Reimu Quest (Part 11)

[日巫子]

>"She was outnumbered. Which is a large part of why I drug you along. But I figured saying that would catch her attention and divert it to important things."

> "Dealing with her is that easy, ze?  Oh well, at least we got a clue from her."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I hope, anyways. I'm going to go follow up on it."
>Scan the crowd. Has Yuyuko or any Higan-looking people showed up?

[日巫子]

>"I hope, anyways. I'm going to go follow up on it."
>Scan the crowd. Has Yuyuko or any Higan-looking people showed up?

> "I want to look too, ze!" Marisa protests.
> You look around the crowd.  Yuyuko has been present since the sorting, but Komachi is nowhere to be found.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, if they don't need you for the next while."

[日巫子]

>"Well, if they don't need you for the next while."

> "...Oh."  Marisa looks crestfallen.  "I guess I better go check."
> She mounts her broom and flies over towards the lake.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Stride out in the general direction of Higan; give Marisa ample time to check and catch up. Or indicate that she's needed.

[日巫子]

>Stride out in the general direction of Higan; give Marisa ample time to check and catch up. Or indicate that she's needed.

> You stroll along the path, keeping an eye on Marisa as you walk.  You see her deep in conversation with Alice, who is shaking her head.  Marisa makes angry gestures and the two raise their voices ("This is important!" "No, you need to stay behind and help--") until Byakuren wanders over from her own group to push them away from each other.  After a few minutes, Marisa leans around Byakuren and mouths "I'll catch up with you".

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod, and take flight toward Higan.

[日巫子]

>Nod, and take flight toward Higan.

> You nod to Marisa, and fly off towards the Sanzu River by yourself.
> The water level has decreased drastically.  When you dive into the water near the Sanzu river, it's only up to your head.  The bronze orb in the sky is looking pretty full right now, and the sunlight shining through it isn't too bad-looking, either.  As you near the riverbank, you notice that your message is gone, but Komachi is back.  She's pacing up and down the river bank--well, more like wading--and looking very confused.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach dat gondolier!
>"Sorry, I had to get back to the meeting and help plan and arrange things."

[日巫子]

>Approach dat gondolier!
>"Sorry, I had to get back to the meeting and help plan and arrange things."

> You swim over to Komachi, and end up floating with your head out of the water.  Komachi buries her scythe in the ground to keep herself from being swept away.
> "Oh.  I just got back ten minutes ago.  The Yama said if I wanted to help I had to do it by myself, unfortunately," Komachi says, scratching the back of her neck.  "She's kinda busy with her work at the moment."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Okay. I have a way you can help at the moment. Ever hear of Mima?"

[日巫子]

>"Okay. I have a way you can help at the moment. Ever hear of Mima?"

> Komachi rolls her eyes.  "Yeah.  She's pretty notorious in Higan for being a troublemaker.  How do you know who she is, though?"

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Because I've had to whup her once or twice. What is she doing over there?"

[日巫子]

>"Because I've had to whup her once or twice. What is she doing over there?"

> "Ah.  My condolences.  She's waiting for judgement," Komachi says.  "I bet she's going to get reincarnated, but I won't know for a looong time."

> _

[O4rfish]

>"Huh. Is there a large number of souls awaiting judgement?"

[日巫子]

>"Huh. Is there a large number of souls awaiting judgement?"

> "There always is," Komachi says.  "People die in the Outside World every day."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Don't suppose you could drag her back over for a couple days?"

[日巫子]

>"Don't suppose you could drag her back over for a couple days?"

> "Technically I can, but I'd risk losing my job."

> _

[O4rfish]

>"Wonder why they don't annoint more yamas to handle the workload."

>"Well, would you like to spend a couple days helping us with the mass ritual?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's not change the subject til it's done.
>"Really? It seems like you were given clearance to do it, weren't you? I mean, you're allowed to help out on your own, right?"

[日巫子]

>"Wonder why they don't annoint more yamas to handle the workload."

>"Well, would you like to spend a couple days helping us with the mass ritual?"

>Let's not change the subject til it's done.
>"Really? It seems like you were given clearance to do it, weren't you? I mean, you're allowed to help out on your own, right?"

> You almost wonder aloud why there isn't more than one Yama, but you decide to ask about Komachi's job instead.
> "That's a legitimate loophole in the Yama's orders, but it's still pretty risky.  At best, I wouldn't be allowed to come back to Gensokyo.  I can try, though."
> Komachi grimaces as she speaks.

> _

[O4rfish]

This seems like a really bad idea.

[Hello Purvis]

In that format, yes.

>"Okay, then that's no good. How about this?"
>"Could you let slip to Mima about what's going on. And coincidentally, she happens to find her way back by stowing away on your boat while you're, I dunno, getting a new oar or something? I mean, that wouldn't be your fault, right? ...Assuming she even needs a boat, I suppose. And, you know, you don't directly tell her to do it. Just maybe suggest it'd be real good karma if someone did something like that? I'm sure she'd jump at the chance to move up from being reincarnated as a slug to possibly being reincarnated as a toad."

[日巫子]

>"Okay, then that's no good. How about this?"
>"Could you let slip to Mima about what's going on. And coincidentally, she happens to find her way back by stowing away on your boat while you're, I dunno, getting a new oar or something? I mean, that wouldn't be your fault, right? ...Assuming she even needs a boat, I suppose. And, you know, you don't directly tell her to do it. Just maybe suggest it'd be real good karma if someone did something like that? I'm sure she'd jump at the chance to move up from being reincarnated as a slug to possibly being reincarnated as a toad."

> "I...guess I could try something like that," says Komachi.  "You're really going to owe me for this, you hear?  Don't try to dance around this one."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll do what I can. Obviously, I'm trusting your best judgment on how to proceed with that. If you have to abort, that's fine."
>"And, one more question. I suppose you can answer it if you were able to answer the last one. Have a Tamiko Hakurei or a Souji <Surname> passed through here?"

[日巫子]

>"I'll do what I can. Obviously, I'm trusting your best judgment on how to proceed with that. If you have to abort, that's fine."
>"And, one more question. I suppose you can answer it if you were able to answer the last one. Have a Tamiko Hakurei or a Souji <Surname> passed through here?"

> "Okay," Komachi says.
> You ask about Tamiko and Souji.
> "Geez, um...maybe the first one, over 20 years ago.  I can't remember every single person I ferry across the Sanzu."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Mmm. So, you probably wouldn't remember anything she said, huh?"

[日巫子]

>"Mmm. So, you probably wouldn't remember anything she said, huh?"

> "Ghosts can't talk to you, but I think she looked worried about something," says Komachi.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not terribly surprising, that. I always thought you could talk with ghosts, though."