=Maneki Neko= **New Thread Pg 544!!!!**

What do you guys want to see the most?

Customs	28.6%	[ 22 ]
Breedings	9.1%	[ 7 ]
Flatsales	40.3%	[ 31 ]
Games	11.7%	[ 9 ]
Holiday Grams	10.4%	[ 8 ]
Total Votes:			[ 77 ]

[Beckoning Cat]

Welcome to the new and improved Maneki Neko. Harukaharu and Exhalt are the new caretakers of this beautiful shop. We are working on getting everything in order, dusting all the cobwebs out of the corners and making this place a beautiful one.

v Link to the guild v
Maneki Neko: The Guild

Updates
--December 20th -- A New Thread has been established! New Banners have been made and added! <3

--August 27th -- New Certs arrived! There was a choice and votes, the winning cert was decided!
--August 5th -- The Hiring Thread is up and running with an advertising contest and tektek contest for the mule! It can be found here: X
--August 1st--Harukaharu has offered to take over Maneki Neko, and since I've got no more time nor motivation for it, I'll soon be handing the shop over to her. Expect some changes and general alive-ness as Maneki Neko gets back on its feet after years!
--July 13th--Let's face it, this this is never being updated. In other news, a surprise mini newbie flatsale is going on today!
--April 2--April fools... if you didn't notice xD
--April 1--Released the new lineart for the Maneki Neko!
--Mar 30--Finally got up off my rear and made a guild! Woohoo! Plus, I finished up all the pet trades and customs from March 10th. Only took me three weeks... hehe... ^^;
--Mar 24--Our second flatsale, an Omikuji fortune flatsale! Wound up being half an hour late, but we survived. Prprofs, mewrose, Sosiqui, Zsabrina, and Sawaki all walked home with a new pet.
--Mar 10--We had a competition for customs slots! Sirenz, Ayura Moonflow, Lorako, and Sayuri_Nitta won! in addition, we opened our first pet trade slots!
--Mar 5--The raffle is over! There were a few hitches, but it worked out in the end. CuterThanYou and Presca were the winners, each taking home their own Yin Yang Maneki Neko!
--Mar 4--100 pages! Shia-san was the first to post on page 100 and got a free Maneki Neko!
--Mar 1--Our first raffle has begun, selling a Yin Yang themed Maneki Neko!
--Feb 25--We had our first opening flatsale, giving out four beautiful Maneki Neko! The flatsale was trivia-based, where the entrants had to translate the pet's Japanese name correctly in order to win it.
--Feb 11--The thread is set up!

Staff
HarukaHaru - Co-owner and colorist
Exhalt - Co-owner, Colorist, Certer, Light Edits

Table of Contents
1. Updates, Staff
2. Rules
3. Story
4. The Maneki Neko
5. Spirit Guides
6. Availability
7. Games
8. Roleplay
9. Breeding
10. Item Shop
11. FAQ
12. Owners List
13. Links
14~15. ...It's a secret... :3

[Beckoning Cat]

Rules
1. Please, no drama. Drama brings bad luck.
2. Please, no stealing the artwork. Stealing artwork brings very bad luck.
3. No fighting! Be kind and courteous to all people in this thread even if they're n00bish jerks and don't deserve it.
4. Only PM the shop mule, Beckoning Cat.
5. Don't use chatspeak. The Nekomata will devour those who use chatspeak.
6. Do not beg for a pet, for a mate, for a spirit guide, for anything.
7. No advertising in here! That's just rude. Only Danke Kitten is allowed to advertise here >:3

Donators
The most amazing spectacular great people who will be exalted on high.
Kitsai--10k eek Wow! Many, many thanks!
Sirenz--Elegant Veil eek ...I've been wanting one of these for ages!
[~Lexiel~]--Donated a Flower Crown for the mule heart
Naysha Aysha--Donated a Holly Jolly Bell for the mule. It almost looks like a Maneki Neko bell!
Chi Sohma--1k heart Thank you muchly! ^_^

The Good
Wonderful people who have helped the shop.
Lexiel, for keeping track of all the advertising counts, auction high bids, and contest participants in the Okami event--out of her own time. You are a lifesaver!
Everyone who visits, of course! Love you guys!

