shaitarn

Mischievous Kitsune

Akiko looked at the other kitsune with interest. The corners of her mouth twitched as he spoke, her friendly smile almost - but not quite - becoming a grin. She listened quietly to his words about only having newly arrived in the city, her ears metaphorically pickling at his oh-so casual mention of the important nobleman living in his castle. She suspected their pasts were probably similar - playing tricks on peasants and getting what amusement she could from them was something she had done for years and as a delightful as she had found that in the past, she no longer derived the same pleasure from it. The game had grown stale. The occasional trick she had played on travelling samurai had given her more amusement; their shocked outrage had delighted her.

Actually venturing into a castle, playing a trick on an aristocrat in his own home - the idea was bold enough to make her breath catch in her throat, and yet... and yet she couldn't deny it also made her heartbeat quicken with a pulse of excitement at the idea of the pay off. Comparing the tricks she had played on samurai next to the tricks she might play on this aristocrat was like comparing water to the finest rice wine. Or perhaps, she reflected, she should not say 'she' but rather 'they'?

She was unable to hold back her amusement any more, and her smile did become a wide kitsune grin, almost matching his own. "Well, Kongetsune Jinichiro, shall we see if this nobleman has a sense of humour?" She asked, her amber eyes sparkling with excitement and pleasure.

Nar Mat Kordh-Ishi - Orcish Mercenaries

How about the classic illegitimate child? Maybe he/she is the best man/woman for the job despite being a bastard. Maybe a few of the priests can't accept them because they were born outside the 'sacred bonds of marriage'. And maybe this kingdom had conquered some of the other lands/races around them in the past and now they see their chance to revolt while the kingdom tears itself apart.

Mischievous Kitsune

Akiko finished eating her peach and wiped her hands delicately on a small scrap of silk to be discarded later as she heard the sound of applause and smelt the unmistakeable scent of another fox-spirit. She studied the other kitsune with frank interest and rather uncertain pleasure. It had been a while since she had spent time with another of her race - growing up with a half-dozen other litter mates, she had grown weary of their company at an early age, but this male seemed like a rather striking example of their kind and was presumably amused by her response to his trick with the mirror.

Which meant he could perhaps be good company, particularly as he introduced himself in such a friendly manner. She inclined her head to him. "Well met, Jin," she said, a faint smile lingering on her lips. "Alas, my traditionally-minded parents to think of nothing better to call me than Tanaka Akiko; and yes, I was indeed born in the autumn." She gave a what can one do? sigh.

"I must congratulate you on thinking of using the mirror," she continued. She carefully folded the parasol and propped it up against the wall - as a prop it had served its purpose and she was bored with it now. "I would hazard that our purposes are similar, Jin; the pursuit of some amusement." She looked out at the crowd that were slowly disbursing, leaving the stallholder bemoaning the fact that he was surely ruined and who was going to clear up this mess, and wasn't he due some compensation for the loss of his fine peaches? Her lips quirked up at the corners as she thought, but did not say after all, humans are such fun to play with!

Nar Mat Kordh-Ishi - Orcish Mercenaries

My female half-orc would love this! Interested.

Mischievous Kitsune

Akiko drifted around the market, apparently scanning the items on the various stalls with interest but actually straining her senses as best she could without attracting unwanted attention, trying to find the other kitsune she was now sure was in the area. As she was keeping most of her attention on the other people in the area, she soon spotted a small boy running back and forth amongst the crowd. There was a flash of light from the object he carried and she realised it was a mirror. He was rather oddly running to various people among the crowd and thrusting the mirror at them; one irritated young man swatted an arm at him and the boy ducked away with a nimbleness that suggested he was used to this sort of reaction.

For a moment the mirror unnerved her - anyone looking into the glass would see her true fox form rather than the human form she was wearing now. Her hand went up to her head; anyone looking would think she was a vain woman concerned that her hairstyle hadn't been disarrayed, but in truth she was reassuring herself the reed she'd tucked in place behind one ear earlier was still there. Reassured, she glanced again at the boy. Maybe he was showing the mirror to random people by coincidence, but it seemed more likely he'd be instructed to do it - by another kitsune or by a genuinely holy priest who could see through her illusions?

For a moment she considering retreating, but then she looked at the stalls again and an idea came to mind. She pressed her lips together to avoid a genuinely vulpine grin and settled her expression of a demure young lady enjoying a visit to the market on her face. She drifted over to a stall piled with fruits and gave the stallholder a dazzling smile. "Hello; could I have a couple of your peaches please?" She allowed the most delicate of blushes to colour her cheeks. "It may seem greedy, but they look so delicious I can't resist."

He melted under her kitsune charm and made a great show of selecting the largest and ripest peaches on his stall. She treated him to another smile and tucked one peach away for later. Keeping track of the boy with the mirror out of the corner of her eye, she took a bite of the first peach, licking the juice from her lips before dropping the pulpy remains of the other half on the ground, using another small illusion to cover both the move and the gooey remains on the ground.

