Author Topic: Iku Quest On Iki - A Z-Machine Adventure (Read 55106 times)

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #60 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:09:04 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 04:01:20 AM

> Marisa probably now thinks we're invading our own islands.
> Land in front of the Dragon Palace.
> Is Yuuka still around, or perhaps her blonde friend whom we saw yesterday?

>You can just hear the accusation of traitor now...
>You land in front of the Dragon Palace. Looking around, you don't see Yuka around immediately, or the blonde girl. It seems to be all celestials right now, assisting with the clean-up. Things seem a little better than when you were last here, but it'll be awhile before things are properly clean, let alone restored.
>"We are rather impressed," says Remilia. "In Our provinces, no one seemed to be interested in cleaning up anything."

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #61 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:14:51 AM »

> "It would be unthinkable to let The August One's Palace lay in ruins when clean-up assistance was readily available."
> Though we think we could venture another guess as to why that might have been.
> Enter the palace.

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #62 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:23:24 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 04:14:51 AM

> "It would be unthinkable to let The August One's Palace lay in ruins when clean-up assistance was readily available."
> Though we think we could venture another guess as to why that might have been.
> Enter the palace.

>"Ah, We see," says Remilia.
>It might have been a form of non-violent resistance, you consider. But likely, they didn't care. Branches on the trees or on the ground don't really make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
>You enter the Palace. The celestials that notice you pause to curtsy in your direction, or nod their heads if their arms are full. Looking around, you do notice some of the piles of debris from before are gone. As well, you catch sight of Yuka near one of the main corridors, chatting with a celestials. Remilia notices her as well, and gives a finger-wagging wave to the youkai. Yuka notices this and waves back with a smile, but seems to have no interest in disrupting her conversation to join either of you.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #63 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:25:01 AM »

> Can we tell about what she is conversing?
> "Ah, Lady Kazami is a friend of yours, then?"

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #64 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:40:18 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 04:25:01 AM

> Can we tell about what she is conversing?
> "Ah, Lady Kazami is a friend of yours, then?"

>You cannot at a glance, but it seems to be a fairly normal and relaxed conversation.
>"We've never met," says Remilia, "But We know of her quite well."

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #65 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:32:55 AM »

> Nod.
> Well, at least she appears to be doing fine...
> Where is The Dragon's Chamber from here?

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #66 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:40:24 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 10:32:55 AM

> Nod.
> Well, at least she appears to be doing fine...
> Where is The Dragon's Chamber from here?

>It doesn't seem like the devastation has gotten any worse, at least.
>The Dragon's Chamber is straight ahead, its immense main doors quite obvious from the entrance.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #67 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:51:59 AM »

> Take Remilia to the smaller guest door off to the side, but do not actually enter.
> "Please wait here, while I inform The August One as to your presence."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #68 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:53:27 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 10:51:59 AM

> Take Remilia to the smaller guest door off to the side, but do not actually enter.
> "Please wait here, while I inform The August One as to your presence."

>You reach the smaller door without problems.
>"But of course," says Remilia.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #69 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:56:30 AM »

> What is the normal procedure for entering The Dragon's Chamber without an appointment or a prior invitation?...Is there even such a standard?

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #70 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:59:51 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 10:56:30 AM

> What is the normal procedure for entering The Dragon's Chamber without an appointment or a prior invitation?...Is there even such a standard?

>There is not. You presume, if you're not welcome, you simply wouldn't get in.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #71 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:05:19 AM »

> ...Maybe we should knock first, then? Barging in seems rather rude...
> Deep breath. We can do this we can do this we can do this we can do this
> Knock on the guest door.

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #72 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:06:57 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 11:05:19 AM

> ...Maybe we should knock first, then? Barging in seems rather rude...
> Deep breath. We can do this we can do this we can do this we can do this
> Knock on the guest door.

>Take a moment to gather your courage, and rap your knuckles on the door.
>The door swings inward, with barely any resistance at all.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #73 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:09:14 AM »

> Enter!

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #74 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:17:10 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 11:09:14 AM

> Enter!

>You walk inside, and everything is on fire.
>Fire surrounds you, stretching out as far as the eye can see. Looking up, the sky is a dance of embers, and looking down you see the ground is nothing but glowing ash. The flames burn around you and on you. You are not terribly concerned; this is not the worst thing you have encountered here. It is warm, but quite tolerable. The Dragon is here; it is the flames and the ash, the embers and the air, the crackling in the air.

>_

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #75 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:20:27 AM »

> Is The Dragon's form typically indicative of its mood?
> Perform the standard rituals for greeting and honoring The Dragon.

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #76 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:22:54 AM »

Quote from: Yamameko no Naku Roda ni on March 17, 2011, 11:20:27 AM

> Perform the standard rituals for greeting and hailing The Dragon.

>You kowtow on the ash; you're not particularly worried about it. After a moment, you can feel the The Dragon beckoning you to rise. You can feel that It is pleased with you.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #77 on:** March 17, 2011, 12:16:32 PM »

> At least one of us is pleased with us...
> Rise.

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #78 on:** March 17, 2011, 12:30:35 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 12:16:32 PM

> At least one of us is pleased with us...
> Rise.

>Certainly preferable to no one being pleased with you.
>You stand. You can feel it is waiting for you to speak.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #79 on:** March 17, 2011, 12:33:25 PM »

> Did we close the door of the chamber behind us?

