> Wait for Kotohime to arrive.
> Wave to Kotohime.
> "That is okay. I did not find much myself. I did hear, though, that Seiga was around yesterday with a horse."
> "Do not worry about it too much. We have at least eliminated the possibility that she is hiding here in town. And the fact that she had a horse as recently as yesterday is a possible clue itself."
> Give Kotohime a reassuring smile.
> "Please, do not worry. You did what you could."
> "Regardless, I wish to investigate this new lead, in the Forest of Magic. Are you ready to depart?"
> "Then let us go."
> Leave the tavern and head toward the part of the Forest of Magic where Meira lives.
> Head to the 'mansion' again.
> Knock on the door.
> Did Meira say she would be anywhere before we left?
> Frown.
> "Hmm...I do not see her horse. Perhaps she is not home? That would be unfortunate."
> "Let us at least check one thing."
> Head out behind the mansion to the practice range.
> Frown.
> "These are the leftover bits from our practice this morning. Could she have left in a hurry for some reason?"
> "Maybe. Regardless, I believe it is time we returned to the Shrine and see if Miko learned anything."
> Head back to the Shrine.
> Make our way over to her.
> "Has Miss Miko not returned yet?"
> "Unfortunate. How much do you know about a swordswoman named Meira, who lives in the woods near the Human Village?"
> "I don't suppose she has been by here recently either, then?"
> "Hmm...in that case, do you know of anyone else that lives in that area of woods?"
> "Oh, sorry."
> Describe the area of woods where Meira lives in more detail than just "near the Human Village".
> Frown.
> "Mmmmmmm..."
> Look to Kotohime.
> "Would it be against the law to investigate the inside of her mansion?"
> "It is not a heist, Reimu. It is my current best lead. I have no intention of taking any of her possessions, only investigating if Seiga is hiding in her mansion."
> "If Meira wishes to file a grievance, she can take it up with me."
> "In that case, I will return to her mansion and search for any evidence that Seiga was there recently. Would you mind telling Miss Miko where I have gone?"
> Blanche a little bit.
> "Can you at least describe to her the general area, as I have to you? Just between the three of us, she has already not done so well with directions once today."
> Were there any obvious land marks at our entrance into the part of the woods that took us to Meira's mansion?
> "I suppose."
> Look to Kotohime.
> "Do you think you could get back there, now that you've been there once?"
> "Rrrrr...okay. Here is my idea, if you are willing. We will go back to the mansion, with you keeping track of how precisely to get there. Once we arrive, you should return here, and guide Miss Miko there when she arrives. Is that all right?"
> Sigh.
> "Then we will wait here for her arrival."
> "Thank you. I promise I will not place myself in severe harm's way."
> Take flight and retrace our path to Meira's mansion.
> What notable locations are in that part of the forest?
> "I see. Please pardon my ignorance, but are there any notable establishments in that area of the forest?"
> "Is there anyone whose services I could enlist to lead me around that area in a search for her?"
>Inventory.
>What would be an appropriate amount of ☼ for a task such as this?
> "Would 20☼ be enough? Or is there a standard fare for such things?"
> "Very well, then. And I will be sure to take responsibility if you are admonished for leaving this place."
> Give the smallest of smiles.
> "I assure you, there will be no need for that. I have already conducted similar business with your Reisen once, and I understand the significance of one of your number leaving the area at a time like this. You need only explain my request and compensation to Reisen, and I am sure she will understand."
> Pay the woman!
> "A pleasure to meet you, Sasha. My name is Miko. I believe I am ready to depart now, if you are as well."
> Lower voice
> "Does anyone else live in this area?"
> Does this place look any different from the rest of the forest?
> How tall is the rabbit compared to us?
> How wide does our new cloak naturally flare out?
> "Where shall we begin our search?"
> Gesture in the direction we were traveling (the opposite of the direction from which we came).
> "Everywhere looks the same to me, so let us try this way, I suppose."
> Take a look to our left without making a sound.
> Look back to Sasha and keep our voice low as before.
> "When we get to that building, stay hidden nearby. I will investigate the interior myself. If you hear me say 'Hello, Seiga', I need you to sneak away without being noticed, and make your way to the Hakurei Shrine. Bring the half-ghost swordswoman and her red-haired companion here. If there is a ghost in green present with a white-haired companion, bring them as well."
> Pull out another 20 of the local currency.
> "Are you willing to do this?"
> Frown in uncertainty for a couple of seconds, then nod.
> "Very well. I understand that you have urgent domestic concerns."
> Put our money away.
> "Please do at least let your companions know about where I am, though. If Reisen could find out in particular, it would be most appreciated."
> Grin.
> "The Hakurei Shrine will do nicely."
> "You will have to take that up with people that are not me. Farewell, then, and best wishes for a peaceful resolution to the turmoil surrounding your house."
> Nod.
> "If you are willing."
> "That is fine. I was not prepared to ask you to endanger yourself for my cause. Just be sure to escape if you hear 'Hello, Seiga'."
> "Let us go, then. Stay out of sight."
> Head toward the building.
> Are there any windows?
> If so, could we be seen from them if we stood at the front door?
> Head to the front door, put on one of our royal displeased faces, and knock.
> Is our sword visible?
> Can we feel any sort of extra energy or life force?
> Is her expression one of happiness, shock, a combination thereof, or something else entirely?
> Soften our look a little bit and nod.
> "Hello, Seiga. Indeed it has."
> Gesture inside the house.
> "May I?"
> Do we recognize this rod?
> What color is the rod?
> Nod.
> "Thank you."
> Enter!
> A purple rod with a circle on top and feathery extensions. This matches Kisume's description of her stolen wand rather well. Does this rod look to be about a foot and a half long?
> "Thank you. How have you been, dear?"
> Have a seat on one of the sitting mats.
> "Of course."
> Glance down at the rod while speaking the above line, then look back up at Seiga properly when we are done.
> "If I may, what sorts of other projects have you found for yourself?"
> Did Seiga always have Yoshika in tow for day-to-day activities, or was Yoshika only present for specific tasks?
> "I see..."
> Have we eaten since this morning?
> "I actually have, though I would not turn down a little something extra, if you are willing."
> Is this the only room in the house?
> "That shall do splendidly, yes."
> Take a bean and eat it when the basket is offered.
> "I must admit I had assistance from a local. I would surely have been lost in this labyrinth of bamboo if left to my own devices."
> Eat another bean.
> "Ah, does it grow back that quickly?"
> "That is mildly frightening to consider."
> Have another bean.
> "It does seem possible to create a clearing of some size, at least, if the rabbit manor is any indication."
> "Ah, unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to properly enter the manor grounds yet. There appears to be a civil dispute between the ruling class and the rabbits."
> "It seems that the rabbits wish to be able to dig holes on mansion grounds. The ruling class, the medic in particular, has forbidden this absolutely, so the rabbits are now on strike in protest. I offered the suggestion of consulting an architectural expect to see if a compromise can be safely reached; the leaders of both sides are in discussions now."
> Have another bean.
> Nod.
