Match of the Millennium

Description: A bored tanuki researching humans is not very mindful of the target of his pranks... and it's pretty hard to escape when they got wings! And he might have inadvertently outed his existence to some groups in the city not keen on lawless prankers in Southtown's midst...

[ECHO]
The night... as pleasant as it was with monsieur Rafferty, has left Echo Lacroix a bit... hungry. She didn't want to tap the young model, specially considering his age, among other things, so this has left her with a bit of a problem. The last collection bag she had in the freezer at home had alas expired while she was out on some business, and she hadn't ordered anymore since. They were expensive, of course, and Echo still somewhat shopped like a college student--IE, badly, or forgetting to altogether.

"Me and my silly morals, going to be the death of me--ahhh..." she had been traipsing down the street after she departed from The 2020 bar where she had seen the young model, and had passed by an alleyway, giving it a casual sidelong glance--before stopping and having to back up. There was an older, very likely drunk man down there, hrmm...

She looked like under her illusory form a fairly tall, pale lady, wearing a long black dress, slit at one side, and a pair of blood red stiletto heels, as well as some dark hosiery underneath. She'd had time to go home and change into her more 'active' gear after her little 'date' there, so her belt was strung along her waist as well. The dress kept her back open and free, in case she needed to fly or move quicker.

[DAICHI]
There are other presences in Southtown, of course; this particular one is upon the fourth floor roof of a building overlooking a particularly busy street. Daichi, the mighty tanuki, is not bothering to conceal himself. He prefers his natural form, all brown fur, puffy tail, and decidedly animalistic features; certainly bipedal, but looking more like a raccoon dog that shifted /just/ enough to have working arms, legs, and mostly-humanoid posture... wearing a dark green haori with dark brown hakama pants, sake bottle and long, slender walking staff set adjacent.

On the other side of him are numerous books and magazines; Daichi has been researching as much as he can, but even after a few days, he feels no closer to understanding this strange society then when he started. More confused, if anything. The 'chi' of this place is also vile, filthy, disgusting, but he's trying to force himself to exposure training, as best he can...

"Stupid humans..." he grumbles, leaning forward to peer at the sidewalk, and the many heads bobbing past. He has one other item -- twenty-four eggs, that he found in a dumpster. "It is like a hive, but every bee is dumb and uncoordinated... how can a city be so big?"

Huck! Huck! Now and then, he tosses one of the eggs. The arc and distance is such that, although those he hits with disturbing accuracy are horrified and outraged, there's no real ability to discover the culprit or source. It sets him into a laugh each time, as he reads a Vogue magazine between. "Mmm... mmm... ah! ...that's such a nice dress...!"

Squinting over the edge of the building, he then goes *HUCK!* ... and hurls one of the near-rotten eggs almost straight down, aimed at the top of Echo's head...

[ECHO]
One might imagine the trill of a violin as Echo begins her whole vampiress schtick--she was a vampire bat, of course--but she knows how this sort of thing goes. To the drunk older man, she looks like a vision right out of a fantasy--almost alabaster pale skin, red lipsticked lips--plunging neckline of that dress likely drawing the rest of his attention--he might not even realize that when her arms begin to move to his shoulders, that she's trying to lean his head off to one side, to expose dat neck. She could hear the quickening heartbeat as the blood began to rush to the southern parts of the man's body, the pressure would make this go a lot easier, truth be told--and then...

SPLAT.

The egg essentially explodes against the wall just near her head, splattering her face, hair and all over her intended snack, as well.

To put it mildly, it definitely spoils the mood down there.

"Who--what--oh damnit," the man is confused, alarmed, and Echo has let her illusion slip, revealing to the man that he's currently motorboating the breasts of a 6-foot tall (with those heels, anyway) humanoid bat creature. What sweet terror goes through the man, as he realizes he was just in the arms of a monster.

It's almost funny enough to get a rise out of Echo at that, but she's currently too annoyed and frustrated to really grin at it--instead looking up towards the source of the mischief!

