Neko (2024)

Neko (Japanese: 寝子 Neko, "Sleeping Child") is a Black Cat and NPC located in Asase Shrine, Seirai Island, Inazuma.

Location[]

Profile[]

Neko is a cat that has lived for at least 500 years, during the cataclysm and the time of Asase Hibiki and Ako Domeki, and was named by Hibiki for her habit of sleeping. She and the other cats presumably lived at Asase Shrine and enjoyed spending time with Hibiki as she created delicious meals for all to share. Unbeknownst to Neko, Hibiki drastically changed after the events of the cataclysm, and while she managed to live a relatively normal life after returning from the Grand Narukami Shrine, she had been deeply affected by the deaths of Takamine the Mistsplitter and the Kitsune Saiguu. She later helped Domeki fight off a Shogunate fleet despite the pirate's insistence that she stay out of his affairs, breaking the wards and unleashing a Thunder Manifestation, causing a huge thunderstorm that resulted in Hibiki and Domeki disappearing.

The island would remain in mostly perpetual thunderstorms and Neko waited at the shrine, hoping for Hibiki's return and took the position of Provisional Head Priestess at the shrine to keep the place intact, but she and the remaining cats were unable to maintain the shrine and it fell into disrepair. Domeki and his fleet eventually returned to the island, but it had fallen into ruins due to the Thunder Manifestation and they left to set sail for other lands. Neko appeared to be unaware of his return.

500 years later, Seirai Island would be visited by Etsuko, Taisuke, and the Traveler. The former two were part of the Adventurers' Guild, commissioned to investigate the island and discovered the broken wards, while the Traveler had just set foot and was encountered the two. The Traveler offered to help them and used Elemental Sight to discover cat tracks leading to the shrine, where they met Neko. Neko told them that the shrine had fallen into disrepair and had them repair the shrine's offering box so people could deposit Mora, unaware that the village had been abandoned for hundreds of years. Once they did so, she told them how to repair the wards, which ended the thunderstorms and made the cats comfortable.

After the thunderstorms around the island were dealt with, Neko would task the Traveler with putting the shrine back in order and helping out the cats in her care. After "hiring" Ooshima Junpei to create a statue of her, upon performing the finishing touch, a cloud overhead shaped itself into a cat, which Neko interpreted as a good sign from Hibiki and the others. Neko promised to introduce the four to Hibiki and her friends when they returned and began making preparations for their eventual arrival. After taking a stroll around the island, she discovered that the village was devoid of life and wondered where their inhabitants had gone, unaware of the events that had taken place back then.

Neko eventually heard of the Grand Narukami Shrine and requested the Traveler bring her there. She was amazed by the shrine's large offering box, although still stating that her shrine was better. After inquiring about Hibiki, she decided to return to her shrine and continue waiting for Hibiki's return.

Appearance[]

Neko has the appearance of a black cat with large, golden eyes. She is also notably larger in size compared to regular cats.^{[Note 1]}

Quests and Events[]

World Quests

• Neko Is a Cat
  • Neko Is a Cat: Shrine Cleanup
  • Neko Is a Cat: Wooden Shelf
  • Neko Is a Cat: The Children
  • Neko Is a Cat: Shrine Recipe
  • Neko Is a Cat: Cat and Stone
  • Neko Is a Cat: Stone Human's Troubles
  • Neko Is a Cat: Shrine Canteen
  • Neko Is a Cat: Ding-a-Ling Metal Ball
  • Neko Is a Cat: A "Good Turn" Comes Late
• Seirai Stormchasers
  • Seirai Stormchasers: Part I
• The Narukami Trail

Commissions

• A Fishy Flavor
• Shadow of the Cat
• Shrine Cleanup
• The Cat's Trail

Idle Quotes[]

After completing Neko Is a Cat: A "Good Turn" Comes Late

Dialogue[]

Trivia[]

• Neko may be the "old cat" mentioned in Hamayumi, whose description is told from Hibiki's perspective.
• Neko is mentioned in the descriptions of the following 2 Furnishings:
  • "Seal of the Provisional Head Priestess"
  • Shrine Statue: "Seirai Ward"

Etymology[]

• Neko (Japanese: 寝子 Neko, "Sleeping Child") is a pun on the Japanese word for "cat," which is 猫 neko.
  • In real life, it has been speculated that 寝子 is a possible etymological root for 猫.
• Her quest line "Neko Is a Cat" (Japanese: 寝子は猫である Neko wa Neko de Aru) is most likely a reference to the Japanese novel I Am a Cat (Japanese: 吾輩は猫である Wagahai wa Neko de Aru) written by Natsume Souseki in 1905–1906. The novel starts with the famous line "I am a cat. As yet I have no name." while the neko ("cat") in the game claims that she already has her name Neko ("Sleeping Child").

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