Keine Quest (Part 4): Broken History

[Hello Purvis]

>"I know. It's part of why I took an interest in you, back before I really took an interest in you. It seemed so sad on the outside. I didn't understand so well back then why you did it, though, I just thought you were...kind of deprived, I guess. But I think get it a little better now."

[DracoOmega]

>"I know. It's part of why I took an interest in you, back before I really took an interest in you. It seemed so sad on the outside. I didn't understand so well back then why you did it, though, I just thought you were...kind of deprived, I guess. But I think get it a little better now."

>"Ha. At least one of us does." She smiles. "In all seriousness, it's nice to feel a bit understood by someone, even if you don't really know 'em well enough to know how. I... think it's why I feel comfortable around you already. I can... see why I fell for y- why she fell for you. Why- oh, you know what I mean."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I like to think this is just the proper events reasserting themselves. Force of two souls bridging the voids between realities and all that. "

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I like to think this is just the proper events reasserting themselves. Force of two souls bridging the voids between realities and all that. "

>"Wow," Mokou says. "That's... pretty deep. And, uh, damn romantic." She looks at you. "You always that good at that?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"When you study enough history, you either become a romantic or a terrible cynic. I guess I have the former."
>Play with some of that hair, Mokou's got enough to around.

[DracoOmega]

>"When you study enough history, you either become a romantic or a terrible cynic. I guess I have the former."
>Play with some of that hair, Mokou's got enough to around.

>"Well, I'm probably enough of a cynic for the both of us," Mokou says. "I guess it balances out."
>You run your hand through Mokou's hair, toying with a bit of it around your finger. Mokou looks back up at the sky. "'course, that means you need to be twice as romantic to make up for me, right?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Sounds like too much work. I'll just have to drain some of the cynicism from you."

[DracoOmega]

>"Sounds like too much work. I'll just have to drain some of the cynicism from you."

>"Oh? Got a plan for that one? Been hanging onto that for a while now, y'know."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll tickle it out of you...when I'm feeling less lazy."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'll tickle it out of you...when I'm feeling less lazy."

>Mokou laughs. "Well, that's original, anyway. And, you know, I'd swear you couldn't have a lazy bone in your body, from what I've seen."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I have to take it when I can get it, these days..."

[DracoOmega]

>"I have to take it when I can get it, these days..."

>"I know, I get it," Mokou says. "Can't blame you, either." She turns and looks over at you, a solemn expression on her face. "You've... been putting on a brave face through all this. I can only imagine what it's like. I'll catch you if you fall, you know."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I know, I get it," Mokou says. "Can't blame you, either." She turns and looks over at you, a solemn expression on her face. "You've... been putting on a brave face through all this. I can only imagine what it's like. I'll catch you if you fall, you know."

>"I know. To be honest, it's why I felt I could tell Kanako the facts to her face as brusquely as I did. If she tried to do something, I knew you'd come for me. And probably burn the damn temple to the ground in the process."

[DracoOmega]

>"I know. To be honest, it's why I felt I could tell Kanako the facts to her face as brusquely as I did. If she tried to do something, I knew you'd come for me. And probably burn the damn temple to the ground in the process."

>Mokou laughs again. "Damn straight I would! Well, uh, if I had to. The place is still important to people, even if Kanako's a bitch. But heaven help them if they tried to get in the way."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, you might have to yet. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if she were trying to watch us."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, you might have to yet. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if she were trying to watch us."

>"She can do that?" Mokou looks around, frowning. "Think she'll try to pull anything?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"No idea. But I would imagine she could. And...who knows? I wouldn't put it past her. But it's a bit late, now."

[DracoOmega]

>"No idea. But I would imagine she could. And...who knows? I wouldn't put it past her. But it's a bit late, now."

>"You really think this'll solve the problem, then? And, uh, what are you planning to do if the Yama won't intervene? Or if Kanako won't listen?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"If we can't get the Yama to intervene, and there's truly no way to sway her...then we'll just have to act on our own. As for not listening; if Kanako is not going to listen, I am sure the peoples of the mount will should the Yama render judgment against her. And, I intend to make sure there are as many tengu reporters there as possible to make this information be known."

[DracoOmega]

>"If we can't get the Yama to intervene, and there's truly no way to sway her...then we'll just have to act on our own. As for not listening; if Kanako is not going to listen, I am sure the peoples of the mount will should the Yama render judgment against her. And, I intend to make sure there are as many tengu reporters there as possible to make this information be known."

>Mokou grins. "You're really going to drive this one home, aren't you? 'course, if the Yama can't force Kanako to release her, the people sure can't, either. Might drive some away from her, though. For all the good that does Utsuho."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, if that's the case, afterward we're busting her out. Just, if Kanako's not going to give, then I want the world to know the monster she is."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, if that's the case, afterward we're busting her out. Just, if Kanako's not going to give, then I want the world to know the monster she is."

>"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Mokou says. "I may be immortal, but I still don't think I'd survive it."
>You think you can see Komachi's boat drifting into sight on the horizon. It's moving rather more quickly than the last time you saw it coming in.

[Hello Purvis]

>That wasn't too long.
>"Well, you aren't a hypocritical blight upon the land just yet, so I think you'll be alright."
>Stand up, and go to the docks.

[DracoOmega]

>That wasn't too long.
>"Well, you aren't a hypocritical blight upon the land just yet, so I think you'll be alright."
>Stand up, and go to the docks.

>Not at all, considering. You wonder how far the journey is, considering you can't see the other bank. Although, given that the journey is at least partially metaphysical, maybe ordinary rules don't apply?
>Mokou laughs. "Hey, the day I end up ruling a country is the day something's gone horribly wrong."
>You stand up and walk over to the dock. Once the boat becomes more visible on the horizon, you note with disappointment that there is only one occupant. Komachi pilots the boat in gently, whistling to herself, then hops up on the dock and ties it up.
>"Well, good news," she says, once she's done with the boat. "Shiki's decided she'll take a look at it, after all. Once she can dig herself out under all the paperwork she buried in." Komachi sighs. "You know how it is, some of the understaff get transferred around, and it takes ages to get everything running right again. So, say, a month or two from now?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Frown. We were prepared for this.
>"She understands that during this month or two, Utsuho will continue to be tortured and will suffer further harm that may never go away?"

[DracoOmega]

>Frown. We were prepared for this.
>"She understands that during this month or two, Utsuho will continue to be tortured and will suffer further harm that may never go away?"

>It seems the Celestial Bureaucracy has an unfortunate number of things in common with plain old terrestrial ones.
>Komachi waves her hands in front of her. "Sorry, sorry, bad taste," she says. "Well, not about the paperwork; that's real enough. But Shiki said she'd try to come have a look during evening recess, anyway. ...not that she exactly needs to skip her breaks," Komachi mumbles. "But I think she agrees with you on this one, whether she can do anything about it or not."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah. So...evening recess is this evening, right?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Ah. So...evening recess is this evening, right?"

>"When else'd you think it'd be?" Komachi shrugs. "I guess you can wait here if you want, but Shiki can find her way to the mountain on her own. And Kanako ain't gonna be hiding anything from her when she gets there."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'd like to be there when it happens. Can you give me some idea of when the Yama is likely to appear? Or should I just return when the sun gets low?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I'd like to be there when it happens. Can you give me some idea of when the Yama is likely to appear? Or should I just return when the sun gets low?"

>"That works, I guess," Komachi says. "Or you could wait by the mountain. Up to you."