[DAICHI]
"Hahaha...!" Daichi says, peeking over the edge. He was looking for moments like this; things to interrupt and ruin! People who looked like they needed to be somewhere quick and important, or those distracted... the unknown bat cozying up with someone is one of the best moments of the night, surely!

Yet his reverie is somewhat broken when one of the pair seems to pop into a frame distinctly less humanoid! Eyes widen, having heard there might be such other creatures from Tsinghua... but he had no idea! Saucer hazel eyes go wide, before he freezes when Echo looks up and would catch sight of a distant muzzle peeking over the edge.

Eep! He pops back, hastily grabbing his bottle of sake and walking staff. "Oops, oops, oops..." he murmurs to himself, hastily moving to kick the remaining eggs over the side in a hopeful distraction before starting to quickly pad off towards the other end of the roof. He's pretty sure he saw wings on that girl. He hadn't expected any issues being caught up here, but that might make things a lot more troublesome!

[ECHO]
Using said wings as a canopy around her, Echo is able to avoid anymore of the hail of eggs from splattering on her--they splatter against her wings, instead--the yolk coming off them in huge splatters as she unfurls them again.

However, it's not one winged assailant that comes after Daichi finally, but a whole horde of them--as a cloud of screeching fluttering bats swarm up over the edge of the building he was standing atop. Down below, the older gentleman runs off into the night, wailing about bat titties, or something to that effect.

"You--you were the one throwing shit!" Echo's voice is very near a howl as she reforms, standing there looking down at him with her hands on her hips. You can always tell you've pissed a woman off by that stance.

"What is the meaning of these shenanigans!?"

[DAICHI]
Daichi continues rushing along, even as he hears the whirl of motion behind. He can sense auras rather well; without Echo's illusions, it's pretty clear he made a mistake at this point. Yet he skids to a stop at the edge of the roof, looking over at a four-story drop as he presses a paw flat atop the straw hat settled on his head. Sake bottle slung once more, free hand holding on to the walking staff.

"Ah, what? M-me? Why would it be me?!" Daichi tries to argue, backing up until he's all but teetering over the edge. "I just saw the culprit, a-a young teen human, and was just seeing his target!! He went THAT WAY!"

A very enthusiastic point is done to the side. It might be tempting to look, as ludicrous as it sounds, given that Daichi has nowhere to go. Echo has herded him to the edge of a fatal drop after all. But... distracted or not, the tanuki then... leaps off!!

He sails through the open air, still holding down his straw hat. Then he forms a seal with both paws. "TANUKI NO JUTSU!!" His tail suddenly expands massively, until it's twice the size of himself and sheerly made of fluff; he lands atop it with a huge PAFF!, briefly disoriented, before scrabbling upright as his tail rapidly deflates back to normal size...

And he makes to dart into a slender alley that would hopefully break line of sight, desperately glancing around. "Gotta hide, gotta hide...!"

[ECHO]
"A young teen human--on a rooftop--throwing eggs," Echo is not taking this sort of guff, apparently. "I saw that muzzle of yours over the edge--hey, get back here!" the raccoon could now likely hear the clatter of the high heeled shoes the bat lady was wearing as Echo made after him, opening her wings and giving a grunt as she pushes herself off the ground--gliding after the Tanuki as it begins to leap off the building edge.

The Tanuki manages to expand it's tail into an airbag, apparently coming down harmlessly a short distance away at the ground level--the people mulling through the streets likely getting a few glimpses of the fuzzy expanding creature and the white winged horror that is chasing after him.

The sound of the clicking heels can be heard behind Daichi as he manages to get into that alley... but can he hide from her? Otherwise he's just able to hear her breathing, and it's getting closer.

And likewise Echo is probably bemoaning the fact she didn't take gym coupon opportunity when she had it.

[DAICHI]
It's pretty clear that Daichi is no scion of physical speed. His legs are not very long, and he's got a fairly awkward gait. However, he does have something the bat lacks... endurance! Which might be a more notable attribute if he could draw this into a marathon, but she's too close on his heels to manage any deception or feint. Twisting, he heads into the heart of the alleys... only to skid to a stop, realizing it's a dead end. Three story buildings loom up to the sky, and a few human workers on break jump in alarm, intent to quickly flee from the area; doors are one way, this area only meant for the egress of garbage and, apparently, humans on break.

