Keine Quest (Part 4): Broken History

[Hello Purvis]

>"As I said before, Kanako, a less generous person would look at this situation and think that you engineered it explicitly to drag Utsuho down. And honestly, I don't blame her for incinerating them. What reason has she to trust anything from you, give what you've done to her? You did give her what was essentially a devil's contract. And after two years of isolation...Well, if you truly don't understand what that would do to a person, I am certain Ran would tell you."

[DracoOmega]

>"As I said before, Kanako, a less generous person would look at this situation and think that you engineered it explicitly to drag Utsuho down. And honestly, I don't blame her for incinerating them. What reason has she to trust anything from you, give what you've done to her? You did give her what was essentially a devil's contract. And after two years of isolation...Well, if you truly don't understand what that would do to a person, I am certain Ran would tell you."

>Ran nods. "I shall say only that, no matter how content you believe you are with solitude, you cannot truly understand what total isolation is like unless you experience it. And... pray that you never do."
>"Just let me talk to her," Orin says. "Please, just let me talk to her...."
>"I..." Sanae shifts uncomfortably. "I'd... like to see her, too."
>You see Kanako's head turn ever so subtly towards Sanae. She says nothing.
>"You have no reason to deny her request, Kanako," Shiki says. "If you yourself admit that her isolation is intended not as a punishment, but a caution."
>Kanako remains silent. Her presence seems to shrink a little.
>Sanae steps towards her. "Yasaka-sama... please...."
>"....very well." Kanako speaks at last. Her words do not carry the same weight that they once did. They sound... almost tired.

[Hello Purvis]

>Try not to feel too much schadenfreude. It's unseemly.
>"Let us not take too much of the Yama's time, then."
>...Told 'em we'd be back in a few hours. Teehee.

[DracoOmega]

>Try not to feel too much schadenfreude. It's unseemly.
>"Let us not take too much of the Yama's time, then."
>...Told 'em we'd be back in a few hours. Teehee.

>You try to restrain yourself, no matter how enjoyable it is to see Kanako sag like that.
>Kanako leads out of the room without responding to you. She barely even acknowledges Sanae's presence. The rest of you fall in behind her.
>You wonder what kind of look is going to be on their faces when you actually do....

>When you exit the shrine building, you find a couple of the tengu from earlier still waiting outside. They watch your party's progress intently, but make no attempt to move closer or speak. Perhaps they can read the mood in the air?
>The group of you proceed through the same long route that you took this afternoon. The size and unusual composition of your group would likely draw attention regardless, but the Yama's presence draws even more. People seem to make an effort to stay out of your way, some of them bowing deeply to her as she walks by, but you can see them talking furtively among themselves after you pass. For her part, Kanako says nothing except when strictly necessary to progress further, and even then, as few words as possible.
>When you finally reach the main reactor room, the head kappa raises an eyebrow at Kanako and then faintly scowls in your direction. "Suppose I've gotta shut this down again, right?"
>"Yes," Kanako replies.
>The kappa lets out an exasperated sigh. "Ok, people, let's do this for a bloody second time today." Then she notices the Yama, and you can practically see the color drain from her face. Her head snaps back towards Kanako, a twinge of fear in her eyes, but Kanako makes no acknowledgment of the gesture.

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to avoid giving grins or anything else that would be just a little too ,"I told you so". We had our fill of that with Kanako.
>...Well, maybe not, but don't do it anyways.
>Ponder how much the kappa down here know.

[DracoOmega]

>Try to avoid giving grins or anything else that would be just a little too ,"I told you so". We had our fill of that with Kanako.
>...Well, maybe not, but don't do it anyways.
>Ponder how much the kappa down here know.

>You do your best to maintain a neutral expression.
>Despite part of you really wanting to be smug right about now
>Judging by that kappa's reaction, you suspect she probably knows something. Or at least suspects. As for how many others, or whether it's just those who work in this room, it would be hard to say. Kanako undoubtedly knows.

