Sword Quest VII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Maybe, but waiting for one seems like such a waste when one can do better things."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> How is our head feeling by now?

[Hello Purvis]

> How is our head feeling by now?

>Not great. It would be a good idea to stop soon, unless you intend to take a nap for a few hours.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Stop what? Questioning Seiga?

[Hello Purvis]

> Stop what? Questioning Seiga?

>Stop trying to listen to desires.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Just for clarification, this is the case even though we put our headphones back on a while ago?

[Hello Purvis]

> Just for clarification, this is the case even though we put our headphones back on a while ago?

>Yes. Try to ignore them, and perhaps avoid crowds for a little while.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Crap.

> Did we sense any any sort of traitorous desires from Seiga earlier in this conversation?

[Hello Purvis]

> Did we sense any any sort of traitorous desires from Seiga earlier in this conversation?

>She doesn't seem traitorous, no. You do suspect you've hit her with a couple of points she expected to go over more smoothly than you did. You're certain she never considered the shinigami would be anything other than grateful.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Did Kisume say where she got her wand from?

[Hello Purvis]

> Did Kisume say where she got her wand from?

>No, but you've concluded it was involved with the whole envoy thing that Seiga was involved with.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>"There's always bumps with this kind of transition," she says. "But it will all work out in the end."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

>  "Of course. Though you understand that I will wish to see Meira tested for myself, of course."

[Hello Purvis]

>  "Of course. Though you understand that I will wish to see Meira tested for myself, of course."

>"I expect everyone will want to see her best the shrine maiden!" says Seiga.

>_

[the old guy]

"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?

[Kilgamayan]

I have ideas. Also, one must keep in mind that this does, at least, partially line up with what Miko thinks is right.

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Why for?" says Seiga.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Mmm...Well, if you promise me that you shall return it to me..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Interesting. I recall no such promise being made when my sword changed hands."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Interesting. I recall no such promise being made when my sword changed hands."

>"Once things are settled, it will be returned," she says

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Because it was supposed to be a surprise, Crown Prince!" she says. "It wouldn't work even if I did have the time to simply ask you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And I have yet to hear a reason why it was necessary that this be a surprise."

[Hello Purvis]

> "And I have yet to hear a reason why it was necessary that this be a surprise."

>"Because," she says, "I wanted to present you with something that would delight you..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put on a look of ever-so-slight confusion.
> "You...do realize how this has all come off as appearing, do you not?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Put on a look of ever-so-slight confusion.
> "You...do realize how this has all come off as appearing, do you not?"

>"A little sneaky, I suppose. But some sneakiness is required when preparing a notable surprise!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Well, I asked that because you said you wanted to restore it to that bandit for some reason, and it would be a terrible waste to do that. And, you said you no longer had an interest in ruling, so there wouldn't have been any point in giving it to you. Don't you think you're been far too suspicious, Crown Prince?"

>_