World Tree MUSH

    Morning in Leide was beginning to approach. While it was still dark, just over the hills the sun was starting to peek out. The desert was a beautiful place, shrubbery, great views, spacious - lots of lovely camping spots... a giant monster stomping along the desert, roaring in frustration as it charged in fury at someone. A roar echoed throughout the desert as had been taking place for quite a while now, off and on throughout the night. A giant quadrapedal monster that looked to be wrapped in armor of some kind - at least from a distance, with a giant axe-like tail and a stature that easily made the ground shake as it ran, was chasing after something like a giant cat batting at a mouse.

    Only in this case, the mouse was barely managing to stay alive, and avoid being batted about like a toy.

    A very tired, beaten up and ragged-looking Pandaren fellow was playing cat and mouse with the armored Behemoth that was chasing it, a small storm of lightning and wind gusts following the beast around, making the surrounding area all the more difficult to navigate. Wrapped in armor and chains, while its' back and head were littered with weapons lodged into its' body or hanging off like a battlefield graveyard, it's really hard to tell from a casual viewing angle if the Pandaren had managed to do that, or if it came like that to begin with. Though he did seem to be trying to escape at the moment, having a hard time with it. Rou-ri wasn't even fully armored up or looking like he was ready for a fight, wearing some torn and bloody, dirty-looking padded clothing, a tunic and pants, he almost looks like he got caught half dressed by the monster. Could be worse, really, could have been bathing.

While poor Rurirarurapa is running for his skin, a fairly strange thing is occuring just ahead of him. Some kind of... electrical disturbance? What looks like an orb or a disk of some sort opens up--what looks like a cloaked figure dropping out of it. It was hard to discern fine details--large furred cape of some kind, long hair, fur ruff around the collar... The large beast and the poor humanoid figure running from it are briefly beheld by the figure, before they duck down over the ledge just ahead--

As Ruri's big clawed feet pass by however, a pair of arms emerge from below to try and pull him down beneath the embankment, while presumably the large beast steps right over them and off into the wilderness. If it was anything like a big dog, it was likely that easy to fool.

Of course, once the dust settles...

"Pfah, gah, all this dust--where are we...?" The figure pulls themselves up, long black hair, effeminate features, bat ears and yellow cat-like eyes...?

"Aw man, that portal took me to Texas, didn't it?" the figure pulls themselves up. And they're hardly dressed for this kind of environment: beneath the long heavy fur cloak is what looks like a full-body black lycra suit, cut-off jean shorts and what looks like an old denim jacket... plus what look like purple thigh-high high heeled boots. They still gave purchase in the sandy earth, thankfully, likely due to the inch or so of platform to the soles.

"And you're not human, either, are you? Are you okay?" the strange, queer figure asked. Ruri might be able to see fang-like eyeteeth in the mouth as they spoke.

    Rou-ri was at this point so wrapped up in trying both not to get squished by the Behemoth, as well as trying to keep from stumbling, that the fact Leo had dropped down below was missed entirely. The disturbance did catch his attention, but he'd considered trying to use it maybe to get some distance, only to let out a strange sound as he was pulled awkwardly down as the armored Weapons Keeper leapt down and began to look around. It didn't keep running, though it did seem confused, not immediately seeing them. Up close, Rou-ri was... most certainly not alright. He wasn't going to fall over immediately, but the furred Panda-like fellow was most certainly not having one of his best days. He was panting hard, trying to catch his breath and looking beyond the point of exhausted. Not to mention he seemed to favor one side over the other, suggesting he might have gotten his side hurt at some point.

    "We ... we need to get out of sight for a while. I've lost it several... several times tonight" Wait, several? Suggesting he either got found again, or he went back in. Looking around, the Pandaren moved slightly away before sitting behind a rock just out of sight and looking towards the rather strange-looking man who tugged him down. "...thanks, by the way, whoever you are. And no, I'm... hah... not human." In the distance, the giant creature roared in frustration and stopped running about, starting to sniff in the air, the lingering light from the moon reflecting off its' eyes before it looked towards the sun and started to run off into the shade that the sun hadn't gotten to yet, disappearing from sight. "...doesn't like the light, huh? Well, that's good to know." And I'm... not sure if this is Texas? I don't know what Texas is, or where we are. I got stranded here myself last evening."

