Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: RaeynahsRose on 14-11-2011, 22:35:56</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>RaeynahsRose</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 22:35:56</strong>
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				The squeak of a floorboard echoed through the ‘abandoned’ warehouse causing the young woman to pause, her hearing perked for any sound while she cursed under her breath “God Damnit” – the world became suspended for a moment before her body slammed sideways into a wall and a man’s hand came around her throat within the blink of an eye. “You shouldn’t take the Lord’s name in vein young Macri.” His hand clenched tighter around the girl’s throat, pressing her to the wall and slowly lifting her thin form until her feet no longer touched the ground. The girl gasped and a wooden stake fell from her hand as she went to grasp at the hand around her throat attempting to loosen his grip while her boots thunked against the cement wall to her back as she squirmed. <br><br>His breath was hot, invasive and all to personal as he pressed his cold hard body against hers and whispered into her ear “So Carla are you going to tell me where the rest of the infamous Macri squad is? Or did you think that you were going to prove yourself walking into a vampire’s nest?” &nbsp; The vampire’s face was less than an inch from hers as the youngest of Victor Macri’s daughters sputtered out another curse “F-f-f-uck y-you D-Dante.” &nbsp; Just as she finished her sentence a steel toed boot made a round house kick to the side of Dante’s temple causing him to release Carla and allow her to fall to the ground gasping for breath. A second boot made its way towards Dante’s lower back from behind him this time sending the vampire to his knees as a third sister made her appearance “I’m really getting sick of these assholes.” Donna muttered as she offered a hand to Carla to help her up. <br><br>“Didn’t your momma ever teach you not to choke a girl unless she asked for it?” the voice of Debby, twin of Donna and middle child of the Macri daughters, pierced the darkness at the same time Dante regained his posture from her unseen attack. She stood with a defensive stance, fists at the ready while her brown eyes pierced the darkness watching the vampires every move. A chuckle escaped Dante, first it was low and then it grew into a full on laugh before he rubbed the side of his head and spoke “Mmmm Debby, Donna, mio amori…” &nbsp;he nearly purred towards the identical brunettes “….showing up just as I was about to teach your little sister to be a better catholic.” &nbsp;He smiled; it was charming and held all the lust of his kind in a single look.<br><br>“Funny, a leech teaching one of us how to worship <em>our</em> God.” &nbsp;Debby spat at the ground at his feet while Carla reached into her pocket to subtly pull out a flask of holy water before a fifth voice joined the gathering crowd. The clicking of a male tongue could be heard before both Carla and Donna fell to their knees crying out, their hair tangled into the fists of their attacker “Now, now girls – don’t go trying to end the fun now we haven’t even begun.” The deep timbre of Ashton’s chuckle echoed in the room while Dante swung his fist towards Debby’s jaw connecting flesh with flesh while she tasted blood in her mouth and dodged the next attack only to tumble to the ground and roll picking up Carla’s stake in the process. <br><br>“Three against one …. Tsk tsk tsk …. You Macri’s really can’t fight with even odds can you? Where’s your oldest sister by the way?.... Emilia!!!!” &nbsp;Ashton called out attempting to lure the other from her hiding place but only silence greeted him. The three girls grinned slowly in unison before Donna and Carla swung a single leg out kicking Ashton’s feet from beneath him before they each pulled their heads forward, a clump of fake hair ending up in the vampire’s fist while they escaped unharmed and rolled to their own feet. “She isn’t here Ashton – sorry to disappoint we all know how much you enjoy her kicking your ass.” &nbsp;Carla quipped while poising to strike the fallen vampire again.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br><br>Emilia remained unseen in the steel rafters of the warehouse watching the scene below her – it had been a trap for Ashton and Dante, her sisters were not as careless as they appeared and their little trick of fake hair was only a taste of the cunning ways of the Macri sisters. In the rafters Emilia was setting up the final ritual to send whatever demons were host of these men’s souls to hell, a small alter was crafted before her while she knelt there with her eyes closed muttering the incantations beneath her breath. She couldn’t hear what was going on below her, not when she was so focused on the home made exorcism, nothing else mattered to her.<br><br>Latin fell quietly from the lips of the hidden woman, her hands making the motions of ‘father, son and the holy spirit’ and within moments the vampires beneath her snapped their gazes up into the rafters in search for her “EMILIIIAAAA!!!!” They screamed in unison as their bodies began to smoke and turn to living statues of fire before falling to ash at feet of her sisters. The process smelt very much like burning flesh because, though vampires were soulless, they were still very much human in build and make up of their bodies even if they were stronger and faster. Despite the beliefs of modern culture the vampiric disease was not transferred by the draining of their victims and sharing blood – in fact the Macri’s didn’t know how it was transferred they just knew they were the enemy along with their cousins the lycans and demons. <br><br>Blue eyes pierced the darkness as Emilia finally opened her eyes and grinned “You girls okay?” She called down to her sisters before sitting down on the steel beam allowing her feet to dangle off one side until she fell to the ground gracefully. An explosion of dust erupted beneath her feet while the three others clapped Emilia on the back congratulating her on extinguishing the evil they were no longer facing. “Two down … who knows how many more to go.” &nbsp;She laughed before wrapping her arms around her sisters shoulders allowing her and Debby to be the middle of the foursome as they exited the building.<br><br>&nbsp;Silence surrounded the group and they reflected the evening’s events on their way home before Emilia stopped beneath the light of a streetlamp. She was beautiful, they all were, but there was something different about Emilia – something her sisters did not have, perhaps it was her level of thirst for the hunt or perhaps it was the fact that she had milky white skin, blue eyes and dark red hair while her sisters were all naturally tan, brunettes and each held a pair of deep brown eyes. “Why don’t you three go home, relax and get some sleep – it’s been a long night, I need to go take care of some things before I meet you back there.”