Iku Quest Drei - A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>"It has been a morning of much hostility and little information, I'm afraid, but I will keep searching until I find something. Thank you for your assistance, Patchouli. I wish you a pleasant afternoon."
>Exit the mansion

[Hello Purvis]

>"It has been a morning of much hostility and little information, I'm afraid, but I will keep searching until I find something. Thank you for your assistance, Patchouli. I wish you a pleasant afternoon."
>Exit the mansion

>"One feeds the other, yes," says Patchouli. "Good luck, then."
>You make your way out of the mansion. "What'd you do to her familiar?" asks Tenshi. "Lecture her half to death or something?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Assuming we're well out of earshot: "She, uh, tried to take me to her bed with her. I politely declined."

[Hello Purvis]

>Assuming we're well out of earshot: "She, uh, tried to take me to her bed with her. I politely declined."

>Tenshi snorts, nearly breaking into a fit of cackling.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Try to be a little sensitive. Despite it all, I think she took it rather personally, which it truly wasn't. I feel bad for hurting her feelings."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Try to be a little sensitive. Despite it all, I think she took it rather personally, which it truly wasn't. I feel bad for hurting her feelings."

>"Wait, how can you reject someone and it's not personal?" asks Tenshi. "Those two things are pretty much opposites and stuff."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"It wasn't meant to be anything against her specifically. I cannot imagine saying yes to that if it came from anyone that I'd only met 5 minutes ago. If anything, I think I feel more positively inclined towards her for the attitudes she expressed than I would to most anyone else in a parallel situation."

[Hello Purvis]

>"It wasn't meant to be anything against her specifically. I cannot imagine saying yes to that if it came from anyone that I'd only met 5 minutes ago. If anything, I think I feel more positively inclined towards her for the attitudes she expressed than I would to most anyone else in a parallel situation."

>'"I don't think it actually works like that when you're on the receiving end of it," says Tenshi.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"No, I think you're quite right. But what else was I to do?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, I think you're quite right. But what else was I to do?"

>"I know," says Tenshi. "I'm just saying out, you can't really go around talking about it wasn't personal."
>You exit the mansion.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm just sorry I hurt her by that. She seems a rather earnest person, and I feel bad about it."
>Head out past the gate

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm just sorry I hurt her by that. She seems a rather earnest person, and I feel bad about it."
>Head out past the gate

>"Sounds like a no win deal," says Tenshi. "Unless you went for it. And I don't think anyone would blame you for that. ...Uh, I meant for not doing that. Though I guess the other way is true too."
>You head past the gate. Meiling opens it for you, then shuts it as you pass.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head towards the forest at the foot of Youkai mountain
>Along the way: "I'm going to go check in with Hina now, and see if she's learned anything. However, there is one added angle to what she's investigating that I have sworn not to disclose to anyone not directly involved. If I am to tell you what it is, I need your absolute word that you will tell no one else. Can you promise me this?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Head towards the forest at the foot of Youkai mountain
>Along the way: "I'm going to go check in with Hina now, and see if she's learned anything. However, there is one added angle to what she's investigating that I have sworn not to disclose to anyone not directly involved. If I am to tell you what it is, I need your absolute word that you will tell no one else. Can you promise me this?"

>You head toward the forest at the foot of Youkai mountain. How will you be getting there?
>Tenshi frowns. "Huh? Why? What's the big deal?"

>_

[Janitor Morgan]

Tangentially related to the current discussion: if the draining theory is true, perhaps the shadows were drained into the Sword of Hisou? That might explain why they fell shortly after Tenshi took it from its resting place.

Doesn't explain who drained the shadows in the first place, though...

[DracoOmega]

>You head toward the forest at the foot of Youkai mountain. How will you be getting there?

>Follow the road
>"I will say that someone else has been profoundly affected by something similar to what happened to Bhava-Agra, and their friends don't want word spreading yet, if at all possible. I understand their reasons, and will respect their wishes. Will you promise?"

Tangentially related to the current discussion: if the draining theory is true, perhaps the shadows were drained into the Sword of Hisou? That might explain why they fell shortly after Tenshi took it from its resting place.

Doesn't explain who drained the shadows in the first place, though...

Nitori's shadow has been missing for a couple days, though, and causing negative effects for that time, which is well before Tenshi took the sword.