> "I have confidence things will resolve properly."
> Give a long sigh.
> "As loathe as I am to disrupt this pleasant conversation...may I assume you are wondering why I was seeking you out this day?"
> "Very well."
> Breathe in and out, then take on a look and tone of compassion tinged with sadness.
> "Before I begin, I want to make sure you know that I do care about you, Seiga. And I do not mean that in some..."
> Wave a hand dismissively for emphasis.
> "...irritating passive-aggressive way, as a lesser ruler would do when about to threaten a subordinate."
> Stop waving our hand.
> "I speak not as Crown Prince to advisor, but as Miko to Seiga. I care about you, and wish the best for you. Is this understood?"
> "Good."
> Gesture to the rod at Seiga's waist.
> "That rod is a rather new addition to your ensemble. I would like you to tell me how you came into it."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "'Some youkai bandit'?"
> "I see. Have you met this individual before?"
> "Mmm. And when do you plan on returning it to her?"
>Did Kisume ever say where she got the wand from?
> "Because that sort of behavior is unbecoming of someone in your position."
> What was that war over, again?
> "That was a long time ago, and we have all grown wiser and better."
> "I am not so sure. Setting aside her...inappropriate life decisions, I have heard some fascinating things about this bandit."
> "In particular, I have heard she had a hand in putting a halt to a certain foreign army."
> "Indeed. She also knew who I was, as well as who you were. The...unflattering things she said of you were simple to set aside as biased and exaggerated, but she did still know enough of what happened that it is hard to believe she was not involved."
> Shake head.
> "Unfortunately, I do not know, as she did not elaborate on his whereabouts. I suppose we could ask the next time we see her."
> "Anyway, I did tell the young lady I would look into her wand's disappearance. It would be poor form to not follow up on my promise."
> "I also promised I would bring the responsible party back to her."
> "Perhaps, though I imagine that if I returned her stolen item, she would be willing to overlook my broken promise."
> Sigh.
> "Seiga, you speak as though you yourself have not stolen that wand."
> "Ill action is not justified by any unsavory character the victim may have."
> "The people of this land care. We already do not have the best or most trustworthy reputation; mugging the locals is not going to help."
> "More people will care if it is done in conjunction with other thefts."
> "I know a half-ghost gardener that would disagree with you."
> "This particular gardener has connections with very influential people, some of which are holding me at least partially responsible for what happened in the Netherworld this morning."
> "I do not particularly desire friendship with most of the locals. I do, however, desire good and proper relations with those of influence, so that we may all be able to interact peacefully and respectfully without fear of underlying motives."
> "...What are you planning, Seiga?"
> Sigh again.
> "You are not actually going to make me learn what you are planning the hard way, are you?"
> Reach for our earmuffs, but don't remove them yet. Say the below while reaching.
> "You will have to pardon my lack of patience with thieves at present."
> Strange. She is making no effort to dissuade us, but yet she is not admitting defeat and simply telling us...
> Can we hear the whispers of her desires through our earmuffs, as we typically can with people?
> Give a sad frown.
> "I will be honest, Seiga. I am disappointed that we are at this point, and that I have to take these measures. I feel as though I have failed you, in that it does not seem as though you have considered your behavior in the wake of our last meeting as I had hoped you would."
> Remove our earmuffs. Keep close track of our resulting headache; we don't want to push ourselves too far.
> Is there anything in her desires about our sword?
> Take a deep breath without breaking eye contact with Seiga.
> Take on a tone of measured calm.
> "...Who is this other person?"
> "Does she have a name?"
> How's our head doing?
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Seiga..."
> Put our earmuffs back on.
> "I would be 'ever so delighted' if you returned my sword to me."
> "Then perhaps we should retrieve it."
> "She is on her way here?"
> Harden our expression.
> "With what?"
> "Seiga..."
> "Seiga, you must realize how poor an idea this is if it requires you to steal from me and then refuse to elaborate on anything despite my asking you repeatedly."
> "I am not even sure I want to to be 'effective' at all."
> "There are a number of things that could accomplish this while also being very unpleasant. I do not doubt that you are doing what you think is best, but I am very concerned that what you think is best involves a number of questionable and dangerous practices, never mind stealing from me."
> How close is sunset?
> "Most such efforts also involve the person that the the change is allegedly being made for knowing what is happening. I am not interested in surprises, Seiga. I am interested in knowing exactly what is going on, and why it was necessary to offend so many and put this entire land and other lands at risk for the sake of whatever you are trying to do."
> "And what, precisely, is she doing right now, that may bring any number of angry problem solvers to my doorstep?"
> "To do what?"
> "Can you give me the names of either of these people?"
> "Yes."
> Wasn't that the name of Youmu's sword friend?
> "And whom in the Netherworld is she seeking?"
> What are kishin again?
> "This would not happen to be the same disgraced shikigami the young one in the bucket told of, would it?"
> Rub our temples in irritation.
> "So let me see if I have all of this straight. You stole that wand from the young girl in the bucket, and are attempting to ally yourself with someone that may very well have been a fierce rival of hers. You stole the life force of that great youkai tree in the Netherworld, and have enlisted the aid of someone the half-gardener seems to consider a quality acquaintance, if not a friend. And you stole my sword from me, and have set in motion a chain of events that could very well drag my name through nigh-unwashable mud, if for no other reason than because it will appear as if I orchestrated the destruction of the Hakurei shrine maiden. And yet, you wish for my support and approval of this course of action?"
>"You certainly cannot be planning anything pleasant for her."
>"Even with all that aside though, despite your best intentions this is not something I wish done. You need to consult with me before enacting such grand plans for my sake."
> "Why not?"
> Does Seiga not have access to Senkai?
> "Why did you not wait for me to awaken, and ask me then?"
> Does she not know it exists?
> "Look here. I...can appreciate the sentiment. Truly. But the execution is quite problematic, in multiple ways. I will not allow my name to be attached to this particular endeavour."
> "That will require the complete non-involvement of you, and of my sword."
> "Then the current iteration must be ceased, and we shall try again under different circumstances."
> "Not necessarily. The half-ghost gardener did say she was going to visit Meira's residence in the process of searching for you. She may slow Meira down."
> "Then they may encounter each other at the shores of Sanzu River, unless the shikigami is held somewhere other than Higan."
> Frown.
> "Must we?"
> "I wonder if perhaps I could convince her to at least look the other way. If nothing else, I do not want to pit human against human to achieve this idea."
> Reimu is human, yes?
> "The Hakurei shrine maiden? Most certainly."
> "Did you tell Meira the source of the new life force you have bestowed upon her?"
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Surely you told her of the danger it poses to her well-being, at least."
> "How precisely is she wielding it, anyway?"
> "So she now contains it within herself, instead of in a sword?"
> "Whatever sword she wields."
> Wrinkle our nose a little bit.
> "Or my sword, I suppose."
> "I am merely being thorough in my questions."
> "Now, what security measures have you put in place to guarantee she does not turn on you?"
> Blink.
> "...So what then, precisely, is stopping her from stabbing you in the back?"
