2020-05-28 The Warehouse: Only Fan
The Warehouse: Only Fan
Storyteller: David
Location: Fashion District
Date and Time: May 28, 2020 12:00 pm
Summary: This is a sneaking mission, featuring Kirby the Road Rage Bug
David sends a text to Tao where to meet. David rented a van and has it parked in front of a building Wu owns, and should be safe enough to step across inside. The door is open when Tao arrives, and inside is David. Well, how many birds have mini Mirrorshades and a mini uPhone?
Not dressed in his typical suit in favor of something a little more 'casual'; All black. Still designer! Just more on brand for the night's activities. He makes his way into the open van, closing the door behind himself. "Very subtle, David. How are you?" Tao questions, taking a seat.
David flaps, and quietly imitates his voice after Tao shots the van door. "Hey. I take no chances when it comes to scouting. I assume we're just scouting today since it's just you. Two bigshots going to look personally." He flaps,and changes the voice he's imitating. 'Greed is good, greed works." Then changing back. "Alright, so whenever you're ready, we can step across, and then shift.
First, Tao takes a small mirror out of his pocket, and sets it down on the floor of the van. "We're just scouting, yeah. I want to see what's actually going on in there." Tao notes, offering a bit of a smirk, before he begins to focus, and work his way down into Lupus with the telltale cracking of bone, and shifting of flesh - until a reddish grey wolf stands there.
Once complete, it looks into the small mirror, focusing on his reflection until finally he begins to dissapear. It takes a moment, a long moment - but it finally happens after a few seconds. Tao slips sideways.
David is already there when Tao in Lupus arrives. "This way," David croaks. "I don't know if you can speak that way, but I can talk for both of us. Keep moving, the building is this way."
Fortunately the umbra immediately around that City Farmer safehouse isn't bad, but traveling toward it is a risky proposition here in the Urban umbra. "Stay sharp. The building is old, so you can see it up ahead. It's there."
The building itself, in the umbra, has echoes of happier times. But the outer glow has hints of inner pain. Recent, fresh, sickly glow coming from within.
Indeed, the Tao wolf is silent, eyes tracking David and, as he's given direction on where to go? He begins to move, cautious. It's a scouting mission. No need being spotted before have a chance to really look. The Tao-wolf stalks, cautious of his surroundings.
David starts to croak a 'Look out' abruptly, and there's good reason: a traffic gaffling zooming right this way! Fortunately it's small, so while it does plow right into Tao with the appearance of a, well, compact car, the big wolf is able to take the hit with no real damage.
"You alright buddy? Here let's creep close. And stay out of the street."
Maybe he becomes complacent with the route so clear. Or, perhaps he's not familiar enough with the umbra here to think that there might be traffic? Either way, Tao is caught by surprise! David's words give Tao enough time to brace and, as the gaffling plows into him? He's actually spun to the side - a surprised sound erupting from his muzzle.
Tao shakes his head a moment, before generally shaking off the hit. Asked if he's okay? Tao offers a sideways glance - before CAUTIOUSLY checking for any more passing spirits before continuing his way towards the building. Yep. Off to a great start.
David does give Tao the time he needs to recover. "Alright. Last time I did this, I snuck into a broken window of the building, stepped, and immediately saw bad stuff. Let's go to that window over there, by ground level. Carefully. And look without going inside."
Maybe it's getting blindsided by a traffic gaffling that has Tao so cautious at the moment - but, as he's told to sneak up to the lower broken window? Tao is on it. He IS a the shadows it seems, as the wolf stealthfully makes his way towards the lower, broken window. Slowly, cautiously, he peeks in - and sure enough, there they are. Banes. Honestly, it's all he can tell. It's one of those times when you wish you had atheurge with you for this kind of thing. Ah well. At least he can try and tell how many? Tao looks for a long moment to see if he can get a quick count.
David perches beside Tao on the windowsill and stares in. David slips when he trise to get a perch, which does make some noise, but they both remain stealthy.
Tao and David are both able to see inside, though the massive gray wolf may have to get his paws up to pull himself up to look into the window. Inside there are... looks like nine banes. Exactly what kind is hard to tell.
"I'm having trouble identifying these. IF you'd like to stay and guard me while I stare and figure out, growl once. If you want to head back to the van right away, and just have me describe these to another spirit expert, who may remember something I'm forgetting, growl twice."
