Tokita walked with a sense of frustration, his fists clenched by his sides. "I can't believe we're wasting our time searching for a cat in a place like this." He shook his head in disbelief.
Ian, on the other hand, walked with a sense of detachment, as if he was observing the world around him without truly being a part of it. "It's not a waste of time if it's our mission," he stated calmly. "Besides, it's good to get to know the different parts of the city."
Tokita scoffed. "I'd rather spend my time training and getting stronger, not playing pet detective." He kicked a small pebble on the ground, sending it flying into the air.
Ian raised an eyebrow. "If you're going to catch up to Akane, you need to learn how to follow orders and complete missions, no matter how trivial they may seem."
Tokita nodded, knowing that Ian was right. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, watching a flock of birds soar through the air. "I guess you're right," he said softly. "But it still feels like we're chasing after something that doesn't matter."
Ian placed a hand on Tokita's shoulder. "Sometimes the smallest things can lead to the biggest discoveries," he said cryptically.
Tokita looked at Ian, confused. "What does that even mean?"
Ian simply smiled enigmatically. "Don't know, Grensvall said it to me while we were training." He shrugged nonchalantly.
Tokita deadpanned his expression flattening. "So much for you being wise." Tokita scoffed playfully.
"Alright so, what type of Cat are we looking for exactly?" Ian asked.
Tokita rolled his eyes. "I don't know, man. Look at this." He thrust the scroll towards Ian, who took it with a small degree of reluctance. The drawing on the scroll was crude at best, a simple depiction of a cat with a small caption beneath it that read, 'Find Mamba! Small Cute Cat! Dark!' It was not particularly helpful.
Ian let out a chuckle at the sight of the crude drawing. "Well, at least we know it's a cat," he replied, his tone laced with amusement.
Tokita's eyes scanned the parchment with disdain as he let out a sigh of frustration. "This looks like it was drawn by a child," he remarked as he rolled up the scroll and placed it back in his bag.
Tokita rolled his eyes at Ian's optimism. "Yeah, a cat in the poorest district of the city. This should be fun," he said sarcastically.
As they walked through the cramped streets, the smells of poverty became stronger, mingling with the aroma of various street foods. Tokita couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in this unfamiliar environment. He glanced up at the tall buildings, feeling trapped in their shadows.
Suddenly, a bird soared overhead, its wings outstretched and free. Tokita couldn't help but feel a pang of envy as he watched the bird disappear into the distance. He longed to experience the same sense of freedom, to be able to fly to any height, something Akane was probably experiencing right now.
Tokita gazed up at the dreary sky, wondering how he got stuck with a mission as unremarkable as finding a cat. "So, where do we even start?" he grumbled.
Ian sighed, eyeing the bustling crowds of the lower district of Setale. "Does the scroll have a name or any indicator of who gave the quest? Maybe we can speak to them," he suggested.
Tokita furrowed his brow in frustration, examining the scroll once again as if it would magically reveal more information. "Nothing. This is all we've got," he muttered, shaking his head.
Ian rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the bustling streets around them. "Perhaps we should start by asking around if anyone has seen a cat matching the description. We could also check out any nearby pet shops or animal shelters. It's not much, but it's a start."
As they began to make their way through the crowded streets, the sounds of the lower district echoed in their ears. Shouts, laughter, and cries filled the air, blending together in a cacophony of noise that made it hard to think.
Ian and Tokita navigated their way through the throngs of people, stepping around the beggars and vendors hawking their wares. The smells of poverty were overwhelming, mixed with the stench of rotting food and human waste.
Finally, they arrived at the animal shelter, a small, rundown building nestled in between two larger buildings. The sign above the door was faded and chipped, and the windows were barred. Tokita looked skeptically at Ian, wondering if they were in the right place.
As they stepped inside, the smell hit them first. The stench of animal waste and sickness was almost overpowering, and Tokita had to hold his breath to keep from gagging. The interior was cramped and dimly lit, with rows of cages lining the walls. Cats of all colors and sizes meowed pitifully from their cages, and dogs barked incessantly.
A young woman with matted hair and dirt on her face approached them, a wary look in her eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
"We're looking for a cat," Ian said, holding up the scroll. "It's supposed to be small and dark. Have you seen anything like that?"