The Bad
Those who have slipped up. You can't buy Maneki Neko or participate in events while on here. Be more careful next time!
None so far... thankfully.

The Ugly
Get here, and you will never receive a Maneki Neko and will no longer be welcome in the shop.
None so far... let's keep it that way!

[Beckoning Cat]

"Bad business again..."

Michiko sighed, slumping down on the shop counter. Another day without any sales. She glanced over to the big calico-spotted cat statue by the door. "I just don't know, Keiko. Do you think we need a new sign or something?" Of course, it didn't reply, just staring ahead with one paw raised merrily, as if to beckon people inside. It was a testament to the boredom of long, customer-less hours that Michiko had actually named the Maneki Neko. And that she was talking to it. But she loved the cat--it was her only companion. It had stood proudly at the door of the shop when her grandmother opened it, when her mother owned it, and now when she ran it.

"What happened to your good fortune, anyway, Keiko?" she asked with a tired smile. "You've always brought luck to this shop. But now I'm going to go out of business soon if things keep up the way they are." She sighed and turned to straighten the papers on the counter. It wasn't the Maneki Neko's fault--after all, even good fortune could only go so far to save a little homerun business suddenly overshadowed by the big chain stores that had popped up nearby.

The soft tinkling of a bell brought her back to reality. Wait, where did a bell come from? She didn't think she had any around...

"I can help you with that, Michiko..." a soft voice said.

Michiko whirled around. That voice came from the entrance of the shop... her eyes rested on Keiko. Behind the statue stood... a cat. A Japanese bobtail, wearing a spotted collar with a bell, fur colored white with patches of gold and black, just like Keiko... in fact, the markings exactly matched the statue's. The cat's outline seemed wavering, shimmering almost. It stared at her with deep brown eyes.

"Whoa--" Michiko jumped back, almost tripping over her stool. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

The cat stepped forward, and spoke. "It's nice to finally meet you, Michiko." she said. "I am Keiko."

Michiko stood silent in surprise, absorbing this information. Finally, she picked a question out of the dozens that were crowding her head. "Wait, you're Keiko? My Maneki Neko?"

Keiko tilted her head. "Well, I am Keiko's kami... its spirit essence." she said. "I've always been here, but this is the first time I have been able to materialize."

Met with shocked silence, Keiko continued. "I know it is not usual for a kami to materialize, especially not in these times. People pay less and less attention to gods and spirits nowadays. What was once good fortune is now coincidence, or statistics. You see this too, don't you?"

Michiko nodded, going along with the impossible situation despite herself. "Yeah. When Grandma first got Kei--you, everyone was glad that you could give good fortune to the shop. Now Maneki Neko are just souvenirs for tourists. You hardly ever see them in real shops."

"Yes," Keiko said. "You are one of the few who believe in us anymore. That is what makes it possible for me to be here in a physical form." She smiled.

"Wow, really?" Her believing... it had been a good thing to believe in good luck, after all. "But, um, why are you here? I mean, well..." She dropped her eyes to the floor, trying to find proper words. She'd never exactly talked with a spirit before. What exactly made her so special as to receive a visit from one?

"I'm here because I believe you can help us." Keiko said. "You and I both agree that people block the presence of kami, of spirits, from their lives more and more. People think they can be independent, working all by themselves, but they don't realize that their lives are tied into the land they live on, the food they eat, the air they breathe... they are connected to the rest of the world, whether they like it or not. And the world suffers because of their refusal to be a part. People must become one with their world again."

Michiko silently agreed with Keiko's statement. "But what do you want to do about it, then?" she asked.

Keiko's face grew quite serious, and she pulled herself up to her full height. "I want to bring kami to this world. I want them to grow up with people, to interact with them, to show to the people's own eyes what they have ignored for so long. To teach them to believe."

"Would they be like pets, then?"

"Pets? No, not quite... more like children." Keiko smiled. "Children... to teach that there really is such a thing as good luck."

[Beckoning Cat]

Luck Figurine (2-4 days)--Your newborn Maneki Neko spirit is incubating within this small porcelain good-luck charm. It takes a few days for your new spirit to grow strong enough to materialize, so until then, put it up at the doorway of your shop or quest thread--its powers nearly guarantee good luck wherever it goes. After a few days, you will notice a ghostly kitten-shaped aura surrounding it--don't panic, this just means that it is close to materializing.

