A/N: After taking a bit of time to imagine what I had in mind next for Kageo's adventure, this next chapter is more complete, here I have this in mind, a bit more of a chance for us to explore Kageo's life during a period of time off. Here he'll go looking to find out his secret attacker's identity and her purpose. What will he find on his time out? Let's find out!

(End A/N)

Chapter II: Challenge & the Mystery of an Assassin

During the time of his sleep, Kageo had a strange feeling much of the time. While it was something about his attacker, there was nothing about it that made much sense. It was just an ominous looking shadow that he faced. His eyes snapped open as he heard a small meow and then felt a lick on the cheek. Awakening to a set of bright red eyes, the modified kaka gave off a small yawn and nuzzled the kitten in question: Calikaka. Looking around at his house guests, Kageo realized the kittens were awake and hoping to see him rise from his bed. He often got raided at this time of day for breakfast, even though the Clan had made all major meals for the kittens as a whole; these three and Tao would come in and bug him since they said he made better food. In truth that was up for debate, Kageo found himself one that enjoyed the larger meals and he only gave in on occasion to make a breakfast from his private stash of supplies.

"Kageeee!"

"Kage kage!"

"Kaggeeee!"

In unison, the three kittens called to Kageo as he got his bearings, finding Calikaka on his chest, Rowdykaka off to his right, and Fiestykaka off to his left, laying curled against his arm and closer to his chest. The closeness was simply the way of the kaka, even now it was just a comforting thing, enjoying the kittens company. Even though the kittens didn't tell him why they called his name, he actually knew pretty well. And to his good show of intuition, he was right on this account.

"We're hungry!" Calikaka exclaimed.

"Yeah we're hungry!" joined Rowdykaka

"Kagee should make some food!" Fiestykaka said finishing the thought that the hungry kittens were sharing.

The blue-eyed kaka drew the kittens up into his hold and gave them all a brief squeeze, before setting them down on the ground. He had considered it, but felt that the idea of getting down to join all the Kaka Clan eating breakfast might be better. He wasn't sure how much or little time that he was to have during this period of freedom. That was solely dependent upon how much he was needed for a mission. This would be a test of that timing, between this and the luck that the kittens scampered towards his front door, he realized that they agreed with him.

"Kage is too slow!"

"Yeah yeah, too slow!"

"C'mon Kage! Or we're eat all of it without you!"

Without another moment, after the kittens struggled to get the door open, they were soon out and the door was ajar. Glad to have the moment to himself briefly, Kageo shut the door and headed to freshen up. He'd held a good habit of grooming and preparing for the day, something the kittens were still learning, and would be about seven minutes at most. After making it outside, the feline sighed and looked up at the dark sky, the hierarchical city stood overhead and it just reminded him as to why he shouldn't be concerned with such a thing right now. The food awaited them and he thought that it was a good idea, and the looming scent drew him from his thoughts.

As Kageo rounded the corner from his house, the main alleyway leading to the open section of the kaka village was present. Clearing the alley took a few moments, and there he found the main chef kaka, handing out bowls of food to the kittens who all hopped up and down meowing. It was pretty much the same way every day, sometimes a little quieter than others. As he retrieved his bowl of food, he'd looked down at the soup and sniffed it.

"Ah, Fish and bread soup, that's a fine thing for a meal." the appetizer wasn't bad today really, he had to admit that.

With the way the clan fed, it was often done in portions, and at another massive wok over a well lit flame, another set of Kaka chefs cooked up the mass quantity of fish that had been collected; both by snatching and buying. It wasn't a very easy life for what was left of a proud clan. They were able to scrape by and with a devotion built into him by both nature and the tweaking of Sector Seven, Kageo was dedicated to preserving the Clan in all ways possible. This was why in his free time, much of it was spent bounty hunting for money to be given to the Clan Elder for use. It was a chance to give back to a people that he was only just learning about.