<br><br>The three girls nodded, not questioning the oldest member of their immediate family before continuing to their four bedroom condo on the east side of town. Emilia turned to look at the moon, it was half full this evening – nothing special and thank God because that meant that the Lycans wouldn’t be as active and she could search for her loch-ness monster on her own. Perhaps it was more appropriate to akin this fantasy race she was trying to discover with that of a land creature such as Big foot but she didn’t give it much thought. There was rumor of a den just north of where she stood this very night, several blocks away and she wasn’t in the mood to go home and celebrate with the rest of the girls. She was restless, had been since she first caught sight of these kitsunes over nine months ago and though she wouldn’t admit it she was starting to wonder if she had made it all up in her mind.<br><br>Heading off on foot she made her way across town until she stumbled upon the building she suspected might have possible activity – it wasn’t dank and dusty like the vampire nests seemed to be, it wasn’t even rich and lushly decorated like the demon swellings were. She tilted her head curiously before beginning to circle the brick structure to investigate it further until her attention was drawn towards a window on the seventh floor where bright lights flashed in succession. There was magic going on up there, dark magic – she could feel the air becoming thicker causing her to frown in confusion. From all the articles she found on the internet kitsunes did not conduct magic like that, neither did vampires or lycans – a demon was a possibility but they typically were more cautious about where they practiced their rituals. What could be up there? She had to know. <br><br>Emilia made her way to the front of the building – she tugged on the door only to have it not budge and that’s when she noticed it only opened either by a tenant buzzing the person in or by a key. “Of course, damn security protocols.” &nbsp;She grumbled before scanning a list of tenants names looking for a male name rather than a female – pressing the buzzer she waited, hoping she’d pick someone who was home but there was no such luck so she tried another and another until a man’s voice finally greeted her “Yeah?” &nbsp;He sounded to be somewhere in his twenties or thirties, his voice was still young but clearly mature enough that it didn’t have that frat boy octave. Clearing her throat she tried the only idea that came to mind “I forgot my key.” &nbsp;The phrase was simple, short and she hoped that it wouldn’t be so clear he would second guess whom he was talking to since she wasn’t sure if he actually knew anyone in the building, people these days didn’t often mingle with their neighbors.<br><br>&nbsp;“Janet? Is that you?” Emilia held her breath reading over the names on the tenants listing again until she stumbled upon <em>Janet Moore</em> and she let out a breath of relief “Yeah, let me in.” She continued to keep her responses short and only grinned when she heard the door buzz open and his voice respond one more time “Come over for a beer after you get settled in.” &nbsp;Emilia didn’t answer and instead made her way to the stair cases preferring that to an elevator since it was less likely anyone would be taking them and she wouldn’t be as noticed. Several moments later she approached the door that would lead her to the seventh floor, her body remaining low while she cautiously peered out the small 3x12 inch window above the handle hoping to get a view of which room would become her target.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Foxfyr</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 05:05:47</strong>
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				Isoke pondered from atop the tall commercial building adjacent to an otherwise inconspicuous residential complex.&nbsp; The dark energies radiating from that seventh story room was a very real sensation to his senses; he could practically taste the rancid flavor of the profane magic that was a direct affront to the vibrant life energies that made up the world.&nbsp; <em>How long has it been since I first started investigating the dramatic increase in malevolent supernatural presence in this city?&nbsp; A year?</em>&nbsp; The kitsune's grasp of time was a tenuous thing, but he could hardly be blamed for that fault.&nbsp; Time tends to lose much of its significance after living long enough to see nearly a thousand years come and go.&nbsp; <em>Whoever is responsible certainly hasn't made it easy on me.&nbsp; No half-assed cult or coven could have me running in circles for this long before finally finding a legitimate lead.&nbsp; Nor would they have the resources to send such a skilled agent after me for the past nine months.&nbsp; This has all the signs of a deeply rooted organization.&nbsp; As to how deeply ingrained they are into this concrete jungle... well, we won't know how far down that rabbit hole goes until we take that leap.</em><br><br>As if to make that expression literal, Isoke leapt off the ledge of the building in a graceful lazy back flip with arms and legs remaining outstretched to control the rotation during his rapid descent.&nbsp; The wind caused the rich orange fur on his ears and two tails to flail wildly as gravity caused him to accelerate rapidly towards the ground.&nbsp; Before he finished the slow rotation of his flip, he drew the dual hook swords from their sheaths that fastened them against his back in an X shape.&nbsp; Ambient light from the occasionally lit office nearby reflected brilliantly in irregular pulses along the metallic surfaces of the expertly crafted weapons as he brought them to bare.<br><br>The first twelve stories of the twenty floor office building passed in quick order before Isoke, now three-quarters of the way through his rotation, latched the hooks of his swords onto the ledge of the apartment complex's upper most landing of the external fire escape with a resonating metallic impact.&nbsp; The muscles in the kitsune's shoulders strained as the velocity of his fall was redirected into forward momentum when the blades acted as a pivot for a swing.&nbsp; With a deft twist of his wrists, both hooks were freed from the fire escape sending him rocketing towards the source of the foreboding magical energy with all the speed he had attained from his fall.&nbsp; That seventh story window was rushing towards him at such a rate that he just barely had time to finish the rotation that would direct his back towards the opening in the wall before curling himself into a tight ball with his twin blades crossed behind him to offer whatever protection they could from the plate glass.&nbsp; The instant he felt the brittle surface strike him Isoke cleared his mind of all thoughts.&nbsp; By doing so it was free to perceive the world at a much quicker rate, making everything seem to slow down enough for him to initiate the next step in his maneuver.&nbsp; As he cleared the window frame in an explosion of glass and kindling, was able to see the alarmed expressions of three individuals cloaked in black robes.&nbsp; They reeked of black magic and there was no doubt in Isoke's mind that they were the ones he had come for.<br><br>Quickly drawing in his will, the kitsune targeted the rear most necromancer.&nbsp; Before the living projectile made it more than a few feet into the room, it disappeared into a wisp of smoke before instantly reappearing several feet away putting him in line to his target with all the momentum he had gathered before teleporting the short distance.