Leo, upon realizing just what kind of creek they were up if the thing heard them, lowered his voice a great deal. It was some kind of large behemoth monster, of some sort!

"Jeez, you're really not okay, are you honey--" Leo huddled closer to the figure as they sat down against the rock, joining them. The bat-eared performer draped their large fur cloak over the both of them, hiding them from view, and also hopefully from scent.

"If it gets down wind of you it'll come right back..." Leo whispered, and there a low, muted hiss of air--a lilac scent descended on the Pandaran. Cologne...? Or perfume? It wasn't a lot, thankfully, the scent more vaguely noticeable than pungent.

"How bad are you hurt? You look like you got roughed up by that thing back there," he asked, his voice soft. On closer inspection, it'd be noticeable that yes, the figure was male, but was definitely rocking some androgynous features. Mainly in how they kept their hair, brows, etc. Plus were they wearing... lipgloss? Best not to ask right now.

"Can you tell me where it hurts if you're injured?"

    Rou-ri /had/ noticed the strange features, but wasn't the type to comment. "Something like that, yes. I've been trying to hit and run with the damn thing for half the night." He looks about before pointing, "See that peak in the distance? I'd climbed up there and set up camp, took all my armor and weapons off to start cleaning them and somehow the damn thing spawned behind me. I noticed some monsters appearing here and there in the night, so my best guess is one of the beasts came about up there with me. But... it came about with my entire armory as part of its' body. All that armor and the weapons stuck in it you might have saw? Yeah."

    Though there was a lingering question of where he was injured. "Pretty sure I've got some broken ribs from the two times that thing managed to swat me, plus... I think it's claws caught my back once or twice barely, but haven't had a chance to look. Certainly plenty of bruising, but I can get over that." The sun was starting to come out and Rou-ri started to push himself to a stand, "I don't feel, or hear, that thing running around anymore. Let's get back up top and see where it went? I need to try and get my weapons back off the damn thing and kill it before someone gets hurt." Priorities, though. Apparently being in what amounted to underclothes and injured hadn't quite registered on the Panda fellow. Probably still quite buzzed on adrenaline, judging by a good look at his eyes, pupils dilated and all.

"Monsters in the night? Great, and these places turn into a freezer at night, too," Leo sounded displeased with that. "I'm Leo, by the way, I'd give you my stage name, but kind of between gigs at the moment--plus not a lot of places to perform at," he sighed. Then something that Ruri said seemed to register with him, causing his head to jerk back around.

"Wait what?? Broken ribs?? How were you /running/?" Leo starts with nearly a Fran Drescher-like screech of admonishment, before consciously making an effort to lower their voice, lest the giant flesh-hungering behemoth return.

"Sit still for a moment, will you--" with Ruri still half-draped in the performer's fur cloak, the performer leaned over and reached out with a hand, trying to feel for where there might be broken ribs against the pandaren's chest. The nails of it were long and seemed to be polished a dark purple--tapering to points as well, oddly, like some kind of beast's.

"I need you to calm down and relax, you're not going anywhere if you have anything broken..." there was a warmth radiating off the stranger's hand, also a faint ghostly blue-glow, at that. Magic?

