Nue Quest 8 - Pagan: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yep. See you all in a bit."
> Exit the tavern and walk on over to the Temple.

>You make your way out, as Mamizou invites herself to have a seat with the celestials, while Alice seems to be lost in thought, and makes no notice of you leaving.
>Stepping out into the rain and opening your umbrella, you start toward the temple. As you draw close to the front of Shou's clothing store, you note someone taking to the air from the direction of the temple, and headed southward, roughly in your general direction. Judging from her small stature, clothing, and umbrella, you are reasonably sure it is Mystia.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give her a wave and let her approach.

[Hello Purvis]

> Give her a wave and let her approach.

>It seems she is more interested in flying over you at first. Then she notices your waving and descends downward.
>"Hey, you're back!" she says. "Oh, you got that sword fixed, huh? It looks pretty dashing!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "I did. It's high time to end this nonsense, methinks. You headin' out?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "I did. It's high time to end this nonsense, methinks. You headin' out?"

>"I was going back to Kourindou," says Mystia. "But I figured Bykauren would want what Patchouli and Eirin found out. I figured it was safe to leave, since there didn't look like there was going to be an end to all that arguing."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah, you haven't missed much. Petite's angling for a second pet tengu now. Sounds like Patchouli won't let her keep Hatate on the grounds that Hatate is useful to have free just to annoy Aya."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah, you haven't missed much. Petite's angling for a second pet tengu now. Sounds like Patchouli won't let her keep Hatate on the grounds that Hatate is useful to have free just to annoy Aya."

>"Not to mention that the Scarlet Devil probably wouldn't like it, either," says Mystia.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Seems likely. How are things holding up at the Temple? Is he awake yet?'

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Seems likely. How are things holding up at the Temple? Is he awake yet?'

>"No, Byakuren made that stuff to keep him asleep, remember?" says Mystia. "Um, Ichiro went home, but he said that if anyone needed him, he'd be happy to come back. And that grumpy magician was sitting with him, the last I saw."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh, right, I forgot, time passed differently while I was in Avalon. Thanks for the info."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh, right, I forgot, time passed differently while I was in Avalon. Thanks for the info."

>"Uh, okay?" says Mystla, frowning.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Point down at the sword.
> "Avalon's the place this sword came from, and the place I went to to get it repaired. If you haven't heard of it, I'm not surprised; it's all the way on another continent. Apparently I accidentally tore a hole in Gensokyo's side and made my way there. The gap youkai's fixing that hole right now, though, because neither we nor they really need it open."

[Hello Purvis]

> Point down at the sword.
> "Avalon's the place this sword came from, and the place I went to to get it repaired. If you haven't heard of it, I'm not surprised; it's all the way on another continent. Apparently I accidentally tore a hole in Gensokyo's side and made my way there. The gap youkai's fixing that hole right now, though, because neither we nor they really need it open."

>"...Wow, sounds like you did some exciting things," says Mystia.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yeah. It's an interesting place. Like here a lot more, though. The human village I visited would completely shit itself if it saw you, for one thing. They're not very big on supernatural creatures."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yeah. It's an interesting place. Like here a lot more, though. The human village I visited would completely shit itself if it saw you, for one thing. They're not very big on supernatural creatures."

>"Oh," she says, frowning. "To hell with them, then."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Grin.
> "That's how many of the supernatural over there feel too. Hopefully the humans overcome it eventually. I hear the current human regime isn't completely pants-on-head moronic, so they'll see. Still prefer here, though."

[Hello Purvis]

> Grin.
> "That's how many of the supernatural over there feel too. Hopefully the humans overcome it eventually. I hear the current human regime isn't completely pants-on-head moronic, so they'll see. Still prefer here, though."

>"Meh, maybe," says Mystia. "Sounds like a good place to forget about the shrine maiden if you ask me."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Reimu's at least fun to tease a bit. These people didn't even have that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Reimu's at least fun to tease a bit. These people didn't even have that."

>Mystia nods. "So, you're going to deal with things, huh? What's the plan?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "This sword here? It used to belong to some jackass prince from Avalon that believed himself to be better than everyone and everything else that existed, even higher powers. Given the dream this thing planted in my head, I'm reasonably positive it's instilled with that same willpower and belief of inherent superiority. Rinnosuke does what he's doing through a faith in the beauty of equality, which means he can theoretically be countered with a faith in inherent inequality."

[Hello Purvis]

> "This sword here? It used to belong to some jackass prince from Avalon that believed himself to be better than everyone and everything else that existed, even higher powers. Given the dream this thing planted in my head, I'm reasonably positive it's instilled with that same willpower and belief of inherent superiority. Rinnosuke does what he's doing through a faith in the beauty of equality, which means he can theoretically be countered with a faith in inherent inequality."

>"Huh," says Mystia. "Sounds nasty."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Could very well be. I won't know the details until I actually try it, though."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Could very well be. I won't know the details until I actually try it, though."

>She nods. "Need me to do anything?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't think so. Going back to Kourindou should be good enough. Maybe you'd like to help catch a crow tengu for a pet now that you know it wouldn't be yours?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't think so. Going back to Kourindou should be good enough. Maybe you'd like to help catch a crow tengu for a pet now that you know it wouldn't be yours?"

>"I might," she says. "At least enough to give her a good kick to the stomach!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If she shows up, yeah, go for it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If she shows up, yeah, go for it."

>"Oh I will," says Mystia, as she ascends and resumes her course northward. "Good luck!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You too!"
> Resume our course back toward the Temple.

[Hello Purvis]

> "You too!"
> Resume our course back toward the Temple.

>You reach the temple without any further incident.
>Walking inside, you put the umbrella away and remove your footwear. The temple is quiet at the moment and a little shadowy in the late overcast afternoon. You can hear the rain against the wooden walls.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Make our way to where we last remember Byakuren being.