Kitten (1-3 weeks)--Your spirit is now strong enough to leave its figurine and materialize in the physical world! Celebrate, but be careful with your newborn spirit as its physical body is not fully formed. You may catch it half-disappearing, walking through walls, and the like--this is completely normal, so have fun with its unusual abilities while they last. If the kitten happens to get too fatigued, it will simply return to its figurine until it is rested again. Maneki Neko kittens love to be touched and held, and do not need to eat for the first few weeks of kittenhood. At this stage, Maneki Neko kittens can only vocalize, so they communicate mostly by radiating feelings and urges through their spiritual aura. If you are having trouble understanding what your kitten wants, try touching it to get better connection to their spirit.

Adolescent (2-4 weeks)--By this time, your Maneki Neko can no longer walk through walls or return to its figurine and is well rooted in the physical world. It eats voraciously now, and loves to test how far it can stretch your limits. It probably starts spending more time with other Maneki Neko, making friends and possibly getting a crush on someone. Your adolescent Maneki Neko can talk properly by now, and since its spiritual aura has shrunk to fit inside its physical body, it is harder for it to communicate nonverbally. It can, however, still see and talk to spirits, and its lucky charm is as strong as ever.

Adult (forever... or not?)--All grown up, and well worth the wait! Your Adult Maneki Neko can now breed and take you to visit the spirit realm. Though it can only use its spiritual powers on things it is touching, its powers have now completely matured to their full strength. You can also now adorn it with items of all shapes and sizes.

Types of Maneki Neko
you thought spirits were all alike? Think again.

Common--these types of Maneki Neko make up the bulk of Maneki Neko spirits. They resemble Japanese Bobtails in body shape, although to call them mere cats would be a huge understatement. They do not have any special powers at first, although with training they can develop powerful magic. Common Maneki Neko can be found in almost any event.

Aligned--these Maneki Neko’s souls are aligned with certain kami, taking on traits of that kami, and resemble elementals in a sense. Since there are technically kami for every object in the world, the possibilities for these type of Maneki Neko are unlimited, but you only see a few types since we don’t want to draw a whole bunch of new lineart Maneki Neko only tend to align to the more powerful kami. For example, a Maneki Neko aligned to the kami of sky would be winged and have a natural grasp of air-related magic. It is uncommon for this type of Maneki Neko to be found in a flatsale and they generally appear in events like auctions and raffles.

Nekomata--a breed of Maneki Neko said to come from the spirits of cats who became Nekomata while they were alive. Though the exact trigger for the transformation is unclear, domestic cats sometimes change into Nekomata when they are around ten years old, at which time their tail begins to split and they develop magical powers. Nekomata have a natural grasp of magic and can manipulate the dead. They are often depicted as fickle and vengeful, although this is not always the case in real life. Nekomata are very uncommon and will only show up every now and then.

Cosplay--nobody really knows how it happens, but every once in a while, a Maneki Neko appears that manifests the soul of another person. The Maneki Neko shares the appearance, personality, habits, and powers of the soul it manifests, but does not have any of the memories of that person. Cosplays are the rarest Maneki Neko of all and are generally only sold in auctions or other events.

[Beckoning Cat]

Spirit guides are the rough equivalent of a familiar. Born in the spirit realm, they can bond to your Maneki Neko and accompany it in its travels. Different spirit guides can bring different benefits to the Maneki Neko they are bonded to. Like Maneki Neko, they are intelligent and can communicate with other spirits. However, they cannot speak the human language like Maneki Neko can.

Here are some of the currently documented spirit guides:


Koma Inu
These lion-dogs are playful and good natured, but extremely protective. Maneki Neko bonded to this spirit guide will be blessed with safe travels wherever they go. Koma Inu have the ability to ward off evil spirits and spells, and many seem to have a sixth sense that warns of unseen danger.


Kitsune
These spirit guides are wise and cunning, but hard to predict--some Kitsune are well-known and revered for their intelligence and generosity, while others use their powers in order to play tricks and pranks on hapless victims. They are masters of illusions and visions, and carry their magical powers in a small pearl on their tail.


Tanuki
These raccoon dogs are notorious tricksters and are skilled in disguise and shapeshifting magic. If your Maneki Neko isn’t on good terms with its Tanuki, it can be in for a miserable time--but working together, they can be a formidable team.


