Keine Quest (Part 3): Broken History

[DracoOmega]

>Do we have enough botany knowledge to have a clue which one that is?
>If not: "You'd have to point that one out to me, I'm afraid."

>Unfortunately, no.
>"Should I be pleased at your honesty, or upset at your ignorance, hmm?" Her tone is light, but she lets the words hang in the air just long enough to make you a tad edgy. She chuckles softly at your reaction. "No matter, they are these." She gestures towards a plant from which trumpet shaped blooms hang; crimson fading to yellow at their tips

[Hello Purvis]

>"It is not like I could fool you."
>Make an effort to appreciate their vibrancy!
>Have we seen them before?

[DracoOmega]

>"It is not like I could fool you."

>"No," she agrees, a faint smile on her lips. "But some might still seek to try. I'm glad you're wiser than that."

>Make an effort to appreciate their vibrancy!
>Have we seen them before?

>They honestly are quite pleasant looking, although you don't really have a frame of reference for whether they're more or less vibrant than normal. Yuka's probably a good one to trust on that, though...
>You think you have, but they don't really stand out distinctly in your mind.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I can't say they're vibrant, but they do look pleasant."

[DracoOmega]

>"I can't say they're vibrant, but they do look pleasant."

>Yuka raises an eyebrow at you. "You can't?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not without implying I know more about them than I do, anyways. I can't remember the last time I've seen any."

[DracoOmega]

>"Not without implying I know more about them than I do, anyways. I can't remember the last time I've seen any."

>"Fair enough," she says, turning back to the moon. "I doubt there are any to be found in Gensokyo, outside of my garden."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do they not grow very well outside of here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Do they not grow very well outside of here?"

>"They prefer more tropical climes, to be honest. But that is no issue here."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod. "I see."
>Glance around, do we see any snow drops, or anything else blatantly out of season?

[DracoOmega]

>Nod. "I see."
>Glance around, do we see any snow drops, or anything else blatantly out of season?

>Not as far as you can tell, with your limited botanical knowledge. Although there is a diverse variety of flowers that aren't common in Gensokyo; you don't even know what many of them are.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do you have flowers that aren't in season yet?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you have flowers that aren't in season yet?"

>"No different than usual," she replies. "Much grows here that would not find purchase elsewhere. It is my treasure and my joy." She turns to you, and faintly smiles. "I trust you can appreciate the artistry."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I've been trying to digest what you tell me. I'm afraid, though, I am too uneducated to really enjoy the subtlies of your garden. I can appreciate the colors and layouts, but the finer points elude me."

[DracoOmega]

>"I've been trying to digest what you tell me. I'm afraid, though, I am too uneducated to really enjoy the subtlies of your garden. I can appreciate the colors and layouts, but the finer points elude me."

>Yuka gives you a cool look for a few more moments, and then chuckles softly. "Oh, you are trying so hard, aren't you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Shrug.
>"I suspected it would be much less polite to not make the effort at all."

[DracoOmega]

>Shrug.
>"I suspected it would be much less polite to not make the effort at all."

>"Indeed it might," she nods. "Still, it's amusing to see you fidget."
>"In any event, I am not so naive as to think you came here at this time of night to enjoy the garden. So do hurry up and say what you came to say; such chatter rather dampens the mood."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I want to ask you about the crater to the <proper compass direction>. It's tied to a rather ruinous incident I've been trying to deal with for the past couple days. What do you know about it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I want to ask you about the crater to the <proper compass direction>. It's tied to a rather ruinous incident I've been trying to deal with for the past couple days. What do you know about it?"

>"Ah, that. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. It appeared without warning about seven years ago now, I think. If you're thinking I know why, I fear your trip here has been wasted." Then she stares at you for a moment, and one side of her mouth curls into a somewhat off-putting grin. "You really don't know what was there, do you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Shake head. Try not to be off put.

[DracoOmega]

>Shake head. Try not to be off put.

>She laughs. "I wonder, should I tell you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"It would probably be helpful to know, yes,"

[DracoOmega]

>"It would probably be helpful to know, yes,"

>"That doesn't really answer my question, dear." She turns back to the moon.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I think you should. It might help us establish if there is any kind of pattern to this thing."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I think you should. It might help us establish if there is any kind of pattern to this thing."

>She gives you another calculating glance. "Very well; I suppose it will keep you from asking too many other pointless questions. That was Yukari's home." 

[Kasu]

> Well...  That was unexpected.
> "W...  Really?  Has she been seen since?"

[DracoOmega]

> Well...  That was unexpected.
> "W...  Really?  Has she been seen since?"

>Yeah.... although that might do something to explain why the whole place seemed hidden to you; she was always secretive about where she lived. It might have been fairly geographically hidden, too, if something hadn't taken out all the hills for a kilometer around it.
>"No, she hasn't," Yuka replies, smiling at your flustered expression.  "She may still be alive inside that barrier of hers, for all I know."

[Kasu]

> "I would assume that goes for her shikigami as well correct?"

[DracoOmega]

> "I would assume that goes for her shikigami as well correct?"

>"I did see Chen running about in a panic shortly after it happened. Nearly trampled some things that would have been distinctly detrimental to her health," she adds. "I haven't seen her for some years; probably some small glimmer of wisdom from her."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hmmm. And, to your knowledge, nothing has happened there since?"