&nbsp; Isoke hammered into the unsuspecting necromancer like an oversized cannonball with enough force to carry the both of them across the room before crashing into the apartment's wall.&nbsp; While he had a the comparatively soft landing of the human padding; the necromancer's collision was much less forgiving in the form of drywall and wooden studs that cracked and broke in unison with his own body.<br><br>Once the forward momentum was spent, both figures fell to the ground but it was only Isoke who managed to roll away from it and return to his feet somewhat drunkenly as his body still reeled from the impact.&nbsp; The two remaining necromancers recovered from the shock of the sudden intrusion that defied what they believed possible around the same time he managed to regain his bearings.&nbsp; Whatever magical crafting they had been performing earlier was salvaged as they reshaped the gathered magical energies into a more direct and volatile form before unleashing the concentrated negative energy upon Isoke.&nbsp; Having no tactical alternative at their disposal, he had predicted that move before the idea crossed their mind.&nbsp; Clearly these were novice spell slingers not yet familiar with combat casting, otherwise they would have attacked him out of impulse while he was still staggering.<br><br>In the time it took for them to coalesce the ambient negative energy, Isoke had retrieved a pair of ofuda talismans hidden on his person.&nbsp; The assault of malevolent magic was intercepted by the strips of paper with a resonating thrum of warring energies.&nbsp; Upon colliding with the Shinto icons, the sacred symbols of purification upon them flared brilliantly as they cancelled the negative energies that fueled the spell.&nbsp; With the magical strike thwarted and protective energies within the talismans expended, each strip of paper was engulfed in a flash of flame before disappearing in a light scattering of ash.&nbsp; Further proof to their inexperience with supernatural combat, both necromancers stood dumbfounded that their attack had actually failed.<br><br>Not wanting to waste such a precious opportunity, Isoke charged low and fast with a sword in each hand.&nbsp; Realizing with a start that the fight was not yet over, both went to retrieve whatever weapon they had hidden beneath their cloaks.&nbsp; Only one of them was able to withdraw the silenced micro-SMG while the other perished in a flurry of flashing steel that opened up several deep lacerations causing lifeblood to pour out of them at an alarming rate.&nbsp; Isoke had just enough time to face the remaining opponent before realizing the immediate peril he was in.&nbsp; The automatic weapon spit out a burst of muffled shots through a wisp of smoke before embedding themselves into the apartment's wall.<br><br>Isoke instantly reappeared in the necromancer's blind spot with an expression of pain and rage as his hand clasped down upon his left shoulder.&nbsp; The white cloth of his kimono became saturated with crimson in the faint moonlight that filtered through the broken window.&nbsp; While he had been quick enough to avoid the lethal burst, the foremost bullet had caught him an instant before he could teleport.&nbsp; The lead projectile had bitten into flesh and muscle fortunately avoiding bone or blood vessels.&nbsp; In the matter of a second the kitsune's neko figure took on more angular features as a third tail flared into existence in a quick flash of heatless fire, bringing him one step closer to his true form.&nbsp; While his human appearance had agility and mobility, his true form was a magical powerhouse.&nbsp; By calling upon an additional tail, the well of supernatural power at his disposal increased considerably while also allowing him to utilize them in a wider application of craftings.<br><br>The flash of firelight attracted the gunman's attention, causing him to turn in an attempt to bring the gun to bear once more.&nbsp; Unfortunately for him, Isoke had already drawn in breath and held his weakened arm so that his hand formed an arcane gesture of power before his mouth where the knuckle of his index finger created an enclosed circle when resting atop the adjacent middle finger.&nbsp; Before the gunman could complete the circuit that would reacquire his intended target, Isoke let out a keening vulpine howl.&nbsp; Once his breath passed through the focus of his gestured hand, the expunged air erupted into a plume of magical flame that engulfed the necromancer with a hungry whoosh of superheated air.&nbsp; His cry of agony was abruptly cut short when the pain became too much for his body to bear before collapsing unconsciously to the ground.&nbsp; Only when he saw the figure begin to fall did he dismiss his crafting before it could get out of his control.&nbsp; Magical or not, fire was still fire; practically a hungry beast of its own right that yearned to escape and consume its fill.&nbsp; In his current form he could maintain that gout of flame for a while, but maintaining control of it so that it didn't break free from his influence would be a far trickier matter if the target or surrounding area was allowed to continue burning.<br><br>When the flames finally disbursed, it left behind a human body ravaged by its heat.&nbsp; Though the necromancer was alive at the moment, he was covered in severe burns that would require medical attention soon if there would be any hope of survival.<br><br>With all three opponents neutralized, Isoke approached the only one that was in any condition to speak.&nbsp; The necromancer that had been crushed between him and the wall was just barely conscious as the kitsune grabbed him by the chin with the hand that wasn't holding the wound to bring their gazes to meet.&nbsp; He had intended on leaving the third in a condition to be interrogated, but that strategy quickly went to hell once the firearm was drawn.&nbsp; Isoke held an unrivaled disdain for modern firearms; not only finding them a tool for cowards who weren't honorable enough to take on their opponents in a real fight, but also finding them to be a real threat to his own wellbeing.&nbsp; He may be more than capable in a fight with magic and blades, but fire enough bullets into the air and all that talent would be useless.<br><br><strong>"Tell me, who is your superior?!"</strong><br><br>There would be no way for him to know just how extensive the man's injuries were.&nbsp; It is very possible that it was enough to prove lethal, so if he could just get one simple question out of him then this night wouldn't prove to be a waste.&nbsp; The downed necromancer tried speaking, but all that came out was nonsensical slurred syllables.&nbsp; <strong>"Damn it!&nbsp; You will tell me or--"</strong>&nbsp; Isoke was cut off as his ears perked up at the sound of a door being opened.&nbsp; A moment later that familiar effeminate scent washed over his senses, the woman who has been hunting him down for months now has found him once more.&nbsp; <br><br>Leaping away from the incapacitated necromancer, Isoke landed in a readied stance prepared to react with his a sword in each hand.&nbsp; His dark golden hues met with her brilliant blue eyes as both parties stood tense as if to wait for the other to make their move.&nbsp; During that moment that felt to stretch on into an eternity, Isoke sized up his opponent.&nbsp; There was no doubt in his mind from her scent and appearance that she was pure human, built of lean agile muscle he expected for one to be able to keep up with him as well as she had.