He'd tried once, to explain why he wasn't always around, but the Elder seemed to understand his reasoning. He only mentioned 'the professor' that one time, and she'd given a small nod of understanding and told him not to concern himself with reasoning it out to her. All she asked was that he helped when he could and often the modified kaka would go beyond that simple expectation. Kageo still couldn't grasp why she was so understanding. But this was why she was the leader of the clan. While he sat down to enjoy his meal against the side of a building, he was joined by a mass of kittens who briefly greeted him with mewls and nuzzles.

Doing his best to show affections, Kageo returned the attention with nuzzles, petting, and some few embraces with a few kittens who chose to cling to him briefly. It was yet another thing of the clan that he had adapted to, as his origins took place in a small lab room, with interactions left mostly to scientists and on occasion the two-tailed professor who graced him with her presence nwo and then. It was the overabundance of affection that surprised him at first, he welcomed it with tears, and had many kaka believing something was wrong at first. Those had been his early days with the clan, many things had changed since he was quick to adapt.

Once the kittens were done checking him out and saying hello, they moved off in numerous directions, like a parting tide they soon vanished as if they had never been. Kageo sat back against the wall eating his meal, making sure to finish it before either a kitten or his best friend found him and was hungry.

"Kage Kage!" not more than three seconds later after his finished thought, was he pounced over and the bowl dropped to the ground a few feet from him.

Resting upon his stomach and chest, Tao looked upon him with a big grin, pawing at his chest; she made herself comfortable and looked upon him. Leaving Kageo to sit up and nudge Tao off of him a few moments later. After an instant of quiet, she'd moved to his right and swatted his shoulder before speaking up.

"Good to see you up! Tao got to eat lots already! Mew its such a good morning.~"

"It's nice to see you too, meow."

Kageo greeted her properly with a new day, he could forget yesterday's close shot and chose to act as if it were all normal. He imagined that things which were more important than that. This light open to a breakfast would be fine for him, as it was easy to realize things were more than a little amiss. He'd run into a kaka assassin, clearly a female of great ability to overpower him in close combat. Tao wouldn't have known this since she wasn't present during the event. He was glad that she hadn't been, with such a lewd assassin, he didn't want to see Tao thinking of such things anyway.

"Hrrrmm, something happened to you, didn't it, Kage?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't fool Tao, meow. I can see it in those eyes!"

At this point, he wasn't taking much stock in Tao, imagining that she'd thought something silly, like he may have eaten something in secret without her. Usually her deductive skills left much to be desired, but he could see a shift behind her gaze. That true potential that made Tao a vital piece of the current generation of Kaka warriors. It was to such a point that Torakaka had said her sister's potential was greater than her own. He'd believe that at some point in the future, but every now and again Tao surprised him.

"Eh...huh?"

"We're friends Kage, of course Tao can tell."

"You're right, we are. Closest of friends, sorry four doubting you Tao."

He sighed, it was the case, that once again that superior thinking nonsense made him think he was better than Tao. On many levels he told himself that wasn't so, he tried to remain humble, but being a designer child did leave him feeling different. A small bit of isolated, despite the fact that he was no more or less a kaka than anyone else present. These thoughts would be disturbed as Tao bopped his shoulder with her paw.

"Huh? Oh sorry Tao."

"Hee, thinking too much are you? Then c'mon! Let's get to work!" she'd say this and grab Kageo's hand.

With her friend by now catching his footing and keeping pace with Tao, she'd started dragging him off to where her instinct took her. For once it wasn't food, but it was a thing that she had a feeling was lingering in his mind. She wasn't going to question whatever it was that had come to her heart and soul. It was instinct at its purest form, and that was how a kaka should live!

"Myahaha, looks like the strange thingy is around here. I can smell it, not a kaka that Tao knows. Bleh, smells like blood, gross."

