Cosmos Quest (Naruto/Lupin III Collaborative Roleplay)

Wouldn't the contract be kept in the neko fortress? Toad contract is kept with toads - Jiaraya summons the contract keeper when he wants Naruto to sign.

Yep. The main contract is always in the possession of the Nekomata of any given era, but only three of the seven summoners they've ever had have been signatories to that one, because they'll only let speakers of the tongue sign it. The contract the Uchiha have is the summon equivalent of an extended game demo; there're about twenty cats on it, but they all have the same speciality - three guesses what it is, and the first two don't count.

Contrast this with the thousand-cat-strong full contract, including the last four bakeneko, a full poison-research team, one or two seers, a couple of sensors, a brace of diplomats, an entire soujutsu school, and a ton of average 'civilian' cats who are very, very good at paying attention to the world around them.

No Cat Sage, though. No one's ever been really interested.

edited 14th Feb '13 9:39:36 PM by FurikoMaru

That's....actually a very impressive contract. I still think monkeys sound more fun, but I wouldn't be disappointed if we get on the cat contract, the big one.

[X] Find out what Tora wanted to see us for.

I'd leave it at that. Talking about the contract is presumptuous, and Ino has already shown IC that he's conflicted about this. As it is, I am now extremely glad we talked to the stray. Go us!

Before you get all excited, remember that these are cats. The reason most of the ones you've met so far are nice and get along with you well has a lot to do with Tora liking you and wanting to make sure the assholes amongst his Clan don't make the adorable speaker-toddler cry and vow to grow up to be a dog person. There're cats who think it's way too soon to be deciding you're a speaker, there're cats who flat-out hate humans, there're cats who think this whole summoning thing is bullshit, and there are cats who will be pissed that your existence means they have to forego a nap.

Leading cats is easier than herding them, but only with a healthy amount of respect for autonomy between ruler and ruled.

Ah, good. The downsides. The other shoe has dropped and I can relax a bit. Plus, it means we can potentially pursue another contract without breaking an entire Clan's collective heart. Even though our little adoptive family will be extremely disappointed with us if we do in the wrong manner, but at the same time if it ain't a great fit, it ain't a great fit. We can keep in touch.

I like having options.

That said, I do kinda like these guys, I just also like to get a feel for all options before choosing.

So, did some thinking. With the apparent divisions of nobility, the battlelust of the big cats, and what appears to be at least some expectations of respectfulness and refinement, I'm beginning to wonder if Ino will really click here. She speaks the language well enough, but some of the other hobbies....I dunno. A Nd I don't think anyone knows we're a budding thief, which could be a big no-no. I can easily see Ino still signing up because hey, adopted family, but still.

Huh, if the monkeys were playful, I wonder what Sarutobi was like with them?

Anyways, changing my vote because we've been too refined and respectful. And even the cats told Tora to wheel out the booze. Time for some laughs. Hopefully they will be appropriate.

[X] Greet Tora in the cat tongue with charm and feminine refinement, like a noble speaker of Nyango. [X] Once pleasantries are exchanged, go "WASSUP TORA!" and give him a big hug. Nuzzle that fluffy fur and grin like the cheeky little child that you are.

Well, she's learning the koto, shogi and maybe painting. And she's a clan heir, albeit not one of the four noble clans of Konoha (the Akimichi are one, though, so the Yamanaka are still kind of a big deal). And Lupin's kind of a social chameleon. She could fit in.

And cats are synonymous with stealth, so maybe even the thief thing would be okay.

[X] Hi Tora! *carefully check that no one is watching* *hug fluffy tail*

Yeah, that's true. I still feel like we're more upfront trickery though. Blatantly advertising our nature and getting away with everything. Like, You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by Offspring. I can definitely see the class part, but I would hope we remain something of a playful trickster.

Although since my write-in may be too disrespectful given the atmosphere, I'll switch to yours Guile.

[X] Hi Tora! *carefully check that no one is watching* *hug fluffy tail*

Sunday morning, 1 am.

Uchiha Sasuke waits, arms crossed, in a storeroom in the library of his ancestors.

In his pocket is a note addressed to him.

He has read the note three times in the past week, and each time it has only confused him further.

On the night of the 3rd day of the 9th month, I will steal the Cat Summoning Contract. Please prepare an appropriate welcome.

The note is unsigned, save for a small drawing of a grinning maneki-neko.

