Iku Quest On Iki - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Also, I thought you should know..."
> Look away from Tenshi.
> "...I did it again."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Also, I thought you should know..."
> Look away from Tenshi.
> "...I did it again."

>"Not a big surprise," says Tenshi.

>_

[Mr. Sacchi]

> "Am I really that predictable?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Am I really that predictable?"

>"It's what you people do," says Tenshi. "It'd be pretty miraculous if you broke out of it in just a couple days."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Sigh.
> "I just wish I knew why I do it. I wasn't even aware I was doing it until it practically spelled out for me."

[Hello Purvis]

> Sigh.
> "I just wish I knew why I do it. I wasn't even aware I was doing it until it practically spelled out for me."

>"Probably because Celestials think they're better than everybody else," says Tenshi. "But you've been better about it lately, so you're probably getting less bad about it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look back at Tenshi.
> "My mistake nearly cost our people their freedom. I would hardly call that becoming 'less bad' about it..."

[Hello Purvis]

> Look back at Tenshi.
> "My mistake nearly cost our people their freedom. I would hardly call that becoming 'less bad' about it..."

>"How so?" says Tenshi. "Not like we couldn't take Remilia."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "We could, but seeing you lying unconscious, and thinking about what was truly important...I realized I cannot justify violent aggression merely because it is in response to violent aggression."

[Hello Purvis]

> "We could, but seeing you lying unconscious, and thinking about what was truly important...I realized I cannot justify violent aggression merely because it is in response to violent aggression."

>"Sakuya got lucky," Tenshi mutters.

>_

[Mr. Sacchi]

So yeah, here's a suggestion because I dunno how she could react to this.  :wat:

"Even if she did I don't want to see you getting hurt because of me."

I'm skeptical about this because we DID send her to the island in the first place.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

That was then, this is now.

>"Even if she did, I don't want to see you getting hurt because of me."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Even if she did, I don't want to see you getting hurt because of me."

>"I'm fine," says Tenshi. "She just got lucky, like I said."

[Kilgamayan]

> "I appreciate your sentiments, but I still do not believe whatever freak occurrences may have happened justify my deficiencies leading you to injury. Especially not when those same deficiencies nearly led to a complete meltdown of the negotiation process with Remilia."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I appreciate your sentiments, but I still do not believe whatever freak occurrences may have happened justify my deficiencies leading you to injury. Especially not when those same deficiencies nearly led to a complete meltdown of the negotiation process with Remilia."

>"Wait, you negotiated with her?" says Tenshi. "I thought you, I dunno, managed to take some of her spellcards or something."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shake head.
> "Her suspected malicious behavior was yet another failing on my part. She has been quite agreeable throughout the whole process of clearing up the confusion of whether or not our people were trying to invade Gensokyo. She has actually behaved better than I have, to be honest. The agreement we came to was that Bhava-Agra and Volatilis Scarlet Regnum would forgive the mutual confusion and hostility, and that I would take responsibility for all of the confusion on behalf of the true culprit, which you know to be our shadowy friend. Remilia has been made aware of our friend's presence to her satisfaction and no longer considers Bhava-Agra a guilty party. The agreement we made was that, rather than Remilia simply hand the conquered islands back over, that they would vote on whether or not they wished to remain with Volatilis Scarlet Regnum, and that I would vouch for her as a potential new ruler, with new ideas and new resources previously unseen on those islands."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shake head.
> "Her suspected malicious behavior was yet another failing on my part. She has been quite agreeable throughout the whole process of clearing up the confusion of whether or not our people were trying to invade Gensokyo. She has actually behaved better than I have, to be honest. The agreement we came to was that Bhava-Agra and Volatilis Scarlet Regnum would forgive the mutual confusion and hostility, and that I would take responsibility for all of the confusion on behalf of the true culprit, which you know to be our shadowy friend. Remilia has been made aware of our friend's presence to her satisfaction and no longer considers Bhava-Agra a guilty party. The agreement we made was that, rather than Remilia simply hand the conquered islands back over, that they would vote on whether or not they wished to remain with Volatilis Scarlet Regnum, and that I would vouch for her as a potential new ruler, with new ideas and new resources previously unseen on those islands."

>"Wait...so you're pretty much going to help her take them?" says Tenshi. "Really?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "They will have the choice to secede from Volatilis Scarlet Regnum at any time they wish, should they elect to join her, which it seems The Dragon suspects they actually may not. Part of the agreement was that the people of those islands would forever have the inalienable right to hold council to determine whether or not they wished to secede from whatever party to which they currently belonged and join the other. Should Remilia abuse her control over them, they can simply cease to be under her control and return to Bhava-Agra."

