Iku Quest Cztery: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Small smile.
> "They were brand new to me this morning, and you're the only person I know that looks like one of them while knowing the three sizes of the other."

[DracoOmega]

>"No, there are at least arguments for why the islands remaining here is not a terrible thing. But what has happened to them is quite different than what seems to happen to people affected by this. And if it spreads, or already has, well..."

[Hello Purvis]

> Small smile.
> "They were brand new to me this morning, and you're the only person I know that looks like one of them while knowing the three sizes of the other."

>"Well, I can hardly be held accountable if you are tragically behind the times, and I didn't need all three of them." says Yukari. "I am not sure where they are, I've not bothered to check on them today."

>"No, there are at least arguments for why the islands remaining here is not a terrible thing. But what has happened to them is quite different than what seems to happen to people affected by this. And if it spreads, or already has, well..."

>"Quite so."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And I can hardly be blamed for lack of information when the great lot of you simply vanish into thin air for several months before reappearing just as suddenly. What happened with that, anyway? I can only presume their arrival here was a direct product of it, since I understand they are from the outside world, and they were distinctly not here before it happened."

[Hello Purvis]

> "And I can hardly be blamed for lack of information when the great lot of you simply vanish into thin air for several months before reappearing just as suddenly. What happened with that, anyway? I can only presume their arrival here was a direct product of it, since I understand they are from the outside world, and they were distinctly not here before it happened."

>"Hmm, we'll say the short answer is yes," says Yukari, "And there's little need to worry about the rest of it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It's getting harder and harder to not worry about a months-long mass disappearance when no one is willing to tell me anything about it, but I guess as long as it has nothing to do with what's going on now, I can beat my head against that wall later."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It's getting harder and harder to not worry about a months-long mass disappearance when no one is willing to tell me anything about it, but I guess as long as it has nothing to do with what's going on now, I can beat my head against that wall later."

>"I can assure you they are not related," says Yukari. "I have taken precautions to make certain that if a similar thing occurs, I shall be well informed before it is a problem. Perhaps, if no one who knows is telling you, which would include The Dragon, unless the years have caught up to it, then it likely isn't a problem."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Fair enough. I suppose having one mystery on one's hands simply reminds one of others. And there is a certain frustration in having most of one's efforts result in only questions, but no answers. To say nothing of all the people who believe this is some sort of invasion on our part."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Fair enough. I suppose having one mystery on one's hands simply reminds one of others. And there is a certain frustration in having most of one's efforts result in only questions, but no answers. To say nothing of all the people who believe this is some sort of invasion on our part."

>"Isn't it?" asks Yukari. "I've seen quite a few of your people running around lately."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"An invasion of a different kind, perhaps. I am glad to see them exploring peaceably, though, where this is possible. Marisa's already torn through two settlements, Remilia's indentured the population of another island, and I've diffused a battle elsewhere. There are probably other altercations I'm not aware of, to say nothing of the injuries sustained in the fall itself. If we can simply co-exist peaceable for as long as Bhava-Agra remains here, I will be glad of it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"An invasion of a different kind, perhaps. I am glad to see them exploring peaceably, though, where this is possible. Marisa's already torn through two settlements, Remilia's indentured the population of another island, and I've diffused a battle elsewhere. There are probably other altercations I'm not aware of, to say nothing of the injuries sustained in the fall itself. If we can simply co-exist peaceable for as long as Bhava-Agra remains here, I will be glad of it."

>"Not particularly surprising," says Yukari. "Though I wonder, if it is okay if celestials explore here, is the reverse true? Chen had quite a tale to tell about her experiences with that this morning."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Yes, I think there was something of a misunderstanding. Or rather, some Gensokyoans did not realize that it was someone else's property, and the orchard's attendants came to its defense too vigorously. Remember, it was mere minutes after the island's fall. Everyone was quite shaken up, and they are rather less familiar with Gensokyo's inhabitants than I am. Perhaps they truly thought they were under attack? I did my best to dissolve the fighting as soon as I saw it."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes, I think there was something of a misunderstanding. Or rather, some Gensokyoans did not realize that it was someone else's property, and the orchard's attendants came to its defense too vigorously. Remember, it was mere minutes after the island's fall. Everyone was quite shaken up, and they are rather less familiar with Gensokyo's inhabitants than I am. Perhaps they truly thought they were under attack? I did my best to dissolve the fighting as soon as I saw it."

>Yukari nods. "Perhaps, it is a thing to keep in mind. But I think things have calmed down in that regard, don't you?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"A great deal, yes. Visitors have been coming and going without incident, I believe. We may be here for some time, at the very least while we attempt to resolve this incident. It's in everyone's interests that we peacefully co-exist. I only wish I could get that through Marisa's thick skull..."

