it's tone betraying her mood, as she turned around and left without explanation.

Back in her room, the felvari finished getting dressed... mostly. She hadn't forgotten how she was going to go about her errands for today, and doing so involved wearing the collar Cedrian had bought her. Just holding it felt wrong, and wearing it felt even more wrong.
"Remember, just think of it like jewelry, like a necklace. I had almost forgotten about it yesterday while I was out."
She'd swallow the awkwardness of it and finally get the thing on, but even as she did, she subcosciouly pulled up the upper rim of her cloak to hide it, despite nobody being around to see anyway.
"Today's just one of those days that's going to be total shit, isn't it?"

 

[Takimaru]

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

To Ichimi, Rio's back was turned, and the youth seemed to prefer it that way as he continued spreading cinnamon and sugar on soft dough. He didn't appear angry, but on the other hand, he hadn't yet turned to acknowledge her. Not until her comment, anyway, which would cause him to turn to her out of her peripheral vision. However, the tailor wouldn't manage to turn any of his thoughts into actual words, leaving Ichimi without a response--which was just as well, since she apparently had other things to handle first.

"It's fine. Already know that you and Josias aren't morning people," replied Hector, turning an eye towards the closed door to the inventor's room. It was often that way until about noon, when the redhead would emerge squinty-eyed and with his hair in a mess--not that it was much different from his usual appearance. Still, Hector wasn't quite as careless about his appearance as Josias. "Guess I'll change too," said the pugilist before making his way into his own room.

By the time Ichimi had emerged, reluctantly sporting her collar, Hector was already good to go, waiting next to the main door with his commoners' clothes on. He too had a cloak--it wasn't a terribly uncommon accessory to have outdoors in Naralona, thanks to the sudden storms and the like. Moreso on a day like this, much to the Felvari's convenience.

"So... where to?" asked Hector as the two made their way into the city proper. Despite the somewhat ominous array of clouds looming overhead, not a single drop had actually fallen just yet, though that would likely change within the next few hours. For shopping, as always, there was a variety of options. Ichimi could visit the richer parts of the city, which had plenty in the way of jewelry, fine clothes, and the like. On the other hand, Rio often liked to buy supplies from the more common areas, which often sold materials more to his tastes. And of course, there were the seedier parts of Naralona, where Ichimi could perhaps find a good deal on a stolen item or two. Normally, it wouldn't be an attractive place for someone traveling alone... but this time she wasn't. With the hulking prizefighter at her side, it was difficult not to feel safe.

 

[Kat]

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

“Maybe I should have worn the dress...”
While Ichimi had ultimately opted to wear her normal clothes for this short trip, the idea of wearing the dress Rio had made her had crossed her mind. It would have been good practice towards her acting, and useful if she had wanted to hit up the most expensive parts of the city... However wearing it something Rio had made for her when he was mad at her felt wrong, as well as wearing it on a day it might rain. Sure she could have worn a cloak over it or found somewhere indoors to hide for awhile if the rain did start... but today was already bad and she didn't want to skirt around any more problems if she could help it.

“Here...” the felvari said, snapping out of her pondering, almost not remembering coming down the stairs or heading out with Hector.
“It'll look wrong if I'm buying anything myself. There's about 200 razettas in there, it should be enough for something nice. It's probably safer with you than me anyway, I didn't bring anything to fight with since I'm supposed to be a “slave” or whatever...” She continued on handing over a small bag of money.
“Anyway, this is a gift so let head towards towards one of the nicer areas where all the rich bastards and their trophy wives waste all their money... we're just stick around the outskirts though, like between where that area starts and the more normal people live. I mean... neither of us is really dressed nice enough to really fit in there if we get too deep...” the felvari trailed off with her excuse.
Truth be told, they probably WOULD look out of place, but it was nothing they couldn't explain away easily enough by claiming to be picking something something up for an employer or master. No, the felvari's real reason for wanting to avoid the richer parts of the city were that they were filled filled with things far more intimidating to her than even the poorer seedy parts of the city. Rich merchants and slavers and their bodyguards, successful duelists and mercenaries, strange foreigners... there was a chance of encountering them anywhere of course, but memories of the previous night at the tower casino with Cedrian were intruding into the thief's thoughts, and she wasn't in the mood to face such things right now if they were avoidable.
“As soon as we get what we need, we're coming right back home, OK?”