> "How far do you truly trust someone that has been given a tremendous amount of power to use against others as they see fit?"
> "And if she does not?"
> What do we know of the origin of the spell card system, and any possible role Reimu plays in it?
> "I imagine that if someone told this woman a week ago that she would be given tremendous power from a youkai tree and could use it to unify the humans of Gensokyo, she would say the same thing."
> Give Seiga a look.
> "You know what I mean."
> "My aristocrats do not usually draw on massive amounts of youkai energy to accomplish their tasks."
> Give a look of disgust.
> "I should hope no one I trust would ever resort to such tactics."
> Is it possible this person is a direct descendant of ours?
> How many children did we have, then?
> "As for this disgraced shinigami, what reason does she have to help this cause?"
> "One wonders how far the gratitude of such an individual will extend."
> "With all due respect, I would feel more reassured that this will not come back to explode in our faces if we had more than hope. Surely this shinigami did something to be cast away so? How can we be so sure this behaviour will not repeat itself?"
> "And what of Higan itself? This will not exactly endear us to the shinigami that are not disgraced."
> "This may prompt them to pursue us with much greater frequency."
> "I am not so sure. It may not be cost-effective to constantly attempt to pursue us. Infuriating them may make that not matter anymore, however."
> "I speak more in terms of their available resources. Time spend fruitlessly chasing us is time not spent on other tasks with more immediate, easier-to-obtain gains."
> Are we aware of any other hermits?
> "We are not the only ones, and there are countless other souls that Higan considers in need of attending to."
> Sigh in irritation and rub the side of our head a bit.
> "How is this swordswoman even crossing into Higan in the first place?"
> ...Would that actually work?
> "And how is she to return here?"
> "I meant here to this house."
> "And what is to become of the spell card system?"
> "It is a creation of the Hakurei shrine maiden, is it not? Will it still be respected if she is deposed?"
> Do we know why the youkai of the land seem to respect Reimu, instead of just forgoing the spellcard system and causing their natural havoc?
> "Mmm...how much research into the history of this disgraced shinigami have you done?"
> "What about the old Higan employee that conflicted with the young lady in the bucket? Supposing, for the moment, that they are two different former Higan employees."
> "According to the young lady in the bucket, that particular former employee was using that foreign army for revenge. It seems that army was planning on turning traitor on us upon their arrival and using their military might to conquer this land."
> Frown.
> "I feel foolish for having forgotten about this until just now. Regardless, if her former Higan employee and this disgraced shinigami are the same person, then that seems all the more reason to not trust her."
> "It seems difficult to fathom, given we have heard nothing from them since. And, of course, the impartiality of the young lady can be called into question. But she did name another, a mysterious woman named Kasen, who the young lady claims helped her put a stop to things. It seems this Kasen is a common visitor of the Hakurei Shrine. I think it worth asking her if all of this is true, and also asking the Hakurei shrine maiden about Kasen's own reliability of character."
> "Will the people recognize a ruler that allies themselves with someone that would have gladly seen them all killed or conquered by an invading army, though? If this Kasen is loyal to the Hakurei shrine maiden, I cannot imagine that she would not spread this information as much as possible the instant Meira appears with the shinigami at her side."
> Give Seiga another look.
> "The solution to a potentially problematic individual is not to discredit those pointing out that the individual is problematic."
> "Yes. And the problem in this case is the threat posed to the human population of Gensokyo by one of their leaders caring very little if they live or die."
> "I am not saying she would not. But advisors are reflections of their leaders, just as Futo and Tojiko are reflections of myself. Indeed, even now, you are a reflection of myself, despite present circumstances."
> "It is best to make sure your help's major interests align with yours. Disagreeing on the minor details of how to improve your subjects' lives is one thing, disagreeing on the fundamental value of your subjects' lives is quite another."
> "It would, perhaps, be better to be proactive in this case."
> "That would be fine. What is important is that the issue is addressed sooner rather than later."
> Rub our face again with a sigh.
> "...None at the moment."
> "On the contrary, this all happening this way has allowed us to identify problem areas to be addressed, particularly in regards to that shinigami."
> "In your defense, you could not have known about the circumstances that may surround this disgraced shinigami."
> "If I may ask, what were you planning to do after their arrival here?"
> "And then?"
> What, precisely, is the purpose of uniting the humans under a common banner, beyond a more formal/official figurehead to defend against youkai?
> How would daily human life in Gensokyo change if this happened?
> "I see. What do you expect may happen, though, if not immediate pursuit of the Hakurei shrine maiden?"
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "But Meira has already agreed to this, has she not?"
> "Ah, my apologies. I believe we are speaking of two slightly different things. I was originally asking about what this small band would do once the shinigami has made her decision."
>"When you put it like that this sounds a lot like an incident, and Gensokyo seems quite experienced in resolving those."
> Do we think we could siphon power from that wand the same way Seiga siphoned the life force from that tree?
> "Hmm. I almost wonder if it would be better to confront the Hakurei shrine maiden directly, before heading to the Human Village."
> "Consider the circumstances, though. Imagine someone carrying an obvious mark of connection to me striding into the Human Village and declaring themselves ruler. Even before any problem solvers were to arrive, can you not think of several someones that will try to put a stop to it immediately?"
> Give Seiga another look.
> "Please do not play coy with me. You know exactly to whom I refer."
> "No one will believe it does not concern them. It is not exactly hidden knowledge that we do not see eye to eye. There is very little chance such an action will not be see as a direct attack on them."
> "How can you be so sure the entire village will simply up and agree to all of this?"
> Is this assessment in line with our experience of Gensokyo's human population?
> "Let us suppose that is the case, then. Do you really think the temple will not discern the long-term ramifications of living in a human village that flies a banner known to have no love of youkai?"
> "They are supposed to be a number of things that they are not. I think you place far too little faith in the determination of self-preservation."
>"Only if this works in our favour, if they opposed Meira and she was then defeated as a threat to the village it could strengthen their relations with the villagers greatly."
>"What makes you so sure of Meira's ability?"
> "...If you had this at your disposal, the chance to defeat all of them with a single warrior, why did you not think to wait and bestow this upon me?"
> "Addressing the immediate issue first would have made the transition much smoother, though."
> "It would not have been necessary to initiate a conflict. Heaven knows they do that enough on their own. It would only have been necessary to end one decisively."
> How is our head feeling by now?
> Stop what? Questioning Seiga?
> Just for clarification, this is the case even though we put our headphones back on a while ago?
> Did we sense any any sort of traitorous desires from Seiga earlier in this conversation?
> Did Kisume say where she got her wand from?
> Sigh again.
> "This...is a very tough situation you have put me in, Seiga. I have a number of apprehensions about what is going to happen today, and while you have assuaged a few, there are many issues on which we seem to simply disagree. Even if this succeeds, it is going to put an undue amount of stress on me and possibly interfere with my training. It may also interfere with Futo and Tojiko's abilities to travel this land peacefully. But...I suppose it would be interesting to see unfold, if nothing else."