[Janitor Morgan]

Nitori's shadow has been missing for a couple days, though, and causing negative effects for that time, which is well before Tenshi took the sword.

I realize that. However, it's possible that the islands' shadows faded a couple days ago as well. It would be impossible to tell, though, given how high they were in the sky.

All I can think of is that the sword bound the shadows to Bhava-Agra and thus kept it afloat...somehow. When the sword was removed, they fell. That's what I think, anyway.

[Hello Purvis]

>Follow the road
>"I will say that someone else has been profoundly affected by something similar to what happened to Bhava-Agra, and their friends don't want word spreading yet, if at all possible. I understand their reasons, and will respect their wishes. Will you promise?"

>"Well, okay, I suppose," says Tenshi.
>You follow the road around the lake.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Very well. Nitori's shadow is also missing. And apparently whatever caused it has had a profoundly negative effect on her. She barely responds to the world around her, doesn't eat on her own, just stares off into space. Utsuho, Yuugi, and Parsee has been looking after her since this happened a couple days ago."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Very well. Nitori's shadow is also missing. And apparently whatever caused it has had a profoundly negative effect on her. She barely responds to the world around her, doesn't eat on her own, just stares off into space. Utsuho, Yuugi, and Parsee has been looking after her since this happened a couple days ago."

>"Wow," says Tenshi. "That sounds pretty bad. Wait...why are they keeping that secret? You think they did it?"
>After a moment, she adds, "Patchouli is going to be really pissed if she ever hears about that, too."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't know why. It does seem like the kind of thing that public knowledge could help, sin e the cause is mysterious enough that more people investigating would be better. But I'm not about to tell Utsuho and Yuugi otherwise about their concerns for a friend. Would you want to cross them?"
> "I don't think they did it, though."

[DracoOmega]

>"I suspect they want to keep it quiet because they don't want Reimu or anyone else rampaging about and assuming they caused it. After the events of today, I cannot blame them at all for that."
>"And why do you think she'd be upset? Because I withheld potentially useful information from her? I suppose you may be right. I would have told her, if not for what I'd promised, but I didn't see how I could in clear conscience. From what she said, though, I don't know that it would have helped her narrow it down any."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't know why. It does seem like the kind of thing that public knowledge could help, sin e the cause is mysterious enough that more people investigating would be better. But I'm not about to tell Utsuho and Yuugi otherwise about their concerns for a friend. Would you want to cross them?"
> "I don't think they did it, though."

>"I suspect they want to keep it quiet because they don't want Reimu or anyone else rampaging about and assuming they caused it. After the events of today, I cannot blame them at all for that."
>"And why do you think she'd be upset? Because I withheld potentially useful information from her? I suppose you may be right. I would have told her, if not for what I'd promised, but I didn't see how I could in clear conscience. From what she said, though, I don't know that it would have helped her narrow it down any."

>"I guess you're right," says Tenshi. "But now that you mention it, what if it's just a cover?"
>"Yeah, exactly that, as far as Patchouli's concerned. And when has whether something is useful or not meant anything to a magician?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"A cover? Then why would they be spending so much time up here taking care of her? Apparently they practically have to feed her like an infant. And why would they voluntarily disclose this to me? They're all very concerned about her."
>"As for Patchouli, a promise is a promise. If she chooses not to understand that, there's little I can do about it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"A cover? Then why would they be spending so much time up here taking care of her? Apparently they practically have to feed her like an infant. And why would they voluntarily disclose this to me? They're all very concerned about her."
>"As for Patchouli, a promise is a promise. If she chooses not to understand that, there's little I can do about it."

>"I guess so," says Tenshi. "But if it's them, I get to say I told you so.'

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Fine, if it pleases you."
>Continue onward to the forest

[Hello Purvis]

>"Fine, if it pleases you."
>Continue onward to the forest

>"You're starting to do it again..." says Tenshi.
>You continue onward, coming close to the forest.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I am? If so, I apologize, but I don't really understand what I did."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I am? If so, I apologize, but I don't really understand what I did."

>"You're just writing me off even though I'm probably right, and you people do that all the-" she looks toward the sky. "Oh shit, Reimu."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Sigh
>Look up
>Where does Reimu seem to be headed? Does she seem to have noticed us?