"Oye, oye, calm down!!" Daichi says, twisting around and backing until he bumps into the building, both hands up; having similarly slung his walking stick around via small slash of fabric. "I didn't know you weren't a human, I swear! Y-you're... I'm not sure what, actually, not from MY realm...!"

[ECHO]
Echo only realizes at this point that she's not been using an illusion for the last couple of moments, which might explain the confusion and screams that follow behind her.

Echo has arrived behind Daichi, and she is breathing hard, and apparently still after the furry little bastard.

"Eh, you--begone!" Echo raised a hand to the men running toward her--which then begin to run /around/ her if they can, as she sprays them with what might be best described as a 'cone of fear' ability, ala a certain dungeon-crawling tabletop game.

"You didn't know?" Echo finally realizes where the Tanuki's voice is coming from, her ears being one of her strongest assets. Among other things.

"And how could you not know," she stands there, trying to literally wipe egg off her face, though it's gotten her fur sticky and everything. Eesh.

[DAICHI]
"Ehhh...? Know what?!" Daichi says, only slightly out of breath from the little escapade. He's not hidden in the slightest, anymore. Although to be fair, this is the SECOND time she's cornered him; although he's nothing to jump off, and were he to try a desperate climb, even the winded bat could easily keep pace on her wings. At least, with the assistance of her augmented fear spell, they are fully alone. ...for now. Once the authorities are contacted, and the Library's investigative branch sent alongside mundane police, the situation might become far, far more complicated then the tanuki has any idea might bloom.

"I am new to... to this place! Earthrealm...! I hate it! I've no clue what you are... some kind of predator, maybe? What do I care... humans are animals, too, and have every right to be hunted..." He sounds somewhat like he's convincing himself, but there's not exactly any malice or distaste to it. "I-I'm sorry I threw egg on you! Okay?! Okay! Here...!!"

The tanuki then drops to his stout-legged knees, and goes prostrate, plopping his upper body down with arms extended. It's... something that would have been seen a couple centuries ago, most like. "Very, very sorry!! Yes?!" He's not sensing any murderous rage directed at HIMSELF... it seems the tanuki is trying to resolve it peacefully, if he can...

...Unless this is just the beginning of another distracting trick, instead...

[ECHO]
"And you're not from the demon world, Makai, either? Huh, I knew there were some other planes out there, but I didn't expect to run into a creature such as you," Echo could probably tell how oddly earthen the nature of this spirit might have been, at least a more 'pure' being than herself, having not come from her own land.

"I'm a bat lady, obviously, and a sorceress, and it's not wise to bother them when they're eating," she hmphed, "Echo Lacroix, Necromancer--this is what you've riled and gotten the attention of!" she spread her wings high up around her, before folding them back.

"So you're just some sort of trickster spirit then? I see..." she is at once a little more horrified at the state of her hair, fur as well as that dress however, and she glowers.

"And you've gotten everyone's attention! I won't be able to stalk anyone around here for a freaking month!" she had been trying to calm herself down, but now, whew. This bitch's going batty!

"And my shoes..." she laments, with a whine.

[DAICHI]
"M-Makai?! That place is scary! No!" Daichi says, very seriously. He's not yet rising up. All indications are he's really here, but... well. There's likely not many legends about tanuki in the demon world, and the myths of humans, if she's even any experience, who can tell how much is accurate? "Spirit Realm... it is the place where, ah. What humans call youkai and kami come from. A place of strong nature! N-Nekomata, treants, kitsune, werewolves, kappa, all sorts live and come from there...!"

Still, he gets up to his knees, rubbing awkwardly at his arm. "Ehhh..." It seems to be going well, so far. "D-Daichi Kichiro... Warden Captain on a mission in Earthrealm..." Although there's a vague sense of being offended, at that. "I--well, I LIKE being a trickster, but it's not my purpose!"

