Marking Your Territory

Ikomiki held a glass of tea, carefully sipping at it with both hands. The liquid was hot, so she would blow at it a bit between sips. It was a strange image for anyone familiar to her. The wild, uncontrollable animal girl sipping from some fine china and drinking tea. The unfortunate reality was that she swiped it from the Heavenly Emporium’s Tea Shop while nobody was looking. Violence was apparently prohibited on this floating island but for some reason theft wasn’t. Or maybe she could only get away with it because nobody was looking? Either way it didn’t matter much. After drinking what was left of the tea she would throw the glass back over her shoulder, letting it crash into shards as it hit the ground.

This floating city thing had been fun at first but quickly she was starting to get bored of it. It seemed exciting in theory but just coming up here she was regulated to mostly just screwing around in the Tea Shop and Hospital trying to steal things from them without getting caught. Single violence wasn’t allowed there wasn’t much they could do to stop her even if she did get caught, but biology dictated that she behave as a stealthy cat and at least try not to be seen as she pulled off her hijinks.

“Boring.” She couldn’t help but yawn afterwards, punctuating her point. Ikomiki was set out on a bench currently, spread out to be laying down across the slight uncomfortable metal. There were a variety of little manufactured park areas like this spread out throughout the city, perfect for squatting in without anyone noticing. Of course, she had ‘marked her territory’ as well, so nobody in their right mind would come and try to evict her anyway.

War was a dreadful situation for many people to endure. Civilians often lost family and homes due to casualties while military personnel had the threat of losing their own life in combat. This was a ripe opportunity for Kiku to test out her skills as a ninja. Young and fairly inexperienced, this Genin had a hankering for combat. Kirigakure's lax empire allowed her to slip out and make her way to the Heavenly Emporium, some sort of sanctuary city floating just above the battlegrounds. She prepared up there while getting a taste for the bounties of war. Seeing wounded ninja, craftsmen from around the world, and people prepare in this safe space was the kind of naughty, blood-pumping thrill she sought.

Kiku wore her casual outfit consisting of a set of black sandals to be accompanied with long black stockings which ended just above her knees. These paired well with her short black shorts, barely providing full leg coverage combined. Around her waist she wore a utility belt which carried her gear. Two dark blue holsters were strung up by the belt, one on her left side and the other on her right, while her tool pouch was stored around her back side which was a common configuration by most ninja. On her torso she wore a uniform black button up top which was designed with white trimming and brass buttons. Kiku oddly left her centermost part of her shirt unbuttoned exposing a rather glorious display of cleavage. Her outfit was finished off by a white haori she wore as an overcoat.

Kiku's said was fair which was common for ninja living in Kirigakure. The mist and typical overcast conditions blocked out a lot of natural sunlight making most residents light skinned. This strangely went well with her natural light green eyes and long, pink hair that fades into a neon green color at the halfway point, which she wears in three thick braids with five shorter clumps hanging over her face as bangs. Wearing her forehead protector around her neck like a collar she had the Kirigakure emblem facing outwards to verify her identity as a Kirigakure ninja.

Cruising through the crazy bizarre city she kept her eyes peeled taking in the sights. Combat was prohibited, though she didn't trust ceasefire agreements one bit. She figured both sides were already planning a counterattack when their opponent lets their guard down. Typical. At least for now she can experience this odd marvel and at least say she's been there before it crashes and burns.

Her mindless wandering led her to a park area where came across a squatter hogging a bench all to herself. Certainly words would be a waste just by judging the stranger's appearance. She was dirty and tattered, being a stray alley cat and all. Relocating her may be considered an act of aggression, something she didn't want to risk while being surrounded by multiple soldiers still believing this cease fire agreement. If she were to get busted, running would do her no good. This led her with one other option. Ikomiki would experience a sudden overcast as shadow engulfed her vision, whether her eyes were opened or closed. This would be finalized by a sudden crushing force. Plush, but heavy. Kiku remained seated on the stray's face until they got the message to move, all the while she pretended to act like she was simply not there.

An ally cat was the perfect description. Despite her attempts at keeping a relatively slick and clean appearance they were all only attempts. Ikomiki’s idea of hygiene was very different from that of a humans, and as a result the once pretty dress she was wearing was in tatters. It was clear she hadn’t had a true bath in quite some time, but this resulted in a dirty, earthy, oily smell rather than anything similar to human body odor. It was strange how alien biology worked, but apparently nobody in this floating city had the balls to try and forcibly give her a bath or kick her out. While not asleep, Ikomiki’s boredom along with her laying down on this bench put her in a somewhat drowsy state. She only had one eye open, lazily watching her surroundings. Kiku had been caught in her peripheral vision but she didn’t pay her any mind. Plenty of people walked by afterall. So there was no real reason for her to single out this one, despite her pretty unique appearance.