[Hello Purvis]

>"A great deal, yes. Visitors have been coming and going without incident, I believe. We may be here for some time, at the very least while we attempt to resolve this incident. It's in everyone's interests that we peacefully co-exist. I only wish I could get that through Marisa's thick skull..."

>"Ah, I recall my time with that," says Yukari. "What was it...? 'If the night goes on, youkai will stuff themselves til they  blow up,' I believe? I daresay she's gotten better about it."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I avoided her the first time, escaped from her the second. And, well, she just finished beating Kanako up a few minutes ago. I managed to miss that one entirely. At first, I did not want to fight back, as a protest of my innocence. But she has her mind made up, and nothing I have said has made any difference. And she's involved enough innocent people in her crusade against me. At this point, I think stopping her would be a service to other bystanders who may end up collateral damage."
>"I am pleased Sanae proved far more reasonable about this, at the least."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I avoided her the first time, escaped from her the second. And, well, she just finished beating Kanako up a few minutes ago. I managed to miss that one entirely. At first, I did not want to fight back, as a protest of my innocence. But she has her mind made up, and nothing I have said has made any difference. And she's involved enough innocent people in her crusade against me. At this point, I think stopping her would be a service to other bystanders who may end up collateral damage."
>"I am pleased Sanae proved far more reasonable about this, at the least."

>"I would just stay out her way," says Yukari. "She can be a handful, and it would be a shame to miss the real culprit due to being unconscious, don't you think?"
>"Sanae was the reasonable one? Things have turned upside down, haven't they?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"At least she let me speak before she tried to attack. In the end, I managed to convince her without any shots exchanged on either side. Marisa's a great deal more bull-headed, though. And it doesn't help that she's managed to find what she believes it incontrovertible evidence of my guilt. I will certainly be just as happy if I can get through the day without being fired on again. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be nice. It's not like there's any shortage of other things to find stressful without being attacked every half hour or so."

[Hello Purvis]

>"At least she let me speak before she tried to attack. In the end, I managed to convince her without any shots exchanged on either side. Marisa's a great deal more bull-headed, though. And it doesn't help that she's managed to find what she believes it incontrovertible evidence of my guilt. I will certainly be just as happy if I can get through the day without being fired on again. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be nice. It's not like there's any shortage of other things to find stressful without being attacked every half hour or so."

>"I suppose I'll try to talk some sense into her if I see her," says Yukari. "Though I am curious about this evidence of her's."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Eirin more or less acquiesced to Marisa's allegations of us being in league in order to get her to stop her attack on the celestial village that Eirin was visiting at the time."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Eirin more or less acquiesced to Marisa's allegations of us being in league in order to get her to stop her attack on the celestial village that Eirin was visiting at the time."

>"Hm," says Yukari. "That seems a little odd for Eirin."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Apparently she was trying to deflect Marisa away from rampaging through Eientei in person. I suppose it doesn't help matters that Reisen is evidently under the weather at the moment, too."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Apparently she was trying to deflect Marisa away from rampaging through Eientei in person. I suppose it doesn't help matters that Reisen is evidently under the weather at the moment, too."

>"Ah, that makes a lot more sense," says Yukari. "She has a way of going soft when Reisen is involved. Assuming it's not a cover, in any event."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"For what it's worth, she did stay and tend to the various wounded on the island after Marisa left. And apologized profusely for what happened. She didn't seem to be especially hiding anything, but I'd be more willing to admit the possibility where she's concerned than with some people. Still, there doesn't seem to be an obvious motive for her to be responsible, either."

[Hello Purvis]

>"For what it's worth, she did stay and tend to the various wounded on the island after Marisa left. And apologized profusely for what happened. She didn't seem to be especially hiding anything, but I'd be more willing to admit the possibility where she's concerned than with some people. Still, there doesn't seem to be an obvious motive for her to be responsible, either."

>Yukari nods, and seems satisfied with that.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hmmm...what do you know about the Brocken Spectre?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hmmm...what do you know about the Brocken Spectre?"

>"Chen and her friends have had great fun chasing after it," says Yukari. "It does seem to have become quite a thing; all sort of people are running around the forest looking for it. I wonder if the faeries are alright with it, though?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't suppose it could have anything to do with the major problem at-hand? Or would you have known about that already?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't suppose it could have anything to do with the major problem at-hand? Or would you have known about that already?"

>"It might," says Yukari. "But if such a thing is, assuming it's there, then it would be doing so in a way that doesn't attract my attention."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, whoever is doing this, wherever they are, must be doing it in a way that doesn't attract your attention, mustn't they? I get the impression you had no idea anything was amiss until the islands suddenly feel below the clouds."