Still, there's probably a limit to placating the bat when the only true resolution to things is a shower. It's clear that the scene is bustling on the outskirts... the humans they chased and terrified from this alley are certainly in the process of reporting all this, and the tanuki's little idea of what, if any, threats to worry about.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." he continues to mutter, as if not sure what else to offer. "Ah, but there's no reason for us to be enemies... tell me how to make amends, if it won't affect my tasks..."

[ECHO]
"If it's not one thing it's another," Echo sighs a little bit, reaching into her pouch to pull what looks like a handkerchief, daubing her face with it as the raccoon-like creature sits there and tries to apologize. She reaches down, and taking the tanuki by the shoulders--begins to lift the two of them into the air--rising up high and depositing them both on a rooftop nearby--assuming Daichi does not wriggle free and play his balloon routine like earlier. Hmm... Bat-propelled Tanuki Blimp? Might be something to that. Down below, there are likely more cries and shouting as the two of them are seen doing this.

"And you are?" she asks, setting Daichi down on the side of the roof. "You know me, but I do not know you," she folded her arms, looking stern, but also a bit silly with the yolk sticking her hair to one side of her face, askew.

[DAICHI]
The tanuki's pretty good when it comes to finding eggs to throw... it's not the first time he's done it. A handkerchief is likely not going to make things any better. Now he regrets always being lazy about learning magic, himself... he's the talent for it, if not the drive and patience! How useful a cleaning spell would be.

"OYE OYE OYE!!" Yes, he's struggling a good amount when the bat opts to actually carry him up, and when he drops upon the adjacent roof much of his fur is bottlebrushed out, especially the tail. "Gimme some warning...! Oye! Do those big ears do anything?! I told you! I'm DAICHI! KICHIRO!" Loud enough to potentially draw attention. He's frazzled, both by the unexpected meeting of his first demon, being chased, the startled humans, being carried, jumping off a building... it's been a pretty dense five minutes.

"Ugh... I have a headache..." He turns to walk into the middle of the roof, drawing his bottle of sake and popping the cork off to take a few deep, heavy pulls...

[ECHO]
"So that is your name, is it? Well then, state your business--if it was to get everyone's attention, then you're certainly earned it," she replaces the handkerchief into the pouch at her waist.

"Next time a trash panda shouldn't try to run away from a bat, the most regal and noblest of creatures," Echo snerks, before waving it off. "I will reprieve, for now, I think, despite your youthful mischievousness, you amuse me," she peers back down at the Tanuki, wondering what that liquid is--until the scent hits her nose, wrinkling it.

"Are you sure that's the best thing to be doing after all of that?" she raises a brow to him.

[DAICHI]
"I'm on a mission... in Earthrealm. Call it recon... I'm not really inclined to tell some random demon anything further." Daichi gives a suspicious squint of sorts towards Echo, then. Although he presumes the problem he is trying to find is caused by humans, he has no proof -- yet. Makai and the Spirit Realm are highly incompatible, one pure and one corruptive. Generally, the denizens are enemies... but Daichi is something of a pacifist, and the bat's not done anything to make him defend himself. Is it racist if you normally blame the demon for starting things?!

"Trash... panda...?! I might be older then you!" That's not a term he has heard before, but he assumes it's intended to be offensive and asks accordingly! "Regal as a rotund hog to slaughter, maybe! You're more winded then me after that chase!" He gives a smack to his belly, as if to imply he shouldn't have the advantage in physique.

"Ah? It calms my nerves! You can't have any!" He goes back to a few deep, heavy chugs before wiping his mouth with the back of his paw and corking it snugly once more. "But if you forgive it, then that's that... at least your scent is more likely to attract humans now! They like trash, yes?" It's not clear how much he's joking. "I've noticed they dress like peacocks, at the very least."

[ECHO]
"Afraid of saying too much around a 'demon', eh? That's some profiling," Echo takes in a deep breath of air, at last finally free of the fatigue of trying to chase the inflatible bugger down. She's got him in a more forthcoming mood at the moment, at least.