The wolf offers David another sideways glance, recognition, before his attention turns back to the banes. Tao's front paws are on the window sill as he looks, as he counts - and now, as he watches. David is offered a single low growl. No need to waste the trip right?
David settles in to watch,a nd figure out. Letting out little croaks and trills, his feathers are ruffled as he just can't place what banes these are. So he stares, beak to the glass, dark eyes staring into the dangerous warehouse den.
Catching something in the corner of his eye, he croaks a "Look out," to Tao again, but man is it too late. A... beetle-looking then careens into Tao, completely blindsiding him. Sure, Tao can handle that hit without too much difficlty, but he's now faced with ...that thing.
Smack! Tao is really starting to dislike that phrase - as yet another vehicle slams into Tao. Perhaps being hit once makes the wolf a bit more prepared - because as the spirit blindsides him? The wolf recovers almost instantly. This time, he lunges forward with sharp teeth. Can you ham-string Kerby? Because that's exactly what tao attempts, as strong jaws SNAP! at the spirits.... leg?
David is busy. As long as Kirby the Road Rage Bug doesn't come near him, he's gonna stay on the mission. He trusts Tao, great Warrior of GAia, to fight. And after TAo gets his bite in, the Gridlock Beetle rears up, and brings its front fender down onto the wolf Tao, giving him a really good hit. This time the car caught the canine.
Bam, another hit from the rage car - as it slams into him with it's bumper. Though, as the hit lands, Tao tries to bite back - merely grazing the beetle as it sends him reeling for a moment. He's going to have to do better than that if he wants to get rid of this thing quickly. For now, Tao avoids the war form. Stay small, stay quick, and pepper this thing to death.
The ragey beetle bug doesn't hold back any more than Tao does. Matching all-out attack with all-out attack, the shiny metallic fender comes crushing down onto the furry warrior, giving him another good whack.
At that, David croaks out "Got it, run" He then takes off flying toward their original stepping point.
David flies fast, and far. Tao runs, but is having a HARD time keeping ahead of the ANGRY spirit keeping chase. IT's angry like those youtube videos of those people who get out of the car to yell at someone. Can Tao make it?
Tao bolts, runs as fast as he can to get some distance. Once he does, he tries to step sideways, tries to shake this damned car. Why isn't it happening? Why isn't he stepping? It's going to catch up. So much for a tactical retreat...
David is worried for Tao. In the heat of the momen the forgets Tao is really, really, incredibly strong when he wants to be. Hs focuses, circles around, and ATTEMPTS to ensnare the spirit with the power of an Owl spirit. But he COMPLETELY MISSES THE TARGET. "Sorry," he croaks.
Fuck this. Tao explodes into Crinos form, perhaps using that momentum to launch directly at the beetle, claws first. He just. Doesn't get the purchase he needs, the angle to really do any significant damage. It's the problem with crumple zones really - or perhaps a big PSA for them... because Tao just isn't doing enough damage to slow the damned spirit down!
Having caught up with the nimble wolf, the spirit finds itself... fender first with a CRINOS GAROU. But it's mad that you cut it off! No, it wasn't going over the limit you cut it off! So it pounds again, and uh. Completely ineffective.
Tao continues his assault as his rage burns bright, burns hot - and gives him the strength to tear into the spirit. Kill. Kill. Tao tries to burrow through it now - tunneling into the car inch by inch, scrap by scrap. He tries playing nice. Now he plays to win.
The beetle takes a grievous blow from those fearsome claws, which are a force of Gaia in any universe. While the road rage bug is ra gey, it's not suicidal. So taking that shot, which cuts one arm clean OFF, it flees, horn blaring. AAAAAAH.
The party is able to then take refuge in the immediate umbral area where the City Farmers work, so it's a small little haven while Tao takes another shot at stepping.
While they wait, David congratulates him on his claws, and explains that "I think I had a bad angle. There are 8 Wakshaani there, the type you see around sludge all the time. But the big one there, that was a Psychomachia. You really don't want to send any clean up crews around that. Be careful."
It Leaves, and the towering Tao stands there a moment, shoulders heaving. Tao takes lupus again once it's gone - and follows David to that haven. He's waiting until he can slip sideways again. He's got the info he needs now, and he didn't get taken out by an angry car. Bonus.