"Named 'Mamba'" Tokita added.
"Uhm...Can't say that I have." She said while she rubbed some of the dirt off her face. "Sorry, I don't think I can help much."
"Ah, I see," Tokita stated.
"Although, I can try doing a quick scan to try and say where it might be?" she said, a small smile on her face. The smile transformed her face, making it seem more alive and vibrant.
"Quick scan?" Ian asked, his interest piqued.
The woman nodded. "My catalyst," she explained, "I can locate a specific species within a certain radius and print it onto a paper."
She reached into a hidden compartment of her bag and retrieved a small piece of parchment, placing her hand on it and closing her eyes in concentration. Within moments, a smoky black substance began to spread across the surface of the parchment, forming intricate patterns and shapes that coalesced into a detailed map of the city block they were standing in.
As Tokita and Ian looked on in awe, small black dots began to appear on the map, each representing a potential location where the elusive Mamba could be hiding. The dots seemed to multiply and shift, as if the parchment itself were alive and reacting to the catalyst's power.
The woman's face twisted into a satisfied grin as she handed the parchment over to Tokita. "Here you go," she said with a nod. "If Mamba is indeed a black cat, he probably sticks around other cats for protection. Lucky for you, there are two sizable feline communities within a two-mile radius of this location. I suggest you and your partner split up and each take a group to search."
Her voice carried a tone of confidence, as though she had just provided them with the ultimate solution to their quest. As he took the parchment from her, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the woman's assistance.
"Thank you so much," he said with a grateful smile. "We really appreciate your help."
The both of them stepped away, as the woman waved through the glass.
Tokita scanned the map with a furrowed brow, tracing the black dots with his finger. "There's a cluster of cats to the west, and another to the east," he said, pointing out the areas on the map.
"I'll take the ones to the west," he declared confidently, looking over at Ian. "Think you can handle the group to the east?"
Ian gave a nod, his eyes focused on the map as he mentally plotted his route. "Yeah, I'm on it," he replied, his tone laced with determination.
Tokita clapped him on the shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good luck, man. Let's catch this cat."
The pair split, each one determined to find that cat.
Moving with urgency, Tokita strode past a throng of curious spectators, his eyes scanning the alleys and nooks for any sign of the elusive feline. The hustle and bustle of the city swirled around him, a chaotic symphony of voices and sounds that threatened to overwhelm his senses.
As Tokita scanned the alleys and streets with sharp eyes, his mind grew weary. The pungent smell of garbage mixed with the aroma of freshly baked bread wafted in the air, but Tokita hardly noticed. He saw rats scurrying along the edges of the alleys, stray dogs sniffing out scraps of food, and even cats that were the wrong color, their fur matted and unkempt. It was as if the entire world was conspiring against him to prevent him from finding Mamba.
As he walked, the sound of his footsteps echoed against the tall buildings around him, the brickwork rough and worn from the years of use. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows that distorted the shapes of the buildings and made everything look darker and more ominous. Tokita could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the anticipation of finding Mamba growing with every step he took.
But still, there was nothing. No sign of the small black cat he was searching for. Tokita felt his spirits sink as he turned a corner, hoping to find something, anything that could lead him to Mamba.
That was until he heard it. A meow.
A sound that felt like a million bells ringing at once, a harmony of sound waves that felt like a warm embrace. Tokita felt his heart skip a beat as he looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound. "What was that?" He said in a rush.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the resonance. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, but it was clear to him that it was guiding him to where he needed to be. He followed the sensation, weaving through the crowded streets, people moving out of his way as if they could feel his sense of urgency.
Suddenly, the resonance grew stronger and he knew he was getting closer. He turned a corner and found himself in a decently large alleyway. The resonance was almost deafening now, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
As he walked further down the alley, he saw a small, dark figure huddled up against a wall. He moved closer, his heart racing as he realized that he had found Mamba. The small black cat was shaking, its eyes wide and scared. Tokita approached it slowly, extending his hand out, hoping to calm the frightened feline.
As he slowly began to approach the feline, a voice spoke out from behind him, an oddly familiar one.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" The voice said from behind him.