She found out the mysterious kaka that had attacked Kageo and easily at that. Something about it seemed to be off, at first there was nothing to be seen, but it was a trust in her instinct that had Tao certain of her location. While the male kaka had looked around and looked around, trying to spy some sign of disturbance, by now his eyes lost their red tint and shifted to a blue, more mechanical light as Kageo employed his enhanced vision spectrums. He scanned for the attacker, who was confirmed by scent (as he finally caught a whiff of what led Tao here). Finally settling on a pitch black corner of a building nearby the pair, Kageo's claws unveiled themselves as he walked towards the shadows.

Politely having freed himself up from Tao's grip, a sense of focus overcame him as he considered all this kaka did to him and the damage to his house. The anger over that hadn't entirely disappeared, it was like being stuck between half materialistic and the apparent kaka 'don't worry about it' nature. Kageo knew full well that it was just a happy-go-lucky attitude that was taught to keep things from bothering them. Such a thing that was quickly melting away as he stopped at the shadows, he could see the anomaly before his eyes and knew that it was ars.

"Come on out, witch. Ars magus won't keep me from bringing you down this time."

Suddenly hopping down behind Kageo, a set of rigid blades were pressed to his neck. Where the kaka clan used their claws, this assassin employed blades that were jagged and brutal in appearance. As the blades pressed deeper into his skin, a small nuzzle along the back of Kageo's neck made him flinch. It was definitely her, that was without any doubt the truth.

"Get off of me, now."

"Oh hush kitten, I can't believe you thought I'd be so easy to find."

With a stroke of the blades along his throat again, Kageo froze his actions while plotting his movements. He was going to have a way of getting out of this in one piece, if due to his luck.

"Did you think you could stop me- uagh!" the assassin was interrupted as Tao's fist slammed across the side of her face.

With a reaction based upon her friend's endangerment, Tao went straight to the attack. Her claws bared now and her tail frizzed up, she'd hiss and flicked her claws around a few times; you can bet that she was pumped up. Ready for the fight, Tao hopped in front of her friend and hissed at the attacker.

"Tao knew you were here! You smell like blood, you're a bad person! I can beat you up!"

"Don't let a little luck go to your head, kitten. You're even more green than my luscious target behind you."

The taunt didn't phase Tao, she honed in on her target and moved with a grace unlike her: was this what it felt like to protect someone? The assassin thrust the jagged knives at the mere kitten before her, to surprise the veteran who usually proved to be too fast for most; Tao flowed around her attack as if in a current of water. The motion itself was followed by a slash that struck the assassin square along her ribs. Though it wasn't deep, the kaka assassin was hissing a little bit as she jumped back three times. Now on a low rooftop, she looked at her side and then put a hand over it. With her eyes resting on Tao, they'd narrow as she was briefly repelled.

"You've just gained yourself an enemy, meow. I don't give up my targets, and you choose to stand in the way. And now you've complicated it, boy do I feel bad for mew."

"Tao doesn't feel bad! I helped my friend and I won't ever stop helping!"

Kageo smiled lightly at Tao's words, though looking on with some wariness in his eyes, he couldn't help but feel a little inadequate. For the second time, he was bested by this assassin with whom he could barely track. What was it to say when someone who should be advanced was under performing? Though he felt a number of things, he'd push off the negativity and forcibly kept up his focus. He had not seen someone of her height before, she was taller than Tora, easily taller than him and Tao, thin but not skinny. He musculature spoke of her time as an assassin. She was certainly a mature feline, one other than Torakaka; which meant that she wasn't from the Kagutsuchi clan as far as he was aware.

"Aww...you're trying to piece together if you know me? Well the answer is very simple meow. You don't know me or where I'm from."

"You won't remain a mystery for long."

"Will it really help you, handsome? YOU are the target, for what reasons and why...are beyond your need-to-know basis."

"Then I'll extract the data from you."