So she would be caught completely by surprise as she suddenly received a facefull of asscheeks, having not realized she was caught in their shadow until it was too late. It was plush but heavy, almost like having a pillow placed down on your face from above with a considerable amount of pressure. This strange woman, who Ikomiki had only gotten a glance at, was now sitting on her face. Firstly Ikomiki would be bewildered to the point of paralysis. She couldn’t even possibly conceive of why someone would do this. Was she just not seen? Did this strange woman think she was part of the bench or something? It was literally beyond her ability to comprehend, and for the first few seconds she would have no reaction, just eyes wide open staring shocked into that ass.

The fact that this continued on past the first few seconds and both wasn’t a dream or a figment of her imagination did prompt Ikomiki to take action though. And it would be the first thing she could think of, a natural response. Very simply, she would just open her mouth and shift her chin up to take a big mouthful of those buttocks and bite into it. Her teeth would be sunk down, passing through the fabric that covered it and into the flesh.

Planting her weight down she knew the message would be delivered soon enough. Not many preferred to be in Ikomiki's position due to the fact that Kiku was a bit heavier than she seemed. That, and having a stranger's buttock pressed against one's face wasn't the most welcoming gesture. What was supposed to happen was a struggle from the cat girl before slipping out from beneath her. But that was far from the case. Kiku would quickly learn that Iko was a fighter, much like herself. She didn't falter if there was to way to get what she wanted while also expressing dominance. Feeling a piece of her butt meat moisten as it fall into a mouthful before being punished by a row of rather sharp teeth, Ikomiki's bite forced Kiku up instead. "Eep!" Placing a hand on her rump she rubbed it down. She actually bit me! Turning around she faced the demon cat lady. Dirty, tattered, and feral.

"You filthy beast! You're going to give me an infection!" Kiku exclaimed, hands now balled into fists and held at her side. She took on an aggressive stance to intimidate the girl, boasting her stout frame. Kiku was fairly confident in a fight she would beat this bum senseless, and was willing to prove it if Iko didn't start groveling immediately.

Exactly as planned, that bite would send the fat-assed woman right off Ikomiki’s face. Luckily Ikomiki would be no worse for wear, the crushing pillows of fat not having squished her face down for all too long. With a dirty, devious, tired smirk she would rise up in her victory to sit in a more proper manner rather than laying down, and with that face she would stare at her vanquished foe.

It took her one look up and down Kiku, who had balled her fists up and held herself in an aggressive combat stance, for Ikomiki to settle down. While Ikomiki was an odd one, with her feline features and odd behavior, she had learned enough about this place to know that fighting was prohibited. Perhaps Kiku was unaware, or had simply forgotten in the moment. This meant that Ikomiki was free to instigate as much as she wanted without any threat of consequence.

“Keep walking, fatass. Go do a few laps around the city instead of sitting around. You’d benefit from some exercise.”

While Ikomiki certainly wasn’t malnourished, her odd diet and general homeless vagabond lifestyle resulted in her not having the same sort of fat deposits as Kiku, looking positively thin in comparison.

Any remark about her weight generally resulted in a violent retaliation. While not actually fat, her large bust and stout frame gave the illusion of her being thicker than what she was. Her large appetite didn't help make her situation any better. So when this stranger decided to call her the F-word, she snapped. Fist tightening into a set of boney knuckles she lunged her stance forwards hurling her closed fist towards the stray cat. Kiku expressed no desire to pull her punches and instead went all in, utilizing her chest and back to its full potential. She aimed right towards that cat's wide mouth with every desire to knock out each of her teeth.

Such can impact would do just that and more, sending the cat's body through the back of the bench. Her body would break the back rest of the bench and have it trench across the grassy field. In the events the cat was more elusive than she anticipated, Kiku's fist would instead break through one of the wooden boards like nothing and causing no apparent harm to herself. "I'm not fat! I'm just hearty!" She hollered with furrowed brows. But all this talk about her weight did make her hungry. There had to be a food stand somewhere she could grab a couple chili dogs or a cheesesteak...

