Nitori Quest - For Science, We March!

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"That was more a suggestion than anything. I'd just prefer she not end up dead for admiring kappa so much. Something non-fatal but immediate to teach her a lesson before going into servitude would probably suit both of us."
>"Perhaps we can hang her upside down for a few years hours?"

> "Well, I guess I need some work on my hand-to-hand...wait, no, that'd probably take her head off. That's a no-go."
"Wouldn't the rush of blood to the head do some pretty bad things to her? I'm not sure, I never really majored in human anatomy..."
This is taking too long. You need to figure out a way to resolve this quickly, before someone catches on to-
"WAIT!"
...your presence.
"Just a moment! Guards! Guards! Do you realise who you're talking to?!"
Janna and Sanna stand at attention, stunned by the panic filling the voice of the woman behind them. It's another member of the Sea Serpents, but a difference in her emblems signifies a higher rank. Both of them call out in shock.
""C-Commander Mayu?!""
The tallest of the three soldiers, Mayu immediately grabs you and turns you around to look her in the eyes. There's a frightening severity in those eyes, but within seconds they're starting to water up.
"It's...it's you...all of these years, we waited, hoping you'd come back..."
Suddenly, she wraps her arms around you in a loving embrace. She had been your bodyguard, the best of the best; you should have known that she'd enter the police force after your disappearance. You curse yourself for not thinking that far ahead.
"Princess Kawashiro...you're home again. We have a queen at last."

[E-Nazrin]

>"God damnit."

[Doll.S CUBE]

> "oh..uh..I don't know what your talking about, my name is Mitori Kukanba"

> Try to get out of the hug

>"God damnit."

> Say this if they don't believe us

[Blitzer]

>Think: "...What."
>Inventory

[FinnKaenbyou]

>Think: "...What."
>Inventory

> Internally, you wish ZUN had kept his plots more structured so that twists like this couldn't show up.
> Inventory:
Bits And Bobs
Faulty Optic Camo
11,000 Yen
PDA
Notepad (w/pencil)
Vera (20 rounds)
Rocky The Shocker
Cucumber x 19
Royal Symbol (Hidden/In denial)

> "oh..uh..I don't know what your talking about, my name is Mitori Kukanba"

> Try to get out of the hug

> "Aw, now isn't the time for silly games, Nitori! You think I'd forget an adoooorable face like yours?!"
Apparently, Mayu's professionalism just went to pieces, as she's now hugging you like a kid would squeeze a teddy bear. You vaguely remember her doing this to you when no-one was looking before your escape, but apparently the relief now is enough to make her do it in public.
Janna and Sanna are simply watching on in stunned silence. They'd never seen their commander display so much...personality.
> Unfortunately, the grip of the commander of a top-class police force is rather solid. You can't even pull your arms up far enough to reach your inventory from here, so...

>"God damnit."

> You slump in Mayu's grip, muttering to yourself.
"What are you doing in this quarter of the city?! Your father would have been ashamed to see his daughter speaking with criminals!"
Was there anything your father wasn't ashamed of when it came to you? Wasn't that, you know, why you left in the first place?

[Doll.S CUBE]

> "Ugh, what I'm trying to do is help this person in jail who got too curious for her own good"

> "Can you let me out of the hug now, it's kinda uncomfortable"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You're crushing my cucumbers!"
>Have a consolation cucumber, should we escape this steely trap.

[FinnKaenbyou]

> "Ugh, what I'm trying to do is help this person in jail who got too curious for her own good"

> "Can you let me out of the hug now, it's kinda uncomfortable"

> "What's that? You mean you asked them to let her out, and they didn't comply?!"
Mayu breaks off the hug and immediately turns to her subordinates. They cower visibly.
"I never expected you two to be so impudent! Disobeying the orders of the princess?!"
"Uh, but, commander, we didn't know she was-"
"Just do it!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
The two soldiers quickly run back into the jail to release Kai and return her belongings.
"You'll have to keep her alongside you. Some people might not be so trusting of a human walking around Kuromizu all by herself."

>"You're crushing my cucumbers!"
>Have a consolation cucumber, should we escape this steely trap.

>"Oh, is that what you call them? They're pretty big, actually - you're a full grown woman now, Nitori!"
You aren't quite sure what you're celebrating, but you quaff a potion down a cucumber regardless.
"Now, then, we need to make some arrangements! We always believed you'd come back some day after you'd seen the world, so we kept your room for you. And then there'll be the coronation and handing power to you...oh, you'll make a spectacular queen, I'm sure of it!"

[Hello Purvis]

>Well shit. Now we need a way out of this.
>"Hey. You heard about what they found underground, right?"

[FinnKaenbyou]

>Well shit. Now we need a way out of this.
>"Hey. You heard about what they found underground, right?"