[Hello Purvis]

> "They will have the choice to secede from Volatilis Scarlet Regnum at any time they wish, should they elect to join her, which it seems The Dragon suspects they actually may not. Part of the agreement was that the people of those islands would forever have the inalienable right to hold council to determine whether or not they wished to secede from whatever party to which they currently belonged and join the other. Should Remilia abuse her control over them, they can simply cease to be under her control and return to Bhava-Agra."

>"Yeah, but you're going to help her?" says Tenshi. "Like actually help her?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I will discuss the opportunity presented to the people of those islands and endorse her proposed improvements to the islands, yes. Such is the payment necessary for my taking responsibility on our shadowy friend's behalf."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I will discuss the opportunity presented to the people of those islands and endorse her proposed improvements to the islands, yes. Such is the payment necessary for my taking responsibility on our shadowy friend's behalf."

>"And, you're going to do it for real?" says Tenshi. "Like, you're not going to just fake it or do a lousy job?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "That would be a rather dishonorable thing to do. It would also likely result in the nullification of our deal, at which point Remilia would resume disputing control of the islands."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "That would be a rather dishonorable thing to do. It would also likely result in the nullification of our deal, at which point Remilia would resume disputing control of the islands."

>You frown and express your thoughts on that.
>"Maybe, but you're really going to advocate carving up Bhava-Agra and putting celestials under the rule of someone like Remilia?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "I will admit I have some trepidation at the idea of Bhava-Agra becoming divided, but this agreement has left the decision entirely up to the people, and I believe ultimately that is more important than anything else. If they decide they wish to live their lives as residents of Volatilis Scarlet Regnum, that is their choice, and it is not my place to force them to live a different way. I also suspect at least some of my wariness is due to that failing of mine that you continue to point out, where I subconsciously act on the idea that Bhava-Agra is superior."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I will admit I have some trepidation at the idea of Bhava-Agra becoming divided, but this agreement has left the decision entirely up to the people, and I believe ultimately that is more important than anything else. If they decide they wish to live their lives as residents of Volatilis Scarlet Regnum, that is their choice, and it is not my place to force them to live a different way. I also suspect at least some of my wariness is due to that failing of mine that you continue to point out, where I subconsciously act on the idea that Bhava-Agra is superior."

>"Don't get me wrong," says Tenshi. "Putting celestials under Remilia is going to be way better, since it might actually teach someone a lesson for once. Just, I didn't think you'd actually help with that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shrug.
> "As I said, it was a necessary course of action to resolve the issue peacefully. Whatever misfortune or oddities that may befall me are acceptable prices to pay for my people's good name and freedom being restored."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shrug.
> "As I said, it was a necessary course of action to resolve the issue peacefully. Whatever misfortune or oddities that may befall me are acceptable prices to pay for my people's good name and freedom being restored."

>"So you don't actually believe in it at all," says Tenshi. "Okay, I guess that makes sense."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "I get the feeling I am not communicating properly. I would prefer our people stay with us, yes, but our negotiations left me confident that I will not be endorsing anything I consider bad for our people. Remilia's presence would actually present those people with some interesting opportunities, and they are free to opt out at any time. There is ostensibly no risk to be had, with plenty of potential for reward. So ultimately, while I will not be endorsing the position I personally prefer our people take, I will also not be endorsing a position I dislike or mistrust."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "I get the feeling I am not communicating properly. I would prefer our people stay with us, yes, but our negotiations left me confident that I will not be endorsing anything I consider bad for our people. Remilia's presence would actually present those people with some interesting opportunities, and they are free to opt out at any time. There is ostensibly no risk to be had, with plenty of potential for reward. So ultimately, while I will not be endorsing the position I personally prefer our people take, I will also not be endorsing a position I dislike or mistrust."

>"I don't get it," says Tenshi, frowning as well.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Perhaps it would be best to discuss the specifics, then. The three improvements Remilia mentioned in particular were functional horticulture, improved trade and defensibility. I balked at the last until I was assured it would be strictly voluntary, at which point I would have no problem with it, given I am proposing a very similar path for you in the future. An increase of trade route accessibility would not be a particularly bad thing, nor would improved care and arrangement of the islands' peach trees. I have no problem endorsing any of these courses of action."