nexus_crossings | (no subject)

(no subject)

There is a large orange tabby cat exploring around the Nexus. He seems to be looking for someone in particular. Now, that in itself is not unusual.

However, this particular tabby cat is wearing a make-shift holster around his belly and there seems to be a Starfleet phaser encased in the holster. Only the top of the phaser is visible to the eye... but it looks covered with soot.

The cat is also being followed by a glowing blue light very closely.

After a few moments of being frustrated of not seeing anyone's face, from where he is on the ground... the orange tabby cat jumps his way up a few different Nexus fixtures, until he is higher up. He stares around the Nexus and makes a soft meowing sound. Almost questioning.

Anyone care to try to answer his question.

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"We could always go hunt a Lamia down though and get a scale off of her. They're a kind of serpent."

Neko gives a toothy grin then. She doesn't often get a chance to hunt.

The otter flickers slightly. And repeats the statement in Neko's voice. "We could always go hunt a Lamia down and get a scale off of her. They're a kind of serpent."

Then the otter heads off into the Nexus, swimming through the air to return to the witch with the question.

Crookshanks licks his paw as he waits. This part takes time.

A few moments later, the otter returns. And in Hermione's voice again, it says. "Yes. A Lamia scale would be a suitable replacement. Thank you."

That settled, Nekomata gives a thoughtful nod of her head before turning with a swish of her tails and making for one of the many Nexus doors. This one happens to be on the edge of the plaza, near one of the many sprawling parks that begin the blurry border into the wilds.

The door itself looks to have been repaired once before, and has several runes with powerful magics etched into the surface of the simple glass door. Like one would find outside of a shop. The noises that come from the other side of that door once opened however...

The hustle and bustle of a city. Nekomata leads her feline companion through to a crowded urban environment. The door opens up to a thankfully empty side street that links to an alleyway running parallel to the busy main street further ahead.

"Come on nya~ I wonder if any of my old hangouts are still demon nests like they used to be~~"

Crookshanks followed Nekomata, hopeful that they will find something to help his witch soon. He meows curiously at the door, sensing the magic that is contained in the runes etched into the surface.

His ears flatten slightly at the sounds of a city. He does not much care for busy city streets. Too many people don't respect a feline such as himself. He is glad that they are in an empty alleyway.

He meows softly. He is ready to help in any way he can.

"Yeah, tell me about it. They dyon't look too kindly to little ol' me, either."

Nekomata gives a sympathetic glance back to her companion as they head through one alley after another. After a point the demon pulls down a fire escape and holds out one clawed hand toward Crookshanks.

"Climb on mya, we're gonna break into a warehouse and take a looksee for some demons. This place used to be one of the biggest dens around so once we get inside, make sure you stay close to me."

Crookshanks twitches his whiskers, then moves so he can delicately climb up Nekomata's extended arm, until he settles on her shoulder. He curls his tail around Nekomata's neck, to give him balance. He purrs softly. This should keep him nice and close.

The closer the pair get to the windows, the more strange scents Crookshanks is going to be subjected to. The faintly metallic scent Nekomata gives off is stronger in here along with mingling smells notable for other demons. Some musky, others sharp and crisp like a fresh spring rain.

The scents are fresh. Nekomata's lead them right into a demon nest.

She lands soundlessly on one of the rafters underneath the high industrial ceiling and prowls along carefully. Her golden eyes glow softly in the dark of this place.

"Keep an eye out for a snake-lady, nya. I don't smell any close by." Her whisper is laced with a quiet hiss.

Crookshanks has to wonder how one can pick out one scent, when there is so many interesting smells to investigate. He has to concentrate. And as much as he hates snakes, Crookshanks is willing to face anything to save his witch.

He moves onto one of the rafters, to prowl behind Nekomata. His whiskers twitch, as he surveys his surroundings.

Far below the pair of hunters a cluster of fairies are huddled close to a high pixie as the larger fae tells stories to her little sisters under the sway of the lights above. What looks to be a floating jack-o-lanturn in a cape sits next to them, accompanied by a snowman in a blue jester's hat. They giggle along with the stories.

Nekomata hops to an adjacent rafter, eyes narrowed and tails curled low against her as she creeps along. She's caught scent of the lamia's musk. Far below in a corner there's a woman with a serpent's body curled up on herself taking a rest. A quiet growl burbles through the demon's chest when she catches sight and Nekomata coils up on the edge of the rafter before launching herself down.

This is Dangerous.

The lamia is nearly twice Neko's size and resistant to her charms. But she has surprise on her side and claws sharp enough to take a chunk out of a steel girder. She's already on the demon's back, fangs sinking into her neck when the lamia wakes with an ear piercing shriek that shatters a nearby window. A powerful thrash of the serpent's tail send Neko hurtling through one of several large crates though when she follows it up with a crash of lightning magic Nekomata is nowhere to be seen.

The demon is busy bolting for an exit, blood trickling from her mouth and off the end of her claws. A single scale is clutched tight against her fluffy chest as she heaves for breath.

Crookshanks is worried about the well-being of his new-found friend. But he knows how important that scale is. So he leaps down from his perch, onto the shoulder of the lamia. He moves quickly down her body, avoiding it when she tries to throw him off her body. It is in that moment that he is able to secure the scale in his mouth, and bolt away before getting into any more trouble.

He heads towards the crates, trying to sniff out Neko, knowing that it is important to make a strategic retreat right now.

"Over here mya.."

It's a whisper, quiet enough that even Crookshanks' magnificent hearing would have trouble picking up on it right away. Nekomata beckons with a bloody claw and leads the pair of them out a side door before the blood in the air starts a frenzy among the demons. They don't want to stick around inside after all of that.

The demon is wiping at her mouth, looking a little roughed up but ultimately no worse for the wear.

"Ya get it?"

Crookshanks follows Nekomata out the side door, until they are in a safer spot. He looks over Neko with concern.

But then places the scale on the ground. And meows, puffing his chest out. Their plan worked. They can help his witch!

"Dyon't worry about me, occupational hazard. I knew what I was gettin' into when I agreed to hunt a demon mya."

There's not exactly much in the way of loyalty for these creatures to one another as is and Nekomata is an outcast to boot who has chosen to work with humans. There's no guilt about attacking the lamia, just a profound gratitude that Crookshanks has the scale so they can get out of this world and back to the Nexus.

She'll lead the cat back to the door and hold it open for him.

"Come on, mya."

Crookshanks is quick to return to the Nexus, glad to be heading back to a familiar area. He glances back at Nekomata, wondering where they should go now. He can lead her to the door that belongs to his witch, if that is the desire.

"That should be the hardest thing sorted and done with. I got no idea where to look for plant stuff though, unless we're hunting it fresh in the wilds."

The cat demon sighs and licks at a wound on her paw.

Crookshanks meows. He is sure they can find a shop for the plant stuff. Then she doesn't have to hunt again. He is already concerned about her wound.

"That's awful gentlemanly of you, nya."

She doesn't taste any poison in the wound so it's probably fine. That whole fiasco could have gone a lot worse and so long as they're done and out of there Nekomata's fine not thinking about it much harder than that.

There's a reason she fled to the Nexus and that life is definitely the biggest one.

"I don't got a lot of money but my boss doesn't let me run around completely broke." Never know who you're gonna need to bribe, after all. "Let's go get your stuff."

Crookshanks leads Neko towards a street filled with magical shops. There is a plant and herb shop at the corner, that would offer the other supplies.

He is sure that his witch will repay Neko back, when they meet up.

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