He'd prepared to move towards her, which prompted her retreat as she took to a higher rooftop with a single leap. She didn't say anything upon departing, but her gaze remained on Kageo. She was coming back and wouldn't leave until the purpose was fulfilled. He imagined that his death was involved in this somewhere, why else send an assassin? She outmaneuvered him through means of one very serious nature: experience and capability. How had he missed this before? Instantly, he felt so stupid for not realizing that she studied him...probably had records of battles he'd fought, his tactics and habits. She knew him better than Tao did likely, many things that he didn't unveil, because they were personal or too deep.

'Pure ignorance...Tao deserves to know...at least more about me, than some damned assassin.'

While he was in his mind, Tao had returned to normal. Her nature became a little more playful as she jabbed at the air rapidly. The action persisted for a few moments before they became disregarded as some silliness. Though a brief moment of tension remained even in the wake of the assassin's visit, Tao opted to lighten it once again. Moving to the introspective Kageo, the normally playful Kaka gave him a tight hug, drawing him out of his thinking as per usual. After coming to, he'd give Tao a nice embrace, both for helping him out and bringing him out of his thoughts.

"So that's what Kage Kage was hiding, huh? Some big secret mission for the tail lady?"

"Huh? Uh yeah! Exactly, that's what I had to hide from you yesterday. I'm sorry Tao, but she doesn't like me talking about the goings on of her little group."

He imagined that Tao understood that on a degree, he knew from the Professor that Tao would come and visit her on occasion. It was how he met the first kaka beyond knowing that there was a tribe, it was one of his fondest memories even though it was a brief meeting. It was better for Tao to think about that as the secret, since he preferred not to try and explain his reaction to her the other day. At least he was convinced that it was just because of how close she had been anyway.

Without exploring that avenue of thought, Kageo took Tao's hand and started bringing her with him towards Kagutsuchi. He had a destination in mind, well he could kill two birds with one stone: show his thanks to Tao for saving him and deliver a small parcel to Litchi. Though eating sounded good first, after his being subdued, he actually felt a little hungry. Despite losing the confrontation, he'd decided not to let it get to him as that would solve nothing. Getting down about it wouldn't help, he realized that he just needed to reconsider his strategy when facing down someone who knew him better than himself.

-Off at a Yakitori stand-

After some short time of travel, maybe around 15 minutes for the pair of kakas, a nice Yakitori stand seemed to be in the perfect spot. If only for Tao's sudden interest in it, seemed to decide the mood for which they'd settle on eating. The pair stood in front and ordered a few sticks each, it would make for a great snack before they got to the restaurant.

"Meew! Thank you Kage! Tao thought she'd keel over and diiie from hunger!"

"Hah, right Tao, let's make sure that doesn't happen."

He'd say that while biting one of the sticks and sighing at the taste, it was some good stuff, he found anyway. Tao quickly ate through her Yakitori, devouring the tasty meat and vegetables off of the wooden sticks without any sense of holding off. She only stopped when she finished off her last bite on the wood and spent a second nomming on it. If anything it was nice to have a momentary peace, such a thing was enough for Kageo to ask himself 'is this what its like?' for a moment. He hadn't really considered what it might mean, but he did know that he didn't think that he could handle too many of these placid moments.

'Heh not likely. This is a good life, for however long it is.'

Of course he didn't know, he'd seen the Elder more than once since he admittance into the clan. He'd been welcomed despite his origins and he made every effort to ensure that Clan life only got better for everyone else. With his head clouded by thoughts, Kageo proceeded with Tao to the nearby restaurant, they'd get some grub and make some moves from there. Since it was always good to take time to oneself, this was exactly what the male kaka decided to do, and who better to hang out with than your best friend?

Once the two made it outside the restaurant, after being welcomed both would be allowed in to take a seat. Having a good reputation in part of his paying with every visit, it meant that though a few people gave a look; there was no general response to the pair. Kageo's navy blue kaka coat did grab a few looks, the uncommon color wasn't seen everywhere so it did leave an impression. Once a waitress approached the table, Kageo was quick to order what was his regular choice and made sure to triple the amount. Tao ate more than he allowed himself to, he knew that she'd appreciate the chance to eat her fill. The girl was incredible, often thinking with her stomach unless it actually counted for her to think of something.

