Iku Quest Dos - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "You could change all that, by helping fix this. Our people are in dire straits right now. If you helped fix the problem, they would look up to you, not down on you."
> Grin.
> "And you could show that nosy Reimu a thing or two by proving she was wrong, too."

[DracoOmega]

>"But why, I asked. What do you think their reason is?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "You could change all that, by helping fix this. Our people are in dire straits right now. If you helped fix the problem, they would look up to you, not down on you."
> Grin.
> "And you could show that nosy Reimu a thing or two by proving she was wrong, too."

>She looks back at the floor. "No it wouldn't. It doesn't matter what I do, they've all already made up their minds."
>"...Maybe."

>"But why, I asked. What do you think their reason is?"

>"Because they think they're all better than everyone else."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Then do you think they also look down on each other?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then do you think they also look down on each other?"

>"No, why would they?" Asks Tenshi, "All the others are just like they are.."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Then who is this everyone that they're always looking down on, besides you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Then who is this everyone that they're always looking down on, besides you?"

>"Everyone else," she says. "Isn't it obvious?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Maybe I'm not following... You said that everyone in Bhava-Agra looks down on you. But that they don't look down on each other, because they're all the same. Who else there does that leave?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Maybe I'm not following... You said that everyone in Bhava-Agra looks down on you. But that they don't look down on each other, because they're all the same. Who else there does that leave?"

>"There's a whole lot more to the universe than Bhava-Agra, you know..." she says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm aware of that. I was just trying to make sure that's what you were saying. Maybe it's just been a rough day for both of us, but some of your earlier remarks seemed a little ambiguous."
>"And do you feel bad about the other people they look down on?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm aware of that. I was just trying to make sure that's what you were saying. Maybe it's just been a rough day for both of us, but some of your earlier remarks seemed a little ambiguous."
>"And do you feel bad about the other people they look down on?"

>"No they weren't," she says, frowning at you.
>"Not really," she says. "They don't have to deal with it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hey, I'm willing to take the fault for misunderstanding. I'm not saying you misspoke."
>"So really, the main reason you think the islands falling is good is because you think it'll cause people to start to treat you better?"
>"What's it like for you, then?"
>Could Tenshi technically leave Bhava-Agra and live elsewhere permanently, if she so chose? Presumably most people simply have no desire to leave, but has that particular issue come up before?

[WHMZakeri]

Okay, I think I've found a way to work around Drake's problem with my last suggestion.

>"Tenshi, tell me something. Before today, what was the latest Remarkable thing you did?"

The first step to changing somebody is making them understand the problem starts with them. I want to keep asking Tenshi these sorts of questions until she admits to herself she hasn't done anything worth making others like her.

[DracoOmega]

Personally, I think she's amply demonstrated her conviction that other people simply don't like her because they're closed minded. (ie: it's all their problem) She even said a moment ago that even if she DID do something wonderful in the service of Bhava-Agra, they wouldn't care, because they've all already made up their minds.

That being said, don't take this as me trying to stop you from trying that, because I'm not. I'm simply stating my opinion.

Incidentally, Drake is someone else on MoTK entirely, and you've called me that twice now. Not that it's especially ambiguous in this context, since he hasn't posted in this thread or anything, but just pointing that out.

[WHMZakeri]

Err, right. Sorry. I honestly don't know why I keep calling you Drake.

And I've been aware for a while that she's convinced everyone hates her forever and ever, and nothing she will ever do will be worthwhile, but that's basically just angry-depressed teenager logic. She just needs to get out, and get more active, and actually try something before writing it off as "No use." Although I'm sure Iku will be touching on what I just said herself when we get to that bridge.

[Kilgamayan]

I personally question the wisdom of telling her she's at fault - even just partially - while she's still brooding. I would wait until she's in a good mood again before trying that route.

To be honest, I think both she and our position would benefit greatly from a visit to the island full of the injured. Give her a chance to take in the real condition of all those she's spiting. I think she'll be much more open to new ideas after that.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hey, I'm willing to take the fault for misunderstanding. I'm not saying you misspoke."
>"So really, the main reason you think the islands falling is good is because you think it'll cause people to start to treat you better?"
>"What's it like for you, then?"
>Could Tenshi technically leave Bhava-Agra and live elsewhere permanently, if she so chose? Presumably most people simply have no desire to leave, but has that particular issue come up before?

>She blinks. "Huh, okay."
>"Well, yeah. But also because it'll be pretty much proving they aren't nearly so hot as they think they are."
>"Um...it's hard to say in words, you know?"
>The idea has been proposed, and vetoed by The Dragon. Admittedly, it was couched in terms of permanent  exile and disgrace, but she probably wouldn't feel it was that way. As for why, you aren't sure. The Dragon never felt the need to clarify.

>"Tenshi, tell me something. Before today, what was the latest Remarkable thing you did?"

>"Um, what do you mean, remarkable?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It may be hard to put into words, but can you try, a little? I'd like to understand better."
>Are there restrictions on how much time she is allowed to spend in Gensokyo of her own accord, then?
>What are our own estimation of how other celestials think of and treat Tenshi?

[Hello Purvis]

>"It may be hard to put into words, but can you try, a little? I'd like to understand better."
>Are there restrictions on how much time she is allowed to spend in Gensokyo of her own accord, then?
>What are our own estimation of how other celestials think of and treat Tenshi?

>"Everybody acts like I'm the problem, when they're all even worse for being so damn full of themselves, trying to act like they're any different! And there's no getting away from it, either."
>Not really, but she does have to return to tend to various things.
>You've...not really seen her mistreated or condescended yourself. At most, treated with some suspicion.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Didn't you just say they were different, a moment ago?"
>"But I guess that's why you like spending as much time in Gensokyo as you do? Both to get away from them, and to be someplace where people aren't as full of themselves, as you put it?"
>Tenshi was fairly well behaved up to the Scarlet Weather Incident, wasn't she?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Didn't you just say they were different, a moment ago?"
>"But I guess that's why you like spending as much time in Gensokyo as you do? Both to get away from them, and to be someplace where people aren't as full of themselves, as you put it?"
>Tenshi was fairly well behaved up to the Scarlet Weather Incident, wasn't she?

>"No, I said they act like they are!" she says. "They think they are! That's why it's worse than me."
>She nods. "It's a lot more fun here, too."
>She was well behaved before then.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Did you always feel this way about them? I mean, it didn't seem like it to me until a few years ago."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Did you always feel this way about them? I mean, it didn't seem like it to me until a few years ago."

>"I didn't notice it until then," says Tenshi, staring at the floor again.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"So you feel the other celestials were looking down on you, even before you created that incident?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"So you feel the other celestials were looking down on you, even before you created that incident?"

>"Yeah, but I didn't know it at the time," she says. "I knew something was off, but I hadn't figure it out yet."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Why would they have been looking down on you back then? You never seemed to act obviously different than they did."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Why would they have been looking down on you back then? You never seemed to act obviously different than they did."

>"I don't know," she says with a shrug.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Then how could you tell?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then how could you tell?"

>"You just can," says Tenshi. "You can hear it in what they say, even if what they're saying ought to be perfectly nice."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And do you think I act like this?"