> "Of course. Though you understand that I will wish to see Meira tested for myself, of course."
"But...I suppose it would be interesting to see unfold, if nothing else."OOC: Wait, we're going to allow Seiga to do this plan? Even though this will very likely make solving this incident a lot harder for us, and Y and K to do so?
> "Ah, and while I am thinking about it, there is one other thing."
> Point at the wand.
> "I require that for the travels in my immediate future."
> "For one, I think it would be best if the shinigami was not aware that we have it, just in case there is some sort of connection between her and the young lady in the bucket. For another, as you may have noticed, I am presently disarmed, and would appreciate the opportunity to rectify that."
> "Interesting. I recall no such promise being made when my sword changed hands."
> "That makes it no less fascinating that you have so little trust in me that that you would expect this despite having no qualms taking my valuable personal possessions without asking."
> "And I have yet to hear a reason why it was necessary that this be a surprise."
> Put on a look of ever-so-slight confusion.
> "You...do realize how this has all come off as appearing, do you not?"
> "Far more than that, I'm afraid. Consider precisely what has happened here. You have stolen a very valuable personal possession from me, reducing my battle prowess in the process, and now express distrust of me when I request a minor compensation. In the stated interest of achieving a goal I support, you have taken an immense power and bestowed it not upon me, but upon someone else of noble heritage, someone that will claim loyalty to you out of gratitude, but only has reason to claim any loyalty to me due to a connection with you. Your plan involves agitating everyone in this land and others that actively dislikes me and is structured to look like I orchestrated the entire thing. And you initially repeatedly refused to give any details to the point where I had to take measures I really did not wish to take in order to learn anything of meaning."
> Frown.
> "If I did not know better, I would say this has all the markings of you setting yourself up to betray me and cast me aside in favor of a newer, more powerful ruler, one that you will have a large measure of control over, and one that will almost certainly never have a conversation with you of the same gravity as the one we had the last time we saw each other."
> "Perhaps I would be, if it were only one or two things. But with everything together, combined with a complete lack of apologeticness on your part? Perhaps not."
> "Did you not consider the ramifications of your actions? Such as what I was supposed to think when I woke up this morning and found my sword missing?"
> "That does not answer my question. Unless you expected to be finished before I woke up this morning?"
> "Then you must have understood the consternation you caused this morning. Particularly with Futo and Tojiko, who woke up before I did. Surely you have wondered why I am here by myself, rather than with them at my side?"
> "Sadly, no. It is because they were accosted in their investigation into the disappearance of my sword, and it left them injured."
> "A couple of oni scoundrels. Futo and Tojiko were victorious, of course, but they did not leave unscathed."
> "Perhaps their investigation into my stolen sword was not well-received in the underground city."
> Shrug.
> "I imagine they were simply being thorough in their search. Besides, there is more than just oni underground."
> Nod.
> "Indeed it is. However, it is not good that they needed to be there in the first place."
> "Regardless, these are the sorts of consequences to which I refer. This stolen sword business led directly to them being injured when they would not have been had the business surrounding my sword been handled differently."
> Frown.
> "I would not say what happened to them is 'alright in the end'."
> "My first concern is that your rash actions led directly to their current predicament, and that such could have been avoided if you had approached the initial situation in a more respectful way. My second concern is that you do not seem to see why what you did was wrong, which means you are liable to repeat such actions."
> "So this being a surprise was a necessary part of this plan?"
> "Why?"
> Does she sound desperate, exasperated, flustered, confused, or something else entirely?
> Has Seiga always been this...well, childish?
> Give an uncertain frown.
> Keep tone non-accusatory.
> "And why was it so important?"
> Did she says this with the same tone as before? Or did she seem too embarrassed to continue instead?
> Is Seiga sitting down, as we are?
> Put on an empathetic expression with the slightest hint of a smile.
> "Seiga, dear, you do remember what I told you at the very beginning of this conversation, yes? You can be honest with me with this."
> What, precisely, were the 'wicked ways' we meant when we banished Seiga the first time around?
> Keep on the same sympathetic look and tone.
> Nod slowly.
> "Mmm. I figured that might be the case. I apologize if I made you think I actually believed you a traitor."
> Sigh with a smile and stand up.
> Give a small, gentle beckon.
> "Seiga, come here, please."
> Lose the smile, but keep the rest of the sympathetic look.
> Gently place a hand on Seiga's shoulder.
> Take on a soft tone.
> "I did say I appreciate the sentiment, dear. I will be forthright: no small part of my stress today has been over the possibility that you and I would end up directly at odds, and that we would do battle with each other before everything resolved."
> "I do not wish for us to be. And I believe you do not wish for us to be either."
> Nod.
> "Good. Then I believe we will not."
> "Now, that being said, I would like to discuss what you have done today in that light. You may not like what you hear, but I promise you, I will say these things because I care for you, as I said. I want to be able to tell you that you are welcome in our little family again. But there is work to be done before I can, and that work begins with what I have to say. Will you listen?"
> Return the gentle smile.
> "Good. I am glad to hear this."
> Bring our other arm and shift our grip on Seiga's shoulder into a gentle embrace.
> Let the hug hold for a few seconds, then let go.
> When Seiga also lets go, gesture back to where she was sitting.
> "Shall we begin?"
> Return to our own seat.
> "Very good."
> "As I said before, I can appreciate the sentiment of what you have done. The humans of Gensokyo would certainly benefit from being united under a single banner. My...main concern with this particular approach is the general lack of empathy shown. We should be showing concern for the well-being of others. Even if they have wronged us, we should not stoop to their level."
> "I realize this is a change from our previous lives. But the reality we face now is different from the reality we lived back then. Our positions in society are different, our goals with life are different, we ourselves are different. We are now best served gaining the respect of whomever we can, and offending as few as possible. This is particularly true given we have had the misfortune of gaining a group of fairly influential rivals. We shall not, of course, kowtow to that group, but we should not be antagonizing them either, lest we bring ourselves down to their level."
> Nod.
> "Of course. I was simply providing them as the most obvious example of an antagonistic party."
> "This brings me to the first major point of conflict. I believe it may be possible to unite the humans of Gensokyo under a single banner without thievery or forcing conflict. This would be the ideal way to go about doing so."
> "That decision should only be made after careful consideration and extensive effort to avoid underhanded tactics."
> "Expedience is valuable, but a quality job is more proper than a speedy one."
> "I hope you are not implying that one achieves the perfect solution by simply waiting for it to present itself."
> Frown.
> "Not at all. One must work toward their goal, of course. They must simply do so as respectfully as possible."
> "This is not an immediate matter of life and death, is it?"
> "Interesting. And you have made no mention of how you will handle the vampire manor."
> "I imagine they would at least have something to say, given they are the current claimed ruling class of this land."
> "I was similarly unaware until I was invited into their mansion this morning. Now, the vampire did say she preferred a hands-off approach to her position in this land, and one of the vampire's advisors seems to suggest the local problem solvers may have a thing or two to say if she tries to reach too far. But she was pointedly interested in learning about myself and what I was planning to do with my birthright. I dare say that their household, at the very least, will take great interest in any action Meira takes in uniting the humans."
