Owner	Pose
Shannon	Even with decent skills as a cook, sometimes there was just no substitute for a pie from your favorite pizzeria. And that is just what one winged teen is indulging in, coming out of the pizza place with a few boxes stacked up. Either she was very hungry, or had plans to share upon arriving home! She's dressed in dark blue jeans, caramel-colored suede boots, and is keeping warm with a thick, caramel velveteen parka. A red and white 'Where's Waldo' style hat keeps her hair in check, even the thin, ice blue braid on the left side of her face, with its three little silver beads. She's just spreading her wings to their full span to take off and head for home; however, fate had different plans in store....
Katsumi Oshiro	Well. Sort of. See, pizza is fantastic, especially when combined with the right toppings. But sometimes, it doesn't even matter. Like today, when the subject in question hasn't eaten in a while. Food is scarce in these hard, concrete villages, and birds rarely avail themselves. Especially now, during the winter. Curse his timing; to be awakened when most sensible creatures are hibernating or leaving for warmer climes. Such is the plight of a significantly woolly, dour-faced calico cat. The thickly-furred feline has followed his nose to his quarry - pizza. It's an unfamiliar scent, but it's tantalizing. And when he spots the gatekeeper of this cuisine, he plops onto his rear in front of her, pretty-as-you-please, frowning up at the curiously winged girl. He announces his presence with a meow.
Shannon	Make that two weaknesses of the winged one--pizza, and furry, adorable felines. The meow does indeed get her attention, and she glances down. Tucking her wings in, Shannon crouches down near the calico, setting her payload down on the ground next to her. "Hello there!" Not knowing the cat from any other normal feline, she offers her fingertips for the cat to sniff, by way of greeting. "What are you doing out in the cold, hmm?"
Katsumi Oshiro	Some things transcend the ages: cats sniffing fingers is one of them. The feline stretches his neck forward, nosepad flaring a couple times as he takes in all the sniffs proffered. Then that attention shifts to the pizza boxes, and bingo! That's where the foodstuff resides! A paw is moved forward, the fuzzy limb dabbing at the cardboard box. No dice. It's closed, and he has no thumbs. He could work it open, but that would be conspicuous. The feline looks up to Shannon again, issuing forth another plaintive meow.
Shannon	"Oh-ho, I see." Shannon shakes her head. "Sorry, Italian food isn't good for cats. Onions and garlic could get you sick. But maybe..." Maybe. Just maybe... she glances between the fluffy calico, the box and back again. How could she ignore those plaintive cries? Nothing said she couldn't share just a little bit, right? The top pizza box is opened, and she starts to pick some of the meaty toppings off of the pie, keeping them as free of sauce and cheese as she can. "I'll give you what I can, just don't want to get you sick, m'kay?"
Katsumi Oshiro	The feline somehow sits up a little more 'properly' when she seems to be acquiescing to his oh-so-blatant requests for food. After all, he's getting what he wants. Maybe. He's not so sure how much food he /isn't/ getting with this bizarrely-winged girl withholding ingredients, but he's not too fussed about it. It all depends on how much is offered. The moment the meaty bits hit the ground, however, he quickly ducks his head to nip them up. He squish-chews the pieces patiently, taking a moment to look up at her quizzically. She looks like a human, more or less. But with wings. Do humans have wings now...?
Shannon	Shannon can't help a smile as the cat partakes of the meaty feast, and she finds herself picking off every last bit of meat on the pizza to offer to her new friend. Okay, so this probably meant she was going to have to get another pizza, but what the heck, it was worth it! As she holds a bit of bacon between her fingers, she catches the feline staring at her wings. "Oh... never seen a person with wings before? See, it's okay. They're real. Not going to hurt you." Very, very slowly, so as to hopefully not spook the fluffy calico, she spreads her wings out to their full span; it's a considerable distance from wingtip to wingtip. Let the cat satisfy their curiosity.
Katsumi Oshiro	The feline stares intently at the wings, then her face. As if engaging in conversation, he offers up another meow - lighter in tone, with an upwards lilt at the end. Like a question mark. A few passing pedestrians pause to look at the wings, sneering in disgust. Others are keeping their distance from her. But the longer she keeps those wings fully spread and drawing attention to them, the more it's being noticed - to mixed results.