&nbsp; In her hand was a simple dagger, seemingly wrought of silver with runes carved in its design.&nbsp; At first glance she seemed at a disadvantage when comparing her single short blade to his two longer ones, but Isoke learned long ago not to take much stock in appearances alone.&nbsp; She clearly held herself in a way that alluded to the confidence she had in her skills while he was feeling exhaustion ebbing at his mind as a result of using so much magic in such a short time.&nbsp; Not to mention the injury he had sustained in his shoulder was finally beginning to burn with pain as the shock from the injury subsided.&nbsp; It was the final realization that made his eyes open wide with alarm.<br><br>She held very little arcane talent, but what she did possess was not derived from the same profane magic the necromancers had used.&nbsp; Since she was pure human and free from the corruption of the desecrated arts, he could not harm her.&nbsp; To do so would be a direct violation to the bloodoath vows he had taken upon being initiated as a Shadow Stalker.&nbsp; At most he would be able to subdue her as long as no significant physical harm is inflicted upon her, but given his condition the kitsune felt he would not afford to pull punches.&nbsp; <em>Whoever I'm up against must have identified me!&nbsp; There is no other possible reason for sending somebody like her; they know I cannot touch her.</em><br><br>Isoke uttered a curse under his breath as the weight of his situation settled upon his wary shoulders.&nbsp; <strong>"Shiiiit..."</strong>&nbsp; His eyes flashed to the broken window before returning to hers and she clearly read his intention from that simple gesture.&nbsp; The two ran in a dead sprint towards the window, him seeking to escape while she attempted to block his attempt.&nbsp; The kitsune's slightly longer legs and animalistic agility gave him a slight edge as he was the first to reach the window, his foot stepping on the sill before jumping through it.&nbsp; He looked back to see the woman's hand reaching out to catch him by the leg as her fingers quickly closed the distance between them.<br><br>At the very last minute her hands grasped at empty air as he reappeared upon the fire escape landing just across the way.&nbsp; Isoke leaned against the brick wall of the building, gasping for breath as exhaustion finally started to set in as a result of that final teleport.&nbsp; Warily he returned his blades to the harness upon his back while his eyes returned to that woman uncertainty showing plainly in his face.&nbsp; <em>I think I might have gotten myself in over my head this time...</em>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>RaeynahsRose</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 00:32:12</strong>
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				Crouching by the door of the stairwell Emilia smelt the unmistakable stench of flesh being burned and without a second thought she withdrew her dagger and opened the stairwell door creating a large enough space for her to slip through before shutting it quietly behind her.&nbsp; The stench of human flesh caused her to wrinkle her nose and briefly turn away from the smells – it wasn’t like her vampire execution of earlier that evening, humans had a different stench to them – more putrid, or perhaps it was simply because the fire wasn’t by her hands that it disturbed her. Clearly something was hunting her prey and Emilia did not like being thwarted on her attempts to rid the world of what she and her family saw as abominations.<br><br>Moving towards the door where the stench was clearly coming from she’d lower her body and first touch the back of her hand to the door to feel the heat radiating off of it and determine if it was worth touching the handle since she didn’t have gloves. After a moment she decided that it would be fine and she reached up slowly to twist the handle and push it open, keeping her body hidden as the door swung open just in case whomever was inside would attack without thought she waited another moment before raising to her feet and stepping into the room with a wrinkled nose.<br><br>At first sight she caught glimpse of the three cloaked figures on the ground, two knocked out and one heading his way to being unconscious, before she leveled her gaze upon the only standing member of the room who also happened to have his sword drawn. Silence over came her as she took in the rich orange fur that covered pointed ears, her eyes then traveled to the three tails behind him until finally she settled to lock gazes. He was here, the very man she had been searching for, for the past nine months and not only that – she wasn’t crazy after all. <br><br>The blood that seeped into his Kimono was a last worry to her – he was clearly one of them, a shadow stalker, and the only use she had for him was learning more about his kind so that she could unveil them as the beasts that they were. As they stood there, both ready to attack it was clear she was sizing him up – ready for anything he might throw her way, it was the curse that he issued that gave his next move away accompanied by his darting gaze towards the window before looking back at her. “Oh no you don’t...” &nbsp;she’d growl out as she kicked off the floor in a dead sprint right after him, reaching out just barely missing him before he disappeared right before her eyes and reappeared upon a fire escape not more then twenty feet away. <br><br>Catching herself on the rail of her own fire escape Emilia glared at him, her mind still not processing the fact he had just teleported but instead she moved her free hand into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone as he leaned against the brick wall behind himself as if asking for what she was about to do to happen. “Say cheese!” she called to him as she snapped a picture, the flash illuminating the space between them before she grinned with mocking humor and turned on her heel to head back into the room.<br><br>&nbsp;The picture wouldn’t be perfect, especially considering the darkness of the night but she hoped it would be enough along with her recollection of his appearance for her sister to draft up a drawing and a ‘missing persons’ photo for her trip into China Town the next day. Asian, she hadn’t expected that – not that she cared but it narrowed her search while also making her life a bit more difficult, the Asian culture, from what she knew about it, were not readily holding out their hands to offer over secrets after all. Tomorrow might go smoothly and it might be only a short while before she can find him – on the other hand she might go into China town and spend hours beneath the blazing sun only to find out nothing and have to do it again the next day. <br><br>Emilia would slide her dagger into her sheath as she crouched down by one of the magic users, she didn’t know who they were and she was betting to guess that they were people who were a threat to the Shadow Stalkers. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend or so they say.” &nbsp;She muttered beneath her breath and then dialed 911 on her phone and held her shirt over her mouth and nose partially to alter her voice and partially to divert the scent of burnt flesh a bit from her breathing. “Hello, yes, there are three victims in the Highland Apartments on Parker st. One is badly burned and the other two aren’t doing so well either – please send help.” With that she hung up, the call was under two minutes so as not to be traced before she headed for the window preferring the fire escape to the stairs this time. <br><br>The sirens could be heard in the distance when Emilia reached the corner, they were still five minutes away but the echoes were unmistakable between the city buildings. Shoving her hands into her pockets she kept her head down and took the long way home, though she didn’t see the triple tailed man she wasn’t going to take any chances on him following her either. “Bravo Emilia .... you’re not crazy and perhaps everything will unfold for you now – you’ve been at this to long following whispers of leads, now you have semi solid evidence to find him. Congratulations!” &nbsp;She spoke to herself beneath her breath before ending her words with a hummed song to accompany her on her solo journey home.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;___________________________________________________________________________<br><br>It was the next morning and the photo she had taken was blown up on the computer screen as a dark, fuzzy blob that was impossible to clarify further. Emilia was standing behind Carla, who was occupying the computer chair as their resident tech-girl, both her hands gripping the back of the leather chair in frustration. “I thought for sure I’d get a better picture then that!” &nbsp;She growled and turned around as Debby brought over a fresh mug of coffee for each of them “I could give you a rough sketch maybe....” she squinted over her glasses at the computer screen as if trying to get a closer look that the other girls couldn’t get before she nodded. “You can give me the details and I’ll work them in ...” &nbsp;she paused and then pointed towards the slightly orange haze at the top of his head and then behind him – his tails and ears did not come in clearly and Emilia was happy for that. “...what are those?”<br><br>“Nothing, just a picture smudge with the lighting I’m sure ... “ &nbsp;Emilia brushed it off and then took a sip of her black coffee before nodding “I’d appreciate you doing that Debs, get Donna before you start though? I need her help on a few things....” The red head would nod and then begin to turn away so that she could get ready for the day before Carla stopped her “Who is this anyways? Was he was you had to take care of last night?.... Oh!.....” &nbsp;she practically squealed and spun around in the computer chair acting several years younger than her present age of twenty. “... Is he your prince charming and you lost him at the ball?” &nbsp;She’d clap her hands together with a hopeful look in her eyes causing Emilia to roll her eyes “This isn’t a fairy tale Carla, the world doesn’t work that way – grow up and get your head out of the clouds.” With that said Carla stuck her tongue out and turned back to the computer muttering beneath her breath “Someone has to be hopeful in this family of bitches and debby downers....”<br><br>The girls spent the next several hours concocting Emilia’s missing persons flyer, the image they gave was a pretty decent sketch of Isoke though there were a few details that were slightly off such as his face was a bit wider and his mouth wasn’t quite proportioned the same way but it was good enough for Emilia. “Now you’re sure I’ll get better responses in this outfit then in something ... cooler? It is summer you know.” &nbsp;The red head spun around, she was adorned in a pair of close toed ballet shoes, a pair of tan dress slacks and a soft pink long sleeved cotton shirt that fit loose but wasn’t baggy and complimented her skin tones well. She felt out of place, it certainly wasn’t her usual style but Donna assured her, as the fashion and culture queen of the group, that it would help more than hinder the nosey red headed italian. <br><br>When she was finally convinced by Donna she nodded and grabbed a matching purse in which she hid, unknown to her sisters, a dagger, lock picking tools, some rope and other various things that might help her should she run into him again. Picking up the picture Debby drew she gave each girl a parting kiss on the forehead speaking over her shoulder as she exited the condo and headed for the cab parked out front “Tell Uncle Antonio I’m sorry and I’ll work extra hours at the garage tomorrow!” They were mechanics by day, hunters by night – Family business and all. <br><br>Twenty minutes later she was tipping the cab driver and stepping out into China Town – it seemed like a different world and as she stood there she spun unconsciously to take in everything while the wind picked up her long red waves and blew them around in an almost care-free act. Taking a deep breath Emilia let it out slowly and looked down at the drawing while biting her lip, she was a great actress when she needed to be – it came with the job training but she still felt a little out of her element. <em> Okay where to start first, find a little old woman or man – perhaps they’d be more willing to give away information. They were usually sweet and innocent right? </em> <br><br>Pushing through the crowd her face would slowly become etched with distress, tears brimming her bright blue eyes and her hands shook with the paper clasped desperately between them as she approached an elderly couple running a fruit station. “Please, Sir ...” &nbsp;Whether or not it was true she acknowledged him first as she had seen in movies the men typically wore the pants in the relationship. “....ma’am .... I’ve lost my friend and I don’t know where to find him.” &nbsp;Her voice cracked as a single tear fell slowly down one rose colored cheek and then a tear feel down the other, she held out the paper to them though she seemed to barely look at it before the man shook his head and the pair looked past her to a prospective customer as if she wasn’t even there. <br><br>Emilia didn’t let their reaction hinder her, in fact it fueled her and she pushed through the crowd asking a few more people this time varying the ages in which she targeted – it was an hour before she found a man roughly her age willing to give her any information. “Yeah I’ve seen him, I don’t know his name but he comes and goes out of the building across from mine – hard not to spot someone you are neighbors with.” &nbsp;He smiled at her in a platonically flirtatious way that males naturally had with women though there was a slight look of horror behind her eyes as she was still pouring out the tears, her make-up lucky not smudged however as it as water proof. <br><br>In the desperation of the moment Emilia threw her arms around him and sniffed back her running nose “Oh thank you!” &nbsp;she cried out and then pulled back adjusting her clothing and giving him a bashful half smile to apologize for throwing herself at him. “What building?” She asked while using a handkerchief from her purse to dap at her cheeks and dry her face while he gave her directions. Folding up the paper hastily she hurried off down the road towards the address – the tears that were in her eyes just moments before were completely gone now, a look of hard determination on her features as she hunted her prey. <br><br>The apartment building looked like so many of the others in the city – made of cement, brick and stone – huffing out a breath she pulled one of her throwing knives from her purse and slipped it into her pocket so she had easy access to at least one weapon since she couldn’t very well wear her hunting belt out during the day.