Hou-ou
The Japanese phoenix is a beautiful but rare spirit guide that symbolizes peace. It has healing powers, and the sound of its song naturally soothes troubled minds. Note that it is not related to the Western phoenix, as it has no associations to fire and does not reincarnate.


Tatsu
A dragon spirit guide with a natural grasp over water and weather-related magic. They are quick and agile, and can fly in the air even though they have no wings. They are strangely attracted to round objects, and more than one fight has broken out between a Kitsune and a Tatsu who has stolen its pearl.

In addition to the species above, there are many unique spirit guides that are only given out in special events. Keep an eye out for these and you might just nab a very special partner for your Maneki Neko!

[Beckoning Cat]

Use The World Clock - Time Zone Converter to convert from EST to your time zone.

Events
None planned.

Flatsales
None planned.


Raffles
None planned.

Auctions
None planned.

Customs
Next opening date: N/A
1.
2.
3.

Pet trades
1.
2.
3.
4.

Flatsales
Flatsales are the best ways for newcomers to get their first Maneki Neko. There are a ton of different ways we do flatsales--speed-based flats, trivia flats, flaffles, RP flats, you name it. The most common flatsale is the Omikuji Fortune, an image-based flatsale. In it, you click the Omikuji dispenser to get a fortune. You can get a range of fortunes, ranging from Certain Disaster to Excellent Luck--and the luckiest fortunes will have an image of a flatsale Maneki on it! Click the dispenser multiple times if you get bad fortunes at first. Once you find a Maneki fortune, post the image in the thread to claim the Maneki!
If you happen to find another fortune with a different image on it--say, a spirit guide or special item--then that means you have the good fortune to get that thing completely free! Post it in the thread to claim the free prize.

All flatsale Maneki and Spirit Guides cost 5k.

Flatsale Rules:
--No guilt-tripping or whining.
--Only one Maneki per person, per flatsale
--Only one free prize per person, per flatsale (you can claim a Maneki and a prize in the same flatsale)
--You may claim a Maneki (or prize) for another person, but the 'one per person' rule still applies, so you cannot claim a second for yourself if you do this.
--Do NOT edit your flatsale post! You can get blacklisted for doing this. Post a new one if the one you posted is already taken!
--Once it's confirmed that you got a Maneki, please post a name for it so we can cert it up quickly.
--Send the trade within 24 hours of the flatsale, otherwise the Maneki will go back up for sale.
--If you got a free prize, you will receive instructions on how to redeem it after the flatsale.


Raffles
So you think you have good luck? Each ticket costs 50G each and there is no limit to how many you can buy. You may also buy tickets for other people. All trades that are not finalized before the raffle drawing will not be honored in the drawing (if you send a trade for 100 tickets, say, and never finish the trade before the raffle drawing, those tickets will be scratched from the list).

If we somehow hideously screw up your tickets (forget them, accidentally put in too few, etc) you will be refunded in full and you will get free tickets equal to the number of missed tickets that you can use in a future raffle you wish to enter. If we mess up by giving you too many tickets, then consider it a free bonus. =3


Auctions
The most beautiful, rare, and unique Maneki Neko are reserved for auctions. Auctions have a starting price of 7k and normally last for two to three days. The minimum increase is 1k and there is currently no autobuy.

Auction Rules:
--No guilt-tripping, please.
--Do not edit auction posts.
--Send the trade within 24 hours of winning the auction, otherwise the Maneki will go back up for sale.
--Items accepted at current TekTek.org price
--No sniping! There is a five-minute anti-snipe guard in effect at Maneki auctions. If someone bids in the last five minutes, the auction will be extended another five minutes and so on until everyone has finalized their bidding.


Customs
Customs open up depending on available drawing time and my mood. Prices may go up or down depending on the complexity of the custom. For example, if you want a pet that is technically a cosplay but that only requires minor lineart edits, I will only charge you the price for a minor lineart-edited pet. Conversely, if you want a non-cosplay custom that is absolutely bristling with complex designs, I may up the price.

I have the right to refuse to make certain customs or cosplays, depending on whether they will conflict with future events.