Foolishness, he thinks. He would suspect this is the work of that orange loudmouth in his class, except the note isn't a scribbly mess of hiragana.

Whoever the would-be challenger is, if they think they will find the strength of the Uchiha any less than it was, they are sorely mistaken.

The seals on the library vault are carved into the very steel that makes up its walls, reinforcing them against even the strongest explosives and, like the Uchiha War Fans of old, deflecting any such assaults onto the attackers.

The roof above it is rigged to trap any non-Uchiha in a balance-loss genjutsu, sending them plummeting into the courtyard below.

The door is wrapped in its entirety with paper seals, each with their own intricate effects, each as strong as the day they were painted, untouched by time.

All can be released only by someone with an activated Sharingan.

Even were an intruder to somehow coerce an Uchiha into letting them in, more than a few of the contents of the vault are rigged to bring more subtle, painful fates upon those who disturb them.

Perhaps to most, a single (as-yet unofficial) genin guard would be the least important of the security measures. The current head of the Uchiha Clan, whose vigil is into its eighth hour now, would beg to differ.

Sasuke has lost more than enough of his family already. He will not lose their history.

"Her mind is made out of keys," a voice whispers in his ear.

His elbow strikes nothing but air. He hears the kunai strike the wall with a thunkthunkthunkthunk!

The shadows silently mock him. He glares back.

"Oi, Lollypop, I'm over here."

He whips round with another volley... all of which are either dodged or caught.

And there she is, blonde, grinning and bizarrely dressed (Her?!), standing before him with the scroll tucked under one arm.

Shocked, he jerks his head around to check the seals.

There are none.

On the floor by the heavy steel door, there lies a pile of yellowed, crumbling paper, heaped like autumn leaves.

Unbelieving, enraged, he forms a handseal. "Kai!" he speaks aloud for the first time.

Nothing changes.

The girl just laughs. "Welcome to the big leagues, Sakkun," she says with a smile.

Sasuke wishes he could tear it off her stupid face.

"Yamanaka Ino," he growls.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she growls back in perfect mimicry, and giggles at his reaction.

"Do you really think I'm going to just let you leave?" he demands.

"I really think you don't have any say in the matter," she replies bluntly. "I mean, you couldn't even stop Weasel from leaving, and he actually liked you."

His punch sends her flying back... and right out the door.

Coughing, she wipes away the blood from her lip, and grins. "Nice to see you upholding the venerable Uchiha tradition of solving all your problems with your fists." She tears off down the hall.

"Come back and fight, you coward!" Sasuke roars, chasing her. A demonic cackle is her only reply.

=

Monday Morning, 9 am.

"... Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Yamanaka Ino, and Uchiha Sasuke."

"Oi! Why'm I stuck with the crazy cat lady and the bastard?"

"The same reason I'm stuck with you and the bastard, mikan-ahou," Ino grumbles. "God hates all three of us."

What If The Heroic Spirit Lupin III Had To Steal The Cat Summoning Contract From The Uchiha District In Order To Sign It? Break of Day Route

Sorry guys. I'll see if I can't get to work on the real update sometime tomorrow.

edited 7th Feb '13 1:51:29 AM by FurikoMaru

It's cool, as long as you provide snippets like that.

I like it. Though why would Ino go for the lesser contract?

Oh, this is an alternate scenario where they have the full contract. Sorry, I guess I did a shit job explaining that.

If it's unclear why Sasuke doesn't rat Ino out, it's because even as a kid, he knows the Hokage isn't supposed to know the clan has the original hardcopy of the contract.

Oh, no problem. I may have failed in reading comprehension here (too much work and too much lithium dust).

Sasuke may also not want to rat Ino out so he can deal with her personally.

This is Sasuke. I thought that was so obvious it didn't merit saying. He's such a little control-freak.

edited 7th Feb '13 10:11:03 AM by FurikoMaru

An adorable control freak.

And then he swears vengeance on Ino and chases her forever. Like, forgets-about-Itachi levels of obsession.

And then it comes up that Sasuke is also a reincarnation. The Uchiha were police, after all...

edited 7th Feb '13 8:52:57 PM by Guile

[X] Everybody wants to be a cat.

There are five people around Tora when you exit the tent, two of whom at least have to be related to him; one of the ladies looks almost exactly like him, with a long stripe down her spine and tail being the only obvious difference. The other... well, what name would you give a green cat other than Ruri? That has to be his mom, who Menka told you about.