&nbsp; Unlike the apartment building from the night before she didn’t have to be buzzed in to enter this one and upon passing a tenant as she made her way into the building she showed the picture and claimed to have forgotten the apartment number and she left her cell phone there so she couldn’t even call to retrieve it. He pointed her to her target’s floor and room number and she thanked him before making her way forward again – it shocked her sometimes the amount of information you could get from a man when flashing a pretty smile and bedroom eyes their way. <br><br>Emilia wasted no time moving up the stairs, once again preferring them to the elevator, and into his hallway – she made her way cautiously while her hand reached for the throwing dagger and slid it into her palm hiding the handle in the sleeve of her shirt as she read apartment numbers. He, of course, was at the end of the hall and she leaned in close to his door listening for any movement inside –&nbsp; silence greeted her ears and she took a deep breath – either he could be home and sleeping or he wasn’t home at all. She stayed there for a moment considering her options, walk away and keep this knowledge to herself until she could more properly ambush him or take advantage of the silence and snoop around now?<br><br>Emilia didn’t feel like waiting, she could still ambush him while he was sleeping and if the silence was because he wasn’t home well then she could learn a thing or two about him while waiting for him to return. Dropping the throwing knife for a moment she slid out her lock picking tools and carefully sliding the tension wrench into the lower part of the key hole before she chose the appropriate pick and slid that in as well. Pushing each pin inside the lock she was able to release the lock after a moment or two of adjusting, before pushing open the door she would place her picks back into her bag and then reposition her throwing knife up her sleeve and step inside the doorway on the defense just in case she was greeted with an ambush. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Foxfyr</strong> on <strong>23-11-2011, 04:38:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Isoke could see the frustration in the woman’s eyes as her quarry had escaped her grasp by a hair.&nbsp; Still drawing in exhausted breaths, he gauged the distance between fire escapes a few times to reassure himself that it was not the sort of leap any sane human would attempt to make.&nbsp; <em>”Say cheese!”</em>&nbsp; The sudden exclamation confused him, his mind still lagging from fatigue.&nbsp; “Wha-“&nbsp; A synthesized <em>click</em> alerted him to the meaning of her earlier comment.&nbsp; He just leaned against the wall dumbfounded that he had overlooked such an obvious tactic as the woman turned on her heels and ducked back into the building.&nbsp; Another drawback to his unnaturally long age was his loose grasp on changing technology.&nbsp; No sooner had he gotten accustomed to cell phones than they started incorporating all sorts of new elements to them; cameras being among the first.<br><br>Deciding that he was still vulnerable standing out in the open like that, Isoke made his escape after he had a chance to catch his breath.&nbsp; Normally he would have assumed his human form, put a glamour crafting on his attire, and simply blended in with the general public.&nbsp; That was not a luxury he could partake of given the hour, especially with a hunter or assassin hot on his trail.&nbsp; Instead, he made his way to the roof and transformed into an eight-tailed orange fox still bearing a single hook blade on his back and bullet wound on his shoulder.&nbsp; Utilizing the vast wells of magic that were now at his disposal, he shrouded his form in a crafting that left him nearly invisible save for a subtle ripple of his outline before taking flight towards Chinatown.<br><br>During the trip, Isoke began trying to piece things together that didn’t seem to fit.&nbsp; When he engaged the necromancers, they hadn’t hesitated before resorting to lethal measures to deal with him.&nbsp; The huntress, on the other hand, practically had him dead to rights had she drawn a pistol rather than a camera.&nbsp; Was the organization he’s been trying to infiltrate able to avoid detection because they were so compartmentalized?&nbsp; That would explain why such vastly different measures were taken.&nbsp; If he didn’t know better, he’d suspect the human girl had intended to capture him for some unknown purpose.&nbsp; He had detected a very faint presence of dark energy about her, but it was something that was a result of being in semi-regular proximity rather than actually being generated by her.&nbsp; That leant to the possibility that she was dealing with the necromancers, but until she actually took up the dark arts his hands would be tied by his code.&nbsp; What was more unsettling was the picture that had been taken; in his three-tailed form several of his human features were exaggerated but still somewhat recognizable.&nbsp; Normally he would have charmed his appearance from the witness’ memory and destroyed any physical evidence, but she had caught him flat footed.&nbsp; As if the entire thing had been a setup from the beginning.&nbsp; If his suspicion of a compartmentalized organization held true, then that could possibly mean that there may be some sort of internal power struggle.&nbsp; One side eager to exterminate the intruder quick and dirty while the other to capture him for who knew what.<br><br>Despite all those uncertainties, there was one thing that Isoke knew.&nbsp; Depending on the status of the other necromancers who may or may not survive the night, that woman was the only available lead who was in any condition to give him the information he needed.&nbsp; Restricted as he was when dealing with her, he did have options at his disposal.&nbsp; That was why he was making a detour to a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant.&nbsp; As with most high-density structures that house smaller businesses, the upper floors of the restaurant was dedicated to low-income housing.<br><br>Save for the rustling of clothing and a faint patter of his landing upon the narrow concrete ledge, Isoke transformed back into his human form and secured his balance on the decorative protrusions along the building’s façade silently.&nbsp; And yet, before he could take the few seconds to tap on the glass window next to him the pane slid open to grant him entry.&nbsp; With a familiar amused grin, the kitsune ducked into the apartment.<br><br>“No matter how hard I try I can never surprise you, can I meimei?”<br><br>A slightly frail effeminate voice responded lightly to that question.&nbsp; <em>“You always manage to surprise me every time you refer to me by that old nickname.”</em>&nbsp; Yoshimi turned on a nearby table lamp that bathed a small portion of the room in a soft glow, revealing an Asian woman somewhere in her late seventies though wearing them elegantly.&nbsp; Meimei, meaning younger sister in English, was a nickname Isoke bestowed upon her when they first met nearly seven decades ago.