Author Topic: (Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 14) (Read 32115 times)

Oldmansour · « **Reply #720 on:** September 15, 2015, 04:08:31 AM »

>"I'm not the... the emotional kind. The normal me'd... probably be calling me out for getting soft."
>"I guess I really have changed, since this all started."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #721 on:** September 15, 2015, 04:23:35 AM »

Quote from: Wildsour on September 15, 2015, 04:08:31 AM

>"I'm not the... the emotional kind. The normal me'd... probably be calling me out for getting soft."
>"I guess I really have changed, since this all started."

>"Soft is good," she protests. "It doesn't mean you're any less brave or strong. You've already stared down scarier things than most people ever meet, and sent them packing!" She swishes a fist through the air for emphasis. "Soft just means your heart's still there."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #722 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:12:27 AM »

>"Yeah. And louder than it used to be, too."
>"But I should mention, Ringo swore me to secrecy on this one. She didn't want anyone to know that she did this for me. Obviously I'm not going to even try to keep you in the dark about it, but it stays between us."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #723 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:19:59 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 09:12:27 AM

>"Yeah. And louder than it used to be, too."
>"But I should mention, Ringo swore me to secrecy on this one. She didn't want anyone to know that she did this for me. Obviously I'm not going to even try to keep you in the dark about it, but it stays between us."

>"Absolutely. Cross my heart." She traces a finger across her chest with a most solemn expression. "But... why didn't she want anyone to know?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #724 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:26:00 AM »

>"Those flowers aren't supposed to leave Houraisan grounds. They don't give them or sell them to anyone. She's really sticking her neck out for me."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #725 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:32:19 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 09:26:00 AM

>"Those flowers aren't supposed to leave Houraisan grounds. They don't give them or sell them to anyone. She's really sticking her neck out for me."

>"Oooooh...." Kyouko is silent for a moment, then smiles. "She must be a good person!"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #726 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:59:08 AM »

>"I'll find a way to pay her back for it, too. Somehow. This Seeker makes good when she owes someone something."
>"Just... not right now, obviously."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #727 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:03:29 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 09:59:08 AM

>"I'll find a way to pay her back for it, too. Somehow. This Seeker makes good when she owes someone something."
>"Just... not right now, obviously."

>"Not right now," Kyouko nods. "We've got a garden to get back to, first!"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #728 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:08:45 AM »

>"Actually, Kyouko, first, I need some sleep. Probably, needed sleep a while ago, but I couldn't, not until I knew what Ringo was going to say."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #729 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:13:12 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 10:08:45 AM

>"Actually, Kyouko, first, I need some sleep. Probably, needed sleep a while ago, but I couldn't, not until I knew what Ringo was going to say."

>"Then let's get you a nice comfy bed," she says as she turns around and beckons with one hand. "C'mon."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #730 on:** September 16, 2015, 09:05:33 PM »

>"I like the sound of that."
>Back to Maison Kasodani.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #731 on:** September 16, 2015, 10:29:30 PM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 09:05:33 PM

>"I like the sound of that."
>Back to Maison Kasodani.

>You amble after Kyouko as she leads you back to her apartment, the streets and houses blurring vaguely at the edge of your vision. How many hours now have you spent traipsing from one end of this city to the other? The steady impact of the cobbles beneath your feet feels concussive, the weight of your body leaden. Somehow, you stumble up a staircase and step inside a door she holds open.
>Kyouko's home is much as you remember it: small, cozy, tidily arranged. You spot the bellflowers you bought her, looking vibrant and cheerful beside her window; the faintest trace of a smile tugs wearily at the corner of your mouth.
>"I'll get you some fresh sheets," Kyouko says as she ducks into the bedroom, "and then you can drop right off to sleep, if you want."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #732 on:** September 16, 2015, 11:56:02 PM »

>"Thanks."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #733 on:** September 17, 2015, 12:07:01 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 16, 2015, 11:56:02 PM

>"Thanks."

>You thank Kyouko and sag onto the bench while she putters about in the bedroom; at least you don't hear any clattering this time. Though you nearly jump when she somehow materializes beside you once more, cradling a bundle of blankets in her arms. Did you... did you just nod off in the chair?
>"Bed's all changed and ready!" she says. "You're sick, so this time you get the better one." She looks rather insistent about this.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #734 on:** September 17, 2015, 03:22:36 AM »

>Pause. "I get the feeling that you're going to insist, right?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #735 on:** September 17, 2015, 03:25:26 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 17, 2015, 03:22:36 AM

>Pause. "I get the feeling that you're going to insist, right?"

