Keine Quest (Part 4): Broken History

[DracoOmega]

>"Then you may authorize me. You may accompany me, or have Sanae do it."

>"No," she says simply. "I do not need to prove myself to you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Are you afraid, Kanako?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you afraid, Kanako?"

>Kanako's eyes narrow. "You presume a great deal with that question."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What? That you clearly feel no guilt about what you've done with her and to her, but you certainly don't want anyone else finding out about it? Sanae doesn't know, I've noticed. If I am wrong, by all means prove it to me."

[DracoOmega]

>"What? That you clearly feel no guilt about what you've done with her and to her, but you certainly don't want anyone else finding out about it? Sanae doesn't know, I've noticed. If I am wrong, by all means prove it to me."

>"Sanae should not be burdened by this." Kanako's tone changes little, but the emphasis behind her words leaves little question to the implication. "Nor must I prove anything to you. Be thankful I am tolerant of such presumption."
>"I have already admitted that I regret several things about the current situation, but of all the options available, this is the best. Her confinement is regrettable, but unavoidable."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And not letting anyone see her? Not letting even your own priestess know the truth? Those are unavoidable as well? What do you have to be afraid of?"
>Keep calm, she's not Eirin. She actually does some good things...

[DracoOmega]

>"And not letting anyone see her? Not letting even your own priestess know the truth? Those are unavoidable as well? What do you have to be afraid of?"
>Keep calm, she's not Eirin. She actually does some good things...

>"If you think the area is restricted to contain a terrible secret, I'm afraid you're being rather fanciful. The environment down there is genuinely dangerous to people who are not fully trained in its operation. It if off-limits both for the protection of visitors and for everyone else. You would find the interior of reactors in the outside world, which this one mimics, to be the same."
>"And not a word of what I said to Sanae was false. She... is a gentle soul, and I do not want her to bear guilt over this. That is mine and mine alone." Kanako pauses, and stares at you coolly. "Do not attempt to use her as a tool to gain leverage with me. You would not enjoy the outcome."

>You try to remind yourself that, this issue aside, Kanako at least seems to have put a lot of effort into helping and protecting her worshipers.

[Hello Purvis]

>"The only tool I am using are facts. You are holding her, and isolating her. And hiding it. If my deductions are wrong, I would invite you to prove me wrong."

[DracoOmega]

>"The only tool I am using are facts. You are holding her, and isolating her. And hiding it. If my deductions are wrong, I would invite you to prove me wrong."

>"I have already admitted that I am holding her, for the health and safety of Gensokyo itself. Though she is less of a secret than you seem to think. She is simply something the public need not know. They would be fearful, though they are completely safe. What else is there for me to prove to you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Show me. If she is truly in good condition, there should be no reason to hide her away. I'm certain you can arrange for a reasonably safe trip."

[DracoOmega]

>"Show me. If she is truly in good condition, there should be no reason to hide her away. I'm certain you can arrange for a reasonably safe trip."

>"And what good would it do, either way? You've given the distinct impression you will not be satisfied with her confinement, no matter its nature."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you seem to be content to keep her a prisoner forever, never having a chance to redeem herself, have any kind of life, or be anything other than a glorified water wheel."

[DracoOmega]

>"And you seem to be content to keep her a prisoner forever, never having a chance to redeem herself, have any kind of life, or be anything other than a glorified water wheel."

>"Contentment has nothing to do with it. She has proven that she cannot be trusted with the power she has, and it cannot be removed without killing her. It is too dangerous to risk giving her another chance to cause devastation. It is fortunate she was contained so quickly the first time. Doubtless she would be more cautious were she to try again, and might well kill a great many people before I could intervene. Were it possible, I would gladly remove her power and return her to her family. But it is not."

[Hello Purvis]

>"So it is exactly as I said. You will never even give her a chance at a life now, let alone a chance at her freedom. Instead you'll just exploit her, and try to deceive as many people as you can about it. How much have you profited off her now, I wonder?"

[DracoOmega]

>"So it is exactly as I said. You will never even give her a chance at a life now, let alone a chance at her freedom. Instead you'll just exploit her, and try to deceive as many people as you can about it. How much have you profited off her now, I wonder?"

>Although her expression changes little, you feel Kanako's presence grow colder. "I would not be so crude as to try to profit off another being, even one such as her. It is not for my benefit that I make use of her powers. All of this was built for the people of Gensokyo. What I have given, I have given freely. If Utsuho must be imprisoned here regardless, what good does it serve to leave her power untapped when it could be benefiting others?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you take all the credit, telling no one the truth. How many of the people out there sincerely believe you are the source of that power, and not some youkai you offered power to, then sealed away like some windmill? You're not only taking it from her, you're taking accolades that are rightfully hers for it."

[DracoOmega]

>"And you take all the credit, telling no one the truth. How many of the people out there sincerely believe you are the source of that power, and not some youkai you offered power to, then sealed away like some windmill? You're not only taking it from her, you're taking accolades that are rightfully hers for it."