"Well they do like trashy things, to be sure, if this district we're in is any indication," she ignores his insults, for the moment, especially after her previous one there.

"Peacocks? Indeed--and you are some humble noble traveler and shaman, then?" she grins a little, eyeing him as she cocks her head to one side, apparently teasing him a little.

[DAICHI]
"Demons and humans are BOTH not to be trusted!" Daichi says, with confidence. He leaves out the fact that most would include tanuki on the same list, across a vast spectrum of mythologies... "Heh. That human WAS interested in the skin you wore!" he snaps back towards the bat. "I am part of the militia of my realm! My mouth is not so easy to pry open..." Despite constantly giving clues readily. He's definitely acting uppity though, having moved over to glance down from the top of the building.

And then there's a CRACK before a spotlight illuminates him, the tanuki frozen in place for a few seconds in alarm before fleeing back towards the center of the roof. "ACK!! What--what the heck kind of artifact is that?!" In the distance, a bat is probably going to hear a helicopter or two. It seems they lingered too long... the response to potential monsters is active, now! And Echo's got a decent bounty on her head in the Library, to boot... "Th-think it's time for me to split...!"

[ECHO]
"Says the impish raccoon," Echo gives him a look like 'really?' before shrugging, and apparently not going to challenge that any further. "He was, they're very easy to fool, you see," Echo said this as she inspected her face in a mirror that she kept in the pouch at her waist, raising a brow.

"It's quite interesting to find out who is easily beguiled, even without a spell," she smirks, watching the Tanuki gaze down at the city below.

"The humans have many toys, o' masked one, that's just one of their electrical devices, but hrm, yes, lets," Echo gestures towards Daichi again, as if to as if he wants help--another ride, perhaps?--before heading to the edge of the roof herself.

[DAICHI]
"Feh...!" Daichi still comments, all distrustful clearly. "I know well how gullible and simple humans are. And tasteless!" The latter offered more as a tease. Still, he has rarely seen so bright an illumination, and the sounds of strange vehicles is clearly setting the displaced tanuki on edge. He has heard the occasional siren and horn, and even they are a long way from being used to.

"Hmph...! There's a tale about the scorpion and the frog, you know... not gonna trust any rides from a demon until I know their nature." Instead he concentrates, thumping his paws together. It is a sign, generally used to help focus and cast spells; a moment later, and his outfit changes. To something... blandly human. A long trenchcoat, pants becoming jeans, hat a fedora. To Echo's gaze, the enchantment is very clear, but a mundane human would have no way of knowing. "I can make my OWN way out... 'Echo'. A bat named Echo... as if that's really your name!!"

Then he performs another sign. POOF! A grey burst of smoke, that rapidly disperses. Daichi is... now seemingly human? A plain looking man of middle age, with brown hair and light skin. His clothing shifts accordingly, fitting him as it should. Only... well. Tanuki-ears are still springing up from the sides of his hat, and there's the clear bulge of his tail still from behind. "I can get MYSELF out, clearly." His voice is nothing like it was; a bit smarmy, but definitely human. Legends of tanuki transforming and shapeshifting are true?!

He tap-taps his walking staff twice, before with a POOF!, it becomes a normal cane. "Good luck...!" Heading to the opposite corner from the main street, he then glances around before leaping off once more. A loud PAFF as he seemingly lands on his tail again... but, with any luck, his transformation will work well enough to slip away.

Echo, on the other hand, can hopefully fend for herself equally well!

[ECHO]
"You look like a flasher," Echo is amused, but also somewhat not-impressed. "You will need more experience in learning what to imitate around these humans..." that is of course until she notices the ears that sprout from the sides of his head, as well as that huge tail. She begins to laugh a little, as if greatly amused by this--and to be fair, she is--stepping over the edge with her wings fanning out which catches a lot of air--she's got to hurry if she wants to outrun a helicopter--if it's truly after her--and likely has to move quickly, diving down and disappearing from sight.

Log created on 20:32:33 06/11/2021 by Daichi, and last modified on 00:15:46 06/12/2021.