Sword Quest VII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Harden our expression.
> "With what?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Harden our expression.
> "With what?"

>"With everything!" she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Seiga..."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Seiga..."

>"Just a little longer,"she says. "By sundown, everything should be well in hand."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"It won't be nearly as effective if you are just told," she says, frowning.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I am not even sure I want to to be 'effective' at all."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I am not even sure I want to to be 'effective' at all."

>"I assure you that you will!" she says. "It will bring an end to the anarchy plaguing this land."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"I think that describes any effort to restore order, wouldn't you agree?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

So I was swinging toward thinking it actually was Meira for a while, but now I'm kinda back to thinking it's Shinny again, if only because Meira would be an incredibly underwhelming revelation on Seiga's behalf. A rather generic swordswoman offers nothing special. Fueling Shinny and her mallet with the power of the Saigyou Ayakashi, on the other hand, could lead to some very 'interesting' things.

I have a bizarre feeling Seiga intends to gift us a collection of tiny Buddhists in jars.

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>It's only early afternoon.
>She sighs. "I was planning on restoring the proper aristocratic bloodline back into power over the humans in Gensokyo, so that she could unify and organize them just as you always wanted, and put the youkai in their place as needs be. But, it isn't just enough to remind people of their natural leader, she needs to be re-established. That is why I needed to borrow you sword, both to give her a weapon exceptional enough to match her namesake, and to suggest and remind that her authority comes from the empire in the end."
>"Are you happy now? I was so looking forward to introduce you after it was all done..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And what, precisely, is she doing right now, that may bring any number of angry problem solvers to my doorstep?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And what, precisely, is she doing right now, that may bring any number of angry problem solvers to my doorstep?"

>"She's doing what any hero worth their salt would do," says Seiga, smiling again. "She's journeying into the land of the dead."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "To do what?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "To do what?"

>"There is a certain person there who will be very helpful to our efforts," says Seiga.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Can you give me the names of either of these people?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Can you give me the names of either of these people?"

>"Must I?" she says, pouting.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes."

>Seiga sighs."The descendant I found was a young noblewoman named Meira, who was living in squalor with little ambition until I met her. She never forgot who she was, though."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Wasn't that the name of Youmu's sword friend?
>  "And whom in the Netherworld is she seeking?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Wasn't that the name of Youmu's sword friend?
>  "And whom in the Netherworld is she seeking?"

>You believe it is.
>"I am not precisely sure of her name," says Seiga. "But I know her reputation well enough. She was a disgraced shikigami, recently captured. A prideful kishin was all too happy to boast about it at me."

>_

[Mr. Sacchi]

Ok, it was Meira, you were right Kilga.

And the netherworld girl would be Sariel unless I'm mistaken?

[Kilgamayan]

Yes.

> What are kishin again?
> "This would not happen to be the same disgraced shikigami the young one in the bucket told of, would it?"

[Hello Purvis]

> What are kishin again?
> "This would not happen to be the same disgraced shikigami the young one in the bucket told of, would it?"

>As you understand, they are the enforcement arm of the Celestial Bureaucracy.
>"Perhaps it is," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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?"

[Hello Purvis]

> 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?"

>"I think you're being unreasonably pessimistic, Crown Prince," Seiga says, frowning. "And no one's orchestrated the destruction of the Hakurei Maiden, where did you get that idea?"

>_

[Yaersulf]

>"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."

[Hello Purvis]

>"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."

>"We do plan on defeating her when she tries something," Seiga says. "But nothing so extreme as destruction! The usual will do."
>"That wasn't possible," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Why not?"