Somewhere in Kagutsuchi

Well, it went on for a while that she was walking, that she decided SCREW WALKING. Before leaping upwards, she licked her wounds. Cherishing the taste in her mouth as she moaned in anticipation of what is to come. She wanted to hurt him, spread his entrails, devour his guts, lap his head on her spear, shower in his blood. Oh what she terribly wanted to do with his corpse, it just drew out anticipation of seeing him once again, that catman whom in his best, had made her blood boil in wrathful happiness. Leaping upwards, she easily scaled the heights of the building in one leap. Her wound closed up, knitting itself as it left no scars in place, as she begun to leap from rooftop to rooftop, always low enough that it seemed she was just taking huge steps. She finally stopped on a building she recalled was around the place of battle, as she stepped unto the ledge and looked down unto the feline man.

"GOOD! You haven't run away. I am beginning to admire your fighting resolve more and more. It just makes me desire to wound you even further!" She raved on, her eyes retained sanity as it were but simple morality -- a dog eat dog world to her. Human morality would dub her evil, but it's not HER morality. In her eyes, she is good for adhering to her OWN code of ethics. "You still haven't caused me pain, scratches like these are what I am used to. You can do better than that."

The spear as of this point was dagger length, that she held by her right hand from the shaft. Pointing it towards the fellow Beastkin once more, as it extended and rocketed towards him. The building being 12 stories above him, at least in relative terms. Though it's a warehouse, as the Catman was down and across from her instead of directly below.

The fact that she showed up again and so quickly in haste told him of the kind of excitement that she had going on, still very much at ease with what had taken place, this was when he decided to up the ante. While projectiles weren't a heavy specialty of his, he'd decided to change the playing field and show to her another of his few tricks. With the spear aimed for him, the kaka paid it a moment's notice and took off in an diagonally-forward dash to evade it, using his lowness to the ground to cut the wind resistance against him. What would he do next? Slashing with the yari-spear's wide head, he generated another trailing wave of Caeroule energy, in hopes of trying to either blind his opponent or in fact reach her with the climbing wave of destruction. He was sure that he had cleared her spear once making use of running to the side and towards the spear.

Her spear retracted as she saw that slash, not the emanating aura. By instinct, she leaped back and diagonally to her left, as the arc had missed her, drifting into air and apart her. Spinning her spear around as she noted that sheer martial prowess got her this far, whereas he has that damned energy fields of his. As well as that nice surprise of claws. Due to having went back, it hasn't exactly come to afflict her with wounds. Her spear meanwhile has already retracted to dagger length when she spun it, as she leaped towards the building to her left, easily crossing the gaps. Though afterwards, she loosened the belt on her jump suit till it split into two, as the stretchy fabric became loose, zipping it up as her chest was concealed, having made sure that she remained hidden by staying out of visual sight, going to the sideways and opposite of the direction the kaka went as she caught wind of his scent. From there as she looked from behind him, another rocketing extension of the spear went forth, making sure to drag it upward and swerving it away from the floor as it was to make no noise, aiming for a slash upwards as to bifurcate him starting from his buttocks. Silent as she relished the hunt, lowering his killing intent to non-existence, but was all too evident to herself that it still lingered as strong and volatile as ever.

While the kaka's ears twitched and senses might not have been fully aware of her spear's trajectory, his A.C.s. systems were anything but unaware; he had been raised carefully and those secondary responses were honed carefully by a certain brilliant professor from Sector 7. It saved him once again, throwing his body into high gear and throwing himself forward as the soundless killer strike narrowly missed him. Naturally by this action, Kageo threw more energy into his speed, despite his own advances they hadn't done more than keep him stead on such a dangerous opponent. The heat visuals rising in the cat beastkin while he tore the spear in a wide arc, spreading a sizable ring of splash energy; weak but large in the amount in order to try and flush her out of hiding.

Sure enough he couldn't check every nook and cranny, but be damned to think that he hadn't the energy to keep pace with a fellow beastkin, even such an elite hunter as she was proving to be.