<br><br>She had been an early teen when she was taken captive and her parents were slaughtered by a coven of vampires.&nbsp; The kitsune had come moments too late to save the adults, but he saw to it that they had not been given the opportunity to take the young girl.&nbsp; Feeling a sense of guilt and responsibility for the demise of her parents since he had not been able to prevent their murder, Isoke brought her into the Shadow Stalkers insisting that they train her to be his second and that he would not accept ‘no’ as an answer.&nbsp; Left with no alternative, she was indoctrinated into their secret society and trained in a variety of skills that would lend her supernatural counterpart assistance in things ranging from information gathering, correspondence, and combat.&nbsp; Despite her aging frame, Isoke knew that she was still more capable than she let on.<br><br>Isoke let out a light chuckle with her response.&nbsp; “You will always be my meimei.&nbsp; After all, I am several centuries your senior.”&nbsp; A genuine smile shown on the woman’s face before her eyes drifted to the stained portion of his clothing.&nbsp; <em>”Sit down, I’ll get the medical kit and patch you up.”</em>&nbsp; The pain had already become a background sensation and he had forgotten all about it until it was mentioned.&nbsp; “It looks worse than it really is.&nbsp; It’s almost healed to the point where—“&nbsp; The motherly chiding glare Yoshimi shot at him stopped his words dead in his throat before he promptly did as instructed.&nbsp; Supernatural or not, Isoke held the woman with high regard and knew better than to get on her bad side.<br><br>When she returned, her tone was precise and businesslike as she set about suturing the wound closed.&nbsp; <em>”I take it that the mission didn’t go as smoothly as you intended.”</em>&nbsp; Isoke grimaced, not from the feeling of the needle biting into his shoulder but from the memory of his carelessness.&nbsp; It was in his nature to do things in his own way, which tended to be more flashy than most.&nbsp; The wound proved that by doing so there was the possibility of error.&nbsp; “I hadn’t expected them to pull out automatics.”&nbsp; Yoshimi hummed in acknowledgment before moving on to the next question.&nbsp; <em>”Did you at least get the information you were after?”</em>&nbsp; A frustrated sigh from the kitsune prelude his reply.&nbsp; “The only one conscious enough to give me an answer wasn’t in any condition to think clearly.&nbsp; Before he had a chance to gather his wits, a fourth party intervened and forced me to flee.”<br><br><em>”Must have been a tough adversary, you’re not that worse for the wear.”</em><br><br>“I wouldn’t know, she was human and not marked by dark magic.”<br><br>Yoshimi snarled in response to that news, knowing the implications of such an opponent.&nbsp; As part of the Shadow Stalkers, she too was bound by the oath not to do harm against untainted humans even though she was one herself.&nbsp; <em>”Is she the one who’s been after you for the past several months.”</em><br><br>“Yes, I recognized her scent.”<br><br><em>”I’ll petition the council for a Writ of Execution first thing in the morning.”</em><br><br>“Don’t waste your time, you know how difficult it is to get one.&nbsp; It takes a lot of time and evidence to even be seriously considered, neither of which we have.&nbsp; She snapped a picture of me in my third stage of transformation.”&nbsp; It was Yoshimi’s turn to grimace.&nbsp; <em>”Think she got a clear enough image and is resourceful enough to track you down with it?”</em>&nbsp; Isoke shrugged.&nbsp; “I wouldn’t put it past her capabilities… Though it could work to our advantage.&nbsp; She’s the only lead we have now, and I’m willing to wager she’s going to come looking for me.”<br><br><hr><br>There was no way of knowing for certain when the huntress would come looking for her quarry, so Yoshimi sat in the livingroom of the modest single-bedroom apartment while Isoke slept.&nbsp; All those years spent as a stalker had taught her how to remain entirely silent to where even her breathing was almost entirely unperceivable to all sorts of supernatural creatures of the night.&nbsp; Sitting idly on the couch working away at a simple crochet piece to pass the time, she just barely heard the sound of metal scraping against metal coming from the entry door.&nbsp; The elderly woman simply continued to toil away at her craft and otherwise come off as oblivious to the pending intruder.<br><br>Only when Emilia shoved the door open, assuming a reactionary defensive position did Yoshimi look up from her work with a flawless expression of shock and alarm.&nbsp; <em>”Oh deary…”</em>&nbsp; Yoshimi said, laying on the elderly woman act as she clutched at her chest&nbsp; to calm a racing heart.&nbsp; Or at least give the impression of such.&nbsp; Setting her crochet supplies aside, she retrieved a bamboo cane that rested nearby and struggled to pull herself to her feet.&nbsp; <em>”You must be the date my grandson has been going on about.&nbsp; I hadn’t expected you to arrive so early; Isoke is still asleep.”</em><br><br>The two had hoped that this ruse would at least throw the huntress off balance enough to prevent any sudden acts of aggression.&nbsp; After all, how many creatures of lore have a grandmother?&nbsp; Though, that was not to say they did not have precautionary measures in place.&nbsp; The needles Yoshimi had been crocheting with doubled as subtle throwing spikes while within her cane lurked a hidden sword ready to be drawn when needed.&nbsp; <em>”But extreme promptness is no excuse for my lack of hospitality, please come in dear and make yourself comfortable.&nbsp; I doubt my grandson mentioned my yet, but you can call me Granny Yoshi.&nbsp; His alarm should be going off any minute now.&nbsp; It's about time for me to check my laundry anyways, so I'll give you two some privacy.”</em>&nbsp; From the looks of it, their plan to throw Emelia off balance had done the trick as she started playing along with their ruse, uncertain of what she had just gotten into.&nbsp; Waiting for her to get situated in the apartment, Yoshimi exited the room and left her partner to his devices.<br><br><hr><br>Meanwhile, Isoke slept soundly in his bed at the back of his apartment in his first stage of transformation.&nbsp; The single orange foxtail and pointed ears gave him an uncanny neko appearance.&nbsp; The obvious flaw in his cover was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of having keen hearing as he slept.&nbsp; He wouldn’t have been able to hear the lockpicks working the keyhole from where he slept, but Yoshimi’s voice was enough to rouse him from his slumber with a twitch of his vulpine ears.&nbsp; That had been the most vital part of this setup; had it not been for her there was a very real chance the kitsune would have been captured in his sleep.<br><br>While Yoshimi continued to chat with Emelia, Isoke simply rolled over so that his back was to the door that lead to his room.&nbsp; As he did so, he reverted entirely into his human form leaving no outward clue as to his true nature.&nbsp; From there he simply waited to discover Emelia's intentions, ready to react and counter any malevolent intentions.