FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

She took a look around the bar. For a Friday night, it seemed a bit slow.

Takenoko wasn't really sure why she agreed to go out with the two other girls at the latest place she was working at. They seemed nice enough at first, but she got an uncomfortable vibe from them. Maybe she wanted a little companionship tonight for a change.

"Hey, Tak," as Mercedes leaned over and pointed to other side of the room, "you see that guy over there? The puma in the blue shirt? Don't you think he's cute?"

Takenoko looked over in the direction the lynx was pointing, slightly annoyed again having her name shortened. It seemed the gaijin could never get their mouths around her name. "Yeah, but he looks a little... nerdy for my tastes."

Mercedes giggled, "Oh, I dunno. Some of those 'nerdy' guys can be quite a handful." Then she launched into a recounting of a time she hooked up with one of the guys in the IT department at her last job. Takenoko listened to her absently. The other girl - Gennifer, and Takenoko figured she was Mercedes' best friend - listened to the exploits raptly, even though she probably heard the story many times before.

"He was so sweet when I finally got him to my place. When I suggested we go to the bedroom, I'd never seen a guy take off his clothes so fast!"

"So why didn't you stay with him, if he was so sweet?" Takenoko finally interjected.

Mercedes waved her hand in dismissal, "Oh, he was fun to play with for a while, but I wasn't ready to settle. Besides, he was one of a couple guys I was doing at the time. I can pretty much get any guy I want to."

Takenoko decided she didn't like these two. She had gone out with a few guys, but nothing really stuck. But, Mercedes' attitude really pissed her off. "Oh really?" Takenoko asked acidly, "You think you can get that puma?"

Mercedes was on the short side, like most lynx, but she was curvy. The dress she wore really accentuated her cleavage. "Sure," she replied with a little bit of a predator's glint in her eye, "all I have to shake these, " pointing to her chest, "and do a little sweet talking, and I get any male to do what I want."

"Almost anything," Gennifer broke in, giggling. "Remember the time that you tried to sweet talk the boss at your last job out of having you clean up the workroom, only to have him cut your hours for a week?"

"How was I to know his wife was in the next room? I'd never seen her before."

"I bet I could get that guy before you," Takenoko said quietly.

"You?" Mercedes exclaimed, "No offense, but you're rather plain looking for a raccoon."

Takenoko sighed, "I'm not a raccoon, I'm a tanuki..."

Mercedes was confused. "Wha-?"

"A tanuki or raccoon dog. A canid from Japan." Takenoko was used to gaijin not recognizing who she was; in the States they weren't exactly common. On the other hand, her short stature, brown fur and darker brown mask and tail rings didn't really stand out like the lynx's tawny spotted coat. Nor did she have the obvious assets that Mercedes had, but she could change- No, that was forbidden. Still....

Mercedes waved her hand in dismissal. "Whatever. You wanna make it a challenge? I could use some action tonight..."

"You're on." Takenoko was at a little bit of disadvantage, since she was still in her work clothes, t-shirt and jeans. It didn't make sense to dress up when you're working with ink and paints all day in a print shop. The shirt was loose since she tended to be on the pudgy side; tanuki would never have the gazelle thinness of most fashion models. Compared to Mercedes' tight dress, she did indeed look a bit plain. Still, Takenoko hoped her brains would win over to Mercedes' vapidness. If not...

The puma was sitting by himself, a beer in front of him and peering at a PDA through small glasses perched at the end of him muzzle. Mercedes made the first move. "Mind if we sit down next to you?" she asked sweetly.

Startled at the intrusion, he mumbled, "Yeah, sure..." Mercedes sat on one side, while Takenoko sat on the other.

Takenoko thrust out a hand. "The name is Takenoko. So.... you here by yourself?"

"Yeah," he shook it hestitantly. "I was going to meet a couple buddies of mine, but they just cancelled. The name is Eric, by the way. Takenoko, hm? Japanese?"

Takenoko was a little shocked and pleased that he pronounced her name correctly. She smiled and nodded, "Yes." She then shot at glance at Mercedes, "So few people can say it correctly..."

"I took a little Japanese in college..."

Mercedes, annoyed at being ignored, leaned forward to get his attention and show off her cleavage. "My name is Mercedes. We noticed you from the other side of the room. You're kinda cute, you know that?"

Eric looked a little flustered and his ears canted back. "Well... I... "

Takenoko decided that, no matter what, she wasn't going to lose to this predator, even if nothing happened as a result. She decided to use her tanuki magic. Despite her family, the Suzuki clan, being in the US for three generations now, tanuki tend to be very close knit. The reason was they didn't want the secret of their magic ability to become too widely known. Her father would tell her over and over again, never use your magic when other people were around; only other tanuki. The reason was simple - transformation magic can be quite powerful and dangerous. Being caught looking like another person or turning into an object could have grave consequences if it goes wrong. On the other hand, young male tanuki were not unknown to use their ability to enhance themselves; all those pumps and pills had nothing on how big a tanuki male could go. Rumors of this ability had even leaked to some parts of the outside world, despite the elders best efforts. What was less well known was female tanuki had the same ability. Takenoko never felt like she had to use that talent before, but now..... Takenoko had always been a quick study, and she was noted for her transformation skills at the Saturday tanuki school she attended. Now, she decided to slowly increase her chest size, at first to match Mercedes' chest.

At the same time, she decided to continue on the gentler tact. Eric didn't look like the sort of guy that was used to the attention of a female, let alone two. "So, where do you work?" Takenoko asked.

"I work for Intel over in Beaverton," Eric stammered.

"I do freelance art. I'm working on an advertising project for Nike right now," Takenoko offered.

"And I work as a receptionist at the ad agency," Mercedes cut in, her impatience showing a little.

However, Eric was clearly watching Takenoko in fascination. The reason was clear; her chest was starting to gently swell and further fill out her t-shirt. Takenoko smiled like nothing was happening, though she had keep a part of her concentration on building and maintain the change (that was one of the costs of the magic). "You wanna go someplace where we can talk a little more... privately?" Tanuki aren't known as great hunters, but they are predators, and she decided to go in for the kill quickly.

Eric, still off balance from the fact that two cute girls were talking to him and Takenoko's chest in particular, stuttered "Sure..."

Takenoko got up and decided to make her rear a little more heartshaped to rub it in. She sauntered out, hips swaying, her striped tail flagging, and Eric following docilely behind. Mercedes was left fuming in the booth.

As soon as the two of them got out the door, Takenoko dropped the spell and she went back to normal. As good as she was, trying to hold a form for too long would give her a wicked headache later on. She turned to Eric, "I'm sorry about that."

Eric was surprised and his tail waved a little in confusion. "Sorry about what?"

"For coming on to you like that. Mercedes," and she jerked a claw towards the door to indicate the other girl, "was bragging how she could get any guy. I wanted to prove her wrong. Sorry that I used you like that."

"Erm.. that's no problem. I... think I like you better than her. She was too pushy. Say, did you do something with your..."

Takenoko cut in, "I would like to go someplace else. Care to head over to Starbucks for a coffee?"

"Uh, sure."

What she did was dangerous, the sound of her father's voice rang in her head. Still, that was kinda fun. Maybe for the right sort of guy.... "So," as they head down a couple blocks to the coffee place, "what do you like to do in your free time?"

"Oh, I like to go hiking."

"You too? What places..." They walked off into the night.