Iku Quest Cztery: A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, the islands themselves are largely harmless, in truth. The inhabitants, where there are any, are quite peaceful. Although I get the impression that even if they weren't so tame, the spirit of curiosity in them would compel them to look, nonetheless."
>"And no, it's not too late at all. I was just curious if you had or not."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, the islands themselves are largely harmless, in truth. The inhabitants, where there are any, are quite peaceful. Although I get the impression that even if they weren't so tame, the spirit of curiosity in them would compel them to look, nonetheless."
>"And no, it's not too late at all. I was just curious if you had or not."

>"I see," she says. "They're really bad about that."
>"Better go quick if you want 'em, though," says Tenshi. "They're probably running thin."
>Tokiko frowns.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I should hope we're not running too thin. We do need some left after all this, after all."
>How picked over did they seem to be last we dropped in?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I should hope we're not running too thin. We do need some left after all this, after all."
>How picked over did they seem to be last we dropped in?

>"I guess," Tenshi says.
>"Does this mean I shouldn't after all?" asks Tokiko, frowning.
>You didn't check. But the celestials did say there was a lot being taken.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh no, not at all. Don't worry yourself about that, truly. I said it's fine, and the orchard is my responsibility."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh no, not at all. Don't worry yourself about that, truly. I said it's fine, and the orchard is my responsibility."

>"Oh good," says Tokiko. "It'd be kind of a pain to make the trip for nothing."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I can understand that, although perhaps sooner may be better than later, in any case."
>"That being said, if Renko and Maribel aren't here, I guess I'll have to go search for them. Unfortunately, I don't really have a very good idea where they went, but there's not much that can be done about that, I suppose."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh! Have you seen Yamame Kurodani recently? She was in this house this morning."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I can understand that, although perhaps sooner may be better than later, in any case."
>"That being said, if Renko and Maribel aren't here, I guess I'll have to go search for them. Unfortunately, I don't really have a very good idea where they went, but there's not much that can be done about that, I suppose."

>"...Sorry," says Tokiko as you finish your lament.

> "Oh! Have you seen Yamame Kurodani recently? She was in this house this morning."

>"I think I know that name..." says Tokiko. "She's the spider youkai, right?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"That's right. We're sort of looking for her, as well."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod
>"That's right. We're sort of looking for her, as well."

>"Um, I didn't see her, as such," says Tokiko. "But I was sneaking past some faeries, and they were talking about about a spider youkai."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh? Where was this? And do you know what were they saying?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh? Where was this? And do you know what were they saying?"

>"That way," says Tokiko, pointing southwest. "I didn't hang around to listen, I was trying not to get seen."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Fair enough. And thank you, Tokiko. I wish you a pleasant afternoon."
>Head in the indicated direction

[Hello Purvis]

>"Fair enough. And thank you, Tokiko. I wish you a pleasant afternoon."
>Head in the indicated direction

>"You, too!" says Tokiko.
>You depart, heading into the forest. The leaves crackle underfoot, and there is a dry odor in the air. The leafy carpet makes the forest floor a little hard to see, but not so much that you feel in danger of tripping over anything. Tenshi takes to kicking at natural clumps of them. The trees themselves still have a fair deal more to give, but the canopy is thin enough you can usually see above yourself, and should obscure your from the air.
>"She's kinda weird, isn't she?" Tenshi says.

>_

[Marokuu]

>"A bit, but she seems like a nice enough person"
>Did we learn about Tokiko just recently becoming youkai?

[Hello Purvis]

>"A bit, but she seems like a nice enough person"
>Did we learn about Tokiko just recently becoming youkai?