Shannon	Anti-mutant sentiment was something Shannon was not unfamiliar with, sadly. If the passerby wanted to keep their distance from her? So be it. If they wanted to jeer? It wouldn't be the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last. Tucking the huge, feathered limbs in neatly behind her once more, she picks up her pizza boxes and straightens up, smiling down at her new friend. "Come on, let's see if we can find somewhere to enjoy some food in peace, hmm?"
Katsumi Oshiro	Are calicos known for their intelligence? This one is perhaps tamed already, given his attention to her words and evident reading of her body language. Why, he'll even start padding along after her, tail perked in the air, when she starts to move. Of course, the truth is, he understands the English language perfectly well. That also means he understands it when someone mumbles a less-than-subtle, "Mutie freak," in passing. It gets a curious pause from the cat, but he'll continue following along after her!
Shannon	Those were also words Shannon was accustomed to hearing. However, there were also words she remembered well from another source. Words that bubbled up to the forefront of her mind right about now....      "...the world needs to see that somebody's gonna stand up to those abusing power."      These thoughts gave her pause, and she turns to look back at the source of the jeering, staring them straight in the eyes for a moment. Was it worth it to confront them right at this moment? They certainly weren't being violent, and from that same source, she remembered other words as well.      "Make sure you're not alone."      Shaking her head, she just turns away and walks on for the moment, in a bid to avoid an outright confrontation. Unnecessary violence solved nothing.
Katsumi Oshiro	The cat, complacent and indignant as can be, continues to follow along with Shannon. There's food involved. A few meaty morsels aren't enough to satisfy him. Not when there's a chance for /more/. Someone isn't cool with being complacent, though. Someone with more time and gumption on their hands than they know what to do with, along with a couple buddies, has been watching the gradually increasing unrest caused by the wings. And they've had enough, by golly. So they've made it a point to interpose themselves directly in Shannon's path, declaring their intentions with the lead man aiming to promptly shove her. "Get outta here! We don't want your kind!"
Shannon	Rocked back on her heels, Shannon quickly regains her balance, simply staring down the rather burly, disgruntled-looking individual. "If you'll move aside, I would be more than happy to leave your bigotry behind," is her relatively calm, if tart rejoinder. With that, she attempts to sidestep the trio, and find another path home. She takes care to keep herself between her feline friend and the bigots, however, not wanting to see an innocent come to harm because of her.
Katsumi Oshiro	The deft feline skirts her ankles as she rocks back, quick enough to get clear of any footfalls. He then plants his furry rump on the concrete to watch the proceedings with interest. Shannon attempts to bypass the trio of ruffians, and the lead seems fine with it. The one at his right - closest to her - did not share that willingness. There's another shove coming her way, more forceful and somehow meaner spirited this time. "Nah, I wanna know if those feathers pluck like a chicken's!"
Shannon	Shannon's reaction may seem an odd one. She sets the pizza boxes down nearby, and slips her phone from her pocket. She is oddly calm about the whole thing as she raises her phone to take in the sight of the three ruffians, tapping the phone. "I'd like others to see the face of bigotry," she says, her voice strong and clear. "Now, I'll say this for the third and last time. I have no wish to confront you. Please let me go in peace." The pizza boxes might have to be forfeit to make good her escape, but so be it.      With a bit of video footage taken, she taps her phone once more to stop recording, taps it a second time, and slips the device back in her pocket. For the third time, she tries to bypass the trio of ruffians; forget the pizza, she just wanted to get out of there without having to fight!
Katsumi Oshiro	A phone comes out, and people with bad intentions do what they always do: try to get rid of evidence. This comes in the form of grabs, swats, smacks; whatever might cease the recording and get the cellphone out of her hand. She won't be getting a clear and steady recording, either way. And regardless of how it may shake out, the very next response she gets is going to be a left hook aimed for the cheek. Real gentleman, that lead fella'. The other two rush in to try to shove her down to the sidewalk.
Shannon	A portion of the recording had already been sent to recipients unknown by Shannon. The evidence was out there. She has just enough time to slip the device back into her pocket with her left hand and adjust her stance to a stronger forward stance. Her right arm comes up in a side block, catching the thug's attack and deflecting it away from her face. "That was not a good move," she states, deadly calm. "These feathers might be plucked, but I'm no chicken. I suggest you walk away. NOW."