> Pop ourselves another soy bean.
> "If the vampire's words are to be taken as true, it has been 'left to' her for some time now."
> "This is entirely possible, but also misses the point."
> "Or you could work out something beforehand, something which does not needlessly place the human population at risk, as she is demonstrably not an immediate threat."
> "Hmph. Perhaps you have already forgotten who I am, then."
> "I have little doubt I could reason with her, given the opportunity."
> "She seems to view me favorably, which would work in my favor."
> "Compromise is often a necessary part of diplomacy."
> "I believe I could convince her to do so. I will not know for sure unless I try, will I?"
> Smile.
> "Perhaps I am an optimist. It does seem that I have a penchant for taking on the task of convincing people to see things my way in the interest of the greater good."
> "Is there any particular reason for this? Have you spoken with her at length?"
> "It is not a random claim by any stretch. She claims dominion over the land in its entirety. It is simply logical that this includes the humans."
> "Of course. I am simply being thorough. Anyway, any effort to convince the vampire to compromise on this issue would obviously be difficult. But difficulty of execution is not a reason to shy away from doing what is right and best for everyone."
> Chuckle.
> "Of course. And some may say the same of this conversation."
> Grin.
> "That is true. You have stolen from me, while the vampire has not."
> "That depends on who you ask."
> "If I had no problem with you stealing from me, do you think we would have had this conversation for this long?"
> "Would it truly surprise you to learn that I would have preferred you took alternate methods that were available to you at the time?"
> "Oho, this is new and interesting information. What would have otherwise happened after this one night had passed?"
> ...Wait, did she mention that?
> "Ah, yes, of course. Was that the only reason?"
> "So, in your efforts for expediency, you actually made your end goal less likely by failing to approach not one, but two issues more properly."
> "I meant your goal of returning to my side."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "I am most impressed that you seem to know better than I what I think of this situation."
> Give Seiga a look and take on a tone with more of an edge.
> "I am pointing out why your actions were going about this issue the wrong way. Everything you have done has been a by-product of all of the reasons I dismissed you in the first place. You do not seem to have made any effort whatsoever to reflect upon your ways. You made several mistaken, short-sighted assumptions about the situation that caused you to rush your plan when it did not need to be rushed. The plan itself has wronged multiple individuals, and the fact that you rushed it through has wronged more. You have shown no remorse whatsoever for the individuals you have wronged, not even myself despite my telling you several times that I did not appreciate what you did to me this morning regardless of your reasons. Your plan appears to ultimately be less about uniting the humans and more about getting back in my good graces, and yet you have stubbornly refused to listen to anything I have said about doing so, first in refusing to admit wrongdoing in stealing from me, and now in trying to argue with or outright deflect all of my efforts to explain to you how you could have done things more appropriately if you actually did wish to get back in my good graces. If this was truly your goal, then I can only say that everything you have done today concerning me has made it less likely to me to take you back, not more likely. Frankly, I have half a mind to simply leave this place, as you have made me feel that everything I have said since I arrived here was a massive waste of my time. Now, are you going to start actually listening to me, or shall I take my leave now?"
> Sigh and rub the side of our face in aggravation, but resume a normal tone.
> "If I tell you how this should have been approached, will you listen to me and accept the things I say as what would have been best, rather than argue with me?"
> "If your goal is to get back in my good graces, then the methods I will describe are the best methods for doing just that. I have certain behavioral expectations, and if you wish to argue those expectations, then there is no reason for us to converse any further. Do you wish to argue those expectations?"
> "I do not expect the impossible. If I did, I would not have any followers."
> "Now then. The first proper thing to do, I would say, is to have waited for me to awaken this morning and directly asked me for my assistance. If there was a timing concern with Meira, then that would need to have been addressed beforehand."
> "Then you could have left a message with the proprietor that you wished to speak with me."
> Wait, we told her that we would find her, rather than the other way around?
> How long ago was this?
> If she was not to contact us, how were we supposed to know when to seek her out again?
> So, like, a month? A year? Several years?
> Frown.
> "For something this important, surely you could have left a letter with the proprietor to be given only to me, and emphasized the importance of the message when doing so."
> "Do you truly think I would ignore such a thing?"
> "Then why not send Meira herself?"
> "I would certainly be interested in seeing someone with the will to lead the people and the nobility background to back up her claim."
> "She convinced you, did she not?"
> "Why do you believe she is nobility, then?"
> "And how did you do this?"
> "And she could not have done the same with me?"
> "You could have given her the materials."
> "Surely there are ways of obtaining legitimate copies of important historical records such as these?"
> "Why not present a general lineage summary, with sources cited if I am skeptical?"
> "Perhaps you should have kept track of the resources you used, then."
> Put on a slightly bemused expression.
> "To be perfectly honest, Seiga, I am somewhat surprised you did not keep some sort of ledger, even without considering anything related to me. It seems the logical thing to do just in case you need to double-check your research for any reason."
> "Regardless, yes, I agree that there is nothing to be done now to turn back time. This was simply an exercise in finding a more appropriate approach to a dilemma."
> "That may be, but that could have been avoided had you thought to have Meira introduce herself and collected a list of reference materials for her accordingly. Which, by the way, would have also preserved the surprise, assuming you instructed her not to name you."
> Make sure this is said in a conversational and/or instructional tone, rather than a hostile or chiding tone.
> "Then perhaps an explicit ground rule needs to be established, to avoid this situation in the future. You are not to steal from anyone in order to accomplish whatever goals you may have at any given point. You are to think through alternate strategies to solving dilemmas, as many as it takes until you find one that does not involve stealing. If you are unable to come up with a method to accomplish your goal that does not involve stealing, you are to put it off until such a time when you or someone else does come up with such a method. Is this clear?"
> "There are no necessities of time. Medical emergencies aside, if something cannot be done without stealing, then it is not worth doing."
> "I am not in the mood for time-wasting semantics arguments, Seiga. You know exactly what I mean."
> "Immediate danger, and even then thought should be put into how to avoid theft."
> "I do not see how."
> "That would depend on the situation, of course."
> Do we know if Seiga has ever considered pursuing a relationship with us, and if so, does she still feel that way now?
> "I only said I would not ask for what is impossible. I never said I would only ask for what is easy."
> Give a small, knowing smile.
> "That being said, I would not be asking this of anyone I did not believe could handle it."
> "I am confident you will be fine if you take my words to heart."
> Nod.
> "In a grander sense, this applies to many other things. You should seek to have more respect for your fellow people."
> "I mean more in an every-day sense."
> "Ostensibly, you should treat others the way you yourself wish to be treated."
> Presumably the Tao says this, yes?
> Does the Tao comment about whether or not one is qualified to judge another's place?
> What does the Tao say about empathy, then?
> Do we or Seiga qualify as 'of a higher caste'?
> Does political position actually matter at all when it comes to judging one's place in the Tao? At the very least, does it matter as much as how far along into enlightment one is?