>"Rightfully hers? Do you truly think they are? Would she have done all this? Would she have helped this place grow, as I have? I think she already answered that question quite decisively. She may be providing the power, but it is we who have built all this, we who have turned her power into something useful. If anything, the kappa engineers are the ones who deserve the most credit. I have provided knowledge and guidance, but it is their dedication and ingenuity that have made this possible."
>"But let's say that you're right, and this all hinges on a lie. If I were to tell the public what the source of their electricity was, what do you think would happen?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You say that other deserve the credit to me, but do you say it to those who worship you and say it is all thanks to you? and following that logic, would it make it alright for me to stuff you in a bottle and use you to power something if the many benefited from it?"
>"What would happen? People would get on with their lives. Some cynics might think you arranged the whole thing from start to finish on purpose. I am not one of them, I know that's not what you wanted to happen. There would be some undercurrent of panic, but it would die. The only damage, Kanako, would be to your reputation, for lying to your followers, and for exploiting a woman who made a mistake. And even that would pass with time."

[DracoOmega]

>"You say that other deserve the credit to me, but do you say it to those who worship you and say it is all thanks to you? and following that logic, would it make it alright for me to stuff you in a bottle and use you to power something if the many benefited from it?"
>"What would happen? People would get on with their lives. Some cynics might think you arranged the whole thing from start to finish on purpose. I am not one of them, I know that's not what you wanted to happen. There would be some undercurrent of panic, but it would die. The only damage, Kanako, would be to your reputation, for lying to your followers, and for exploiting a woman who made a mistake. And even that would pass with time."

>Kanako shakes her head and sighs. "It saddens me that you think I am so pompous as to claim credit for all of our success. I have given much to these people, yes, but they have given much to each other, and to me. We are all working together towards this future. I make this much clear to everyone. And you analogy is again flawed. I did not deprive Utsuho of her freedom because her power would be beneficial to others. I imprisoned her because otherwise she would have destroyed them. The fact that her power can now benefit them is but a positive side-effect of a necessary confinement. I would never have imprisoned her solely for that reason."
>"Have I lied to them? I said that I defeated the hell raven before she could threaten them. This I did. I said that I had ensured she would never again threaten them. This I did. I said that I had harnessed a source of power they could use to build a modern age. This I did."

[Hello Purvis]

>"If the analogy is flawed, it is because it followed your argument. You've said it is alright to imprison her in perpetuity and treat her like an object because it benefits the many. I don't see why you should be exempt from that, either. If I cuold stuff you in a bottle to power a weather-controlling machine, by your own words I would be right to do it. And now you are trying to act like she isn't even a person, that she's just some spoke in a while, with no sense of pain or personality, and just now are trying to act like you didn't have a role in it, like you aren't treating Utsuho like she's just some tool, like you didn't offer her the devil's agreement that made her that way, and that you're not lying to all and sundry about it. And when confronted with it, despite all your justifications, you can't even allow her to be seen.
>"You won't even provide proof she's being treated with the dignity given to a cow in its pen, let alone an actual prisoner. Do you even know who she is? Are you so devoted to stripping her of any vestige of personality because to do otherwise is to admit you are mistreating her?"

[DracoOmega]

>"If the analogy is flawed, it is because it followed your argument. You've said it is alright to imprison her in perpetuity and treat her like an object because it benefits the many. I don't see why you should be exempt from that, either. If I cuold stuff you in a bottle to power a weather-controlling machine, by your own words I would be right to do it. And now you are trying to act like she isn't even a person, that she's just some spoke in a while, with no sense of pain or personality, and just now are trying to act like you didn't have a role in it, like you aren't treating Utsuho like she's just some tool, like you didn't offer her the devil's agreement that made her that way, and that you're not lying to all and sundry about it. And when confronted with it, despite all your justifications, you can't even allow her to be seen.
>"You won't even provide proof she's being treated with the dignity given to a cow in its pen, let alone an actual prisoner. Do you even know who she is? Are you so devoted to stripping her of any vestige of personality because to do otherwise is to admit you are mistreating her?"

>"If I, too, were an incurable risk to those around me, then yes, I suppose what you say would be justified. My role in making her what she is started and ended with the power she obtained. I did not change her personality, her goals, or direct her actions towards destructive ends. That alone is what caused this outcome."
>Kanako glares at you in silence. Despite your righteous indignation, it is quite unsettling.

>At length, she speaks again. "I think you have said quite enough now. I have been tolerant, because you were motivated by concern for another. But I think there is little more to discuss. You would have me unleash possibly the most destructive being in Gensokyo because her family misses her, and because you feel I am violating her rights. Is her well-being so much more important to you than the lives of who knows how many others she might take?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Be strong, Keine! We have Mokou to set her straight if she tries something. Let's break her.
>"How would you know what she'd do? You have literally no idea who she is or what she is like now. And you're determined to make sure no one else does either. For someone who's claimed to regret the past, you are very eager to bury it and run away rather than face it and correct for it. I wonder if you even know what her last name is?"

[DracoOmega]

>Be strong, Keine! We have Mokou to set her straight if she tries something. Let's break her.
>"How would you know what she'd do? You have literally no idea who she is or what she is like now. And you're determined to make sure no one else does either. For someone who's claimed to regret the past, you are very eager to bury it and run away rather than face it and correct for it. I wonder if you even know what her last name is?"