Katsumi Oshiro	They're not interested in talking. They've decided they've found an uppity mutie girl, and she's polluting the gene pool. She should go back to whatever foul pool spawned her. These thoughts are communicated with brutish swarming, attempting to overwhelm her. The idea is to simply put her down and stomp on her a bit. They don't actually care about plucking her feathers. The feline pads back a little more, wearing a sour expression. To be fair, that's a normal default feline expression. However, he's processing what he's seeing. Silent, watchful.
Shannon	Whoah! Okay, this was -not- good! Three at once rushing her? Yeah, no. Shannon was -not- having any of this! It only takes a couple downstrokes of her wings to send her skywards, above the thugs' heads. Perhaps in rushing her, they might wind up rushing each other instead! "Okay, but I did warn you!" With that, she flies higher and higher, till she is nearly out of sight. Had she flown the coop after all...?
Katsumi Oshiro	There's a collective grunt of malcontent when she simply nope's out of their rush by flying! They obviously can't quite get at her. But they turn their fuming into flaunts, deciding instead to congratulate themselves on their not-quite-victory. "Hah! You better run!," declares one. "I thought you said you weren't a chicken!," shouts the second. This gets all three laughing. The calico moves around the trio to gain a little distance and sits upon the concrete again. His head tilts far back to stare up at the sky, ears perked and swiveling.
Shannon	Evidently, the trio didn't know what they were dealing with--for what goes up, must come down. And in this case, it did. Hard. The speck in the sky that was Shannon is now hurtling towards the ground at breakneck speed, wings tucked in tightly as she dives. While the trio are busy congratulating themselves, she is busy taking aim at them. If she aims and times this just right, she just might be able to hit two out of three of them.      Closer.      Closer.      Closer still.      At the last possible second, she snaps her wings outwards to break her fall--she is flying at close to 70 mph by this point. It's just enough time for her to angle her body upwards, aim her feet at the backs of two of the thugs, and connect, hopefully with enough force to send their faces into the pavement.      She might not have wanted a confrontation, but if necessary, she wasn't going to shy away from one, either.
Katsumi Oshiro	Their laughter fills the air, with most other pedestrians just wanting away from it all. But it gets cut short with a couple of them are slammed into the pavement from a 70 MPH kick. Well, that's certainly a thing. The feline pops into the air, startled, as cats tend to do. But he finds his seat again, watching with judgmental curiosity. The remaining man is agape at what she just did, staring at his two cohorts. And he whirls on her, aiming a wild, furious haymaker for her temple. Nothing artsy about it. Just raw force and anger.
Shannon	There was no time for a second aerial attack, and Shannon has to block that wild punch. Recalling the way she herself had thrown a punch in anger at someone once, also calls to mind how her hand had simply been brushed aside as if it were nothing. She might not have quite that level of skill, but she was at least able to swipe her left hand up and to the side, to catch the thug's arm and halt its progress towards her face. At the same time, she brings her right knee upwards, -very- sharply, towards his groin.      Young, female, and mutant did -not- mean helpless.
Katsumi Oshiro	Well, none of this is working out the way the man intended. This girl, considerably smaller and younger, is making him look like a weak fool. And this latest development simply adds insult onto it. There's a long string of muted profanity to come, unable to give it volume, what with this latest blow. And though he's on his knees now, the pure fury she's generated in him won't allow him to let her off scott-free. It should really be expected that anyone who is willing to beat up a girl in broad daylight is probably used to causing havoc, and having a backup for when they bite off more than they can chew; particularly with a bootknife. It's a bit oversized, just shy of illegal. But perhaps most importantly, it's being flailed somewhat blindly at her in hopes of scoring a hit and getting her to back off.
Shannon	While Shannon is quick, and not exactly helpless, she's not exactly getting off scott-free, either. The blade catches her by surprise, and she yelps as one swipe finds its mark, slashing open her jeans over her right shin, and drawing blood. Somehow, she managed to keep from swearing as she shuffles backwards to get some distance between her and the now knife-wielding opponent.
