Cat and Mouse

Chapter 16.5 [Request]

The night air was biting and harsh, the cold nipping at my exposed abdomen. The alleyway was shaded and desolate, a perfect guise for the villains of the night. Among the darkness amassing the alleyway, a faint silhouette was seen. Flagging him as a suspect, I followed him intently with my eyes, keeping my crouch as I shifted my mask so it fit snugly against my face. With such low visibility and a far-away perception, it was hard to exactly characterize the man. However, I watched him emerge from the alley in time to merge onto a more populated street. Now with others in sight, it was easier to pinpoint him as his gloved hand snaked into the back pocket of a passerby and extracted a leather wallet before stealthily sneaking backwards. Now knowing the intent of the criminal, I moved down the fire escape nestled against the side of the building, approaching the shady man. He noticed me as I approached and bolted deeper into the alley. I pursued, withdrawing a batarang from my utility belt as I bolted. Before I could throw it, however, he turned a corner and disappeared. I trailed closely, turning right in the same manner he did in an attempt to catch up. 

I prepared to toss my weapon just as the suspect came back into view, but some other force caught him before I did. It was flung from the rooftops and lodged into the trailing coat of the man, pinning it to the ground in an excessive amount of force. More dart-like objects were thrown, pinning the man down completely. The wallet slipped from his hand to the floor. With him now restrained, I approached cautiously. With better clarity, I noticed that the weapon was a kunai- the weapon used by most ninjas. Prepared for some enemy relative to the League of Shadows, I withdrew more batarangs and kept my guard up, obscured eyes scanning the rooftops where the objects had originated.

"Relax, I don't plan on harming you. Yet." A feminine voice called from above. My eyes instantly locked on a girl outlined by the moon. She jumped down until she was directly in my face, where I could fully notice her. 

True to her weapon of choice, she did resemble a ninja. A ninja mask was sitauted over her mouth, covering the bottom of her face completely. The rest of her costume followed a purple and blue color scheme, covering almost the entirety of her body. Her sneakers, which also followed the purple and blue scheme, extended up to her knees and fit rather snugly. Her mahogany hair was something I envied, for it fell in silky cascades down to her elbows. Her eyebrows were knit together in a menacing manner, and her eyes were cold and steely. Her eyes were strange- for they seemed to be nothing more than a purple and blue concoction with no true pupil. Odd.

"Who are you supposed to be?" I ask, moving my gloved hand to my waist to emphasize my point. She copied my movement, and it was then I noticed the strap attached to her leg where more kunai's glittered in the dim lighting. It was obvious by now she was capable of using them, against whom was the question.

"The name's Naught, I recommend you remember it" She said in a slightly snobbish voice. I could already tell she'd prove a problem, judging by her sassy and sarcastic demeanor.

"Sorry, newcomers aren't welcome here. Since you're obviously new to town I should give you a free piece of advice- I protect this city" I said, narrowing my eyes. I knew it was mostly a bluff as I was pretty new to the whole crime-fighting business as well, I just didn't want her stuck in my hair for too long.

"Funny, I thought there was a different duo keeping scum off the streets. And a little birdie told me you're pretty new as well. Which would explain why I've hardly ever heard of you, Fox" Naught responded, her pupil-less eyes narrowing in my direction. I attempted to keep my composure, not allowing her to see past the nonchalant facade I had put up.

"But you have heard of me. Can't say the same for you. Besides, I can't really have newbies stealing all the glory from me," I respond, cracking knuckles together in a precautionary manner. Naught flicked a ninja star between her fingers, the shiny steel catching the waning moonlight.