> "Times and people do change, Seiga. And even with that being true, I fear you are taking my words too literally. It is not to say that everyone is equal, as that is clearly not true. Rather, respect should be offered whenever possible."
> "You do bring up an interesting point regarding the Tao, which I feel is worth discussing. On one hand, everyone had their place, and they would do best accept it. On the other hand, compassion one of the core treasures of the Tao. On the other other hand, it is best to seek neutrality, rather than seeing the world as black or white. All of this together can seem contradictory on the surface."
> "May I ask what you think of all of these truths, and how they can all co-exist? I am genuinely curious."
> Pop another soy bean.
> What is our place in the Tao?
> Nod.
> "A response most appropriate."
> "I suppose my perception is naturally required to be slightly skewed, given my position."
> "I agree with you for the most part. However, I have a duty to others that requires that I keep a finger in the water glass of the general populace, so to speak, and that can make true neutrality difficult at times."
> Nod.
> "I am glad you understand. You will have to pardon me, then, if it ever seems as though I oppose the pursuit of making sure everyone understands and accepts their place."
> 'Simplicity'? Does she mean the Treasure of Humility or the Treasure of Frugality?
> "Then you will understand when I ask you to behave in a manner that will avoid unnecessarily earning us enemies, or causing others distress."
> "I believe it would be best to avoid situations where time is perceived to be that much of an issue."
> "Indeed, what has been done has been done. What we should do now is seek to mollify, if not recompense, those who have been wronged."
> "It is not impossible to do both of these things."
> "It is going to be difficult to focus on defeating the Hakurei shrine maiden with the half-ghost breathing down your neck."
> "Will she not be too busy with the shrine maiden to deal with the half-ghost?"
> "I would not be surprised if the circumstances lead to neither of them feeling particularly sporting. Especially since Meira is hardly being sporting herself."
> "She aims to do combat with ill-gotten power."
> "That does not make it any more sporting."
> Does that lamp not belong to them?
> "Presumably with the tiger's approval, yes."
> "I suppose the argument could be made that borrowing power, regardless of permission, is an admission that one is not good enough to accomplish what they seek to accomplish."
>"I would criticise him for using someone else's tools without their permission."
> "This craft is also something she could do without that energy, unlike the carpenter."
> "It will not ever truly be her own."
> "Not to this degree."
> Do we know how this one gained her power?
> What do we know about the incident surrounding the raven wanting to burn the world?
> "She was also stopped from doing so."
> Frown.
> "I believe we have a fundamental disagreement as to whether or not ends justify means."
> "Then we are at an impasse."
>"For now I think we should make sure your plan does not backfire terribly on us or cause more problems than intended."
>"Which is not to say that I approve of it, we shall continue this discussion later."
>"When do you think Meira will return from the land of the dead?"
> Nod.
> "Very well. I believe I should tell you, then, that I have made plans to make my way back to the Hakurei Shrine. I suspect I will do this in the interim."
> "You seem rather unconcerned that I may tell the Hakurei shrine maiden about any of this."
> "Have I not already made it clear that I do not wish to see things done this way?"
> "I would much rather see the two of them negotiate an arrangement of mutual benefit, or for Meira to be victorious using only her own power."
> "That is no reason not to try those routes first."
> "Both of them?"
> "That is part of the purpose of negotiations, to prepare for such an eventuality and either address it up front or make sure the dispute can be rendered irrelevant."
> "And what will prevent her from doing so again later?"
> "Mmm. That seems unnecessarily divisive amongst the notable humans. I still think negotiation should be attempted first. I will try it myself if I must."
> "And what will you do if said negotiations are successful?"
> Frown.
> "Then how can this resolve without Meira wielding that ill-gotten power against the shrine maiden?"
> "The expectation that it would be left open as a possibility, given it is much more preferable to the other options."
> Considering the situation from a noble's standpoint, and ignoring Reimu's personality, would it be reasonable to arrange a situation where Meira is restored to her proper position amongst the humans without having her go ham on Reimu?
> "Perhaps because you considered this path the easier one."
> What do we know about Reimu's role in Gensokyo, both practically and spiritually?
> Do we know about any connection between Reimu and the great boundary?
> In what sense was she the spiritual locus of this land?
> In regards to Reimu being connected to the boundary, did we say that we at least know there is a connection and simply not the details of that connection? Or are we not aware of a connection at all?
> Look a bit agitated. Mostly in the worried sense rather than the angry or excited sense.
> "This is...my apologies, Seiga, but there is something about all this that simply does not sit well with me."
> "I can try, I suppose. My concerns about the use of ill-gotten power to accomplish this task have already been stated. I also feel as though my involvement or even simply my endorsement of this course of action is akin to stabbing the half-ghost gardener in the back, as well as the Hakurei shrine maiden, to a lesser extent. I fear for the negative reputation this may earn those I hold dear. I also do somewhat worry about whether or not the shrine maiden's connection to the great barrier will be affected by this, though that may admittedly turn out to be nothing."
> Nod.
> "Which is why I noted my hesitance."
> "Again, which is why I noted my hesitance."
> "You are doing a remarkable job of ignoring every other issue I stated."
> "Because sometimes, a seemingly-good thing is not worth doing if the consequences are too negative."
> "I understand this. I am not thinking about how they should act, I am deliberating over the most appropriate response on my part."
> "To know of this and do nothing is akin to supporting it. I am not yet sure I wish to take that stance."
> "I would think neutrality would dictate you should not have involved yourself in the first place."
> "And yet it was compassionate to steal?"
> "Setting aside the thefts made in the name of this goal for a moment, stealing from the young lady in the bucket was not necessary."
> "I remain unconvinced that such is your judgment call to make."
> "It seems to me that, given how easily she was dispatched and disarmed, if she were truly a threat, one of the locals would have resolved the situation already."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "I'm afraid I don't follow."
> "It was not at all a commentary on your abilities, of course. Why would you think such a thing?"
> "Perhaps, but those local to and regulars in the underground are hardly what one would call 'normal people and youkai'."
> Be honest with ourselves - what are the battle prowesses of the Buddhists, particularly as compared to ourselves and our little family?
> "You dangerously underestimate some of those that appear down there with regularity, Seiga."
> "One must also consider that you took her down with a single stroke. Perhaps others would not be so quick about it, but that does imply they would not have much more difficulty."
> Give Seiga an incredulous look.
> "Have you even been down there? I do not mean to diminish your own abilities, but there are quite a few who could also handle a young one such as her."
> Do we know of a Yuugi Hoshiguma?
> Ignoring the inherent irritation of just thinking about her, how is Nue Houjuu's battle prowess?
> "There are at least the oni leaders and their direct subordinates, and if we are to be honest with ourselves, the tiger and the shapeshifter and probably several of their allies."
> "It is enough, even if one assumes she is greater than all of the other citizens of the underground, which I believe we can agree is unlikely. And even if she posed that much of a threat, that would be all the more reason for one of the oni leaders to see her dealt with."
> Frown.
> "I will have to ask Kasen about this, I think."