At your approach, Tora indicates to the others that he wishes to speak to you in private. Stripe-spine looks like she wants to protest, but probably-Ruri takes a swipe at her ear and leads her away.

All the cats look at you as they pass, but none say hello. Stripe, though, has a look of borderline adoration in her eyes that gives you rather mixed feelings.

When the others have left, you run over to the big kitty and hug his fluffy tail. "Hi, Tora! Congratulations on being a dad."

"Th-thank you," he manages to stammer out, "but Ino, if you could please let go of my tail-?"

"Oh!" You let go. "Sorry. Menka likes it when I hug his tail, and yours is waaaaaay fluffier. I didn't think it would hurt."

"It's not painful, it's just..." Tora sighs with a small smile. "Never mind. I trust you have been enjoying the party?"

The two of you have a pleasant enough chat for a minute or two, but you can tell Tora's mostly small-talking for your benefit; every cat you've ever met has had a very to-the-point attitude in social matters. Wasting a cat's time on meaningless pleasantries is considered impolite. You're surprised he's so good at it.

Suddenly realizing that he must be waiting for you to turn the topic to more serious matters, you decide to go for the big question.

"Why didn't Yuji-sensei tell me what being a speaker meant before?"

"I ordered him not to," Tora replies simply. "If you tell a child they have a natural gift for something before they do any work on the subject, they have no incentive to properly do that work."

"Hey! I'm not that lazy!" you protest, pouting. "And that's not what I meant. Tsumuji-san made it sound like speakers are almost expected to get on the Cat Summoning contract."

Tora looks incredibly amused. "I still find it difficult to believe that Shiroi-san willingly sat next to Tsumujikaze-san."

You grin, despite yourself, but don't let up for a second. "Is that why you let me ride you? I thought it was just the barbecue."

The ginger cat coughs. "Well, yes, at the time... but spontaneous verbalization is uncommon enough that I made arrangements to be sure that if you came looking for help, Shiroi-san or one of the other nobles would be willing to provide it." He gives you an appraising glance. "In all honesty, I was surprised it was linguistic instruction you requested first, and not sword-training. You are from a ninja clan, after all."

You shrug. "Swords are really cool, but languages are more important. You can use 'em for more stuff." You cross your arms. "And you still haven't told me-"

"There is no prophecy," Tora says finally.

You blink. "So?"

"All other instances of speakers of the tongue have been preceded by visions in the dreams of cat prophets, identifying the new speaker as such," he explains. "According to those who have such dreams, they're characterized by an unusual level of certainty regarding the intended message. When a speaker is about to approach us, they know."

"And there isn't one about me?"

"There isn't one about anyone," Tora says, exhasperated. "The next speaker is projected to be born sometime between ten and twenty years from now." He stares at you curiously, sniffing the air in front of you. "Furthermore, there are no recorded dreams about a Yamanaka, a blonde girl, a blond boy, a blonde kitten, a child born in September, a sensor, or any other combination of details that could present you as a person coming into significant contact with the Clan. As far as our admittedly small number of experts are concerned, you are supposed to be a normal human, with no special ties to cats."

"Maybe I'm just good with languages," you say reasonably. "I learned Gyogo really fast, too."

Tora shakes his head. "If that were the case, there would be at least some warning. Tsumujikaze-san informs me that the arrival of Uchiha Hiraku, one of the most accomplished human scholars of Nyango who wasn't a speaker, was heralded by a prophet dreaming of opening a door for him."

You massage the back of your neck; you're not really into all this destiny stuff. "Could someone have had a dream about me and then not bothered recording it? Or just forgotten it?"

Tora laughs outright. "I don't think it very likely that a seer would forget a dream about a Takazono. People with a waking connection to seers are famously easier to remember."

"Takazono? You mean Mom's family?"

The cat points a paw at the pin at your throat. "They're your family as well, if you bear their seal." He smiles. "The Takazono are extremely well thought of by my people. They were the first to take us in when we were newly-banished; the current family head helped raise my grandfather along with several other cats of his generation. Their greenhouses and gardens supply the Tora and mundane cats alike with hunting grounds, catnip for our shochu breweries, and a safe place in the capital to rest, for those of us without homes. There isn't a Tora Clan member alive today who doesn't owe the Takazono something, one way or another."