Good, the energy expended should PERHAPS squeeze out the reservoir of whatever he had, Calico hypothesized. The Kaka was swinging like crazy, as if he were a mental patient on a schizophrenic fit, aptly put. Her spear retracted at mach speed back into dagger length, as she stepped away from his visual sight. Whatever he has done, Calico made sure to step back and stay on the other side of the rooftop of the building. The resulting splash hadn't reached her, as she waited for a while, skulking around as she leaped to the rooftop of another adjacent building in a swift blur. Remaining at the back once again to remain out of the kaka's visuals. She had the patience to wait, to wait for him to use up all the Seithr that is lightly populating the area. Unscathed by whatever ring as she were not in the clearest of ways, but rather an obstacle prevented it so from assailing her thus.

If only she had known...while he realized the splash of energy had done little to bring her out, he twisted the spear around three times and let the shaft rest against his back behind him, left hand curled around its center while he lowered the spearhead until it touched the ground. His knees bending ever so slightly before his gaze had a simple look around, making use of his A.C.S. System's ability to search for heat signatures and other various scans (if you can imagine, Koko's effectively made him suited to her needs as an information gathering agent), though it took a little time...he imagined that she wouldn't realize what he was doing and that was what he was counting on. It would take a few moments to scan and then actively process the information before he could predict where she might have gone.

She had done well to see him waste some reservoirs, fortunately he had not wasted the stored seithr within him, he was in fact certain she might confuse his Artifice Core's source for being only that. He'd given her no reasons to realize that he was no ordinary kaka as of yet, despite his use of a weapon of this kind.

All the while, Calico stopped where she was, her nostrils flaring up as to sniff her opposition out. He was a Beastkin, thus did not smell like a human. A kaka granted, sneaky bastards with their humongous claws... if only she was a werewolf, she'd just trump said claws easily. But it's not night time or a full moon. So she casually walked over to the edge of the building she was at, 15 stories above the catman as she looked down on him. Metaphorically and literally speaking, grinning at such a fact. It seemed as if she were a blazing Valkyrie with the sun right behind her, staring at her opposition as he were some considerable distance away from herself.

He could not look to where she was, but once his sensors had caught the motion from above, he raced to the right, moving away from the building somewhat. He was trying to consider his shot here, granted she was probably upon the buildings, the high ground was hers, it made him feel somewhat rushed since he didn't want to depend on his more mechanical senses; still he would not let personal pride as a kaka direct him wrong. He wasn't just any normal kaka and he knew that well, it was what kept him in one piece thus far.

"Why not come down here Miss Beastkin? I prefer my company to be closer, since we've been dancing this long, we should get to know each other better." the fighting was a hoot for him so far, he'd gotten more out of this than his simulation training any day. But he took the chance to test her reaction, chances were she wanted to spill his blood more; a sentiment that he was slowly beginning to gain. Battle lust would be an issue, he needed a clear mind and remained calm, he was sure that she was beyond any simple or peaceable ending here. However, talking might not hurt, that is, if she cared to indulge him.

"Oho, how rare! A beastkin with manners! How absolutely delightful~" She smirked, sheathing her spear into its specially made scabbard, "Since you asked so nicely, how could I refuse?"

That said, she dropped down from the building. Upon landing, her feet cracked the tiles, straightening her posture. Her predatory pupils looking intently at the kaka, the one whom just seems too stubborn to die. Fascinating really, not often she meets people that cling to life so desperately, but also have a lot of trumps up their sleeves. She stood a good distance away from him once again, and yet now the two are on the same ground level.

"Well?" She asks, her tone casual in spite of trying to murder him earlier, "Speak and let me know of your intent, kitty."

To his surprise she had stopped her assault and actually spoke to him? His eyes were unblinking while he entertained several possibilities, all of which ended in her attacking him again, no kind of farce would have served his purpose...in fact this was completely unexpected. However, for all the two seconds he was quiet, he did manage to fill the space of air with exactly what he'd posed before: trying to talk with her.