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Technique Used:

White Claw | C-rank (B-rank Power)
Lion's Roar | C-rank

Stats
Strength: D+ (C+ w/White Claw) (B w/Lion's Roar)
Constitution: B
Stamina: C
Speed: C
Coordination: B (B+ w/White Claw)
Intelligence: D
Perception: C

Chakra Usage: 104/110

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225 WC/950 WC

White Claw | 200/200
Lion's Roar | 25/150
Cougar Swipe | 0/200
Prancing Tiger | 0/200
Iron Jaw | 0/200

An angry looking black man with a 1800s style beard moustache combo and a ball head appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Kiku's fist before it could make contact. The chakra behind her attack was instantly nullified and she was powerless to execute the rest of her patently violent actions. The countenance, color, and general identity of the man could not be ascertained because he was wearing a dark cloak and a mask with a stag on it.

"There will be no brawling on this city. Do not breach the peace of the Heavenly Emporium or you will be asked to leave....permanently. One demerit."

The same man then turned to the cat person and pointed at it.

"Do not breach the peace by committing acts of theft or assault. One demerit."

The man then poofed away in the tradition naruto body flicker manner.

Pleased with her insults, the overly smug cat would sit back on the bench. Since fighting was prohibited in this city she could run her mouth all she wanted and face no consequences. It was incredibly fun to get a rise out of people like that. So she could just relax, sit back, and enjoy the fireworks that would surely begin to go off as this stranger got frustrated and flustered - Either that or they left.

Not for a second had it crossed her mind that Kiku would actually have the balls to start throwing hands. Even with those clenched fist and that stance she hadn’t believed for a single moment that it would actually be followed through with. That forward lurch, pressing all of her power into the strike, caught the catgirl by complete surprise. Her eyes widened as the fist filled her vision.

Anticlimactically it was stopped mere millimeters away from Ikomiki’s face by a sudden figure, Kiku’s wrist held tight before any contact could be made. His sudden appearance made the situation pretty strange and raised a lot of uncomfortable implications. Ikomiki had assumed that the ‘no violence’ rules here were no different than any other normal human law. You get punched and then call the guards and they come and take the offender away. Nobody had been around before, and this guard just appeared out of nowhere… Were they being constantly monitored to ensure complete non-violence? How incredibly terrifying.

Regardless, that smug smirk would be completely wiped off her face. If that punch had connected it likely would have sent her through the bench and blown out a tooth or two, and who knows what other damage from the impact with the ground. Unlike Kureji she apparently couldn’t just boss this girl around and treat her like garbage without some sort of retaliation.

Her eyes shifted from side to side, looking again to see whether or not there was anyone watching. Suddenly she felt incredibly paranoid.

“I didn’t think a human would go through with breaking the law here so quickly. You…” Although she hadn’t known what reaction to take for a moment, Ikomiki would finally settle on standing. Her expression would shift back to neutral, although there would be tinges of that cat-esque grin still on her lips. “You’re very bold. I respect that. What’s your name, girl?“

The woman's fist was caught by the sudden appearance of a heavily cloaked figure. To stop such a heavy handed punch with such grace was unbelievable to her naïve eyes as a young ninja. Fast, strong, and well coordinated. She was no match off those attributes alone. It was a shame. She figured she could beat Ikomiki up just in time for lunch if she played her cards right, but the response time in this floating city was insane. It seems like they were expecting crime to happen around every corner. His cloak had a unique insignia to it. A set of antlers. How odd... Before Kiku's fight or flight could settle in the stranger stated the laws of the city and gave her a warning. And that was the end of it. At the very least she expected to get slugged in return or even taken off to jail. But a warning for assault? She sorted like this town.

Kiku wasn't prone to random acts of violence, but sometimes a person needed a good knock to the head. To walk away with a verbal warning was a dream. The shock and awe on her face partially turned into an uncomfortable smile. One she kept until the man disappeared. Suddenly the two were alone in the general vicinity. People who were so close to fighting were now at peace, lest they wanted to get another mark and God knows what to follow. The cat, who was initially smug and enjoying the verbal bullying was now paranoid. Ikomiki broke the awkward silence, having changed her perspective on Kiku in just a few seconds.

"Hey, let's get one thing straight: I'm no goon. I just hit people who need hitting, as the natural order should be. That aside, my name's Kiku Yoshida from Kirigakure." She said pointing a thumb at her forehead protector worn around the neck. "More importantly, I'm hungry. You look like you could gain a few. Why don't you buy me a cheesesteak and we can forget all about this, yeah?"

Ikomiki had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Humans always tried to deny themselves like this. Kiku insisting that she wasn’t a goon, or whatever, was just posturing. Trying to bend your behavior to fit what humane standards were expected of you. It was sickening. At the same time, that last part redeemed it. ‘As the natural order should be’, was enough to appease Ikomiki. It wasn’t too different from her own personal philosophy.