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #80 on:** March 17, 2011, 12:37:05 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 12:33:25 PM

> Did we close the door of the chamber behind us?

>You did not. But you don't think it's an issue; you're not even certain you're really in that chamber as far as the rest of the world is concerned.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #81 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:28:54 PM »

> "August One, we have a pair of...rather unusual circumstances, one of which leads into the other. The first is that I have discovered that Bhava-Agra has fallen due to a poltergeist taking Bhava-Agra's shadow. The poltergeist is not at all a bad person, and she wants to return this shadow, but she is fanatically isolationist, and with what being a fanatically isolationist poltergeist implies about what she is doing to her own well-being, she believes she needs to retain the shadow to survive. I have tried to get her to see the joys of a social lifestyle, and have actually succeeded in getting her to care about me as a friend, but I have otherwise made ostensibly no progress into convincing her that self-exposure is not the universe-defined evil she thinks it is. It is a belief that she seems very ready to die for. I also cannot bring myself to remove the shadow from her forcibly, as I consider her a good friend in return."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #82 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:37:42 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 01:28:54 PM

> "August One, we have a pair of...rather unusual circumstances, one of which leads into the other. The first is that I have discovered that Bhava-Agra has fallen due to a poltergeist taking Bhava-Agra's shadow. The poltergeist is not at all a bad person, and she wants to return this shadow, but she is fanatically isolationist, and with what being a fanatically isolationist poltergeist implies about what she is doing to her own well-being, she believes she needs to retain the shadow to survive. I have tried to get her to see the joys of a social lifestyle, and have actually succeeded in getting her to care about me as a friend, but I have otherwise made ostensibly no progress into convincing her that self-exposure is not the universe-defined evil she thinks it is. It is a belief that she seems very ready to die for. I also cannot bring myself to remove the shadow from her forcibly, as I consider her a good friend in return."

>You feel The Dragon is well aware of this, and is quite pleased with the compassion you've shown even in the face of adversity. It does not imagine that anyone else would have done that. It does not seem to feel you've failed to make any progress, either, given she has taken risks to see others.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #83 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:03:08 PM »

That had actually occurred to me a little while ago as the reason why Iku was chosen for this task as opposed to literally anyone else in the Touhouverse. She would be the only one that would befriend the person that wrecked her home and then go to bat for that person despite the person never offering her anything more than attempts to fix the damage they themselves caused. Everyone else would either demand proper compensation or just try to beat the shadows out of the culprit.

> "I suppose this is true, but so far every risk has at least been set up so that her person will not be seen. I could not possibly ask her to forsake her faith and spend her life wandering around in full visibility for my sake. I strongly suspect she would rather die and fade into nothingness than sustain herself in that manner."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #84 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:14:48 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 02:03:08 PM

> "I suppose this is true, but so far every risk has at least been set up so that her person will not be seen. I could not possibly ask her to forsake her faith and spend her life wandering around in full visibility for my sake. I strongly suspect she would rather die and fade into nothingness than sustain herself in that manner."

>You feel a sense of hesitation as you say this, then find yourself thinking back to when the poltergeist approached Remilia from behind. You can feel a sense of disagreement from The Dragon settling lightly into your stomach.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #85 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:16:49 PM »

> "Well...I suppose that one instance did risk her person being seen should Remilia have turned around out of curiosity..."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #86 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:23:13 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 02:16:49 PM

> "Well...I suppose that one instance did risk her person being seen should Remilia have turned around out of curiosity..."

>The feeling in your stomach subsides.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #87 on:** March 17, 2011, 03:17:41 PM »

> "So she trusts me to that great a degree...it is a bit of a shame that this trust does not extend to believing me when I tell her of the joys that can be had in socialization, but I suppose one should not expect another's faith to be that radically altered in the span of half a day."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #88 on:** March 17, 2011, 03:25:54 PM »

Quote from: Suwako Moriya on March 17, 2011, 03:17:41 PM

> "So she trusts me to that great a degree...it is a bit of a shame that this trust does not extend to believing me when I tell her of the joys that can be had in socialization, but I suppose one should not expect another's faith to be that radically altered in the span of half a day."

>You feel a sense of sympathy for the poltergeist, above and beyond what you already feel. It seems The Dragon agrees.

>_

Suwako Moriya · « **Reply #89 on:** March 17, 2011, 03:50:38 PM »

> "This poor girl's situation leads into the second unusual situation. It seems some of Gensokyo's residents assumed our fall to be an invasion, where our people were a warring force. One party in particular took it upon themselves to launch what they assumed were counterstrikes and conquered two of our islands. Knowing we were innocent, I...lost sight of what was important in the face of anger at the injustice I had seen, and so I made some mistaken assumptions of my own. The other party feels the mistaken assumptions on both sides compensate for each other, and desired that the poltergeist take responsibility for embarrassing them. Due to the poltergeist's faith, however, she cannot take responsibility, as the recompense would almost certainly be indenturement. So...I have taken responsibility on her behalf. I did this assuming the other party would request recompense the poltergeist was capable of providing, but they have instead requested recompense of me as the Dragon Palace Messenger. Their request is...not one I feel comfortable approving, for a variety of reasons on both a professional and personal level, so they have requested an audience with you to present their case. As near as I can tell, they wish to retain control of the islands they have conquered."