1 Stage Customs
Common--60k
Common, lineart edits--80k
Cosplay--200k

Figurine to Adult Customs (4 stages)
Common--100k
Common, lineart edits--150k
Cosplay--N/A, only available as one-stage pet

The following custom options are not available yet, since the lineart hasn't been drawn:

1 Stage Customs
Nekomata--80k
Nekomata, lineart edits--130k
Aligned--100k
Aligned, lineart edits--150k
Cosplay on Nekomata or Aligned lines--300k

Figurine to Adult Customs (4 stages)
Nekomata--150k
Nekomata, lineart edits--200k
Aligned--170k
Aligned, lineart edits--220k

Non-line edited form

Name:
Owner name:
Gender:
Growing? If not, what stage should it be?:
Body colors and markings (be specific! Give refs!):
Eye color:
Collar color:
Bell color:

Line-edited/cosplay form

Name:
Owner name:
Gender:
Growing? If not, what stage should it be? (remember, cosplays can't be growing):
Body colors, markings, and edits (be specific! Give refs!):
Eye color:
What kind of collar, if any, do you want?:
Do you want a changed facial expression? If so, describe:
Do you want a different looking tail? If so, describe:
Do you want a preview of the finished adult form if it is a growing pet?:

Pet trades
Thinking of sending me an offer for a pet trade? I generally like very well drawn, professional-looking pets. Cats are my absolute love, as well as bird-based/gryphon/winged pets, but I love any pet that is drawn beautifully. I also have a current obsession with Waka cosplays (from Okami), so catering to that may earn you big positive points.

If you think your pet would be something I'd love (and if the slots are open), then go ahead and send Beckoning Cat a PM that includes:
1. What you want
2. What you are willing to trade for it
3. A link to the shop and/or sample pictures of your shop's pets so that I can see how awesome your shop's pets are

And we can negotiate something from there. Don't be shy--I don't bite. But please don't be upset if I turn you down, I am quite a picky person. ALSO! Pet trades are not first-come-first-serve. Just because you PMed me first after pet trade slots opened does not mean you're going to get a pet trade. You get a pet trade if I want your pet, not if you are first to ask.


Bribes
Please don't bribe me. I will turn down your offer. I'm a real sucker for money, but I don't like it when people think they can coerce me through hoops just by flashing some gold in my face. If you want a Maneki Neko so badly, then surely you can wait a little while for a custom slot to open up. wink

[Beckoning Cat]

Games and events will be held regularly in this thread. An added plus to winning the games or participating in the events are little figures called MiniManeki dolls that we give out. Each MiniManeki is unique to the event or game that it is from, so you can amass quite a collection of them! You can also get them by posting on the hundredth page of the thread, buying over 50 raffle tickets in a raffle, and much more.

More will be explained once we have some Maneki Neko to play the games.

[Beckoning Cat]

So you want to roleplay? Great! The roleplay of Maneki Neko takes place in two places: on Earth and in Heaven’s Plains. At the moment, roleplay is limited to Earth, please. You may only roleplay human characters, your Maneki Neko, and their spirit guides.

You guys all know the basic roleplaying rules. Don't godmod, don't be invincible, treat everyone with respect, use brackets to indicate OOC, etc.

Here are some pointers on the Maneki Neko world:

Roleplay Settings
All non-Heaven’s Plains roleplay takes place on Earth--plain old ordinary Earth. This means that any human characters you play must be plain old ordinary humans, not elves or vampires or anthros, and they can have no special powers like magic use, psychic abilities, or the like. Your human character may gain minor magical abilities due to its experiences with their Maneki Neko, but otherwise, cut the supernatural. You can also not have magical items, or super-futuristic stuff.

Who You Can Roleplay
You may only roleplay human characters, your Maneki Neko, and their spirit guides. Feel free to join in the roleplay with a human character even if you don’t have a Maneki Neko! If you have a spirit guide but not a Maneki Neko, there are no restrictions on roleplaying it all by itself so go ahead.
Note that you don’t need to roleplay a human if you don’t want to. Lone Maneki Neko and spirit guides are perfectly acceptable.

