Re: OPEN and the Road to Their Goal
“Excuse me, but is there a Mister… B. Shisho here?” There was a person calling out to him. He barely heard it, for he was asleep. It woke him, though. It seemed that he could still not avoid waking up after hearing his own name called out. Both the original nor the clone could resist someone who needed them. But sleep was not something either of them graciously rose from. As soon as he was in the world, he felt like he was swimming at the bottom of the ocean. A deep, black pressure pushed down on his entire body. Sitting himself up, he moved through liquid, his vision fuzzy. He groaned loudly once, trying to convey to whoever had tried to address him that he was awake and he was indeed there. It didn’t work thought. He looked to the left, then to the right, then in nine other directions. The person hadn’t heard him.
“What is it?” he asked, his grogginess not entirely evident in his voice. That time, the person heard him. “I have a letter addressed to you,” the person said, speaking rather loudly as it turned out, “Would you receive it?” Of course he would. Why wouldn’t he? It was a letter. How often did someone get a letter? Black Shisho looked down on the person who had a letter for him. Lo and behold, it was a postman, with his red hat, white tights, and signature satchel. Somehow, they always knew right where you were, even if you were in the middle of nowhere like he was. Talk about convenient. At least, that’s what his soul told him. The walking mask hadn’t ever actually seen one with his own sunken eyes. His soul also told him he wanted one of their satchels. They had a bunny emblem on the bottom.
Trying to shake off his weariness, he lifted himself up and shook his head back and forth. It helped, but not much. Hoping he wouldn’t land on anything, he let himself slide off of the crumbling structure he used as a bed. He had been lying on top of what looked like an abandoned stone gate. What it was doing out in the backwoods was news to him. Landing was no problem, though he felt as if he were about to fall over for the first few seconds. He looked toward the postman, thinking he would be frightened, but he simply stood there, holding the letter toward him. After quickly shuffling over as quickly as he could shuffle, he took the letter and looked at it. There was nothing on it. “Enjoy your letter,” the postman said, making as if to turn around. “Of course,” he replied. And they were parted.
After “To B. Shisho,” it was a whole spiel about a world renowned fighting tournament. It described what the event was and the rules it had, where it was going to be, when it was going to be, how he was supposed to be involved, who some of it’s biggest stars were, and why he should come. There was also a bit in there about last year’s “messiness.” It was funny. He chuckled after reading the entire thing. Obviously, something strange happened, and he had no idea what it was. Humor or no, the letter was somewhat interesting. He had been invited? What an honor. He wasn’t sure how big of an honor it was supposed to be, but he felt honored none the less. He wasn’t even a little bit sleepy. It would be a good place to find something that made him angry.
Ah, but he would have to get moving quickly. According to the letter, there was a month left until the tournament, which meant he had only two weeks to make it to the early event he was specially invited to. Who knows, maybe he’d even pick up a nice little something while he was there.
----------------}---o Meanwhile o---{----------------
“Excuse me, I’m sorry if I’m waking you, but is there a… Nekonu Nakichi here?” There was a person calling out to her. She barely heard it, for he was asleep. It woke her, though. It seemed apparent just then that she hadn’t had enough to drink the past night if she could be woken up at what appeared to be such an early hour. Evidently, someone wanted her, and they were demanding her presence rather loudly. It seemed apparent just then that she hadn’t had enough to sleep, but enough to have a hangover. Suddenly, the person’s voice seemed like the shot from a matchlock being fired right next to her ear. The air just seemed to pound at her skull. She’d felt worse mornings, oh yes indeed, but a hangover was never fun no matter how severe it was.
She would have answered the person at her door with a “Get the **** out,” what with his loud knocking and intermittent requests for her, but she had to engage him face to face. To shout at him to go away would surely wake up her date, who was still soundly asleep in bed next to her. If the person at the door didn’t go away though, her date would wake up anyways. She wanted to leave before he could wake up. He was okay for a one night stand, but she preferred bananas over plantains. Silently as the cat ninja could, she pulled the covers off and tiptoed across the room. Luckily, the first rule of Intonjutsu was as simple as “If they’re sleeping, walk right by.” Searching her clothing, she picked up her kiseru. She didn’t need to get dressed, but having a weapon was a must.
Cracking open the door to her inn room, she found out who was calling for her. It was a plain old postman. It was a plain old postman, with a letter in hand, making a delivery to her before noon, while she was trying to escape. Perfect. Throwing the door open, she confronted him. “What the hell do you want?” she asked, her own voice hurting her head. He didn’t answer. His eyes went right down to her chest, where they stayed for the duration of their interaction. After he didn’t answer, she got irritated. “C’mon, tell me before I knock your teeth out,” she threatened. She couldn’t help but jiggle just a little as she said that, which didn’t help speed him up. “Uh, here,” he said, shifting the letter by fondling one of the corners, “it’s, uh, one of the… Correspondence for, uh, th-the fur.”
She took the letter, but he didn’t leave. It was irritating. “Listen,” she began, “Either touch them or leave, now.” After he did nothing, she kicked his legs out from under him and closed the door. Finally. Now that he was gone, she could get her head together. Focus. The situation wasn’t too dire. Her date was still sound asleep and smiling stupidly, so there didn’t seem to be any hurry to get out. She took her time getting dressed, and even took a hit of catnip before escaping through the window. Like always, Sukoshi was waiting right outside. Like always, he had the cold shoulder ready for her That jogged her memory. Reaching inside her vest, she took out the letter. It just had her name on it. The inside wasn’t that interesting, especially not then. Still, she’d bite. It was kind of what she left home to do.
Ah, but she would have to get moving quickly. According to the letter, there was almost a month left until the tournament, which meant she had only one week to make it to the early event she was specially invited to. Who knows, maybe she’d even pick up a nice little something while she was there.