    "Rou-ri Arrowpaw, but ruri will suffice." The surprised admonishment finally gets the Pandaren to pause as he seems to calm down, looking towards Leo properly and realizing he was probably pushing himself a bit too hard. "...fine, fine, I'll sit still. Sorry." Indeed, several ribs on his right side were swollen, if feeling around through the ripped and damaged padded shirt and coat of his were any indication. Though as he was examined, a scent of ground coffee and cherries was present, mixed with the blood and other unpleasant smells that came from such. Given it ran off from the light, I suppose I've got a good half a day to try and think of a way to deal with it before it's out roaming again, so I promise I won't do anything stupid yet."
    As if attempting to reassure the other fellow. Though the apparent magic did get his attention, nothing was said about that specifically. "If it was just the majority of my equipment, I wouldn't care. Armor and weapons can be replaced, I could warn the locals and try to get a group together to deal with it. But I have a feeling I'm not so lucky. There was thunder, lightning and wind following the damn thing, which I can only assume means it also manifested from the weapons in my satchel too - including a set of magical weapons that I can't risk causing harm to anyone in the area. That damn thing needs to be dealt with somehow." Just looking at him it was easy to see he was going to have a hard time relaxing, but he was trying. Clearly exhausted at this point and not trying to fight against Leo to do stupid things, but there was a certain level of antsiness as if he knew the thing was a risk.

"Sure smells like you're hurt," Leo briefly sniffed at the air, they could detect the coppery odor among the scent of coffee grounds, and other things in there. "It's a miracle the thing didn't track you via the scent of your blood," Leo then closed his eyes and focused--pressing his hand closer against the injured ribs. The horrible stinging and aching pain would slowly give way to a not quite pleasant itching sensation, with just the vaguest sensations of pain. More of a stitch in the side now, rather than the anguish it might have produced before. All at once the performer let out a sigh of breath and seemed to sag, leaning against Ruri suddenly.

"Oof, you owe me some glamor, Mr. Bear, but just between you and me I don't want to put anyone in danger trying to fight that thing," his gel-polished nails were clutching at Ruri's front for purchase now, as he was really leaning on him for support. Guess whatever it was had really taken something out of him. Already Leo looked somewhat paler than he had before--as if the magical essence he'd used to heal him was also intrinsic and innate to his body. He ran on it.

"Oof, you smell good," Leo blinked a little as he realized his face was pressed into the large Pandaren's shoulder and side, pushing himself up finally with some effort. As the area filled with light, Leo's cat-like pupils began to narrow from relatively normal if diamond-esque shapes to slits. He wasn't quite human at all either, himself.

    Rou-ri snorted softly, "There was no reason for it to, every time it lost me I'd wait about a half hour while keeping track of it before trying to attack it again long enough to get one of my weapons from it so I had a chance of fighting it. But I could never get a proper chance even when sneaking up on the damn thing. Big as the bastard is, it's pretty hard. If I had a chance to get up on its' back I might be able to dislodge one of them." It took the Panda fellow a moment to notice Leo seemed exhausted, shifting his shoulder with a wince and letting the other fellow fall slightly only to catch him and half hold the strange-looking being in his arms a bit like being cradled. As tall as Rou-ri was, it might even be a bit comfortable. "Thank you, I appreciate it. I don't know what glamor is in the context you spoke of it, but let me know and I can try to oblige later."

    But really, now that the heat of the moment had passed, the tall male was breathing slow and deep, trying to right his breathing. A practiced method of calming himself it seemed. "There is a settlement not far away, I noticed from on top of that peak that the monsters here didn't seem to go near the lit-up places for whatever reason. So if you like, I could carry you towards the closest one? It will also give me a chance to try and clean up, and maybe get some clothes. ...though I don't have much in the way of money since that damn thing ran me out of my campground." Why yes, the injured and to-some-degree healed Pandaren did just offer to carry Leo casually. Seems there was a certain good nature in him, or he's just appreciative of the help. Maybe all of the above.

As Ruri speaks, Leo is sort of lost in their own head. "If this is Texas I wonder if Lushious Massacr or Lady Shamu are around--they're from Houston, I think--probably hitting a Chick-fil-A, right about now--where my ass should be," he coughed a moment to clear his throat, looking over at Ruri as he talked about trying to pull weapons out of the creature's back.

"What're you going on about hon? If someone stabbed the thing it was probably for a reason, I mean really, given the size of it," he didn't even realize at first that Ruri had actually shifted and was cradling him, more or less. He did after a few moments, eyes darting around, still he didn't shift away or try to move. Not at first, anyway.