Maneki Neko and Their Powers
The Maneki Neko are spirits from Heaven’s Plains, brought to Earth. They lose all their powers when they come to earth and some even lose their memories. When they start their new lives as figurines, Maneki Neko only have the magical ability to subliminally influence the thoughts of those in their spiritual aura (10-15 feet when a figurine, grows progressively smaller as the Maneki Neko matures). Maneki Neko can begin to learn other abilities--such as the ability to talk telepathically, influence elements, create illusions, heal, or attack with magic, once they are adolescent. Typically, Maneki Neko only specialize in one type of magic. Do not make your Maneki Neko super-powerful.

Spirit Guides
Spirit guides can be roleplayed on Earth or Heaven’s Plains, but they cannot move from one to the other on their own. When bonded to a Maneki Neko, they will each have a dim awareness of each other’s location and whether they are healthy. Spirit guides can be bonded at any time in their life, so having a backstory of the spirit guide before they bonded is perfectly acceptable. Spirit guides have different magical powers, depending on the species, that they can use. The exact way they use magic varies from individual to individual, but each spirit’s species has a specialty that they are confined to. Do not abuse these powers and make your spirit guide super-powerful, and do not give them magical powers drastically different from their specialty power.


You can roleplay your Maneki Neko just about anywhere you want on Earth. Here are some notable locations in the Maneki Neko world:

The Maneki Neko Shop
A shop that looks small but is actually quite spacious on the inside. Its display shelves are filled with Maneki Neko of all shapes and sizes. A sign over the door reads “Maneki Neko” and under it is a notice, “All cats welcome.” You can always find a few people inside chatting, and bobtail cats roam freely around the display stands. A door in the main shop leads to a large back room where owners and Maneki Neko come to meet and chat. Michiko and Keiko reside in this shop, and are happy to assist new Maneki Neko owners with their pets.

Okugi Park
This park can be found a few blocks away from the Maneki Neko shop. It is a popular place for Maneki Neko and their owners to meet. The concentration of Maneki Neko spirits has caused quite a few other supernatural entities to gather in this park as well... there are rumors of a Kappa that has taken up residence in the small pond, and on the moonless night, some say that ghostly kitsune-bi--fox-fire--lights up the playground, though nobody has ever seen the source of the magical flames.

Heaven’s Plains
A place in the spirit realm that is the home of all kami, and also where Maneki Neko originally come from. As its name suggests, a good deal of it is flat, but towering forests rise to the east, and a mountain range can be seen in the distance beyond those forests. Things look and operate remarkably similarly to the real world in Heaven’s Plains, with the exception that there are obvious supernatural phenomenon like giant monsters and tiny sprites and magic all around. The place is inhabited by both good and evil spirits, and these spirits have settlements and cities just like people do in the physical world. (Most spirits will be based on Japanese folklore.)

The spirits of Maneki Neko come from this place, and they can only travel back and forth again once they have grown to adults. To do so, they concentrate their spiritual energy and use a spell to open a small portal into the world. It takes a bit of practice to master but is not extremely hard. Humans can travel through the portal into the plains with the help of their Maneki Neko--their physical bodies temporarily vanish and they enter the realm as spirits.

Origin Town
It was found long ago that all undirected Maneki Neko portals from Earth open within 100 feet of a certain spot in Heaven's Plains. One smart Tengu thought of opening a Ramen shop to cater to travelers coming from the area, and soon a whole town sprung up around the profitable spot. You can find hotels, shops, souvenirs, and all kinds of merchants floating around this sprawling town. Keep on your guard, though--more than one unsuspecting owner new to Heaven's Plains has found themselves fleeced by a swindling con artist.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM the mule about it!

[Beckoning Cat]

Since Maneki Neko are essentially spirits, the 'traditional' way of making babies does not work. Instead, hopeful parents must visit Inari, the god of fertility. Inari takes a part of each parent's spirit and merges them together, putting the resulting spiritual mixture into figurines where they will materialize into little kitty children.

Gods have busy schedules, and they don't work for cheap either. Inari charges 4k per figurine made, and only visits every month or so.

Breeding Queue:
1. Closed
2. Closed
3. Closed

When can Maneki Neko breed?
Both partners must be adults.

How many times can they breed?
As many times as you can get a breeding slot! However, they cannot breed consecutively--it depletes their spirit too much. So you must wait through one set of openings after your Maneki Neko breeds before it can breed again.