Katsumi Oshiro	For a while, the man isn't sure he actually did anything. Rather distracted, see. But when he's able to finally look forward, he can tell there's been contact. He still can't speak, thanks to that knee, but there's a sardonic grin on his face. He starts to lift, but he can't quite uncurl yet either. So he gallumphs forward on three limbs, the other swiping the knife in a to-and-fro motion. Somehow this translates to an advantage in his mind. As for the cat? He's been sitting on the concrete, observing. But finally, this seems to spur him to move. Normal cats might have scampered away to safety or hidden under something. This cat springs forward to land on the man's hunched back, and climb directly to the back of his head. Foreclaws latch onto scalp, while hindclaws kick and scratch. Not even a yowl escapes the feline. Just a whirlwind of animals claws. Needless to say, this puts a halt on that knife-swiping.
Shannon	This... was not normal. No cat behaved like that. No cat would throw themselves into a fight on a human's behalf, and certainly not so -silently-. Shannon dances back, just out of reach of her attacker's blade, putting a bench on the sidewalk between herself and the thug. Hopefully, on his next swipe, he might knock the knife out of his own hand! If not, well, at least there was some form of barrier between her and him!
Katsumi Oshiro	Well, the winged mutie is no longer his main concern. His attention is taken up with the cat trying to scalp him. He has enough presence of mind to know that trying to jab a knife at the furry critter is just as likely to wind up stabbing himself in the head, so he's flailing his free arm about to try and dislodge it. It takes an agonizing minute, but the cat is finally grabbed by the scruff and forcefully flung away. The calico banks into the bench with a pained 'mrow' and stays down. Not unconscious, but definitely not threatening anyone any longer.
Shannon	That tore it. If there was one thing Shannon could not stand, it was the harming of an innocent. That cat had done nothing but try to protect her, and now was hurt for it. With the knife no longer being waved about, she has the few precious seconds she needs to stride right up to the man, gritting her teeth, and lashing out with a kick to his left kidney. "That was rude," she utters, her voice deadly quiet and calm. "I suggest you take your buddies and leave. There is no room for your bigotry here."
Katsumi Oshiro	The kick is unimpeded, and the man rolls over with a choked groan. Yeah, he's done. He's not letting go over the knife, but it's not exactly in use anymore. He's just gracelessly wallowing on a sidewalk. The feline lets out a throaty 'rrrrll' noise. This time the irritated look on his face probably /is/ legitimate and not simply default.
Shannon	Ignoring her own wound, Shannon crouches down near the fallen feline, reaching out to gingerly brush her fingers over their cheek. "Thank you," she murmurs softly, starting to think this cat was more than what they seemed. "Just hold still, okay? Let me make sure you're not too badly hurt? Make some sort of sound if you understand me?" She waits for the brave calico cat to reply before going further.
Katsumi Oshiro	And this encounter appears to have culminated into the winged mutie talking to a cat. Fantastic. The cat in question lifts his head to look at her more directly. It may somehow read as judgmental. Skeptical, even. Perhaps questioning the notion of speaking up in such an obvious and public place! But it doesn't give any meows, and it doesn't seem to follow her request of staying still. Paws plant to sidewalk, and the cat stiffly lifts himself to all fours. Movement is jilty, paws unsteady. Oh, he got knocked for a loop.
Shannon	Sighing softly, Shannon hangs her head for a moment. That little cat had just gone through hell to help protect her. How could she just let them go? "Please," she murmurs, her voice soft, hopefully soothing. "I wish you'd let me make sure you're okay." She wasn't going to try and stop the cat from leaving if they were well and truly intent upon it. But she had to try and at least be certain of their well-being. And the way the cat was looking at her, and then got up, made it quite clear that they were definitely no ordinary housecat. "You did a lot to help me. Thank you."
Katsumi Oshiro	At this point, the cat does another thing cats tend to do: be accidentally amusing. The excessively-woolly calico seems at first to ignore her remarks. Instead, he turns and stagger-pads his way back from her - to the pizza boxes she'd left on the floor. He climbs up onto the boxes slowly, carefully. He turns to face her agan. Then sits. Staring. Expectant. She made him believe there was food still to come!
