Sword Quest VII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>You hold up your hand just in time, Tojiko's face tells you that she was about to say something sharp.
>"The Crown Prince's business is not something we tend to broadcast, you must understand," says Futo.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Ah, is that the case?" says Futo.
>"What, she never told you that she stole spring awhile back?" says Reimu.
>"What?" says Tojiko, giving you a curious look.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What exactly was the point of all that, again?

[Hello Purvis]

> What exactly was the point of all that, again?

>Yuyuko had asked you to do so, so as to put the Saigyou Ayakashi into full bloom. Reimu is being a little unfair in implying you did it all on your own.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>No, you acted alone.
>"Mmm, I see," says Futo, though you suspect she is just being polite.
>Tojiko just continues to look at you incredulously for a moment, then shrugs again. "I guess that's also not my problem."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "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."

[Hello Purvis]

> "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."

>"Yup," says Reimu with a nod.
>"I'd heard of some of those..." says Futo.
>"It's gets crazy around here," says Reimu. "And that's when I have to put my foot down."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Anyway, it seems I am stuck until Miss Miko arrives. Hopefully she will have had better luck finding Seiga's whereabouts than I did."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Anyway, it seems I am stuck until Miss Miko arrives. Hopefully she will have had better luck finding Seiga's whereabouts than I did."

>"You're in luck," says Reimu. "I'm pretty sure that's her over there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look up wherever Reimu is indicating.

[Hello Purvis]

> Look up wherever Reimu is indicating.

>You do so, and see that someone is indeed arriving. As you watch, you can definitely pick out her cape and hair tufts.
>You now possess control of both Youmu and Miko. Please preface all actions and sentences with the name of the relevant character. You may summarize interactions between them as briefly or thoroughly as you please. Keep in mind that they cannot read each others' minds (Youmu lacks a desire, which throws things you), so coordination will have to be arranged verbally or through gestures or the like. Also please keep in mind that both have their own goals and motivations, and may not perfectly align with every action. You may freely split them up when you please, upon which things shall continue as before.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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?"

[Hello Purvis]

> 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?"

>"Go on," says Reimu.
>Futo doesn't say saying, while Tojiko crosses her arms. "What happened, Crown Prince?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>"Truly?" says Futo, with an obvious frown. "To think that Seiga would sink to such depths..."
>"Unthinkable!" Tojiko says with a scowl.
>Reimu glances to Youmu. "This one's still yours."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>"That is a lot to digest, Crown Prince!" says Futo, sitting up from her bed.
>"I don't know what to make of it," Tojiko says. "It sounds like her heart in the right place?"
>"No it isn't," says Reimu. "This sounds like an incident. But, Youmu, if you want first crack at it still, I'll give you a couple hours head start."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>"Guess she's given up on marrying into power," says Reimu. "Now, what's this about a journey?"
>Futo and Tojiko are silent, clearly out of their depth and just listening to to try and make sense of things. Futo lays back down.
>Miko: With regards to Futo, you can see she is doing better. But the bed rest wouldn't hurt her.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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?

[Hello Purvis]

> 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: You've heard something about a a disgraced individual being taken into custody at Higan. While you didn't put too much thought into it at the time, it is a terrible unusual event. You'll well aware that messing with that is a bad thing.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."

[Hello Purvis]

> 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."

>"Heh," says Reimu.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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?

[Hello Purvis]

> 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: It is powerful, very powerful, but localized. Usually it is no danger as long as one stays away from it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Consider the ramifications/power boost if someone were to take it into themselves and use it to boost their own power.

[Hello Purvis]

> Youmu: Consider the ramifications/power boost if someone were to take it into themselves and use it to boost their own power.

>You have no idea, this is not your field. But your gut instinct is that it wouldn't be very good at all.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> 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."