Sword Quest XII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

Youmu:
>Get to the Taoists and pesky Taoist with Kotohime.
>"We're here ! So shall we get going ?"

>You make your way back, Kotohime in tow.  "Hello, again, everyone," she says, bowing toward the Taoists. Then she focuses on Seiga. "Ah, another one. I'm Kotohime, nice to meet you."
>"I am Seiga," says the blue-haired Hermit. "Forgive me if I am terse, it's been a trying day."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "Indeed. And, actually, related to that, Miss Youmu, may I assume you remember the agreement we reached earlier?"
> Youmu: "Yes? Oh, wait, that reminds me."
> Youmu: Look to Seiga, then back to Miko, and make a slashing motion with our hand.
> Youmu: "You may remove the servitude concession. I have changed my mind on that matter."
> Miko: Blink with a slightly surprised look, then nod. "As you wish, then."

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "Indeed. And, actually, related to that, Miss Youmu, may I assume you remember the agreement we reached earlier?"
> Youmu: "Yes? Oh, wait, that reminds me."
> Youmu: Look to Seiga, then back to Miko, and make a slashing motion with our hand.
> Youmu: "You may remove the servitude concession. I have changed my mind on that matter."
> Miko: Blink with a slightly surprised look, then nod. "As you wish, then."

>Seiga raises an eyebrow, her arms crossed. "What are you getting at?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "What do you mean?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "What do you mean?"

>Seiga switched her arms to cross the other way. "Do you expect anyone to fall for this? If you were serious, you would have released Yoshika already."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "I am glad you think so highly of me, but even if I had already gone home and tried to free her, I still would be working on doing so right now."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "I am glad you think so highly of me, but even if I had already gone home and tried to free her, I still would be working on doing so right now."

>"And yet, here you are," says Seiga.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: "Of course. I had to investigate that light, since as far as I knew, Reimu was busy taking care of other matters back in the Netherworld."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: "Of course. I had to investigate that light, since as far as I knew, Reimu was busy taking care of other matters back in the Netherworld."

>"Were there any sincerity to your sentiments, you wouldn't have been here to see that light," says Seiga. "You would be back there, unearthing my poor Yoshika."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Raise an eyebrow. "You have an awful lot of distrust in me for someone that believed me when I told you to go here to find your master."

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Raise an eyebrow. "You have an awful lot of distrust in me for someone that believed me when I told you to go here to find your master."

>"You have no idea how I came to be here or what path I followed," says Seiga. "Moreover, I see you're trying to change the topic when your poor intentions come to light."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Roll eyes. "This is what I get for being merciful, I guess."
> Miko: Rub our forehead in irritation. "May we have this argument tomorrow morning, please?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Roll eyes. "This is what I get for being merciful, I guess."
> Miko: Rub our forehead in irritation. "May we have this argument tomorrow morning, please?"

>"It's what you get for offering meaningless tokens," says Seiga.
>Seiga looks to Miko, frowning. "Surely you don't intend to leave poor Yoshika with them all night?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "No. As I already told you, I will retrieve her myself."

[Monarda]

Youmu:
>"So are you done not believing in me ? As you already heard, Miko will go get her,  thus you won't have to worry anymore."
>"Before we proceed, has someone yet to speak something they want to ?"
>Also, how long would it take to get to the Netherworld from here ?

Also, technically, there is a really tiny chance of someone discovering Kotohime's cute crush on Youmu, and that is by Satori reading Miko's mind AND telling Youmu, Yuyuko or anyone else, but that must be something like 0.07% chance of happening, if not less. But worry not, dear friend, i'll take that secret with me to the end of the Sword Quest Series (Or until Youmu finds out herself).

[Hello Purvis]

> Miko: "No. As I already told you, I will retrieve her myself."

>"And as I said to you, Crown Prince," says Seiga, "it should not fall upon you to undo the work of of the craven when they are perfectly capable of correcting their own misdeeds."

Youmu:
>"So are you done not believing in me ? As you already heard, Miko will go get her,  thus you won't have to worry anymore."
>"Before we proceed, has someone yet to speak something they want to ?"
>Also, how long would it take to get to the Netherworld from here ?

>"You're quite cavalier about having the crown prince do your work for you," Seiga says.
>"And you owe Youmu some apologies," Kotohime says, "How can you run your mouth like that after everything you've done?!"
>"Because what I've "done" is try to make Gensokyo a better place, and what this fool has done is indulge in petty revenge."
>Kotohime makes an angry noise in response and visibly tenses.

>_

[Monarda]

Youmu:
>Control urge to counterargue with your sword and slash Seiga in half.
>"Once you find a way to create a better Gensokyo that is more acceptable, then i'll gladly allow it. But you haven't. And not to be rude, but i'm pretty sure you had her charge at me and stay behind to buy you time to dig your way out of that mess, so i'd say YOU go there and assume your responsibilties as her master, but that's not a good idea, is it ? Either way, someone other than me must go and get Yoshika."