>"I am." She can look surprisingly determined when she wants to.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #736 on:** September 17, 2015, 03:40:15 AM »

>"Not a lot of point in me arguing?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #737 on:** September 17, 2015, 04:03:59 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 17, 2015, 03:40:15 AM

>"Not a lot of point in me arguing?"

>"Absolutely none. You're sick; you need the best rest you can get. I'll be perfectly fine on the floor."
>And with that, she dumps the pile of blankets in the corner.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #738 on:** September 17, 2015, 04:14:49 AM »

>Not that we have the energy to argue anyway.
>Sigh, smile, stand. "You win."
>Now let's go collapse for a while.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #739 on:** September 17, 2015, 05:35:36 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 17, 2015, 04:14:49 AM

>Not that we have the energy to argue anyway.
>Sigh, smile, stand. "You win."
>Now let's go collapse for a while.

>You concede this round to Kyouko, who nods as if this were only right and proper. Then you drag yourself off into her bedroom and collapse into bed. At some point, you must have undressed, but the only memory that lingers before your awareness slips away is the gentle scent of lilac on the pillow.

>Consciousness returns to you so gradually that at first you think you must be drunk, and the dimness in the room a product of nightfall and not your failing eyesight. It would be a better fate. For the minutes you drift between waking and sleep, you are merely miserable, but not afraid. Not burdened beneath the weight of one last impossible task. But the gentle strains of a woman's voice eventually penetrate your stupor and remind you of where you are, and why you're here. You shift in the bed, your muscles creaking more loudly than the mattress. You think it would be warm and comfortable, if anything still could be; even your modest weight is enough to sink gently into its soft embrace. Your mouth tastes like rotting parchment.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #740 on:** September 19, 2015, 01:41:13 AM »

>I know we're a mouse, but how do we know what rotting parchment tastes like?

DracoOmega · « **Reply #741 on:** September 19, 2015, 01:46:27 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 19, 2015, 01:41:13 AM

>I know we're a mouse, but how do we know what rotting parchment tastes like?

>It tastes like over-analyzed metaphor. Also, you have a good sense of smell.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #742 on:** September 19, 2015, 10:47:33 PM »

>That we do.
>Or, do we? It was fading on us yesterday, is there any improvement today?

DracoOmega · « **Reply #743 on:** September 19, 2015, 11:02:40 PM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 19, 2015, 10:47:33 PM

>That we do.
>Or, do we? It was fading on us yesterday, is there any improvement today?

>It still seems mostly okay. You think. You're really not very awake yet, to be honest.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #744 on:** September 20, 2015, 01:19:57 AM »

>Let's see if we can find some water, work on getting that taste out of mouth.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #745 on:** September 20, 2015, 01:53:25 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 20, 2015, 01:19:57 AM

>Let's see if we can find some water, work on getting that taste out of mouth.

>You haul yourself upright on creaky legs and put your clothes back on before stumbling out into the living room in search of water. Kyouko is puttering around the middle of it, apparently in search of something. She looks up as you emerge and smiles brightly at you.
>"Good morning! Well, more like afternoon now, I guess," she says, glancing at the window. "I hope you got a good rest?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #746 on:** September 20, 2015, 02:13:31 AM »

>"Afternoon?"
>Blink.
>"How long was I out?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #747 on:** September 20, 2015, 02:17:40 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 20, 2015, 02:13:31 AM

>"Afternoon?"
>Blink.
>"How long was I out?"

>"Well, I think it's around 1 now, so...." She counts off fingers. "Eleven hours, maybe? Don't worry, I've already booked both our tickets for the ferry, just in case!" She seems rather pleased with herself.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #748 on:** September 20, 2015, 02:36:19 AM »

>"Good thinking."
>"When do we head out?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #749 on:** September 20, 2015, 02:41:53 AM »

Quote from: Sourfang on September 20, 2015, 02:36:19 AM

>"Good thinking."
>"When do we head out?"

>Kyouko beams.
>"We've still got a couple hours, don't worry. Plenty of time to wake up and have something to eat. I left some breakfast out for you, in case you woke up while I was out. Want me to get it for you?"