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>RaeynahsRose</strong> on <strong>30-11-2011, 15:41:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The defenses held up by Emilia lowered when she heard an old woman become startled at her arrival, the red head remained stoic – confused, had she broken into the wrong home? Then the woman concluded that she must be her grandson’s date “Uhm yes, I’m terribly sorry the door was open I didn’t know someone else was going to be here and I wished to surprise him.” Emilia didn’t trust the old woman, she didn’t really trust anyone but she played along whether the woman was lying or legitimately telling the truth. A smile graced her lips with a flawless beauty as she stepped further into the house and she glanced around before turning her smile into one of apologies. “If he’s still sleeping let him sleep – I can wait, I was just excited to see him.”<br><br>Granny Yoshi then excused herself to laundry and Emilia nodded her head waiting for the woman to leave before she looked around, her palm rested comfortably against her throwing knife – she was not letting her guard down but she didn’t see the harm in exploring a bit of the home before moving to her target. <em> I can’t believe he lives with his grandmother, if this is the man I seek – if not well then I guess I have a date? Or a very pissed off woman about to arrive to find me in her beau’s bedroom.</em> Shaking her head she peeked around the room a bit more to see if she could find anything that would clue her in to the fact this was whom she was looking for but there was nothing so she moved towards the door that would lead her to <em>him</em>.<br><br>Before she reached for the knob she made sure her weapons were at the ready hidden within her sleeves, then she pushed open the door as quietly and slowly as she could with her shoulder facing in rather than her chest or back in case there would be an attack. She was holding her breath, to be so close to something she had been hunting for so long was adrenaline over load and as her eyes landed on the bed she noted the apparent lack of orange ears protruding from his head. Emilia’s brows wrinkled in confusion but she stepped in more, closing the door behind her just as silently – had she truly gotten the wrong apartment? <br><br>Slinking forward she’d keep her distance but her mind was whirling trying to figure out what to do – this was clearly not the same man she had met the very night before, the man she just barely lost before he teleported across the alley. A frown tugged at her full lips and she bit the corner in confusion – it was not her job to harm humans it was her job to protect them and from the lack of ears she could only assume he was human. She didn’t know enough about his race to know that he had multiple forms, every time she had seen him he had ears and tails – this was not what she was expecting and she didn’t like being set off guard as she felt right now.<br><br>Finally Emilia moved forward “I’m so going to regret this …” she muttered underneath her breath before reaching out to touch the man’s shoulder with the attempt to roll him over so she could see his face. Tension was strung through her body like rigid wiring trying to draw taught all of her limbs – she knew before she did it she would regret it. It was a classic rookie move, to approach the enemy when the tables have turned and, should this be him, he had the upper hand to strike now but she couldn’t even just stab him like she wanted after all he could still be human. Just before she was able to touch him however the alarm clock went off and Emilia instinctively cursed sending a kick to the inanimate object without thinking causing it to be thrown into the air and hit a wall. Still it did not silence so she growled and removed herself from the bed side to chase down the annoying object “Shut up!” she hissed in a whisper at the clock before pressing every button she could to make it shut up, when it finally did she let out a breath that she had unconsciously been holding before she turned around to make sure he had not waken yet.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Hunting the Hunter (RaeynahsRose and Loki Aesir)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Foxfyr</strong> on <strong>05-12-2011, 18:14:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Isoke couldn’t hear as much as feel his huntress’ nearing proximity as most do when they get the feeling they are not alone. Though he could not pinpoint her location, he could guess the moment she moved to his doorway. He had to give the woman credit; she could stalk as stealthily as a hunting cat and possibly with just as much skill. A few moments of silence passed in a short eternity for the kitsune. If she truly was as skilled as he suspected her of being, he could find himself at a significant disadvantage in his human form while laying vulnerable in bed without a weapon or scrap of clothing upon him. It was a massive gamble on his part, but he had to know the sort of person he was dealing with before actually confronting her. If she was the sort to kill indiscriminately, even an individual who she couldn’t possibly know was her quarry without considerable doubt… well, their encounter could get very messy. But if she hesitated at the notion of possibly going after an innocent bystander, then there would be room to reason with her. Bound as he was by his oath, Isoke had no other option.<br><br>There was a subtle tension about the room as he suspected the woman drawing closer, but it was a slow and uncertain process that gave him hope that obtaining her death warrant from the council would not be necessary. Before any contact could be made, he too was practically scared out of his wits when his alarm went off, followed by a loud thud of impact and frantic movements as Emilia acted more aggressively to being startled. Isoke had to contain his urge to burst out laughing in the wake of the effective, yet ungraceful display. Instead he harnessed his initial startled emotions and roused from his ‘slumber’ with a start, looking blearily around the room with his upper torso supported in an incline to get a better vantage point. As he did so, the sheet covering his toned body slid down his form revealing him from the waste up. If she had been looking for it, the wound he had sustained the previous night had healed completely leaving only a faint patch of new skin that had a slightly pink tone to it. Certainly unnoticeable without close observation, especially from the distance between them.<br><br>“Wha- Who are you?” He said in a tone that portrayed shock, with a hint of interest that would be natural of any guy waking up to find a beautiful woman in his room. “And why are you in my room?”<br><br>Isoke was sure that they had sold the bit well enough to send the woman entirely off balance, perhaps even throwing her far off his trail. At least long enough for him to figure out who had contracted her into pursuing him. However, there was one considerable flaw to his plan that he was entirely oblivious to. By sleeping in his partially transformed state, a few orange strands of fur from his vulpine ears stand in faint contrast to his pillowcase if she was observant enough to notice before he could realize and cover it up.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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