"A settlement, huh? guess this really isn't where I thought it was, guess that portal I took didn't go back to a world like mine, ah well," Leo rolled over a bit, drawing the cloak up along his arm and over himself and Ruri for a brief moment, like someone might against a sofa or bed. Despite realizing he was sitting in a desert and snuggling with some kind of bear man, which a huge monster just tried to eat like a... a... damnit, don't think it--

Teddy Graham.

"Ahhh... ahahaha..." Leo started half-laughing, half-giggling as he huddled there.

"S-sorry... so you know where this place is?"

    The names and places Leo mentioned went right over his head, not remotely knowing what he was talking about but not saying much about it. Just trying to file the names away for later use. "I don't think anyone stabbed it, though I could be wrong. It looks to me like it manifested from the air with my weapons lodged into it, and my armor around it." Still, finally he stood up with a bit of a wince and began to walk along, carrying the exhausted Leo as if he wasn't that heavy at all. The bear fellow was rather strong, it seemed, but that shouldn't be surprising given his stature. "As for knowing where the place is, it might take me a few minutes to orient myself. I had a flying cloud we could use but it's either in my satchel on top of the peak over there, or hanging off that damn monster. Couldn't say for sure."

    Though as he walked along, Rou-ri finally added, "Also, you smell rather nice too. Lavender, right? It's not a scent I dabble in too much. The oil I use on my coat is more cherry and coffee grinds as far as the scent is concerned. But that's mostly because I'm a creature of habit and I've been using that for quite a few years now. But I was trying not to think too hard about it, because I have a habit of letting my interests lead me and those who smell nice tend to get my attention." Not /quite/ flirting, though there was a slightly amused tone in his voice, as if suggesting he was trying to be good because he was sore as hell at the moment. "So you'll have to get your thank you kiss later, Mr. Hero, for saving this damsel in distress." Yeah, he was poking a bit of fun at himself and the situation they were in.

"Woah--woah woah!" Leo realized at once the over 7-foot tall bear man was suddenly carrying him, he looked down at the ground, then up around the area around them, as if trying to orient himself as well. He hadn't meant for Ruri to try to start carrying him, he'd actually just been... distracted, of sorts--and was trying to rest for a moment. Plus, it wasn't every day he got to cuddle like that, after all. Despite being half-fae, there was still enough human-ness and sensibility in there to get a bit lonely, apparently.

"Flying cloud...?" suddenly Leo had random thoughts of a certain fantasy martial-arts cartoon he used to catch on absurdly early morning TV.

"You can let me down, I can walk, just expending glamour can take it out of my kind, I'm a Changeling, or half-fae," he doesn't explain much more about it than that, at least for right now. "My species is hunted, we're former humans defiled by members of the True Fae," arming Ruri with that bit of information, he tries to swing his legs down to get back to the earth, grinning a little bit as Ruri joked back at him.

"Pretty big lady for a damsel in distress, I'd say, then again I've seen some queens around your size in stiletto boots and sequins," the half-fae cackled.

    Leo was let down, no reason to deny him his own two legs after all. "As for the cloud, yes. I have a disc that expands and produces a cloud beneath it that it can float on top of." Yet again more terms he wasn't aware of, but he did try to make sense of it as best he could before finally pointing out, "Aha, there it is, the one I saw." It was a simple enough little place. Gas station, motel, diner. A bunch of large-ass flood lights on poles surrounding the place. Seems they enjoyed their light. "Queens? ...you are familiar with royalty too?"

    Whoosh. That was the sound of that reference going right over the tall bears head.