> "I wish to know what kind of camaraderie, if any, she has with the young girl. It makes little sense that someone so close to the Hakurei shrine maiden would also be close to an enemy of humanity."
> "It does not seem that any of them present themselves as day-to-day threats."
> "I must also wonder how often humans find themselves wandering toward an entire city full of creatures that take sport in their abduction and outmatch them in most, if not all, physical categories."
> "Yes, I noticed this as well. But what purpose is there to go underground, if not for the city of oni?"
> How tall is Seiga compared to ourselves?
> "Then I am not sure why this young lady is a major concern for Gensokyo's humans, with or without that wand."
> "Does she have a history of coming to the surface and causing havoc, then?"
> "If this is what you truly believe, then this is another thing I will have to ask of this Kasen. And the Hakurei shrine maiden as well, I suppose."
> "It is unclear in this case, yes. I wish to know why the situation was not addressed until now."
> "If simple laziness is indeed the reason, then I will be disappointed. But I am not convinced it is not because she does not pose the threat you think she does."
> "I wonder if it has anything to do with her claims that she saved this land from malevolent invasion."
> What's the Taoist view of falsehood, if there is any?
> "I suppose."
> Was she like this back then, too?
> Is the Treasure of Neutrality less amoral than she makes it out to be, then?
> Sigh.
> "You will agree, at least, that it is necessary to consult this Kasen regarding the shinigami, yes?"
> "It is necessary, if you wish for her to serve in any sort of upper-class role. Everything else aside about this situation, it would not do to insert someone into power over this land's humans when they would just as soon have seen those same humans slaughtered by an outside invading force in order to seek vengeance on an unrelated party."
> "I do not suppose there is anything else you need or wish to tell me of your own volition?"
> "Very well. I trust you will be bringing these two to the Shrine?"
> Wave a hand dismissively.
> "If such is necessary. I only speak of the Shrine because it is where I plan to rendezvous with Futo and Tojiko once they are well enough for travel."
> "I will try to redirect them to the village when they arrive."
> Are there any other reasons rooted in the Tao that this was a stupid/wrong idea? Or did we cover them all already?
> "My sympathies that I do not seem to have received all of this as you would have hoped."
> "And if I am not?"
> "Does that mean you would forsake me in favor of this swordswoman, should things come to pass in this way?"
> "Perhaps you should, because there is a non-trivial possibility that that is what will happen."
> "This would be purely for ideological reasons, of course. Please understand."
> "In that case, I believe it would be best to prepare the shrine maiden and the half-ghost gardener for the news they would rather not hear."
> Nod.
> "Of course. Can I expect to see you in Meira's company in the village in several hours' time?"
> "If she does return here first, will you then accompany her to the village?"
> "Were you not planning on doing so?"
> "And what would you be doing instead, if not observing the fruits of your labors?"
> "Ah. How much more work is required to complete this move?"
> "Where are your other possessions at present?"
> "Mmm, I see. May I offer you an agreement, then? We will help you complete your move if you accompany your wards to the Human Village."
> "It is a good thing you are not asking, then."
> "Splendid. I cannot promise you that everything will be comfortable there, however."
> "I should say that this would be true regardless of your presence. Please do not take my statement as an affront to you."
> Stand up.
> "In that case, I believe it is time we parted ways, at least for the time being."
> "You as well. I hope that what we have discussed here today will go toward us seeing each other more often."
> Begin making our way out of the house.
> "Ah, and before I forget. Please do not, under any circumstances, allow this shinigami to see that wand, or even know it exists or that you have it. In the event that she indeed the one of whom the young lady in the bucket spoke, it would not do to influence her actions or attitude in any way."
> Nod with a smile.
> "Thank you. Farewell, Seiga, until we see each other again."
> Leave the house.
> Well shit.
> Do we have any idea where we are relative to anything other than Seiga's house?
> Follow the gnawed bamboo.
> We've been gone much longer than anticipated, and know a lot of unpleasant things. Aerially hightail it back to the Hakurei Shrine.
> Point at the house.
> "There."
> Nod.
> "Yes. Hopefully you will not have long to wait. And...hopefully she has not run off on us again."
> Make our way the rest of the way to Meira's house.
> Knock on the door.
> Frown.
> Try to open the door as one normally would.
> Inspect the collapsed part of the manor. Could we enter the house through it?
> Let's take an up-close look at it anyway, and see what we think then.
> Are there any other entrances?
> If not, inspect the entire building, including windows, for a way to get in.
> Try to open each of the windows from outside.
> When we judged the collapsed part of the manor to be 'unpleasant', was this unpleasant messy, unpleasant gross, unpleasant dangerous, or all three?
> Inventory
> Inventory
> Are there any other options for entering the manor, then, if not via door or window?
> A damaging hole, though, right? Not like a Yukari hole?
> How are we at lockpicking?
> Crap.
> Peer inside the closest window. Look for any signs of Seiga's presence, present or past.
> Similarly inspect each of the other windows of the house.
> These 'empty' bed-room places are sufficiently empty to not even have beds in them, then?
> Did those futons look recently used?
> Head around back and inspect the training grounds again.
> This use is new as of when we were here last?
> Were we able to see Meira's sword rack through any of the windows? If so, did it look like how we left it?
> Strange. How many training figures show signs of use other than the ones we used?
> Did she have a sword on her when we first encountered her?
> Had she put it away by the time we left, or did she still have it with her?
> Was the sword she had on her then in the rack just now?
> Check back in on the rack window again, getting the best angle we possibly can (floating if needed).
> How odd.
> Is it that Taoist's missing sword? That sword had a rather unique hilt.
> Would we ever voluntarily leave our home without our swords?
> Well, there's something odd going on here, but it doesn't look like we can link Meira to Seiga outside of the horse theory, which isn't enough to justify breaking and entering.
> Give an annoyed grunt at the situation.
> Head back to the Hakurei Shrine.
> Make our way into proper conversation distance with whoever is closest.
> Nod.
> "That is fine. I found some curiosities, but nothing obviously related to Seiga."
> Tilt our head a bit towad the fallen Taoist.
> "What happened to her? Beyond the obvious, I mean."
> Did Miko mention that those two were going to be here?
> Take another look over at the fallen Taoist and frown.
> "How unfortunate. And their boss just left them underground in that state?"
> "Let's see if they know anything about Seiga that their boss doesn't know."
> Make out way over to the Taoists.
> Is Futo normally very excitable?
> "Good afternoon, ladies."
> Look down to Futo.
> "No offense, but you look like hell. Congratulations on the victory, though, at least."
> Nod, then look back to Reimu.
> "Anyway, I learned very little. There are a couple of odd coincidences, but nothing to concretely link Meira to Seiga."
> Turn to Tojiko.
> "She stole the life force from the Saigyou Ayakashi, a great youkai tree in the Netherworld. I don't suppose either of you know where I can find her?"
> "Mmm. Your boss did say that, yes. I figured you might keep track of her all the same, though."
> "You might want to make her your problem, then, at least a little bit. With all due respect to Miss Miko, it is awfully convenient that I have only heard of Seiga's dismissal after I caught her stealing from me."