Hmm. So the seal is from Mom's family. Since it came with the dress you just thought it was a koto thing, or an Akegami School thing at most. That's kinda neat. And it makes sense now that Mom was perfectly fine with Yuji and everyone just moving in without warning.

You're getting off-track, though.

"So what happens now?" you ask. At Tora's prompting look, you elaborate: "Am I still a speaker? Does it matter?"

"To my sister it does." He sighs. "She has a theory that your soul is somehow 'outside of fate', and hence invisible to dream seers."

"Awesome!" "Does it give me any other superpowers?"

"Apparently it lets you talk to cats."

"... y'know something, Tora? You're all right," you say, snickering.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of extracting any promises from you," Tora says, and just like that, he's Srs Clan Head again. "You are a brilliant child, Ino, but you are a child regardless. There are many paths open to you, and it would be unfair of me to limit them so early in your life." He stretches and yawns, revealing dazzlingly white fangs. "I merely felt it prudent to alert you to one of those paths."

You have a little time left before you have to get going. (Pick 2)

[X] "Why did the Tora Clan get exiled?" It's been bugging you ever since Tsumujikaze told you about it.

[X] "The Summoning Contract just seems like kind of a hassle for nothing. I mean, I'm already friends with you guys, and friends have each others' backs, right? What good are some Fortress guys who only like fighting, anyway?"

[X] Tell him about Miri

[X] Write in.

edited 8th Feb '13 6:11:18 AM by FurikoMaru

[x] Why did the Tora clan get exiled?

I'm interested, too.

[x] Tell about Miri.

edited 8th Feb '13 3:50:52 AM by TheNobody

[x] Tell about Miri.

[x] Why did the Tora clan get exiled?

edited 8th Feb '13 5:06:25 AM by Malcolmo

[x] Tell about Miri.

[x] Why did the Tora clan get exiled?

[X] "How did the Tora Clan get exiled?" It's been bugging you ever since Tsumujikaze told you about it.

[X] Tell him about Miri

because the feels

[X] Do normal cats often make the jump to talk-y ninja cats? Is it like, something that happens gradually, or do they cross some threshold and BAM! Talking animal city?

[X] How do cats use swords? Is it with their tails? Could we learn to wield a sword with our hair? Canon Ino can run chakra through hers, after all.

... Is it obvious I have no idea what my second topic should be? If that second one doesn't make any sense in context, just put me down for the [X] Can I just be good buddies with you guys and not bring a summon contract into it? one.

edited 8th Feb '13 2:10:29 PM by Guile

I can tell you that stuff for free in GM mode.

Whether or not Ino a) takes swordsmanship lessons from the cats, b) learns how to channel chakra into her hair, and c) learns to channel enough chakra into her hair to wield a sword effectively depends on the choices you make and the training you do. You guys have passed up sword-related options a couple of times now, and you have to remember that as far as your neighbours are concerned, the Yamanaka Clan has recently adopted a family of stray cats because they followed Ino home. Your dad doesn't even want it to be general knowledge that you're friends with intelligent cats, let alone that you can talk to them or learn other stuff from them. And if you think your Mom is going to let you practice swordsmanship in the house, with your hair... you have to be an orphan, because clearly you do not understand how mothers work.

Yes, Tora Clan cats do use their tails to fight with swords; it's the family style. Yes, it is adorable.

Ascended normal-cats are usually really rare; you probably won't see another one in this quest. Like I said, when they do show up it's normally in Hidden Villages so I can do a Godzilla-but-adorable-and-tragic thing with chakra. No one fully understands why only some cats can make the leap, but it tends to happen in infancy, and the result is usually the human who owns them freaking the fuck out thanks to an urban myth that intelligent cats can become bakeneko by killing and eating their owners.

"Hey owner! I'm hungry!"

"You'll not get me today, demonspawn!"

"No, like... open a can of tuna or something, man."

But it's too late- the owner has skedaddled. Very sad.

And the poor kitty has no thumbs. : < How will kitty eat?

[X] "Why did the Tora Clan get exiled?" It's been bugging you ever since Tsumujikaze told you about it.

Tora goes stock-still, and stares into your eyes.

Oof. Maybe you shouldn't have brought it up.

Finally, he looks away, and starts to thaw.