>"What, you mean the nuclear project? Of course we know about it! You think Yasaka would go through with a project like that without a kappa advisor? Sorry, I know you want to have something cool to surprise me with when you've been gone so long, but that's old news around here nowadays."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, not the nuclear project. I'm talking about the city outside where it happened? You know about it?"

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"No, not the nuclear project. I'm talking about the city outside where it happened? You know about it?"

> "Nitori, I'm not your geography teacher. We have another woman for that, remember?
Anyway, what about this city?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's where the oni went. I think, once I'm queen, we're gonna declare war on it. Finish the job and stuff."

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"It's where the oni went. I think, once I'm queen, we're gonna declare war on it. Finish the job and stuff."

>"...Uh. You do have advisors and all who I don't think would approve of that...maybe we oughta give you a little time to get back into the swing of things before we let you take a shot at ruling. Too much of that fresh air must've clouded your mind a little."
By now, Sanna and Janna are finally finished, and they bring out Kai to you. They gave her back her clothing, though the still-skeptical Janna is holding onto the tank she'd carried in for safe keeping.
"The hell did you manage to do?! They were gonna kill me, I know it, and all of a sudden they say I'm free to go as long as I stay with you!"
This is getting more and more complicated by the minute...all the cucumbers in the world aren't worth this hassle.
"Anyway! Janna, Sanna, escort the princess back to her chambers."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What was that?" Focus a stern look on Mayu. "Are you saying you don't approve? Are you trying to rescind against the regal word? Is this, dare I say, an attempt at rebellion?"

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"What was that?" Focus a stern look on Mayu. "Are you saying you don't approve? Are you trying to rescind against the regal word? Is this, dare I say, an attempt at rebellion?"

> "It'd be a rebellion if you were queen, but you aren't a queen until you're coronated. Until then, you're still a princess, and I'm meant to make sure you don't get out again. We've already lost enough faith from the people without you trying to take us to war. Let's just start off small, okay?"

Sanna and Janna lock arms with you at once, with Mayu holding Kai and following from behind. It's a friendly looking gesture, but it doesn't feel like there's any kindness behind it...

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, this sounds exactly like a coup. And we can't have blood spilled over little things kind regency. You win. I'll just exile myself. You're governor general or lord protector or whatever you like now. C'mon...uh...human. Sorry, forgot your name."
>Make to leave!

>_

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"No, this sounds exactly like a coup. And we can't have blood spilled over little things kind regency. You win. I'll just exile myself. You're governor general or lord protector or whatever you like now. C'mon...uh...human. Sorry, forgot your name."
>Make to leave!

>_

>"It's Kai! Kai Kirishima!"
>You'd love to do that, but Sanna and Janna have you held pretty tight. Apparently they're well aware that you didn't want to be here before, and they're making an effort to stop you getting out again.
"Don't worry, Nitori. You'll get used to the status in time. I know you and your father had your fallings out, but it isn't fair to put your petty arguments ahead of the good of Kuromizu, is it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thus abdicating."
>Glance at the guards. "You guys realize if you force me to take power against my will, first thing I'm doing is putting you on eternal fountain duty, right? At least until I can think of something worse."

[E-Nazrin]

>Backup plan: What is the purpose behind having this queen? A symbol of leadership and tradition? Bureaucratic nonsense? Have the interm regents actually been doing a bad job?
>How much would it hurt/how difficult would it be to sit through accepting this 'queen' bullshit, then justify going right back to what you were doing before? There's good reasons for it - doing your own research for magic-independent technology shows more respect for the male part of the population than might be typical. Diplomatically, having such a significant representative of the kappa out among humans shows real dedication to the idea of actually being friendly with them, rather than lip service. You might not be the ideal standard of a ruler, but you could lead by example as an ideal kappa. Regular visits or developing some way to speak with the city from afar can allow acting as a public symbol even while living away.

[Doll.S CUBE]

> Does the name Kirishima ring any bells?

[FinnKaenbyou]

>"Thus abdicating."
>Glance at the guards. "You guys realize if you force me to take power against my will, first thing I'm doing is putting you on eternal fountain duty, right? At least until I can think of something worse."

>"Oh, that sort of ordering around isn't your duty. That's for your advisors to decide, you know?"

>Backup plan: What is the purpose behind having this queen? A symbol of leadership and tradition? Bureaucratic nonsense? Have the interm regents actually been doing a bad job?
>How much would it hurt/how difficult would it be to sit through accepting this 'queen' bullshit, then justify going right back to what you were doing before? There's good reasons for it - doing your own research for magic-independent technology shows more respect for the male part of the population than might be typical. Diplomatically, having such a significant representative of the kappa out among humans shows real dedication to the idea of actually being friendly with them, rather than lip service. You might not be the ideal standard of a ruler, but you could lead by example as an ideal kappa. Regular visits or developing some way to speak with the city from afar can allow acting as a public symbol even while living away.