>The kappa initiate whatever procedure they did earlier today; the head kappa eventually snaps herself out of her statue impression to go assist them. After much pulling of levers and mechanical noises, the doors to the reactor core open and Kanako leads inside them.
>Once she opens the final door, Kanako stands aside to let the others enter. It's true that there probably isn't enough room in there for everyone else, but you can't help thinking that's not her only motive.
>You step into the room and find Utsuho more or less as she was earlier. Wait, you think she's shifted about a foot to the left. You're barely through the doorway when Orin pushes past you and practically leaps at the glass, pressing her fingers tightly against it.
>"Okuu! Okuu, it's me!"
>Utsuho lifts her head towards her, a look of open wonderment on her face. "Orin.....?" She glances towards you for a moment, then back to her sister. "Orin?"
>Orin slinks to her knees, her fingers sliding down the glass.  "Oh god I've missed you.... I've missed you so much...." Her voice is unsteady.

[Hello Purvis]

>If there is not room, allow the others priority. We've seen her already.
>Watch the Yama do her thing.

[DracoOmega]

>If there is not room, allow the others priority. We've seen her already.
>Watch the Yama do her thing.

>You move out of the way to let the others file in. It's a bit of a tight squeeze and you find yourself forced towards the back of the room, but you can still see most of what's happening.

>"I'm gonna get you out, Okuu," Orin says, starting to choke on her words. "I swear I'm gonna get you home." You can hear her start to sob.
>"Orin..." Utsuho says. "D- don't cry. Please don't... don't cry. ...I'm so, so sorry....."
>Shiki steps in front of Utsuho. "Utusho Reiuji. I am Shikieiki Yamaxandu, judge of the court of Higan responsible for Gensokyo.
>"Haven't I already been judged enough?" Utsuho replies, her face drawn into a scowl. You can see single a tear trail down her cheek.
>"You have been judged unfairly," Shiki replies. "And I shall amend that."
>Utsuho turns her head away. "I don't care to hear what you have to say."
>"Okuu... " Orin says. "She's here to help. Please...."

>Shiki stares at her intensely for a moment. "Utsuho Reiuji, you desired to commit a grievous offense, and took actions to perpetrate this. That you were of troubled mind does not reduce the guilt you bear for your actions. You still chose them freely."
>"I've heard that a thousand times before," Utsuho replies. "You can take your preaching and go jump off a cliff somewhere."
>"Nevertheless," Shiki continues, "You confinement here has not been equal to your actions.The purpose of punishment is to encourage us to learn the error of our ways. And I believe you have, though you refuse to admit it."
>"I haven't learned a damn thing except how long I can starve myself before I start to die." You hear Orin choke back a sob.
>Shiki does not acknowledge the interruption "Since you have been here, you have clung so desperately to your resentment that it has begun to consume you. You refuse you show a glimmer of temperance to Kanako, because you could not bear to accept an inch of kindness from her in return. You know that she might have been more lenient with you if you admitted that you regret your actions, but you refuse to give her the satisfaction of being right about anything. In fact, you have almost convinced yourself that you were right all along. You are destroying yourself, Utsuho."
>"So what if I am?"
>"Okuu!" Orin cries. "Don't you dare say that! D- don't you... d-dare..." She starts to bawl.
>"But you are not beyond hope," Shiki continues. "However," she says, projecting her voice to the rear of the room, "I think that hope depends on you being someplace else. By forcing her to stay here, you are condemning her, Kanako. I will not permit this to continue."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And had this not been done to begin with, she wouldn't be nearly so messed up as she is now. And this one, you have entrapped her in. You can't blame a person for starting to going mad when you engineered everything to drive her mad to in first place."

[DracoOmega]

>"And had this not been done to begin with, she wouldn't be nearly so messed up as she is now. And this one, you have entrapped her in. You can't blame a person for starting to going mad when you engineered everything to drive her mad to in first place."