"Oh, thank you Kage Kage! Tao thought she'd go hungry, though that Yakitori was yummy, it wasn't neaarly enough, meow!"

"Hah you're welcome Tao, just enjoy okay?"

Genuinely reflecting his thoughts, that was what Kageo hoped for the two of them to do. Not to concern themselves with anything less than one of the most important things to a Kaka Clansman by this present age: If not learning, then eating, If not sleeping, then active. It was as simple as that for him, at least from what he could make out of Tao's general actions. Even though she could have simply proven to be one of the lazier Kakas, lest she was tasked with something by the Elder, Totokaka. That was one thing that Kageo hoped to work his way up to, being trusted by the Kaka Elder to undergo tasks for her, much like Tora, Tao, and a select few others did. With the pair enjoying the presence of one another, it left the assassin on the prowl.

-With the Kaka assassin-

Certain that she had to report this infraction of another nameless kaka upon her attempt on Kageo, the word was given to her superior through a communication patch. While the mysterious hologram appeared from the ars comm. link, the conversation started.

"Speak." the blurred image responded with an expectant tone, not knowing what kind of news the assassin would bring to his attention.

"The target hasn't given up the secrets yet." the disappointing news came with an edge of irritation tied to it from the assassin.

"I see, then why not get to material extraction."

"The target most certainly has countermeasures installed. The data could be lost."

"Irrelevant. Even if the data is scrambled, we can decipher it."

The assassin grinned, in that way that only a kaka could, relaying a fact that she knew better of it.

"No. The target will be annihilated by a fragmenting bomb, there will be nothing left to salvage, except bone fragments."

"The Professor's means of protecting her merchandise, she does a good job there." the mysterious man would respond, seemingly unconcerned with it. "But of all of her projects, he is the weakest and thus the target of your interrogation. Get the information out of him anyway you can, I will not accept failure."

"Tch. I WILL have the information and get what I want. Just remember, you sought me out for success."

"And I will not tolerate failure, when I pay top dollar for it."

"Be careful, since your money can be traced back to you. If I disappear, I have a few arrangements to ensure that will come out. Do not threaten me or I may make you the next target."

For a moment there was silence, the man said nothing more for a short moment. And the Kaka assassin took that as a sign of her superiority in the situation. Though she planned not to make any assumptions, this was a resourceful man and she would make no predictions about what he could do. Simply making it clear that there would be no threats to her person without retaliation.

"Now then, since we've determined what will happen, you will cease communications with me, the job is mine to do, how I see fit."

"...Just get the job done."

With that the communications had cut away, leaving the kaka assassin to her thoughts. What a line of work to fall into, though it paid quite well and she hadn't minded exterminating a random human for another human's gain. Delivering stupid parcels of pointless information that had nothing to do with her. For the first time in 11 years, she was faced with a job that put her against not only a beastkin, but one of her clan. Perhaps the worst possible thing had it as a male of her clan, the even more rare of the type to find.

"I won't waste the chance, our clan must live on, even against the will of others. He seems like good stock anyway."

Though such a thing wasn't her main concern in life, having a choice in breeding stock wasn't an easy thing for any kaka. There were so few males actually around that she'd decided that if she found one, then she would have him along. It wasn't about feelings as much as just having the chance to conceive itself. Her mother had left the clan years ago due to the freedom that the Elder allowed the males of the clan, hidden away and raised without hardly a care. It was not how the clan would live, she agreed with that. She would get the job done one way or another, that much she decided on a whim. The potential to see their people continued did matter.

