Maribel Hearn Quest: ACT III - Part 2

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Hehehe..."
>Smile.
>"So may we have a place to seat ? I apologize for abusing of your hospitality..."

>"Of course. And no need to apologize, the Myouren Temple welcomes all, human and youkai... well, there is also that Taoist faction we don't exactly see eye to eye with, but even they won't be turned away in the event they actually and truly wanted our aid and hospitality."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Huh ? What's the matter between you ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Huh ? What's the matter between you ?"

>"Oh, a number of things. I sense great evil from one of them in particular, but the others. Well, their leader in particular are advocates of humans, while we at the Myouren Temple seek to promote peace and equality between humans and youkai, so we are naturally at odds simply on the basis of our ideals."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Huh..."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Huh..."

>Byakuren leads your group inside the temple. You are in a large, open room, with several doors leading off into other parts of the structure.
>A grey-haired girl holding a couple of large dowsing rods appears from one of the doors, looking quite annoyed. Her most striking features, however, are her mouse ears and tail.
>"_{^{I swear, one of these days I'm going to chain that pagoda to her wrist.}}" she mutters as she proceeds to do a sweep of the room. Before noticing Byakuren.
>"Ah, good evening, Hijiri-sa-AAAAGH!" was all she could say before Chen was on top of her.

>"Look, Miss Maribel, I caught a mouse!" Chen exclaims, holding the girl up with difficulty, considering they're around the same height.
>You hear a few chuckles from your group.
>_

[Monarda]

>"Eheheheh... good job Chen, but let the poor girl go, she is also a youkai like you too."

[Neovereign]

>"Er... it's a bit impolite to suddenly pounce on and start carrying someone you haven't met before Chen..."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Eheheheh... good job Chen, but let the poor girl go, she is also a youkai like you too."

>"Er... it's a bit impolite to suddenly pounce on and start carrying someone you haven't met before Chen..."

>"Yes, despite how somewhat amusing this situation may be, I'm sure Nazrin here would appreciate it if you let her go." says Byakuren.

>"But it's a mouse!" Chen pouts adorably.
>"^{_{I hate cats so much...}}" the mouse girl mumbles

>_

[Monarda]

>"But she is still a youkai just like you, so let her at peace okay ?"
>Approach and gently pet Chen.
>"Please ?  I will ask Miss Ran to make some fish for you~."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"But she is still a youkai just like you, so let her at peace okay ?"
>Approach and gently pet Chen.
>"Please ?  I will ask Miss Ran to make some fish for you~."

>"Aw... Alright..." Chen lets the mouse girl go.
>The girl quickly steps away from her and your group, "Hmph! The nerve of some people..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Please don't mind Chen, she is just an eager little neko girl, it is a pleasure to meet you Miss... ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Please don't mind Chen, she is just an eager little neko girl, it is a pleasure to meet you Miss... ?"

>"Nazrin." the girl answers.
>"So, Nazrin, are you just visiting, or did Shou call upon you?" Byakuren asks.
>Nazrin sighs, "She did... We're going to have to start chaining that pagoda to her, I swear..."
>Byakuren chuckles a bit, "Yes, it does seem to get old after a while, but I'm sure we could find a solution that's much less... extreme... have you checked the usual areas?"
>"I was in the middle of it, until this demon jumped me." she shoots Chen a quick glare.
>"Now, Nazrin, don't be impolite..."
>"Oh, sorry..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Hey don't call Chen a demon, you have no idea what a true demon is like..."
>Look a bit upset.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Hey don't call Chen a demon, you have no idea what a true demon is like..."
>Look a bit upset.

>"Hey, if you had a natural predator, you'd think of them as demons too..." Nazrin returns the frown.
>"Nazrin, enough." Byakuren says sternly.
>"Sorry... Anyway, I should get going. I still have a pagoda to find."
>_

[Monarda]

>"I see, good luck !"
>Smile and turn to Miss Hijiri.
>"So how often does Koishi come here ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"I see, good luck !"

>Nazrin leaves the room, holding her dowsing rods in front of her.

>Smile and turn to Miss Hijiri.
>"So how often does Koishi come here ?"

>"Quite often." says Byakuren, "She's a laywoman here. I encouraged her to join the temple because she seemed to have been in a state close to enlightenment at the time."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Huh ? 'At the time ?' What about now ?"
>Look puzzled.

[Neovereign]

//We should've (well, since we missed it, next time we see her) apologized about the situation with Chen again before she left.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Huh ? 'At the time ?' What about now ?"
>Look puzzled.

>"Well, at the time, she was in a mostly thoughtless state. Though now it seems her third eye was unsealed." Byakuren explains, "However, I do not mind this change. Koishi's status within this temple will not change either. If she still wishes to pursue enlightenment, she is welcome to do so."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Yeah... because i unsealed it by accident..."
>Look sad, but stay firm.
>"...but she shouldn't have sealed away something that was part of her, it's like taking away part of someone's personality."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Yeah... because i unsealed it by accident..."
>Look sad, but stay firm.
>"...but she shouldn't have sealed away something that was part of her, it's like taking away part of someone's personality."

>"Yes, it's unfortunate that she had to do that to herself. Perhaps if I had met her before then I might've been able to lead her away from such a course of action... "
>Byakuren begins leading you to a nearby door.
>_

[Monarda]

>"I will aid her, if her friends don't want to stay with her when her third eye is open, then they aren't true friends,  mind reader or not, she is my friend and i will help her, just like i did to Rengeteki."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"I will aid her, if her friends don't want to stay with her when her third eye is open, then they aren't true friends,  mind reader or not, she is my friend and i will help her, just like i did to Rengeteki."

>"That is very kind of you." Byakuren smiles.
>You enter a room with a Kotatsu.
>"Have a seat, I'll fetch you some tea."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Thank you."
>Sit down.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Thank you."
>Sit down.

>You have a seat around the Kotatsu with your group.
>"I'll be back shortly." Byakuren bows before exiting.
>_

[Monarda]

>Take a breath and smile.
>"Please don't pounce on the poor mouse girl again Chen, i know you like to catch them, but it's not right to do it to other youkai okay ?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Take a breath and smile.
>"Please don't pounce on the poor mouse girl again Chen, i know you like to catch them, but it's not right to do it to other youkai okay ?"

>Chen gives you the most adorable frown, "Okay..."
>_

[Monarda]

>"Hey, you wouldn't want a dog youkai pouncing on you would you ?"
>Pet her.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Hey, you wouldn't want a dog youkai pouncing on you would you ?"
>Pet her.

>"No..." she says as you pet her.
>You hear sounds of chatter from outside the room, in the direction you came from.
>_

[Monarda]

>"Then you should respect Nazrin's wishes too."
>Look over there.