>You are, for all intends and purposes, a figurehead. Your father was a much loved ruler of Kuromizu, doing his best to act regal and mighty in order to give the rest of the kappa something to look up to. He never made any of the actual decisions, though - that was left to his board of advisors, all trained in their departments and far more fit for making decisions than he was. Still, he received the credit and gained the praise, and when he finally passed on it was hoped that his daughter would live up to the expectations of the masses.
At least, until she ran away from her supposed 'duties'. You told him that the system as it was now was a sham - the first king of Kuromizu, Ichinose Kawashiro, was a monarch in the traditional fashion, making all the choices and ruling the city himself. Now things had evolved to the point where you were nothing more than a pretty face. What a disgrace to the blood of your ancestors - the once proud inventors, reduced to glorified mascots.
Of course, your father wouldn't listen, and before he could force you down you made the decision to leave yourself. You cut all ties with Kuromizu, living as a simple engineer on your own and surviving on simple commissions. It was a far cry from the comfort and bliss of the palace, but it was freedom. You never had a chance to say goodbye to your father, but you have yet to regret it.
Put simply - they don't intend to make the same mistake twice with you.

> Does the name Kirishima ring any bells?

> You recall Kirishima being a farmer at the Human Village who sold you cucumbers once or twice. He occasionally rambled on about his daughter refusing to come out of her room, but he'd never said exactly why. A look of shame would slip onto his face as the point was dropped.

[Hello Purvis]

>To the guards "Tell yourself that. Because I got a long memory, and am gonna have whole lot of people wanting my official favor. Not gonna be hard to make your lives hell if you don't let go of me. Right. Now."
>Do we still have our stuff?

[FinnKaenbyou]

>To the guards "Tell yourself that. Because I got a long memory, and am gonna have whole lot of people wanting my official favor. Not gonna be hard to make your lives hell if you don't let go of me. Right. Now."
>Do we still have our stuff?

>"One person being pissed at us is better than having the whole Council on our asses because we let you go. Lesser of two evils, kid."
>You still have everything, but Janna and Sanna have your hands preoccupied. They obviously won't have the nerve to shoot you if things get serious, but they're probably clever enough to use Kai as a potential hostage...

The palace is coming into view now. Still as brilliant architecturally as it ever was, no matter how much you hate what lies inside of it.

[Doll.S CUBE]

> Try to break out of their hold and go grab Kai, then activate the belt, maybe we'll get lucky and find someone who is knowledgeable about it. At the very least you can use it again later and come back at a different time when they all go wild searching for you

[Hello Purvis]

>Do we need out hands to activate Rocky the Shocker?

[FinnKaenbyou]

> Try to break out of their hold and go grab Kai, then activate the belt, maybe we'll get lucky and find someone who is knowledgeable about it. At the very least you can use it again later and come back at a different time when they all go wild searching for you

>They're trained police officers. The closest you usually get to exercise is turning screws. Good luck.
Also, Mayu is still holding onto Kai, so unless you want to take her with you as well then right now it's a no-go.

>Do we need out hands to activate Rocky the Shocker?

>Regrettably, yes.

>You enter the palace proper. Immediately a butler walks forward to accomodate you.

"Good day, madams. We heard about your discovery some thirty minutes ago. We're disappointed to find that it took you so long to recover the princess."

Mayu, still holding Kai, moves in front and bows her head.

"My apologies, Sir Hiro. She was...difficult."

"I should imagine so. No worries, it's a phase she will grow out of. Escort her to her room, girls...and who's this little runt?"

Hiro looks down at Kai, sneering visibly. Kai returns the gesture.

"It's a long story. At this point, she's effectively the princess's servant."

"Hmm. Well, take them both there for now. We'll work through the other issues in time. Perhaps a little...discipline is necessary."

With that, he orders the Serpents to lead you up to your old chambers. You're rather disturbed by how fresh the room is in your memory - the same perfectly plastered walls, impossibly fluffy bedding, and your own little pool in the corner. Of course the nuts and bolts you managed to smuggle in here have been removed - the lab was no place for a princess, after all.

You and Kai are released, and the Serpents wordlessly take their leave. The door back out closes with a distinct locking sound. You remembered there being windows in this room, but it looks like they planned ahead enough to cover them with walls in order to prevent another escape.

"...OK. Now that I'm done getting manhandled, can you please tell me what the hell's going on?! Since when were you a princess?!"

[Doll.S CUBE]

(Some else explain this, I can't)

> Note to self: Make Rocky the Shocker activate by mental or vocal command

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, since always by birth. Since, like, fifteen minutes ago as far as everyone else is concerned. Right, let's get the hell out of here."
>Are there windows? If so, go gaze from them. And assess their removability via tools, or breakability.

[E-Nazrin]

>Recall where the windows WERE, and whether they've simply been plastered over or if the walls have been replaced entirely. Edges may be a weakness in the seal.