"Well after managing to play with you so long and enjoying myself, I realized that I know nothing about you. If you were willing to entertain it, I would like to know the deadly woman behind the skills." He was playing on a thin line of yarn, a cat's curiosity could lead them into situations where they were cornered easily and this too was no different for the kaka. He had wanted to know more about the deadly beastkin woman who so easily kept pace and in fact had been pushing him to the defensive from the very beginning of this bout.

An eyebrow rose in contemplation of the question, considering the importance behind it and his inquisitiveness. "Curiousity killed the cat, kaka." Her fingers tapped on the pommel of her spear, in consideration ofonce again sparking the battle, only to stop tapping. Sliding off the pommel in the nullification of what she had in intent, her killer's intent not as high as before. It wavered between high and low, she still did not get her fill of blood.

"Calico Jacks is the name... that is if you were looking for a label to this form I wear." She paused, the air whistled as it drifted past her from right to left, "Is that all there is you wanted to know? JUST my name? The final thing you will mutter before I drive this spearhead through your heart, as I'd feast upon your innards? Or shall we delay this spar of ours, and duel with words just as we had with arms? Probe one another with oratory?" Her feet widened in stance slightly, she flexed her back, and yet her eyes remained frozen on the kaka. Studying him for an answer, be it interesting or not.

The speak of her devouring him had not thrown off his curiosity, if anything it drove a strange tinge in his eye before he'd responded; not to the words but an attempt of something else. The distance would allow him to react quick enough if anything did come. He offered her a light passage he'd read in a book.

"It is said 'Know your foe in all ways they will allow', to that end I would like to know about a fellow Beastkin. Even if we started out as opponents, if you care to do so, I'd like to to get to know Calico Jacks for who she is." Did she care for this at all? to waste some time with piddly pass times? The kaka clansman preferred conjecture and perhaps whatever would follow. He doubted they'd be friends but perhaps acquaintances? or someone he could indulge in deadly battle with? It was an odd designation if any, but in his mind he was suddenly willing to entertain the idea.

The Hell? He wanted to know about her?

"You are a strange little cat, kaka." A tilt inclined her head to the size, as she stared at such strange questions. Usually her foes are screaming profanities, insults, or freaking out over how she is trying to murder them. Fun times those were. "That's an awfully vague question. Just WHAT exactly do you wish to know of me?"

Reaching out for her pocket, her fingers reached and twiddled around for a tube-like miniature object, unveiling a cigarette as her hands pulled out. Placing the cancer stick unto her mouth, with a match conveniently in the other hand. Lighting it up, blazing the tobacco from the end, before waving away the flames into its own death. Taking a long drag out of the fag, puffing out the fumes as she reeked of toxicity.

Strange didn't cover what made the quirky kaka such an oddity, even by his species standards, though he was nowhere near the fool and he chose not to beat around the bush, her being bored would serve little purpose and likely lead back to the scratch-worthy battle. "Perhaps the kind of beastkin you are? I cannot place it, you're a unique one to say the least. Especially with the raw powers you possess."

It almost sounded as if he were admiring her prowess in battle, she'd nearly killed him and yet he reacted this way? Curiosity, was this particular feline's greatest flaw, the wrong amount of it and intrigue with such a macabre female who possessed the strength to violently obliterate his being. Yet here he was asking her these every day questions as if they'd just met moments ago peacefully.

"I am the kind that likes to eat people, I suppose." She shrugged, "I am the talons in the night, the jaws in the darkness, I am ripper, tearer, slasher, gouger. I am what youths dread before going to bed, what the elderly use as terror stories. There is only carnage where I appear, as before me, all are prey to be eaten. I am BATMA-- I mean a werewolf."

She tightened her belt, as her jumpsuit was no longer loose. Ah well. Zipping the zipper down, returning it to its former position.

"I feasted on your kind before anyways. Too weird and sickening for my taste anyways." A comment escapes her lips. She puffs out more smoke. Some kaka contained too much Seithr anyways.

