Sword Quest VI - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Wait, by 'attracted', do we mean romantically and/or sexually?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Wait, by 'attracted', do we mean romantically and/or sexually?

>Yup, both.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Oh my, that's adorable! But it's also none of our business, and irrelevant to the task at hand, so let us not concern ourselves at present.
> Miko: Wince slightly, then put our earmuffs back on.
> Youmu: "Is something wrong?"
> Miko: Give Youmu a calm look with a slight and sheepish grin. "Only that I have again forgotten just how sensitive my hearing is. There was not too much pain, thankfully."
> Youmu: "Ah, Well, please do be careful with yourself. We do not need any self-inflicted handicaps."
> Miko: Chuckle a bit. "Of course." Look back to Kotohime. "Anyway, yes, the mass of spirits was an unfortunate-but-necessary part of the awakening process. They were ultimately harmless, but I do regret the panic they caused."

[Suwako Moriya]

This probably goes without saying, but we are not to breath one word about Kotohime's crush to anyone. Not to Kotohime, not to Youmu, not to Yuyuko, not to Futojiko, not to Yukari, not to Reimu, not to anyone. If anyone tries to spill the beans, I will drag them into the pit with me. Got it?

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Oh my, that's adorable! But it's also none of our business, and irrelevant to the task at hand, so let us not concern ourselves at present.
> Miko: Wince slightly, then put our earmuffs back on.
> Youmu: "Is something wrong?"
> Miko: Give Youmu a calm look with a slight and sheepish grin. "Only that I have again forgotten just how sensitive my hearing is. There was not too much pain, thankfully."
> Youmu: "Ah, Well, please do be careful with yourself. We do not need any self-inflicted handicaps."
> Miko: Chuckle a bit. "Of course." Look back to Kotohime. "Anyway, yes, the mass of spirits was an unfortunate-but-necessary part of the awakening process. They were ultimately harmless, but I do regret the panic they caused."

>Miko: Thankfully, up in the sky in a reasonably empty place for a short time, it's not too bad. You'll be fine.
>Kotohime nods. "I'll probably not arrest you, then. I'd have to figure out what the statue of limitations on ghost summoning is."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "I suspect it would be best for everyone here if I were not detained at present anyway."
> Youmu: "Ah, this is unrelated to that, but it occurs to me that I should mention that you two will be working together in Yuyuko-sama's play."
> Miko: Look to Kotohime. "Really now? That is splendid news."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "I suspect it would be best for everyone here if I were not detained at present anyway."
> Youmu: "Ah, this is unrelated to that, but it occurs to me that I should mention that you two will be working together in Yuyuko-sama's play."
> Miko: Look to Kotohime. "Really now? That is splendid news."

>"Oh, neat!" says Kotohime. "I'll be playing the...uh... the..."
>She looks to Youmu in askance.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Look a bit sheepish. "To be honest, even I do not know yet. Yuyuko-sama wanted players that fit certain specific descriptions, but she did not tell me what roles they would take on."
> Miko: Wave a hand dismissively with a small grin. "I am sure she has her reasons. Besides, there is a little extra entertainment to be had in a mystery."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Look a bit sheepish. "To be honest, even I do not know yet. Yuyuko-sama wanted players that fit certain specific descriptions, but she did not tell me what roles they would take on."
> Miko: Wave a hand dismissively with a small grin. "I am sure she has her reasons. Besides, there is a little extra entertainment to be had in a mystery."

>"Yeah, it'll be an experience!" says Kotohime.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "Quite so."
> Miko: We should try to corner Kotohime later and ask if anything earth-shattering has happened in her life that would cause such oddly muddles desires. With delicacy, of course. But we can worry about that when an opportunity arises.
> All: Continue onward to the Garden of the Sun.

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "Quite so."
> Miko: We should try to corner Kotohime later and ask if anything earth-shattering has happened in her life that would cause such oddly muddles desires. With delicacy, of course. But we can worry about that when an opportunity arises.
> All: Continue onward to the Garden of the Sun.

>Miko: You make a mental note to try and figure out what just happened to this woman.
>You make your way northwestward, Youmu and Kotohime taking the lead. The faeries are still agitated, but this close to civilization they aren't so bad. Kotohime mumbles something about 'Unlawfully rousing faeries' along the way, but the trip goes without incident.  As you pass over the main road, and over the grassy fields that Youmu recognizes as being nearby to Kotohime's bunker, a vibrant field of flowers can be seen. Sunflowers are everywhere, while goldenrods, turtleheads, chrysanthemums, and stonecrops can be picked out, grown in seemingly random arrays.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Both: Is there a mansion visible anywhere in the field?

