Keine Quest II - Shikigami Trio

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit. "And Neneru's mostly harmless as well, outside of Danmaku battles that is."
>Smile in a proud way while continuing to administer headpats to Neneru.
>"And did you see what she did during the battle? It's rather like how you appear and disappear, isn't it? Except yours is due to your time stop, isn't it?"

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Chuckle a bit. "And Neneru's mostly harmless as well, outside of Danmaku battles that is."
>Smile in a proud way while continuing to administer headpats to Neneru.
>"And did you see what she did during the battle? It's rather like how you appear and disappear, isn't it? Except yours is due to your time stop, isn't it?"

Sakuya nodded, giving a small smile. "Yes. I stop time and move to where I want to be before resuming time. And so far as I know, I'm the only one who can do this." Neneru chimes in, happily, with "I just really wanna be over there and then I'm over there! Like poof!"

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod with a smile. "Indeed it is, Neneru. 'Poof'."
>Ah, the sweets and tea are getting cold, best to enjoy them now!

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Nod with a smile. "Indeed it is, Neneru. 'Poof'."
>Ah, the sweets and tea are getting cold, best to enjoy them now!

Indeed they are, as your little group digs into the snacks available. A few minutes in, you can see that Patchouli and Kaki have started their own little conversation, quietly speaking. You can barely hear them. Sakuya's engaged Neneru in a quite interesting story about a group of people called the "Hashashim". Shiku grins at you. "Got your world completely shaken up, huh? Even the house is different for you now."

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit. "It was getting to be a bit slow and tedious, I suppose getting involved in that Incident was a good thing. Otherwise, I never would have met you three."
>Look to Shiku with a slight grin. "Besides, this means good things for the future. I can't always look to the past after all."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Chuckle a bit. "It was getting to be a bit slow and tedious, I suppose getting involved in that Incident was a good thing. Otherwise, I never would have met you three."
>Look to Shiku with a slight grin. "Besides, this means good things for the future. I can't always look to the past after all."

Shiku grins back at you. "You're a history teacher, aren't you? Isn't that what you do for a living, look to the past?" Her expression turns slightly wistful as she continues. "Then again, I guess our lives were getting to be a bit slow and tedious as well... well, as slow and tedious as the lives of a trio of sneak thieves can get. It's odd, but since we did that contract thing, I haven't even felt like stealing anything... except from that Jonil guy. He deserves a theft or two."

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit. Seems we're having a good effect on the girls after all.
>"Well, that's just my job and power you know. Isn't it a woman's prerogative to want to decide her own path? Which, as you'll note, the contract entirely permits for you three as well."
>Smile a bit. "Besides, Jonil's always been as irascible as he is, for as long as I can recall. He's only one of the elders either way, and everyone listens more to Chief Elder Saku anyhow. He's the oldest in the village, and one of the wisest. Because of that, everyone respects his wishes, even myself. Luckily for us though, he's a friendly and open sort of man. I suppose I shall join them eventually."
>Come to think of it, what do we know about the elders? And for that matter, the tales of their youthful days?

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Chuckle a bit. Seems we're having a good effect on the girls after all.

Yes, it seems well. Well, on Shiku anyway, although Neneru sure seems all right as well. You can never tell with Kaki.

>"Well, that's just my job and power you know. Isn't it a woman's prerogative to want to decide her own path? Which, as you'll note, the contract entirely permits for you three as well."
>Smile a bit. "Besides, Jonil's always been as irascible as he is, for as long as I can recall. He's only one of the elders either way, and everyone listens more to Chief Elder Saku anyhow. He's the oldest in the village, and one of the wisest. Because of that, everyone respects his wishes, even myself. Luckily for us though, he's a friendly and open sort of man. I suppose I shall join them eventually."

Shiku grins. "How do you join the elders anyway? And as a half-youkai, wouldn't you eventually be the most elder of them all? I mean, you WILL live longer than normal, right?"

>Come to think of it, what do we know about the elders? And for that matter, the tales of their youthful days?

Well, you don't know much about their youth, except for their respective trades. You do know that Elder Jonil was chosen by the public just after the Cherry Blossom incident, when youkai fear was at a high (and of course the previous Head Elder had just died of an unrelated illness). And you know that Saku's been an elder since before you became a teacher. There's no real age limit to the elders, and indeed in the past of the village, some have been chosen who were younger than you are now. Interestingly, the reason you got the "head of the school" position so early was because the last teacher became an elder at the relatively young age of 46. She's the one you remember arguing with Jonil - a staunch supporter of most everything you say.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Well, Elder Jonil, stubborn as he is, was selected to join them shortly after the Missing Spring Incident, when fears of youkai were running high, and the original Head Elder died of an unrelated illness. Which is why he is as irascible as he is. I presume it's because he wants to keep his post. I actually inherited my job from the previous teacher. You recall the woman who was arguing with Elder Jonil? She was the prior teacher. Head Elder Saku has been an elder since before I became teacher. Occasionally, you get a young one who gets elected to join the elders, due in part to demonstrating good leadership ability, and wisdom."
>Chuckle a bit. "You see now, why I commented that I would eventually become one of them? The previous teacher is only six years older than me, and yet she has become an elder. I suppose I'll have to wait until Jonil isn't one anymore though, today can't have been good for his impression of me."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Nod. "Well, Elder Jonil, stubborn as he is, was selected to join them shortly after the Missing Spring Incident, when fears of youkai were running high, and the original Head Elder died of an unrelated illness. Which is why he is as irascible as he is. I presume it's because he wants to keep his post. I actually inherited my job from the previous teacher. You recall the woman who was arguing with Elder Jonil? She was the prior teacher. Head Elder Saku has been an elder since before I became teacher. Occasionally, you get a young one who gets elected to join the elders, due in part to demonstrating good leadership ability, and wisdom."