He wasn't overall that surprised by her words...after judging by the feeling that she made him feel, as if he were a victim and nothing before her; despite his ability to shake the intimidation factor during the battle. She seemed very loose for someone who was such a vicious predator, her brutal honesty did make any vague thoughts that he'd had about her disappear rather quickly. She preferred meat and it was going to be the flesh of anything she saw fit: be it human, kaka, or beastkin. Well it did clear up her savagely murderous aura, the intent poured off of her when she was at a height during the battle they'd been having.

"A werewolf, well that explains a lot...hmm, where did you train for such skills? With your talents, I'd be willing to believe you are either a genius of combat or had a great teacher."
Turning away from sillier questions, he tried to keep the variation up in the air as far as to what he'd ask her.

"Your questions are starting to bore me. Is there ANY point to this at all? What? You want my number? Want a booty call? Or just make for small talk?" Her voice dripped in annoyance, "Stop beating around the bush, and tell me what your intent is, kaka."

Placing her hand on her hips, from the palm, as she leaned slightly from where she placed it. Puffing out more smoke, unconsciously biting down softly on the cancer stick. Her nostrils exhaling out with cigarette smoke reminiscent to that of a bull when angered and ready to charge. Except she likes the color red, she thinks it suits her.

Well then there was no point to the questions, like a true predator or carnivore of nature, he was certain that nothing short of anything in one form would give her satisfaction. So he came out with it, in one clean explanation, it was kinda silly and yet he decided to give it a shot and go out there.

"Is it so strange to want to know your attacker? I don't know where this curiosity goes, you're the first person, let alone a female that I've interacted seriously with. I am intrigued with you, little more than that."

Booty call? the slang wasn't entirely lost on him, thanks to Sector Seven's database and language he'd heard on the streets he understood. While maintaining his composure, only after she'd said that had he realized her body's shape. He had no concern of this kind during battle, she was a dangerous and yet beautiful female; even though such thoughts had no place. She was full of sarcasm and he cursed himself briefly after noticing he was gazing at her. If a fight broke out, at least he wouldn't be that stupid to stare.

There was a pause. The statement was weird. The kaka was weird. Actually everything about this conversation was weird. Not often do her bounties try to be civil anyways, and talk things out. Ah well, at least HE didn't take it personally. Usually people hold it against her in doing what comes natural as animals, to eat or get eaten. Simple evolutionary stuff really, and she was a werewolf. A carnivore eats meat, and meat she eats, among other things. She tasted vegetables before, not her style, and it didn't nourish her appetites. In fact, if there is one kryptonite to her, it'd be vegetables.

"Alright then, you made your point, kaka." She shrugged, "So, WHY exactly are you intrigued? Is it a habit of yours to just get intimate with your attackers? Those that are trying to end your existence as a living person? If so, you are a most unusual specimen, kitty cat... also I never caught your name."

Why was he intrigued? The question itself almost answered itself really, but no...he knew why he was interested in someone so dangerous. Though he first decided to answer her question about his name, he had all in all paid his own designation no mind since he'd begun speaking to her. But now she wished to know, so he offered the response.

"My name is Kageo-kaka, pleased to meet you. And to answer why I'm intrigued, its not so much to get intimate, but to know more of the marvelous carnivore before me...that's important to me, Ms. Calico Jacks. If it would sate my curiosity, I do wish to know." how far would he go? That was the real question, he was not seeking boundless knowledge, but even he wasn't entirely sure as to what level he wished to learn about her. All he knew is that the draw to her was odd, if not strong.

"Kageo-kaka... glad to have met you, and glad to have made you my prey." She took a mocking bow, snickering at his show of politeness, her tone did not betray whether she was sincere or condescending, "You do have a way with words, were I any other woman, I would be instantly swooned by your own charming demeanor. BUT, I am no other woman, charming speeches can only take you so far... Anyways, ask, and I feel generous, perhaps I shall give, or maybe not. Who knows? I am feeling whimsical this afternoon."

She stepped forth, a single step. It didn't really make much difference, only drawing her closer to the kaka in a mono-pace.