Do the parents need to RP a relationship in order to breed?
Yes, they do. When sending a breeding request to the mule, you must add links to at least 3 RP sessions between the two parents-to-be. They don't have to be specifically romance-related, but must show that the two cats have interacted. (these sessions can't be two-post-long casual greetings either, they must show character development)

My Maneki Neko is homosexual, can it still breed?
Yes! Gender isn't really an issue when the kittens are formed from the parent's spirits.

How many kittens can they have?
They can have anywhere from one to four. The number is determined using a number randomizer by Inari's wise judgment.

When do I send payment for the breeding?
After you are told how many figurines your Maneki Neko will be producing, send 4k per figurine to the mule. You may split this with the other parent's owner so that you each send 2k each, but just make sure that the total of 4k per baby gets to the mule.

How long will it take for the babies to appear once I get a breeding slot?
Inari takes anywhere from one to three weeks to get the job done.

Can I sell the kittens myself?
Nooo… no no no. This will get you blacklisted, so don't do it! Each parent's owner can keep one kitten, and the rest must either be given away for free to newbies or friends, or given back to the shop. If given back to the shop, kittens will be sold off and each owner will get 25% of the profits.

So they breed by combining spirits...? Can they still, y'know...
Oh, get your mind out of the gutter and go do something more productive with your life. You can't roleplay that kind of stuff here anyway.

[Beckoning Cat]

We still haven't received our stock of new items, but we do have one service open!

Mini Figurines

You may have seen the small Maneki Neko figurine images around that link back to the shop, and thought, 'Man, I wish I had one of those that looked like my Maneki Neko!' Well, you can--all you need to do is PM the mule and we'll send you a custom-made miniature figurine for absolutely free! In the PM, send your Maneki Neko's name and what you want to be written on the coin (specify if it should be in English or Japanese--if you don't want anything specific, we will use the default kanji that are pictured in the examples above).
--If you have the knowledge to miniaturize your figurine all by yourself, then by all means feel free to do so--you don't need to do it through the shop.
--We will only make miniatures of Maneki Neko you own. So non-owners, please use the figurines on the links post.

[Beckoning Cat]

Check the Breeding, Spirit Guide, and Roleplay FAQs for information regarding those subjects.

How do I get a Maneki Neko?
Check the Availability post! All the ways to get a Maneki Neko, as well as current events, are posted there.

Are they RP required?
Nope! You have no obligations to RP, visit, or do anything else once you get a Maneki Neko. Though I must say that it's much more fun to RP a Maneki Neko than to let it rot in your image randomizer. Also, non-RPed Maneki Neko cannot breed.

Do you do guest colorings?
Nope. If we want to have guest colorists, we'll announce it publicly.

Can we co-own?
No.

Do we have to name our Maneki Neko only Japanese names?
Certainly not! You can name it Billy Bob Joe for all I care. Just try not to make outrageously long names, so it'll fit on the cert.

What are the symbols on the Maneki Neko figurines' coins?
They are that Maneki Neko's name written in Japanese.

What does 'Maneki Neko' mean?
Translated roughly, it means 'beckoning cat'. Yes, that's why the mule is called Beckoning Cat. In Japan, a Maneki Neko is a cat figurine that has one paw held up (the same figurine that these Maneki Neko start out as). They're very common and are often put in the entrances to shops to bring good luck to the business.

Can Maneki Neko understand/talk to humans? Can humans understand them?
Maneki Neko, due to their spirit origins, are much more intelligent than normal felines and can communicate fluently with humans. So yes, they can talk just fine as soon as they are materialized.

What powers do Maneki Neko have?
Maneki Neko have the power to communicate to the minds of humans and other spirits, subliminally influencing their decisions. This is often manifested in their influencing a customer to visit their owner's shop, for example, which is what brought about their association with good luck. When Maneki Neko materialize from their luck figurine, their spiritual aura shrinks, and so they must be physically close to someone to communicate with them. By adulthood, they must be actually touching the person to influence them. Their influential power does not decrease, it is just harder to use.
Maneki Neko also have the ability to see and communicate with spirits. This ability does not diminish with age.

Do Manekis have elemental or magical abilities?
Besides the aforementioned powers, Maneki Neko do not have any elemental or magical abilities (at first--roleplay can change this). An exception to this is cosplays, depending on the spirit they manifest.