A grin from Shiku. "You're sure to become one then. You're probably the wisest person I've met, outside of Byakuren. No offense intended, of course."

>Chuckle a bit. "You see now, why I commented that I would eventually become one of them? The previous teacher is only six years older than me, and yet she has become an elder. I suppose I'll have to wait until Jonil isn't one anymore though, today can't have been good for his impression of me."

"Why don't you just challenge him to a fight? That's what some youkai do when they get tired of each other. And I'm certain you'd win." Clearly Shiku still has much to learn.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"That's, um, not how we do things."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>"That's, um, not how we do things."

Shiku sighs. "Yeah, I guess not... adjusting to how humans do things is going to be hard."

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile. "Well, we've got plenty of time for that. I've still got quite a while to go, and so do you."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Smile. "Well, we've got plenty of time for that. I've still got quite a while to go, and so do you."

Shiku nods. "Well, yeah, I suppose so. For youkai, we're both pretty young, huh?" In the silence that follows, she covers up any possible awkwardness by grabbing a sweet. By now, they're a bit cold, but you'd suppose they still taste good.

[Hanzo K.]

>Sigh. We were keeping our other side secret, weren't we?
>"Well, how are you five enjoying this? It's my favored place to go at times you know."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Sigh. We were keeping our other side secret, weren't we?

There are actually quite a few people who know about your youkai side. Elder Saku is just one example. However, the general populace still believes you're just a very capable human. Saku doesn't know this, however.

>"Well, how are you five enjoying this? It's my favored place to go at times you know."

Kaki jolts a bit, as if suddenly realizing there's food and tea around. Of course, Neneru gives a youthful smile and tells you that "the sweets are really nice! Can you tell me how to make 'em?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Hmm...Perhaps you can learn from Sakuya, I don't cook the sweets here."
>Chuckle a bit. "Sakuya, those two are quite alike, aren't they?"

[IdiotsOpposite]

>"Hmm...Perhaps you can learn from Sakuya, I don't cook the sweets here."
>Chuckle a bit. "Sakuya, those two are quite alike, aren't they?"

Sakuya smirks a bit. "Spitting images, Keine. You might have a difficult time getting your shikigami back after this is over." She then leans back, sighing. "But this was a good meal... I have you to thank for that, Keine."

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile. "You'd be surprised. But it's no trouble, I have to reward your hard work after all. Patchouli pushed herself rather hard on my account, so it wouldn't be right to not pay her back at least a little for that."

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Smile. "You'd be surprised. But it's no trouble, I have to reward your hard work after all. Patchouli pushed herself rather hard on my account, so it wouldn't be right to not pay her back at least a little for that."

Patchouli breaks off from her hushed conversation to wave you off. "It was nothing... don't forget, you saved me from Marisa, what I did was the least I could do."

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Yes, but as I said moments ago, you pushed yourself to the limit to perform the improvement. You could have easily gotten in touch with Alice or Byakuren for assistance."
>"Well, at any rate, are you liking the tea and sweets?"

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Nod. "Yes, but as I said moments ago, you pushed yourself to the limit to perform the improvement. You could have easily gotten in touch with Alice or Byakuren for assistance."
>"Well, at any rate, are you liking the tea and sweets?"

Patchouli nods tiredly. "Oh, of course. I've never had a tea prepared by Sakuya that wasn't good, and... well... I'm a fan of sweet foods. But then, I suppose everyone is, hm?"

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit. "True enough."
>How much of the tea and sweets are left?

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Chuckle a bit. "True enough."
>How much of the tea and sweets are left?

The sweets are pretty much almost entirely gone at this point. You can't quite decide whether to be surprised or not that your waitress hasn't come back yet to stock up more. There's still some tea left, though.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, has everyone eaten their fill? If so, then finish up your tea if you haven't already."
>We may as well finish our tea as well. If we haven't already that is.

[IdiotsOpposite]

>"Well, has everyone eaten their fill? If so, then finish up your tea if you haven't already."
>We may as well finish our tea as well. If we haven't already that is.

You and Shiku move to finish your tea. Apparently the others have already finished, except for Sakuya, who calmly drinks hers at the same pace she has been. When everyone's done, Sakuya slowly stands up.

"I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but the mistress is expecting us back soon. And I would hate to disobey her orders."

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Alright, I will have to see you two out though, Elder's Orders."
>Let's flag down the waitress and pay.

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Nod. "Alright, I will have to see you two out though, Elder's Orders."
>Let's flag down the waitress and pay.

You flag down the waitress, who fortunately, does come promptly. "Er, that will be, um, 5100 yen..." Obviously you have more than enough for that, so you give her the yen.

You now have:

9900 yen - Money!
The Usual Outfit - You like blue.
Hat - Your distinctive pagoda hat. Anyone would recognize you in this.
Arsenal of spellcards - contains all of them. You may want to put some of the more powerful ones somewhere, though, since you can't use them now.
Shikigami x3 - Not even Yukari has three shikigami!

Sakuya bows to you, as does Patchouli with a little help. "Shall we go then?" Kaki stands up slowly herself, tugging on your dress with a muttered "Can I go home and read instead...?"

[Hanzo K.]

>Sigh a little. "We'll drop you off at home then. But don't just read the book you have now, read the others in the tea room as well."
>Let's make for home then, to drop Kaki off.

[IdiotsOpposite]

>Sigh a little. "We'll drop you off at home then. But don't just read the book you have now, read the others in the tea room as well."
>Let's make for home then, to drop Kaki off.

The six of you head the short distance to your house, dropping Kaki off, before heading to the gate. Once there, Patchouli and Sakuya bow to you.

"Thank you for the food and drink," Sakuya says, Patchouli adding "It was actually quite delicious..."