Iku Quest Deka: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "I'm afraid it is my turn to not understand where you are coming from."

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "I'm afraid it is my turn to not understand where you are coming from."

>"You're making all these presumptions about me," she says, "So I assume you have to at least kind of think the same way yourself."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I am making presumptions about you based on how you present yourself. I tell you that you act incredibly confident because, from what I have seen, you do. I tell you that you have a penchant for putting yourself in situations where people are very likely to get angry at you because, from what I have seen, heard and..."
> Look down at our dress, then back up at Aya.
> "...experienced myself, you do. I presume that you have contingency plans in place for your defeats because you tell me you have had a mysterious benefactor lying in wait for some unknown length of time. Is any of this incorrect, in your experience?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I am making presumptions about you based on how you present yourself. I tell you that you act incredibly confident because, from what I have seen, you do. I tell you that you have a penchant for putting yourself in situations where people are very likely to get angry at you because, from what I have seen, heard and..."
> Look down at our dress, then back up at Aya.
> "...experienced myself, you do. I presume that you have contingency plans in place for your defeats because you tell me you have had a mysterious benefactor lying in wait for some unknown length of time. Is any of this incorrect, in your experience?"

>"I do so for my art, Nagae, and my readers," says Aya. "Please do not make any more such presumptions about me. I would prefer not to regret my gratitude, you understand."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The personal dangers of journalism are certainly commendable and not at all what I was referencing. Your art, however, is still risking yourself for yourself, which can be interpreted the way you do, or it can be interpreted as I have presented it to you. I do not wish to offend with any of this; I merely point out that, with the way you conduct yourself, perception can become reality to other people quite easily."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The personal dangers of journalism are certainly commendable and not at all what I was referencing. Your art, however, is still risking yourself for yourself, which can be interpreted the way you do, or it can be interpreted as I have presented it to you. I do not wish to offend with any of this; I merely point out that, with the way you conduct yourself, perception can become reality to other people quite easily."

>"That's still a pretty cynical way to look at the world," says Aya, "If that's the kind of thing you decide on. Makes me wonder how you see others, and yourself."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "To be honest, it was borne of me trying to figure out why you do what you call 'art'. Clearly it is not for the perverted aspect it seems to be on the surface, given what you did earlier in conjunction with what you refused to do."

[Hello Purvis]

> "To be honest, it was borne of me trying to figure out why you do what you call 'art'. Clearly it is not for the perverted aspect it seems to be on the surface, given what you did earlier in conjunction with what you refused to do."

>"That's kind of depressing," says Aya. "Let's talk about something else."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put on a disgusted look and look away.
> "I will be more than happy to not talk about what happened earlier, if that is to what you refer."
> Look back at Aya and resume a neutral expression.
> "But I must admit I am still curious why you call it art, when so many of the rest of us consider it an invasion of privacy."

[Hello Purvis]

> Put on a disgusted look and look away.
> "I will be more than happy to not talk about what happened earlier, if that is to what you refer."
> Look back at Aya and resume a neutral expression.
> "But I must admit I am still curious why you call it art, when so many of the rest of us consider it an invasion of privacy."

>"Why wouldn't it be art?" says Aya, frowning.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...I suppose it's true that one could define anything they wanted as art. Let me change the question, then. What is the purpose behind your artistic pursuit? It clearly must be very strong, given everything you have done and gone through for it. What artistic function does it all serve?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "...I suppose it's true that one could define anything they wanted as art. Let me change the question, then. What is the purpose behind your artistic pursuit? It clearly must be very strong, given everything you have done and gone through for it. What artistic function does it all serve?"

>"Didn't I explain it before?" she says. "Well. Try to imagine it. Everyone there, from Yukari to Yamame, from Reimu to Reisen. Everyone. What does it say to you?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It tells me you have a lot of chutzpah, but I assume that's not what you're trying to get at. It also tells me you're indiscriminate."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It tells me you have a lot of chutzpah, but I assume that's not what you're trying to get at. It also tells me you're indiscriminate."