    As they walked along, though, someone could be seen walking up to them. A few people, actually, three humans dressed in black clothing of some variety, one holding a large sword while one had a spear and another a gun. "You alright?" they finally called out as they got close enough, "With that big-ass daemon running about this morning, didn't expect to see anyone on foot coming from that direction." The hunters approached as Rou-ri nodded, "Sorry about causing the disturbance, I was trying to lead the beast back and forth to give myself a chance to deal with it, but in my shape I was unable to." The three kind of stared at the large Pandaren, then towards Leo, then back towards Rou-ri. "Uh..."
    "No, I am not from this place, and apparently neither is he, pardon. I'm pretty exhausted, mind if we get to that settlement there and rest for the day? I don't have much in the way of money now but when I eventually deal with the beast and get my stuff back I can pay then."
    "Sure, but not my call, take it up with the motel there. Though'n I can't imagine they'd be too happy if your big fuzzy butt got blood all over their sheets, so might want to wash up first, maybe see a doctor if you haven't patched yourself up yet. Might be able to call in someone who knows that stuff?" The lead hunter looks between the two as the two sub hunters step away, wielding their weapons to take care of a pack of wolf-like monsters that were approaching.

"Pretty much, yes," Leo answered Ruri with a grin, it was too cheeky to be true, really, given the changeling's expression. "Floating cloud huh? Guess that'd be the least concerning thing I've seen today..." Leo looked around once they reached the actual 'settlement'. A... rest stop? Motel, diner, even had a gas station--weird. Maybe he really /was/ somewhere modern-ish after all... Probably why his trip through the portal or 'vine' had been so confusing. This place /was/ modern, but it had monsters roaming free quite unlike the world he himself had come from.

However, when Leo noticed the floodlights, then the three men in dark clothing, his instinct was to reach behind him, inside his cloak, to go for the rifle he had hidden under there. He resisted the urge, for the moment.

"Hi there, fellas, the big guy is with me," Leo waved to them, keeping his hands visible for the moment, if these humans were as mundane as he thought, they likely couldn't notice the fae aspects of the performer, and would probably think him normal... Well, normal enough, anyway.

"He's just a bit hurt, needs a place to rest and all that, you know," Leo peered back at the men, then at the bear, giving Ruri a pat on the side.

"He's tame and house broken and all that, I'm pretty sure, don't worry," Leo grinned, waving it off.

    The lead older hunter snorted softly, apparently amused by the comparison before waving them off and joining his companions in dealing with the monsters. "Hey..." Rou-ri said, "Not sure how well you can communicate with others, but I'd warn any others you know who are out here dealing with monsters to stay away from that big one you saw this morning. While I'm sure you know how to handle yourselves, I think there might be some extenuating circumstances which make it more dangerous. Do you have requests here where I can pay others for assistance in dealing with it? If so, I'll head the effort myself once I rest up and we find others."

    The hunter thought about it only to nod, "Sure, fella. Normally those are for proper Hunters only but I'll see an exception made in your case given the, uh... nature of things." It was obvious he had no idea what was going on, but clearly had no interest in fighting the behemoth. They probably all knew that, Rou-ri nodding, him nodding and then going their separate ways. Which left him to ask Leo, "What about you?" as Rou-ri turned to wander towards the motel and diner and such. "You going to go your own way, or rest up too? I imagine you have no interest in sticking around to fight that thing, but if you stay another few days I'll try to see that you get a proper reward for helping me out." Of course, what that reward is remains to be seen. Probably currency of some kind, unless Leo wanted something else.

The performer leaves it to Ruri to warn the others about the large weapon-encrusted behemotht that was still tear-assing around the desert out there. Let the nightmare stay out in the desert for a while, Leo thought--it could give them a break. Wouldn't be surprising if they heard from that big bugger again before too long, course.

"Oh me? I got lost in the desert out there, ran into this one, good thing I did too," he looked over at Rou-ri again, noting the bear's roughed up and bloodied appearance.

"I should be fine though, if you're offering a reward for the big creature out there I'll be around to help with it, till now, I'm going to rest up a bit too--I need a shower and these boots are /killing me/, pardon boys~" Leo sashayed on past them, fur-cloak fluttering in the wind and heels click-clacking. The way they carried themselves might have given the impression of a peacock, or maybe a kind of feline, one that clearly thought they already owned the place, what with that swagger. There were some things a Beast Changeling could never shake.

"Hey you, Ruri, wait up--" he waved and called out, hurrying his pace, just a bit after the bear.