[Hello Purvis]

> Both: Is there a mansion visible anywhere in the field?

>Neither of you see a mansion, but the field does stretch for some distance.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Youmu: "Keep to the air. No one should touch any of the flowers for any reason unless they absolutely have to."
> Miko: Nod. "I was also warned not to turn my back to the sunflowers. We should perhaps glance behind us every so often, to make sure no shenanigans are afoot."
> Both: Fly onward into the field, keeping an eye on the sunflowers.

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "Keep to the air. No one should touch any of the flowers for any reason unless they absolutely have to."
> Miko: Nod. "I was also warned not to turn my back to the sunflowers. We should perhaps glance behind us every so often, to make sure no shenanigans are afoot."
> Both: Fly onward into the field, keeping an eye on the sunflowers.

>You and Kotohime continue onward. Watching the sunflowers, you note there always seem to be some facing you. You never really see them turn, but they always seem to be looking in your direction.
>It doesn't take too long before Youmu notices someone approaching from beyond, someone green-haired and wearing red.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Drop voice volume very low. "That's her."
> Miko: Frown and also drop voice volume low. "No disrespect, ladies, but I think I should speak on our behalf."
> Youmu: "Just do not agitate her, please."
> Miko: Put on a gentle, diplomatic smile in preparation for some fancy word-dancing.

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Drop voice volume very low. "That's her."
> Miko: Frown and also drop voice volume low. "No disrespect, ladies, but I think I should speak on our behalf."
> Youmu: "Just do not agitate her, please."
> Miko: Put on a gentle, diplomatic smile in preparation for some fancy word-dancing.

>"Got it," says Kotohime.
>The green-haired woman approaches, and you can soon make out the plaid of her dress and her vest. An umbrella dangles from her wrist. She wears a broad smile as she draws near. "My my my," she says, "I don't recall expecting so many visitors!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Can we feel anything from this woman?
> Miko: Give the woman a slight bow. "A pleasant day to you. I do not believe we have yet met. I am Toyosatomimi no Miko, a simple Taoist hermit and a newcomer to this land of Gensokyo."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Can we feel anything from this woman?
> Miko: Give the woman a slight bow. "A pleasant day to you. I do not believe we have yet met. I am Toyosatomimi no Miko, a simple Taoist hermit and a newcomer to this land of Gensokyo."

>You can feel she is very much a youkai. Her desires don't seem especially awry, but youkai desires can be very very strange.
>"Ah, how lovely," says the youkai, giving you a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I'm Yuuka Kazami. I'm afraid you have the better of me, it's been a busy day."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "I hope this is not because you have been harassed by a certain intruder?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "I hope this is not because you have been harassed by a certain intruder?"

>"Why, you've guessed exactly right," says Yuuka.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Frown. "As I feared. This intruder, did she have blue looped hair?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Frown. "As I feared. This intruder, did she have blue looped hair?"

>"I'm afraid not," says Yuuka.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Let the frown give way to ever-so-slight confusion. "Really? I see...ah, to explain why we are here, we are looking for this individual. It seems she has wronged my half-ghost companion here, and we are hoping to track her down before she does the same to others, such as yourself."
> Youmu: Give a slight bow of our own. "Hello again, Miss Kazami. Please pardon our intrusion."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: Let the frown give way to ever-so-slight confusion. "Really? I see...ah, to explain why we are here, we are looking for this individual. It seems she has wronged my half-ghost companion here, and we are hoping to track her down before she does the same to others, such as yourself."
> Youmu: Give a slight bow of our own. "Hello again, Miss Kazami. Please pardon our intrusion."

>Kotohime bows as well. "Hello, I'm Kotohime. I live in the field to the south."
>"We'll see," says Yuuka. "But yes, I am familiar with this person."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "My investigations have shown that this person has stolen the life force of a great youkai tree in the Netherworld. To what end, I cannot say, but I can tell that Gensokyo would be in a fair amount of danger if this life force were turned loose somehow."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "My investigations have shown that this person has stolen the life force of a great youkai tree in the Netherworld. To what end, I cannot say, but I can tell that Gensokyo would be in a fair amount of danger if this life force were turned loose somehow."

>"How strange," says Yuuka. "Well, I don't have anything to do with her anymore."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "If I may ask, does this mean she has visited you in the past'?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "If I may ask, does this mean she has visited you in the past'?"

>"Oh, quite," says Yuuka. "She resided with me for a time."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Raise an eyebrow. "Really now? I hope she was not too much of a burden."