(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 14)

[Oldmansour]

>"Just needed to get my bearings, that's all." Offer up a grin. "Exploration's all well and good, but it pays to go the right way."

[DracoOmega]

>"Just needed to get my bearings, that's all." Offer up a grin. "Exploration's all well and good, but it pays to go the right way."

>You offer Kyouko a grin. The energy you felt when you set out from the ferry may already be fading, but you're still on your feet.
>"There's no time to waste, after all!" she agrees, then stares out across the river. "Are we getting close to that tunnel you mentioned?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Indeed we are." Point ahead. "My distances were a bit off, but we are indeed going the right way."
>Let us proceed the right way.

[DracoOmega]

>"Indeed we are." Point ahead. "My distances were a bit off, but we are indeed going the right way."
>Let us proceed the right way.

>"Indeed going the right way!" she says cheerfully, and then resumes marching along the shoreline before you've barely stowed your dowsing rods again.
>A few minutes later, she pauses and points out across the river. "Is that it over there?" she asks. You... wish you could actually answer that with any confidence, but it seems your eyes really are that bad.

[Oldmansour]

>If we're that bad off now, how are we supposed to be effective in the water?

[DracoOmega]

>If we're that bad off now, how are we supposed to be effective in the water?

>You can see the cliff on the other side of the river easily, but the quartz just blends in with the rest of the rock at this distance - at least assuming Kyouko is even looking at the right thing. As for the tunnel, you never navigated it by sight in the first place. Of course, you also had Kagerou's hand to guide you.

[Oldmansour]

>This is gonna be interesting, isn't it.
>"...I think so."

[DracoOmega]

>This is gonna be interesting, isn't it.
>"...I think so."

>For certain values of interesting.
>"So the tunnel's right below it, right?" Kyouko peers intently at the water, but you know you couldn't actually see the tunnel from here, even when your eyes still worked properly.

[Oldmansour]

>"That one, I'm not sure. I didn't see the tunnel from here last time. Kagerou sort of held my hand the last time."

[DracoOmega]

>"That one, I'm not sure. I didn't see the tunnel from here last time. Kagerou sort of held my hand the last time."

>"Oh. Well." She frowns. "We will be able to find it, right?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Well we've got to be close, I'm sure of that. My eyes aren't working brilliantly right now, but my dousing sense is still good, so I know we're in the ballpark."
>Does that expression work in this canon?

[DracoOmega]

>"Well we've got to be close, I'm sure of that. My eyes aren't working brilliantly right now, but my dousing sense is still good, so I know we're in the ballpark."
>Does that expression work in this canon?

>"Close is a little scary when you're underwater. But we'll make it work!"
>There are still balls and parks and games people play with balls in parks, so it's all good.

[Oldmansour]

>Have we asked if she can swim, or has she said as much?
>If not, "Ever done much swimming?"

[DracoOmega]

>Have we asked if she can swim, or has she said as much?
>If not, "Ever done much swimming?"

>It came up when you discussed travel arrangements earlier. You don't think she has a lot of experience, but she seemed comfortable enough with the idea.

[Oldmansour]

>Now we did see the tunnel underwater last time, though, right? At least enough to see if there were any distinctive features around it to look for?
>If so, describe them to Kyouko so our seeing eye dog has some waypoints to look for.

[DracoOmega]

>Now we did see the tunnel underwater last time, though, right? At least enough to see if there were any distinctive features around it to look for?
>If so, describe them to Kyouko so our seeing eye dog has some waypoints to look for.

>The distinctive feature is on the outside: the quartz formation directly above it. The tunnel itself is about five feet beneath the water's surface, so Kagerou said, but you didn't get much of a look at it yourself, between the dark and being underwater.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, faffing about on the shore isn't going to get us anywhere.
>Summon Seaponies.
>Let's go swimmin'.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, faffing about on the shore isn't going to get us anywhere.
>Summon Seaponies.
>Let's go swimmin'.

>As you start to take off your stocks and shoes, Kyouko slips out of her outerwear and then pulls her undershirt off over her head in a single motion, displaying absolutely none of the reservation Kagerou did. She... she has a tail? It's very short, but did you really manage not to notice that in all this time? And also cheerful taste in undergarments, it seems. There's ruffles....
>You feel a slight flush tickling your face, but before you can finish processing that thought, she's stuffed the last of her clothing neatly into her pack and waded into the river. As the water rises up to her torso, she lets out a little gasp and her ears quiver slightly. ?Ooo... colder than I thought.?
>Chastening yourself, you quickly stow the last of your own clothing away and follow after her, water trickling coldly between your toes. You glance down at your midsection, marred from end to end with ragged black claw marks. The Blight is truly devouring you, isn't it? In another week's time, would there even be so much as an inch of flesh left untainted?
>You take another stride into the river and Kyouko turns around with a grin on her face, gently treading water. Does the smile on her face waver when she looks at you? It doesn't matter. You step forward and let the water engulf you.

[Oldmansour]

>Well at least we can still see SOME important things in life.
>Submerge head. Are our eyes any worse down here beneath the surface?

[DracoOmega]

>Well at least we can still see SOME important things in life.
>Submerge head. Are our eyes any worse down here beneath the surface?

>It was... well, you think you'd rather like it if there were chance in future to take a closer look with better eyes.
>You dip your head underwater and what little vision you still have blurs into virtual uselessness. Of course, that's not exactly unexpected, but you certainly can't navigate for the cavern by sight.

[Oldmansour]

>Is Kyouko's head still above water?
>If so, "Yeah, you're definately going to have to lead the way down there, my friend. I can barely see my head in front of my face underwater."

[DracoOmega]

>Is Kyouko's head still above water?
>If so, "Yeah, you're definately going to have to lead the way down there, my friend. I can barely see my head in front of my face underwater."

>It is.
>"Well, you said the tunnel's right under there, right?" She points at something on the cliff face at the opposite bank. You can only assume it must be the quartz formation.

[Oldmansour]

>"Uh... Pretty sure."

[DracoOmega]

>"Uh... Pretty sure."

>"And it's about... 25 feet before we can come up for air again?"

[Oldmansour]

>Does that sound about right?
>If so, "As far as I know."

[DracoOmega]

>Does that sound about right?
>If so, "As far as I know."

>It was your best guess from personal observations. Kyouko seems to have recalled it accurately.
>She stares at the cliff for a moment, then nods. "Right. Let's go!" She starts swimming in that direction.

[Oldmansour]

>Chase that tail.

[DracoOmega]

>Chase that tail.

>You follow after Kyouko as she swims towards the cliff. Her stroke is a little awkward and lacks Kagerou's confidence and speed, but she nonetheless keeps herself afloat. As you reach the edge of the cliff, she pauses and looks up. You can just barely make out the bloom of smokey quartz jutting from between the rocks, a smudge of amber against the cloudy sky.
>"I think that would be really pretty if the moon were out," she says.

[Oldmansour]

>Has our swimming capacity been terribly impacted?
>"Maybe we'll get to see it on the way back."

[DracoOmega]

>Has our swimming capacity been terribly impacted?
>"Maybe we'll get to see it on the way back."

>You're noticeably slower than the first time you came through here, and it feels like actual effort to propel your body through the water with any force, but you're managing alright. It might mean you'll have to be underwater for longer, though - especially with someone less experienced leading the way.
>She smiles. "Maybe we'll get to see it on the way back." Then she looks at you and holds out a hand. "Ready?"