>Tenshi nods, kicking at another leaf pile.
>Mystia said something about her being new, at least.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Although she seemed downright normal compared to when I first met her, cowering under her futon for fear of the sky falling. It made me feel oddly protective of her, to be honest."
>Continue into the forest, looking for signs of faeries. Or anyone else, for that matter

[Hello Purvis]

>"Although she seemed downright normal compared to when I first met her, cowering under her futon for fear of the sky falling. It made me feel oddly protective of her, to be honest."
>Continue into the forest, looking for signs of faeries. Or anyone else, for that matter

>Tenshi cackles. "Wow, that's probably the smartest thing anyone down here did!"
>You continue onward, picking your way through the forest. You keep your eyes open for faeries, but it is curiously quiet around here. Maybe they've all gone-Oh crap you're falling!
>"Urameshiya!" comes a voice from above as leaves close up around you with a loud crackling; you think you hear Tenshi cry out as well. You close your eyes reflexively  as you feel solid earth under your feet after a jarring fall. There are leaves; or what you imagine to be leaves, all around you and in your mouth.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Try to right ourselves and ascend again
>Get clear of the leaves, and get them out of our mouth if necessary
>Scan around for people

>What familiarity do we have with Kogasa?

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to right ourselves and ascend again
>Get clear of the leaves, and get them out of our mouth if necessary
>Scan around for people

>What familiarity do we have with Kogasa?

>You are graceful enough that you landed on your feet. You rise up into the air, leaving the majority of the leaves behind and spitting some out of your mouth. The flavor and some crumbs remain...
>You look around as you free yourself from the leaves, and see that you have fallen into a pit. Looking around, you see a teal-haired youkai with an eggplant-colored umbrella in hand, standing amidst a pile of leaves she was apparently concealed in. You also see Tenshi charging at her with the Sword of Hisou.
>You know Kogasa by reputation. You are pretty sure that was her distinctive cry a moment ago.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Tenshi! Easy!"
>Move to angle between the two of them, although don't put ourselves directly between, yet

[Hello Purvis]

>"Tenshi! Easy!"
>Move to angle between the two of them, although don't put ourselves directly between, yet

>You cry out and move to interpose yourself, but Tenshi was already in motion when you noticed this. She bears down on the umbrella youkai, the youkai stumbling back from a wide slash and falling onto the ground. This puts her in an unfortunate position as Tenshi closes in.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Keep closing in, ourselves. Try to move between them, if we can
>"Tenshi, stop! There are better targets to vent on today!"

[Hello Purvis]

>Keep closing in, ourselves. Try to move between them, if we can
>"Tenshi, stop! There are better targets to vent on today!"

>You close in, throwing yourself between the two.
>"What're you talking about!" Tenshi cries. "She came after us!"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And you've got a right to be pissed. Especially on a day like today. But I don't think this was personal."
>Turn to Kogasa, with a somewhat pointed expression: "And I don't believe she'll be doing anything more to us right now, will you?"
>To Tenshi: "So there's no need to hurt her, however satisfying that might be after everything."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And you've got a right to be pissed. Especially on a day like today. But I don't think this was personal."
>Turn to Kogasa, with a somewhat pointed expression: "And I don't believe she'll be doing anything more to us right now, will you?"
>To Tenshi: "So there's no need to hurt her, however satisfying that might be after everything."

>"Fine! Whatever!" Tenshi shouts. "I don't even care anymore!"
>"Wah..?" says the umbrella youkai, her eyes wide.
>You turn back to Tenshi and find her storming off.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Spare another glance back at Kogasa: "You might want to be more careful who you do that to."
>Quickly catch up with Tenshi, and try to follow quietly, a polite distance to the side

[Hello Purvis]

>Spare another glance back at Kogasa: "You might want to be more careful who you do that to."
>Quickly catch up with Tenshi, and try to follow quietly, a polite distance to the side

>The umbrella youkai nods vacantly. "Uh."
>You catch up with Tenshi and follow at a polite distance. "So what'd I do wrong this time?" she spits. "Am I talking too wide steps or something?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What you did wrong? In fact, what you did was quite understandable, I think. I'm not meaning to pass judgement like that."