> Hold up a hand.
> "Not to accuse you or your boss of being directly involved, of course."
> "Of course. It is still a tough situation for the rest of us to fully accept, though."
> Glance over to Reimu, then return our attention to the Taoists with the slightest hint of a smile.
> "But, if it makes you feel any better, there are few, if any, in this land that not under some general amount of suspicion due to their histories. Myself included."
> What exactly was the point of all that, again?
> Did Yuyuko and/or Yukari help us?
> Did anyone else help us?
> Nod, with the slightest hint of a frown.
> "Yuyuko-sama wished to see the Saigyou Ayakashi in full bloom, and tasked me with assisting in this."
> "Oh, yes, you've missed quite a lot. Sun-blotting scarlet mist, an eternal night, endless parties, spirits possessing flowers, personal weather storms, and I'm certain there is more that I myself have missed due to not being a proper Gensokyo resident."
> "Anyway, it seems I am stuck until Miss Miko arrives. Hopefully she will have had better luck finding Seiga's whereabouts than I did."
> Look up wherever Reimu is indicating.
> Miko: Land amongst Reimu, Youmu, and our friends.
> Youmu: Nod. "My search was fruitless, sadly. Was yours any better?"
> Miko: Frown. "In a way. It seems I owe all four of you an apology. I have discovered that, in a roundabout manner, I...appear to be somewhat responsible for the ills that have befallen all of us this day."
> Youmu: Blink, then look a bit incredulous. "...What?"
> Miko: "I found Seiga."
> Youmu: Stiffen at this news.
> Miko: "She is responsible for all of this day's thievery, not just that of the Netherworld tree. My sword, the bucket's wand, both of those were her as well."
> Youmu: "What is she doing with all of these things?"
> Miko: "The bucket's wand appears to be nothing more than a personal prize. She claims she is doing this land a favor by declawing a bandit, which may be true, but I suspect it is at least partially, if not entirely, fueled by a desire for revenge."
> Youmu: Raise an eyebrow. "For what?"
> Miko: "A past matter that is not immediately relevant. Regardless, as for the tree's life force and my sword, she wishes to unite the humans of this land under a single banner, and has provided them both to a local noble that she has encouraged to take her place as ruler. The life force is to give the noble the power to defeat any who would oppose her, while my sword serves as both a symbol of her authority and a reminder to her that the power she wields comes from me."
> Youmu: "So where is Seiga now, so I can wring her neck and beat the Saigyou Ayakashi out of her?"
> Miko: Frown. "She no longer has that life force or my sword. You will have to wait until the ruler-to-be returns to this land from her current journey."
> Youmu: "'Current journey'? What is that? And who is this, anyway?"
> Miko: Add a slight touch of sympathy to our look. "Ah, that would be...your new sword friend, Meira."
> Youmu: Freeze. "...You're kidding."
> Miko: Shake head. "I am sorry."
> Miko: That is good. If we need to move her to the Human Village, though, hopefully we will be able to find another spare futon.
> Miko: "Yes, that. It seems Seiga caught wind of a disgraced shinigami that was recently captured. Meira is journeying to Higan to bring this shinigami into her fold, most likely as additional power to enforce her upcoming authority."
> Youmu: Does that sound at all familiar?
> Youmu: "That's very bad."
> Miko: "I'm sure."
> Miko: Look back and forth between Reimu and Youmu.
> Miko: "And I should also say that Seiga explicitly expects Meira to be sufficiently strong to topple the both of you, as many times as is necessary until you cease trying to stop her."
> Miko: Shrug. "Even this may not be enough. But Seiga is no fool, and having investigated the tree myself, I can tell it would be quite unpleasant if that life force were to be loosed in Gensokyo somehow. I would not suggest taking Meira lightly when she finds you."
> Youmu: How 'strong', for lack of a better term, is the Saigyou Ayakashi?
> Youmu: Consider the ramifications/power boost if someone were to take it into themselves and use it to boost their own power.
> Youmu: Look to Reimu with an uncertain expression. "This...is not quite my area of expertise. But it does seem that anyone possessing the life force of the Saigyou Ayakashi would be a truly dangerous individual."
> Miko: "It sounds as though Meira will be making her way to the Human Village in several hours. Whatever preparations need to be made, that is the time we have to make them."
> Miko: Look to Reimu. "A curiosity, if I may. You mentioned Meira in the context of 'marrying into power'. Does she have a history of attempting such?"
> Miko: Kneel down next to Futo and give her a gentle smile while listening.
> Youmu: "I'm not sure. If they're gunning for both of us specifically, then I guess I cannot ask you to not get involved. Mmm...it would not do to bring combat to the village. Perhaps we should head to the Sanzu River and attempt to cut them off before they get very far."
> Youmu: "Precisely what I was thinking, yes." Gesture back to Kotohime. "Even if Meira is enjoying a boost in power from the Saigyou Ayakashi, the three of us should be able to put a stop to the two of them. Perhaps four of us, if Komachi is available to help; surely Higan will not appreciate Meira's actions."
> Miko: Take on a gentle tone, both to show our compassion and to avoid talking over the strategic conversation. "That is because they know what is best for you, dear. It pleases me to see you have at least acquiesced, if not agreed with them."
> Miko: Look up at Reimu and Youmu. "Ah, that may not be possible, as I cannot guarantee that Meira has not already made her way there."
> Youmu: Frown. "Wonderful. Although, Komachi was fine when I visited her earlier..."
> Miko: Shrug lightly. "Perhaps Meira needed her help and avoided harming her, or perhaps Meira was able to avoid her entirely. You will forgive me if the detailed workings of Higan are not the focus of my studies."
> Youmu: "Right, right."
> Youmu: Would a live human be able to get to Higan on their own?
> Youmu: "Right. Are you ready, then?"
> Miko: Raise an eyebrow, but say nothing.
> Youmu: Blink. "Oh. I, um, thought you were kidding."
> Youmu: Look to Kotohime. "Shall we?"
> Youmu: "Very well."
> Youmu: Turn to Miko and give her a slight bow. "Thank you for your assistance, Miss Miko. May I return your sword the next time we meet."
> Miko: Inventory
> Miko: Nod with a slight frown. "I wish you the best of luck."
> Youmu: Nod to the other Taoists. "Thank you, both of you."
> Youmu: Become to Kotohime. "Let's go. Komachi may need us."
> Youmu: Take off toward the Sanzu River.
> How long is the trip to the Sanzu from here?
> Wait a bit for her to catch up.
> Could we fly faster than her apparent top speed if we were carrying her?
> Frown for a moment, then nod and shout back.
> "All right! Remember what you promised Komachi!"
> Speed on ahead to the Sanzu River.
> Has she reached the river yet?
> Is Komachi visible anywhere?
>Go as fast as we can toward that rider!
>Call out to the rider once we're close enough that they'll hear us.
> Catch all the way up to her without calling again.
> Actually, before we do that, how much of Konngara's secret technique did we take in when we read it the first time?
> Shank Meira.