Shannon	At this, Shannon just bursts out laughing, making her way over to the cat on the pizza boxes. "Silly. I can't feed you if you're sitting on it! C'mon, off you go, so I can get something to eat for both of us." Yeah. If this cat wasn't quite a cat then chances are good a whole slice of meat-lover's pizza wasn't going to hurt him. If he does move off of the boxes, she opens the one on which a furry posterior had once rested, tugs a slice of pizza free, and closes the box to lay the piece down on top. "You've definitely earned that."
Katsumi Oshiro	The feline's furry rump lifts off the box and he slowly pads off his cardboard throne. The moment all four paws touch down on sidewalk again, he turns to face her again. As she lifts the lid on the top pizza, he asks, "Is this the best place for that?" Indeed, tired of beating around the bush and playing it subtle, the feline decided to take a chance out in the open as they are. As for his voice? It's deep, resonant, clear, and accented with a British dialect. All in all, he sounds a bit like James Earl Jones reprising Darth Vader. Well, when his helmet had been removed, on account of the physical strain of abuse creeping into his voice.
Shannon	Shannon just blinks, stunned when the cat actually -speaks-. "Holy sh...iitake mushrooms." Talking to and fighting alongside kings? Sure! Talking to gods as if it were the most natural thing? Why not!      Talking to a cat, and having them /talk back/? Now that was a little weird!      Laughing awkwardly, the winged teen scratches the back of her head, and nods. "Yeah, you're probably right. Where to, then? Maybe somewhere well away from these thugs?"
Katsumi Oshiro	"Yes," answers the imperious feline. He takes a second to situate himself, then sits upright. His chin uptilts, pseudo-regal. "You may carry me."
Shannon	Laughing lightly, Shannon sketches a bow to the regal feline overlord, her wings outspread in a rather theatrical manner. "Of course, m'lord." Oh, this was just too precious! Despite the burning pain from her wound, and the dark stain on her jeans from it, she crouches down and very gently picks up the cat, cradling him against her so he can balance his front paws over her left shoulder. With her right hand, she picks up the pizza boxes, balancing them on her hip. This was awkward, a little less than dignified, but hey, it'd work!      She heads for what is hopefully the relative safety of Apple Park, to check on the well-being of the cat, and to share a bit of pizza. "My name's Shannon," she offers, smiling. "What's yours?
Katsumi Oshiro	The uber-woolly calico deigns to allow himself be lifted, and in this process, is likely noticeably larger than the average cat of his species. Not mutantly large, nor freakish - just large. He's a big specimen. And he drapes neatly on the shoulder, hindpaws in her hand and lil' feline bean pads pushed into her palm. For better balance, his claws are mildly digging into her clothes. He's a cat, after all. They do that. The bow she'd offered, the gaiety with which she addressed him, falls flat for him though. That cat-frown remains persistent. Silent, even, until they ultimately seem to reach a point wherein they could be out of earshot. Of course, Shannon and her wings will always get some looks at a distance, but it'll have to do. Claws disengage, and the calico turns to neatly hop down to the grass. He pads a few feet in front of her, tail in the air, then turns to sit, resuming his ever-regal and aloof posture. A foreleg lifts, and he takes a few licks at the digits before setting it back down and, at last, replying: "I am Herukage, emissary of Makai-no-Yomorinushi, Lord Protector of the Night, god of yokai, father of monsters, and shepherd of beasts."
Shannon	Of course, while she has a hold of the rather large calico, Shannon does offer a little bit of a cuddle, and a gentle scritching behind the ears. She did love cats, there was no denying it. The application of claws does not translate into the prickling of flesh, so she really hasn't anything to say about it. With a sigh of relief, as soon as the feline hops down, she sits down on a bench to have a look at her wound. Damn. That was probably going to need stitches, and it was -not- going to be fun to explain!      "Herukage, a pleasure to meet you. I owe you some thanks for helping me out back there. It could have gotten a lot worse than it did, had you not intervened."
Katsumi Oshiro	Herukage tilts his head faintly to the side with a cant, as if accepting the gratitude with a modest bow. But his posture straightens again, poised. "Humans have not changed much," he comments. "But what manner of monster are you?" The blunt question sees him lift onto all fours and prowls closer to her shins, brazenly sniffing at her legs. After inspecting her clothing, he leans back to peer up at her nose. "Your nose is too short for a tengu."