[Beckoning Cat]

$ Auction | ! Raffle | = Flatsale | % Special Event | + Custom

Common
| = | Mikeneko | F | Miss Gizmo | [x]
| = | Akatoro | M | Dr_jelly | [x]
| = | Kumoiro | F | Itsu-chan | [x]
| = | Aoshima | M | Sirenz | [x]
| % | Banzyo | M | shia-san | [x]
| ! | Ying| F | CuterThanYou | [x]
| ! | Yang | M | Presca | [x]
| + | Ichigo | F | Lorako | [x]
| + | Aniko | F | Ayira Moonflow | [x]
| = | Kabegami | F | Sosiqui | [x]
| = | Kelderai | M | prprofs | [x]
| = | Aureliana | F | Zsabrina | [x]
| = | Kichiro | M | mewrose | [x]
| = | Kohaku | M | Sawaki | [x]
| + | Saishiki | F | rapidashtrainer | [x]
| + | Aki | M | [~Lexiel~] | [x]
| = | Rai | F | Coal` | [x]
| = | Porfirio | M | Tsu-chan | [x]
| = | Soleil | M | dinyana | [x]
| = | Triskie | F | Kamiki | [x]
| % | Pachinko | F | endejester | [x]
|% | Akumu | M | Sabin Duvert | [x]
| % | Lien | F | Sirenz | [x]
| $ | Lapis Lazuli | M | Kamiki | [x]
| $ | Libelle | F | Poetical Rain | [x]
| % | Shinkujaku | M | Rosse Big Seagull | [x]
| % | Haruko | F | Edit | [x]
| ? | Salem | M | LizzyMoo | [x]
| ? | Kuro | M | PurifyRain | [x]
| ? | Amikikay | F | Kamiki | [x]



Aligned
None so far.

Nekomata
None so far.

Cosplay
| + | Violet Song jat Shariff | F | Sayuri_Nitta | [x]
| + | Lulu | F | Sirenz | [x]
| + | Zexion | M | endejester | [x]
| + | Xemnas | M | Sanura Panthress | [x]
| + | Yazoo | M | Sanura Panthress | [x]
| + | Fran | F | Sirenz | [x]
| + | Yami | M | Roniel | [x]
| + | Orca | M | evil pirate duck | [x]
| + | Mikae | F | Yukiko Gemini | [x]
| + | Azarni | F | Kotatsu-chan | [x]
| + | Samickle | M | Sasuke_Cursed | [x]
| + | Amaterasu | F | Merangue | [x]
| + | Oki | M | Nerpin | [x]
| + | Lika | F | [Celeste] | [x]
| + | Kai | F | lilwerewolfgirl | [x]



Familiar
| ? | Katsu | M | Narakusgirl | [x]
| ? | Issun | M | Merangue | [x]
| ? | Yomigami | M | Faolin | [x]
| ? | Kutone | M | Nerpin | [x]
| ? | Khafu | M | Taerar Licorne | [x]

[Beckoning Cat]

Link to the Nekos?

[url=http://tinyurl.com/2lmvza]
[img]http://tinyurl.com/26cj5s[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/2lmvza]
[img]http://tinyurl.com/2rblnk[/img][/url]

Feeling a bit low on your luck? Then link back to our shop through one of these Maneki Neko figurines! Place them anywhere you want--they're bound to bring you good luck wherever they go! Just replace 'MANEKIURL' with one of the URLs below. For customized figurine links, see the item shop.
Calico: http://tinyurl.com/2sf5k2
Blue: http://tinyurl.com/32dv9e
Orange: http://tinyurl.com/2mr588
White/blue: http://tinyurl.com/32l8x6
Black: http://tinyurl.com/2rpcbr

[url=http://tinyurl.com/2lmvza]
[img]MANEKIURL[/img][/url]

Other shop special events
Here be thread events of all kinds! PM to have yours put up!
(note--limited to 10 at a time to save space)

Affiliates

Soul Guardians

[Beckoning Cat]

The Nekomata are using this thread space to plan their eventual world domination. They ask you to kindly avert your eyes and pretend you never saw anything.

[Beckoning Cat]

The Nekomata are using this thread space to plan their eventual world domination. They ask you to kindly avert your eyes and pretend you never saw anything.