"My ancestor, the Kyudaime Tora, was Nekomata-no-Rrao's chief of intelligence, counterintelligence, and retrieval," he begins quietly, pacing as if delivering a lecture. "Whenever the spies of the Fortress were sent forth to do their work, it was he who gave the order. He was also the master of the Haunting-Tigress weapons school, head of the second-largest clan at the time, a hero of the Second War of Supremacy, and in the wake of that war, one of the five remaining bakeneko.

"And it is likely for these reasons that Nekomata arranged for him to die."

You frown. "I get it... he was too cool. He must have gotten all kinds of girlfriends and Nekomata was jealous."

Tora lets out an ungentlemanly snort of laughter. "History, ah, does not relate anything on that count, I'm afraid." You smile, pleased that you managed to lift his spirits a little bit.

He goes on at length (you're starting to notice a trend with cats when it comes to history; their usually-short attention spans triple where pride is concerned, it seems), but the gist is this, as far as you're concerned: the current Nekomata is a paranoid loon from growing up during a civil war, the Kyudaime was alarmingly naive in regards to his childhood friend and loyal to a fault, and when Nekomata ordered him to take on a long-term mission to the Land of Water personally to get him out of the way for a while, he agreed immediately.

Tora doesn't know the details of the mission, but what he does know is that, while in Water, the Kyudaime found that the merchant-king ally he was staying with had in secret been holding a powerful bakeneko-slaying sword dating back to the time of the Dragon-Eater's wars, presumably as 'insurance'.

When the Kyudaime stole the artefact without getting caught and returned to the Fortress to report the find (ie, did his job), Nekomata's moon-logic led him to the conclusion that the only reason a powerful subordinate would insult a major international ally by stealing a sword specifically forged to kill his species and bringing it back to base... would be to kick off a coup.

Thus encouraged, Nekomata revealed he'd already assassinated most of the adult cats of the Tora Clan on the suspicion that this was going to happen, and called in the Rokudaime Ginboshi, bakeneko master of the Adder's Bane weapons school, and the Juuichidaime Juumoku, his greatest student. The Kyudaime was skilled, but his friend's mad betrayal and the combined might of the two masters were all too much for him in the end, and he fell. Revelling in his triumph, Nekomata then destroyed any possibility of retaliation by removing the names of those who had fled from the Summon Contract, dooming them to the lifespan of ordinary cats once more.

"A day later, the Kyudaime's son and the other exiles arrived in Hikari-kyo, loaded down with all the possessions they could carry, and threw themselves on the mercy of the Takazono."

For once, you don't have anything to say; your erstwhile feud with the Uchiha seems obscenely childish, all of a sudden.

Tora is silent as well. In this light, he looks very young indeed.

Which draws your attention to the sky; it's starting to glow the electric blue of predawn. You need to be heading home soon.

Before you go, though, there's one thing to sort out. Luckily it provides a change in subject.

"There's a lady, a 'true stray' Yuji-sensei called her, sitting with him and Tsumuji-san. She's really in a bad way, and-"

"I shall see to it she finds her way into more pleasant circumstances," Tora declares.

Well, that was remarkably easy. "Are you sure? I just wanted to let you know, I mean, I could take her in for a while..."

He shrugs. "I cannot refuse a worthy request made on the day of my daughter's naming. I will send a message to the capital; your friend will be welcome among your mother's people and mine."

With a smile, a thank-you, and a final few pets, you head back into the pavilion.

Miri and Tsumujikaze are chatting amicably enough (or the big blue fella is talking and Miri is nodding and trying to pretend she doesn't exist), and Tsumuji-san seems pleased to hear Tora okay'd the stray's stay in the capital. Miri has a mini panic-attack at the thought of having to meet a whole new batch of cats before she's even had time to get used to Tsumujikaze and Yuji, but Yuji's stories of how massive the Takazono estate is and how many nice places to hide there are calms her nerves.

Your mother is floored when she enters your bedroom at seven-forty-five to find you still abed. The faint flame of hope that you will one day sleep often enough to give her some time to herself blazes once more in her heart.

Chouji's birthday is on the weekend. What do you want to get him?

[X] Write in

And he wants you and Shika to help decide what you want to do for the day, 'cause he's having trouble deciding. Your choice is:

[X] A baking lesson! Let's make cookies and stuff!

[X] A trip to the movies!

[X] A trip to the public pool! It's finally getting warm enough.

Ugh, thank fucking god; I should have my head examined, including The Manual in the game. And for the fucking cats, of all people!

edited 9th Feb '13 4:33:46 AM by FurikoMaru