>"Every action I took," Kanako replies, "I did because I felt it was necessary. Ask her yourself, even now. If I let her go, would she turn her powers against this mountain and its people?"
>"Damn right I would!" Utsuho snaps back.
>"Okuu...." Orin manages between sobs. "Why- why are you saying that.... stop saying that... please stop it...." She pounds a hand weakly on the glass.
>"You can lie to Kanako," Shiki says, "You can lie to your sister. You can even lie to yourself. But you cannot lie to me. You tell yourself that you would burn this all down because it gives you something to cling to in your resentment. But you destroy only yourself in the process. Yes, perhaps this is something you desire. But even now, there is one thing you desire most of all."
>There is a long pause. "....I want to go home." Utsuho's voice is quiet, and there is something different about its sound than anything you have heard her say tonight.
>Orin tries to smile through her tears. "Satori's waiting for you, Okuu. We all are."

[Hello Purvis]

>"A cynic would say you were trying to breed a monster, Kanako. It is good I am not one."
>Look to Shiki. "What would you recommend for Utsuho? And, for Kanako?"

[DracoOmega]

>"A cynic would say you were trying to breed a monster, Kanako. It is good I am not one."
>Look to Shiki. "What would you recommend for Utsuho? And, for Kanako?"

>"At this point, I could not care less what your opinion of me is," Kanako responds.
>"I would recommend she be released to her family immediately, if she can earnestly promise not to harm anyone. They need each other, and their influence is the best chance she has of pulling herself back from the brink. I can do nothing to Kanako but hope that she reflects on the harm she has done here. Though I believe she has already done so more than you realize."

[Hello Purvis]

>"If it were in your power, your honor, what would you do? Perhaps she can take it as a suggestion."

[DracoOmega]

>"If it were in your power, your honor, what would you do? Perhaps she can take it as a suggestion."

>Shiki shakes her head. "I feel there is little I can offer that would be of help. Her own confinement would be of far more harm to others besides herself. It may be distasteful for you to see her in this light, but she is a symbol and a guardian to these people. Her pride and miscarriage of justice in this case cannot take away from what she's done and will continue to do. I would say that she owes Utsuho recompense, but anything I could ask her to do would only bring further harm until Utsuho learns to release her hatred."
>She turns to Kanako. "But be aware that I will keep an eye on you, should you consider similar actions in the future. They will not escape my notice for long."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't think confinement would do much to address the problem. Rather, I suggests she owes Utsuho an apology, and a confession to the public."

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't think confinement would do much to address the problem. Rather, I suggests she owes Utsuho an apology, and a confession to the public."

>"I don't want her apology!" Utsuho cries.
>"Nor do I see what purpose such a confession would serve," Kanako adds. "But to instill needless fear."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It would serve to remind people that you are not infallible, and that you have done injustices and nearly created a true threat to them in the process. You owe it to them, after everything they've given you."

[DracoOmega]

>"It would serve to remind people that you are not infallible, and that you have done injustices and nearly created a true threat to them in the process. You owe it to them, after everything they've given you."

>"A symbol must be infallible," Kanako says quietly. "People are not served by an ideal that does not live up to the faith people have invested in it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I suppose that means you've failed the people and as a symbol, doesn't it? Are you going to continue to insult their faith with deceptions? Is this the kind of thing a beloved guardian does?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I suppose that means you've failed the people and as a symbol, doesn't it? Are you going to continue to insult their faith with deceptions? Is this the kind of thing a beloved guardian does?"

>"They'll forgive you, Yasaka-sama," Sanae says, moving towards her. "I know why you felt you had to do this. But, please... put an end it." Are those tears in her eyes?
>Kanako slowly shakes her head. "Sanae... So much of what we've built depends on her. I would be making everyone throw away years of effort and hope for the future because of my own misjudgement."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What exactly does Utsuho do for your operation? She's just stuck in a tube in here."