"You're onto it with the second one," says Aya. "So, if I'm indiscriminate, what does it say about everyone else?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Honestly? It tells me something you've already implied you don't appreciate me concluding. I'm going to need a little bit more help than that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Honestly? It tells me something you've already implied you don't appreciate me concluding. I'm going to need a little bit more help than that."

>"They're equal," she says. "And, they're all vulnerable sometime."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I...see. Huh. Well, the sentiment is admirable, if not something I already would have agreed with, even if it was presented in a different form. And it does confirm the idea that you don't do it for the face value reason, which is good to hear."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I...see. Huh. Well, the sentiment is admirable, if not something I already would have agreed with, even if it was presented in a different form. And it does confirm the idea that you don't do it for the face value reason, which is good to hear."

>"Thanks, I guess?" says Aya, frowning.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Well...if I may make a suggestion? About your explanation, I mean. Not about your execution, I know that it will be what it will be and you are not going to change it no matter how much ire it draws. But the explanation itself, especially for someone like you, someone whose job it is is to convey the truth, could perhaps be a bit...clearer in your being indiscriminate? See, when I balked at your question, it was due to your use of 'everyone else' after 'if I am indiscriminate'. I was hoping this approach would be rethought. But you then used 'they are all vulnerable sometimes'. Do you see the potential for outsider misunderstanding here?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well...if I may make a suggestion? About your explanation, I mean. Not about your execution, I know that it will be what it will be and you are not going to change it no matter how much ire it draws. But the explanation itself, especially for someone like you, someone whose job it is is to convey the truth, could perhaps be a bit...clearer in your being indiscriminate? See, when I balked at your question, it was due to your use of 'everyone else' after 'if I am indiscriminate'. I was hoping this approach would be rethought. But you then used 'they are all vulnerable sometimes'. Do you see the potential for outsider misunderstanding here?"

>She frowns. "If I have to explain it to everyone, what's the point of even showing it? Art should speak for itself."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "And it may very well be at this point, given the words you have chosen. I will be blunt, just to make sure communication is clear, but please understand that I mean no disrespect. You still lack pictures of yourself, correct? And the words you have chosen pretty clearly refer to everyone else. Put simply, your art, both in execution and explanation, suggests the message you are trying to get across is that everyone is vulnerable...except you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "And it may very well be at this point, given the words you have chosen. I will be blunt, just to make sure communication is clear, but please understand that I mean no disrespect. You still lack pictures of yourself, correct? And the words you have chosen pretty clearly refer to everyone else. Put simply, your art, both in execution and explanation, suggests the message you are trying to get across is that everyone is vulnerable...except you."

>"That's because it really doesn't work if I take pictures of myself," she says, frowning. "I'm starting to think you're really projecting something here."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm trying to give you an outsider's perspective on the situation, because you seem so dedicated to the position. You mentioned that arts needs to speak for itself, and that, if you had to explain it to everyone, it would lose all meaning. This implies that you are concerned, to a degree, with people appreciating what you do. Is this true?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm trying to give you an outsider's perspective on the situation, because you seem so dedicated to the position. You mentioned that arts needs to speak for itself, and that, if you had to explain it to everyone, it would lose all meaning. This implies that you are concerned, to a degree, with people appreciating what you do. Is this true?"

>"You're doing it again," Tenshi says quietly.
>"It'd be nice to be appreciated," says Aya.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Turn to Tenshi with a confused look.
> "Really?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Turn to Tenshi with a confused look.
> "Really?"

>"Yeah, lots," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...How?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "...How?"

>"You're acting like you know her better than she does," says Tenshi, "And because you're you, you must be completely right and she's completely wrong. It's what you people do to me all the time."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I certainly don't know her thoughts better than she does. But I know what it's like to get impressions from her actions better than she does."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I certainly don't know her thoughts better than she does. But I know what it's like to get impressions from her actions better than she does."

>"See?" says Tenshi. "And you won't even admit you're wrong when you are."

>_