She half turned away as she saw the boy head towards her, trotting up eagerly with his mirror extended. His foot came down on the remains of the peach and a hilarious look of surprise crossed his face as his foot skidded out from underneath him and he executed a perfect pratfall smack onto his back, the mirror tumbling out of his grasp. Even better, one of his flailing limbs caught the fruit stall and sent the poor stallholder's other peaches splattering on the ground.

"Oh!" Akiko gave a gasp of dismayed surprise, though in truth her shoulders were shaking with silent laughter as she 'accidentally' brought her foot down hard on the wretched mirror, hearing the glass crack into a hundred fragments and subtly nudged it so it was buried under the ruined peaches. In the chaos of the stallholder howling curses at the unfortunate boy who was trying to brush the remains of peaches off himself and flee and the other people who were either laughing or merely staring in confusion it was a simple matter to melt away unnoticed.

She retreated to one of the quiet side streets, little more than an alleyway, and slowly ate the second peach, allowing a small smile to play around her mouth as she waited. She was sure now that it had to be the other kitsune who had sent the boy - it was the sort of trick they delighted in playing. She wondered if he or she would make themselves known now; the game was a draw, both sides could withdraw with honour and approach openly.

Hey there... Check out my ideas? (MxM and MxF)

I like the sound of the Shangri-La idea.

Mischievous Kitsune

Akiko walked into the town, her head bowed demurely under her parasol. She had her gaze modestly lowered, but her eyes flickered alertly from side to side, and the shy not-quite smile on her lips wanted to break into a wide grin. Her clothing suggested she was a lady of some importance but with modest means. It was one of the better kimonos the merchant she had been travelling with had possessed and she has happily swapped it for the old one she had filched from a careless maid's washing. She wondered absently if the merchant was aware yet of his generosity, but dismissed the thought as soon as it was formed - it wasn't in her nature to think about such things. Likewise, she didn't think of the seller of the fine parasol she now carried - no doubt when he shut down for the day he would wonder what an old piece of bamboo was doing amongst his wares; maybe he would recall that he hadn't sold that parasol with its elegant design of small flowers, but when he was unable to find it would perhaps think some normal human thief had filched it.

That was the trouble with humans - they had no concept of the world outside of themselves, she thought and supressed a sigh that wouldn't fit the role she had adopted. They saw so little of what was happening around them, and had no appreciation of the fine tricks that she was planning to play on them. Well, never mind - she would know and appreciate them, even if no one else did. In a busy town like this she would surely find a hundred targets for some sport, a thousand, and her recent travel as a fox had left her eager to practise them

She passed easily through the market, eeling through the crowd without apparent effort, although anyone watching her would swear she maintained the slow, graceful walk of the lady she was pretending to be. Perhaps first she should have some refreshment; she had a handful of coins on her and could take a purse if necessary, or simply leave a few leaves on the table afterwards. She hesitated, head cocked slightly to one side; was that... a familiar scent she caught a trace of? If anyone had been looking at the lady, they might of noticed the quick flash of her alert amber eyes, might even have noticed the sharp breath she drew in, seeking that scent again, unsure if she had simply imagined it.

Mischievous Kitsune

Here's my character; please let me know if she needs changing in any way.

Name: Akiko Tanaka (her surname is a joke – it means ‘dweller in the middle of the rice field’ referring to foxes being thought of as the messengers of Inari).

Age: 201

Appearance:

Human Form

Fox form

Personality: Akiko is a natural actress, capable of donning a metaphorical mask and play the part of anyone, from the most demure of ladies to the most brazen of the streetwalkers. In reality she is curious and friendly and seems to genuinely like people and find them fascinating although she can’t resist playing with them; like many kitsune she is something of a trickster and likes to tease people, but never in a cruel or malicious way. She loves roaming from one place to another and if in her human form likes company; many merchants or travelling samurai have been amazed by how ‘friendly’ the supposedly reserved lady is once they get to know her. She always keeps her promises and will always remember to pay a debt, be it for good or ill.

Backstory: Akiko was born in the countryside under the ruins of an abandoned house and grew up in the wilderness with only the rest of the litter as early playmates. She found humans fascinating and would often follow travellers, observing them from concealment in fox shape before feeling confident enough to make her first appearance as a human in a village when she was in her early adulthood. She spent some time learning about human society and developed a real delight in tricking people, particularly those who are less than honest themselves.

Most recently she posed as a former courtesan and started an affair with a rich merchant to steal a large part of his money, using an illusion to make it look as though his treasury remained intact for a while. She donated most of the money to the local temple and fled in fox shape. She’s spent a while in fox shape, and although she prefers it she’s currently travelling to town and is looking forward to spending a bit more time with humans.

Another roleplayer looking for a partner

More plots!

Paranormal investigation / Urban fantasy!

Would it be alright for me to throw a character into this?