What do you mean there was a Sega ? There's nothing here. It was just your imagination.

[Kilgamayan]

Just as a heads-up, Yoshika is currently buried up to her neck, presumably gapped right into the ground by Yukari (we didn't see it happen). Any non-Seiga person that retrieves her is going to have to do it through a while bunch of manual digging labor. Youmu should have no interest whatsoever in doing such a thing. I keep pushing Miko to do it in order to humiliate Seiga, because she deserves it (though Miko will never actually say this out loud).

[Monarda]

I know, i just though that Seiga wouldn't trust Youmu either way, and Miko would have to go there herself, and even though i hate Seiga and her whole self (although i admit that her motives were actually positive), i'm that person that tries to help, even if it's kinda annoying. But i'll try and formulate a new dialogue, the parser might actually have a surprise for me.

Also i just noticed i wrote Sega....... It's justified.

[Kilgamayan]

Seiga absolutely wants Youmu to do it and has demanded so multiple times. There are no trust concerns there. Youmu volunteering to do it is giving Seiga exactly what she wants.

[Monarda]

Sorry, didn't finish it, i had to do something and forgot to include that part, thanks for the heads up. :ohdear:

[Hello Purvis]

Youmu:
>Control urge to counterargue with your sword and slash Seiga in half.
>"Once you find a way to create a better Gensokyo that is more acceptable, then i'll gladly allow it. But you haven't. And not to be rude, but i'm pretty sure you had her charge at me and stay behind to buy you time to dig your way out of that mess, so i'd say YOU go there and assume your responsibilties as her master, but that's not a good idea, is it ? Either way, someone other than me must go and get Yoshika."

>It would be terribly satisfying...
>"And you have done nothing whatsoever except be petty, vengeful, and contrarian, so instead of trying to act as if you had a single shred of nobility about keeping hostages, go and release Yoshika and then perhaps your bluster will have grounds to stand on."
>"If the next words you say aren't an apology..." Kotohime says, her voice taking a tone you have not heard from her before.
>"And keep your dog on a leash, please," says Seiga. "We don't need her getting fleas and slobber on the wounded."

>_

[Monarda]

Youmu:
>Use our ghost half to keep Kotohime distracted and avoid having her fight Seiga, as much as we want to beat the shit out of Seiga, we shouldn't go for such extremes and it's better to make this only verbal.
>"Well then say that you were at your home when suddenly a stranger came in, kidnapped Yoshika and tried to use her for something that risked her life, made a great confusion, and got away, what would YOU do then ? And don't treat Kotohime like that."
>Glance at Miko to see how is she treat all of this.

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: "Enough of this!"

[Hello Purvis]

Youmu:
>Use our ghost half to keep Kotohime distracted and avoid having her fight Seiga, as much as we want to beat the shit out of Seiga, we shouldn't go for such extremes and it's better to make this only verbal.
>"Well then say that you were at your home when suddenly a stranger came in, kidnapped Yoshika and tried to use her for something that risked her life, made a great confusion, and got away, what would YOU do then ? And don't treat Kotohime like that."
>Glance at Miko to see how is she treat all of this.

> Miko: "Enough of this!"

>You try to distract Kotohime with your ghost half, but it doesn't seem to catch her attention nearly as much as Seiga has. "Better a dog than an ass!" she cries.
>Seiga looks as though she is about to say something sharp, but stops as Miko calls for an end.

>_

[Monarda]

Youmu:
>Thank God.
>"She's right, we're just wasting time here rambling about something that would benefit from the time we're wasting."
>Wait for Miko to say something.

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Curtly wave Youmu off before she can say anything else.
> Miko: Take a couple of breaths while being very irritated. When speaking, take on a tone with a very obviously measured calm.
> Miko: "I will retrieve Yoshika."

[Hello Purvis]

Youmu:
>Thank God.
>"She's right, we're just wasting time here rambling about something that would benefit from the time we're wasting."
>Wait for Miko to say something.

>Seiga gives a derisive snort, but says nothing.
>Kotohime shoots her a glare, her posture tense.

> Miko: Curtly wave Youmu off before she can say anything else.
> Miko: Take a couple of breaths while being very irritated. When speaking, take on a tone with a very obviously measured calm.
> Miko: "I will retrieve Yoshika."

>"That is not acceptable Crown Prince," says Seiga, her tone quite a bit more calm as well. "It is their scheme, it is their responsibility to set it to rights."

>_

[Monarda]

Youmu:
>Relax now that this discussion is settled, and step back.
>Stop yourself from answering Seiga, it will just add fuel to the fire.
>"Very well. But what shall Seiga, Futo and Tojiko do then ?"
>Where were we headed anyway before ? Eientei, right ? Let's again prepare to go there while Miko goes to get Yoshika on the Netherworld.

[Kilgamayan]

> Miko: Ignore Youmu for the time being, looking directly at Seiga.
> Miko: "Your opinion is noted. I will still retrieve Yoshika."