[DracoOmega]

>"What exactly does Utsuho do for your operation? She's just stuck in a tube in here."

>Kanako shakes her head. "You think this entire facility was built simply to contain her? The seals and bindings that contain her power do so by siphoning it into the systems here, providing heat and energy necessary to power what we do. You saw the piping running from the reactor core into the rest of the facility, right? Without Utsuho, everything here will eventually run cold."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You could ask her to assist. Perhaps compensate her for her time? Of course, this would naturally go hand in hand with trying to make for the atrocities and all."

[DracoOmega]

>"You could ask her to assist. Perhaps compensate her for her time? Of course, this would naturally go hand in hand with trying to make for the atrocities and all."

>"If I ever get out, I'm not doing a damn thing for her!" Utsuho cries.
>"And there you have your answer, I suppose," Kanako says.

[Hello Purvis]

>"You wouldn't be doing it for her, Utsuho. You'd be doing it for Sanae, who is Kanako's priestess and who is telling Kanako to let you go. And for everyone else. You remember how I told you no one even remembers the underground youkai? This is a good way to remind them you're still around, and that you're not a threat."
>"But, you don't owe anyone anything. If you declined, I don't think anyone who knew what happened would blame you."

[DracoOmega]

>"You wouldn't be doing it for her, Utsuho. You'd be doing it for Sanae, who is Kanako's priestess and who is telling Kanako to let you go. And for everyone else. You remember how I told you no one even remembers the underground youkai? This is a good way to remind them you're still around, and that you're not a threat."
>"But, you don't owe anyone anything. If you declined, I don't think anyone who knew what happened would blame you."

>"Then they could just forget about us," Utsuho says weekly. "Would be better if they'd never remembered."
>Sanae walks over and kneels down by Utsuho. Orin bristles next to her as she does so, and turns a frail glare towards her. It looks like she's simply too weary to protest. Her face is slick with tears and her breathing is ragged and shallow.
>"Utsuho..." Sanae says. "I know why you must hate us. I... don't know that I'd be above that myself, were our positions reversed."
>"What do you care?" Utusho asks, irritatedly.
>"I care because you are a person who has been hurt terribly. I will make no excuses for why this has been so. But so many people here are depending on a good that only you can do. Would you turn your back on all of them because one among them wronged you?"
>"That's what I said, isn't it? I don't give a damn about any of you, and none of you give a damn about me."
>Sanae shakes her head. "That's not true. I care. The Yama cares. Keine cares, or none of us would even be here right now."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No one is going to make you provide power if you don't want to. We've survived without it before, and we'll do alright without it afterward. Just don't think everyone up here is like Kanako. But, if all you want to do is go home home, I'll leave it at that. Just, I think you're passing up a chance to make a lot of friends and do some good. And don't they say that living well is the best revenge?"

[DracoOmega]

>"No one is going to make you provide power if you don't want to. We've survived without it before, and we'll do alright without it afterward. Just don't think everyone up here is like Kanako. But, if all you want to do is go home home, I'll leave it at that. Just, I think you're passing up a chance to make a lot of friends and do some good. And don't they say that living well is the best revenge?"

>"....I never want to come back here again," Utsuho says quietly.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then that's that, I suppose. No one can blame you after what you had forced on you."

[DracoOmega]

>"Then that's that, I suppose. No one can blame you after what you had forced on you."

>Kanako shakes her head. "I said I would not release her because I feared she would do harm. Now she has guaranteed that she will do so."
>"Utsuho..." Sanae says. "The people who live here are my friends and family. What you do means a lot to everyone. They're good, honest people."
>"You're... still... thinking of her like a damn tool," Orin says, her voice steadying.
>"No," Sanae replies firmly. "I'm not. If there was any way that I could return the favor to you, I would do so. The benefit she gives is real. If you knew these people, you would see."