Alice leaned against the trunk of a tree in Perez Park. She'd managed to find a quiet grove for a change, and intended enjoy the peace and quiet of the
woods.
That is, until she heard the brush rustle behind her. She jumped, bow already in hand and arrow aimed at the source of the sound. It was a man, slightly taller
than her, wearing a dark trenchcoat and a duster on his head. He had his hands held up showing they were empty.
"Don't shoot! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
Alice lowered her bow slightly, but kept it prepared just in case. "Who are you?"
He stepped to the side and into the clearing, keeping an even distance from the woman with the pointy stick. "My name's Derrick." Alice eyed him
closer taking in the clothing. He looked like any other guy that had come from a farm or ranch out west into Paragon. A light brush of his mind revealed no ill
or dark thoughts, only curiosity and a slight bit of... excitement? "I've been hoping to get a chance to meet you, Alice is it?"
"How do you know me?" The catgirl's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He chuckled and grinned at her. "I don't know you, but I know of you through a mutual friend." His gaze shifted over to the cat on her shoulder.
"You always did have a hard time seeing through my Glamour, didn't you kitten?"
Neko tilted her head slightly to the side, more curious than anything else. "Pardon me?"
He shook his head as a wave of magic flowed over his body, familiar to both standing in front of him. It was identical to magic they used being catgirls. In a
moment someone completely different stood there. His now white hair was longer, and had black tips at the ends. There was also a pair of dark colored cat ears
on the top of his head. Dark gray fur covered his topless body. Gray slitted eyes dancing with humor were accented by the light spots on his face. He wore
tight black jeans with a pattern in white down the sides, and his tail twitched with amusement at the reaction from the two women.
Alice stood stunned looking at the catman, her jaw dropping slightly. Neko however yowled in delight and made a long jump from her usual shoulder perch into
the waiting arms of the man. Half mewling and half purring her words, "Derrick! It's really you! It's been so long and I lost track of you and
wasn't sure I'd ever see you again."
Derrick scratched her ears and she just about melted in his arms. "You know I'm one of the best trackers you ever trained, I could find you even if
you were trying to hide." He hugged her gently. "But it is really good to see you again Neko." If Alice listened closely, she would hear that
Neko wasn't the only one purring.
"But... how? How do you two know each other?"
Derrick chuckled as he handed the feline back to her. "Neko was so great when she was going through advisory school that they decided to throw her from
the pan right into the fire and made me her first case. Poor kitten, I really felt pity for her."
"You did not!" Neko said from Alice's shoulder. "You made my life as hard as it could be, especially with that darned disappearing ability
of yours! I couldn't even get you to hold still long enough to nail your tail down so I could talk to you."
Derrick grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I was pretty flighty back then." He shrugged, "Things are different now though. I found out you were in this
area and came to see what my old teacher was up to, and her new protoge."
Alice got herself back together enough to offer her hand in a formal handshake. "Well then, welcome to Paragon City. Around these parts I'm known as
Purrfect Archer."
Derrick grinned and shook her hand in return. "Thank you my lady; and you may call me by my heroic name, Purrfect Arrow."
woods.
That is, until she heard the brush rustle behind her. She jumped, bow already in hand and arrow aimed at the source of the sound. It was a man, slightly taller
than her, wearing a dark trenchcoat and a duster on his head. He had his hands held up showing they were empty.
"Don't shoot! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
Alice lowered her bow slightly, but kept it prepared just in case. "Who are you?"
He stepped to the side and into the clearing, keeping an even distance from the woman with the pointy stick. "My name's Derrick." Alice eyed him
closer taking in the clothing. He looked like any other guy that had come from a farm or ranch out west into Paragon. A light brush of his mind revealed no ill
or dark thoughts, only curiosity and a slight bit of... excitement? "I've been hoping to get a chance to meet you, Alice is it?"
"How do you know me?" The catgirl's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He chuckled and grinned at her. "I don't know you, but I know of you through a mutual friend." His gaze shifted over to the cat on her shoulder.
"You always did have a hard time seeing through my Glamour, didn't you kitten?"
Neko tilted her head slightly to the side, more curious than anything else. "Pardon me?"
He shook his head as a wave of magic flowed over his body, familiar to both standing in front of him. It was identical to magic they used being catgirls. In a
moment someone completely different stood there. His now white hair was longer, and had black tips at the ends. There was also a pair of dark colored cat ears
on the top of his head. Dark gray fur covered his topless body. Gray slitted eyes dancing with humor were accented by the light spots on his face. He wore
tight black jeans with a pattern in white down the sides, and his tail twitched with amusement at the reaction from the two women.
Alice stood stunned looking at the catman, her jaw dropping slightly. Neko however yowled in delight and made a long jump from her usual shoulder perch into
the waiting arms of the man. Half mewling and half purring her words, "Derrick! It's really you! It's been so long and I lost track of you and
wasn't sure I'd ever see you again."
Derrick scratched her ears and she just about melted in his arms. "You know I'm one of the best trackers you ever trained, I could find you even if
you were trying to hide." He hugged her gently. "But it is really good to see you again Neko." If Alice listened closely, she would hear that
Neko wasn't the only one purring.
"But... how? How do you two know each other?"
Derrick chuckled as he handed the feline back to her. "Neko was so great when she was going through advisory school that they decided to throw her from
the pan right into the fire and made me her first case. Poor kitten, I really felt pity for her."
"You did not!" Neko said from Alice's shoulder. "You made my life as hard as it could be, especially with that darned disappearing ability
of yours! I couldn't even get you to hold still long enough to nail your tail down so I could talk to you."
Derrick grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I was pretty flighty back then." He shrugged, "Things are different now though. I found out you were in this
area and came to see what my old teacher was up to, and her new protoge."
Alice got herself back together enough to offer her hand in a formal handshake. "Well then, welcome to Paragon City. Around these parts I'm known as
Purrfect Archer."
Derrick grinned and shook her hand in return. "Thank you my lady; and you may call me by my heroic name, Purrfect Arrow."