Chapter 7: Sisterly Love (Part 2)
"Guess I'll take that as a sign for no more distractions. Let's go, Yagyū," I sigh.
"Wait! Look closer, Atsuki," she says. Upon further observation, that branch looks like it can't support the cat's weight much longer.
"Damn! That branch could snap any moment! So that's what the loud meowing is about! I got this!" I say, preparing to jump. Be grateful that I've got a soft spot for cats.
"Be careful," Yagyū warns.
"Good thing I always am," I jump, darting between two trees to go higher and higher. I've definitely gotten even faster compared to just three days ago but my special stat is speed so I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. Reaching the cat, I land on a sturdy branch of a different tree. "Hello there. Need some assistance?" I smirk. The cat meows at me seemingly happy with my arrival. A tuxedo cat with… a red eyepatch over its right eye? On the other side, the left eye is a vibrant amber. That's kinda strange but no time to worry about that right now. "Alright. Just stay put," I slowly extend my left arm while keeping my balance to avoid freaking the cat out. Just stay looking forward. Vertigo will kick my ass if I look down. As soon as my hand reaches the feline, the branch suddenly snaps. Without a thought formulated first, I leap from my foothold and catch the cat. "I gotcha!" I exclaim, holding it to my chest. Realization quickly sets in to remind me that I didn't have a plan for getting down.
"Atsuki!" Yagyū shouts.
"Please catch me, Yagyū!" I yell at the top of my lungs as I fall and close my eyes. After a couple seconds of terrifying free-falling, I feel my body land safely in her arms before opening my eyes. "Couldn't you have just jumped off of a tree and caught me earlier as opposed to letting me fall all the way down?" I ask. The cat meows in an agreeing tone.
"I figured you needed to experience that fall since you clearly acted recklessly when I had told you to be careful," she answers. I chuckle sheepishly.
"Could you let me down now?" I question.
"I think you're forgetting something," she responds.
"Thanks," I say.
"Hmm, I didn't hear you," she says. Goddamn it, Yagyū!
"Thanks… big sis," I say reluctantly.
"You're welcome," she steals a quick kiss before I can react and lets me stand back on my own feet. I won't acknowledge it.
"Here you are, little kitty. Don't go climbing trees you can't get down from," I set it down and try to send it on its way. It meows at me and leaps onto my left shoulder instead, nuzzling its face against my cheek. So not only was I cockblocked by this cat but I'm also stuck with it?
"Looks like you got a new friend there," she teases.
"Seems like it. Could you please do me a favor and identify the cat? I don't feel comfortable doing it," I say, holding the cat out to her.
"Sure thing," she says, lifting the tail to examine. "It's a girl." I knew it! The cat somehow lunges out of my hands back to my shoulder.
"Guess that means a name befitting a girl cat is in order. I choose Nekoneko," I suggest. That name makes Yagyū look at me like I'm crazy.
"No. That's not even an option," she shoots it down dead. Very well.
"Yagyū II then," I grin mischievously.
"W-What?! Why?! You better tell me the reason, Atsuki!" She blushes, poking me hard in the chest with a finger.
"Well, she does kinda resemble you, especially with the eyepatch," I explain, snickering.
"I-If you seriously name her that, I'll be so mad at you! There's only one Yagyū that should exist in your life and it's me!" She pouts with puffy cheeks.
"Relax, I'm just joking," I say, poking her cheeks to deflate the air. "Nene. That's my honest answer."
"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" She inquires.
"Where's the fun in that? Nene, how does that name sound to you?" I ask the cat, petting her head. She meows happily. "Nene it is then."
"So where's she gonna stay?" Yagyu questions.
"Uhh… I was kinda hoping she could just live at Hanzō. I wasn't really seeking to have a pet cat just yet," I say.
"Muramasa lives there already though," she says.
"To be fair, she's a robot catgirl. Knowing her, she wouldn't mind… I think," I say with uncertainty.
"Well, we can't go back to Hanzō now so Nene can just stay with you until tomorrow," she reasons.
"That'll work," I say. Nene yawns and hops off my shoulder, taking a moment to hiss briefly at Yagyū before leaping at a tree and darting from tree to tree in a shinobi type fashion off into a dense part of the forest. Struck with surprise, Yagyū and I slowly look at each other as we register what just happened.
"Did Nene just…," she starts.
"Do that? Indeed… she did," I finish. I don't think Nene is some kinda Guardian so that's even more weird. Who taught her how to move like us? "Let's not even dwell any further on that. We won't be able to wrap our heads around it no matter how much we try."
"That's for the best but why did she hiss at me when I'm the one who prevented you two from splatting on the ground?"
"Maybe Nene just doesn't like you," I answer. I could answer with a more meta reason that I'm sure is the correct answer but Yagyū will probably understand if we bump into Nene more.
"So what? She barely knows us and sees me as competition for your affection or something because she clearly likes you," she says, hitting the nail on the head. I'm gonna hope the game wasn't just reading my thoughts for a second there.
"Well, it's a pretty high chance," I shrug.
"Now I have to put up with Muramasa and Nene? Why must I share my lovely siblings?" She laments.
"That sounds like you wanna throw in the towel," I say.
"No way! I'm just gonna have to work even harder to show that I'm always better than some cat, robot or not!" She says valiantly.
"Not really since I would always choose my big sister over some animal," I chuckle, patting her head. "Y'know you're always so cute when you break from your trademark stoicism." I'm gonna regret letting her have this compliment, aren't I?
"A-Atsuki! Did you really just say that?!" She asks, taken aback as blood sprays from her nose.
"A tame compliment is seriously what got your nose to bleed as opposed to earlier?!" I exclaim. Didn't even last a minute!
"I think that's the first time you ever said a compliment or showed affection to me genuinely without any prompting!" She latches onto my right arm, pressing it against her chest. I make the mistake of glancing down to see droplets running down her legs again.
"S-Seriously, you got wet off of head pats and a compliment?!" I say with disbelief.
"How about we pick up where we left off?" Her voice turns seductive.
"N-No way!" I refuse. Guess I'm allowed to actually dodge this time since I'm not feeling an effect this time.
"Aww, not up to it anymore?"
"I-I wasn't up to it in the first place," I stammer defensively, trying not to blush.
"You're so cute when you get all defensive," she teases, giggling.
"W-Whatever," I yank my arm from her and keep walking. "If Hibari asks why it took us forever to show up, then I'll put the blame on you."
"Hey, that's not fair. Let's take the blame together since you're just as guilty otherwise she will be upset to see us disagree with each other," she catches up to me and latches back onto my arm.
"Damn it, Yagyū. Stop telling the truth," I sigh.
"Only if you give me what I want," she says.
"Not happening," I decline.
"Yet."
"You wish."
"I very much do. I'm certain you'll come around and accept my warm sisterly embrace over Katsuragi and the other two," she starts to nuzzle her face against my arm.
"Don't hold your breath… and stop rubbing your nose blood on me!"