While such wasn't her duty, she decided to make a measure of it, she'd come to see what of her target had come to pass soon. She still was patching up the lucky shot from that stray that came across them. It was hard not to be boastful or arrogant when your target could do nothing to stop you, she'd studied his fighting form and he had nothing that she couldn't tolerate. As long as she had him at close range, the advantage was hers. Her little target was enjoying something of a meal when last she was aware. He and that stray were at the restaurant in Orient Town. Though there were many, there hadn't been a lot with a good menu that would draw in the kaka. While she moved quietly along the street outside of the building and trusted the hint at her nose.

There he was still inside, she would need to stalk a little more carefully and wait until she got him alone. He would be easiest to target this way. The last thing she'd really care to do was get in a tussle with the both of them. Even if she could read one, that stray kaka she dealt with was more skilled then she'd have figured. One simply played smart and conservatively to get results, so she'd have to bide her time. With this in mind, she withdrew from the street and disappeared into seclusion; making sure that she stayed far away from the pair in general. It was only far enough that she could still track their movements and with little trouble.

-Several hours later-

Within the hour, Tao and Kageo emerged from the building, Tao now resting over the back of kageo; snoring as she fell asleep once finishing her meal. For such a good meal, Tao's turn to sleep seemed to be reasonable. Deciding to take her back to the village, the male kaka made his way down the street, holding his friend carefully with a piggyback related hold. Though he shook his head, he did have to chuckle at her, it seemed to be so typical of her.

"Honestly Tao...what am I gonna do with you?"

Just uttering this in humor sake, since he knew there was only one thing to do: take care of her like any friend would. She only fell to sleep since there was trust there, he would never break that sense of a true friend. It was a thing that he felt could be trusted even against what mission parameters he might be stuck with.

Whilst Kageo was stuck in his thoughts on the way home, Tao drooled on his shoulder and murmured something in her sleep.

"That's the way...take that...meow...*snore*"

Catching his ear, he ceased all thoughts to listen to the apparent silly moment of Tao sleep talking. More words followed and he listened in, to make out more of it.

"Gimme back my...Tapioca..mew..."

More silly words that just made him smile idly and shake his head, as he made his way to the edge of the Kaka Village, the idea of sleep seemed much nicer. As Tao had ruined this kaka coat of his with her drool, her snoozing sounded so content that even walking left Kageo a bit tired. He'd eaten well, a bit less than Tao, though she'd managed to egg him into eating more. Though he embraced a habit of eating 'just enough', Tao helped him indulge in going overboard. The day wasn't quite done yet, but deciding that a nap wouldn't hurt him; given that he'd have some time to digest and relax. He took Tao to his home, since they were already upon it.

Once inside the building, he'd shut the door and lock it before heading to the upstairs area. The small apartment was a nice retreat away from the outside, a small living space, pantry for food, and some simple running ars kept some goods cool in the ice box. It suited him enough, while spying Tao's rolling in her sleep, he chose to put her on the couch and covered her in a small sheet. The old cushioned space would serve her well until she rolled off of it or whenever she woke up. Often enough she snoozed with him in his room too, neither outcome would surprise him. Finally trudging into the bedroom area tired, he'd just plop down on the bed on his tummy; managing to remain conscious enough to curl up and fall to sleep. For what it had become, the day was a good moment for realization about things.

Life could never just proof simple, there was almost always an angle, and unfortunately for Kageo, this one had swept him up in it. The very notion of something that he'd think about once he awakened from his nap; for now he'd relish at the simpler of Kaka habits that he liked. Snoozing was a nice way to stop thinking and a good way to let tired minds recuperate.

(End Chapter)

Mostly a daily adventure for the pair of friends, a little more on my take on the Kaka Clan and revealing a little bit about how Kageo fits into all of it. There is more to come yet! Such knowledge as to what exactly this information is that our mysterious man is after? And better yet, that he is at odds with the very assassin he hired. Is it just superiority on the man's mind or something worse? Only time will tell!

For the next chapter will lead the way.

Until then, I bid you adieu

-Quentix