As she took her step towards him, he presently made no move of a choice and took first to speak another word of his question, he was willing to chase them to a great distance and even though she'd greeted him as prey; he was satisfied with her reaction to him and seemed to be reacting in a way unlike himself. She still could've easily meant to kill him, but at the moment he would test the boundaries and asked a bit more of a serious question.

"The way you hunt with such fervor, how does it feel to claim a victim?" the question was blank with its degree of vague meaning, he was more than obviously asking a question of intimacy; if not only on the front of predator and prey, he based this off of her initial mock greeting of him as 'prey', it brought a simple cue to his mind that he took.

"A fleeting feeling of satisfaction, kaka. It is only a temporary thing, it never lingers long enough to dwell on." She pulled out a cigarette, puffing out smoke. Her cancer stick placed back unto the threshold of her lips. She took another two steps towards the kaka, as she drew closer. Her wolfish grin growing wider, and her eyes more attentive to his form.

"If we're using what humans call reproduction as a metaphor, then a battle is foreplay, and the end of the hunt is the climax, that is when I finally sate my voracious appetite." A brief look over her nail, she mended it, flicking away a particle of sand that lodged there, "And I suppose you interrupted me mid-foreplay to ask some silly things. Do you make it a habit to ask everyone these questions, oh philosopher kitten?"

Ask such questions? why of course not, he had not been able to ask people such questions in any forthright manner. He was reacting strangely to it and didn't know why, he'd been in difficult fights before...a few bounties that he'd underestimated had nearly landed him on the expired list of experiments at Sector Seven. But she was not at all the same, this predator was obviously not even remotely intimidated by him, quite the contrary he was certain she would've preferred him very very dead and something that would allow her to feast on his rather unpleasant body (granted her experience with kakas thus far). The very fact that his brain attempted to plant deep on his mental plane, why he should be fearing this woman, but he gave off no scent of fear nor any look.

Instead just a pair of slitted eyes watching her carefully through the hood, both green with the activation of his Artifice Core System's primary systems...which were desperately trying to gather any energy to recharge. Most of his reserves were completely burned up, the system was resting at no more than 45%, it was trying to read off so many numbers to him...all for another part of his brain to worry about; for his mind was just in focus on her.

"No habit, I usually crush my opponents...but you are a caliber well above that, many cuts above any fighter I've faced. Even your very demeanor is of intrigue to me." he was charged with something and it was not as simple as sexual tension, this form of interest held its own intensity.

"I've never been hunted and the experience is stimulating beyond mere words. A mixed bag of feelings if you might say." Yes, her steps towards him were noted, yet still aside from a slight motion of his foot moving to the right; his stance had not changed. He was not tense, but ready, for what? he did not really understand.

"Ohoho, and yet you still continue to flatter me. Careful now, otherwise I will yearn to eat that pretty tongue of yours all the more. It wags with grace and delicacy unseen. Perhaps it's going to taste exotic, or maybe bland? Who knows?" She tapped her chin, taking a few more steps forward. Each step forward made her posture more relaxed. As if not regarding the thread of the kaka, that, or she is taking to the battle of wits and words. He was being awfully inquisitive, but perhaps because that's what kaka's are, curious. It did naught to stifle her hunger, and neither her lust for battle. That earlier she saw the kaka beating around the bush, finally favoring expediency in the battle earlier on. But she kept in mind toying with prey is fine, as long as it was to one's amusement than to show off. He was the latter anyways. Yep, that man he fought earlier whose guts are spilled over a pavement right next to the Kageo guy it seems. Or maybe that kaka is a very mannish girl? She could never tell, all kaka's look the same to her.

"Do you LIKE being prey? Do you LIKE being hunted? To run for your life? Be desperate? Does it thrill you to have been hunted with such ferocity unparalleled like any other? What exactly is it you feel eh?" She inquired further, "I don't usually talk to my prey often, and they are always unappreciative of the hunt, but for you, it is different. Do humor me, and tell me what that bag is, cat."