>You steel yourself, and decide to push the limits of how much one can safely risk provoking a god. You really don't feel right backing down on this one.
>"You are correct that I cannot know for certain what she would do. I am basing my judgement on her past behavior. Perhaps she might choose to return home and live in peace, but perhaps not, and the damage she could inflict might be catastrophic. That is a risk I am not willing to subject my people to. If I am forced to choose between her and them, there is no decision to be made."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I didn't say you didn't know what she would do. I am saying you refuse to even try to understand who she is so you can tell what she would do. You have buried her alive. You made her what she is, and now you refuse to face it. You are trying to murder her in all but name. And then you bask in praise for it, practically no one the wiser. You won't even try to prove is being treated with the dignity of a hen in a coop, so eager are you to pretend she's not even a person. It's disgusting."

[DracoOmega]

>"I didn't say you didn't know what she would do. I am saying you refuse to even try to understand who she is so you can tell what she would do. You have buried her alive. You made her what she is, and now you refuse to face it. You are trying to murder her in all but name. And then you bask in praise for it, practically no one the wiser. You won't even try to prove is being treated with the dignity of a hen in a coop, so eager are you to pretend she's not even a person. It's disgusting."

>Kanako's expression hardens. Is it your imagination, or did the air in the room just grow colder?
>"You have crossed a great many lines today, Keine. Be glad that I do not succumb to anger; most gods would not be so tolerant. I will give you another few moments out of respect for your counterpart. And then you will leave."
>"You accuse me of forgetting she's a person, but no person worthy of that word would decide that the best use of their newfound powers was to set the world ablaze. If I had not stopped her by force, you would not even be alive now to condemn me for it."

[Hello Purvis]

>Oh hell no, she did not just threaten us.
>"And that justifes nothing else you've done. You've buried her alive. You've deprived her of everything. You've turned her into a windmill. You steal praise that is rightfully hers. You pretend she isn't even a person. You probably don't even know her whole name. If I've crossed a line, then that line is the truth. You made her that way. You wrote that devil's contract, you convinced her to accept it. You then ignored her as she lost control, and now you try to take the side of the celestials. You are lower than Shinki. I can only hope that Sanae is listening in us right now, and trying not to vomit in disgust at hearing you reveal what you are."

[DracoOmega]

>Oh hell no, she did not just threaten us.
>"And that justifes nothing else you've done. You've buried her alive. You've deprived her of everything. You've turned her into a windmill. You steal praise that is rightfully hers. You pretend she isn't even a person. You probably don't even know her whole name. If I've crossed a line, then that line is the truth. You made her that way. You wrote that devil's contract, you convinced her to accept it. You then ignored her as she lost control, and now you try to take the side of the celestials. You are lower than Shinki. I can only hope that Sanae is listening in us right now, and trying not to vomit in disgust at hearing you reveal what you are."

>She just may have...
>Kanako shakes her head. "You truly cannot see beyond the one injustice before you. Sanae would understand, in time. The single driving force behind my actions is the defense and betterment of my people. Utsuho is an active risk, and I have contained her. What happened in the past is unfortunate, but unchangeable. I can only base my actions on the situation as it now stands. I wonder what it would truly take to satisfy you? Even if I gave praise to her in the public eye, as you ask, I doubt it would affect your opinion. The choices before me are either to kill her, leave her as she is, or allow her to roam free and possibly destroy everything that anyone around me has ever cared about. In my place, which of those would you choose?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Far better not to be able to see beyond an injustice than to ignore and personally perpetrate and perpetuate one. And I choose none, because I do not buy into that false dilemma. You could treat her humanely as a prisoner. You could work toward rehabilitating her. You could let her see her damn family! You could treat her like an intelligent being, rather than burying her like a corpse! You could all of this right now! You could have done it from the beginning painlessly! Or, when she escapes, and do not kid yourself into thinking she won't in the long run for we both know very well the history of perfect seals failing, you'll have bred an even worse monster than you ever imagined. And it will be ever more your fault than what already is."

[DracoOmega]

>"Far better not to be able to see beyond an injustice than to ignore and personally perpetrate and perpetuate one. And I choose none, because I do not buy into that false dilemma. You could treat her humanely as a prisoner. You could work toward rehabilitating her. You could let her see her damn family! You could treat her like an intelligent being, rather than burying her like a corpse! You could all of this right now! You could have done it from the beginning painlessly! Or, when she escapes, and do not kid yourself into thinking she won't in the long run for we both know very well the history of perfect seals failing, you'll have bred an even worse monster than you ever imagined. And it will be ever more your fault than what already is."

>Kanako stares at you in silence, again, although her gaze feels less piercing this time. Is there... a glimmer of doubt in it? Maybe you're being too hopeful.
>"Will that be all, then?" she says, eventually.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Unfortunately, no. I need to see her for myself, so that I can assure her family she isn't being harmed. And, you need to see her, too. There is no reason why we should delay either thing."