Shannon	Shannon blinks, looking at Herukage with utter, complete confusion. "What's a tengu?" Then, his other words sink in. "I'm not a monster. I'm just a human that's got a couple interesting mutations." She smiles a little bit, pulling her jeans leg up so the denim at least partially covers the gash in her leg, adding pressure to try and stop the bleeding, or at least slow it enough to get home safely. "How can a cat talk?"
Katsumi Oshiro	"Oh. What sort of alchemy created you? Did a foul surgeon tamper with your physic? Did he do this to others as well?," inquires the cat. Moving back to where he originally sat, he resumes his perch. "The sort that is a direct servant of the Lord Protector of the Night; one tasked with the duty of guiding a human champion. It would be difficult to do this without the ability to speak."
Shannon	Shannon shakes her head quickly. "No. There's a lot of questions about how mutants like me came to be, but it's not foul alchemy, or a surgeon. It's just nature being very creative. There are others who have different mutations. It's actually pretty amazing, the range of gifts and the things nature still has left in store for us." She's settled the pizza boxes down on the bench next to her, and is even now opening the top box again, picking all the meat off of the pie, bit by bit, and offering it to Herukage. She -had- promised, after all!
Katsumi Oshiro	And while Herukage could (and will) totally eat the offered foodstuff, there is a topic of some fascination presented before him. He fidgets slightly in his 'seat', judgmental gaze shifting from her face to her leg, then back again. "That does not sound very human to me." Another glance to the leg. "And other humans do not seem to consider you human, either." The green eyes raise to Shannon's face, expression unchanging. "You neither look human, fit the description or a human, nor are accepted by humans. Why do you believe you are human?"
Shannon	Shannon tilts her head slightly, this question giving her pause. And she thought she was the one to ask the loaded questions! "That's a question that some of us debate even amongst ourselves. I didn't always have the wings, nor could I always heal another by touch. Those came in when I was fourteen. I'm just sixteen now. But for all that time, all I knew was that I am human. The fact that I have wings now, and a few unusual gifts, doesn't seem that unusual to me. Life evolves. Humans are life. So it makes sense that we would evolve, too."
Katsumi Oshiro	"Curious." The cryptic calico leans over to nibble a little on the meat before almost offpawedly adding, "You sound very much like a yokai." When he straightens his posture again, he continues whether or not prompted by question. "I have learned that yokai are a mystery to most here. You are not familiar with tengu - I suspect you are also unfamiliar with tsukumogami. Perhaps kitsune, as well? To be yokai is to change from one, lesser thing, into something different and more mystical." Rolling right along, Herukage continues as he paces around the meaty bits offered to him, "Though you may simply have been unaware of your inhuman nature from the start. That would be something else. Usually."
Shannon	Shannon shakes her head. "I have no idea what yokai are, but I've heard the word kitsune a few times. Not entirely sure what those are, but I've heard it." She smiles a little bit, peering over at the great, grumpy-looking calico, thinking for a moment. "Maybe we're the next breed of human, who knows?"
Katsumi Oshiro	"I doubt that," replies Herukage, flat in tone as much as face. But he goes on to explain a little, which may in fact only muddy things up even further: "Of tengu, there are different types, but all are born the same way. If a human dies, but is not evil enough for Hell, nor virtuous enough for Heaven, Makai-no-Yomorinushi may deign to grant them life anew. Some appear as large crows with human-like features - those you should fear. Others appear as humans, but for grand, feathered wings and long noses." The calico suddenly hops up onto the bench with a, 'rrll' before sitting again. "Tsukumogami are objects you may often overlook; your shoes, your clothes, your umbrella. But when in service to a human for so long, such as a century, the Lord Protector of the Night may bless them with a spirit of their own, to know freedom and choice. There are many, /many/ different types of tsukumogami." The feline tilts his head faintly to the side, still looking up at her. "Do you understand what I am saying?"
Shannon	Shannon smiles, and nods. "I think so, in a way. Sometimes it's said when something like a blade or a family heirloom has been passed down for generations, it takes on a life of its own. Most think of that in very metaphorical terms, but the way you are describing it sounds quite... literal. Like they're given their own life force. Is that something of what you were saying?"