“My name is Ikomiki. From Konoha.” She would reply unprompted. Ikomiki wore no forehead protector, so without that introduction it was likely Kiku would have continued thinking she was a stray alley cat.

“Mm… Human food. Alright. Take me to where it is and I will. We can eat together.” She would stretch, having already stood up from her position on the bench, straining out a bit of that remaining drowsiness. The offer to buy Kiku a cheesesteak quickly turned into them both eating together without Ikomiki spending a millisecond trying to transfer from one to another. Doing this as a peace offering wasn’t something she was averse to anyway, especially if it was as good as that delicious human food that Kureji had shown her.

“What’s a cheesesteak, though?”

A Konoha ninja was what was expected. Either that, or Kumogakure. They both seem to be the major factions at play here. Iwagakure was the little guy, and Kirigakure had little to no presence from what she gathered. Something she couldn't quite shake was the way Ikomiki spoke, not identifying herself as human despite being more people than cat. "Human food...right." What exactly did Ikomiki eat on the regular? Isn't all food 'people food'? The only food to differentiate from people food would be dry cat mix, but surely Ikomiki did not have an owner. Owning people was illegal, and Ikomiki was definitely more of a person. She tried not to analyze the situation too much. Maybe she was just weird which did make a lot of sense as someone cursed with being two species.

Kiku waited for the cat to limber up before rising from the bench, which now held many memories between the two. But before they could continue Ikomiki asked an almost rhetorical question. The curious cat wanted to know what a cheesesteak was, assuming the name didn't spoil what it entailed. But someone who frequents 'cat food' is probably unfamiliar with the finer tastes of street food.

"Alright, so you know what a roll is, right? A long piece of bread? Cut one of those opens, fill it with cooked beef slices, onion, and mushroom. Then top it with melted cheese. That's a cheesesteak for you." She was indecisive at first, but now she was confident that's what she wanted. As the two would eventually begin to find one she'd start some small talk. "So what're you doing here exactly? You didn't seem too interested in this war thing going on."

She understood a few of those words. She vaguely knew what bread was. Well, vaguely was perhaps not entirely correct. Sometimes she would get the occasion to eat the stuff but it was always bland to her. While Ikomiki wasn’t exactly a picky eater her preferences were pretty obvious. Which was why the beef was what caught her. As soon as Kiku said that she was in. The rest was irrelevant. Mushrooms were okay if you had nothing else to eat and cheese was an unknown, but anything at all would be good if you paired it together with meat. This kitty would be moving up from the meow mix to the wonders of greasy street food, a massive step up in the world.

Ikomiki would follow after Kiku, allowing her to lead the way to whatever place she wanted to get whatever this food stuff was. She had her little money purse prepared, something that seemed completely out of place on a strange homeless looking filthy cat person. It seemed that as strange as Ikomiki acted she understood human society enough to know what money was. Somehow that was clear to her but cheesesteaks were a mysterious concept.

“I’m just waiting to scavenge. Once a battle or two takes place there’s always good stuff left behind. Meat. Tools. Good things. You never know, so it’s good to look before the crows get all the good stuff.” She would just casually drop that information as if it was completely normal.

“Oh. I guess I’m waiting for Akihiro to give me something to do too, I guess. I think Mockingbird is supposed to take mercenary work, but mostly we’ve just been waiting. I’m not sure how much longer he intends to wait though. It seems like Konoha hasn’t been doing so well so far.”

Kiku was nothing short of surprised when she saw Ikomiki reveal a wallet she had on her. Why does a cat have money? After a bit of confusion it all finally made sense. Maybe Ikomiki wasn't homeless after all. She did state she was apart of an organization and she clearly had ryo to spare. Her dingy appearance likely came from cats hating water. It all made sense now. Kiku had a bit more respect for Iko knowing she wasn't a dirty homeless cat. She was just a dirty cat. "Mockingbird? Never heard of it...though mercenary work is interest. What would you do if I told you I'm interested in joining?"

[Exit]

“What would I do?” The question caused Ikomiki’s glance to turn back to Kiku again. The woman’s strangely colored pink and green hair had some alluring aspect to it that Ikomiki couldn’t quite describe. She would spend a few moments just staring, looking at the strange girl as they continued to walk. Ikomiki was mostly following Kiku anyway. Eventually her expression would shift into a smile.

“If you’re interested in joining there’s someone I could introduce you to. I think you two would get along well. If you have potential I’m sure there’ll be work for you in Mockingbird.”

[Exit]