Katsumi Oshiro	"Yes," nods a pleased Herukage. His expression does not look pleased, so she may have to infer that through his voice and assenting gesture. "If you know of a tsukumogami sword, please stay away from it. They tend to be extremely dangerous and aggressive. All they know as their purpose for existing is to cut and kill; even those belonging to the most benevolent of samurai." The head bobs, his ears flattening. "I apologize. I have never before had the opportunity to speak on yokai matters, and I forget myself." His head lifts again, along with a paw as if to point the fuzzy digits up at her. "But you, Shannon, are impossible to call human. You may not be yokai, but you have more in common with them than you do the race that gave you.. /that/." The paw points to her leg, likely indicating the wound.
Shannon	Shannon wrinkles her nose, and sighs softly. "I'm afraid those aren't the best representation of humans. There's been a sad history of killing and fighting, wars that should never happen. But there have been good things, too. There are remarkable individuals. My own parents are two of them. They love and support me even though I've turned out so very different from them. There are many heroes who are indeed human as you know it, some of who I have been priveleged to know. There are good and evil among mutants as well." Shrugging lightly, she thinks for a moment, and smiles. "Human or not, I'm just... me. And that's enough."
Katsumi Oshiro	Unaffected, Herukage lowers his paw and sits more comfortably on his fluffy rump. "Such is the way of all sentient life," he drones. "Yokai may be charitable, kind, and patient. Others may be sadistic, evil, and craven. Recall the tengu; the type that is more bird-like is vile, cruel for its own sake, and revels in the torture of humans. The other, more human-like, is reclusive, wise, and respectful. Though I will concede yokai do not often quarrel or war with one another - that is a trait of humanity." "However," he raises a paw to mid-height, "You suffer the same unjust persecution as yokai. And humans are a specific thing, varied as they may be individually. You no longer fit the mould, if you did once." There's a beat before he leans towards the open pizza box. "As you say, you are you. That should be enough." He opens his mouth, pauses, then asks, "What is a mutant?," before just nibbling directly off the pizza. Unless stopped!
Shannon	Shannon tilts her head slightly to one side, pursing her lips slightly. By now, the pain of her wound is starting to get to her, and her color is a bit off, but she says nothing about it. Not yet. "The bird-like tengu sound almost like the Harpy of Greek myth and lore. Thankfully, I don't seem to be either of those." She's given up on trying to keep Herukage from eating the pizza, chuckling lightly, if a bit tense now. "Mutant is a human that's evolved traits generally considered to be wildly different from the 'standard' mold. Some have traits like strength, or healing, and nothing visibly different. Some have traits like mine, like wings, or some sort of armor. It's pretty widely varied."
Katsumi Oshiro	"Oh. So.. you." Herukage lifts his head again, licking over his mouth with a floppy tongue. Once satisfied, he continues his reply, "I do not approve. Mutant sounds as though human is the ideal, and you are some... undesired offshoot, rather than transcendent. I imagine humans are the ones who first dubbed your kind." There's almost a tsking note in his voice. "Either way, I have much to meditate on. And you - you appear to have the same fragility as humans. You should see a physician." The calico turns aside to regard the pizza, then looks back to her over his shoulder in an entirely-too-feline, coy manner. "I'll watch over the food." Any cat-owner should know what that look means. No translation needed.
Shannon	To 'watch over the food', to a feline, usually translated as 'devour with extreme prejudice'. It was a look Shannon knew all too well. She rolls her eyes and chuckles lightly, rising to her feet, wincing. "I'll be alright once I get home and get this tended to. It'll be mostly healed by tomorrow, but it's probably going to need stitches. And that, I can't do myself." She looks down to Herukage and smiles, stepping away from the pizza boxes. "Hopefully I'll see you again one day. This is an area I come to frequently, if you ever want to find me."
Katsumi Oshiro	The extremely fluffy head of the calico is already inside the box again, hovering inches above the pizza with nose abob. But at this prompt, he recoils and looks in her direction again. "If all goes well, you will not see me again. Though..." His head turns aside faintly, hesitates a moment, then returns to her. "...We shall see, Shannon. Now hurry, before you must be dragged to safety by a cat."